1. Determining the Nature of Soil
Reminder: student learning activities are at then end of this power point.

2. Next Generation Science/Common Core Standards addressed
MS‐ESS1‐4. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earth’s 4.6-billion-year-old history.
MS‐ESS2‐2Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.
MS‐ESS3‐1. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.

3. Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Standards Addressed!
PS Prepare and manage growing media for use in plant systems.
Sample Measurement: The following sample measurement strands are provided to guide the development of measurable activities (at different levels of proficiency) to asses students’ attainment of knowledge and skills related to the above performance indicator. The topics represented by each strand are not all-encompassing.
PS a. Identify the major components of growing media and describe how growing media support plant growth.

4. Explain how the resources soil provides help in supporting life.
Bell Work
Explain how the resources soil provides help in supporting life.
Explain the contents of soil.
Describe the biological nature of soil.
Describe the four ways plants use soil.
Describe some agricultural uses of soil.
Describe some nonagricultural uses of soil.

5. Have students bring in soil samples or provide them with samples.
Interest Approach
Have students bring in soil samples or provide them with samples.
Set the samples before the students and ask what is contained in each sample.
Are all the samples going to be the same?

6. Will they look the same and have similar properties?
Interest Approach
Will they look the same and have similar properties?
Record student responses.
Ask students to focus on the specific contents that are in the samples.
After a consensus is reached, identify the specific objectives and possible problems for this lesson.

7. What is soil and how do its resources help in supporting life?
Soil is a layer on the earth’s crust that provides a combination of resources.
These resources allow the growth of plants and animals.
These resources include:
Oxygen needed for adequate root growth.
Temperature - soil absorbs heat from the sun.
It also loses heat to the atmosphere.
This allows satisfactory temperatures for plant growth and seed germination.

8. What is soil and how do its resources help in supporting life?
Water is utilized for growth of plants.
Carbon is utilized in the form of organic matter in the soil.
Nutrients provided as minerals.
They are broken down as nitrogen and recycled through decaying material in the soil.

9. Why Soils Are Important ?
Plants grow in and on soil.
Plants support animal life.
Plants and animals support human life.
World population is rapidly increasing, which increases the need for food.
A large part of the worlds population has inadequate nutrition.

10. What are the various components found in soil?
Soil is composed of four primary components.
They are mineral matter, organic matter, air, and water.

11. What are the various components found in soil?
In addition, there are numerous living organisms in the soil, such as bacteria, insect larvae, earthworms, and fungi.
Soils may vary from one area to another, but most will contain these basic components.

12. Four primary components of soil
Mineral matter, which accounts for about 45% of the soil, is partially decomposed rock material.

13. It is the sand, silt, and clay that is found in the soil.
Mineral Matter
It is the sand, silt, and clay that is found in the soil.
These vary in amount depending on the type of soil.
The amounts of sand, silt, and clay also determine the soils ability to hold water and provide nutrients.

14. Four primary components of soil
Organic matter, which accounts for about 5% of the soil, is partially decomposed plant and animal matter.
Most organic matter is from plant leaves, roots, and stems.
Organic matter gives soil its dark color.
Organic matter contributes to the soils fertility as well as improved aeration and water holding capacity.

15. Four primary components of soil
Air (25% of soil volume) represent the space occupied by air.
When soils are wet the amount of air will be less.
When soils are dry the amount of air will be more.
There is a constant fluctuation in the amount of air and water found in the soil.

16. Four primary components of soil
Water, which accounts for about 25% of the soil, also part of the pore space in the soil.

17. Water
When it rains water will enter the soil or flow off of the soils surface.
The process of water soaking into the soil is known as infiltration.
Once water is in the soil, movement downward is known as percolation.
A quality soil allows both kinds of water movement and is said to be permeable.

18. Water in the soil may be one of three types:
Gravitational water - water that drains through the pore spaces in the soil as a result of gravity.
Gravitational water flows quickly through soil that has large pores and slowly through soil with small pores.
Movement of water is referred to as leaching.
As water moves through the soil, it carries dissolved minerals, chemicals, and salts..

19. Water in the soil may be one of three types
Capillary water - water that is held between the particles of soil against the forces of gravity.
It may move upward or sideways by capillary action.
Clay soils hold more capillary water since they have more pore spaces.

