Just Passing Through - Purpose & Learning Activities - Soil Water Flow, Filtering, and Scientific Inquiry

Oct 16, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag

Learning activities focused on soils use water-flow timing to compare different soil properties and quantify the amount of water held after percolation. Students test filtering ability by measuring water pH before and after it passes through soil and observing clarity changes and soil characteristics. The activity targets identification of physical and chemical changes, experiment design for soil-water properties, understanding Earth as a system, and applying the Scientific Method through inquiry, data collection, modeling, and communication.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Purpose

Overview

Student Outcomes

Science Concepts

Earth materials and soil properties

Water circulation through soil

Scientific Inquiry Abilities

Asking questions and designing investigations

Data use and communication

Time

Materials and Tools

Background

Factors affecting water movement through soil

Soil nutrients and plant uptake

Prerequisites

Just Passing Through ? ! Purpose To develop an understanding of some of the relationships between soils of different types and water Overview Students will time the ﬂow of water through soils with different properties and measure the amount of water held in these soils. They will also experiment with the ﬁltering ability of soils by testing the pH of the water before and after it passes through the soil and observing changes to the clarity of the water and to the characteristics of the soil. Student Outcomes Students will be able to identify the physical and chemical changes that occur as water passes through soil. Students will be able to design experiments that test soil and water properties. Students will be able to explore the concept of Earth as a system. Students will be able to apply the Scientiﬁc Method. Science Concepts Earth and Space Science Earth materials are solid rocks, soil, water, biota, and the gases of the atmosphere. Soils have properties of color, texture, structure, consistence, density, pH, fertility; they support the growth of many types of plants. The surface of Earth changes. Soils consist of minerals (less than 2 mm), organic material, air and water. Water circulates through soil changing the properties of both the soil and the water. Scientiﬁc Inquiry Abilities Identify answerable questions. Design and conduct an investigation. Use appropriate tools and techniques including mathematics to gather, analyze, and interpret data. Develop descriptions and explanations, predictions and models using evidence. Communicate procedures and explanations. Time One class period for initial activity 2-3 class periods for Further Investigations Level All Materials and Tools (for each team of 3-4 students) 2-3 clear 2-liter bottles (such as soda or water comes in)* 4-6 500-mL beakers* or similar size clear containers to pour and catch water for the demonstration, more as needed for the class activity. The number of beakers will be dependent on the number of student groups. (Clear plastic bottles work well also.) Soil samples (Bring in 1.2 L samples of different types of soil from around the school or from home (suggested amount – actual amount based on class size). A large plastic bag with a closeable top is a good way to transport soil samples. Possibilities include topsoil (A horizons), subsoils (B horizons), potting soil, sand, soils that are compacted, soils with grass or other plants growing on top, soils with distinctly different colors, textures, or structures, or cat litter (without additivies) . Fine window screen or other ﬁne mesh such as panty hose that does not absorb or react with water (1 mm or less mesh size) Strong tape or rubber bands Scissors Water GLOBE® 2005 Just Passing Through Learning Activity-1 Soil | Laboratory ring stands with rings, if available (enough to hold the number of plastic bottles to be used) . Another approach is to rest the bottles in the top of the beaker or in a slightly smaller clear plastic bottle with the top cut off to resemble a beaker (these methods do not require laboratory ring stands) .(Use waterproof marker or wax pencil to mark water levels on bottle side. Use graduated cylinder to determine increments.) With the soil weight, the bottles will be relatively stable setting in the beakers or bottle bottoms.
Waterproof marker or wax pencil (if plastic bottles used instead of beakers) Graduated cylinder (if plastic bottles used
instead of beakers) pH paper, pen, or meter Work Sheet
GLOBE Science Notebooks For Further Investigations:
Distilled water, salt, vinegar, baking soda Plastic wrap to cover bottles Conductivity meter
NPK kit | Growing sod or mulch Alkalinity kit
*You can use 1-liter bottles and either
400 or 250 mL beakers. The size of the beakers will be dependent on the diameter of the bottles. The bottle with the screen should not descend too deep into the beaker so that it i

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the Just Passing Through soil activity?

Students develop an understanding of relationships between different types of soils and water by observing water flow, retention, and filtering effects.

How do students measure how much water soils hold?

Students time the flow of water through soils with different properties and measure the amount of water held in those soils using prepared containers and measured water volumes.

How is the filtering ability of soil tested?

Students test the pH of water before and after it passes through soil and observe changes in the clarity of the water and characteristics of the soil.

Oct 16, 2026

Uploaded by ahduag