Lesson Plan 4:
Edible Soil

Lesson Activities

This lesson is written as a whole class activity; however, students could be divided into groups and given smaller portions of the ingredients so they can have more of a personal hands-on role in the activity. In the group scenario, many smaller-sized pots would be needed instead of one large pot.

1) Line an 8-inch clay or plastic flowerpot with tin foil or waxed paper.

2) Crush 1 large package of Oreo cookies (the cookie portion only) and set aside.

3) Put aside for later a half-pound package of gummy worms, 1 package miniature chocolate chips, and some green-colored coconut.

4) Cream together 4 tbs. of butter or margarine, one 8-oz. package of cream cheese, and 1 cup of powered sugar. (If students are working in groups, the teacher may want to do all the creaming with the mixer for safety reasons).

5) Mix together 3 1/2 cups of milk, two 3-oz. packages of vanilla instant pudding, and a 12-oz. container of whipped topping. (If students are working in groups, the teacher may want to do all the mixing with the mixer for safety reasons).

6) Stir together the creamed mixture and the pudding mixture.

7) Place the whipped topping container lid in the bottom of the flowerpot.

8) Bottom Layer (Parent Material) Begin with a layer of crushed cookies (about 1/3 of crushed cookies). Then mix chocolate chips with half of the creamed pudding mixture and smooth it over the cookies. Tell the students what each layer is as it is placed into the pot.

9) Second Layer (Subsoil) Add more crushed cookies (another 1/3), then a creamed pudding layer and the gummy worms. (Save one worm for the top layer!)

10) Top Layer (Topsoil) Finish with a layer of crushed cookies (the remaining). Sprinkle with green coconut for 'grass' and poke a gummy worm through the top to peek out of your 'soil.'

11) Refrigerate overnight.

12) Dish it up using a small (clean!) spade. An extra touch could be adding rock candy as a 'garnish.'