What is soil, really? The stuff beneath our feet, often overlooked, is a bustling universe teeming with life—arthropods, fungi, bacteria, and other microscopic organisms. Did you know that one tablespoon of soil contains more living organisms than there are humans on Earth? This vibrant ecosystem breaks down organic material, purifies water, supports plant life, and even stores carbon, helping to mitigate climate change.
The short film A Secret Universe: A Little Film About Soil (Ett hemligt universum) above, produced by the Swedish Society for Conservation of Nature (Naturskyddsföreningen), unearths these secrets. It explores the intricate relationships between soil organisms and plants, the role of soil in carbon sequestration and the devastating impacts of industrial agriculture practices such as monocultures and pesticide use. The film highlights how soil degradation threatens biodiversity, food security, and the planet’s ability to store water and nutrients.
With the addition of English subtitles, produced with the support of the EU-funded LOESS project, this film is now accessible to a global audience and launches on World Soil Day (WSD) on the 5th of December to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.
Accompanying the film is a teachers’ guide tailored for pupils in years 7-9 of secondary school. This guide (In Swedish) includes a lesson plan equipped with discussion questions and quiz designed to deepen students’ understanding of soil-related vocabulary and concepts. Additionally, it highlights the critical role of soil in food production and its contribution to various ecosystem services. Through interactive learning activities, teachers can engage pupils in meaningful discussions about soil conservation and sustainable land management practices.
Discussion questions
- What characterizes healthy and alive soil?
- What is meant by soil degradation?
- Earthworms are often called the farmer’s best friend, why?
- Mykorriza is described as ”a magical collaboration” – who is collaborating and why?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using artificial fertilizers (NPK)?
- Why are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) added?
- Do you think it matters if food has been grown in loamy soil full of life or in soil without microorganisms?
- What climate impact do humus-rich soils have in comparison to sterile soils?
- What solutions are there to bring new life to a dead (sterile) cropland?
The film is also included as a case study in the LOESS database of soil education resources. The LOESS project partners compiled the database with over 60 case studies featuring a diverse range of soil education resources, practices and initiatives from 15 European countries. The case studies offer practical examples for educators, covering five educational levels: primary, secondary, higher education, and vocational training, as well as activities for the general public. Learning activities include citizen science, competitions, films, experiments, games, publications, school garden activities, field trips, and campaigns.
