Students examine sand samples from different locations to infer information about where they originated and how they were deposited. They will then apply their knowledge to Ares Vallis (on Mars) and speculate what might be found in the sediments there.

In this activity, students take a water sample from a local waterway and collect, draw, or take photos of the plants growing nearby, also noting the color of the soil. They will then test the pH of the water sample to investigate the connection between acidity, soil health, and plant growth.

Students will generate a list of why soils are important; describe the five factors that form a unique soil profile and explore these concepts. Students will also be shown a demonstration of how much soil there is on Earth that is available for human use.

This project will raise student awareness of the problem of waste and waste management in our community. As we progress through the unit the goal is to reduce the amount of waste that our school produces. There are many ways to do this but the most unique aspect is to reduce biodegradable waste from our cafeteria through the process of vermicomposting. Students will design and create worm bins to reduce our cafeteria waste. The project will take a couple of weeks for the content and the construction of worm bins and then we will monitor our worm bins throughout the school year.

This is an encyclopedic entry for the term "silt." Silt is a solid, dust-like sediment that water, ice, and wind transport and deposit. Silt is made up of rock and mineral particles that are larger than clay but smaller than sand. Text for this entry is appropriate for the middle and high school grade levels.