Lets Look at your Soils… Question of the day: Who was the character in the Peanuts comic strip who had the cloud of dust following him around? Ans: Pigpen

 Why is he so dirty?  Because he is so familiar with soil!  Today we will get to know more about soil as well.

 Soils are arranged in layers called horizons  The darkest, most nutritious layer is called the “TOPSOIL”  Under that is the “SUBSOIL”

 Please draw this in your notebook! Topsoil Subsoil Weathered Rock

Which is soil? How is soil different than sand?

 Through weathered rock…

 Soils has three different sized particles in it: Sand Silt Clay  Sand has…well… sand sized particles

 SandSiltClay Depending on how much sand, silt, and clay a soil has…we can give it a name. This is called a ‘soil type’

 I’m going to hand out jars to each table.  DO NOT shake or open the jars

 SandSiltClay Depending on how much sand, silt, and clay a soil has…we can give it a name. This is called a ‘soil type’

 Estimate the % of your soil that is sand, write this number down.  What % is silt?  What % is clay?

 Now compare your percentages to the chart below and give your soil a type.

I will collect the jars of soil you have been using…take out the soil you brought from home

 Slowly pour out your soil onto a paper towel.  Answer these questions about your soil in your notebook. 1. Describe the things you see in your soil

Look at the other soils at your table. 2. List three things all the soils have in common. 3. List three differences in the soils at your table.

A. If a soil is very sandy, what type of area might it have come from? B. How about a soil with little organic matter? C. A soil with a lot of organic matter?

Lastly…let’s get dirty! I will hand out the soil type field test and we will see what type of soil you have.