My students need soil testing kits, a field guide to common species, and a Berlese funnel for taking samples to measure nutrient amounts and biodiversity of local soil.
Our class is full of energy and excitement, with animated discussions about climate change, waste disposal, and biodiversity.
After being cooped up because of record breaking snow, it will be great to take all their energy and go outside to study the world around us in a hands-on way.
My students are seniors in an elective Environmental Science class. They are enthusiastic and hard-working, and they are really getting an opportunity to see what the world is like and how it works--from an ecological, hydrological, sociological and economical point of view.
What they have not yet really begun to comprehend is where their food comes from, and just how important it is to manage our soil resources, especially in an urban setting. We will be investigating soil as part of a larger unit on agriculture and food justice.
My Project
We will be out around the school and at various locations off campus collecting samples of soil and leaf litter.
What makes one area more diverse than another? Is there a correlation between soil chemistry and biodiversity of invertebrates? What is the level of lead and NPK in the soil? Does that make it acceptable for growing food here?
Once they have collected their soil samples, we will take them back to the classroom to analyze using various chemical reagents and color guides for measuring. We will be using the Berlese Funnel and constructing our own in order to catch invertebrates and calculate species diversity.
These soil testing kits and other materials will ensure that the students get out there and actually use their lab science skills.
They'll get the opportunity to run through soil tests and get comfortable with the analysis so that at some point, when they'd like to start their own gardens, they don't have to pay someone else to do it; they can do it themselves.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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