1. Soil
SOL 3.7

2. Draw a picture for each word and definition.
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
Bedrock
Bottom 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
Conserve
To save

3. SOIL What is soil? Why is soil important?

4. 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!

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

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

7. 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

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

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

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

11. 1. In which soil type did the plant grow the slowest. 2
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?

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

13. Humus
Organic layer that contains dead plants and animal matter

14. 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

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

16. 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.

17. Label the parts!
Subsoil
Hummus
Topsoil
Bedrock

18. 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?

19. 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.

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

21. Weathering vs. Erosion of Weathering
Weathering: breakdown of rocks
Erosion: to move/transport
DO NOW: Match the terms with the definitions

22. 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

23. Weathering… rock is broken into pieces

24. Wind Weathering of Rock

25. Weathering with Ice

26. Water Weathering

27. Roots

28. What caused this weathering?

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

31. Erosion
Erosion is when soil is moved from one place to another.

32. Erosion (moves it)
Beach in Corolla, N.C

33. Water Erosion

35. Wind Erosion

37. 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?

38. Soil forming with animal help

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

40. Resources
Soil Presentation
Quia Games