Introduction

In the previous Unit 8 lessons, you have learned about how soil sustainability is threatened by erosion and human use. Humans can increase the effects of erosion through improper land use techniques where soil is exposed and disturbed making it more susceptible to the effects of erosion. As with water sources and the atmosphere, humans can also affect soil quality through pollution. Soil pollution can decrease the ability of soil to be a productive natural resource for future generations. It can also have an impact on the ability of future generations to produce the food needed to support the ever growing human population.

In this lesson, you will learn about ways that humans pollute the soil. You will also be exposed to methods to help reduce soil pollution, making the soil sustainable for generations to come.

Watch Soil Health and Sustainability (2:53) to investigate farming practices that sustain the soil rather than rob it of its nutrients. Login instructions

Lesson Objectives

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

  • Identify sources of chemical pollution in soils.
  • Describe methods of preventing chemical pollution in soils.

Enduring Understanding:

  • With the human population exponentially growing, we need to drastically reduce the pollution of soil in order to sustain this source for food in the future.

The above objectives correspond with the Alabama Course of Study: Environmental Science 4, 6, 9, and 13

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

 

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