Soil SOL 3.7

Soil provides nutrients for plants: made of rock, humus, clay, silt, and sand Weathering break down of rocks: creates soil Topsoil upper soil- natural product of subsoil and bedrock and it is the best for plants Subsoil made up mostly of clay and under the topsoil BedrockBottom layer of soil and the worst for plants to grow Humus decayed matter found in top soil and does not hold water well Sand Grains of worn down rock, larger than silt- has few nutrients and does not hold water well Silt Very small broken pieces of rock, smaller than sand and larger than clay Clay Contains nutrients and holds water well- can be red or yellow ConserveTo save Draw a picture for each word and definition.

SOIL What is soil? Why is soil important?

Soil! A natural resource found in our own backyard!! Soil is the loose material in which plants can grow in the upper layer of Earth. It is made up of rock, humus, air, and water. Soil is made up of 5 important components and has 3 layers!

Components of Soil What are the parts of? Humus Sand Silt Clay Rock

Soil is made up of small pieces of rock or pebbles.

Humus This is decayed (rotten, rotting) plant and animal matter in the soil. It provides the most nutrients to the soil. **Do you remember where it can be found? ***How do you think humus is formed? Click on the mushroom to see the answer. Back

Sand Sand is made up of small grains of weathered rock.  DOES NOT hold water well!  Few nutrients

Silt Made up of very small pieces of broken rock. Sand > Silt > Clay

Clay Can be red or yellow! Holds water well! Contains nutrients! Back

1. In which soil type did the plant grow the slowest? 2. In which soil type was there the greatest amount of growth? 3. What is the worst soil to grow plants in according to the chart?

Layers of Soil! Read these with me! Hummus Topsoil Subsoil Bedrock

Humus Organic layer that contains dead plants and animal matter

Topsoil This is the top layer. It is where animals live and plants grow. It is a mixture of humus and rock fragments. It is the best layer for growing plants! Back

Subsoil Made up mostly of clay Under the topsoil Not as good for growing plants

Bedrock This is the bottom layer of soil. It is under the subsoil. It is made up of weathered rock and solid rock. The worst part of soil for plant growth.

Label the parts! Subsoil Topsoil Bedrock Hummus

Nutrients These are the materials that plants and animals need to grow. Do you remember where they can be found in soil? What layer? Which components?

How is soil made? Soil is created through a process known as weathering. Weathering is when water and living things break down rocks to create soil. This means that animals and water break down the rocks so much they become dirt.

Soil is a Natural Resource Made by NATURE Cannot be replaced Must be conserved (saved)!

Weathering (breaks down) When rocks and other materials on the Earth’s surface are broken down into smaller pieces by weather, water, and living things. Beach in Corolla, N.C

Weathering of the rocks and stumps in Corolla, N.C.

Beach in Corolla, N.C.

Weathering or Erosion?

Soil forming with animal help

Conservation Soil takes hundreds of years to form. It should be conserved- protected Plant life protects the topsoil. How do you think plant life protects topsoil?

Erosion Erosion is a force that gradually wears away the soil and nutrients.

Erosion (moves it) This is a force that gradually wears away soil and its nutrients. Can be caused by natural elements such as wind, water, and ice. This is because of the flow due to gravity. *Check out this experiment on erosion. Beach in Corolla, N.C

How can soil be conserved? Proper use of farming Proper use of mining Proper use of cutting down of trees to avoid erosion

Resources Soil Presentation for-kids/soil-facts-for-kids-intro.htm for-kids/soil-facts-for-kids-intro.htm Quia Games

Video Bill Nye 30UpY 30UpY Magic School Bus 5qM 5qM