Soil 4 Youth Program
Note (02 March 2020): this site is currently undergoing revision, but remains available.
This program was initiated in 2010 to promote learning among Canadian high school students about the importance of soil and to provide teachers with the resources to incorporate soil science into their classroom teaching. This Soil 4 Youth website showcases: (1) Research projects related to soil land-uses across a variety of ecosystems found in Canada; (2) Career paths of soil scientists and professionals; (3) Resources for teachers; and (4) Examples of how to be soil savvy by getting involved with initiatives that protect or improve soil in your own neighborhood.
More information about the Soil 4 Youth program can be found in a manuscript published in the Natural Sciences Education journal [https://www.agronomy.org/publications/nse/pdfs/43/1/73]
CSSS and the 2016 North American Envirothon (July 24-29, 2016; Peterborough, ON)
Envirothon (https://www.envirothon.org/ ) is a team-based competition for high school students who are passionate about the outdoors. It challenges students across North America to learn more about (1) soils and land-use, (2) forestry, (3) aquatic ecology, (4) wildlife, and (5) a topical environmental issue. Approximately 500,000 students from 45 US states and 9 Canadian provinces/territories participate in the competition each year.
During the fall of 2015, a group of 15 CSSS members developed a supplementary educational resource that includes the following four components: (1) Soils, Land-Use and Invasive Species lesson plan, (2) Soils, Land-Use and Climate Change lesson plan, (3) Pedology activity sheet, and (4) Soil fact sheet. The CSSS members involved with initiative were: Lindsey Andronak, Carolyn Wilson, Jessica Arteaga, David Kroetsch, Paul Hazlett, Daryl Dagesse, Richard Heck, Alison Murata, Mathew Swallow, Edith Olson, Eryne Croquet, Emma Holmes, Maja Krzic, Katie Neufeld, and Lesley Dampier.
Click to download the Envirothon Supplementary Resource entitled What Lies Beneath ….. Your Feet!.