6 th Grade Science

Objectives Students will understand that good health of humans requires: monitoring the lithosphere, maintaining soil quality, and stewardship.

Essential questions How does soil quality affect humans? How do humans affect soil quality?

Warm-up Write the following in your notes-leave at least 4 lines between each term for definitions. Soil Conservation Crop Rotation Conservation Tillage Terraces Wind Breaks

Soil Erosion The wearing away of soil Loss of soil Dust bowl video

Natural Causes of Soil Erosion : Wind Water (rain) Gravity (hills, mountains) Ice (glaciers, cold temperatures)

Other Causes of Soil Erosion: Farming Mining Construction

Severe weather speeds up soil erosion! Storms Tornados Floods

Soil Conservation: Ways to preserve (or save) the soil

1. Crop Rotation Planting different crops on the same field in different years (wheat/bean example)

2. Conservation Tillage Reducing the number of times fields are tilled, or plowed, in a year

3. Terraces Flat, step-like areas built on a hillside to prevent rainwater from running downhill

4. Contour Plowing Plowing along curves or contours of a slope to prevent water from running straight downhill

5. Wind Breaks Rows of trees between fields to “break” or reduce the force of winds.

Soil Conservation Examples Find a partner. Read the scenario of erosion. With your partner, decide on a solution to the problem. Write your solution next to the scenario and then draw a picture of your solution.

1. A farmer notices that his crops are being destroyed by wind. They are starting to lean to one side, and the soil is blowing across the field. What can he do to better conserve the soil? Explain & draw a picture. 2. A neighbor of yours is getting ready to plant a garden of flowers in his backyard. He asks you for ideas on how to conserve soil. You notice that his backyard has a lot of hills. What do you suggest? Explain & draw a picture. 3. Your parents decide to put mulch around the trees in your yard. Each time after it rains, you notice the amount of mulch is decreasing. Why is this? What do you tell your parents to prevent this from happening? Explain & draw a picture 4. Your uncle has had a farm for 20 years. Each year he plants potatoes on the left field. This year, half of his potatoes died. What should he do next year? Explain & draw a picture. 5. You live in house that has a long, steep driveway. Your mom plants flowers beside the driveway. However, each time it rains the soil runs down the hill. What should she do? Explain & draw a picture. 6. Your grandfather is a farmer. You hear him complain about how his crops are not doing well. You know that we have the same amount of rainfall as last year. What might he need to do to improve the crops next year? Explain & draw a picture.

Warm-up What are 4 major components of soil? How would you categorize the components of soil?

water and air

Warm-up What are some ways that humans impact (affect) the soil? They can be both negative and positive.

Warm-up Make sure you have a pencil….Take a piece of white paper from the front table under the board, fold it so it has 3 equal sections like my example hanging on the board.

Warm-up Be ready to start class and have a pencil. Pick up a book to share at your table. Pick up the questions for the book on the front table.

Warm-up Pick up the Bill Nye questions from the front table. Read them over so you will be ready to fill in the answers as you watch the video.

Warm-up Please put your project on the counter where your class is labeled. Pick up the paraphrasing hmwk. from the front table.

Warm-up Be ready to listen to Ms. Edwards Be a respectful audience. Get your paraphrasing homework out and be ready to pass to the left when the bell rings.

Warm-up On a piece of notebook paper- From Ms. Edwards visit about careers yesterday: 3 Things you learned. 2 Things you found interesting. 1 Question you have.

Warm-up Make sure that you know: How soil is formed. What are the natural ways soil is harmed? What humans are doing to harm soil? What do humans do to conserve soil?

Warm-up How does sandy soil form? a. by the accumulation of dead and decayed organic matter b. by the disintegration and weathering of rocks such as limestone, granite, quartz and shale c. by sedimentary deposits after rock is weathered, eroded and transported d. by the suspension of sediment in water column of a body of water

Warm-up Take out the rock cycle homework (3 rd period did not get). Take out vocabulary practice sheet from yesterday. Finish if not complete, study if complete.

Warm-up Take out your lab sheets from yesterday and get with your group to answer the questions. When finished take out all of your notes to make sure you have everything you need for the assessment tomorrow. 7 th period get the vocabulary review from the front table.

Assessment day Take out all of your notes for rocks and soil, look over the essential questions on the board. Can you answer them? Put everything but notes and a pencil/pen away. After the test get a blank sheet of paper and create a visual representation of one of the rock or soil vocabulary words. Look at the word wall for help and be sure the term is either at the top or bottom of the page. Please do your best to draw a nice, neat picture, I will hang some outside the room. If you finish see me for the comet handout.