Ms. Sandy and Clay are a couple of soil enthusiasts who will guide you through the resources available on this website.
They will explore Research Projects currently underway with at some Canadian Universities; meet the pros to learn about cool career opportunities in soil; showcase other Resources and Links available online for learning about soil; and introduce you to a scientist who will answer your questions about soil!
Ms. Sandy
I am a teacher who lives in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, a region known as the province’s bread basket because of its nutrient-rich soil. I have always been interested in soil; I grew up surrounded by the rich-red soil of PEI and was fascinated by the story that can be told by only knowing its colour (PEI Provincial Soil)!
I studied Geography in University and spent several summers working as a field technician for a soil survey, making soil maps. I worked alongside a soil scientist, digging soil pits and describing the horizons that we saw in the profile. We used this information to tell the soil’s story – I was hooked! I teach at a high school and use examples from soil science to explain concepts in chemistry, biology and physics.
If you are a teacher, you will find my “cheat sheets” that give in depth explanations about the research projects that are profiled on the website. You will also find ideas for incorporating soil science into your classroom.
Clay
I am a grade eleven student in Ms. Sandy’s chemistry class. I never thought soil was all that interesting – I figured it was just dirt! But I have learned a lot about it in Ms. Sandy’s class and am now thinking about becoming a soil scientist. It’s really cool that the soil can tell you about the rocks that are underneath it and about the environmental history – like how glaciers covered most of the country. Learning about chemistry and biology is a lot more fun when we can get outside and get our hands dirty.
If you’re a student like me, you’ll find tons of resources that show fun ways of learning about soil.