Soil Properties

NC Standard:  2.01

Activity:  Properties of Soil

Question: What are the properties of soil?

Vocabulary: clay, humus, sand, soil

Materials: zip lock baggies, soil samples, lab sheet

Background: Soil is the foundation for life. It is a mixture of mineral ingredients (rock, clay, silt, and sand), organic ingredients (living organisms, decomposing organic matter), moisture, and air spaces. Soils are often classified by texture, which is determined by the amount of clay, silt, and sand they contain. Loam is the term for an equal mix of all three.

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. Working in pairs or groups, the students should answer the questions on the lab sheet. Allow students to discuss their results with the class and chart their discoveries.

Conclusion: All soils are not the same.
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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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