Contextualization

Soil is a vital natural resource that plays an essential role in our lives. It is the foundation for agriculture, providing nutrients and water for plants. It deals with the degradation of organic matter, acts as a filter for water, and is a habitat for an incredible variety of organisms. Unfortunately, our human activities often lead to soil degradation, whether through excessive use in agriculture, urbanization, or industrial contamination.

However, there are ways to conserve and restore the soil. Adopting sustainable agricultural practices, rehabilitating degraded areas, and preventing erosion are just some of the strategies that can be used. This project focuses on the relationship between soil degradation and its conservation methods, and how it relates to the world we live in.

The Importance of Soil

Soil is much more than just the top layer of earth beneath our feet. It is a complex system of multiple components, including minerals, water, air, and organic matter, and it harbors a great diversity of animals, plants, and microorganisms. Soil health is crucial for the subsistence of various forms of life, including us humans.

Soil degradation is a global problem that affects all of us, directly or indirectly. Issues such as erosion, loss of fertility, and contamination reduce the soil's ability to provide its vital services. For example, agriculture depends on healthy soils to efficiently produce food. Rapid urbanization, on the other hand, can lead to the irreversible loss of fertile soils.

To delve deeper into the topic, students can refer to the following resources:

• Book: "The World in Soil: the importance of studying soils" by Henry Darcy McDonald. Available in libraries and bookstores.
• Video: "The Importance of Soil" by SciShow. Available on YouTube here.
• Website: "Soil Science Society of America: Exploring Soils". Available here.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "The Microcosm of Soil: From Degradation to Conservation"

Project Objective

Investigate soil formation, understand degradation, and explore conservation strategies. Through practical experimentation, students will be able to comprehend the importance of soil for life and the environment, as well as the impact of our activities on it.

Detailed Project Description

This project will involve creating two soil microcosm models in pots. One pot will represent degraded soil and the other conserved soil. Both will be monitored over several weeks, during which students will observe and record visible differences in terms of plant growth, presence of organisms, and soil characteristics.

Required Materials

• Two medium-sized flower pots
• Soil (can be purchased at gardening stores or collected locally)
• Water
• Plant seeds (e.g., beans)
• Gardening equipment (e.g., shovels)
• Notebook and pens for recording observations

Detailed Step-by-Step

1. Each group of students should first collect or buy the necessary soil to create the two microcosms. They will also need to purchase seeds of the plant of their choice.

2. Half of the collected soil should be left in the sun for a week to simulate degradation (erosion, loss of microbial biomass, compaction).

3. Fill the two pots halfway with soil. The 'degraded' pot should be filled with degraded soil.

4. Plant the seeds at the same depth in both pots and cover them with more soil.

5. Water the pots regularly and keep them in a location with adequate sunlight.

6. Over the next few weeks, students should monitor and record any visible differences between the two pots (e.g., plant growth rate, soil color, presence of organisms).

7. At the end of the project, students should present their observations in a report, along with a discussion on soil degradation and conservation processes.

Project Deliverables

• A written report, following the format of a scientific report: introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography. In the introduction, students should contextualize the soil theme and its relevance in the real world. In the development, they should describe in detail the activity they carried out, explain the theory behind soil degradation and conservation, discuss the results obtained, and the methodology used. In the conclusion, students should summarize the main points of their work, highlight what they learned, and draw conclusions about the experiment. The bibliography should contain all sources consulted during the project.

• A classroom presentation, where each group will share their findings with the class.

• The two plant pots, representing the degraded and conserved soil microcosm.

Throughout the project, students are expected to develop technical skills, such as understanding how different factors (climate, terrain, vegetation) affect the soil and the consequences of human interaction with the soil. Additionally, they should also develop socio-emotional skills, such as teamwork, time management, creative thinking, among others.