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Grades 3–5 · Soil & schoolyard

Backyard Soil Safari

What tiny creatures are living in the dirt beneath our feet?

Using one shared soil sample, students go on a safari to discover which animals — from earthworms to burrowing mammals — are using the soil in the schoolyard or garden, using genetic clues instead of digging everything up.

Start a Starter Kit quote

Grade band

Grades 3–5

Time required

4 class periods

Class size

20–30 students, one kit

Sample type

Soil, one vial

Standards and outcomes

  • 3-LS4-3 — Construct an argument that some organisms survive well, some less well, in different habitats.
  • 4-LS1-1 — Internal and external structures support survival, growth and reproduction.
  • 5-LS2-1 — Describe the movement of matter among plants, animals, and the environment.
  • 5-ESS3-1 — Obtain and combine information about ways individuals and communities protect Earth's resources.

How one kit serves a whole class

Our Starter Kit gives the class one soil sample tube and up to five target animals, for $200, and works with soil from any schoolyard, garden, or park. Because there is only one sample, the class works as a team to gather soil from several spots and mix it before an adult seals it.

Choose one

Research tracks

Track A — Underground Neighbors

Discovering soil animals

Driving question. Which animals are living underground in our soil that we cannot easily see?

Species to pick. Five soil-dwelling groups found almost anywhere: an earthworm, a burrowing insect, a small rodent like a vole or mouse, a mole or shrew, and a ground-nesting bird.

What students take away. Students realize soil is a busy hidden neighborhood, not just dirt.

Track B — Healthy Dirt Detectives

Soil health and life

Driving question. Does soil with more life mean healthier soil for plants?

Species to pick. Compare a garden bed or grassy area (more expected life) against a compacted path or parking strip (less expected life).

What students take away. Students connect the amount of animal life detected with soil health ideas.

Track C — Seasons Underground

Soil animals through the year

Driving question. Do the same underground animals stay active all year, or do some hide away?

Species to pick. Any five soil animals chosen by the class, tested once and compared to what students already know about hibernation and seasons.

What students take away. Students connect genetic detection with what they know about animal life cycles.

The lesson sequence

Step by step, with teacher notes

  1. 01

    Digging In (With Our Imaginations)

    45 minutes

    Before touching any soil, students brainstorm what might live underground and sketch a 'cutaway' picture of soil layers with animals in each layer.

    Teacher notes

    • Say: 'Soil looks empty on top, but it's a whole neighborhood underneath — today we're going on safari without digging it all up.'
    • Show a simple cutaway diagram of soil layers with example animals.
    • Let students vote using picture cards for the class's five target animals.
    • Remind the class this works with any soil, from a garden to a playground edge.

    Materials

    • Soil cutaway diagram
    • Animal picture cards
    • Drawing paper
    • Crayons

    Student prompts

    • What animals do you think live under the ground here?
    • Which layer of soil do you think each animal lives in?
    • Why would an animal want to live underground?
  2. 02

    The One-Sample Soil Safari

    50–60 minutes

    Four crews each collect a small scoop of soil from a different spot (shady, sunny, near plants, open ground) into a shared bowl. The soil is gently mixed together, and only the adult helper transfers it into the official sample tube and seals it.

    Teacher notes

    • Only the teacher or adult helper handles the final sealing and preserving of the sample tube.
    • Say: 'We each bring a spoonful, and together it becomes one team sample.'
    • Have students wear gloves and use small trowels or spoons, not bare hands.
    • Remind students to fill in only the top few inches of soil — no deep digging needed.
    • Label the sealed tube as a class immediately, and note each crew's collection spot on the datasheet.

    Materials

    • Small trowels or spoons
    • Gloves
    • Mixing bowl
    • One official sample tube
    • Label and marker

    Student prompts

    • Crew 1 — collect soil from a shady spot.
    • Crew 2 — collect soil from a sunny, open spot.
    • Crew 3 — collect soil from near plant roots.
    • Crew 4 — collect soil from bare or walked-on ground.
  3. 03

    The Lab's Secret Job

    40 minutes, during the 7–10 day wait

    Students learn in simple terms how the lab pulls invisible DNA clues out of the soil sample, using a comic-strip style handout they color and sequence.

