7.1 Soil Conservation
A Food for America “Soil Conservation” lesson (Unit 7: Environment) for upper elementary students that teaches the importance of conserving soil and the conservation practices farmers use to protect natural resources. The lesson uses an apple demonstration to illustrate how little of the earth is usable for food production and a hands-on soil-erosion tray experiment to compare conservation methods. It includes activity sheets on soil conservation practices, preventing soil erosion, and soil facts.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- Identify the importance of conserving soil.
- Explain how farmers practice conservation of natural resources.
- Time required
- 50 minutes
- Grade level
- Upper elementary
- Materials
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- Handouts of Activity Sheets 23:1, 23:2, and 23:3
- Writing surface
- Container/bucket of soil
- An apple
- A paring knife
- Plastic trays (or shoe boxes) 5 inches deep
- Plastic sheeting to line trays
- Beakers and sprinkling cans (one for each tray)
- Trowel
- Stopwatch
- Sod
- Water
- Key Term(s)
- Erosion