V. SOIL EVALUATION CONTESTS AND RESOURCES

Critique      Next Section>>

One of the most important phases of soil evaluation is the critique session. It is held after the contestants have completed evaluation of all four sites and while their score cards are being graded. The judges give the official results and explain their decisions. They may also explain about how the soil developed and how it relates to the surrounding soils (Figs. 49 and 50).

After the critique session, some judges take their students back to the soil pits to review the soil properties with them (Fig. 51). Coaches also review the practices students selected to learn if they remembered the rules (Fig. 52). These reviews help reinforce what contestants have done correctly and to learn from their mistakes.

Fig 50. Official judge Gary Steinhardt demonstrates soil texture in a soil pit during a critique session (Photo by Cathy Myers).

Fig 51. Coach Duane Huge, Cloverdale High School, reviews soil properties in a soil pit with students after the contest.

Fig 52. Coach Robert Bowker, Huntington North High School, reviews answers about soil practices with contestants after the critique session.