Tuesday, 7 October 2008: 10:30 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center, 370D

Sherry Fulk-Bringman, Purdue University-Agronomy Dept., Purdue Univ.-Agronomy Dept., 915 W. State, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, Cale Bigelow, Purdue University-Agronomy Dept., Purdue University, 915 West State St., West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054 and George Van Scoyoc, Purdue University-Agronomy Dept., Purdue University, 915 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054

Soil monoliths are valuable resources in helping teach about the physical and chemical properties of soils. Large monoliths (1” X 4” X 46”) can be easily transported to and displayed in the front of a classroom using a portable cart which can double as a monolith stand. Over the years faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students in our department have collected over 350 monoliths of this type from all over the world. In addition, we now collect small soil monoliths (1” X 3” X 7”) to illustrate modifications in surface soils or in artificially constructed soils such as golf greens. These monoliths illustrate different methods of constructing golf greens and in illustrating how golf green characteristics can be modified by cultural practices of aeration and sand top dressing . For presentations where it becomes difficult to transport these monoliths, digital images of one soil monolith or groups of monoliths can be taken and incorporated into PowerPoint presentations. Use of soil monoliths or digital images of monoliths for a variety of educational purposes will be discussed.

See more of: Techniques and Technology in Teaching
See more of: A01 Resident Education

2008 Joint Annual Meeting (5-9 Oct. 2008): Using Monoliths to Enhance the Understanding of Soil Properties.

616-3 Using Monoliths to Enhance the Understanding of Soil Properties.