20. Water in the soil may be one of three types
Hygroscopic water water that forms a thin film around individual soil particles.
This water is unavailable to plants.

21. What living organisms are found in the soil?
Abundant life can be found in soil.
Forms of life in soil include:
Earthworms
Insects
Bacteria
Fungi
Other organisms

22. What living organisms are found in the soil?
Bacteria and fungi have an important role in the soil.
They break down organic matter and release nutrients.

23. What living organisms are found in the soil?
Earthworms, ants, crawfish, moles, and other organisms improve the soil tilth, the ease at which soil can be worked.
These organisms create openings in the soil as they tunnel.
This enhances drainage and improves air exchange.

24. How do plants use soil?
Anchorage: soil acts to provide a firm support as roots grow throughout the soil.

25. How do plants use soil?
Water: soil provides nearly all of the water used by plants.
Water is absorbed through the plants roots.

26. How do plants use soil?
Oxygen: nearly all living organisms need oxygen.
Plants release oxygen during photosynthesis but consume oxygen during respiration.

27. How do plants use soil?
Plant parts above the ground have an ample supply of oxygen; however, those below the ground (roots) have less oxygen available.
This increases the need for good soil aeration, the exchange of soil and atmospheric air in order to maintain adequate oxygen for plant roots.

28. How do plants use soil?
Nutrients: of the 16 nutrients considered to be essential for plant growth, 13 are obtained from the soil.
Root hairs absorb the nutrients dissolved in soil water.

29. What are some uses of soil in agriculture?
Agriculture depends on soil to grow food, fiber, and ornamental plants for human societies.
Various uses include:
Cropland
Grazing land
Forest
Water structures

30. What are some uses of soil in agriculture?
Cropland: this is land on which soil is worked and crops are planted, cared for, and harvested.
Most cropland in the US is devoted to annual crops, such as corn, soybeans, cotton, vegetables, etc.

31. What are some uses of soil in agriculture?
Grazing land: this is land used for grazing cattle and sheep.
It is often planted to perennial forage.
Forest: this is land used for growing trees which are later harvested for building materials, paper, etc.

32. What are some uses of soil in agriculture?
Water structures: ponds and other reservoirs are constructed out of soil.

33. What are some nonagricultural uses of soil?
Humans require soil for many other uses besides growing plants.
Such uses include:
Recreation
Foundations
Waste disposal
Building materials

34. What are some nonagricultural uses of soil?
Recreation: recreational activities include playgrounds, sports fields, jogging paths, golf courses, parks, campgrounds, and many others.
Foundations: buildings depend on a solid soil base upon which to be built to remain structurally sound.

35. What are some nonagricultural uses of soil?
Waste disposal: soil is often used for the treatment of human sanitary wastes.
Soil filters some of the material, while microorganisms break down organic portions into less dangerous compounds.

36. What are some nonagricultural uses of soil?
Building materials: homes and other structures are occasionally built underground, into hillsides, or even with soil piled over them.
Earth-sheltered buildings help in lowering heating and cooling costs.

37. Explain how the resources soil provides help in supporting life.
Review and Summary
Explain how the resources soil provides help in supporting life.
Explain the contents of soil.
Describe the biological nature of soil.
Describe the four ways plants use soil.
Describe some agricultural uses of soil.
Describe some nonagricultural uses of soil.

38. Student Learning Activities
The End!
NEXT:
Student Learning Activities

39. Student learning activities
Sample tests are available in the Lesson Plan tab.

42. Determining the nature of soil
Name: _______________________________
Fill in this work sheet as you go through the Determining the nature of soil slide show.
__________________________________________________________________________.
5.What are the four primary components that soil is composed of? What percentage of the soil is each component?
6.Mineral matter is the _______________, _______________, and ________________ that is found in the soil.
Determining the nature of soil
3. Where dose soil get its heat from?
2. These resources allow
4.What do plants do? 1) 2) 3) 4)
1.What is soil?
7.What determines the soils ability to hold water and provide nutrients?
8.What dose most organic matter consist of?

