Soil Properties

NC Standard:  2.01, 2.02

Activity:  Holding water

Question: What is the capacity of different soils to hold water?

Vocabulary: clay, humus, sand, soil, water

Materials: scissors, clear plastic cups, paper towels, pie pans, soil samples from different areas.

Background: An important component of soil is the spaces between soil particles. These spaces are critical to plant growth, since that is where roots grow and moisture and air are trapped. Moisture facilitates the transfer of nutrients to the roots.

Procedure: 

Students need to collect 2 cups of soil. The soil should be from different locations - low or wet spots, baseball fields, gardens, lawns, under trees, or forested areas. This can be done on the school grounds or by having students bring a soil sample from a site around their home. Large zip lock baggies work well for collecting soil samples.

• 1. Have students put 6 holes around the bottom of a clear plastic cup.

• 2. Fill the cup with soil.

• 3. Place the cup of soil on paper towels inside a pie pan.

• 4. Pour 20 ml of waterinto your cups and record any leaking water onto the paper towel.

• 5. Wait 30 seconds and add another 20 ml and record your results.

• 6. Repeat step # 5 until you observe water coming out of the holes in the bottom of the cup.

• 7. Chart your findings and share with the class.

• 8. Do all of the samples hold the same amount of water?
  

Conclusion: All soils are not the same. How much water the soil will hold depends on the composition of the soil.
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Line of Learning:  This line is drawn to provide students with a space to share their experimental learning in words or pictures.
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