Soil Playdough Lesson
Early learners become soil investigators, using their senses to observe and document the textures, particles, and materials they find in soil. Back in the classroom, students explore what soil is made of before measuring and combining different household ingredients that represent soil's components to create a take-home "soil playdough" ball. Lessons are composed of both core learning activities and flexible extensions to fit different program needs.
The Full Student Experience
What Happens Class to Class
1Soil Investigators
Students investigate outside to observe soil up close, documenting evidence through words and drawings as they investigate the different textures and components they notice.
2Soil Playdough
Students learn how mineral particles, water, air, and organic matter come together to make soil. Then, they measure and combine household ingredients representing each component to create their own soil-inspired playdough to take home.
Skills Built
Key Student Takeaways
Science & Math
- Soil composition
- Observation & evidence
- Texture & particle size
- Measurement
- Following quantities & proportions
Life & Social-Emotional Skills
- Sensory observation
- Attention to detail
- Following a multi-step process
- Cleanliness and materials management
Explore Other Grow-It-Yourself Lessons
Seed Sorting & Art Lesson
Sort, categorize, count, and create artwork using color theory and seeds
Textures in Nature Lesson
Explore different textures in nature and hypothesize what they may mean for natural objects
My Plant Pal Lesson
Using imagination and story-telling, create a character around your plant and share it with a partner
pH & Plants Lesson
Learn how pH measures how acidic or basic a substance is. Use those learnings to create an art piece
Micro-Perspectives Lesson
Put yourself in someone — or rather something — else's shoes to learn about other perspectives
Light Experiment Lesson
A hands-on introduction to the scientific process using light as an experimental variable in plant growth
Plant Propagation Lesson
An introduction to plant propagation using a Kratky hydroponic jar
Measure, Record & Conclude Lesson
Measure, record, and graph data from a nutrient experiment to make scientific conclusions
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