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Soil creation station
Exploring soil can take learning in many directions. When thinking about caring for the planet and those that live on it, soil has a huge impact. Through enquiry, play and creating their own ‘soil potion’, learners can explore what soil is made up of and begin to understand the important role it plays in a healthy environment.
Preparation
What you need
- peat-free compost (the base for your soil)
- other materials for children to make their own soil mix: small rocks, sand, coconut coir, dried leaves and flowers, bark
- spray bottles of water
- recycled containers such as cups or pots to put their potions in
- easy-to-grow seeds, such as cress, sunflowers, beans, basil or marigolds
- handwashing facilities nearby
Location
Indoors or outdoors
Useful guidance
Resources
Step by step
- Allow learners to touch, smell, and look at some soil before prompting them to think about and discuss what it is made up of. Most soils are a mixture of decomposed organic matter, insects, rock particles, water and air. Introduce the role of worms eating dead things in nature and turning them into soil. Discuss what other things we might find in soil. Some possible answers from learners may include sand, clay, mud, leaves, bark, rocks, bugs, chalk, leaves, flowers, compost and water.
- Introduce to the group that they will be working in pairs, choosing ingredients to make up their own soil mixture or ‘potion’. Children will then plant seeds in their soil, and see which soil mixture is most successful at supporting the seed to grow.
- In pairs, learners should discuss which items they would like in their soil potion. They will all begin with a container of compost. They can then add three other items to their potion.
- Once the pair are happy with their soil potions, they can place them in a sunny spot and sow their seeds (see downloadable resources to support seed sowing).
- Support learners to write a list of the ingredients that went into their pot and place it in front of their pots.
- Remind the learners to spray with a little water each day. Try to make sure the pots receive an equal amount of sun and water so that a fair test is carried out.
- One week later, invite learners to compare the seed growth between the pots – which soil has helped the seeds to grow the best? Which hasn’t?
- The soil creation station can remain open for learners to explore different elements and textures.
Curriculum links
Listening, attention and understanding
- listen attentively and respond to what they hear with relevant questions, comments and actions when being read to and during whole class discussions and small group interactions
- make comments about what they have heard and ask questions to clarify their understanding
- hold conversation when engaged in back-and-forth exchanges with their teacher and peers
Speaking
- participate in small group, class and one-to-one discussions, offering their own ideas, using recently introduced vocabulary
- offer explanations for why things might happen, making use of recently introduced vocabulary from stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems when appropriate
- express their ideas and feelings about their experiences using full sentences, including use of past, present and future tenses and making use of conjunctions, with modelling and support from their teacher
The natural world
- explore the natural world around them, making observations and drawing pictures of animals and plants
- understand some important processes and changes in the natural world around them, including the seasons and changing states of matter
What to try next
Planting and growing food
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How to water plants
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Emotional responses to nature
Begin activityThumbnail image: © RHS, Credit: RHS / Fiona Secrett