Discover Life in the Soil—Student Laboratory Kit

Product Details

Hundreds of species of organisms are living right under your feet! According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a single spadefull of rich garden soil contains more species of organisms than can be found above ground in the entire Amazon rain forest. Students will be fascinated to find what is living in the upper layer of soil on their school grounds or in their own neighborhood. First, a soil sample is collected and then placed in a Berlese-Tullgren apparatus to extract organisms from the sample. After a few days, students examine the extracted organisms under magnification. After each group identifies the various types of organisms in their sample, students compare the biodiversity and population density among different collected soil samples. Includes a reproducible student worksheet and guide to common soil arthropods and detailed Teacher Notes with sample data. Complete for 30 students working in groups of three.