Digging Dinosaurs Toolbox

Why is forest soil different from desert soil? What organisms are able to survive in the harsh alpine ecosystem? Learn about the processes that contribute to soil formation in Utah's amazing landscape. Form to Request Toolbox at bottom!

What's in the Box of Soils?

Tools:

  • Sieve

  • Soil Thermometers

  • Trowel

  • Microscope Slides (8) 

  • Soil Sampler (includes boring rod)

  • Magnifying lenses

  • Clear rulers 

Specimens:

  • Mole skull

  • Juncus

  • Willow

  • Morning Glory

  • Crab Grass ( has Dandelion instead)

  • Austrian Pine

  • Oregon Grape

  • Cactus

  • Mormon Tea

  • Sage

  • Rabbitbrush

  • Aster 

Insects in Vials:

  • Pill Bug (Crustacea: Isopodalem)

  • Earwig (Dermaptera)

  • Water Strider (Hempitera: Gerridae)

  • Ants (Hymenoptera)

  • Centipede (Chilopoda)

  • Velvet Ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) 

  1. Sand

  2. Silt

  3. Clay

  4. Topsoil

  5. Subsoil (see parent rocks)

  6. Mivida (Utah’s State Soil)

  7. 2 Parent rocks

  8. Sediment Column 

  9. Printed materials:

    • A Handful of Dirt by Raymond Bial

    • Dirt by Steve Tomecek

    • Dig In! Hands-On Soil Investigations, NSTA press

    • Backyard Detective Critters up Close by Nic Bishop

    • Life In A Bucket of Soil by Silverstein

    • Soil Science Simplified by H. Kohnke 

    • Soil: Digging Into Earth’s Vital Resource by Stille

    • There’s A Hair In My Dirt! By Gary Larson

    • Working Worms at Work by Wendy Pfeffer

    • Globe Soil Color Chart