Elaborate: Soil Types and Ecoregions

Part A. Soil Horizons

Key Point: How do soil Horizons form? What are their characteristics; how do they affect what can grow in a given area?
A Soil Profile Lab
In this simple hands-on activity, students create a soil profile using soil samples (or colored pencils or spices), two-sided tape, and card stock. They become familiar with the terminology of soil horizons (the capital letters O, A, B, C, and E) and connect soil formation to the various soil horizons.
Time required: 30-60 minutes

Part B. Soil Type and Ecoregions

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Rangeland Soils

Key Point: Soil characteristics determine what functions soil can provide and what types of life can be supported.

Once students have completed the hands-on lab (described above) have them return to their State Soil booklet and review the sections on Formation and Ecoregions and Land-Use.

Ask students to compare and contrast patterns that they observe across the various State soils.
(Note: This is a lead-in to Know Soil Know Life Module 7: Soils and Biomes )

Optional Extension: More about Soil Properties

Students may want to know more detail about a particular location's soil. See online resources (below) for links to map-based servers. CA Soil Web Apps