What is in Soil?
November 2, 2022 | Cindy Kuperus
Second and third grade scientists are at work. They are observing, measuring, and recording their findings!
They started by comparing two soil samples. Using magnifying lenses, students looked closely at the samples, to see how they were the same and different. They recorded words for the samples in their soil lab books.
Next, students measured ten teaspoons of soil into a tube, added some water, and shook the tube 10 times. The tubes were allowed to “settle” for a few days.
On Tuesday, students noticed several layers in the tubes. They observed the coarse pebbles and soil that sank to the bottom, the silt that layered on top of that, and the fine clay particles that were nearest the top. At the very top, some organic matter was floating!
If you have access to a few different areas to collect soil samples from (a backyard, a wooded area), you might want to compare samples of each. Dig down about 6 inches and collect about 10 teaspoons of each in a class jar (with a good lid, of course!). Add about the same amount of water and then shake! Allow to settle overnight. How many layers do you find?
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