Investigate, analyze and apply natural soil fertility systems
THEME: The Living Soil–The Living Plant: We are all Interconnected and Related
STRAND: Science of Soil Fertility
GRADE LEVEL: 3-5
Key Concepts
Create an argument for how soil amendments improve soil fertility.
Able to amend garden soil with sifted compost.
Lesson
Sift compost and make observations.
Sort vermicast from red wigglers and/or Indian blue worms.
Apply compost created from the different compost systems to garden beds, grow the same crop in the beds, compare and contrast the plantsʻ growth.
Identify mulch (brown/carbon) sources on campus.
Identify human discards appropriate for mulch, weed cover, and/or brown (carbon) layer in compost (newspaper, cardboard, shredded paper).
Compare and contrast the condition of trees with and without mulch.
Mulch on and between beds to conserve water and prevent weeds.
Use ratios to make correct dilutions of worm/compost teas, ash, etc. as a soil amendment.
Activity
NA 3 MD.B.3 4 MD.B.4 5 MD.B.2