Free K-12 Resources Developed for Teaching Soil Science

Source: Soil Science Society of America

Through a contribution agreement with USDA-NRCS, the Soil Science Society of America has developed materials to enhance the teaching of soils in both formal and informal classrooms.

New, free resources include:

• Know Soil Know Life Educator’s Guide – helps teachers integrate information in the book into classroom curriculum
• Soil Basics Poster- two-sided poster provides visual overview of soils
• Educational Materials Database – collection of soils-focused activities, labs, and demonstrations organized by activity type, NGSS standards, and grade level
• Ask A Soil Scientist – students and teachers can ask experts soil-based or request classroom visits

These materials were developed to enhance the previously existing resources, including two books, Soil! Get the Inside Scoop and Know Soil, Know Life, two websites, webinars, a curriculum unit, and much more.

“We have been thrilled to lead this project. We’re so fortunate to have such great partners in the NRCS and in K-12 teachers everywhere,” says April Ulery, president of the Soil Science Society of America. “Anything we can do to help teachers keep youngsters engaged and learning is a good thing.”

Explore more resources on Soils4Teachers and Soils4Kids, and subscribe to the Soils Matter Blog.