Soil Science

On Wednesday the 23rd of September, two of our Middle Years Science classes and our Year 12 Agriculture class travelled to the Ballarat Tech School to take part in the Soil Science program. Students collected and tested soil samples from their properties and around the school grounds. 

During the first session, students familiarised themselves with the different components of soil, sand, clay and loam/silt. They got their hands dirty and developed their soil recognition skills by handling different types of soil, provided by the Tech School. Afterwards, they put these skills to use, identifying the soil type from the sample they had collected. Some groups identified theirs as sandy loam, whereas others had nearly pure clay. 

In the second session, students conducted a range of tests on their soil sample to diagnose any issues with the soil quality. Specifically, they analysed the soil pH, nutrient content and water retention. After diagnosing any deficiencies in the soil, they decided upon adjustments to improve its quality. Finally, they performed additional tests to judge the effectiveness of their adjustments.

By the end of the day, the students had developed a range of practical skills and were looking forward to putting them to use on their farms and veggie patches. A big thank you to the staff who organised and attended the excursion, Miss Blackburn, Miss Henry and Mr McClure.