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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 15 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. What was kept the same for all three pots?
  3. 3. Which soil held water without getting soggy?
  4. 4. Why did the sand dry out so fast?
2.Which soil can be rolled into a sausage shape when it is wet?
  • A.Gravel
  • B.Clay
  • C.Sand
3.How does sand feel when you rub it between your fingers?
  • A.Gritty
  • B.Sticky
  • C.Silky
4.Which soil would you choose for a tray of seeds?
  • A.Crumbly soil that holds water but does not go soggy
  • B.Wet clay that stays soggy
  • C.Dry sand that water runs through
5.Why do plants in pure sand need watering often?
  • A.Sand makes water cold
  • B.Sand is too dark
  • C.Water drains through sand quickly
6.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
7.Why should every pot get the same water in a soil test?
  • A.So the pots look the same
  • B.So only the soil is different
  • C.Because water is free

LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 15 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Three Soils, Three Pots

Set 15. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The clay stayed soggy, with water sitting on top. 2. The same seeds, the same pots, the same windowsill and the same water. 3. The garden soil, which stayed damp but not soggy. 4. Water ran straight through the gritty sand.
  2. 2.Clay
  3. 3.Gritty
  4. 4.Crumbly soil that holds water but does not go soggy
  5. 5.Water drains through sand quickly
  6. 6.Pour the same water into each and measure how much drips out
  7. 7.So only the soil is different

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