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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 22 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. Which soil held water without getting soggy?
  2. 2. What might happen if the sand were watered every day instead?
  3. 3. What was kept the same for all three pots?
  4. 4. How did the clay feel when wet?
2.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
3.Soil with rotting leaves mixed in grows strong plants. Why?
  • A.The leaves make the soil sandy
  • B.The leaves keep the sun off
  • C.The rotting leaves add food to the soil and help it hold water
4.How does sand feel when you rub it between your fingers?
  • A.Gritty
  • B.Silky
  • C.Sticky
5.Why do plants in pure sand need watering often?
  • A.Sand makes water cold
  • B.Water drains through sand quickly
  • C.Sand is too dark
6.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
7.What could a gardener dig into sticky clay soil to help it?
  • A.Compost, to make it more crumbly
  • B.More clay
  • C.Plastic

LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 22 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Three Soils, Three Pots

Set 22. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The garden soil, which stayed damp but not soggy. 2. More seedlings might grow, because the sand dried out within a day. 3. The same seeds, the same pots, the same windowsill and the same water. 4. Sticky and smooth.
  2. 2.So only the soil is different
  3. 3.The rotting leaves add food to the soil and help it hold water
  4. 4.Gritty
  5. 5.Water drains through sand quickly
  6. 6.Crumbly soil that holds water but does not go soggy
  7. 7.Compost, to make it more crumbly

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