We've Got the Dirt!
Second Grade, Third Grade Science,
by Laura Higgins September 24, 2015
Help your students learn about earth with this lesson that teaches them about the most basic component-dirt!
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to identify and describe the different types of soil.
Materials and preparation
Types of Soil worksheet
Hand lenses
Paper plates
Tooth picks
Samples of sand, clay, and silt in paper cups,
numbered 1, 2, and 3
Dropper and cup with a small amount of water
Attachments
Types of Soil (PDF)
Introduction (10 minutes)
Explain to students that today they will be learning about the different types of soil.
Give each student a copy of the first page of the Types of Soil worksheet.
Read aloud, or have volunteers read aloud, the worksheet, pausing after each type to discuss.
On the board or a piece of chart paper, make a graph with 3 rows labeled 1, 2, and 3 and 3 columns
labeled "Particle Size?", "Feels?", and "Dries?"
Divide students into pairs or small groups.
Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling (10 minutes)
Explain that the groups will be observing the 3 soil samples for particle size, texture, and how it holds
water.
Demonstrate using the hand lens, model observing particle size of a given sample.
Explain the difference between clumps and particles, and model breaking a clump down into particles.
Demonstrate rubbing a small amount of soil between your thumb and forefinger and describe what the
students might feel using vocabulary from the worksheet.
Demonstrate dropping one small drop of water into the soil sample and observe with the hand lens.
Describe the changes to the soil and how quickly the water absorbs, runs off, or dries.
Guided Practice (20 minutes)
Give each group a paper plate and have one of the students divide it into thirds and number each
section.
Give each group a dropper, water and a hand lens.
Give each group a cup with the first kind of soil, sand, in it. Do not tell them what type of soil is in the
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cup.
Have each student examine the sample with the hand lens, breaking up clumps with the tooth pick.
Discuss the students' observations and record them on the chart.
Have the students rub the soil between their fingers and record their observations on the chart.
Have the students drop one drop of water onto the sample and observe it with the hand lens.
Record their observations on the chart.
Repeat this procedure with the other 2 samples.
Independent working time (10 minutes)
Have the students put their materials away or to the side.
Ask each group to participate in a conversation to discuss the observations recorded on the chart and to
compare them to the information in the worksheet.
Have the groups decide which type of soil is in each numbered cup.
During their conversation, encourage students to build on each other's comments or link their comments.
Provide some of the following sentence frames:
"I agree with ____ because..."
"I disagree with ____ because..."
"What you said made me think about...."
Model using the sentence frames in each group during their conversations as you circulate the room.
Allow each group member to share their ideas.
Ask a spokesperson or volunteer from each group to tell the class the name of each sample and to
explain how the group came to that conclusion.
Differentiation
Enrichment: Rather than a teacher created chart, let advanced learners create their own record keeping
document. Have them repeat this activity with soil samples collected at home or at school.
Support: Place struggling students in a group with an adult or strong peer leader. Divide the sample
observations into 3 separate, shorter activities.
Assessment (5 minutes)
Complete the second page of the Types of Soil worksheet.
Review and closing (5 minutes)
Have students tell each other in their groups the descriptions of the types of soil.
Encourage students to build onto each other's comments as each student shares aloud to the whole
class.
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Types of Soil
Soil differs greatly from place to place, but all soil is made up of different amounts
of three types of particles: sand, silt and clay.
What are the types of soil particles?
Sand is the largest particle found in soil. When you rub it, it
feels rough and gritty. Sand does not have many nutrients,
but it dries quickly after rainfall, and it is good for drainage,
which means it lets water flow through it easily.
Silt is the medium-sized particle found in soil. Silt feels
smooth and powdery when dry, and it feels slippery when
wet. Silt can be packed down into a crust that makes it
harder for water and air to pass through it.
Clay is the smallest particle found in soil. Clay feels smooth
and hard as stone when dry, and it feels sticky when wet.
While clay can hold many nutrients, it does not allow much
air or water to pass through. Too much clay can make the soil
heavy and not good for growing plants.
Loam is a mix of sand, silt and clay. It is the best type of soil for growing plants.
Loam breaks up easily and holds moisture and nutrients, while still allowing some
water and air to pass through.
Copyright © 2012-2013
2010-2011 by [Link] More worksheets at [Link]/worksheets
Types of Soil
Response Questions
Which soil type can become hard as stone when dry? _________________
Which soil type dries out quickly after a rainfall? _____________________
Which soil type would be best for building a structure? ________________
Which soil type would a gardener need to break up every now and then to allow
more drainage? _______________
Which soil type would a cactus do well in? _______________
TRY THIS!
Dig down at least six inches and grab a handful of soil. Soak it with water and roll it
into a ball in your hand.
Sand
If you cannot make a ball out of it, it is mostly sand. Silt
If it forms a loose ball but crumbles when squeezed it is mostly silt.
Clay
If it forms a packed ball and can be reshaped into a snake, it is mostly clay.
Copyright © 2012-2013
2010-2011 by [Link] More worksheets at [Link]/worksheets
Types of Soil
Response Questions
Clay
Which soil type can become hard as stone when dry? _________________
Sand
Which soil type dries out quickly after a rainfall? _____________________
Clay
Which soil type would be best for building a structure? ________________
Which soil type would a gardener need to break up every now and then to allow
Silt
more drainage? _______________
Sand
Which soil type would a cactus do well in? _______________
TRY THIS!
Dig down at least six inches and grab a handful of soil. Soak it with water and roll it
into a ball in your hand.
Sand
If you cannot make a ball out of it, it is mostly sand. Silt
If it forms a loose ball but crumbles when squeezed it is mostly silt.
Clay
If it forms a packed ball and can be reshaped into a snake, it is mostly clay.
Copyright © 2012-2013
2010-2011 by [Link] More worksheets at [Link]/worksheets