Kathryn Baldwin (EWU)Jennifer Dechaine (CWU)

Rodger Hauge (EWU) Gary Varella (WSU)

Soils and SocietyAn InTeGrate Module for Preservice Elementary Teachers

• Preservice elementary teachers (students) will apply geoscientific data, inquiry practices and systems thinking to analyze a relevant societal issue in the context of soils.

• Students will design, develop, and present a standards-based K-8 soils unit, incorporating a locally and broadly relevant societal issue that integrates scientific content and inquiry practices.

Goals

• Activity 1o Discuss science relevancy, soils role in society

• Activity 2o Analyze soil properties and characteristics in stations

• Activity 3o Create a Soils and Society “Kit” (SSK)

• NGSS-aligned K-8 lesson (3+) sequence• Supporting materials: images, maps, graphs, artifacts, books, etc.

o Present their Soils and Society Kits

• Supplemental Activitieso Images as datao Maps as datao Additional required background information

Unit Framework

A series of guided discussion questions

Activity 1 - DiscussionScience relevancy

Local societal issues

Soil relevancy

Student Societal Issue Local Importance Global Importance

(Grand Challenges) Questions

1Overfertilization of agricultural land

Contamination of water supply and soil degradation

Environmental degradation

How does using fertilizers affect

the quality of soil?

What are safe alternatives?

2 Landfills Used to collect trash Soil contamination

How is the soil around a landfill contaminated?

Activity 1 - Examples

Activity 2 - Stations• Soil Composition• Parent Material• pH• Pore Volume• Particle Size• Water Retention• Soil Erosion• Capillary Action• Soil map (Google maps)

Supplemental Topics – Analyzing Maps

o Relevance – Grand Challengeo Lesson Plans for a 3+ Lesson

Sequence• 1+ NGSS systems standard• 1+ quantitative data collection• 1+ interdisciplinary and/or

integrated with other sciences and subjects

o Standards and Objectiveso Assessment Plano Resources and Materials

• 6-10 images/media• artifacts• 2+ maps, charts, tables, graphs• Readings, books, resources

Activity 3 – Soils and Society Kit