Soil is NOT just dirt! Soils serve many important roles in our lives including growing the foods we eat and providing support under the buildings we live in. However, soils can be difficult to understand because they are complex and heterogeneous mixtures of many different components. Soils are heterogeneous at all scales, from across latitudes down to sub-micron (smaller than a bacterium) lengths. Throughout this course, students will learn about the basic components of soils and how the complicated interactions of these components influence soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Students will also complete hands-on activities to understand soil properties in action. Upon completion of this course, students should understand how soils are able to carry out numerous ecosystem services from food production to fighting climate change.