TLF ID A002808
Soil is much more than just dirt. In this activity, learners will be conducting an investigation to see which animals and other organisms are recycling nutrients in the garden. These organisms make up the soil food web, which includes microscopic bacteria, fungi, minute creatures such as springtails, worms, pill-bugs and other creatures we see in leaf litter. This activity invites children to delve under the surface to look for the organisms in the soil and make connections to their role in recycling nutrients. OUTCOMES are for children to: explore a sample of soil searching for living things; identify elements of the soil food web; understand that healthy soil relies on a diverse range of organisms to recycle nutrients; and use tools to magnify soil sample and identify living things.