The basic concepts and components of soils will be examined in this course. How these principles relate to plant growth and human existence is of importance for society. The principles and practices of soil and water conservation, methods and technologies used in conservation and management of natural resources will be studied. Laboratory introduces students to analysis of soils and soil classification as well as a demonstration of RUSLE.
Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
This course meets in person three times per week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:20–11:05 AM. Class sessions will include a mix of lectures, discussions, group activities, videos, and presentations.
In addition to lecture, there is a mandatory laboratory component that meets on Fridays. Students are required to attend their assigned lab section:
Section 1: 1:00–2:50 PM
Lab sessions will provide hands-on experience with core soil science techniques and reinforce concepts introduced in lecture.
Students are expected to actively participate, come prepared having completed any assigned readings, and engage with both instructor-led and peer-led components of the course. While most course content will be delivered during scheduled sessions, supplemental materials and assignments will be posted to Blackboard, where students should check regularly for updates.
Contact Information
Upon successful completion of this course...
1. The student will be able to outline soil properties and how they affect plants and animals.
2. The student will be able to identify at least 10 commercial grain and forage crops grown in the US.
3. The student will be able to use a computer to create a crop budget and present results to a group.
There is no required textbook for this course. All readings, peer-reviewed articles, and supplemental materials will be provided by the instructor and posted on Blackboard. Students are expected to check Blackboard regularly for updates, reading assignments, and class resources.
- Describe the key functions and importance of soils in ecosystems and agriculture.
- Explain how soils form from parent materials and develop distinct horizons.
- Identify and interpret basic soil physical properties such as texture, structure, and color.
- Classify soils using USDA Soil Taxonomy and interpret soil survey data.
- Measure and analyze soil moisture, pH, and organic matter.
- Summarize the role of soil organisms and organic matter in soil health and fertility.
- Recognize causes of soil degradation and evaluate sustainable soil management practices.
- Perform basic field and lab techniques for soil sampling and analysis.
- Use the Web Soil Survey to gather and interpret soil series information.
- Communicate soil science concepts through lab reports, group projects, and presentations.
Tentative Lecture Schedule
| Week | Date | Topic | Assignment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8/24/2026 | Syllabus | |
| 8/26/2026 | Soils Around Us | ||
| 8/28/2026 | Soils Around Us | Knowledge Check 1 | |
| 2 | 8/31/2026 | Formation of Soils from Parent Material | |
| 9/2/2026 | Formation of Soils from Parent Material | ||
| 9/4/2026 | Guest Lecture- Andy Nash, Department of Natural Resources | Knowledge Check 2 | |
| 3 | 9/7/2026 | Labor Day- No Class | |
| 9/9/2026 | Formation of Soils from Parent Material | Review | |
| 9/11/2026 | Formation of Soils from Parent Material | Quiz #1 | |
| 4 | 9/14/2026 | Soil Architecture & Physical Properties | |
| 9/16/2026 | Soil Architecture & Physical Properties | ||
| 9/18/2026 | Soil Architecture & Physical Properties | Knowledge Check 3 | |
| 5 | 9/21/2026 | Soil Architecture & Physical Properties | |
| 9/23/2026 | Soil Architecture & Physical Properties | Review | |
| 9/25/2026 | Soil Architecture & Physical Properties | Quiz #2 | |
| 6 | 9/28/2026 | Soils Classification | |
| 9/30/2026 | Soils Classification | ||
| 10/2/2026 | Soils Classification | Knowledge Check 4 | |
| 7 | 10/5/2026 | Soils Classification | |
| 10/7/2026 | Soils Classification | Review | |
| 10/9/2026 | Soils Classification | Quiz #3 | |
| 8 | 10/12/2026 | Soil Water, Characteristics and Behavior | |
| 10/14/2026 | Soil Water, Characteristics and Behavior | ||
| 10/16/2026 | Soil Water, Characteristics and Behavior | Midterm Review | |
| 9 | 10/19/2026 | Fall Break- No Class | |
| 10/21/2026 | Midterm | ||
| 10/23/2026 | Soil Organic Matter | ||
| 10 | 10/26/2026 | Soil Organic Matter | |
| 10/28/2026 | Soil Organic Matter | ||
| 10/30/2026 | Soil Organic Matter | Knowledge Check 5 | |
| 11 | 11/2/2026 | Soil Temperature | |
| 11/4/2026 | Soil Temperature | Review | |
| 11/6/2026 | Soil Temperature | Quiz #4 | |
| 12 | 11/9/2026 | Soil Erosion | |
| 11/11/2026 | Soil Erosion | ||
| 11/13/2026 | Soil Erosion | Knowledge Check 6 | |
| 13 | 11/16/2026 | Soil Ecology & Biology | |
| 11/18/2026 | Soil Ecology & Biology | Review | |
| 11/20/2026 | Soil Ecology & Biology | Quiz #5 | |
| 14 | 11/23/2026 | Soil Chemistry | |
| 11/25/2026 | Thanksgiving Break- No Class | ||
| 11/27/2026 | Thanksgiving Break- No Class | ||
| 15 | 11/30/2026 | Soil Chemistry | |
| 12/2/2026 | Soil Fertility | ||
| 12/4/2026 | Soil Fertility | Knowledge Check 7 | |
| 16 | 12/7/2026 | Soil Contaminants | |
| 12/9/2026 | Soil Contaminants | Final Exam Review | |
| 12/14/2026 | Final Exam 10:15AM-12:15PM | Final Exam |
Tentative Lab Schedule
| Week | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8/28/2026 | No Lab |
| 2 | 9/4/2026 | Clinton County Rock & Soils: Andy Nash- DNR |
| 3 | 9/11/2026 | Soil Pit Judging: Jason Sneed- Soil & Water Conservation |
| 4 | 9/18/2026 | Soil Parent Material: Rock Identification |
| 5 | 9/25/2026 | Basic Soil Techniques |
| 6 | 10/2/2026 | Soil Sampling |
| 7 | 10/9/2026 | Soil Physical Characteristics: Soil Color |
| 8 | 10/16/2026 | Soil Nematodes: Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora- OSU |
| 9 | 10/23/2026 | Web Soil Survey |
| 10 | 10/30/2026 | Soil Organic Matter |
| 11 | 11/6/2026 | Mycorrhizae Inoculation |
| 12 | 11/13/2026 | Soil pH |
| 13 | 11/20/2026 | Soil Erosion |
| 14 | 11/27/2026 | Thanksgiving Break- No Lab |
| 15 | 12/4/2026 | Soil Dessert Project |
Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given.
