1.10 Soil

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a property used to describe soil?

• Particle size

• Shape

• Color

• Smell

Open Ended

Why is it important to study the properties of different types of soil such as topsoil, clay, and sand?

Open Ended

What do you know about the properties of materials?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is made up of small pieces of rock and once-living things?

• Sand

• Soil

• Clay

• Silt

Open Ended

Compare the textures of sand, silt, and clay. How are they different?

Multiple Choice

Which materials have bits of rock that are hard or impossible to see without a microscope?

• Sand and silt

• Silt and clay

• Clay and soil

• Soil and sand

Open Ended

What are properties of different soil materials?

Open Ended

Can you explain the differences you observe between the two types of soil shown in the image?

Multiple Select

Which of the following materials can be found in soil?

• Small pieces of rock

• Once-living things

• Plastic

• Water

Multiple Choice

Why is it important to wear gloves and goggles when exploring soil materials?

• To protect your hands and eyes

• To make the soil look cleaner

• To help plants grow

• To make the experiment faster

Open Ended

Describe the steps you would take to investigate the properties of soil materials in a classroom experiment.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a property you can observe in soil?

• Color

• Sound

• Taste

• Smell

Open Ended

Which soil bits are the smallest and which are the biggest?

Open Ended

Make a claim about the properties of materials that make up soil. What is your evidence? Talk with a partner about your reasoning.

Open Ended

Explain how you investigated properties of soil materials.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following are components that can be found in soil?

• Sand, silt, clay, and once-living things

• Plastic and metal

• Only water and air

• Only rocks

Multiple Choice

What are two important safety rules to follow when investigating soil materials?

• Wear gloves and goggles; Do not put any materials in your mouth

• Wear sandals; Eat the soil

• Do not use any tools; Work alone

• Wear a hat; Smell the soil

Multiple Choice

After separating the soil into parts, what should you do next according to the instructions?

• Draw what you observe

• Throw away the soil

• Mix the soil again

• Add water to the soil

Multiple Choice

Which step involves using tools to separate soil into parts?

• Step 1

• Step 2

• Step 3

• Step 4

Open Ended

Describe how you would compare the amounts of different parts that make up each soil sample.

Open Ended

Make a claim about what is in different soils. What is your evidence?

Multiple Choice

Which type of soil would be best for a plant that needs water to drain quickly?

• Sandy soil

• Clay soil

• Loamy soil

• Peaty soil

Open Ended

How can understanding the properties of soil help us in our daily lives or in caring for the environment?

Multiple Choice

What are some properties you can use to compare different types of soil?

• Particle size, shape, texture, and color

• Temperature and humidity

• Amount of sunlight

• Type of plants growing