Why Is Soil Important?

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

• Were you able to guess who is speaking in the riddle above?

Yes, it is soil or dirt. Great job!

Soil is just a fancy word for dirt.

• Have you ever played in the dirt?
• What is your favorite thing to do in the dirt?
• Do you like to splash in mud puddles?
• Do you like to make mud pies?

Mud is just wet dirt or soil.

Scientists call dirt soil, so this lesson will call it that too!

Think of a time when you played with soil and how it felt.

• Was it smooth in your hands?
• Was it gritty like salt?
• Did it make you all dirty?

Soil is the stuff on the ground that most plants grow in, and without it, fruits, vegetables, plants, and trees couldn't grow.

Soil is essential to grow food for animals and humans.

• Did you know that soil comes in many different colors?

There are many different kinds of soil, and they can be different colors and textures, depending on where they are found.

For instance, the soil on a farm in Iowa will be different than that found in a desert in Arizona.

Soils are different, just like plants! Soils are different because different plants, weather, and places need different soils.

Many foods come from plants. Fruits and vegetables come from plants. Plants need soil to grow.

Many animals get their food from plants. For example, squirrels eat nuts that grow on trees. Trees cannot grow without soil.

You probably know that milk comes from cows.

Cows like to eat lots of grass, which needs soil to grow. If the cows did not have grass to eat, they could not make milk.

• Can you think of another important use for soil?
• What else grows in soil that is important to you?

Draw a picture of something that grows in soil, and explain how it is helpful to you.

Other Useful Materials

Many useful materials come from plants. Think about trees and how they grow in soil.

• What are trees used for?
• They can be climbed and provide shade, but what else can be made from a tree when cut down?

Think about the chair you are sitting in or the table or desk in front of you.

• What is it made of? Is it made of wood?

Without soil to grow the tree, you wouldn't have most of the furniture in your house. You wouldn't have the house or apartment you live in because it was made with materials originally from plants growing in the soil.

WOW! I bet you didn't realize how important soil is to your life!

Clay is a special kind of soil.

• Did you know that your plates, bowls, and mugs are probably made of clay?

Clay comes from the earth just like the soil that plants are grown in, and it is used to make many objects that you use every day.

Besides making the earth beautiful, plants, flowers, trees, shrubs, vegetables, and fruits are all grown in soil and are very important to survival.

It all begins with soil. Without it, you wouldn't be here!

In the Got It? section, use your new knowledge of soil and its importance.