Year 3 Science: What soil is made of
Part of the Year 3 Science rocks, fossils and soils chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
What soil is made of
Soil is the layer on the top of the ground, where plants grow. Soil is made from broken-down rock and organic matter. It also has air and water in the gaps between the pieces.
| Part of soil | What it is |
|---|---|
| broken-down rock | pieces of rock, from big grains of sand to tiny clay pieces |
| organic matter | dead plants and animals, and their waste, which break down slowly |
| air | the gaps between the pieces |
| water | water that fills some of the gaps |
Organic matter is the dead plants and animals in soil, and their waste. It breaks down slowly. Many living things also live in soil, such as earthworms, woodlouse and beetles.
Key ideas
- Soil is made from broken-down rock and organic matter.
- Organic matter is dead plants and animals, and their waste, which break down.
- Air and water fill the gaps between the pieces of soil.
- Living things, such as earthworms, live in soil.
Method. Read the table of the parts of soil.
- Read the table. Broken-down rock is made of pieces of rock, from big grains of sand to tiny clay pieces.broken-down rock
- Write the answer. So the part is broken-down rock.broken-down rock
- Write the answer. broken-down rock
Check. Soil is made from rocks and organic matter. ✓
Method. Read the table of the parts of soil.
- Read the table. The dead plants and animals, and their waste, are called organic matter.organic matter
- Write the answer. So the name is organic matter.organic matter
- Write the answer. organic matter
Check. Organic matter breaks down slowly. ✓
Method. Think about the animals that live in the ground.
- Think about soil. Many living things live in soil.living things
- Name one. An earthworm is a living thing that lives in soil.earthworm
- Write the answer. Accept any one of: earthworm, woodlouse, beetle.
Check. Living things help to break down organic matter. ✓
Watch out. A living thing is not the same as organic matter. The living thing is alive; organic matter is dead.
Watch out
Watch out: soil is not only sand or mud. It also has organic matter, air and water in it.
Try it at home or school (with a grown-up). With a grown-up, scoop a spoonful of soil from a garden or a plant pot. Wash your hands afterwards. Use a magnifying glass to look for pieces of rock, bits of leaf and tiny gaps. Do not touch wild animals, and never put soil in your mouth.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “What can you see in the soil? Is any of it from a plant or an animal?” Let your child use the words broken-down rock and organic matter.
Exercise 7C What soil is made of
Method. Read the table of the parts of soil.
- Read the table. The dead plants and animals, and their waste, are organic matter.organic matter
- Write the answer. organic matter
Check. Organic matter breaks down slowly. ✓
Method. Read the table of the parts of soil.
- Read the table. Broken-down rock is made of small pieces of rock.broken-down rock
- Write the answer. broken-down rock
Check. Soil is made from rocks. ✓
Method. Think about the animals that live in the ground.
- Think about soil. Earthworms, woodlouse and beetles all live in soil.earthworm
- Write the answer. Accept any one of: earthworm, woodlouse, beetle.
Check. Many living things live in soil. ✓
Method. Read the table of the parts of soil.
- Read the table. The air and the water are in the gaps between the pieces.air and water
- Write the answer. air and water
Check. The gaps are where the air and water are. ✓
Method. Read the parts of soil again.
- Read the table. Soil is made from broken-down rock and organic matter, and it also has air and water.not only sand
- Write the answer. false
Check. Sand is only one kind of broken-down rock. ✓
Method. Think about the animals that live in the ground.
- Think about soil. Earthworms, woodlouse and beetles live in soil.living things
- Write the answer. true
Check. Soil is a home for many living things. ✓
Method. Read the sentence about soil.
- Read the sentence. Soil is made from broken-down rock.rock
- Write the answer. rock
Check. Rock is one of the two main materials in soil. ✓
Method. Read the sentence about soil.
- Read the sentence. Soil also contains organic matter.matter
- Write the answer. matter
Check. Organic matter is dead plants and animals. ✓
Method. Look at the legend next to the picture.
- Read the legend. The legend says white circles are air.white circles
- Write the answer. white circles
Check. Blue circles are water. ✓
Method. Think about the animals that live in the ground.
- Think about soil. Earthworms, woodlouse and beetles live in soil.earthworm
- Decide. So soil does have living things in it, and Sam is not right.no
- Write the answer. No. Accept any reason that names a living thing in soil, such as an earthworm.
Check. Soil is a home for many living things. ✓
Method. Look at the legend next to the picture.
- Read the legend. The legend says blue circles are water.blue circles
- Write the answer. blue circles
Check. White circles are air. ✓
Method. Think about organic matter.
- Think about the leaf. A dead leaf is organic matter, and it breaks down.breaks down
- Make the prediction. So the leaf will break down into smaller pieces over time.smaller pieces
- Write the answer. Accept any prediction that says the leaf will break down into smaller pieces over time.
Check. A test would be to check the leaf again after several weeks. ✓
Method. Think about the roots and what the soil gives.
- Think about the roots. Roots hold the plant in the soil.roots
- Think about what the soil gives. Soil gives water and nutrients to the plant.water and nutrients
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says roots hold the plant in the soil, and the soil gives water and nutrients.
Check. Soil helps the plant to stay upright and to grow. ✓