Tulip Test Gardens
What's
Happening Underground?
Taking the Soil's Temperature!
— Digging Deeper—
- Pursuing
Questions : Go back to the list of questions the class
developed during the activity. Ask, Which questions could we
answer through more observations? Which could we answer by setting
up an experiment? Which can we answer through research or asking
experts? Follow up and try to find answers.
- Underground
Winter Survival: Remind students that frogs, worms and
countless other creatures survive the winter by living underground.
Have students choose one such animal and then do research to learn
about the adaptations it has in order to survive the winter underground.
- Underground
Temperature Graphs: If you have older students, show them
large versions of one or both of the graphs below. Ask these types
of questions: What statement(s) can you make after looking
at the graph? What does it tell you about soil (and air) temperatures?
(During the summer? During the winter?) How would you explain what
you see?
A. Soil temperatures over three days at different depths. (Click for a larger image.)
- At shallow depths, soil temperatures fluctuate a great deal.
- The deeper you go in the soil, the more constant the temperatures.
B. Soil temperatures during a year at different depths. (Click for a larger image.)
- In the winter, the deeper the soil, the warmer the temperature. This reverses in the summer.
- In general, deeper the soil, the more constant the temperatures.
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