SCIENCE LESSON PLAN SOIL SAMPLES

Instructor Name:
Colleen Trumble
Class:
Dr. Hamman Elementary School grade 3/4
11:00-12:00
Lesson Title:
Looking at Soil from different Places
Tech Requirements: (list all materials you might need. Include special
materials like balloons and also basic classroom materials like chalkboards).
• Samples of soil from the class
• White paper
• Magnifying Glasses (found in Rock stuff bin at back of room near
recycling paper bin)
• 15 pieces of plain white paper
• 17 copies of the sheet “A Look at Soil”
• 17 copies of the soil layer sheet
Administrative Notes: (if relevant, include any information needed to share
with the teacher or the class).
• A few days beforehand, the instructor needs to send a note home
asking the parents and students to bring a sample of soil to class on the
day that they are teaching this lesson. Make sure that you let the
parents and students know that they should be creative in looking for a
soil sample as well as label where they got their sample from.
General Outcome:
• Demonstrate knowledge of materials that comprise Earth’s crust and
demonstrate skill in classifying these materials
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Specific Learning Objectives:

• Recognize and describe the various components within a sample of soil
e.g. clay, sand, pebbles, decaying plants and describe differences
between two different soil samples
• Students will recognize that various different layers which occur in the
soil by cutting out layers of soil on a worksheet and pasting them
together in the correct order.

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KSA’S:
1)How contextual variables affect teaching and learning
2) The structure of the Alberta Education system
3) The purposes of the Guide to Education and programs of study for
subject disciplines you teach
 4) Subject Disciplines you teach
5) All students can learn albeit at different rates in different ways
6) The purposes of short, medium and long range planning
11) The purposes of student assessment
12) The importance of engaging parents, purposefully and
meaningfully, in all aspects of teaching and learning
13) Student learning is enhanced though the use of home and
community resources
15) The importance of career long learning
16) The importance of guiding your actions with a personal, overall
vision of the purpose of teaching
17) You are expected to achieve the teaching quality standard

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Assessment:
• Students will be assessed by the observation worksheet they complete
on comparing soil samples as well as the worksheet they complete on
the layers of the soil.
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ACTIVITIES
Name of Exercise: Expected Length: (in
A Look at Soil minutes)
30 minutes
Purpose: (why is this exercise included in the lesson)
To show the students different samples of soil, and have them recognize the
differences in the soil, depending on where it is from.
Detailed instructions: (how will this exercise be explained to the group)
• Instructor will explain that soil is completely different depending on
where it is from, which is why they asked for the students to bring in
different samples of soil.
• Students will be asked to take out their samples of soil and place them
on their desk. DO NOT TOUCH OR PLAY WITH YOUR SOIL YET!
• Instructor will ask the helper to hand out the observation worksheets as
well as a white sheet of paper to every student. Instructor will also ask
the helper to pick someone to help hand out the magnifying glasses
• Once the students have everything, the instructor will tell them to dump
a small amount of soil onto the white piece of paper. Once they have
done this, the instructor will ask them to please answer the questions on
the observation sheet, using the magnifying glass when needed.
• During this time, the instructor will walk around the classroom and help
out anywhere that is needed.
• *note* if a student does not bring a soil sample, that is no problem,
simply ask them to buddy up with someone who has brought a sample
 of soil, and the two of them will examine the one sample of soil.
Name of Exercise: Expected Length: (in
Putting the layers of soil back together minutes)
30 minutes
Purpose: (why is this exercise included in the lesson)
To show the students what each layer of soil is called, and what order it is
layered in.
Detailed instructions: (how will this exercise be explained to the group)
• Instructor will show a slide on the smart board which shows what each
layer of soil is called
• Instructor will then hand out worksheets with soil layers.
• Instructor will ask students to cut out soil squares, and then glue them
on a separate piece of paper. Make sure to glue them as far left as you
can, so there is still room to label the name of each layer on the right
hand side.

Name of Exercise: Expected Length: (in

minutes)

Purpose: (why is this exercise included in the lesson)

Detailed instructions: (how will this exercise be explained to the group)

Observations/Comments/Reflections