Inside This Issue:Inside This Issue:Inside This Issue:Inside This Issue:

AUGUST 2011AUGUST 2011AUGUST 2011AUGUST 2011

Compaction &

Infiltration 2 Wonderful Worms 3

Soil Texture by

Feel Method 2 Calendar 4

Soil Tunnel 3 Grants 4

Web Corner 3 OSU Course 4

Soil Cleans

Water 3 Book Nook 4

Community Building for Water Quality

D igging in the soil is like a treasure hunt, and the prospect of buried treasure will pique students’

interest in soil biology. Most underground life is found in the top layer, or A horizon, along with the majority of the roots. In addition to anchoring plants in place and taking up water and mineral nutrients from the soil, roots often have symbiotic relationships with bacteria and fungi. Mycorrhizal fungi commonly form cottony threadlike connections between plant roots that help the roots access hard to find nutrients. In return, the fungi receive carbohydrates from the plants. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria establish relationships with certain plant species (Rhizobia with legumes and Frankia with alders and some other non-leguminous plants). The bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into a plant available form, and the plants provide the bacteria with a home, carbohydrates and water.

Evidence of these important relationships can be observed by students in the field or in the lab. The teacher and/or students should collect roots from different plant types (conifers, grasses, and legumes) for examination. Prepare the lab with root samples for each student group, hand lenses, data sheets and dissecting microscopes. Have students observe the root samples, sort the samples into similar groups, and for each group note the color, branching structure (fibrous or taproot), length, and

Sneak Peak at New Native Plant Curriculum

evidence of symbiotic relationship (root nodules or the white cottony threads).

The full lesson plan for What’s Goin’ Down Underground can be found in the BRAND NEW 9-12th grade Education Activity Guide: Salmonberry to Sagebrush: Exploring Oregon’s Native Plants, developed by the Institute for Applied Ecology with funding from the Bureau of Land Management and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The curriculum, which is tied to Oregon state education standards, provides botanical information, lesson plans, ideas for inquiry-based projects, and service learning opportunities in the restoration and study of Oregon's native ecosystems. Lessons cover: plant identification, native and nonnative plants, biological interactions, ethnobotany and more. Attend the October 8 educator workshop and receive your own copy of this activity guide: a treasure trove of lessons for any Oregon teacher! See Calendar on page 4 for workshop details. Or contact jody@appliedeco.org to purchase guide.

Borrow soil painting supplies from BSWCD. Google

“painting with soil” to find directions & lessons.

Focus on SoilsFocus on SoilsFocus on SoilsFocus on Soils

♦Take your students on a journey to explore the world under their feet…SOIL!

Benton Soil and Water Conservation District

Making Ripples NewsletterMaking Ripples NewsletterMaking Ripples NewsletterMaking Ripples Newsletter

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A healthy soil consists of approximately 45% mineral particles, 5% organic matter and 50% pore spaces

filled with water or air. SOIL POROSITY is the amount of small pores or spaces in the soil that are filled with air or water. Sometimes human activity can compact soil and change porosity.

Soil infiltration is the time it takes for a given amount of water to seep into a defined area of soil surface. Compaction of soil decreases soil porosity and slows water infiltration. Compaction also changes the way that water will flow into or infiltrate the soil at the surface. Thus soil infiltration is an indirect measure of soil compaction. Fairly rapid infiltration helps prevent soil erosion, reduces sedimentation in waterways, and is part of the soil’s function to reduce flooding.

TTTTHEHEHEHE LLLLESSONESSONESSONESSON::::

This soil infiltration exercise demonstrates how compaction changes the water/soil relationship. Ask students to predict how long it will take for water to infiltrate the soil in a compacted area compared to a non-compacted area. Starting in the compacted area, use a rubber mallet and wood block to pound the infiltration ring (which could be as simple as a large coffee can with both ends cut off) about 1 inch deep into the soil. All at once, pour the measured water into the ring and start the timer. This infiltration should take a long time – usually you can move to the uncompacted area, measure infiltration there, and get back to the compacted site before it is finished. Discuss how the land use practices in the compacted and uncompacted areas changed the infiltration. Discuss how compaction can degrade wildlife habitat. This lesson lends itself well to science inquiry. Students can explore how soil moisture content or various compaction activities (like jumping up & down repeatedly) impact infiltration rates.

Soil Compaction & Infiltration

Determine Texture by Feel- “It’s All in the Hands” by OSU student Bridget Chipman

S oil texture is the proportion of the mineral particles sand (2mm to 0.05mm in diameter), silt (0.05mm to 0.002mm), and clay (less than 0.002mm) present in a given soil sample. Their relative sizes could be compared to the

difference between a large beach ball (sand), a baseball (silt) and a pea (clay). Sand and silt are basically round and inert-they do not stick together. Clay is different; its plate-like structure carries an electric charge that allows the microscopic pieces to stick together and hold onto nutrients and water.

