Soil Texture:
Sand, Silt, & Clay

Overview

Grade: 6th

Topic: EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE (ESS) Rocks, Minerals and Soil

Standard: 6.ESS.4: Soil is unconsolidated material that contains nutrient matter and weathered rock.

6.ESS.5: Rocks, minerals and soils have common and practical uses.

Students will investigate the different soil textures and their importance.

Format

• Watch Soil Texture Video part 1. How to do a soil texture by feel test

• Watch Soil Texture Video part 2: Soil shake- Using the soil texture triangle

• Conduct soil texture experiments

  1. 1. Soil texture by feel

     2. Soil Shake

• Extensions

Materials

Activity 1: Soil texture by feel

• Dichotomous key with instructions

• Handful of soil

• water

• can be muddy, so best done outdoors, or prepare to clean desks from muddy drips.

Activity 2: Soil shake

• Activity sheet

• Example

• Jar - peanut butter jars work great. Plastic is preferable to glass, just in case it's dropped

• at least 1 cup of soil

• water

• Ruler

• Marker for marking heights on jar

• Video on soil texture triangle (watch this after the jar portion has been complete)

Activity 1: Soil Texture by feel

While getting their hands muddy, students will work through a dichotomous key to assess their soil type

• Instructional Video for Students - This lesson can be teacher led, or student paced. Created in Nearpod, you can sign up for a free account if your District does not have one already).

• Dichotomous Key with instructions

Activity 2: Soil Shake

Using a soil sample, math, and a soils triangle, students will assess their soil type.

• Student activity sheet with instructions and example

• After having completed the soil jar activity, watch the how-to video for the soil texture triangle.

Schedule a follow up virtual Q&A and/or demonstration

Contact your county educator for a virtual Q& A session or demonstration for your students.

Extensions

Reading These readings about soil are free with registration on ReadWorks, a nonprofit that provides Common-Core-aligned readings. All readings include comprehension questions.

• Biochar -Read about a soil enhancement research project

• Developing Possible Solutions - Paired Text with Biochar reading

• Watch for steady rocks, includes question set.

• What's the big idea about Earth?, includes question set (more about rocks and earth's formation than soil)

Video

• Layers Of Soil - The Dr. Binocs Show (3:56)

Questions

Questions? Please contact your county SWCD educator