Learning Experience
8: What’s Underneath?
TEACHER’S MANUAL
Materials:
For each pair of
students:
2 Student Activity Sheets for Learning Experience 8
Big mac container
Hand trowel
Pencils*
Crayons*
Metric rulers*
For the class:
Scotch tape*
*provided by teacher or student
Preparation:
Demonstration of how the trowels are used may be necessary.
An area of the room will need to be designated for terrarium storage. Once the
surface has been removed, moving to Learning Experience 11 that discusses reseeding the area maybe
appropriate.
Basic Skills
Development:
Measuring
Comparing
Classifying
Describing
Discussing
Evaluation Strategy:
Student will classify things found under the Earth’s surface
and compare the plot at the surface vs. underground and how they may effect one
another.
Vocabulary:
surface
underground
compare
classify
Objective:
Students will remove the top layer of their study plot and classify and relate
the importance of what’s below the surface to what’s above the surface and vise
versa.
What can be observed
under the ground’s surface in your study plot?
Direct each pair of students to carefully measure a small
area of the study plot. It should be 15 cm. square.
Direct the students to carefully remove the top layer of
grass or weeds in the 15 cm. square area and 3-4 cm. of soil depth. Students
are to place the top layer removed in a plastic “Big Mac”
container, seal with tape, and set aside for later
observation. Have students draw what they observed underneath the surface.
Students are to list five things they observe after the top layer is removed. Students are to then classify the objects as
living, non-living, plants, or animals. Have students complete the Student Activity
Sheet for Learning Experience 8.
Discussion Questions:
What living things were found above the earth’s surface?
Non-living things?
What living things were found below the earth’s surface?
Non-living?
What did you observe underground?
How was it different than what you observed on the surface?
How was it the same?
What do you think you would see if you dug even deeper? Why
do you think you would see those things?
STUDENT ACTIVITY
SHEET for Learning Experience 8
Name______________________
What’s
Underneath
1. Carefully measure a small area of your study plot, measuring
15 cm x 15 cm.
2. Carefully remove
the top layer of grass or weeds using the trowel provided.
3. Draw what you saw below the earth’s surface. Be as detailed as possible!
4. List five things or more that you see after the top layer
has been removed.
_________________________ ________________________
_________________________ ________________________
_________________________ ________________________
_________________________ ________________________
5. Classify the objects you listed in #4 as living or
non-living things:
Living Non- Living
______________________ ________________________
______________________ ________________________
______________________ ________________________
______________________ ________________________
______________________ ________________________
5. Classify the objects listed in #4 as plants, animals, or
neither:
Plants Animals Neither
______________________ ________________________ ________________________
______________________ ________________________ ________________________
______________________ ________________________ ________________________
______________________ ________________________ ________________________