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 Suggested
Workshop Schedules
One-Hour Presentation
Using IES Soil
One-Day Workshop Using IES Soil
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ONE-HOUR
PRESENTATION USING IES SOIL
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 Printable
Detailed Plan
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Materials
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For the instructor:
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Overhead transparency sheets and overhead projector
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Soil sample in zip-lock bag
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For each group
of participants:
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Soil samples in zip lock bags (Investigations 1 and
2)
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Drinking straws, knives or tongue depressors (for
probing soil)
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Water source
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Plastic cups, clear (2 or more)
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Hand lenses (2 or more)
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Newspaper or paper towels to cover the work area
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Procedure
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Have the IES logo transparency on the overhead
projector as participants arrive. See Presentation
above.
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1. Pre-assessment
- Show a soil sample and ask participants to share
their thoughts
Questions you might ask include, "What does
soil feel like," "What is soil made of,"
"Is soil the same all over the Earth? Explain."
- Instruct participants to write answers to the
pre-assessment questions
Pre-assessment questions are included in the
Resources section of this manual. These same questions
appear on the "Reflecting" page at the
end of the student book, under the subheading "Back
to the Beginning". Tell participants that the
purpose of the Pre-assessment is to provide a baseline
assessment of student knowledge. This can be compared
with later answers, as a measure of student progress.
- Hold a review session, recording participant
responses
Build two lists, one for "ideas we have
about soil," and one for "questions we
have about soil". List participants' ideas
as they give them, without alteration. Record these
ideas on an overhead transparency, flip chart, chalkboard,
or dry-erase board.
- Distribute handouts (from the back of this manual):
- Student Ratings and Self-Evaluation
- Earth System Connection Sheet
- Checkpoint Form
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Introduce Investigating Earth Systems. See Presentation
above.
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2. Investigation 1
- Introduce the Key Question, "What can you
investigate about soil?"
Solicit participant responses, recording them
on an overhead transparency. Solicit new questions
that participants have about soil. Tell participants
that, although this repeats some of the pre-assessment,
in a classroom this activity would serve as both
a review of the pre-assessment and an introduction
to the upcoming investigation.
- Distribute soil samples
Participants will record observations using all
their senses. Ask participants how they intend to
record their results. As you circulate, inquire
as to what kinds of data they are collecting (visual,
tactile, etc.) and how they are recording it. Of
course, the intent here is to model teacher behavior,
not interrogate the participants! Suggest methods
of recording observations, such as a table with
columns for each of the senses.
- Re-visit soil questions and select one for further
investigation
Instruct groups to discuss their observations
and revisit their earlier questions. Instruct them
to choose a question for further investigation.
Remind them that it must be a question they can
answer given the constraints of time, space and
materials.
- Conduct the investigation
Circulate, observe, and interact with the participants.
Ask questions about their inquiry processes, i.e.
What is their question? What do they predict? How
will they test their prediction?
- Discuss findings
Ask participants to share the question they investigated,
their results, and any new question they want to
investigate.
- Briefly discuss Investigations 2-7
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Discuss the flow of a typical IES module. Additionally,
you will want to discuss assessment in IES and the
scope of the project (the different modules). See
Presentation above.
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Back to Top
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ONE-DAY
WORKSHOP USING IES SOIL
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Printable
Detailed Plan
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Materials
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For the instructor:
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Overhead transparency sheets and overhead projector
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Soil sample in zip-lock bag
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For each group
of participants:
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Soil samples in zip lock bags (Investigations 1 and
2)
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Additional soil samples (Investigation 3)
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Access to location for taking core samples of soil
(Investigation 4)
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Map of sampling area where core samples will be taken
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Water source
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Plastic cups, clear (2 or more)
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Hand lenses (2 or more)
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Newspaper or paper towels to cover the work area
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Plastic strainer (spaghetti colanders work well)
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Kitchen sieve
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Spoon
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Hand lens
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3 large mixing bowls
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4 squares of white poster board
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Access to a sink or water supply
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Wooden block
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Hammer
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1" Heavy Duty PVC pipe (the piece should be
about 10" in length)
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Wooden dowel piece that is longer than the PVC, but
that fits inside it
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Drinking straws, knives, or tongue depressors (for
probing soil)
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pH soil test kit
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For each participant:
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Copy or photocopy of module (Note: these cannot be
given to participants to take home without written
permission of It's About Time Publishing)
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Procedure
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Project IES logo as participants arrive. See Presentation
above.
