The following lecture tutorials were developed to help students understand some of the more challenging concepts in introductory soil science. I encourage other instructors to try these out in your classes. The three that are published here are the ones that have been most successful in my classes. If you would like more information please see my paper in Natural Sciences Education or contact jturk3@unl.edu.
Lecture tutorial worksheets
Texture
Bulk density
Students sometimes get stuck on the first question of the Bulk Density lecture tutorial. I always instruct them to move on to the second question if they are stuck. The second question walks them through a step-by-step approach to answer the first question.
Liebig's Law
The Liebig's law lecture tutorial is a hands-on lecture tutorial. To complete the worksheet each group of students needs three paper cups prepared as follows. Use a maker divide each cup into eight panels of equal width, which fill the entire circumfrence of the cup. Label the bottom of the first cup "A", label the second cup "B", and label the third cup "C" and for each cup label and cut the panels as follows:
Cup A. The eight panels should be labeled as follows: "N 200 lb", "P 16 lb", "K 78 lb", "Ca 39 lb", "Mg 31 lb", "S 12 lb", "Mn 0.2 lb", "Fe 0.8 lb".
Cup B. The eight panels should be labeled as follows: "N 100 lb" (this panel should also be cut to 1/2 its original height), "P 16 lb", "K 78 lb", "Ca 39 lb", "Mg 31 lb", "S 12 lb", "Mn 0.2 lb", "Fe 0.8 lb".
Cup C. The eight panels should be labeled as follows: "N 200 lb", "P 12 lb" (this panel should also be cut to 3/4 of its original height), "K 78 lb", "Ca 39 lb", "Mg 31 lb", "S 3 lb" (this panel should also be cut to 1/4 of its original height), "Mn 0.2 lb", "Fe 0.8 lb".