Students will investigate the formation of soil and explore characteristics of soil. Students are expected to explore the characteristics of natural resources that make them useful in products and materials, such as clothing and furniture, and how resources may be conserved.

In first grade, students observed and described properties of soil, including size, texture, and color.

In second grade, students distinguished between natural and manmade resources.

In third grade, students make informed choices regarding natural resources and their usefulness in everyday life and in making products. This is the first time students will learn the processes of weathering and decomposition and relate these processes to the formation of soil.