Earthworm Study

Students explore worm adaptations and perform 5 lab experiments. Plus they get to create a worm hotel for the classroom!

Included (18 pages):
11 pdf presentation slides
Lab 1 Structural Adaptations: label / estimate / measure / describe attributes / review worm parts
Lab 2 Behavioral Adaptations: light / moisture / sound experimentation
Lab 3 Worm Observation: build a worm hotel instructions / observation sheet
Lab 4 Predator and Prey: draw worms in natural habitat (tunnels) / draw 3 predators / draw 2 worm food items
Lab 5 Straw Paper Work Trick: instructions for kids / kids draw their paper worm

Free Download!

Backyard Soil Samples

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VqqgG6K97wK4bJkJJ8u-F4jvACRH8B8j/view?usp=sharing

Students bring in a soil sample from their backyard to investigate, draw, describe (color, particle size, texture and structure), compare / contrast (with a peer's sample) and experiment on (predict and discover what type of soil is in their yard)!

Includes:
slides to introduce the components of soil
(sand, silt, clay, organic matter, water, air and animals)
soil sample recording sheet (investigating, drawing and describing)
link to soil structure chart (texture vs. structure)
Venn diagram to compare / contrast soil samples with a peer
soil experiment to figure out their soil type
full lesson plan and assessment

Soil Density Column

How much sand, silt, clay, and plant material is in your soil? Integrate science and math with this simple experiment! Kids pour 1/3 of their jar with soil. Then, they add water and stir. Let your jar sit for  at least a day. The longer you let it rest, the better the results! Once the soil separates, have kids figure out the fraction for each of the soil components. Older kids can figure out the percentage.

Visit Soil-Net for full instructions. Click here for a pdf from Soil-Net to go along with the experiment.

Sun Baked Bricks

Make your own mini bricks, while learning about soil composition and solar energy, from 60 Second Science. All you need is clay-rich soil, water, ice cube tray (or mold), dry grass, and a sunny spot outside. Place your soil into a bowl, add a little bit of water, and stir around with a craft stick until you get a "thick" mud consistency. Next, mix in your grass. Then, press your mixture into your mold and smooth your bricks out on top. Now, bake your bricks in the sun! Talk about how the sun is a form of radiant energy, as well as thermal energy. The sun is a renewable resource that we can utilize to heat things up! When the bricks are ready, remove them from the mold and build something! You can keep your bricks natural or paint them. You can make houses for action figures, caves for animal figurines, etc. 

Soil Layers in a Cup

Mrs. Feiman's Class helped kids remember soil layers with fun food! Check out her recipe!

Erosion Science Lab

photo via National Resources Conservation Center

"How does rain shape the Earth?" Have kids examine natural soil with a magnifying glass. Ask them what they think the soil is made of- (weathered rock particles: sand, silt, clay, rock and decomposing leaves/ organisms). Is all dirt the same? 

This experiment will demonstrate runoff and how soil is affected by water - EROSION. Kids will also see how vegetation helps keep soil together. Examine the water you collected in your jars (or pans). Describe it, what collected in the water?
materials:
- 2 aluminum pans
- 2 jars (or 2 more pans)
- Natural soil (from a garden or your yard)
- Soil with grass growing on it
- Watering can
- Books or something that will create a slope

directions:
1. 2 Pans- Add soil in one and soil/grass in the other. 
2. Create your slopes and angle your pans.
3. Pour water over each pan. While pouring, have someone hold a jar to collect the water (or place empty pans underneath angled ones before you pour).