#3661. Edible Soils

Science, level: Elementary
Posted Sun Feb 12 00:34:23 PST 2006 by James C. Yarborough (yarborjc@pickens.k12.sc.us).
Liberty Middle School, Liberty USA
Materials Required: Clear Cups, Spoons, Vanilla and Chocolate Pudding, Oreo's, Ginger Snaps, Nilla Wafers
Activity Time: 1 hour

Objective - Each student will put together his or her own model of the layers of soil. This will be done in a clear container so the students can see the layers and be able to name them

Standard - Recognize that rock, clay, silt, sand, and humus are components of soils. Describe and show that soils are layered (topsoil, subsoil, bedrock)

Procedures --
o Each child gets a cup.
o Add one or two ginger snaps for rocks.
o Add vanilla pudding for clay. (red food dye can be used)
o Add crushed Oreo for silt
o Add crushed Nilla wafers for sand
o Add Chocolate pudding for humus

Expected Outcomes: At the end of the activity, each student will have his or her own edible soil that includes rock, clay, silt, sand and humus. This is an example of hands on learning because the children are learning by creating a model.

Adaptations: This lesson can be adapted to other grade levels by using more complicated layers of rock, or making other edible models such as a cell.

Safety: Student should be careful not to get any materials in their eyes. Also teachers should emphasize not trying this at home with real dirt and rocks.