This is a lesson from the Life Lab Science, grade 5 core curriculum. This earth science lesson integrates well with other curricular areas such as Language Arts.
Students reveal their understanding of how soil is made and learn about the ingredients of soil.
All of our paper, lumber, and other wood products also come from plants grown in the soil. We would have a difficult time surviving without soil, but it is something most of us know very little about. Soils are more than just a mixture of ingredients, however. They are ever-changing systems that interact with plants, animals, and the atmosphere. Depending on the way they are managed for agriculture, they can be slowly improved or quickly degraded.