1. Presentation by Stacey Messer
How Can People
Conserve Soil?
Presented by Stacey Messer
Woodhill-3rd Grade

2. NCSCS Objectives
Goal 2: The learner will build an understanding of soil concepts.
Obj Properties of Soil such as color, texture, and
capacity to retain water.
Obj Analyze the ability of soil to support the growth of
many plants, including those in our food supply.
Obj Identify various types of soil: clay, sand, humus

3. Today you will learn (EQ Questions):
What harms soil?
How soil can be saved?
What are the Earth’s Resources?

4. Vocabulary
resource – a material found in nature that living things use.
conservation – saving resources by using them carefully
strip cropping – planting strips of thick grass or clover between strips of crops
contour plowing – planting rows of crops around the sides of hills instead of up and down.

5. What are the Earth’s Resources?
Water, air, trees, and minerals are resources. Soil is also a resource and is used to grow food.

6. after trees are cut down
How Soil Can Be Harmed
Plants hold soil in place. When people cut down too many trees and other plants, the water and wind will carry away the soil. If trees are cut down; new ones should be planted to help the soil.
with trees
after trees are cut down
Rain Forest

7. How Soil Can Be Harmed
Farming on the same land for many years can also be harmful to the soil. The plants will use up all the minerals in the soil. Year after year the minerals are less and less for new plants that are put on the land.
The rain forest have thin, poor soil. Plants and crops cannot grow in this soil for long. After the plants are harvested, there is nothing to hold the soil in place. The wind and rain washes it away and cracks are left.

8. Ways to Save the Soil
One way to save soil is by conservation. Conservation is saving resources by using them carefully. Farmers practice conservation to have good soil to grow crops.

9. Another way farmers save the soil is to strip crop
Another way farmers save the soil is to strip crop. Strip Cropping is planting strips of thick grass or clover between strips of crops. The thick mat helps keep water in the soil and from washing it away.
Some farmers also use contour plowing. Contour plowing is planting rows of crops around the sides of hills instead of up and down. This way water does not run off in straight lines and the soil isn’t washed away.
strip cropping

10. Summary
Growing the same type of crop on the same land for many years removes minerals. When people remove plants and tree, soil may be washed away. Farmers conserve soil by strip cropping, contour plowing, and other methods.

11. Review What are the Earth’s Resources? What harms soil?
How soil can be saved?
What are the Earth’s Resources?

12. Which of these is a method that farmers can use to save soil?
erosion
strip cropping
strip resource
clear-cutting

13. Sources
Harcourt Science Teacher Edition (Harcourt School. Publishers) 3rd Grade
Pictures from Harcourt Science