News - United States of America
Boston University Soil Tent: Soil in an Urban Environment
The GLOBE Partnership at Boston University’s GLOBE Mission Earth team recently debuted their soil tent at two schools in Providence, Rhode Island, and one in Dorchester (Boston), Mass., reaching over 300 students from pre-K through 8th grade at high-need urban schools. The tent and associated activities prompted curiosity and engagement with both students and educators as they explored the world beneath their feet.
At each school, the tents were set up outside for a day and classes participated in 25 to 40 minute intervals. The Boston University team introduced each class to soil texture and color. Students then took part in a hands-on exploration to observe the texture and color in the soil around their schools. An auger was used to dig soil pits for minimal damage to school grounds, but older students enjoyed using the shovels to extend the exploration in their search for soil horizons.
A soil pit dug at one of the schools that shows soil horizons.
Older grade levels learned additional context about erosion and
defined terms like fine, coarse, auger, and analysis. Younger grades
and special needs classes focused on the soil texture and the GLOBE
Elementary story book “The Scoop on Soils.”
Each class gave themselves a round of applause for being successful soil scientists, and they were encouraged to take what they learned and discover what the soil looks like in their own backyards and neighborhoods.
A student examines the texture of a soil sample.
The educators were especially grateful for the experience. They often tell the Boston University team that they would like to do more with GLOBE. Their interaction with the soil tent was a shining example of how hands-on science can benefit their students.
Story and photos courtesy of Boston University.
The GLOBE Partnership Earth Around Us Tents development was made possible by support from the USDA Forest Service, Eastern Region (Agreement Number 21-CS-11090100-035).
News origin: United States of America