Biogeology Science Games

In this series of games, your students will learn about how living things affect the physical characteristics of their regions. Biogeology learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts.

Concepts Covered

Living things affect the physical characteristics of their regions in many ways. Vegetation affects the rate of weathering and erosion of rocks and soil in that region. Plants release oxygen into the atmosphere as a result of photosynthesis. The color of soil depends on the types of minerals in the rock particles. The texture of the soil is determined by the different amounts of silt, sand, and clay in the soil. The decomposition of plant and animal wastes adds nutrients to the soil.

Soil takes a very long time to form, so it is a resource that should be conserved. Soils are formed by the weathering of rock and the decomposition of plant and animal remains. The primary rock particles that make up soil are rock, silt, sand, clay, and humus. Humus is a decayed organic material in soil that contains many nutrients. Clay contains tiny particles of soil and holds water well. Sand is made of small grains of rock and does not hold water well. Silt contains small rock pieces that are larger than clay and smaller than sand.

The capacity of soil to retain water depends on the type of rock particles that make up the soil. Water drains fastest through soil with larger rock particles, such as sandy soil. Water drains slowest through soil with smaller rock particles, such as clay soil. There are three layers of soil: topsoil, subsoil, and bedrock. Topsoil contains humus, which makes it good for plant growth. Subsoil and bedrock are layers of soil under topsoil that are formed over a long period of time. The more organic material in soil, the better it can support the growth of plants.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.

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