Soil texture influences many soil properties, such as 1) water holding capacity – sand drains quickly; clay holds water very long and tightly, and 2) water infiltration – water infiltrates quickly in sandy soil and more slowly into soils with higher silt or clay content. In this activity, students will follow a flow chart to determine soil texture by feel.

Fingers are very sensitive and are capable of determining the difference between the soil particle sizes: sand feels gritty, silt silky or soapy, and clay feels sticky when wet. Start by allowing students to touch and describe samples of playground sand, cornstarch and modeling clay, which represent the feel of sand, silt and clay. Then allow students to rub slightly moistened soil samples between their fingers. Younger students can describe how gritty, smooth or sticky the samples feel, and their descriptions can be correlated with how sandy, silty or clayey the samples are. Older students can use the Soil Texture by Feel flow chart to determine the soil’s texture. A nice version of the flow chart is available at: http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/soiltexture.htmlhttp://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/soiltexture.htmlhttp://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/soiltexture.htmlhttp://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/soiltexture.html, although many other versions are available. Take the lesson a step further by introducing the Soil Texture Triangle (http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/ssssooooiiiilllltttteeeexxxxttttuuuurrrreeee....hhhhttttmmmmllll) and determine the percent sand, silt and clay of each sample.

Photo from Dan Bregar

www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/mauisoil/a_comp01.aspx

A simple set of tools for measuring infiltration rates.

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Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Education http://soils.usda.gov/education/

Soil Science Education http://soil.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.htm

Bottle Biology Decomposition Investigation Column www.bottlebiology.org

Benton SWCD Soil Studies Teacher’s Guide www.bentonswcd.org/teachers/

Demonstrations in Soil Science www.agry.purdue. edu/courses/agry255/brochure/brochure.PDF

The Dirt on Soil http://school.discoveryeducation. com/schooladventures/soil/

Dr. Dirt’s K-12 Teaching Resources www.wtamu.edu/~crobinson/DrDirt.htm

Montana NRCS Conservation Education (soil painting & much more) http://ag.arizona.edu/oals/watershed/beaver/soiltexture.html

BSWCD Worm Bin Brochure www.bentonswcd.org/publications/#Brochures

Web CornerWeb CornerWeb CornerWeb Corner

Soil Cleans & Stores Water

S oil interacts closely with the water in our environment. It stores water for plants to use during dry seasons and prevents floods during normal rain

events. It also cleans water – this activity will help students understand how that works!

Charged particles are like magnets – opposites attract. This property helps soil clean water. Most soils have a negative charge. Many water contaminants have a positive charge. As polluted water infiltrates through soil, the contaminants are attracted to the soil particles, namely clay, and are trapped in the soil. Cleaner water moves downward through the soil profile.

FFFFOROROROR THISTHISTHISTHIS DEMONSTRATIONDEMONSTRATIONDEMONSTRATIONDEMONSTRATION YOUYOUYOUYOU WILLWILLWILLWILL NEEDNEEDNEEDNEED: : : : �dried, crushed soil samples �spoon �rubber

band �water bottle with top cut off – top becomes

funnel & bottom is the catch basin �coffee filter,

cut to size that will cover water bottle neck �Kool Aid to represent “contaminated” water: Grape (+&- charges), Blue (+ charge) and Yellow Kool Aid (- charge) will respond differently �waste bucket.

PPPPROCEDUREROCEDUREROCEDUREROCEDURE::::

Place the filter paper over the funnel mouth and secure it with a rubber band so there are no leaks. Set the funnel with filter paper on the catch basin. Fill the short funnel neck with 1-2 spoonfuls of dried, crushed soil. Pour the colored water on the soil and watch until all the water has drained through. Compare the color and amount of pre- and post-filtration solution. Repeat this exercise with different contaminants and soil textures, e.g., compare a very sandy soil to a high clay soil. Make observations as a group. Note changes in color of water and how long it takes for the water to move through the soil. Discuss why there might have been differences, and come up with some experiments to test these hypotheses.

But remember, just because the water is clear does NOT mean that it is safe to drink.

Soil TunnelSoil Tunnel

T he soil tunnel engages students in learning basic soil concepts like the functions of soil, soil horizons, and soil biology. Students crawl through the

tunnel and search for items (ants, worms, groundwater…) listed on scavenger hunt sheets. Available for loan to your classroom or event from BSWCD.

