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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. Why did the sand dry out so fast?
  3. 3. What might happen if the sand were watered every day instead?
  4. 4. Why did only one seedling grow in the clay?
2.How does sand feel when you rub it between your fingers?
  • A.Silky
  • B.Gritty
  • C.Sticky
3.Why should every pot get the same water in a soil test?
  • A.Because water is free
  • B.So the pots look the same
  • C.So only the soil is different
4.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
5.Why can roots rot in heavy clay?
  • A.Clay can stay soggy, so the roots get too little air
  • B.Clay is too dry
  • C.Clay is too light
6.Why do plants in pure sand need watering often?
  • A.Water drains through sand quickly
  • B.Sand makes water cold
  • C.Sand is too dark
7.Why are worms good for soil?
  • A.They make it dry
  • B.They mix it and make tunnels that let air and water in
  • C.They make it sandy

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

Answer key — Three Soils, Three Pots

Set 3. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The same seeds, the same pots, the same windowsill and the same water. 2. Water ran straight through the gritty sand. 3. More seedlings might grow, because the sand dried out within a day. 4. The clay stayed soggy, with water sitting on top.
  2. 2.Gritty
  3. 3.So only the soil is different
  4. 4.Pour the same water into each and measure how much drips out
  5. 5.Clay can stay soggy, so the roots get too little air
  6. 6.Water drains through sand quickly
  7. 7.They mix it and make tunnels that let air and water in

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