Name________________________________

Dig It! Exhibition

Follow the directions to navigate your way through the online exhibition of
Dig It! ut together by the !mithsonian" The bold text mean you need
to answer a question or write something down.
#o to this web site$ htt$%%forces"si"edu%soils%&'_&&_&&"html
(ead the introduction titled !i)ing * !oils
+lic, on -he .ig /icture and ta,e the 0ui)1 if you miss a 2uestion clic, on
the 3earn 4ore and learn about the toic"
What is one interesting fact about soil that you learned from the
quiz?
5 That soil actually warms the fastest in Alaska because the dark
soil absorbs sunlight and releases heat.
+lic, on !tate !oil 4onoliths clic, on -exas then choose ' other states and
read about their soil" What is a Fun Fact about Texas soil?
5 Has a lot of black soil that suort miles of rairie! grasslands
and rangelands.
What is in the soil of one other state? Tell me the name of the state.
5 "orth #arolina$ iron and clay minerals! rotten rock! and organic
matter.
What is so secial about the soil of one other state? Tell me the
name of the state! it needs to be di%erent from Texas! and the state
in the question abo&e.
5 'entucky$ its crider soil so it is fertile! dee and well drained.
+lic, on 6hat is !oil read through all 7 ages and answer these 2uestions"
A teasoon of good farm soil contains u to () billion* bacteria in
more than +,,, secies.
-oil is the(skin* of the earth. -oils are(ali&e*! they are born! they
age! they breathe.
What are the ingredients of soil? (minerals! air! water! daead and
li&ing things*
8n age 9 watch the +hef:s +hallenge video"
What is the today.s secret ingredient?
5 sand
Who are the /udges?
5 0uincy caraase! gassy 1allagher! hermit thrush sly&ania
8n age ; clic, on the (ecie .oo, read some of the di<erent soil recies"
-hen clic, on the !oil ingredients ta,e the 2ui) to see if you can determine
the ma,eu of di<erent tyes of soils"
What 2 of ingredients make u 3esert -oil?
5 45
6oamy -oil?
5 +4
7eaty 8og?
5 ),
(ead age 7" What does #69:7T stand for?
5 #limate! organisms! relief! arent matererial!time
+lic, on +hi o< the 8ld .loc, read through all = ages"
;42 of the earth.s crust is made of /ust eight elements. What are
they?
5 oxygen1 silicon1 aluminum1 iron1 calcium1 sodium1 otassium1 and
magnesium
Texture in<uences a soil.s caacity to (to hold water and nutrients>
8n age = lay the +olor 4atching game"
1ray.8lue.1reen = wetland mineral soils
:ed.>ellow.9range = uland soils
+lic, on !oil Forming Factors read through all = ages" 8n age ' lay the
?idden ?ori)ons game"
3escribe the A horizon.
5 4ineral layer at or near the surface and has more organic soil then any
other layer"
What is a monolith?
?vertical slice from tosoil down to subsoil1 reserves a soil:s colors and
layered hori)ons in osition"
8n age ; clic, on the Earth !,in -yes" 3escribe @ltisols.
5 -hese soils suort savannahs but are not naturally fertile
What tye of soil is in our area?
5 @ltisols
8n age = clic, lay the 6here in the !oil 6orld are @ou"
The <i <o is in the AAAAAAAAAAAsouth aciBc &olcanoAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
soil tye.
The sur is in the AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAsouth American
grasslandAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA soil tye.
The mammoth tusk is in the AAAAAAAAAAAAsiberian
ermafrostAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA soil tye.
+lic, on 4atters of 3ife and Death1 read through all = ages"
"ot all forms of life need oxygen to breathe. What other things can
microorganisms use?
5 dirt
3escribe some of the characteristics of 6ichens.
5 tolerate heat1 cold1 and drought
+lic, on *nderneath it All1 read through all 7 ages" 8n age B clic, on the
*nderneath it All lin, to dig dee and examine the e<ects our choices have
on soil"
What are some of the things that you may Bnd in the Washington!
3.#. soil samle?
5 Flu%y soil! hard comacted soil! sediments from the 7otomac
ri&er.
What are some of the things that you may Bnd in the Terra 7reta
-oil of the Amazon?
5 Fertile dark soil! charcoal
8n age 9" What is an increasing roblem caused by global
warming?
5 lea&ing coastal settlements extremely &ulnerable to shoreline
erosion
8n age ;" What was wrong with the soil in Fredericksburg! Cirginia?
5 Highly acidic soil was introduced during the landscaing.
+lic, on 6ise +hoices read through all C ages"
-oils are renewable butD
5 8ut it takes time money and know how
3escribe some of the new technology that hels manage soil
fertility.
5 -ensors mounted on tractors or linked to satellites EreadF
lants and soils to determine how much fertilizer is needed.
How is the Gillennium Cillages 7ro/ect restoring soil fertility?
5 farmers Brst recei&ed mineral fertilizers and high?yield hybrid
cros. The next year! they learned to add manure and comost!
or to lant legume co&er cros and trees that enrich the soil
with nitrogen.
+lic, on A 6orld of !oils1 read through all = ages" 8n age B watch the
!oil$ -he secret Ingredient video"
8n age 9" 3eBne loess$
5 windblown deosits of silt left by the last glaciers
-he secrets of soils are the secrets of our lives"