7.1 / Learning outcome / Be able to explain and illustrate the development of soils
Statement / Soils develop from the weathering of rocks in situ and from redeposited weathered material
Content / Setting / Methods / Resources / Links
General composition of all soil types –
Mineral and organic matter, water and air / Appropriate international examples / Separate local soil sample into its elements / Local soil
Soil characteristics: eg texture, colour, structure, water and organic content, water retention properties etc. / Feel test, burn test, filtration experiment
Coffee jar water & soil to show structure, colour test cards, pH meter & moisture metre (€4.99 Lidl Thurs next.) Soil thermometer €10 approx, soil infiltration and compaction tests / Soil samples, dune soil, clayey soil
Soil maps Edco World Atlas Pg 11
www.gsfc.nasa.gov/globe/pvg/chartoc.htm
Local soil sample / 1.2 Rock cycle
1.5 depositional processes ice, rivers
7.2 / Learning outcome / Describe the combination of processes affecting soil characteristics
Statement / Soil characteristics are affected by their immediate environment and by a combination of processes operating in that environment, including human interference
Content / Setting / Methods / Resources / Links
Global pattern of soils / Soil profile of 1irish soil / Local fieldstudy to river cliff/cutting/soil pit. Interpreting soil maps. Build a profile in a bottle / Dig a soil pit in school grounds
Soil maps
World soil map / 2.2 Soils soils chosen regions
5.4 impact of soils on the location of settlements
Soil processes include weathering, soil erosion, leaching, humification, podzolization, laterization, calcification / Study 1 soil from continental or sub-continental region / Weathered granite / Water cycle diagram / 1.2 Rock cycle –weathering 1.5 water cycle, seepage, river erosion
Human interference with soil characteristics – over-cropping & over-grazing, desertification and conservation / Irish examples e.g the Burren
Appropriate global examples – Sahel, Iceland / Analysis of sequential diagrams
Sequencing activities of sentences or photos or diagrams / Diagrams showing areas before, during and after overgrazing or overcropping
Desertification http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2001/05/29/grossman-bites/ / 1.7 overgrazing, overcropping,
4.4 CAP & sheep overgrazing
4.5 sustainable development
5.2 Impact of dev. of resources on overpop.
7.3 / Learning outcome / Assess the inter-relationship between soils and climates resulting in biomes or global regions where plants and animals have adapted to specific environmental conditions
Statement / The pattern of world climates has given rise to distinctive biomes, world regions characterised by groups of plants and animals adapted to specific conditions of climate, soils and biotic inter- relationships
Content / Setting / Methods / Resources / Links
1 major biome in detail – climatic and soil characteristics and related patterns of animal and vegetation distribution / Appropriate European and global examples / Jig saw group work activity- soil, climate,
animal and vegetation / Cards with descriptions of soil etc. Video
Desert
www.oxfam.org.uk/coolplanet/ontheline/explore/nature/deserts
www.desertsusa.com/life.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/desert/desert.shtml / 2.1 climatic regions
2.2 global and European regions
7.4 / Learning outcome / Examine and evaluate the impact of human activities on biomes
Statement / Biomes have been altered by human activities
Content / Setting / Methods / Resources / Links
Early settlement and clearing of trees / Appropriate European and global examples / Natural vegetation map of Europe comapared to current landuse map / Analysis of pollen diagrams. Song ‘Cad a dheanamid feasta gan adhmaid’ / 5.4 historic settlemet
Felling tropical rainforest / Nutrient cycle / 1.7 deforestation
Intensive agricultural practices / Analysing stats graphs on fertilizer application (nitrates) / Stats from CSO website / 4.4 CAP
Nitrate directive
Industrial development / Analysing graphs on Co2 emissions
Acid rain in Scandinavian Forests / Photos, Video, Statistics
www.studyzones.com/ActivityZone/ArticleView.cfm / 5.5 impact of burning fossil fuels
2.2 if studying Scandinavian region