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Title: Determine soil pH
Subjects: Math, Science, English
Purpose: Evaluate soil pH
and understand its relevance to plant growth. Also, this can
be done before and after project completion, which can
assist you in obtaining grants in the future.
Materials:
• Empty containers from home to take soil samples (e.g.
Pickle Jar, Soda Bottle)
• Dry, sieved soil
• Two 200 mL Beakers
• Balance
• pH paper, pen or meter
• Glass stirrers or spoon
• Deionized (DI) Water
• 100 mL Graduated Cylinder
Procedure:
1. Collect soil samples in
your bioretention/rain garden area.
2. Label beakers (#1, #2)
3. Dry and screen soil
using a soil sieve.
4. Weigh 50 g of soil (±0.1
g). Place in a Beaker #2.
5. Measure 50 mL DI water
in graduated cylinder. Pour into Beaker #1.
6. Beaker #1- Dip pH paper
into 50 mL distilled water. Record pH of distilled water.
7. Beaker #2 - Mix 50g
dried and sieved soil with 50 mL distilled water. Stir until
soil and water are thoroughly mixed.
8. Continue stirring
mixture for 30 seconds every 3 minutes.
9. Allow mixture to settle
until a clearer liquid, supernatant, forms above the settled
soil. This will take approximately 5 minutes.
10. Dip the pH paper in the
supernatant and record the result.
11. Repeat this process for
each soil sample taken.
Extra:
• Invite a local extension
agent to speak to your group and offer advice.
• Bring soil samples from
home and compare results to school soil samples.