W orms don’t have eyes but can they sense light? Your class

can experiment to find out. If you have access to a worm bin, bring in some worms for students to observe. Give students a petri dish (or jar lid), a piece of cardboard, 1 worm, moist paper and a flashlight. Place the worm on top of the moist paper in the petri dish. Cover half the container with the cardboard. Shine the flashlight on the worm and observe what happens. Based on the worm’s reaction, can you conclude that the worm senses light? Purchase Worms Eat Our Garbage by Mary Appelhof for more worm lessons.

Worms

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Event Date/ Time/ Location Fee Who to Contact

Kids Day for Conservation Saturday October 1, 2011 10 am to 4 pm Benton County Fairgrounds

Free Benton County OSU Extension

541-766-6750

Educator Workshop: Oregon’s Native Plants: Focus on the Prairie

Saturday October 8, 2011 9 am to 2 pm Finley Wildlife Refuge

$10 Register with Benton County OSU Extension:

1849 NW 9th St Corvallis 541-766-6750 Email jody@appliedeco.org to purchase activity guide

Educator Workshops: Invasive Species & Flying WILD

Dates and Locations TBD (sometime during 2011-2012 school year)

$10 each Call Benton County OSU Extension Service

4-H Wildlife Stewards to register 541-766-6750

Upcoming Events in Benton County

Grants to Support Conservation Education

Benton SWCD

456 SW Monroe Avenue

Suite 110

Corvallis, OR 97333

Phone: 541-753-7208

E-mail:

hkeirstead@bentonswcd.org

Website: www.bentonswcd.org

Book Nook

Dig In! Hands-

On Soil

Investigations

by T. Levermann.

Introduction to Soils arr. by

E. Sulzman and S. Frey.

Worms Eat Our Garbage by

M. Appelhof.

Life in a Bucket of Soil by A.

& V. Silverstein.

There's a Hair in My Dirt! A

Worm's Story by G. Larson.

Dirt: The Erosion of

Civilizations by D. R.

Montgomery.

Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of

the Earth by W. B. Logan.

Dirt Made My Lunch music CD by the Banana Slug String

Band available at

acornnaturalists.com

Soil Science Simplified by H.

Kohnke and DP Franzmeier.

Captain Planet FoundationCaptain Planet FoundationCaptain Planet FoundationCaptain Planet Foundation (Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, (Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, (Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, (Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31) and December 31) and December 31) and December 31) funds hands-on environmental projects to encourage youth to work individually and collectively to solve environmental problems in their communities. Maximum Award: $2500. www.captainplanetfoundation.org

Sea World & Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence AwardsSea World & Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence AwardsSea World & Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence AwardsSea World & Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence Awards (Deadline: Deadline: Deadline: Deadline: December) December) December) December) recognize efforts to protect and preserve the environment. Each winning group will receive: $10,000 for their project and all-expenses-paid trip for three students and one adult leader to a SeaWorld or Busch Gardens park for a special awards event.www.seaworld.org/conservation-matters/eea/application-info.htm

Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education FundLorrie Otto Seeds for Education FundLorrie Otto Seeds for Education FundLorrie Otto Seeds for Education Fund (Deadline: October 15) (Deadline: October 15) (Deadline: October 15) (Deadline: October 15) $100 to $500 grants for the purchase of native plants & seeds to plant at a stewardship project site. www.wildones.org/seedmony.html

Benton SWCD Conservation Education Grants Benton SWCD Conservation Education Grants Benton SWCD Conservation Education Grants Benton SWCD Conservation Education Grants (Deadline: 5 pm, October 3)(Deadline: 5 pm, October 3)(Deadline: 5 pm, October 3)(Deadline: 5 pm, October 3) Funds the study of natural resources in Benton County. Visit our website for applications (www.bentonswcd.org).

Benton SWCD Continuing Education ScholarshipBenton SWCD Continuing Education ScholarshipBenton SWCD Continuing Education ScholarshipBenton SWCD Continuing Education Scholarship For Benton County K-12 Teachers. We award one Teacher Scholarship a year to send a non-agricultural teacher to Session #1 of the Summer Agriculture Institute, a week-long program designed to help K-12 educators use agriculture as a context for teaching. FMI, see our website.

S oil science is a great way to teach many subjects including math, social studies,

economics, environmental science, chemistry, engineering, the arts, and agriculture. This 4-day short-course held in mid-August will get you up to speed on soil science basics and help you integrate soils into your teaching curriculum both inside and outside the classroom. The course is an intensive exposure to soils and includes daily field trips led by the highly entertaining instructor James Cassidy (pictured at right). Middle and high school teachers are the target audience but elementary teachers may be able to use the information and tools as well. To register, search for CSS 599 on the OSU website.

Earn CEUs at OSU in Soil Science for Teachers!