Earth Materials at Work is a free printable Grade 2 science worksheet on explaining why a rock, a soil or water suits the job it is used for, aligned to NGSS performance expectation 2-PS1-2. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.
1.Why is the hearth around a fireplace made of stone?
A.Stone keeps the fire out of sight
B.Stone is the softest material
C.Stone does not burn and can take great heat
2.Why is salt spread on icy roads in winter?
A.It feeds the plants by the road
B.It makes the ice melt, so the roads are less slippery
C.It makes the roads shine
3.Why is soil, not sand, best for a vegetable patch?
A.Soil is drier than sand
B.Soil holds the water and food that roots need
C.Sand is too dark
4.Why are some dams built from rock with a core of packed clay?
A.Rock soaks up the water
B.Clay is light enough to float
C.Clay lets very little water through, and the rock is heavy and strong
5.Why is sand put under the swings in a playground?
A.Sand keeps the swings dry
B.Sand makes the swings faster
C.Loose sand is soft to land on
6.Why is clay, not sand, used to make a pot?
A.Clay is always red
B.Clay holds its shape when molded and hardens when it is fired
C.Sand is too heavy
7.Why do potters add water to dry clay?
A.Water makes clay harder
B.Wet clay becomes soft enough to shape
C.Water changes clay into sand
8.Why are sandbags piled up when a river is about to flood?
A.Wet sand is heavy and packs tight, so it holds back water
B.Sand drinks up the whole river
C.Sandbags float on top of the flood
LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Earth Materials at Work
Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.
1.Stone does not burn and can take great heat
2.It makes the ice melt, so the roads are less slippery
3.Soil holds the water and food that roots need
4.Clay lets very little water through, and the rock is heavy and strong
5.Loose sand is soft to land on
6.Clay holds its shape when molded and hardens when it is fired
7.Wet clay becomes soft enough to shape
8.Wet sand is heavy and packs tight, so it holds back water
Questions about Earth Materials at Work
What does the Earth Materials at Work worksheet cover?
It practices explaining why a rock, a soil or water suits the job it is used for — 8 questions for Grade 2, all on NGSS 2-PS1-2: Test materials and decide which one suits a job best. The instruction to students is “Circle the best answer”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.
Which NGSS performance expectation does Earth Materials at Work practice?
2-PS1-2, under Physical Science for Grade 2. The published performance expectation reads: “Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.” The worksheet assesses that performance expectation rather than a paraphrase of it.
What age or grade is this worksheet for?
Earth Materials at Work is written for Grade 2, typically ages 7-8. It is one of the sheets on 2-PS1-2, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.
Does Earth Materials at Work come with an answer key?
Yes. All 8 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.
How many different versions of Earth Materials at Work can I print?
25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.
Is Earth Materials at Work free to print and photocopy?
Yes. Earth Materials at Work, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.
More practice for 2-PS1-2
Test materials and decide which one suits a job best.