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The purpose of this set of resources is to provide support, guidance and ideas for teachers who want to carry out some fieldwork involving soils and slopes. Together, they trace a spiralised progression pathway so that every time a pupil engages with this substantive knowledge, they have an opportunity to build on what they have done before.
However, they also work as standalone resources, providing an idea of what a high-quality fieldwork involving soils and slopes might look like for each key stage. They are designed to easily fit into existing schemes of work or plans.
Soil is made up of approximately 45% mineral particles (sand, silt, clay), 5% organic matter, 25% air, and 25% water. Its texture depends on the proportions of sand, silt and clay particles within it which influence drainage and nutrient availability. Soil depth generally decreases as slope gradient increases due to erosion, while soil moisture also tends to decrease on steeper slopes.
The Geographical Association (GA) has worked closely with the Field Studies Council (FSC) to develop these resources.
