Katie Hughes

Lesson Plan Introduction Lesson topic- Soil Length of Lesson -35-40 minutes VA Standards of Learning 3.7 The student will investigate and understand the major components of soil, its origin, and its importance to plants and animals including humans. Key concepts include c) rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus are components of soils Context The lesson will build off of prior knowledge from SOL Science 3.1, which states: The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning and conducting investigations in which a)observations are made and are repeated to ensure accuracy; b) predictions are formulated using a variety of sources of informati on; h) data are gathered, charted, graphed, and analyzed. The lesson will also build off of parts of SOL Science 3.7, which states: The student will investigate and understand the major components of soil, its origin, and its importance to plants and animals including humans. Key concepts include a) soil provides the support and nutrients necessary for plant growth; b) topsoil is a natural product of subsoil and bedrock, Finally, the lesson will build off of previous plant knowledge from SOL Science 2.8, which states: The student will investigate and understand that plants produce oxygen and food, are a source of useful products, and provide benefits in nature. Key concepts include a) important plant products are identified and classified; b) the availability of plant products affects the development of a geographic area; c) plants provide oxygen, homes, and food for many animals; and d) plants can help reduce erosion. Global Themes The lesson will contribute to the students learning later on in fourth grade about Virginias resources, rocks, minerals, soil, forests and land. The lesson will also contribute to the students learning the value of soil to people and it is something that should be conserved and not wasted because it takes so long to form. The lesson will contribute to students learning about habitats and the importance of the composition of the land in which people and animals live. Content Objectives Students will: Identify soil is composed of sand, silt, clay, rock, and humus. Define sand, silt, clay, and humus. Assessment Aligned to Objectives Identify soil is composed of sand, silt, clay, rock, and humus. Formative Walk around the room while the students are in groups and make sure everyone seems to understand soil is composed of four materials. Listen to the questions the students ask. Summative On an exit slip, the students must write the four components of soil and write about an experience where they planted something. Did the plant grow well? Did the plant live long? Do you think the soil the plant grew in was good? What component do you think the soil was made mostly of? Assessment Aligned to Objectives define sand, silt, clay, and humus. Formative While the students are performing the experiment, ask assessment questions. o Can you tell me in your own words what sand, silt, clay, or humus is? o Ask the students to give an example of where they have seen one of these components. Summative While the students are performing the experiment, ask assessment questions. o Name one of the components of soil. o How many components of soil are there? o What is soil composed of?

Katie Hughes

Materials/Technology and Advanced Preparation Power point Lab worksheet Coffee grounds Vinegar Baking Soda Small bowls Spoons Dirt by Steve Tomecek Exit slip The teacher should set up the lab ahead of time. The teacher needs to place coffee grinds in one bowl for each group of students, another bowl with baking soda, and another bowl with coffee grinds and baking soda mixed. Each group also needs spoon with their setup and a bowl with vinegar in it.

Teaching and Learning Sequence

TIME TEACHER ACTIONS Introduction/Anticipatory Set 10 Explain that after learning about soil minutes providing support and the nutrients for plant growth in the previous lessonstoday we are going to learn what soil is made up of or composed of. Ask the students to make any guesses as to what they think soil is made up of. Ask the students if they think soil is just one thing or made up of lots of different things. Write their ideas on the board. Tell the students, Lets see if your guesses are correct. Listen carefully while I read a book to you. Introduce the book Dirt by Steve Tomecek. Read the book aloud to the students. While reading the book, stop and comment on the different elements of soil presented in the book. Ask the students, Does anyone have any new ideas for what soil is composed of? Write the new thoughts on the board and compare them to the previous answers. Lesson Development 15 Tell the students, From the book, we minutes can now see soil is made up of different things. Today we are going to do an experiment involving soil. First we are going to review the elements of soil we learned about in the book. Go over the power point on soil. Read the definitions of sand, clay, rock, silt, and humus. STUDENT ACTIONS The students will respond to prompted questions by the teacher. The students will listen to the read aloud.

The students will answer questions when prompted by the teacher. The students will read the instructions for the experiment aloud. The students will collect the bowls for their experiment and return to their desks. The students will perform the experiment and answer the questions.

