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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 12 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Earth Materials at Work

2-PS1-2

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

1.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.Sandbags float on top of the flood
  • C.Sand drinks up the whole river
2.Why do potters add water to dry clay?
  • A.Water changes clay into sand
  • B.Wet clay becomes soft enough to shape
  • C.Water makes clay harder
3.Why is river water cleaned before it comes out of the faucet?
  • A.Cleaning makes it taste salty
  • B.River water can carry mud and germs that make people ill
  • C.River water is too cold
4.Why is the hearth around a fireplace made of stone?
  • A.Stone keeps the fire out of sight
  • B.Stone does not burn and can take great heat
  • C.Stone is the softest material
5.Why is salt spread on icy roads in winter?
  • A.It makes the ice melt, so the roads are less slippery
  • B.It makes the roads shine
  • C.It feeds the plants by the road
6.Why is clay, not sand, used to make a pot?
  • A.Sand is too heavy
  • B.Clay holds its shape when molded and hardens when it is fired
  • C.Clay is always red
7.Why are old walls often built from blocks of hard rock?
  • A.Hard rock lasts a long time in wind and rain
  • B.Hard rock is soft to touch
  • C.Hard rock floats
8.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

LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 12 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Earth Materials at Work

Set 12. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Wet sand is heavy and packs tight, so it holds back water
  2. 2.Wet clay becomes soft enough to shape
  3. 3.River water can carry mud and germs that make people ill
  4. 4.Stone does not burn and can take great heat
  5. 5.It makes the ice melt, so the roads are less slippery
  6. 6.Clay holds its shape when molded and hardens when it is fired
  7. 7.Hard rock lasts a long time in wind and rain
  8. 8.Loose sand is soft to land on

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to 2-PS1-2 of the Next Generation Science Standards.