2. “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life!”
2017 Educational Theme
The NACD Stewardship and Education Committee’s 2017 stewardship week and poster contest theme is
“Healthy Soils Are Full of Life!”
The NACD Stewardship and Education Committee’s 2017 educational and contest theme is
“Healthy Soils Are Full of Life”

3. Healthy Soils Are Full of Life!
2017 NACD POSTER CONTEST
Healthy Soils Are Full of Life!
Sponsored by: The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the NACD Auxiliary
Poster Contest Page
NACD Stewardship Program Page
2017 NACD POSTER CONTEST
Healthy Soils Are Full of Life!
Sponsored by: The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the NACD Auxiliary
Poster Contest Page
NACD Stewardship Program Page

4. What is Soil? What is Soil?
Soil is the upper layer of the Earth’s surface in which plants grow.
It is made of tiny rocks, clay, minerals and humus (remains of dead plants and animals).
Soil also includes air and water.

5. Where do soils come from?
Soils don’t have parents like we do, but they do have parent materials. Parent materials that help make soil are rocks and minerals that have been broken up into tiny pieces.
Soils can be many different colors because they come from many different rocks and minerals.
Where do soils come from?
Soils don’t have parents like we do, but they do have parent materials.
Parent materials that help make soil are rocks and minerals that have been broken up into tiny pieces.
Soils can be many different colors because they come from many different rocks and minerals.

6. What are soils made up of?
Soils are made up of layers that are called horizons.
0 Horizon
A horizon
B horizon
C horizon
R layer
What are soils made up of?
The 0 Horizon is a thin top layer of organic material like decomposing plant materials or the remains of animals and feces.
The A horizon is commonly referred to as topsoil. It is usually dark brown in color and rich in nutrients.
The B horizon is often referred to as subsoil. It contains minerals or organic matter that has been carried down from upper horizons by water.
The C horizon is the parent material of the soil composed of broken up bedrock or sediments.
The R layer is the unweathered parent material of the soil.

7. Soils are alive! Soils are alive!
- Lots of bugs, worms and other Critters live in the soil. Some are so small you need a hand lens to see them.
- Worms living in your yard, garden or farm field are a real good sign that you have healthy soil. They make holes that help water and air get deep into the soil.

8. Soil Erosion Soil Erosion
Take a look outside after it rains. Look at the water in rivers, in ponds, or running along the roads.
The water may be clear or muddy. If it is muddy, soil is being washed away and mixing with the water.
This is soil erosion. Soil is being carried away by rainwater.
If you see soil erosion happening in your yard, try planting some plants or trees.
Roots from plants and trees help hold soil in place, preventing erosion.

9. Soil Conservation and Your Food
It is important to keep our soil in place and healthy, otherwise we would be unable to plant the crops that are necessary to feed all of the people and animals on earth.
Farmers and Ranchers take great care of the soil so that we can eat everyday. One way is to have conservation practices to keep the soil in place so that it does not wash away when it rains or too windy.
These are called Best Management Practices. Some Best Management practices are: Windbreak, Grass Waterway and Buffer Strip.
(discuss each one and add additional ones that are part of your area if you wish)

10. Why are soils important?
Healthy soils are important for growing our food. We need healthy food to live and grow.
Some foods that we eat grow above the ground. Others grow below the ground.
Why are soils important?
Soils are the foundation for EVERYTHING that we are and do.
From the clothes we wear, the food we eat, to the houses we live in,
it ALL has its start from the soil in some way!
Healthy soils are important for growing our food.
We need healthy food to live and grow.
Plants need healthy soil to live and grow.
Some foods that we eat grow above the ground.
Others grow below the ground.

11. Healthy Soils – Healthy People
Healthy soil – healthy plants – healthy animals – healthy food – healthy people

12. How does food get from the soil to your spoon?
Getting food from the soil into your spoon takes a lot of hard work by many people.
The food you eat comes from plants and animals grown by a farmer or raised by a rancher.
Then food is moved from fields to processing and packaging plants and finally to stores or restaurants where it can be sold.

13. What food should I eat each day to be healthy?1 2 3
Your body needs healthy food from all five food groups every day – fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and protein. 4 5

14. Trace the apple back to the soil1
Trace the apple back to the soil.
Apples are so good for you. We buy apples from the store, or you can buy or pick them from an apple orchard.
The apple grows on an apple tree. The apple tree starts out as a little seedling. You have to plant an apple seed and the seed has to be planted in the ??
SOIL!

