Students can track temperature changes underground out using a very simple soil thermometer , just as Mrs. Thornton's students are doing. Plan to use this cool tool once each month to find out how soil temperatures change over time. Students are always surprised each spring to see how early their tulips emerge. Plan to use this cool tool once each month to find out how soil temperatures change over time. Students are always surprised each spring to see how early their tulips emerge.
Activity Begin with a class discussion.
Show students the soil temperature thermometer so they can picture how you will measure underground temperatures. For prediction purposes, they can simply guess what they think the average temperature on a typical day would be. Then divide by two. Plan to measure the soil temperature and average air temperature once each month. Before you go outside to make your measurements, have students look at their original predictions.