The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) developed student study guides, corresponding teaching guides, and science kits for a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. This ZIM-SCI study guide presents activities, experiments, and field studies for a two-part unit in which students investigate: (1) the solar system; (2) structure and formation of the earth; (3) igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks; and (4) the nature and formation of soils. Characteristics of the major soil types found in Zimbabwe, trees characteristically associated with these soils, and soil conservation are stressed. Information to help students understand the scientific principles behind the activities, experiments, and field studies is provided. (JN)