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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.

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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. What was kept the same for all three pots?
  2. 2. Which soil held water without getting soggy?
  3. 3. Why did the sand dry out so fast?
  4. 4. Why did only one seedling grow in the clay?
2.Why are worms good for soil?
  • A.They make it sandy
  • B.They make it dry
  • C.They mix it and make tunnels that let air and water in
3.Why should every pot get the same water in a soil test?
  • A.Because water is free
  • B.So only the soil is different
  • C.So the pots look the same
4.What could a gardener dig into sticky clay soil to help it?
  • A.More clay
  • B.Compost, to make it more crumbly
  • C.Plastic
5.How could you test which soil holds the most water?
  • A.Pour the same water into each and measure how much drips out
  • B.Smell each one
  • C.Look at the color of each
6.Soil with rotting leaves mixed in grows strong plants. Why?
  • A.The leaves keep the sun off
  • B.The leaves make the soil sandy
  • C.The rotting leaves add food to the soil and help it hold water
7.Why can roots rot in heavy clay?
  • A.Clay is too light
  • B.Clay is too dry
  • C.Clay can stay soggy, so the roots get too little air

LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 24 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Three Soils, Three Pots

Set 24. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The same seeds, the same pots, the same windowsill and the same water. 2. The garden soil, which stayed damp but not soggy. 3. Water ran straight through the gritty sand. 4. The clay stayed soggy, with water sitting on top.
  2. 2.They mix it and make tunnels that let air and water in
  3. 3.So only the soil is different
  4. 4.Compost, to make it more crumbly
  5. 5.Pour the same water into each and measure how much drips out
  6. 6.The rotting leaves add food to the soil and help it hold water
  7. 7.Clay can stay soggy, so the roots get too little air

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