Katie Hughes

On the slide with the picture of soil, ask the students if they can see each component of soil. Ask if any one component stands out. Ask if it just looks likes one substance and not a mixture. Tell the students although the soil does not look like a mixture, all of the elements are in there and all of the components have a purpose. If soil was only composed of sand the water would run right through it, just like the book said. Tell the students the experiment today will help demonstrate what a mixture is and how every component serves a purpose. Pass out the lab worksheet to the students. Read the lab instructions and questions on the sheet with the students aloud. Reinforce lab safety and remind the students not to eat anything. Divide the students into groups. Tell the students to send one representative from the group to come collect the bowls for the experiment. Tell the students to send up a second representative to collect the vinegar and spoon. Tell the students to begin the experiment. Walk around the room and help any of students. Ask the students to name the components of soil. Ask the students to define the components in their own words. Ask the students to name an example of seeing one of the components in their own life. When the students have completed the experiment, go over the questions they answered. Call on each group for a response. Ask if any of the groups had a different experience or answer. Ask the students what they thought was in bowl 3 and why. Tell the students, bowl 3 was a mixture of the baking soda and coffee grounds, even though it only looked like coffee grounds. Tell the students, this is just like soil. You may not be able to see all of the components but they are in there. And you can see how when something is added or taken away it can have a The students will discuss their results. The students will complete an exit slip.

Closure 10 minutes

Katie Hughes

major effect on the substance, just like the baking soda. Tell the students to fill out an exit slip before they leave. On the exit slip

write about an experience where they planted something. Did the plant grow well? Did the plant live long? Do you think the soil the plant grew in was good? What component do you think the soil was made mostly of?

Homework (If applicable) Bring a sample of soil from their home in a ziplock bag. References

Definitions (2013) Retrieved November 26, 2013, from Virginia Department of Education Curriculum Framework: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/index.shtml. Exit slip, Retrieved November http://www.pinterest.com/pin/231583605811795538/ 6, 2013, from Pinterest,
Mess Blog:

Soil Experiment (2013) Retrieved November 26, 2013, from Dynamic http://adynamicmess.blogspot.com/2013/08/preschool-lesson-plan-archaeology.html

Standards of Learning (2013) Retrieved November 26, 2013, from Virginia Department of Education: http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/index.shtml. Tomecek, S. M. (2002) Dirt, Washington D.C: National Geographic Society.

Katie Hughes

Lesson Organizer Prior Knowledge and NEW Instructional Content Prior Knowledge The student will know soil provides the nutrients and support for plant growth. Over many years, weather, water, and living organisms help break down rocks and create soil (weathering). Nutrients are materials that plants and animals need to live and grow. Land surfaces are subject to the agents of weathering and erosion. Land surfaces that are not covered with or protected by plants are more likely to be subject to the loss of soil by wind and water. Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, which usually happens over long periods of time. Erosion is the process by which the products of weathering are moved from one place to another. Erosion may happen quickly (e.g., during a flood or a hurricane) or over a long period of time. Plants provide homes and food sources for many animals. Plants are important in the prevention of soil erosion.

New Knowledge Students will learn soil is composed of sand, silt, clay, rock, and humus. Students will learn sand is made up of small grains of worn-down rock, has few nutrients, and does not hold water well. Students will learn clay contains tiny particles of soil that hold water well and provides nutrients. Students will learn silt is made up of very small broken pieces of rock. Its particles are larger than clay and smaller than sand. Students will learn humus is decayed matter in soil. It adds nutrients to the soil. It is located in the topsoil. Instructional Modifications to ASSIST Students There are no modifications necessary because the activity is completed in groups. The teacher will also be observing and walking around the classroom to offer additional assistance. If there are students who do not have strong writing skills they may draw a picture for their exit slip. Main Events of Instruction The main events of instruction are reading the book, Dirt and reviewing the power point slideshow. The book and power point will reinforce the concept that soil is composed of more than one substance. The experiment will be a visual to show what a mixture can look like and how one element can change the outcome of a mixture. Instructional Modifications to CHALLENGE Students If the students complete the experiment early, they may write what they think the best mixture of components for soil would be. Would the soil mostly be made up of sand? Or clay? Explain the answer.