Soil Basics

Here are the basic concepts presented in class today

• Soil is a Mixture:  Minerals, Organic Materials, Water and Air
• Soil is defined by particle size:  Gravel, Sand, Silt, Clay
• Rocks are broken down into sediments by mechanical and chemical weathering
• Weathered rock becomes soil.
• Sediments move by Gravity, Water and Wind
• They are separated by size and weight
• Sedimentation is the result of Compaction and Cementation

Complete the "Porosity" Gizmo on explorelearning.com 

Ancient Methods of Navigation

You will be working in groups of two to research the following devices:

• Stick Chart (Marshallese) 
• Board and string (Arab Kamal) 
• European Cross-Staff
• Hanging pendant (Greek Mariners Astrolabe)
• Chinese Magnetic Compass 
• Viking Sunstone

You will need to answer the following questions on the sheet provided.  

• Identify the Problem it was meant to solve.
• What did it do?
• How did it work?
• Provide a sketch.
• Identify three advantages 
• Identify three limitations or disadvantages of the device

Map Reading Assignment

Pullman Map

Using your map, or the digital maps on this page you will answer a series of questions.  You and your partner need to note the answers in your notebook as well as upload them to this form.

Pullman High School Close-Up

Determining Slope

Slope

• What it is: Slope refers to the steepness of the land surface.
• What it means: The slope of land is a major factor in determining:
• Land Use
• Erosion
• Volume and rate of runoff
• Potential for growing crops
• Leveling needed to build structures.

• Calculation:  [(Vertical Distance)/(Horizontal Distance)]  ×100= % Slope
• Vertical Distance (Rise): The difference in elevation between two points; it is calculated by subtracting the elevation of one point from the elevation of the other point.
• Horizontal Distance (Run): The distance from one point to the other.

·Example: If the rise is 3 feet over the run of 50 feet:

(3/50) = 0.06

0.06X100 = 6%

Practice Problems

•Stakes have been set 40 feet apart. There is a two foot rise from stake two to stake one. Determine the percent slope.
•At a different site, two stakes have been set 60 feet apart. There is an 18” elevation change between the stakes. Determine the percent slope