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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 3 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 is salt spread on icy roads in winter?
  • A.It makes the ice melt, so the roads are less slippery
  • B.It feeds the plants by the road
  • C.It makes the roads shine
2.Why do potters add water to dry clay?
  • A.Wet clay becomes soft enough to shape
  • B.Water makes clay harder
  • C.Water changes clay into sand
3.Why is clay, not sand, used to make a pot?
  • A.Sand is too heavy
  • B.Clay is always red
  • C.Clay holds its shape when molded and hardens when it is fired
4.Why are some dams built from rock with a core of packed clay?
  • A.Rock soaks up the water
  • B.Clay lets very little water through, and the rock is heavy and strong
  • C.Clay is light enough to float
5.Why is the hearth around a fireplace made of stone?
  • A.Stone is the softest material
  • B.Stone does not burn and can take great heat
  • C.Stone keeps the fire out of sight
6.Why are old walls often built from blocks of hard rock?
  • A.Hard rock floats
  • B.Hard rock lasts a long time in wind and rain
  • C.Hard rock is soft to touch
7.Why is soil, not sand, best for a vegetable patch?
  • A.Soil holds the water and food that roots need
  • B.Sand is too dark
  • C.Soil is drier than sand
8.Why is sand put under the swings in a playground?
  • A.Loose sand is soft to land on
  • B.Sand makes the swings faster
  • C.Sand keeps the swings dry

LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 3 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Earth Materials at Work

Set 3. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.It makes the ice melt, so the roads are less slippery
  2. 2.Wet clay becomes soft enough to shape
  3. 3.Clay holds its shape when molded and hardens when it is fired
  4. 4.Clay lets very little water through, and the rock is heavy and strong
  5. 5.Stone does not burn and can take great heat
  6. 6.Hard rock lasts a long time in wind and rain
  7. 7.Soil holds the water and food that roots need
  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.