You will learn
- Name soil components.
- Compare particle sizes.
- Separate soil in water.
- Explain the role of humus.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Soil has mineral particles, humus, air, water and living things.
- Sand, silt and clay differ in size.
- Humus feeds plants.
- Air and water fill the gaps.
Words to know
larger, gritty soil particles
medium, smooth soil particles
tiny, sticky soil particles
rotted plant and animal matter
1. Discover: The shaken jar
After a day, Kojo sees his shaken soil jar has settled into bands: pebbles and sand at the bottom, a smooth band of silt above, and a thin layer of clay on top with floating bits of humus. “Soil is a mix of many things,” he says.
Think: Why did the bigger pieces settle first?
2. Understand: Components
Idea 1: Mineral particles
Sand is gritty. Silt is smooth like flour. Clay is tiny and sticky. They come from weathered rock.
Idea 2: Humus and life
Humus feeds plants and helps soil hold water. Worms, insects and tiny living things also live in soil.
Idea 3: Air and water
Soil has gaps called pores filled with air and water. Roots and living things need both.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Feel
Gritty.
- Large.
- Sand.
- Gritty.
Answer: Sand is gritty.
Example 2 (We do it together): Feel
Smooth.
- Medium.
- Silt.
- Smooth.
Answer: Silt is smooth.
Example 3 (You try): Feel
Sticky.
Show the steps and answer
- Tiny.
- Clay.
- Sticky.
Answer: Clay is sticky.
Did you know?
One teaspoon of healthy soil can contain more tiny living things than there are people on Earth.
Why this matters
Knowing what soil is made of helps farmers improve it.
4. Explore: Sediment jar
Separate soil parts by settling.
- Fill a clear jar with soil and water.
- Shake well.
- Let it settle for a day.
- Draw and label the layers.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? Sand settled first and clay last.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- ___ is gritty.
- ___ is smooth.
- ___ is sticky.
- ___ feeds plants.
Guided practice
Question 1. Name three mineral particles.
Sand, silt, clay.
Question 2. What is humus?
Rotted matter.
Question 3. What fills pores?
Air and water.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Name three mineral particles.
- What is humus?
- What fills pores?
- Which is biggest?
- Which is smallest?
Level 2: Grow
- Why do big pieces settle first?
- Why humus?
- Why pores?
Level 3: Stretch
- Run the jar test.
- Draw layers.
- Explain results.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
What lives in soil?
Show a sample answer
Worms.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Many parts.
Fix: It feeds plants.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name soil components.
- I can compare particle sizes.
- I can separate soil in water.
- I can explain the role of humus.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Soil has mineral particles, humus, air, water and living things.
- Sand, silt and clay differ in size.
- Humus feeds plants.
- Air and water fill the gaps.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Types of soil. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name three soil components. [3 marks]
- Describe the jar test. [3 marks]
- What does humus do? [2 marks]
- Which settle first? [1 mark]
- Safety rule? [1 mark]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Any three [1 each]
- Soil and water [1]; shake [1]; layers [1]
- Feeds plants [1]; holds water [1]
- Sand [1]
- Any sensible rule [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Name three mineral particles.
- What is humus?
- What fills pores?
- Which is biggest?
- Which is smallest?
- Why do big pieces settle first?
- Why humus?
- Why pores?
- Run the jar test.
- Draw layers.
Homework
Shake a jar of soil and water and note the layers after one day.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Name three mineral particles. | Sand, silt, clay. | 1 |
| 2. What is humus? | Rotted matter. | 1 |
| 3. What fills pores? | Air and water. | 1 |
| 4. Which is biggest? | Sand. | 1 |
| 5. Which is smallest? | Clay. | 1 |
| 6. Why do big pieces settle first? | Heavier. | 1 |
| 7. Why humus? | Feeds plants. | 1 |
| 8. Why pores? | Air and water for roots. | 1 |
| 9. Run the jar test. | Observation. | 1 |
| 10. Draw layers. | Diagram. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 Sand, silt, clay.; 2 Rotted matter.; 3 Air and water.; 4 Sand.; 5 Clay.. Level 2: 1 Heavier.; 2 Feeds plants.; 3 Air and water for roots.. Level 3: 1 Observation.; 2 Diagram.; 3 Paragraph..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name soil components | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Compare particle sizes | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Separate soil in water | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Explain the role of humus | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Soil is all one thing.” Many parts.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Name soil components and explain the jar test.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child separates soil parts. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Make a soil jar together.
- Ask, “What is in soil?”
- Wash hands.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name soil components; compare particle sizes; separate soil in water; explain the role of humus.
Prerequisite knowledge. Grade 2 Earth ideas: weather, seasons, and the materials found on Earth such as water, air and soil.
Materials. Jars, soil, water, gloves. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Collect soil.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Show a soil jar and ask, “What settles first?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach components.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners test.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners label.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What settled first? What is the layer?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Soil is all one thing.” Many parts.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Name soil components and explain the jar test. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 3 Unit 7, topic 5; Next Generation Science Standards, Earth materials and processes; Cambridge Primary Science Stage 3, rocks and soils; IB Primary Years Programme, sharing the planet. These sources informed the lesson.