Session 5: The Soil Around Us

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Session 5: Field Trip

Recommended time
Minimum 2 hours

Although the field trip to conduct the Underground Network soil experimentation tests most likely will not require traveling far, it should be coordinated as carefully as a full-blown trip:

    • Make a contingency plan in case of unexpected events such as bad weather.
    • Discuss safety and appropriate conduct.
    • Map out a schedule to ensure that sufficient time is allotted for all activities.

Make sure that participants have a clear focus and goal on the day of the trip:

    • Everyone should work with a partner.
    • To ensure that all the activities are covered, make a list of the activities and either assign or have partners volunteer to do specific activities.
    • Assign special tasks, such as taking photos and recording video clips.
    • Discuss how the equipment and materials will be shared.
    • Review the field trip journal worksheets and the activity descriptions as a group.

Supplies to bring

For soil structure tests:

    • Soil sample
    • Spray bottle of water
    • A quart-size jar with a lid or a 2-liter bottle
    • Funnel, if using a 2-liter bottle
    • Pencil or small stick
    • Ruler
    • Empty soup can with both ends removed
    • Watch with a second hand
    • Permanent marker
    • Clipboards, field journal worksheets and extra paper
    • Pencils and pens
    • Optional: Pure samples of sand, silt and clay for comparison (contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District for information on how to get samples)

For scientific variables measurements:

    • Celsius thermometer
    • Soil thermometer, if available (can be purchased at garden stores)
    • Cardboard tube (can use paper towel roll)
    • Clipboards, field journal worksheets and extra paper
    • Pencils and pens

For drawing and writing about organisms:

    • A metric measuring tape
    • Five sticks, stakes or pencils
    • A piece of string or yarn at least 2.5 meters (8 feet) long with a loop tied at one end
    • Two permanent markers of different colors
    • Trowels or spoons
    • Paper plates or white paper
    • Hand lenses
    • Margarine tubs or glass jars with holes poked in the top
    • Ziploc baggies
    • Clipboards, field journal worksheets and extra paper
    • Pencils and pens

General

    • Camera that can take still photos
    • Camera that can record video
    • Hand-held tape recorder (to record people talking and insect or animal sounds)
    • A copy of One Small Square by Donald Silver or a similar book for looking up insects, worms and animals

Extension activities
Make a terrarium (a mini-ecosystem, like an aquarium, but with soil) to continue observing living things in soil. Check out the following sites for suggestions on how to make one:

San Francisco Exploratorium
In the "learning how to observe" section of this article, a third-grade teacher describes how her class makes terrariums using 2-liter soda bottles.

North Dakota State University
General suggestions for making a terrarium.

Franklin Institute
Lots of links to sites about ecosystems and related topics such as aquariums, ant farms and terrariums.