Recommended time
Minimum 60 minutes, maximum 90 minutes

Goal for the session
Transfer the data collected from the field trip into digital formats.

Materials and equipment

• Book to read aloud
• Data from the soil experiment activities
• Microsoft Word or a similar program
• Software to make charts and graphs (Microsoft Excel or a similar program)
• Software to edit photos (Adobe PhotoShop, Photodeluxe or a similar program)
• Newsprint or flip-chart paper
• Colored markers
• Composition books
• Pens
• Copies of daily newsletter templates

Part 1: Community Builders

What is it?
Check out the article on community builders for suggestions. Also see Session 1.

Part 2: Read-Aloud

Part 3: Review, Refine and Digitize Data

What is it?
Use software to turn the data collected from the soil experiment activities into charts, graphs, diagrams and edited graphics.

Before starting, have the participants look over their data to determine whether everything that the group wanted to accomplish with the experiments is complete. If someone lost some information, forgot to take an important photo, took a lot of bad photos, did not get to complete an experiment, or needs to redo an experiment, you may first want to devote attention to collecting the missing information.

The data collected from the experiments should include numerical information such as temperatures and measurements, and graphical information such as drawings, photos and writing.

• Writing should be typed into a word processor and edited for spelling and grammar.
• Diagrams about the organisms collected can be created with Inspiration K-12 Edition or a similar program.
• Digital photos could be edited with software such as Adobe PhotoShop or Photodeluxe.
• If a scanner is available, photos taken with a Polaroid or regular camera could be scanned. Drawings can also be scanned.
• New drawings can be created with KidPix Deluxe or a similar program.

For tips on how to make charts and graphs using Microsoft Excel, check out this Microsoft tutorial. If the group has had little or no experience with charts and graphs and you would like to introduce the basic concepts, check out the following sites:

• Illinois Institute of Technology SMILE (Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement)
  The SMILE section on graphs and visuals includes different lesson plans on using graphs in a project context. Many of the projects are quite simple, such as using colored cubes to create bar graphs, graphing arm span and height and graphing the bounce distances of different types of balls. The plans are detailed and include contact information for the teacher who submitted them.
• Lightspan.com
  Using the search tool on this education portal site to do a search on "graphs" will pull up links to great materials. Materials are categorized as articles, home activities, lesson plans, printable worksheets, projects and Web site reviews.
• Swarthmore Math Forum
  This link connects to a tutorial on how to make different kinds of graphs. The tutorial was created by middle school teacher Suzanne Alejandre. Use the site search tool to find more information on graphing.

Have participants work in pairs with their own data.

Note: If access to computers and/or software is limited, create charts and photo/drawing displays on paper.

Part 4: Journals

What is it?
Do a journal exercise, as described in Session 1, Part 4.

Sample exercises

• In words and pictures, show how you would save soil and underground life from being destroyed by human farming, mining and construction.
• In words and pictures, show your model for a device that would recycle and save soil.

Part 5: Daily Newsletter

What is it?
Do the daily newsletter exercise, as described in Session 1, Part 5.