Go outside with a grown-up after a light rain or when the ground feels damp. Bring paper and a pencil.
Look at a garden bed, a flower bed, or a spot beneath leaves. Do not dig deeply or pull up plants. Look for signs that soil has helpers: tiny holes, loose dirt, old leaves, mulch, roots, or worms near the surface.
Draw a small map of the spot. Mark where you see leaves, mulch, roots, shade, and damp soil.
Then answer these questions:
Where would Earl find the dampest soil?
Where would he find old leaves or roots to eat?
Why would a sunny dry patch be hard for Earl?
What might move through an earthworm tunnel?
Which plants could use Earl’s tunnels?
What can you do to help soil stay healthy?
Grandma’s reminder:
“Good dirt does not happen by accident. Earl has been down there working while everybody else takes credit.”
This is what the printed page will look like.
Name:
Earl’s Soil Helper Hunt
Go outside with a grown-up after a light rain or when the ground feels damp. Bring paper and a pencil.
Look at a garden bed, a flower bed, or a spot beneath leaves. Do not dig deeply or pull up plants. Look for signs that soil has helpers: tiny holes, loose dirt, old leaves, mulch, roots, or worms near the surface.
Draw a small map of the spot. Mark where you see leaves, mulch, roots, shade, and damp soil.
Then answer these questions:
Where would Earl find the dampest soil?
Where would he find old leaves or roots to eat?
Why would a sunny dry patch be hard for Earl?
What might move through an earthworm tunnel?
Which plants could use Earl’s tunnels?
What can you do to help soil stay healthy?
Grandma’s reminder:
“Good dirt does not happen by accident. Earl has been down there working while everybody else takes credit.”
☐ Go outside with a grown-up after a light rain or when the ground feels damp. Bring paper and a pencil.
☐ Look at a garden bed, a flower bed, or a spot beneath leaves. Do not dig deeply or pull up plants. Look for signs that soil has helpers: tiny holes, loose dirt, old leaves, mulch, roots, or worms near the surface.
☐ Draw a small map of the spot. Mark where you see leaves, mulch, roots, shade, and damp soil.
☐ Then answer these questions:
☐ Where would Earl find the dampest soil?
☐ Where would he find old leaves or roots to eat?
☐ Why would a sunny dry patch be hard for Earl?
☐ What might move through an earthworm tunnel?
☐ Which plants could use Earl’s tunnels?
☐ What can you do to help soil stay healthy?
☐ Grandma’s reminder:
☐ “Good dirt does not happen by accident. Earl has been down there working while everybody else takes credit.”
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