Year 4 - Investigating soil

Before the Beast from the East 2 came, Year 4 were able to conduct a science experiment with soil from their surroundings. This term we have been discovering the different types of rocks and how they become broken down to become soil, all part of the rock cycle.

In our last lesson we used our observational skills to investigate what is in soil. To do so required sifting through the soil with our fingers. In addition to finding grains of rock we found dead animal and plant matter and even some living mini organisms such as worms. Next, we mixed water with our soil to assess its texture. This produced seriously dirty hands (and in some cases dirty tables in the house!) Finally we filled a jam jar with some soil and water. After shaking vigorously we looked at the different layers which formed and could see that not all soil particles are the same size. We had a fun and messy time.

We wondered how much soil on the earth we use for growing crops. By continually cutting an apple into pieces we had a very small piece left. It turned out that was the equivalent of the earth’s surface which we can use- a very small fraction, which you can see in the picture.