RIC-3531 Primary Science - Book D (Digital)

Changes in the Local Environment – Activity 4
Changes to the Local Environment
1.
2.
Farming
At the beginning of the twentieth century, farming changed. the machines from having to slow down, trees and native plants
Ploughs that were once pulled by horses were attached to tractors. were removed from the land. This left the soil with very little to
Harvesting machines were used
hold it together and the wind blew a lot of
to collect crops much faster than
it away. In winter, the rain washed the soil
ever before. This modernisation of
from the land. This loss of topsoil left the land
farming meant that things were
in poor condition and sometimes useless for
done very quickly and, as a result,
growing crops. In many countries today, over
the amount of land used for crops
half of the topsoil has been lost due to poor
and grazing increased. To prevent
farming methods.
a
b
Why has the land used by farmers changed during the last century? (In your own words.)
How could farmers improve the condition of the soil? Write two suggestions.
•
•
Soil Profile
a
Take a walk around the school grounds. Find an area where the soil looks like it is in poor condition.
Complete the soil profile.
What:
Where:
The Problem
The Cause
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The Solution
b Design a poster…
that tells the school about the area in trouble.
Add suggestions to help conserve it. For example:
• walk around the area
• turn off the taps
• play on the grass not by the tree
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