Quizzes
Quizzes will be given every other Friday during class and will consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions. Students will have 25 minutes to complete each quiz. Quizzes will cover material from the current and previous weeks, including assigned lectures and readings, and will be closed book and closed notes.
A brief review will be conducted in class prior to each quiz. Review materials and discussions will only be provided in person and will not be posted to Blackboard.
Knowledge Checks
During weeks when a quiz is not scheduled, students will complete a Knowledge Check through Blackboard. These short, open-book and open-note assignments are designed to reinforce key concepts, assess understanding, and encourage students to apply and reflect on course material.
Knowledge Checks are due by Friday at 11:59 PM and will alternate with quiz weeks.
Midterm Exam
The midterm exam will be completed in person during class. It will consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions covering material from the first portion of the course. The exam will be closed book and closed notes.
Final Exam
The final exam will be held during the designated final exam period. It will be closed book and closed notes and will consist of multiple-choice and true/false questions covering selected topics from throughout the course.
Laboratory Reports
Students will submit a lab report or associated assignment for each laboratory session. These reports are designed to reinforce laboratory concepts, data collection, observations, and interpretation. Specific instructions and expectations will be provided during each lab meeting.
Dessert Soil Profile Project
In this creative group project, students will design an edible soil profile that represents a real-world soil series. Working in groups of three, students will select a soil series, create a dessert (e.g., cake, gelatin, muffins, or pie) representing its soil horizons, and give a 10-minute presentation to the class.
Each group will also submit a 2-page written report that includes:
- A description of the selected soil series
- The recipe used and labeled photos of the group preparing the dessert
- A brief explanation of how each dessert layer represents a specific soil horizon
This project combines creativity with applied soil science knowledge and challenges students to translate soil morphology and horizon characteristics into a visual model.
Attendance & Participation
Regular attendance and active participation are important components of this course. Participation points will be earned through consistent attendance, engagement in class and laboratory discussions, group work, hands-on activities, and other in-class learning opportunities.
Students are expected to arrive prepared, contribute appropriately, and actively participate in both lecture and laboratory activities. Because many of these experiences depend on collaboration and hands-on learning, missed participation opportunities generally cannot be recreated or completed outside of class.
If you must miss class due to illness, family emergency, or other extenuating circumstances, please notify the instructor as soon as possible. Alternative arrangements may be considered when appropriate and at the instructor's discretion.
The grading scale will be as follows:
| Category | Points |
|---|---|
| Quizzes (5 total, 20 points each) | 100 |
| Knowledge Checks (7 total, 10 points each) | 70 |
| Midterm Exam | 100 |
| Final Exam | 100 |
| Laboratory Reports (13 total, 15 points each) | 180 |
| Dessert Soil Profile Project | 25 |
| Attendance & Participation | 25 |
| Total | 600 |
| Letter Grade | Percentage Range |
|---|---|
| A | ≥ 95.99% |
| A− | 95.98% – 91.00% |
| B+ | 90.99% – 88.00% |
| B | 87.99% – 85.00% |
| B− | 84.99% – 82.00% |
| C+ | 81.99% – 79.00% |
| C | 78.99% – 76.00% |
| C− | 75.99% – 72.00% |
| D+ | 71.99% – 69.00% |
| D | 68.99% – 65.00% |
| F | < 65.00% |
Instructor Course Policies
Regular attendance and active participation are expected in this course and are included as a graded component of your final course grade. Attendance & Participation is worth 25 points and reflects consistent attendance, preparedness, engagement in class and laboratory activities, participation in discussions and group work, and overall contribution to the learning environment.
If you must miss class or lab due to illness, family emergency, college-sponsored activity, or other extenuating circumstances, please notify me as soon as possible. When appropriate, alternative arrangements may be considered at the instructor's discretion; however, not all in-class or laboratory experiences can be made up.
Students are responsible for obtaining missed course material and staying current with assignments following an absence. Frequent absences, even when excused, may make it difficult to successfully meet the learning objectives of the course.
Please refer to the current Student Handbook for the College's full Attendance Policy and guidelines regarding excused absences.
All students are expected to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity. This means submitting your own work, properly citing sources, and collaborating only when explicitly permitted. Acts of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, cheating on exams, falsifying data, or unauthorized collaboration, will not be tolerated.
Any violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, which may include a zero on the assignment, failure in the course, or referral to the college’s academic conduct board. If you are ever unsure about what constitutes appropriate collaboration or citation, please ask before submitting your work.
See the current Student Handbook for the college's Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: FA26 Final Exam Schedule
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery Definition of Courses |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. Academic Integrity Policy |
Class Attendance Policy Institutional Class Attendance Policy |