Soil Layers and Horizons

Lab Brief #4

🎯 Your mission

Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.

⚡ The twist

The slowest changes are the biggest ones.

What you'll learn

Soil forms slowly from weathered rock mixed with decomposed organic matter. Different layers (horizons) form with topsoil on top, subsoil below, and bedrock at the bottom.

Key words

rock cycle
The slow process where rocks change from one type to another.
weathering
When rocks slowly break apart from wind, water, and weather.

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: which will erode faster?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

sand
clay
water

Get ready

⚠️ Safety first

Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards and keep the material away from your face.
Mop up spills straight away so nobody slips, and keep liquids away from sockets.
Check glassware for chips before use and carry it with both hands.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Investigate soil layers: fill a jar with soil and water, shake it, and let it settle overnight. Identify the layers of clay, silt, sand, and organic matter.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Draw a detailed diagram of what you observe.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Write a conclusion: what did your results show? Did they match your prediction?

Question 1 of 3

What are tectonic plates?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

What makes soil fertile?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

What is the ozone layer?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🪨 Every grain of sand on every beach used to be a mountain.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources All lessons

🎯

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✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “What's the slowest change you can think of?”

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