Other Kids’ Projects:
Animal Tracks
Weed Game
Grazing Animals
Icy Snow Experiment
Tree Ring Project
Nematodes and Earthworms
Soil Texture Experiments
Plant Identification
Geology

Other Links:
USDA Soil Education

TREE RING PROJECT

Did you know that tree rings will be wider during years of heavy rainfall and narrower during times of drought? Try to find a piece of wood cut in a circle. Try to figure out what years had more rain than others.

Have you noticed how dry it has been lately?
Can you think of 5 things you use water for everyday?

Want to learn more?
Wyoming Drought Monitor

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NEMATODES AND EARTHWORMS

Do you think earthworms are good or bad for the soil?
Do you know what a nematode is?
How do nematodes differ from earthworms?
Are earthworms bigger than nematodes?

Earthworm/Nematode Project
Conduct your own research on nematodes and earthworms. Make a chart showing the differences and similarities between earthworms and nematodes.

Example:

Want to learn more?
USDA Nematology Home Page
Sugar Beet Nematode – University of Wyoming

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SOIL TEXTURE

Soil texture is a term used to describe the different sizes of mineral particles that make up a soil. Another way to look at it is to think about the different textures of clothing that you wear. Your cotton shirt is made of smaller fibers, while a burlap bag is made up of larger fibers. Each type of material feels different to the touch because they are made up of different sized fibers. The same is true of soil, however soil is made up of mineral particles instead of cloth fibers. Soil particles can be classified into 3 main size classes or “separates”: sand (2.00 to 0.05 mm diameter), silt (0.05 to 0.002 mm diameter), and clay (less than 0.002 mm diameter). Most soils are a mixture of sand, silt, and clay. Different names are given to the soil depending on what percentages of sand, silt, and clay the soil is made up of.

Why is soil texture important?
In general, sandy soils are usually not as fertile. Sandy soils have a harder time retaining moisture and nutrients (water and nutrients just run right through it). Crops can grow in sandy soils, but probably would require more water and fertilization. Sandy soils are typically good for building roads and buildings.
The majority of the time, finer textured soils are more fertile and are able to retain moisture and nutrients more efficiently. However, some soils that are really fine textured become too sticky when wet and too hard when dry to grow crops. They also may shrink and swell too dramatically, which isn’t very desirable if you want to build a road or building.

References
Brown, R.B. Soil Texture. University of Florida.
Singer, M.J. and D.N. Munns. Soils and Introduction. 1999. Prentice-Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

Soil Texture Experiment
Identifying Texture by Feel (courtesy of Colorado State University, Cooperative Extension consumer horticulture specialist and Colorado Master Gardener coordinator; C. Wilson, Extension horticulture agent, Denver County; and A. Card, Extension horticulture agent, Boulder County. 12/03)

Feel test – Rub some moist soil between your fingers.
• Sand feels gritty
• Silt feels smooth
• Clays feel sticky

Ball squeeze test – Squeeze a moistened ball of soil in your hand.
• Coarse textures (sand or sandy loam) soils break with slight pressure.
• Sandy loams and silt loams stay together but change shape easily.
• Fine textured (clayey or clayey loam) soils resist breaking.

Ribbon test – Squeeze a moistened ball of soil out between your thumb and fingers.
• Sandy soils won’t ribbon.
• Loam, silt, silty clay loam or clay loam soil ribbons less than 1 inch.
• Sandy clay loam, silty clay loam or clay loam ribbons 1 to 2 inches.
• Sandy clay, silty clay, or clay soil ribbons more than 2 inches.
A soil with as little as 20 percent clay may behave as a heavy clayey soil. A soil needs 45 percent to over 60 percent sand to behave as a sandy soil.

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PLANT IDENTIFICATION

Spring is here and many plants are in bloom and have leafed out, which is a good time to figure out what kind of plant or species they are. All plants have a scientific name. For example, the cottonwoods down by the river are narrowleaf cottonwoods, which has the scientific name Populus angustifolia. There are many different species or types of cottonwoods. For example, lanceleaf cottonwoods have the scientific name Populus acuminata.

Go outside and look at the plants near your house. Are there trees, shrubs, flowers, and weeds? Do you know the name of any of them? If you know the name for example, a dandelion, you can find out its scientific name by looking at a plant book or on the internet. The scientific name for dandelion is: Taraxacum officinale.

Make a notebook and write down the common names of the plants by your house and try to find out the scientific names of the plants too. You can even collect part of the plant or take a photo of the plant and put it in your notebook. For plants you do not know, try to use a field guide and figure out what species the plant is or see if someone you know can help you figure out what it is.

Want to learn more?
USDA Plants Database
National Arbor Day Foundation Tree Identification
Botany.com

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GEOLOGY

Rocks are everywhere and in every size. See how many different colored rocks you can find. Try building things with the rocks you find. Are some rocks smooth and others rough? Why do you think that is? If you have time go to Mineralogical Society of America’s Mineralogy 4 Kids Rockin’ Internet Site and play some of their games and learn more about minerals and rocks.

Other Links:
University of Illinois Great Plant Escape Game
USGS Biological Resources Kids Corner: Fun Projects
USDA Soil Education

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The answer is #2. Indian Paintbrush is not a weed. Indian Paintbrush is native (from) to the United States. Actually, it is Wyoming’s state flower.
Dandelions come from Europe and are considered weeds. Canada Thistle is native to temperate regions of Eurasia and is considered a noxious weed.
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