43. 13. Once water is in the soil movement downward is known as ______________________.
11. The process of water soaking in to the soil is known as ________________________.
10. What effects the amount of air that is in the soil? How does it effect it?
12. A quality soil allows both kinds of water movement and is said to be ____________________.
14. Name the three types of water that may be in the soil.
9. What dose organic matter contribute to?
16. What is Capillary water?
15. What is leaching? 1) 2) 3)

44. 22. Plants ______________ oxygen during ________________________ but ______________________ oxygen during _________________________ .
24. How many nutrients dose a plant need to grow?
18. What living organisms are found in the soil?
19. What is bacteria and fungi’s role in the soil?
17. Is Hydronic water available to plants?
23. What is Soil Aeration?
21. What is anchorage?
20. What is Tilth?

45. ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________.
28. How dose agriculture depends on soil to ______________________________________
29. What are four various uses of soil in agriculture? And describe each one.
30. What are some ways that humans use soil in nonagricultural ways?
25. How many of those nutrients dose the plant get form the soil?
27. What are the four basic plant uses of soil?
26. What is the purpose of root hairs? 1) 2) 3) 4)

46. Determining the nature of soil
Name: _______________________________
Plants grow in the soil. Plants support animal life. Plants and animals support human life.
What are the four primary components that soil is composed of? What percentage of the soil is each component?
“Soil is a layer on the earth’s crust that provides a combination of resources.”
____________________________________________________________________.
These resources allow _the growth of plants and animals _______________
Fill in this work sheet as you go through the Determining the nature of soil slide show.
Soil absorbs heat from the sun. it also loses heat to the atmosphere.
Determining the nature of soil
Where dose soil get its heat from?
Mineral Matter 45%
Organic matter 5%
Water 25%
What do plants do?
Air 25%
What is soil?
Key

47. Mineral matter is the ___Sand ___, ___Silt ___, and ___clay ___ that is found in the soil.
Water effects the amount of air in the soil. When soils are wet the amount of air will be less. When soils are dry the amount of air will be more.
Organic matter contributes to the soils fertility as well as improved aeration and water holding capacity.
A quality soil allows both kinds of water movement and is said to be ____Permeable______.
The process of water soaking in to the soil is known as ________Infiltration___.
Most organic matter is from plant leaves, roots and stems.
What determines the soils ability to hold water and provide nutrients?
What effects the amount of air that is in the soil? How does it effect it?
The amount of sand, silt and clay in the soil.
What dose most organic matter consist of?
What dose organic matter contribute to?

48. Capillary water- water that is held between the particles of soil against the force of gravity.
Once water is in the soil movement downward is known as ______Percolation____.
Earth worms, Insects, Bacteria, Fungi, and many other organisms
Movement of water is referred to as leaching.
No Hydronic water is not available to plants.
Name the three types of water that may be in the soil.
What living organisms are found in the soil?
What is bacteria and fungi’s role in the soil?
Is Hydronic water available to plants?
Gravitational water
Hygroscopic water
Capillary water
What is Capillary water?
What is leaching?
They break down organic matter and release nutrients.

49. Anchorage: soil acts to provide a firm support as roots grow throughout the soil.
“The exchange of soil and atmospheric air in order to maintain adequate oxygen for plant roots.”
Plants ____release oxygen during ____Photosynthesis ______ but ____consume________ oxygen during ________respiration ___ .
“Root hairs absorb the nutrients dissolved in soil water.”
How many of those nutrients dose the plant get form the soil?
Tilth is the ease at which soil can be worked.
How many nutrients dose a plant need to grow?
What is the purpose of root hairs?
What is Soil Aeration?
What is anchorage?
What is Tilth? 16 13

50. Cropland: this is land on which soil is worked and crops are planted, cared for, and harvested.
Water structures: ponds and other reservoirs are constructed out of soil.
Forest: this is land used for growing trees which are later harvested for building materials, paper, etc.
_____________________________________________________________________.
____grow food, fiber, and ornamental plants for human societies_________
How dose agriculture depends on soil to ____________________________________
Recreation, Foundations, Water disposal, building materials
Grazing land: this is land used for grazing cattle and sheep.
What are four various uses of soil in agriculture? And describe each one.
What are some ways that humans use soil in nonagricultural ways?
What are the four basic plant uses of soil?
Anchorage
Nutrients
Oxygen
Water

51. Name: ______________________
Label the pie chart.

52. KEY

55. Color the soil triangle and create a key on the side of the paper.
Name: _________________________________