All About Soil
The ground under our feet matters more than we often admit. It’s a precious gift from nature. Healthy fertile soil provides homes for plants and it’s important for many natural cycles—from recycling nutrients to purifying water.
Learn more about soil in this week’s featured book: Mighty Mole and Super Soil
Below your feet, Mighty Mole is on the move. Like a swimmer in dirt, she strokes through the soil. Her tunnels are everywhere! She finds food, eludes a predator, has a family, and helps to make Super Soil.
“Vivid illustrations give a genuine sense of living in the underground. Kids will feel like they’re with the moles—in a comfortable way,” said one reader.
Moles live almost everywhere yet are rarely seen. Similarly, soil is a largely invisible ecosystem and yet is vital to the health of the world.
Following the story, two “Explore More for Kids” pages offer a matching challenge and a review of some of the remarkable traits that make moles “mighty.”
Two additional pages of “Explore More for Teachers and Parents” offers activities in visual and language arts, science, technology, and math.
Featured Lesson: Thank You, Soil!
Mighty Mole and Super Soil introduces children to an under-ground ecosystem. What creatures live in the ground and how do they help make the soil healthy? These underground happenings are largely invisible to humans but vital to the health of the planet.
Suggested Grade Level: 1-3
Materials:
- The book Mighty Mole and Super Soil
- Index cards, 2 per child
- Pencils, 1 per child
- Scotch tape, 1 piece per child
Procedure:
In this activity, children explore the many things in our lives that depend on soil. Download the free pdf Thank You, Soil! to read the directions for this lesson and the Common Core Standards it addresses.
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