Step 3: Monitoring Projects
These are activities which can be done all year long to monitor the changes
which occur throughout the seasonal cycles. You may choose to conduct
these activities once per month, once per week or even once per day!
As soil explorers, you may decide how often and how extensively to monitor
your community environments. As the year progresses and the seasons
change, you should see some interesting changes in the natural world within
your community.
Taking the Earth's Temperature - Air and Soil Temperature Activities
Climate and soil (highlighted words in a glossary) are important factors
in determining the distribution of plants and animals everywhere on Earth,
including your neighborhood. Changes in local weather, affect when
seeds will begin to sprout from the soil and when animals will burrow underground
to settle for the winter months. These changes also affect the way
people dress, the foods they eat, the crops they grow and the houses they
build.
To begin an in-depth study of your community environment, it is important
to understand the local weather and soil temperatures and monitor any changes
that might occur.
Questions to think about:
As the air temperature increases, do you think the soil temperature will
increase or decrease?
How many degrees difference would you expect to find between air temperature
and soil temperature?
Let's find out!
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