Third-graders in Mr. Brad Jones’ class at Gurney Elementary participated in a hands-on science lesson in the rocks and soils unit for science. The class completed the lab in the woods behind the school.
Brandon Castelluccio, Emily Werrlein, and Kate McLain recreating the recycling process that creates soil
The students recreated the recycling process that creates soil by placing natural material that is decomposing into a bag and then synthesizing the decomposition process for organic material such as leaves, pieces of rotting tree trunks, etc. and the weathering process for inorganic material, like rocks and soil.
The focus of this lesson was to show the students that soil is made through a natural recycling process.
“All living things depend on healthy soil as a basis for their food chain. It is a valuable resource and it takes nature about 100 years to create and reclaim lost topsoil,” said Jones.
Students used their hands to crush the natural materials to speed up the decomposition and weathering process and after a few minutes, they had a bag of healthy, nutrient rich soil.
The class then took the bags of soil and dumped them into Gurney’s preschool garden.
At the end of the lesson, students were able to describe the soil composition process and identify the organic and inorganic material found in soil. They could also explain the importance of healthy soil.
This story is brought to you by Chagrin Falls School Sponsor New Direction Photography
