ABSTRACT
USEFUL PRIOR WORK: The children should know that plants can grow in soil and that plants need water to live and grow.
BACKGROUND SCIENCE: Soil is formed from rocks broken down via weathering and decayed organic matter. Soil can vary in its composition due to the type and ratios of rocks and organic matter it has formed from. Generally soil is classed as either:
• sandy: soil with high levels of sandy particles, tending to be very dry with water draining quickly • clay: soil with high levels of clay particles, tending to be quite thick, wet and clumped together, water
does not drain well • loam: with a mix of both sandy and clay soil, forming a soil that can hold water but also allow it to
drain through the soil. Loam soil is generally considered to be the best type of soil.
