Testing Soil Moisture
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Provided by: Green Schoolyards America|Published on: July 23, 2026
Activity - OutdoorsScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this activity, student teams use a moisture meter to test the soil around trees and other plants and decide which plants need watering and which are growing in soil that is already moist.
- Students gain practice reading a scientific instrument and handling tools safely, record their readings on a worksheet, and discuss balancing plant needs with water conservation.
Subjects: Science
Authors: Green Schoolyards America
Region: Global
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Materials:
- To engage in this activity, student groups (2-3 students) will need:
- Moisture meters (with a 1-10 scale)
- Watering cans
Literacy Connections:
- Introduce key vocabulary terms (as appropriate by grade) such as drought, transpiration, evaporation, soil moisture, water conservation, drought-tolerant, precipitation, photosynthesis, and climate resilience.
Climate Change Connections:
- Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of drought in many regions, making decisions about when and how much to water trees a more urgent and recurring challenge for communities.
- Precipitation patterns are shifting under climate change, with rain arriving in more intense, less frequent bursts rather than steady, predictable amounts, which affects how deeply and evenly soil retains moisture between storms.
- Teaching students to check actual soil moisture before watering (instead of over-watering by default) models the kind of resource-efficient behavior that climate adaptation requires.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
Green Schoolyards America
Green Schoolyards America partners with school districts and public agencies across the U.S. to establish large-scale living schoolyard programs that transform school grounds into ecologically-rich, park-like green spaces. Our goal is to improve children’s health, learning, and happiness while contributing to communities’ ecological and climate resilience.
We are working to change the paradigm for school ground design, use, and management so all children will have access to the natural world in the places they already visit on a daily basis. We center equity in our work and collaborate with communities that have the greatest need for educational, environmental, health, and open space improvements.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
