What Kind of Soils Do I Have?

Soil Stories

In this activity, students explore differences in soil types and composition.

Doing the Activity:

Who doesn’t like getting their hands a little dirty? The next time a child in your care decides to dig a hole in the ground, turn it into an educational opportunity. Describe to children that you will conduct an experiment to analyze the soil sample they have just collected. As you dig and collect soil samples, ask:

• What do trees and other plants get from soil? If so, why?

• Do different plants have different soil needs?

• Describe the soil: What color is it? How does it smell? How does it feel?

Have children make a “soil shake” by placing one half cup of soil into a jar with a lid and adding two cups of water. Ask them to predict what will happen if they shake the closed jar and let it settle for a few hours. Then, try it. Over time, soil layers will become visible. Gravel will fall first; then sand, silt, and clay; organic matter (leaves, twigs, stems) will remain floating in the water. Have children draw a picture of the layers formed by their soil shake, or collect and test soil samples from other areas (forest, field, yard) for comparison.

Get permission before taking soil samples. Use plastic jars, if possible.

Visit http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm to find soil types specific to your area

Does the early bird really get the worm??

Birds and Worms

In this activity, students will discover the value of camouflage as they pretend to be birds in search of colored worms.
Many animals are “color coordinated” with their surroundings. Any coloration, body shape, or behavior that helps an animal hide is called camouflage. With the help of a few simple household items, you can take children outside to explore this concept.

Collect equal amounts of small, biodegradable objects in at least three colors that can be used to represent “worms” in an outdoor setting. Consider the tri-colored rotini or spiral pasta noodles, pieces of yarn, or shreds of paper.

Once outside:

• Spread or hide your colored objects (“worms”) in a defined area

• Have children “fly” around as birds and try to find the “worms”

• Make a chart or graph to visually record children’s findings. As the rounds go on, the colors that are not camouflaged will become scarce and the "birds" will have to look harder for their food.

If your first trial was on grass, try the same exercise again on asphalt, or within an area of trees. If you are working with multiple children, construct a relay race to find the scattered “worms.” The winner of the race is the first team to get every child on the team at least one “worm.” Children will most likely find the least camouflaged objects first. After completing the activity, ask:

• What color was easiest to find? What color was hardest to find? Why?

• Was there a pattern to the order in which the different colored “worms” were found?