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Three Soils, Three Pots is a free printable Grade 2 science worksheet on testing three soils to find the one best suited to growing seeds, aligned to NGSS performance expectation 2-PS1-2. It prints 7 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 11 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Three Soils, Three Pots

2-PS1-2

NameDate

Read the record, then answer the questions.

1.Read the record, then answer the questions.

Three Soils, Three Pots

Three pots of soil, each sown with five bean seeds and given the same cup of water every two days for three weeks. THREE SOILS AFTER THREE WEEKS Sand: gritty to touch; water ran straight through; dry on top within a day; 2 small seedlings Clay: sticky and smooth when wet; water sat on top for an hour; still soggy; 1 seedling Garden soil: crumbly; water soaked in slowly; damp but not soggy; 5 tall green seedlings A worm was found in the garden soil only. Same seeds, same pots, same windowsill, same water.

  1. 1. Why did only one seedling grow in the clay?
  2. 2. How many seedlings grew in the garden soil?
  3. 3. Why did the sand dry out so fast?
  4. 4. Which soil is best for growing beans, from this test?
2.What could a gardener dig into sticky clay soil to help it?
  • A.Plastic
  • B.More clay
  • C.Compost, to make it more crumbly
3.Why are worms good for soil?
  • A.They mix it and make tunnels that let air and water in
  • B.They make it sandy
  • C.They make it dry
4.Which soil would you choose for a tray of seeds?
  • A.Wet clay that stays soggy
  • B.Dry sand that water runs through
  • C.Crumbly soil that holds water but does not go soggy
5.Why should every pot get the same water in a soil test?
  • A.So only the soil is different
  • B.So the pots look the same
  • C.Because water is free
6.Which soil can be rolled into a sausage shape when it is wet?
  • A.Sand
  • B.Clay
  • C.Gravel
7.How could you test which soil holds the most water?
  • A.Smell each one
  • B.Pour the same water into each and measure how much drips out
  • C.Look at the color of each

LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 11 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Three Soils, Three Pots

Set 11. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The clay stayed soggy, with water sitting on top. 2. 5 tall green seedlings. 3. Water ran straight through the gritty sand. 4. The garden soil, where all 5 seedlings grew tall and green.
  2. 2.Compost, to make it more crumbly
  3. 3.They mix it and make tunnels that let air and water in
  4. 4.Crumbly soil that holds water but does not go soggy
  5. 5.So only the soil is different
  6. 6.Clay
  7. 7.Pour the same water into each and measure how much drips out

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