Elementary | Sponsored By: Corteva Agriscience
Earth & Space Science Is Lesson Plan Lesson Plans Elementary
Adapted from This Land is your Land by Ann Kennedy, Tami L. Stubbs, and Jeremy C. Hansen
Science & Children | December 2006 | Vol 44, Issue 4
After demonstrating the amount of soil covering Earth and how it is retained/eroded, students will work creatively as “farmers” to prevent soil erosion and save their farm, learning about a real-world problem.
Start with an apple to represent Earth and a sharp knife.
Now that students have an idea of the small amount of soil available for farming, this demonstration shows them how soil is conserved and what can occur if it is not.
An adult should do the apple cutting demonstration, keeping the knife away from students at all times.
No matter what type of soil is used, make sure students wash their hands after the activity.
Students are responsible for designing and building a farm on their own land. The objective of this exercise is to protect the buildings and crops of the farm so they are not flooded or washed away.
A successful farm is one where students are able to protect their crops and buildings from washing away. We end up tying all three activities together with student self-assessment questions.