Good Earth Lab

4.10 The Good Earth Pre-Activity Work File
Data Table/ Observations:
Note: If you are only observing two distinct layers of soil record your observations in the "uppermost" and "bottom" rows of the data table, leaving the "middle layer" row blank.
Total ThicknessTop LayerMiddle Layer
*If presentBottom LayerWater in Jar (after settling)
Determining Soil Type
Thickness of Layer (in cm)6.7inches
3inches
2.7inches
1inchAppearance of Water
Clear/Cloudy?
Color?Very cloudyFor this part of the lab you will use the soil sample in the zip lock bag (from #2 in the procedure).Take a pinch and rub it between your fingers.
1. Did the soil feel rough/gritty? (yes or no) ____yes_____ or did it silky/smooth? (yes or no) ___no______
2.
Take a handful of your soil. Try to shape it into a ball.
Could you?
(yes or no) ____yes_____
3. If you answered yes, to #2 does the ball break apart easily without much effort? ___no____
4. Go to the resource site below. Scroll down until you see the “The Soil Identification Feel Test." Follow the instructions and identify your soil type.
Record your soil type here: _____sandy________________________ http://www.enjoy-your-garden.com/soil-identification.html 5. Color of LayerBrownish It is clear and a little bit of greyNot really noticeable but very light brown Dark brown
6. If there are things floating in the water list or describe the types of things you observe in the water.Little pieces of dirt and small rock type pieces
7.
8.
9.

Follow up:
1. What city and state do you live in?
West Bloomfield Michigan

2. What percentage of the soil you sampled was
a. Silt (top layer of soil portion– usually very dark black/gray) –56
b. Clay (middle layer of soil portion– orange/to light tan) –22
c. Sand (bottom layer of soil portion – light tan/gray) –22

To find percentage:
Take the layer amount and divide by the total amount.
Multiply your answer by 100 to give you percent.

Using the total from the measuring example in the lesson introduction:
My Total was 7.7 cm.
My middle layer was 3.0

3.0/7.7 = .340 x 100 = 34%

You would punch the calculator like this:
3.0 cm divided by 7.7 equals .340 times 100 equals 34%

Go to the following resource site. You will find a list of representative soils or state soils. Locate your state. Open the HTML version of the page for your state. http://soils.usda.gov/gallery/state_soils/ 1. Name the soil series or representative soil for your state.
The Kalkaska series is one of the earliest soil series to be recognized in Michigan.

2. If the information is given, is this soil unique to your state and how much of the state is covered by this type of soil. Yes this soil is unique to my state and 29 of the states 83 countries.

3. Look at the picture of the soil on the left bottom of the page. Use your own words to describe it from the top down. (visible layers, thicknesses, colors…).
At the very top it is really dark grey,and twards the middle it turns into a brown and yellowish sand type, and at the bottom it is just very light brown.

4. Was your soil type in this lab like the representative type of soil in any way? If so how? Yes the colors where kind of similar but not in all the right
places.