Page 47 - MOVING THROUGH AIR

Science Y2 – Parent Guide
Soil supports life
Week 5

Truth to Teach (Source)

1. God created soil to support plant, animal and human life.

2. God has provided for goodness to be returned to the soil, as plants and animals decay,
so renewing the soil in an economic and cyclical way, which is characteristic of God.

3. As soil is necessary for life, man needs to steward it wisely so that it is available for
future generations of plants, creatures and people.

4. Man can play a part in enriching the soil through adding manure and careful
use of fertilisers, and by disposing of rubbish responsibly.

Way to Work (Means)

1. Using the book Talkabout Soil review what makes up soil. Include the page about humus
if this was omitted last week.

Isn’t it amazing that God has caused dead animals and plants to add goodness to the
soil? Just as they depended on the soil, be it for food or a home, or for goodness and a
place to grow if it is a plant, now in death these once-living things give goodness back
into the soil, so that it can go on serving! [It may be possible to draw this cycle of events
on the board.]

Do you think this is a good plan of God’s?
What would happen if dead animals and plants harmed the soil, rather than did it good?
What would happen if the soil kept on giving out goodness and giving out goodness

without getting any goodness put in from somewhere else?

God is such a Wise Provider!

2. Do you know of any other ways in which goodness can be put back into the soil?
(Manure. Fertiliser. Letting the soil have a rest.) A wise gardener or farmer will take
care to look after his soil, so that it doesn’t get worn-out, but that it stays healthy! (This
is a bit like people too!)

3. Do you think soil is important? If we tired the soil out by growing lots of crops all the
time and never thinking about putting anything back into the ground where we have taken
goodness out of the ground, would it really matter? Do we really need soil?
Extend the children’s knowledge and understanding to include the following points.
• Our food comes from the soil. Trace foodstuffs, like bananas,
crisps, bread, honey, etc. back to plants growing in the soil.
• Plants give out oxygen and so help to maintain the balance of

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