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Earthworks
Earth System Science for Secondary Teachers
How does fire affect soil characteristics?
Grade level: 9-12
Content Area: Ecology/Soil Science
Time: 3 weeks
Standards:
- Students learn about soil properties
- Students understand basis of soil chemistry tests
- Students understand relationship between soil properties and vegetation
- Students learn ecological importance of fire
Background knowledge/skills: Different properties of soil types, factors affecting soil characteristics, interactions between soil and plants, lab skills and data collection
Materials: Soil testing kit
Procedures:
- Background lessons on soil characteristics/properties
- Practice soil chemistry tests
- PBL: Would controlled burnings be beneficial to the native prairies in the area? (soil quality, veg. growth, runoff, etc.)
- Students sample soil in unburned prairie and burned prairies at different stages of recovery.
- Analyze soil for different chemical properties
- Use data to form proposal for local DNR
Assessment:
- Data collection/analysis
- Proposals to peers and DNR; evidence to support positions
- Peer, self evaluations
- Lab practical: analyze unknown soil samples for specific chemical properties
Enrichment: Guest speakers: Fire jumper; soil scientist; ecologist. Relate knowledge to other disturbances; compare affects of controlled and natural burns on soil properties
Barriers: Lack of equipment, short class periods, budget concerns ($ for bus travel, sub, etc.)
Responses: Seek loanable equipment from various organizations. Hook up with local DNR and UW-Madison departments. Get other science teachers involved.
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