Understand and describe how weather shapes the earth and affects soil and plants
THEME: The Living Soil–The Living Plant: We are all Interconnected and Related
STRAND: Biodiversity and Interdependent Relationships
GRADE LEVEL: 6-8
Key Concepts
Understand the importance of topsoil and its necessity to life on the planet.
Understand the adverse affect soil erosion has on biodiversity.
Appreciate the effects of plants and weather on soil erosion.
Lesson
Earth as an Apple topsoil model
\* See Appendix
Create a decomposition timeline using organic and inorganic items found in the garden and on school campus. Display in the garden.
Identify areas in the garden that model the effects of water and wind on areas of soil with and without plants. Compare and contrast.
Activity
Using primary and secondary sources,investigate what happened to soils during the rise of sugar cane plantations in Hawai’i.