15. Trace the corn back to the soil2
Trace the corn back to the soil.
You sometimes get corn for one of your meals. A bowl of corn is very good! How did that corn get in the can? It had to grow on a plant called a corn stalk. Sweet corn is usually shorter than field corn . Sweet corn starts out as a small seedling and you have to plant sweet corn seeds for the seedling to grow. And where do you plant the sweet corn seed? in the SOIL!

16. Trace the milk back to the soil3
Can you trace the milk back to the soil?
Milk comes from what kind of animal?? That’s right, a dairy cow! And dairy cows, just like Beef cows like to eat what?? hay! Hay is grown in fields and harvested using a tractor, mower and hay rake! The farmer has to plant alfalfa seeds to grow alfalfa hay. And the seed has to grow in the ??? SOIL!

17. Trace the bread back to the soil4
Lets trace the bread back to the soil. Here are a few of the steps. It actually takes many steps to produce a product.
Bread is great for toast or for sandwiches. Bread is made from flour.
The flour is ground from wheat. Which comes from a wheat grown in a field. The wheat is harvested by a combine.

18. Trace the chicken meat back to the soil5
Many people love chicken legs! Do you think we can trace the chicken legs back to the soil? Cooked chicken legs come from raw chicken legs which come from chicken bird who love to eat grains! Grains are grown in fields and harvested using a combine harvester! The farmer has to plant grain seeds to grow chicken feed. And the seed has to grow in the ??? Soil!

19. Your school lunch What is one of your favorite school lunches?
Pick something we have not talked about and trace it back to the soil!

20. Gardening and Edible Landscaping
Gardening is a great way to learn how food grows. If you don’t have room for a garden – many people are designing edible landscaping around their homes or apartments. Instead of flowers plant things you can eat! You can even grow vegetables in containers.

21. What kinds of careers are related to food production and conservation of the land?
The list is very long! Here are a few
Farmer
Rancher
Chef
Truck Driver
Soil Scientist
Conservation Plan designer
(Add additional if you wish)

22. Soil Facts It can take up to 1,000 years for an inch of soil to form.
One tablespoon of soil has more organisms in it than here are people on earth.
Not all soil is good for growing plants.
There are thousands of different types of soil across the world. The USA alone possesses more than 70,000 varieties of soil!
Soil acts as a filter for underground water, filtering out pollutants.
Soil is at the bottom of the food chain, yet it is the cornerstone of life on earth.
Soil Facts
It can take up to 1,000 years for an inch of soil to form.
One tablespoon of soil has more organisms in it than here are people on earth.
Not all soil is good for growing plants.
There are thousands of different types of soil across the world. The USA alone possesses more than 70,000 varieties of soil!
Soil acts as a filter for underground water, filtering out pollutants.
Soil is at the bottom of the food chain, yet it is the cornerstone of life on earth.

23. Keeping the Soil We Need
Taking good care of our soil is the best way to make sure that we have the soil we need for food, water, air, clothes and many other things.
Nutritious and good food can only be produced if our soils are healthy living soils.
Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District to find out what YOU can do to help protect your soil.

24. Poster Contest Details
The national winning poster will be used for local and state level promotion materials.
Send entries to your local conservation district
To find out the dates of your local contest!!!!
Contest Categories
K-1st Grade
2nd-3rd Grade
4th-6th Grade
7th-9th Grade
10th-12th Grade
Poster Contest Details
The national winning poster will be used for local and state level promotion materials.
Send entries to your local conservation district
To find out the dates of your local contest!!!!
Contest Categories
K-1st Grade
2nd-3rd Grade
4th-6th Grade
7th-9th Grade
10th-12th Grade

