Soil Quest

Notes from our reviewers

The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials.

• Teaching Tips
  If you create an Educator's account, look at the Quest Overview and Instructional Storyline - there are specific recommendations for how to use this activity in the classroom. Could be helpful to split the lessons into classroom activities and at-home activities. These activities would be suitable for virtual learning, as students could progress through the activities at their own pace and get the chance to be community/citizen scientists outside. (The preferred term is now "community scientists" rather than "citizen scientists".) There are links to non-profits about pesticides harming people, this should be treated with care. Quests can be completed in as little as two weeks or can be extended up to a year-long project. That decision is yours, but we have found that the more time the students have to engage with the idea of helping their chosen species or ecosystem, the more engaged they become in the process. The extra resources have not been screened by CLEAN, so educators should check their scientific accuracy. The FAQ page is helpful: [link https://herofortheplanet.org/healthysoils/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2020/03/FAQ_Soil_Quest.pdf] More information about the organization is also helpful: [link https://herofortheplanet.org/]
• About the Science
  This resource dives deep into the complexity of soil. It discusses what soil is, how it can be healthy and unhealthy, and connects soil to the global carbon cycle and climate change. The resource discusses humans' impacts on soil and how it is being harmed by pesticides, etc. It also explains how humans can restore soil through regenerative agricultural practices. The resource includes a section with information on Indigenous agricultural practices and decolonizing regenerative agriculture. The resource includes a carbon footprint calculator, though recent research shows that this can be "green-washing" and needs to be treated carefully. The resource includes an interactive project on how to help one's local community restore a portion of soil. Some of the additional resources and included videos have clear citations of where the information is being gathered, however, some of the text is not linked to sources. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
• About the Pedagogy
  This is an interactive lesson with high-quality, engaging media where students are community/citizen scientists. The lesson is hands-on and prompts students to think deeply about the information provided. This activity is solutions-based and requires students to make and think about observations while utilizing reflections to draw conclusions. The activity is well thought out and engaging. This would be a great activity for students to do at home as part of a long-term independent project. There is a storybook included as an introduction to the problem. Each page in the quest has links to other resources for additional reading, activities, and videos. There are short 2-4 minute videos included with readings and questions. There is a virtual teaching guide that walks students through the activities. Each 2-7 minute video explains how to do each activity page in detail. There is also a teaching guide on the main page on how to use the resource in the classroom. This resource is accessible and inclusive by having activities that utilize household items and soil from any location. The last part of the quest is "Teach" and shows many ways to bring what was learned back to the community. There is an additional community/citizen science page as well. The final aspect of the quest ends with a large project on how to help the local community where students write proposals on how to restore a small portion of soil. The proposals can be submitted for potential funding. The Project Hero Team at the Captain Planet Foundation will notify the applicant about the funding decision within 2-4 weeks. Proposals are eligible to receive up to a $150 Hero Grant to support the project.
• Technical Details/Ease of Use
  Educators need to create a ProjectHERO account in order to access educational materials related to the lesson. Students need computers and notebooks to progress through the activity. The virtual student guide video did not appear on all pages. Uses YouTube and Vimeo.