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Nicole MaguireSummer Ag Session 1Lesson Plan6/16/14- 6/20/14
Subject: Social Studies, Science, Language ArtsTopic: Soil Experimentation with Farmer George Plants a NationGrade: 3rd
Time: Two-day lesson (80-90 minutes total)
Standards Addressed: 2-PS1-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of
materials by their observable properties. 2-PS1-2: Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which
materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose. PS1-3: Make observations and measurements to identify materials based on their
properties. K-ESS3-3: Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land,
water, air, and other living things in the local environment.
Lesson Objectives:● Students will be able to define what soil is.● Students will be able to identify what soil is made up of.● Students will be able to make a hypothesis or prediction.● Students will be able to test that hypothesis and draw conclusions from their findings.
Connection to Prior Knowledge: Prior to this lesson students will have read the story Farmer George Plants a Nation by Peggy Thomas. Before reading students brainstormed character traits for George Washington (most students only know George Washington as the leader of the Colonial Army and our first president). The story was then read aloud. Students discussed adding additional character traits from the book to their list, such as farmer, inventive, and determined.
Differentiation:● model all activities for students● work in a small group setting or pairs● students may draw or write a prediction for their soil experiment- higher level students
can do both● vocabulary cards with words, definitions, and pictures will be given to each group.
Materials:● 10 glass jars (empty mason jars)● Soil (1-2 cups of soil for each jar. I would also suggest taking soil samples from a variety
of local areas. This will lead to diverse experiments results and enhance student discussion).
● pencils● 10 watering jugs (each containing enough to fill the mason jar)● Paint stirring sticks● Measuring cups (one cup)● soil brainstorming worksheet● hypothesis/results recording worksheet● vocabulary pictures● science notebook● one apple● paring knife
Assessment:● Formative: I will be walking around the room helping and observing various students.
Also our class discussion and student answers will help me better assess understanding and learning.
● Summative: I will be collecting the student’s hypothesis/result sheets to review further. This experiment sheet will be placed in their science notebook to be referred back to while preparing for the unit test and during parent/teacher conferences.
Instruction:● Attention Grabber: 10 minutes (whole class)
Use the “A Slice of Soil” demonstration found in the Soil Ag Magazine. Below is a copy of the step-by-step instructions from the Ag Magazine online provided by the Farm Bureau and found at www.agintheclassroom.org.
1. Cut an apple into four equal parts. Three parts represent the oceans of the world. The fourth part represents the land area. 2. Cut the land section in half lengthwise. Now you have two 1/8 pieces. One section represents land such as deserts, swamps, Antarctic, arctic, and mountain regions. The other 1/8 section represents land where man can live and may or may not be able to grow food.3. Slice this 1/8 section crosswise into four equal parts. Three of these 1/32 sections represent the areas of the world that are too rocky, too wet, too hot, or where soils are too poor to grow food. Plus, we can’t grow food on some land because cities and other man-made structures are built on it.4. Carefully peel the last 1/32 section. The peel on this small piece represents the amount of soil on which we have to grow food. This amount of soil will never get any bigger.
After this demonstration I will ask students the following questions: why is soil important? What will happen if we don’t take care of our soil and farmlands? How can we feed a growing population on just 1/32? I will then explain in order to maintain, utilize, and keep our soil we have to understand exactly what soil is and what it is made up of.
● Think, Pair Share: 10 minutes (partners) Pose the following questions to students: What is soil? Where can you find soil? Do you think it is made up of only one material or many? They may use these questions as a springboard to complete the soil brainstorming chart. Afterwards students will share their ideas with the whole class while I add their ideas to a big classroom brainstorming chart. Students may at this time add any additional ideas to their charts. Students brainstorming chart is attached at the end of this lesson.
● Soil Experiment: 20 minutes (small groups)Prior to the experiment remind students about the book, George Washington Plants a Nation read aloud yesterday. Recall with students how George Washington believed that soil was vital to the growth and success of his plantation. He often did soil experiments, where he tested various fertilizers and planted a variety of crops. Explain to students that in order to understand George’s experiments we need to first know more about soil. In this lesson students will experiment with soil and learn about the three minerals present in most local soils.
Experiment Day One:1. Divide students into small groups of 3-42. Handout all materials needed for experiment, including their soil experiment worksheet.3. Tell students that before we can start our experiment we must first make a prediction
about what will happen. Ask students what a prediction is. Remind them that when they make a prediction in reading they are guessing or predicting what will happen in the story. This is similar to the word hypothesis that they will be learning about today. Explain that a hypothesis is a prediction used when conducting an experiment. Have students think with their small groups about their hypothesis for this experiment. What do you think soil is made up of? What does it look like? How does it feel? Students may use their brainstorming charts to help them.
4. Students will now record their hypothesis on their soil experiment worksheet. Discuss student predictions with the whole class. (Each student is responsible for their own experiment worksheet).
5. Now pass out the student directions for the soil experiment. Students will follow the directions and record their initial observations and thoughts on their soil experiment worksheet.
6. Wrap-up and discussion for day one: What did you notice about our soil when you added the water to it? What happened when you shook the jar? When you shook the jar did air bubbles come out? What do you predict will happen to your soil when it sits overnight?
7. After students have completed the first part of the soil experiment they will label their jar and place it on the back table until the second day of the experiment.
