Resources for teaching 'Day in the Life of Soil' a role play

The following is a list of downloadable resources for presenting 'Day in the Life of Soil'.

I first encountered this resource at a biodiversity day at Killarney in 2012 (I think). David Hardwick was presenting. It was exciting, interactive, dynamic role play and David demonstrated that it could be easily adapted to speak to a number of significant issues in soil management.

David now works for Soil Land Food, he is still using the resource to speak to farmers. There is a great YouTube link of him giving the presentation.

I was working at the Hermitage Research Facility at the time and we asked if we could use the Day in the Life of Soil as a student resource. This saw the development of the cards, we then sought to align this with elements in the Australia Curriculum. Since then it has been common that the competition will take 'Day in the Life of Soil' cards to display days.

The resource was clearly defined as Creative Commons and therefore I am making available the resources here as they have not had an easily accessible portal.

It has been one of the go-to resources in my teacher kit for the last few years. I am making the food-web and research task PPT available as part of my adaptation and utilisation of the resource. The most current version of the resource from my perspective will be linked here. Currently it will be the CONASTA 69 (2022) version, but if I feel the need to update I will replace it.

Slide show as presented at CONASTA 69 (2022)

Printable versions of the cards

9 up (full size) - two pages A4 - if you wish to print your own cards

18 up (half size) - one page A4 - useful for smaller food web presentations.

Food web

Example of a foodweb produced with the cards and template, movement of nutrients via predation represented in red, movement of nutrient via death, decomposition, and defecation is represented in blue.

A similar result can be obtained by printing the food web blank (below) on A3 and the 18 up file on stickers.

Food web blank

Research Task Template 

Powerpoint template for research task

This Research task PPT has a Title Slide for each organism in the role play and then the three prompt slides for the research task. This PPT acts as a useful sequential listing of the card images if your wanting to use them in your own PPTs.

Other useful resources.

The Script, developed to accompany the slide show.  Much of this material has now been incorporated as notes into the slide show for people using presenter mode.  But there may be times when the script is a useful reference. The end of the script has a list of useful references.

Caterpillar eating fungi - 1879

While searching for old illustrations of fungi in Trove I came across the following in the Australian Town and Country Journal, Saturday 15 February 1879. 

Here are some notes to accompany the observation.

The fungi is now known as Ophiocordyceps robertsii, note also that a species name is in lower case, even if named after a person.

In 1879 fungi were thought to be plants ... this is an understanding that survived well into the 20th Century.

The Atlas of Living Australia does record O. robertsii in Australia and New Zealand. It also notes (probably quoting Wikipedia) that ...

The parasitised caterpillar has been used by Māori as a food or ink for traditional tā moko tattoos. The charred caterpillars were mixed with fat to make a rich dark ink. Scientists suggest that the fungus produces antiseptic chemicals that can prevent infection.

I have not yet found any evidence of use of the fungus by Aboriginal people in Australia.

The medicinal qualities of the Chinese Caterpillar Fungus are proving to be more real than imaginary contrary to the article. Ophiocordyceps sinensis has been an ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine for over 500 years and the harvesting of this fungi is now a multimillion dollar industry in Tibet.

Sphæria Robertsii.

THE figures represent two specimens, natural size, of this curious entophyte, or parasitic fungus. Sometimes specimens are met with more than twice the size. As will be seen the plant grows from the head, usually, if not always, springing from the eye of the grub or caterpillar of the moth (Hepialus virescens) which becomes its victim. The plant springs, no doubt, as with other of the fungi, from a spore, which, on com-ing in contact with the part of the animal adapted for its development, vegetates and ultimately destroys its life. The grub retains its original form, and seems to be lignified, or turned to wood. The species is found in New Zealand, and it is in reply to the inquiries of a correspondent in that colony that we have had the figures prepared.

A species (Sphæria sinensis) is in great repute in China for its supposed medicinal virtues. It is tied in bundles and sold in the shops. It is probable, however, that its curative properties are more imaginary than real.

A species of Sphæria is also often found in New South Wales, but whether it is identical with the New Zealand species, Robertsii, or distinct from it, we have not learned, We have seen specimens of this species with a plant growing from each eye of the grub. The grub here, which forms the host or victim, resembles that of one of the cicadæ, commonly, with us, called " locusts," but in reality be-longs to a large moth, and probably the parasite is identical with the New Zealand species. All the species are found under ground, and the specimens are frequently met with in the process of trenching for orchard planting, &c. The grub feeds on tree and shrub-roots. We have seen specimens five inches long, with the plant 14 inches.

Sources: 

Sph[?]ria Robertsil. (1879, February 15). Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), p. 19. Retrieved January 20, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70935416

Ophiocordyceps robertsii. Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved Jan 20, 2022, from https://bie.ala.org.au/species/NZOR-6-65044