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Grade 5 Earth and Space Sciences Benchmark C: Soils
 
This mini-collection is aligned with Earth and Space Science Benchmark C: Describe Earth's resources including rocks, soil, water, air, animals and plants and the ways in which they can be conserved. This collection focuses on the soils aspect of the benchmark. Several of these resources are also aligned to the scientific process standards. Two performance assessment items that could be incorporated into a unit on soils are also included.


   
Soil Profile (ORC#: 5254)
 
Students may be asked to recall information and/or analyze information presented in a diagram on the 5th grade science achievement test. This lesson gives students an opportunity to examine a soil profile diagram and then label and describe the soil layers. This simple addition to the hands-on activity gives students practice in recalling information, relating that information to a diagram, and writing about what they know.

This lesson builds upon the What is in the Soil? lesson from the same set. This lesson gives students an opportunity to practice classification and graph construction. (ts)


   
The Dirt on Soil (ORC#: 9316)
 
This content resource would be a nice addition to the Soil Profile lesson. It provides additional support for the content presented in the lesson. (ts)


   
Puddles and Soil (ORC#: 3130)
 
Students may be asked to create or read graphs on the science achievement test. Providing students with opportunities to create graphs and use the data to support the conclusions they draw will help prepare them for this type of test item while building essential science process skills. This resource gives students a chance to practice these skills. Students also apply their knowledge to a real-world situation in this performance assessment. (ts)


   
Air in Soil (ORC#: 3127)
 
One of the science process skills that may appear on the test is experimental design. Students should have opportunities to design and carry out experiments. This performance assessment encourages students to engage in an experiment and then design another one.(ts)


   
Fundamentals of Physical Geography: Chapter 10: Introduction to the Lithosphere, Introduction to Soils (ORC#: 5623)
 
Teachers are sometimes faced with teaching some content they are not as familiar with as they would like to be. Check out this resource if you would like to refresh your knowledge of soils. (ts)