Let's create continuous conversations about climate change education: Spreading the Sediment of Science!
Sunlight Stored in Soil
Provided by: Paleontological Research Institution |Published on: April 27, 2021
Videos Grades 6-8, 9-12
Synopsis
- This video demonstration describes how solar energy is stored in the Earth's soil and how soil temperature changes at different depths.
- It connects the stable soil temperatures to ecologically important habitat for hibernating organisms and plants and identifies this as a solution for passive heating and cooling.
- The experiment shown could easily be replicated as a lab exercise.
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Mathematics
Authors: Paleontological Research Institution
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- A thorough verbal explanation and presentation of graphical data shows how soil is effective at storing solar energy.
- The narrator presents many options for collecting this type of data that could be simply applied outside of the classroom.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with terms such as solar energy and temperature.
- If you'd like to gather data with your students, you need enough thermometers for your class.
Differentiation
- Before watching the video, lead a discussion about student predictions of how temperature changes in the soil throughout a day or year. Ask students if they think soil temperature changes with depth. Ask students what animals might depend on soil temperature for survival.
- Math students can use this resource to connect interpreting data and creating graphs to solving important questions in science and society.
- To learn more about soil and extend this lesson, show students this NASA's Earth Minute: Dishing the Dirt resource and then have students work in groups to describe how soil moisture and temperature affect ecosystems.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
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Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
Paleontological Research Institution
Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) is a national leader in Earth systems science education. They strive to help make sense of the present and potential future climate change, while also increasing understanding of global change in Earth’s past. Their programs focus on systems thinking, understanding scale and learning in your own backyard.
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
