Welcome, teachers!
Flagstaff SCIES is, first and foremost, a tool for teachers to help get students out of the classroom and into the field. We have put together protocols and activities that are budget-friendly, yet emphasizes the steps the scientific process from sample collection to data analysis.
Below we have provided you with links to our resources, as well as broader questions that incorporate many protocols and can be used in creating a larger research or field projects for your students.
Each protocol includes a teacher's guide that lists materials needed, objectives, and instructions. It also provides a PDF classroom worksheet for your students that forces them to think critically about their results in a broader scientific context.
Our protocols are designed for students middle-school aged and older. However, we have provided a gamut of less scientific activities that can be employed by a range of ages. Visit our Miscellaneous Outdoor Activities page for more information!
Below we have provided you with links to our resources, as well as broader questions that incorporate many protocols and can be used in creating a larger research or field projects for your students.
Each protocol includes a teacher's guide that lists materials needed, objectives, and instructions. It also provides a PDF classroom worksheet for your students that forces them to think critically about their results in a broader scientific context.
Our protocols are designed for students middle-school aged and older. However, we have provided a gamut of less scientific activities that can be employed by a range of ages. Visit our Miscellaneous Outdoor Activities page for more information!
Soil Resources: You can access our Soil Protocols here
Possible Project Ideas
Question: What is the ideal agricultural use for this soil?
Relevant Protocols: Soil Characterization, Soil pH, Soil Moisture, Soil Temperature
Using the provided protocols, students will determine many aspects of the soil at their sample site. They can use the data
collected about the nature, pH, water content, and temperature of their soil to research what crops would grow under the
conditions they find. They can also consider parameters such as rainfall, air temperature, humidity, etc from online
resources and create a proposal on the ideal use of their land.
Question: Based on the composition of the different horizons, what you believe is the
history of the soil formation of this site?
Relevant Protocols: Soil Site Selection, Soil Characterization, Soil Bulk Density
Ideal for a geology module, this question forces students to research how soil comes to be. Was it deposited by a water source or perhaps left after a glacial retreat? Students will need to explore the geological history of their area and form
hypotheses based on previous knowledge as well as the tangible data they gather themselves.
Relevant Protocols: Soil Characterization, Soil pH, Soil Moisture, Soil Temperature
Using the provided protocols, students will determine many aspects of the soil at their sample site. They can use the data
collected about the nature, pH, water content, and temperature of their soil to research what crops would grow under the
conditions they find. They can also consider parameters such as rainfall, air temperature, humidity, etc from online
resources and create a proposal on the ideal use of their land.
Question: Based on the composition of the different horizons, what you believe is the
history of the soil formation of this site?
Relevant Protocols: Soil Site Selection, Soil Characterization, Soil Bulk Density
Ideal for a geology module, this question forces students to research how soil comes to be. Was it deposited by a water source or perhaps left after a glacial retreat? Students will need to explore the geological history of their area and form
hypotheses based on previous knowledge as well as the tangible data they gather themselves.
