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Southern Conservation Trust / At Home Field Trip: Dirt

Dirt is one of those things that everyone knows about but when asked what it is, you get a variety of different answers.

 

This At Home Field Trip will give you a variety of different activities you can do with your children at home to explore the wonderful world of dirt.

 

Start by asking your kids what dirt is. You might get a variety of answers including; it’s mud or a house for my worms. Here is a short video to give you the “dirt” on dirt! Watch this video here to get the dirt on dirt. After you watch the video, get outside and explore your dirt. What is your dirt like?

Dirt Activity: Build a dirt creature

  • Choose a critter that you want to create. It can be really real or imaginary.

 

  • Now gather some materials…anything you can find in your backyard; sticks, leaves, nuts and don’t forget the dirt & mud!

 

  • Parents, add a few additional materials from the house like pipe-cleaners, popcorn kernels, sunflower seeds, googley eyes, etc.

 

  • Using your materials, assemble your creature.

 

  • Checkout some of the creatures that were made at Camp WILD last summer!

Dirt Activity: Build a mud house

  • Think of a critter you want to make a home for. It can be really or imaginary.

 

  • Now gather some materials…anything you can find in your backyard; sticks, leaves, nuts and don’t forget the dirt & mud!

 

  • Now build any type of home you want.

 

  • Checkout some of the houses that were made at Camp WILD last summer!

Check out these other amazing resources and activities to learn more about dirt and soil.

Other hands-on activities: Head over to Hands on as we grow and checkout their 30+ Fun Activities for Kids to Play in the Dirt! You can also use your imagination and come up with your own activity, too.

Interactive computer games

Try some of these educational learning games about soil. They are all kid tested and approved!

Amazing Underground by Nutrien-A nutrient rich pacman style game, collect all the nutrients and elements to make a healthy soil before the time runs out.

Site Words Hopper-Play in the mud with Cuz-Cuz and practice your site words.

Dig It! The Secrets of Soil-State Soils by the Smithsonian Natural Museum of Natural History – Explore the different soils in each state. Be sure to check out your own state to learn about what’s in your own backyard.

Books on Dirt!

Dirt: The Scoop on Soil (purchase on amazon)

Jump Into Science: Dirt (purchase on amazon), or watch a reading of it here

And I can’t leave out my favorite: The Magic School Bus Meets The Rot Squad (purchase on amazon), you can also watch the animated series on Netflix (Season 1 episode 6)

Worksheets

Root words by Smithsonian Institution

Getting Dirty: Soil Layers from education.com (watch the Soil Layers video above first)

soil-net.com– offers a variety of worksheet and experience for multiple grade levels

Life in the Soil: Dig Deeper- An educational booklet from the National Association of Conservation Districts

Grades K-1 |PDF|
Grades 2-3 |PDF|
Grades 4-5 |PDF|
Grades 6-8 |PDF|
Educator’s Guide |PDF|

These resources have been provided to you by the Southern Conservation Trust at no cost to you. Click here if you would like to help further expand our educational resources by making a donation.