Earth Science · Earth Materials
Soil Properties: Which Material Holds Water Best?
Compare prepared sand, silt-rich soil, and clay-rich soil with equal water tests to describe how different earth materials let water pass through or remain in the sample.
Lesson plan
Soil Properties: Which Material Holds Water Best?
A step-by-step guide to help you teach this lesson.
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Lesson overview
What students will learn
- I can describe visible differences among prepared soil materials.
- I can run an equal-water comparison and measure the water that drains through.
Key science ideas
- Sand feels gritty because its particles are relatively large.
- Silt is finer than sand, while clay has very tiny particles.
- Water can move through the spaces between particles.
Lesson at a glance
- Grade 2
- 45 min
- ~15 min prep
- 2-PS1-1
- 7 materials
What’s included
- Lesson Plan
- Investigation
- Teacher Slides
- Printable Worksheet
- Teacher Answer Key
- Interactive Activity
- Vocabulary