Guided inquiry soil science

In a topic not typically covered in a middle school curriculum, the article discusses an interesting approach to getting students interested in authentic inquiry. This would be a great activ... See More

In a topic not typically covered in a middle school curriculum, the article discusses an interesting approach to getting students interested in authentic inquiry. This would be a great activity to work on either the beginning or end of the school year (at least in Wisconsin) when the weather is inviting and students are having problems with focus! The activity gets students outside for a couple of class periods, and introduces them to authentic tools and procedures that scientists would really use. It asks students to think about the characteristics of soil, and how it would carry water. Students develop maps, and use math relationships to determine vertical distances between sampling positions. It also suggests an effective division of labor for group efforts. I like most of the activity; it may be challenging to find some of the materials, but it is possible that a local university or extension office may be able to help with some of the equipment, and may even be able to prese

Complex Soil Study

This article recounts a project investigating soil samples from the grounds of a school. Although the authors repeatedly explain how to replicate the study, I was intimidated by the discussi... See More

This article recounts a project investigating soil samples from the grounds of a school. Although the authors repeatedly explain how to replicate the study, I was intimidated by the discussion of their use of a scanning electron microscope (from a nearby university), photomicrographs, and even an outdoor location that is available for digging such large sample holes. The study sounds fascinating, but, again, the content is overwhelming to me: the students observe soil to find the color, texture, composition, horizon thickness, and pore size; they make detailed maps of the sites, both large- and small-scale and determine geometrical relationships of the sites using trigonometry; and they ascertain the geologic characteristics of the underlying bedrock as well as assessing the geomorphological risks of the area. Whew! This would be a heavy amount of hands-on data for high school students; I’m very impressed that the authors’ eighth graders accomplished the study.