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1. Pre-assessment
- Show a soil sample and ask participants to share
their thoughts.
Questions you might ask include, "What does
soil feel like," "What is soil made of,"
"Is soil the same all over the Earth? Explain."
- Instruct participants to write answers to the
pre-assessment questions.
The questions are included in the Resources section
of this manual. These same questions appear on the
"Reflecting" page at the end of the student
book, under the subheading "Back to the Beginning".
Tell participants that the purpose of the Pre-assessment
is to provide a baseline assessment of student knowledge.
This can be compared with later answers, as a measure
of student progress.
- Hold a review session, recording participant responses.
Build two lists, one for "ideas we have
about soil," and one for "questions we
have about soil". List participants' ideas
as they give them, without alteration. Record these
ideas on an overhead transparency, flip chart, chalkboard,
or dry-erase board.
- Distribute the following handouts (from the back
of this manual):
- Student Ratings and Self-Evaluation
- Earth System Connection Sheet
- How to Make Maps
- Checkpoint Form
Additionally, you will need to distribute a copy
of Investigating Soil. (Note: these cannot be given
to participants to take home without written permission
of It's About Time Publishing)
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Introduce Investigating Earth Systems. See Presentation
above.
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2. Investigation 1
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You will need to collect soil samples in advance
of the workshop. Keep them in sealed plastic
bags to retain soil moisture (water is part
of soil!). Remember to focus on inquiry processes,
especially question-forming and observing. As
an introduction to the module, participants
will examine soil using their senses.
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- Introduce the Key Question, "What can you
investigate about soil?"
Solicit participant responses, recording them
on an overhead transparency. Solicit new questions.
Tell participants that, although this repeats some
of the Pre-assessment, in a classroom this activity
would serve as both a review of the pre-assessment
and an introduction to the upcoming investigation.
- Distribute soil samples.
Participants will record observations using all
their senses. Ask participants how they intend to
record their results. As you circulate, inquire
as to what kinds of data they are collecting (visual,
tactile, etc.) and how they are recording it. Of
course, the intent here is to model teacher behavior,
not interrogate the participants! Suggest methods
of recording observations, such as a table with
columns for each of the senses.
- Re-visit soil questions and select one for further
investigation.
Instruct groups to discuss their observations
and revisit their earlier questions. Instruct them
to choose a question for further investigation.
Remind them that it must be a question they can
answer given the constraints of time, space and
materials.
- Conduct the investigation.
Circulate, observe, and interact with the participants.
Ask questions about their inquiry processes, i.e.
What is their question? What do they predict? How
will they test their prediction?
- Discuss findings.
Ask participants to share the question they investigated,
their results, and any new question they want to
investigate.
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Discuss the structure of an IES Investigation,
the Student Journal, and the Key Question. See Presentation
above.
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3. Investigation 2
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Soil samples used in the first investigation
can be used here - just make sure that the samples
are "reassembled". You may have to
bring a large container of water if you are
not holding the workshop in a science classroom.
The goals of the activity include not only separating
soil by passing it through air and water, but
also predicting and using evidence.
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- Introduce the Key Question, "How can soil
be separated?"
This time, encourage active participation by
choosing a member of the group to lead the discussion
of the Key Question. Instruct the volunteer to copy
participants' responses without altering them. Circulate
among the participants, encouraging participation
from less vocal members of the group.
- Introduce steps 1-2.
Discuss the steps by reading through them with
the participants. Ask for questions. If there are
no questions, ask the group to tell you:
- What to do if there are lumps in the soil
- What they should observe
- What they should record
This mirrors what teachers might do in the classroom
to check for their students' understanding. Explain
why you check for understanding before moving to
the investigation (i.e. it allows you to identify
misconceptions, avoiding confusion and frustration).
- Circulate and observe as participants separate
soil by passing it through air.
- Discuss participants' predictions about how soil
will move through water
Record participants' ideas on an overhead transparency.