25. Poster Contest Details
Winning entries will be selected by your local and sent to the state level for judging.
State winner entries will then be sent to the national level, where one overall winner will be selected and announced at the 2018 NACD Annual Meeting in Nashville, TN on January 28th. Winners will be posted to the NACD website.
Monetary prizes will be awarded to the 1st-3rd place winners in each category at the national level.
$200 for 1st Place Winners
$150 for 2nd Place Winners
$100 for 3rd Place Winners
Monetary awards from the NACD Auxiliary & Albert I. Pierce Foundation
Poster Contest Details
Winning entries will be selected by your local and sent to the state level for judging.
State winner entries will then be sent to the national level, where one overall winner will be selected and announced at the 2017 NACD Annual Meeting in Denver, CO on January 31st. Winners will be posted to the NACD website.
Monetary prizes will be awarded to the 1st-3rd place winners in each category at the national level.
$200 for 1st Place Winners
$150 for 2nd Place Winners
$100 for 3rd Place Winners
Monetary awards from the NACD Auxiliary & Albert I. Pierce Foundation

26. Poster Contest Details
Turn poster in on time for judging. Your local conservation district’s entry deadline is _____
Attach poster entry form on the back of each poster and be sure it is signed by a parent or guardian.
Entry must be contestant's original creation and may not be traced from photographs or other artists' published works.
Poster Contest Details
Turn poster in on time for judging. Your local conservation district’s entry deadline is _____
Attach poster entry form on the back and be sure it is signed by a parent or guardian.
Entry must be contestant's original creation and may not be traced from photographs or other artists' published works.

27. Poster Contest Details
Any media may be used to create a flat poster
Paint
Crayons
Colored pencil
Charcoal
Stickers
Paper
Or other materials
Poster size must be 14" x 22" (half a poster).
Poster Contest Details
Any media may be used to create a flat poster
Paint
Crayons
Colored pencil
Charcoal
Stickers
Paper
Or other materials
Poster size must be between 14" x 22"
(unless another size is required by your local or state contest)

28. What makes a good Poster?
Attracts attention
Is simple and concise
Uses colors and white space effectively
Text is large enough to be easily read
What makes a good Poster?
Attracts attention
Is simple and concise
Uses colors and white space effectively
Text is large enough to be easily read

29. Brainstorming Poster Ideas
Research the topic of the theme
Brainstorm ideas and make a list
Use the theme as your title:
Healthy Soils Are Full of Life!
Brainstorming Poster Ideas
Research the topic of the theme
Brainstorm ideas and make a list
Use the theme as your title:
Healthy Soils Are Full of Life!

30. Brainstorming Poster Ideas
Use some of the important soil issues from this presentation.
Look around your community for ideas.
Talk to professionals in the industry.
Research soils online and use the information found in your poster.
Brainstorming Poster Ideas
Use some of the important soil issues from this presentation.
Look around your community for ideas.
Talk to professionals in the industry.
Research soils online and use the information found in your poster

31. Dos:
Do limit text, and balance a combination of illustrations and words.
Do be as neat as you can and be sure to erase any penciled sketches or guidelines.
Do blend colors when using crayons or colored pencils.
Do research the theme topic as a way to brainstorm poster ideas.
Dos:
Do limit text, and balance a combination of illustrations and words.
Do be as neat as you can and be sure to erase any penciled sketches or guidelines.
Do blend colors when using crayons or colored pencils.
Do research the theme topic as a way to brainstorm poster ideas.

32. Don’ts: Don’t use staples, tacks, or tape.
Don’t use fluorescent-colored posters.
Don’t create a poster that is all words or all illustrations.
Don’t have your parent or others draw your poster for you to color in.
Don’t try to include too many ideas. A single message – clearly illustrated – is most effective.
Don’ts:
Don’t use staples, tacks, or tape.
Don’t use fluorescent-colored posters.
Don’t create a poster that is all words or all illustrations.
Don’t have your parent or others draw your poster for you to color in.
Don’t try to include too many ideas. A single message – clearly illustrated – is most effective.

33. Judging Criteria Conservation message—50 percent
Visual effectiveness—30 percent
Originality—10 percent and
Universal appeal—10 percent
Judging Criteria
Conservation message—50 percent
Visual effectiveness—30 percent
Originality—10 percent and
Universal appeal—10 percent

34. Local Contest Information
Local Conservation District contest information
Contest deadlines
Contact information
Local Conservation District contest information
Contest deadlines
Contact information

35. For Additional NACD Information
Visit
Entry Forms, Rules and Resource PDF files are also available for download on the contest page.
For Additional NACD Information
Visit
Entry Forms, Rules and Resource PDF files are also available for download on the contest page.