    Teacher notes

    • Say: 'Every animal leaves tiny invisible clues, like fur, skin or waste, mixed into the soil.'
    • Have students cut and paste the comic-strip steps in the correct order.
    • Ask: 'What do you think happens first, and what happens last?'
    • Reassure students that waiting 7–10 days is normal, just like mailing a letter.

    Materials

    • Comic-strip cut-and-paste sheet
    • Scissors
    • Glue sticks

    Student prompts

    • What tiny clues might be hiding in a spoonful of soil?
    • Why do scientists need special equipment to find DNA?
    • What do you think our results will show?
  4. 04

    Soil Safari Results Day

    45 minutes

    The class reviews the Field Journal results together and matches them to their soil cutaway drawings from Phase 1. Students complete the 'I think / I saw / Because' sentence about one soil animal.

    Teacher notes

    • Say: 'Let's see which underground neighbors said hello to our sample!'
    • Model connecting a found animal back to its layer in the cutaway diagram.
    • Discuss any surprises kindly — remind students that not finding an animal is still useful information.
    • Send results home in a simple one-page family flyer.

    Materials

    • Class Field Journal printout
    • Soil cutaway drawings from Phase 1
    • Sentence frame worksheet

    Student prompts

    • I think our soil is/isn't full of life.
    • I saw these animals on our results list.
    • Because... (connect the animal to soil conditions).

Student handout

For every student

Thinking prompts

  • Draw a cutaway picture of soil with animals in each layer.
  • List the five soil animals our class chose to search for.
  • Describe the soil spot your crew collected from.
  • Guess which animal you think we will find the most evidence of.
  • Write one job you did during the soil safari.
  • Circle the animals found on our results day.

Data sheet

  • Date and time of soil collection:
  • Weather and recent rain (dry, damp, wet):
  • Soil color and texture (sandy, clay-like, crumbly):
  • Plants growing nearby:
  • Any animal signs seen (holes, tunnels, worm castings):
  • Class prediction for each of the five target animals:

Discussion questions

  • Why do we mix soil from several spots into one sample?
  • How can an animal leave DNA behind without us ever seeing it?
  • Why might soil near plants have more life than soil on a bare path?
  • How does soil health connect to plant health?
  • What other soil spot would you like to test next?

Field checklist

  • Gloves on before touching soil or tools.
  • Each crew collects only from its assigned spot.
  • Only the top few inches of soil are collected — no deep digging.
  • Only the teacher or adult helper seals and preserves the sample tube.
  • Tube labeled with class name and date right after sealing.
  • Datasheet completed with weather, texture, and plant notes.

Analysis

Picture-based results analysis

  1. 1.Look at the class Field Journal chart together on the board.
  2. 2.Circle each of the five soil animals that shows a 'found' picture.
  3. 3.Match each found animal back to its layer on the soil cutaway drawing.
  4. 4.Fill in an 'I think / I saw / Because' sentence for one animal.
  5. 5.Color a simple bar chart showing how many animals were found.

Assessment

20-point rubric

Prediction and reasoning

5 pts

Student makes a clear guess about a soil animal and gives one reasonable reason.

Following the collection job

5 pts

Student follows their crew role safely and carefully during soil collection.

Reading the results

5 pts

Student correctly identifies which animals were found or not found on the Field Journal.

I think / I saw / Because sentence

5 pts

Student completes the sentence frame clearly, connecting evidence to an idea.

Go further

Extensions

  • Compare soil results with a class that tested a garden versus a playground.
  • Build a 3D diorama of the underground neighborhood.
  • Interview a school custodian or gardener about soil health.
  • Start a simple class compost bin and predict how it might change soil life.

For the teacher

Answer key and misconceptions

  • DNA clues in soil come from fur, skin, waste, and other tiny bits animals leave behind.
  • Mixing soil from several spots makes one sample that represents the whole area, not just one corner.
  • Results usually come back in 7 to 10 days.
  • Finding no DNA for an animal does not prove it is never there — it means we did not detect it this time.
  • Soil with more animal activity is often a sign of healthier soil for plants.

Ready to run it with your class?

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