10,000 Miles Away Learning: Homeschool . 科學 . Soil Experiment

~ 09/01/2021 ~

這一次 Homeschool 的科學主題是 Dirt & Plants。媽媽找了一些實驗跟姊弟倆一塊兒做，還真是不錯的學習！

發現不錯的資源！South Dakota State University 的 Agricultural Heritage Museum 去年因為疫情博物館不對外開放，顧及家長或老師或許想找些與農業有關的活動與小朋友一起動手做，便設計了這一系列的 Thinking Thursday，推薦一些不錯的點子給家長/老師。以下這個實驗就是節錄自其中之一的 Soil Experiment Part 1

視頻：Thinking Thursday: Soil Particle Experiment Part 1

材料很簡單，都是家裡現成有的，只需要到屋外挖一些泥土回來就好！簡單的實驗最適合媽媽了！

Materials

Mason Jar with Lid (pint or quart size will work well)
Soil (enough to fill about half of your mason jar)
Water (enough to fill your jar)

Instructions

Grab your empty mason jar and fill it about half full with loose soil (don’t pack it in). It’s best to get soil all from the same spot in your yard or garden. For example, I’m using a quart size mason jar, and to fill it half full I will need around four inches of soil in the jar. When I go out to get my soil, I’ll dig a hole about the size of my jar that is four inches deep.
As you put your soil in your jar, make sure you take out any rocks and break up any chunks of soil.
Fill the rest of your jar with water leaving about an inch at the top so you have some shaking room.
Close your mason jar tight, because the next step requires shaking!
Shake your jar vigorously until all of your soil and water is mixed together.
Find a place to let your jar sit undisturbed for several hours (some soils might need up to 24 hours for it to settle).
After a while, you will notice layers start to form. These are the different particles that are found in soil!

Sand: The largest soil particle is sand. Because it is the largest, it will sink to the very bottom of your jar and form your lowest layer. Sand is very good for water drainage, but it doesn’t hold water very well. Sand is the soil particle that can heat up and cool down the fastest as well.
Silt: The middle size soil particle is silt. Because of this, it will form a layer on top of your bottom/sand layer in your jar. Silt particles have a good balance of holding and draining water, but they can easily cause runoff or soil erosion.
Clay: The smallest soil particle is clay. Unlike sand and silt that are round, clay is shaped more like plates. Because it is the smallest particle, it will create your top layer in your jar. Clay particles are very good at holding on to water, but they do not drain water very well. Clay is also the soil particle that heats up and cools down the slowest compared to silt and sand.