Soil Ecology Lab
Becky Ball, Arizona State University at the West Campus
Students collect soil samples from places of interest around campus and run a series of basic soil analyses to make conclusions about how soil fertility relates to the biological community and human management.

Final Project for Introductory Soils Course
Daniel Hirmas, Texas Tech University
These assignments represent scaffolding for a self-directed final project.

Soils —Field Characterization, Collection, and Laboratory Analysis
Abir Biswas, The Evergreen State College
Field characterization of soil profiles in coniferous and deciduous settings; sample collection of soils from different horizons; laboratory analysis of soil moisture, soil organic carbon (by loss on ignition), and ...

Soil Under the Microscope Mini-Workshop
Steven Driese, Baylor University
This mini-workshop is a brief introduction to the use of the polarized light microscope for thin-section analysis of soils, known as micromorphology. It assumes only a rudimentary knowledge of mineralogy and ...

Introduction to urban watershed geochemistry
Vijay Vulava, College of Charleston
The main goal of this multi-part field and lab exercise is to introduce students to practical aspects of soil and water geochemistry. Some of the analyses for this lab are conducted in the field using field ...

Public Information Campaign: Soil Erosion, Conservation, and Watershed Health
Kathryn Szramek, Drake University
Students in groups of two create a 4-minute educational video, brochure, and poster on an aspect of soil erosion, soil conservation, and/or watershed health for agricultural regions within the midwestern states. ...

Soil Biogeochemical Cycles
Colin Robins, Claremont McKenna College
This group activity charges students with teaching their colleagues about the biogeochemical cycle of one key soil element (e.g., either C, N, S, P, Ca, or Fe). Students are given a single class period to summarize ...

independent soil investigation project
Stephanie Ewing, Montana State University-Bozeman
Students demonstrate their skill in soils investigation and interpretation through independent projects undertaken in groups of one to three and presented in class using visual aids.

Living Learning Community: Spaceship Earth Research Course
Penelope Boston, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Freshmen enrolled in the Spaceship Earth Living Learning Community conduct research on a real project that is formulated and conducted during a 2-semester academic year.

Soil Biota
Katherine McCarville, Upper Iowa University
In teams of two, students collect samples from one or two different environments -- agricultural fields, sports turf areas, lawns, forest floor, wetland/pond margin, greenhouse, etc. They construct a Berlese funnel ...

How to read elemental soil profiles to investigate the biogeochemical processes in Critical Zone?
Lixin Jin, University of Texas at El Paso
In this exercise, students use elemental chemistry data in a soil profile to explore major biogeochemical processes that dominate in critical zone. Data will be provided, and students calculate and graph the mass ...