Lesson plan
We've Got the Dirt!
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to identify and describe the different types of soil.
Introduction
(10 minutes)
- Explain to students that today they will be learning about the different types of soil.
- Give each student a copy of the first page of the Types of Soil worksheet.
- Read aloud, or have volunteers read aloud, the worksheet, pausing after each type to discuss.
- On the board or a piece of chart paper, make a graph with 3 rows labeled 1, 2, and 3 and 3 columns labeled "Particle Size?", "Feels?", and "Dries?"
- Divide students into pairs or small groups.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling
(10 minutes)- Explain that the groups will be observing the 3 soil samples for particle size, texture, and how it holds water.
- Demonstrate using the hand lens, model observing particle size of a given sample.
- Explain the difference between clumps and particles, and model breaking a clump down into particles.
- Demonstrate rubbing a small amount of soil between your thumb and forefinger and describe what the students might feel using vocabulary from the worksheet.
- Demonstrate dropping one small drop of water into the soil sample and observe with the hand lens.
- Describe the changes to the soil and how quickly the water absorbs, runs off, or dries.
Guided Practice
(20 minutes)- Give each group a paper plate and have one of the students divide it into thirds and number each section.
- Give each group a dropper, water and a hand lens.
- Give each group a cup with the first kind of soil, sand, in it. Do not tell them what type of soil is in the cup.
- Have each student examine the sample with the hand lens, breaking up clumps with the tooth pick.
- Discuss the students' observations and record them on the chart.
- Have the students rub the soil between their fingers and record their observations on the chart.
- Have the students drop one drop of water onto the sample and observe it with the hand lens.
- Record their observations on the chart.
- Repeat this procedure with the other 2 samples.
Independent working time
(10 minutes)- Have the students put their materials away or to the side.
- Ask each group to participate in a conversation to discuss the observations recorded on the chart and to compare them to the information in the worksheet.
- Have the groups decide which type of soil is in each numbered cup.
- During their conversation, encourage students to build on each other's comments or link their comments. Provide some of the following sentence frames:
- "I agree with ____ because..."
- "I disagree with ____ because..."
- "What you said made me think about...."
- Model using the sentence frames in each group during their conversations as you circulate the room.
- Allow each group member to share their ideas.
- Ask a spokesperson or volunteer from each group to tell the class the name of each sample and to explain how the group came to that conclusion.
Differentiation
- Enrichment: Rather than a teacher created chart, let advanced learners create their own record keeping document. Have them repeat this activity with soil samples collected at home or at school.
- Support: Place struggling students in a group with an adult or strong peer leader. Divide the sample observations into 3 separate, shorter activities.
Assessment
(5 minutes)- Complete the second page of the Types of Soil worksheet.
Review and closing
(5 minutes)- Have students tell each other in their groups the descriptions of the types of soil.
- Encourage students to build onto each other's comments as each student shares aloud to the whole class.
Related learning resources
We've Got the Dirt!
Lesson plan
We've Got the Dirt!
Help your students learn about earth with this lesson that teaches them about the most basic component-dirt!
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Lesson plan
Where Can We Find Soil, Sand and Dirt?
Worksheet
Where Can We Find Soil, Sand and Dirt?
Read the definitions of soil, sand and dirt then write where you can find each type below the pictures. Nurture your budding geologist!
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Where Else Can We Find Soil, Sand and Dirt?
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Where Else Can We Find Soil, Sand and Dirt?
Read the definitions given for soil, sand and dirt then write down where each element can be found below the pictures.
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Worksheet
