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Curriculum Materials

Standards Alignment

Disciplinary Core Ideas

LS2.A-M1:  Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

  • Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.
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Science & Engineering Practices

MOD-M6: Using Models

  • Use a model to describe unobservable mechanisms.
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Crosscutting Concepts

SC-M1: Stability and Change

  • Explanations of stability and change in natural systems can be constructed by examining changes over time and processes at different scales.
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In this middle school task, students explore how soil health is maintained by understanding the complex interactions between living and nonliving factors in a soil ecosystem. Using models and experiments, such as the "Soil Your Undies" challenge and the slake test, students analyze how soil organisms interact with components like air, water, and minerals to affect soil stability and nutrient cycling. As they critically think about these relationships, students recognize that promoting soil health is not just about a single action—it requires a combination of strategies.