This Land Is Your Land

[30 Minutes]

Have you ever seen peaks of sand dunes at the beach or in movies? Did you ever wonder how they got that way? Wind (moving air) affects the land around us in many ways. Powerful storms blow beach sand and other landforms. Along with rain, they can cause erosion of our valuable soil. Do you have a lot of trees and shrubs planted near your home or in your favorite park? They’re not there simply to look pretty. Let’s see what wind will do to a variety of soils and learn how to protect the land around us!

You'll need:

• electric fan (ADULT ONLY) • long extension cord • a variety of soils, including clay, humus, loam, gravel, rocks, grass covered, and plant covered

What to do:

1. If possible, print out these directions. Read them through with your child before you begin.
2. With your child, gather everything you need.
3. Start by asking your child to tell you what affects he has observed wind having on our earth. This could be an observation seen from home, vacation, or on television.
4. Discuss with your child the different types of soil that exist.
5. With your child, use the long extension cord and bring the fan outside.
6. Let your child watch, as you turn the fan on.
7. Place the fan near a soil type, as your child observes the affect the fan has on that soil.
8. With your child, compare and contrast the affect on each soil type.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• How do you suppose farmers keep their soil from being blown away?
• How would the affect of wind be different if there were lots of plants or trees growing in the soil?
• Think hard! What else has a tremendous affect on our valuable soil? (water/rain also contribute to erosion)

Useful information:

Having healthy, rich soil is important. It allows us to grow nutritious foods to eat. Wind and water have the ability to change our valuable soil. In order to preserve our topsoil and make it healthy enough to grow food, farmers and scientists have created ways to protect the soil from harmful winds and rain. Windbreaks are trees that are planted purposely to grow tall and block strong winds, reducing their ability to blow away the soil. Simply growing grass or other plants, stabilizes the land and reduces damage from high winds. Developing an understanding of the affects of wind and rain on our soil, and gaining an understanding of proper methods of balancing nutrients in that soil (crop rotation), is important. Take a walk with your family and observe areas that you could improve simply by planting something!