University of Illinois Extension

The Great Plant Escape Glossary Green Links


a tape measure or yard stick

a pencil and paper

an eye for detail

Activity

Creating a Soil Map

Detective Le Plant needs our help to look at the soil.

  1. Choose the area you want to look at.

  2. Divide the area into 2-foot-by-2-foot squares.

  3. Find out what's in the soil in each square.

  4. Write down all of the things you have discovered about your soil square.

  5. Write down today's weather. On a day when the weather is different, look at your square again to see if the soil has changed. If it has changed, how is it different?

Questions to ask about the soil . . .
What color is it?
What is its texture?
Are there a lot of rocks in the soil?
Is the soil moist or dry?
Does it have any insects in it?

Now that you've looked at your soil square,
Does the soil look different from square to square?

Do you think this soil would be good to grow plants in? Why or why not?

Did you find any worms in the soil? Did you know that worms help to make soil more nutritious for plants? Click here to learn how to compost with critters!

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