Wendell Berry says, “soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all. It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life.”
It’s hard to find anything in this life not touched by soil; the food we eat, the homes we live in, the clothes we wear, even the air we breathe depends on soil. That’s why it’s critical that we educate young people about the virtues of soil.
Soil education is a lesson in systems thinking. When we educate kids about the importance of soil, we teach them that by caring for the soil we are caring for the health of our planet, and all living things.
December 5th is World Soil Day and we have some great resources to support you as you teach about soil. Read on to find out more about our free film screening, composter giveaway, and soil teaching resources.
FREE Film Screening
We’re hosting a FREE film screening of the Kiss The Ground Movie. Join us at 8 PM Eastern on December 5th for the film screening and Q&A with Kiss the Ground educator, Karen Rodriguez, where we will be discussing the ways that our relationship to the soil directly impacts the planet as a whole.
All registrants will receive a follow-up opportunity to request a free DVD of the Educators’ Version of this new film as well as a Soil Education Resource Pack.
Subpod Composting System Giveaway
Our friends at Subpod are giving away TWO Grow Bundles valued at $319 each to the KidsGardening community! Subpod is the new in-garden composting system and worm farm. It's an easy way to compost your waste and grow fresh, organic food – whether you're at home or in the classroom. One Subpod Grow Bundle includes a grow garden bed, a Subpod compost system, and a compost aerator.
Soil Education Teaching Materials
KidsGardening celebrates soil every day by developing and sharing high-quality, hands-on teaching materials for you to use to teach about soils. Check out a few of the resources we love:
- Digging into Soils Practicum: A high school curriculum guide intended to cultivate a new generation inspired to make collective choices that preserve and improve existing soil resources.
- Soil Story Curriculum: Kiss the Ground offers a FREE downloadable Middle School Curriculum developed in partnership with Life Lab is designed to introduce young people to the magic of soil and the fascinating connection it has to the food we eat, our health, and our climate.
- Project Hero Soil Quest: Project Hero is an online program of the Captain Planet Foundation that challenges youth to be heroes for species and ecosystems in trouble. The Soil Quest takes young people on a learning journey to explore life living below our feet and the importance of healthy soils to maintain the carbon cycle.
- Activities & Lessons:
- Gardening Basics & Growing Guides:
