Introduction

If you were to take a trip back in time 4.5 billion years ago, you would see an Earth that is very different from the one you live on today. You would notice that Earth's surface is covered by water and rock. Soil is not present and plant life does not exist. Soil formation on Earth started as rocks began to break down and then plants came into existence.

Almost everything that we need - food, clothing, paper, timber, medicines, shade, and oxygen - can be traced back to soil. In this lesson, you will learn about the factors that are involved with and affect soil formation and the processes that help contribute to soil formation.

Soil starts out as rock; then various forces break it up for plant growth.

Lesson Objectives

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to...

  • Identify factors involved with soil formation.
  • Explain the processes of weathering, decomposition, and deposition and how the processes contribute to soil formation.

Enduring Understanding:

  • The factors that affect soil formation dictate what kind of plants and animals will eventually reside in that area.

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Environmental Science 8

This lesson incorporates the following Literacy Standards: R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7,R10, W1, W2, W3, W4, W6, W9, and W10.

 

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