8. Students will place their soil experiment worksheet in their science folder for safe keeping.
Experiment Day Two: (30-40 minutes)
Prior to the lesson I will put each group’s jar on their experiment table.
1. Review what students learned yesterday. Recall what a hypothesis is and the steps they took to complete their experiment. Remind students of their observations. What did it mean when you shook the jar and air bubbles came out? (It means that there was air between the soil particles. When you added water it pushed the air out. Good soil contains air).
2. Now ask students to examine their soil jar. What happened to the water and soil? How many layers do you see? (hopefully they will say three) Write sand, silt, and clay on the board. As you write each one show the students a picture and give a brief definition of each. Explain that soil is made up of oxygen, water, organic matter, and three main materials (sand, silt, and clay).
Sand: is the heaviest type of soil. It feels gritty and allows water and air to move through it.
Silt: is lighter than soil. Silt feels like flour when it is dried and is smooth when wet.
Clay: is the lightest of the three minerals. Clay particles are often fine. Clay feels sticky when wet and becomes heavy when it is dried.
3. Discuss the various minerals with students. Which mineral do you think is at the bottom, middle, and top of your jar? How do you know? Is there anything else in your jar, for example rocks, bark, or dead plants? How do you think these things got into your soil sample? Which mineral has the largest amount? Smallest? What do you think that says about your soil sample? These questions are also included on the student worksheet.
4. Have students discuss these questions with their small group. Students will complete the remainder of their soil experiment worksheet.
5. Share group answers and observations with the whole class.6. Wrap-up and discussion. Review with students why soil is important to our growing
population and have students brainstorm what we can do to save it. 7. Inform students that over the next few lessons students will continue to follow in George
Washington’s footsteps as they conduct additional soil experiments, more specifically testing out different fertilizers to see which produces the best results.
Extension Activities: Over the course of the next week I plan to implement several of the soil activities provided by the Illinois Farm Bureau.
Read and discuss the interactive Soil Ag Magazine Watch video clips linked to the Soil Ag Mag Make a “Soil Sam”
Conduct a fertilizer experiment using store bought fertilizer, baking soda, Epsom salts, and coffee grounds
Create their own soil using their own amounts of sand, silt, and clay.
Resources:The following is a list of resources used during this lesson, as well as prior and previous lessons.
Famer George Plants a Nation by Peggy Thomas Junior Scientists: Experiment with Soil by Vicky Franchino Geology Rocks! Soil by Rebecca Faulkner Super Science Projects About Earth’s Soil and Water by Robert Gardner A True Book: Soil by Christin Ditchfield The Science of Soil by Jonathan Bocknek www.agintheclassroom.org www.soil-net.com www.nutrientsforlife.org Interactive Soil Ag Magazine Soil mAGic kit
Name:________________________________________________________
Soil Brainstorming Chart
On the lines below brainstorm a list of words that make you think of soil. What does it look like, smell like, feel like, etc.? Remember to use your adjective chart to help.
SOIL
Name: _______________________________________________________
Soil Experiment Directions
Each group is responsible for following the directions below. Please read each step carefully. Remember to record your observations before, during, and after the experiment. Have fun!
Experiment Directions:1. Take your mason jar and fill it 1/3 of the way with soil. 2. Now pour water into the mason jar. Fill almost the entire jar with water then
carefully put the lid back on. Notice the air bubbles starting to appear.3. After adding the water to your group’s jar, shake well. Make sure the water and
soil are mixing. You may need to use a paint stir to fully mix the water and soil together.
4. Note your observations on your soil experiment worksheet. Make sure you draw and explain what you saw.
5. Label and put your jar on the back table. We will continue the second half of this experiment tomorrow.
Name: _______________________________________________________
Soil Experiment Directions
Each group is responsible for following the directions below. Please read each step carefully. Remember to record your observations before, during, and after the experiment. Have fun!
Experiment Directions:1. Take your mason jar and fill it 1/3 of the way with soil. 2. Now pour water into the mason jar. Fill almost the entire jar with water then
carefully put the lid back on. Notice the air bubbles starting to appear.3. After adding the water to your group’s jar, shake well. Make sure the water and
soil are mixing. You may need to use a paint stir to fully mix the water and soil together.
4. Note your observations on your soil experiment worksheet. Make sure you draw and explain what you saw.
5. Label and put your jar on the back table. We will continue the second half of this experiment tomorrow.
Name: _________________________________________________________
Soil Experiment Recording Sheet
Before the experiment:
Make a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a guess about what will happen in your experiment. What do you think soil is made up of? What will happen when you mix soil and water? Write your hypothesis on the lines below. Remember to use your soil brainstorming chart to help you.
Hypothesis: __________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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During the Experiment:
After you mix the soil and water together what did you see? What happened when you shook the jar? What happened when you mixed it with your paint stick? Why do you think you got the results you did? Draw and write your observations in the space below.
Mason jar observation- day 1
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_________________________________________
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After the Experiment:
After your soil and water mixture has settled what do you notice? How many layers are there? Why do you think there are different mineral layers? Draw and write your observations in the space below.
Mason jar observation- day 2
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Discuss your experiments findings with your group members. Use the questions below as a guide. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.
Which mineral do you think is at the bottom, middle, and top of your jar? How do you know?
Is there anything else in your jar, for example rocks, bark, or dead plants? How do you think these things got into your soil sample?
Which mineral has the largest amount? Which mineral has the smallest? What do you think that says about your soil sample?
