LESSON PLANS WITH OBJECTIVES - ORGANIC SOIL MANAGEMENT

I and II. INTRODUCTION AND SOIL AIR MANAGEMENT

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Name the soil management factor that will result in the greatest positive plant response.
  2. Give two reasons that it is important to have air in the soil.
  3. Name the two gases that are of utmost importance in soil management.
  4. Describe how each of the following factors affect gas exchange in the soil:

temperature, rainfall or irrigation, gas diffusion, barometric pressure.

  1. Name the procedures used to manage soil air.

LESSON PLAN:

1.Show the video of Crystal Organic Farm to start the class and discuss the focus questions.

2.Use the power point presentation slides 1-10 to focus on the importance of soil management and to present the factors involved in soil air management.

3.Incorporate in class demonstration of gas diffusion, use a strong smelling substance placed in a corner of the room. See how long it takes to reach the other side.

4.Student lab activities

  1. Soil Temperature Variations
  2. Crust Formation
  1. SOIL WATER MANAGEMENT

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Explain how the physical structure of water is responsible for the properties of surface tension, capillary action and the ability to dissolve most substances.
  2. Describe where water is found in the soil and how it moves.

3. Name the procedures used to manage soil water.

LESSON PLAN:

  1. Use slides 11-14 to discuss the factors involved in soil water management.
  2. In class demonstrations include
  3. Models of the water molecule made of balls glued together
  4. Floating a needle on a glass of water demonstrates surface tension
  5. Overfilling a glass illustrates surface tension
  6. Place a straw and a strip of paper towel in a glass of water. The water goes up the paper towel but not the straw because of pore size of capillary action.
  7. Estimating moisture by feel and appearance can be a demonstration or student activity.
  8. Student lab activities:
  9. Percolation Lab

IV. SOIL ORGANIC MATTER MANAGEMENT

OBJECTIVES:

1. Describe the importance of having organic matter in the soil.

2. Name the two classes of organisms responsible for production of most plant nutrients.

3. Describe three natural factors which tend to decrease and three which tend to increase soil organic matter.

4. State the affects of tillage and cover crops on soil organic matter.

5. Describe benefits and hazards of spreading raw manure or compost.

LESSON PLAN:

  1. Use the power point slides 15-20 to discuss the factors involved in soil organic matter management.
  2. Student lab activities:
  3. Rate of Decomposition – needs to be set up for a month to two weeks in warm weather
  4. Soil Organic Matter – long term project
  5. Collecting Soil Organisms – traps should be set up 3days to a week prior to the lab.
  1. SOIL MINERAL MANAGEMENT

OBJECTIVES:

1. State two reasons mineral management is especially important in the southeast US.

2. List the three categories of soil minerals.

3. Name the primary procedure for managing soil minerals.

4. Take a soil sample.

LESSON PLAN:

  1. Use the power point presentation slides 21-23 to present the reason why soil mineral management is so essential for the SE USA.
  2. The power point presentation Essential plant nutrients presents the important minerals for plant production with pictures of the minerals.
  3. Describe the soil test as the main way one can know the nutrient content of their soil. Use the power point presentation Soil Test to explain how to take a soil test. A sample of a soil test report can be found at Soil test report.
  4. The lab Soil test can be done on the demonstration plot or other areas. Take the soil to the extension service or send off to a soil test lab for testing.
  5. When the results come back, have students use the Tables- Fertility of organic amendments and Recommendations fororganic amendments in the article “How to Convert an Inorganic Fertilizer Recommendation to an Organic One” to determine what amendments need to be added to the bed.

VI. TILLAGE & CULTIVATION

OBJECTIVES:

1. State the primary purpose of tillage.

2. Describe why soil layers should not be mixed.

3. List optimum conditions for tillage of clay soils and optimum conditions for sandy soils.

4. List three types of tillage equipment and an advantage and disadvantage of each.

5. State three reasons to cultivate.

LESSON PLAN:

  1. Use the power point presentation slides 24-26 to emphasize that tillage is primarily done to incorporate air in the soil.
  2. Use the USDA Publication Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance to help students determine the proper way to time tilling.
  3. Either use the illustrations of tillage equipment or if the equipment is available, show the students examples of the tillage equipment. Explain how each piece of equipment works and its purpose. Students could sketch the equipment and state its purpose.
  4. If the time is appropriate, students could do the lab Double-Digging the demonstration plot and add the organic amendments. To demonstrate the technique use the power point presentation Double digging.