Best Teaching Practices

Find below the best examples of youth soil health education practices in Europe, that are increasing the understanding of soils by the future generations and the public at large. The stories, selected in an open call, involved both Primary and Secondary Schools, as well other organisations, municipalities and any other actors that have been organising activities with education institutes. PREPSOIL is collecting good teaching practices that inspire younger generations on how to take good care of our land. The best teaching practices are awarded by PREPSOIL on World Soil Day (5th December).

PREPSOIL will be opening more Open Calls to select Best Teaching Practices in Soil Education.

The PREPSOIL 2nd Open Call for Best Teaching Practices closed on 31st January 2024.
Subscribe to the PREPSOIL newsletter to be notified when we will announce the winners.

Winner
worldsoilday

World Soil Day

Age of pupils: 14-16 years The priority of this project was to raise awareness and actively involve students in topics
School: IIS Russell Moro Guarini Torino sede Guarini, Teacher: Martino Noce
Winner
economy

Economy is a wheel

Age of pupils: 11-13 years The school garden, Apitour, engaged the whole school community in the project Economy is a
School: I.C. Fratelli Mercogliano-Guadigni, Teacher: Adele Martiniello
Winner
soildeducate

The soil to educate

Age of pupils: 6-10 years The purpose of the activities in this project was to approach soil in early ages and create
School: Istituto Pluricomprensivo Brunico, Teacher: Erika Guerrini
Winner
wellies

Love Your Wellies

Age of pupils: 6-18 years In this initiative, art was used to raise awareness about the value of peat landscape
School: FarmPeat project, Teacher: Katie Smirnova
Winner
The vital soil 2

The vital soil

Age of pupils: 14-16 years At Naturskolan (The Nature School) in Lund, we have teached about soil using outdoor pedagogy
School: Naturskolan, Teacher: Carolina Lindeblad
Winner
The “feel”station: the compartements are not visible. Kids feel the components of soil. At the end, we take look in the box and see what we have felt beforehand

Raising Soil Awareness among Austrian Pupils and Students

Age of pupils: 9-13 years In order to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of soil, ASSS, the Austrian
School: Environment Agency Austria and more (see text), Teacher: Barbara Birli
Winner
2
Foligno (Perugia), Italy

Carbon Cycle, Soil and Biodiversity within Italian students

Age of pupils: 15-16 years The aim of the project was to explore soil-related topics, a subject that is scarcely or not
School: Liceo Scientifico e Artistico G Marconi, Teacher: Stefania Minelli
1

I CARE SOIL

Age of pupils: 8-16 years This project focused on the lack of awareness about the importance which contributes to soil
School: Gruppo Scout sassari, Teacher: Matteo Garau
soil

Soil is life

Age of pupils: 15-18 years In this project, fifteen to eighteen years old were engaged in experimental scientific
School: Liceo Scientifico e Artistico "G. Marconi" di Foligno, Teacher: Alessandra Mancini
friend

Our friendly soil

Age of pupils: primary school This project aimed to create awareness of soil’s importance for the survival of living
School: Arca srl benefit, Teacher: Francesca Carbonari
young

Young Farmers Grow: a field trial project of regenerative agriculture

Age of pupils: 11-15 years old An orientation toward sustainability and regenerative agriculture was the driver behind
School: Scuola secondaria “Don Gaetano Portioli”, Teacher: Simona Pilotti
spain

Castillo de Luna Vocational Training School

Age of pupils: secondary school In the Intermediate Level of Agro-Ecological Production, the school emphasised the
School: Castillo de Luna Vocational Training School, Teacher: José Nieto Palomo
spain

Andalhuerto Ecological Project

Age of pupils: 3-16 This project directly involved schools and pupils in the age of three to sixteen years old in the
School: Agencia de Gestión Agraria y Pesquera de Andalucía , Teacher: Irene de Hond
poland

The School Soil Laboratory

Age of pupils: + 15 years The School Soil Laboratory allowed young people to learn about the methods of laboratory work
School: ZESPÓŁ SZKÓŁ OGÓLNOKSZTAŁCĄCYCH I ZAWODOWYCH W ZAGÓROWIE, Teacher: Iwona Wilczyńska-Kałużna
An overview of the demonstration material for small-scale irrigation experiment (the comments to the numbered pictures, see above).

Soil degradation – soil surface erosion by water

Age of pupils: 13-15 years It is a small-scale irrigation experiment that simulates an intense rainfall event and
School: Centre for Agricultural Research, Institute for Soil Sciences (CAR ISS), Teacher: Zsófia Bakacsi
An overview of the demonstration material for soil macro organism’s variety.

Soil zoology - unrealistic soil living macro organisms

Age of pupils: 13-15 years This is an image-selection exercise in which students are presented with large photos or
School: Centre for Agricultural Research, Institute for Soil Sciences (CAR ISS), Teacher: Norbert FLÓRIÁN
1

Urban Vegetable Gardens

Age of pupils: 1-11 years The Urban Vegetable Gardens are a collective project of an entire neighborhood in the city of
School: JOINT INITIATIVE Platform Urban Vegetable Gardens & Manuel Pacheco Public School, Teacher: Fernando Gonsalbes (Huertos Urbanos) and Rocío Macarro (Manuel Pacheco PS)
1

Open Schools for Open Societies

Age of pupils: 11-14 The aim of the project is to raise awareness of environmental issues, organic farming and the
School: IC "Comuni della Sculdascia". Scuola secondaria di MERLARA, Teacher: Mariapia Borghesan
Some example of student’s poster 1

Soil Consumption

Age of pupils: 15-16 years This activity, as part of a larger active citizenship project aimed to help students develop
School: Polo Liceale Statale "Mattioli", Teacher: Giuseppina Addeo
1

Learning in the open air

Age of pupils: secondary school Not so long ago, the city centre of Badajoz was surrounded by vegetable gardens. Small
School: CEIP LOS GLACIS (Los Gladis Nursery and Primary School), Teacher: Juan Luis Martínez Larios
1

Earth, Earth, Earth

Age of pupils: 6-13 years The soil is studied through the vegetable garden, cultivating part of the garden. Attention is
School: Istituto Comprensivo Empoli Est, Teacher: Rossella Dei