- Circulate and observe as participants investigate.
- Discuss predicted and observed outcomes of the
experiment.
Explain the next phase of the experiment, which
will not be done. Students would be asked to predict
the outcome if soil and water mixtures were allowed
to sit out overnight. Students would then label
their soil samples and place them in a secure location
for later observation.
- Instruct participants to complete the handout
"Student Ratings and Self-Evaluation".
Select numbers to represent the highest and lowest
rating. These numbers go in the "Key"
at the top of the page. Collect handouts. Inform
participants that this is one of many assessment
tools in the teacher's edition of each IES module.
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4. Investigation 3
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For this investigation, each group will need
the following materials:
- Newspaper or paper towels to cover the work
area
- Plastic strainer (spaghetti colanders work
well)
- Kitchen sieve
- Spoon
- Hand lens
- 3 large mixing bowls
- 4 squares of white posterboard
- Access to a sink or water supply
- Soil sample
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- Begin with the Key Question, "How can soil
be separated?"
Invite a volunteer to summarize participants'
responses on an overhead transparency.
- Discuss the procedure for investigation 3.
Invite 2 participant volunteers to come to the
front for a demonstration. Have prepared the supplies
needed for one group to perform the experiment.
Place them on a table at the front. Stand at the
back of the room. Instruct one of the seated participants
to read the instructions for step 1. Volunteers
then perform the step. Choose participants to read
steps 2-6. The volunteers perform the steps, in
abbreviated fashion.
- Discuss problems that participants might have
with the procedure.
- Instruct participants to begin the investigation.
- Circulate and observe participants.
- Read the Digging Deeper article for this investigation
"Materials Found in Soil".
Read it aloud or distribute copies and read as
a group. Explain that there is a reading at the
end of each investigation. Explain the reason for
this (i.e., the focus is on the investigation, which
gives context and deeper meaning to the content
in the readings). Explain also that there are background
readings for teachers in the teacher's edition.
These readings go into much more depth than student
readings.
- Instruct participants to complete the Checkpoint
forms during the break.
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Break for Lunch
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5. Investigation 4
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For this investigation, each group will need
the following materials:
- 1" Heavy Duty PVC pipe (about 10"
long)
- Wooden dowel (longer than the PVC pipe,
but thin enough to fit snugly inside it)
- Access to a site where core soil samples
can be taken
- Map of sampling area (see the appendix for
instructions on how to make a map of any site
in the U.S.)
Note: If you think it will be difficult
or too time-consuming to collect samples during
the workshop, collect the soil cores ahead of
time, bag each core sample, and transport them
to the workshop. Bring one section of PVC pipe
and the wooden dowel to show how you collected
and extruded the samples. Bring the map to show
where you collected the samples.
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Discuss inquiry in IES. See Presentation above.
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- Discuss responses to Checkpoint forms. Ask for
additional feedback from the participants.
- Collect soil core samples, or distribute pre-collected
samples.
- Distribute maps of the local sampling area (for
instructions on how to make a map of the local area,
see the Resources section at the back of this manual).
Record sampling areas on the map.
- Analyze soil core samples
Emphasize observing and collecting data as you
circulate among the participants.
- Discuss each group's results
Record their data in the form of a chart. Project
these data on the overhead projector.
- Instruct participants to make soil maps of the
local area, using the class's data.
- When the maps have been completed, discuss what
additional data could be included in the map.
- Discuss Investigation 5, parts 1-3.
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6. Investigation 5, part 4
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For this investigation, each group will need
the following materials:
- Soil sample
- Soil Testing Kit (pH only)
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- Distribute soil test kits.
Discuss directions for measuring pH.
- Instruct participants to complete steps 2-3.
- Instruct participants to add this information
to their soil maps.
- Explain that, in a classroom setting, students
would test for nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium
as well.
- Discuss Investigations 6 and 7.
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Discuss the Earth System Connections Sheet (they
should have received a copy of this already). Also,
discuss using the final investigation as assessment.
See Presentation above.
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Questions?
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Back to Top
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AGI's professional development programs for teachers are supported
by generous contributions from corporate contributors of the American Geosciences Institute Foundation, the American
Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation, and ChevronTexaco.
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