Beneath the Berries

Using clues from the lesson, students identify which soil core, from a set of models, represents a core from a cranberry marsh.

Lesson Overview

How does the soil in a present day cranberry marsh act like a code to tell us about the past?

In the lesson, students create a soil profile similar to the horizons that would be uncovered on a cranberry marsh. Students should determine that geologic layering indicates the nature of recent soils or deposits near the surface and older deposits deeper in the strata reflect the geologic history of the property. Core samples obtained from a local grower would validate the model, however are not necessary to complete exercise.