CEP Lesson Plan Form

Teacher: Shauna Brown

School:
Poudre High School
Ag Science)
Content Area:

Date: 10/27/15
Grade Level: 9th 12th (Intro to

Agricultural Education

Title: Intro to Soil Horizons

Lesson #:1 of 1

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson:

PLSC.11- Understand, evaluate and apply management practices for soils
PLSC.11.01.c-Differentiate soils based on soil horizons, parent material, etc
Goal:
Students will understand the many components of growing crops and how soil
affects this process.
Students will know why soil is different in different areas in the country and world.

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of

instruction, select applicable questions from standard)
How do we use soil profile?
Do all soils have the same soil profile?
What are the different soil horizons?
What is the importance of each horizon?
Evidence Outcomes:
Objective: Students will identify the 7 soil horizons by creating a mnemonic
device, discussion in class and working in their interactive notebook by the end of
class.

Learning Targets:
I can identify the 7 soil horizons by the end of class.
I can use a mnemonic device to remember the order of soil horizons.
I can understand why each horizon is in the order that it is.

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CEP Lesson Plan Form

List of Significant Vocabulary: (List the significant vocabulary words and

definitions for this lesson) Mnemonic Device- is a sentence that helps us to
memorize a string of words.
Profilean outline of something, especially a person's face, as seen from one side
or
a short article giving a description of a person or organization
Soil Horizon-layer in the soil
Eluviation-is the transport of soil material from upper layers of soil to lower levels
by downward precipitation of water across soil horizons
Leaching- refers to the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil, due to
rain and irrigation
Bedrock- consolidated rock underlying the surface

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences

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CEP Lesson Plan Form

Planned Lesson Activities

Name and Purpose of Lesson
Intro to Soil Horizons.
Purpose- Students will be able to identify and understand the
importance of each soil horizon which will allow them to
understand how these soil profiles can tell soil scientists about
particular soil in an area and how that soil can be used.
Approx. Time and Materials/Procedures
80 minute lesson.
Materials- Interactive Notebook Page (created), Power Point on
soil horizons, sticky notes and colored pencils.
Anticipatory
Set/Focus/Hook/Engagement/Motivation/Intr
oduction

Procedures/Instructional Input/Learning
Chunks/Scaffolding for Learning (this is the
largest part of your lesson plan)

Hook- Different examples of profiles (Facebook, side view of

face, online profile of people, etc.)
Show slides of random profile images and ask students
to determine the common theme or what all of these
images are. When student determines that they are
profiles have students use their phones to google the
definition on a profile is. Once students have defined it,
show image of soil profile and ask them to compare and
contrast the profiles you have shown them previously,
and this soil profile.
Explain how and why soil scientists use soil profiles.
PreTest- 5 minutes
Hook (see above)- 10 minutes
Lecture - 25minutes
Power Point defining each soil horizon will be shown.
Students take notes on each horizon in their interactive
notebooks.
Questions to check for understanding during
presentation may include
o Who can tell me what leaching is?
o Why would this horizon be lighter in color than the
one below it?

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CEP Lesson Plan Form

Would there be a larger O horizon in a forest or a
desert and why?
o Will all soil profiles look the same and why?
o Which horizon are the plants we plant grown in?
After students have down the definition for each horizon,
they will use colored pencils/markers to create a soil
horizon diagram to label and draw in the differences of
each layer.
Activity-20 minutes
Ask students to define mnemonic device, gives examples
(planet order and soil horizon order examples)
Working with a partner, students will create a mnemonic
device to help them remember the order of the layers.
Each pair of students will share their device.
Mnemonics should be copied in their interactive
notebook.
Evaluation- 10 minutes
Students will take post-test
Closing: What Stuck With You Today?- 3 minutes
o

Closure/Conclusion/Summary/Adjustments/
Wrap-up/Clean-up

Differentiation/Modifications/Adaptations/Ac
commodations

What stuck with you today?

Students will individually jot down one thing they learned today
on a sticky note to be placed on board as they exit class. These
will be used to start the following class.
Notes and pre/post test on the soil horizons can be modified
based on the severity of the students. Skeleton notes will be
provided to students with IEP/504s and they will also have a
word bank on their pre/post tests. For the student with down
syndrome, a sheet with the layers already labeled will be
provided. He will be able to color this sheet to identify the
differences among the layers.

Assessment/Pre-Post/On-going
Pre- Test: 10 Question quiz with labeling the soil horizons and
multiple choice questions
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CEP Lesson Plan Form

Post-Test: 10 Question quiz with labeling the soil horizons and
multiple choice questions
& What Stuck With You Today?

Colorado State University College of Health and Human Sciences

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CEP Lesson Plan Form

Area:
Job:

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