Soils Presentation

Soil is everywhere around us and under us. We could not survive without soil. Dirt is what is under our fingernails. Today we will use the term “soil” instead of “dirt”.

Soils have names just like we do Glenelg Silt Loam Brentsville Sandy Loam Baile Silt Loam There are 300 named soils in Maryland and 17,000 named soils in the united states.

All humans have parents, a mother and a father. Well, soils have parent materials. Minerals (Rocks)Organic Matter

Humans have different hair, skin, and eye color. Soils have different colors as well.

Glenelg Silt Loam is dark brown because it is rich in organic material

Brentsville Sandy Loam is red because of the iron in the soil

Baile Silt Loam is gray and tan because it is a wetland soil. The iron has been washed out of the soil from the rising and falling water table.

Soils have different textures Some are gritty and scratchy Some are silky smooth like flour Some are really sticky

Glenelg Silt Loam is silky and smooth like flour

Brentsville Sandy Loam is rough because of the sand

Baile Silt Loam is sticky because it has a lot of clay

We use these soils to make things we use everyday Sand can be used to make glass. It is super heated until it melts and then can be shaped into many things.

Clay is used to make pottery and ceramics as well as bricks for your home or school.

What happens when it rains and the soil is exposed?

One way to keep erosion from occurring is to plant grass. The grass roots help to hold the soil in place. The grass can also help to filter pollutants out before they reach the streams and rivers.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Six states plus the District of Columbia are within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Can you name them?

How many years does it take for the natural formation of topsoil? Here is a hint. How long ago did this person make his first voyage to the Americas for Spain?

It takes about 500 years for 1” of topsoil to form. Six inches are needed for prime farmland soil used to grow good crops.

Our soils are very important resources and we need to protect them. Reducing erosion helps to keep the waterways clean and helps us to grow food to feed ourselves.

Please help to conserve our soils. The End