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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. Which soil held water without getting soggy?
  2. 2. Why did the sand dry out so fast?
  3. 3. How did the clay feel when wet?
  4. 4. What was kept the same for all three pots?
2.Why can roots rot in heavy clay?
  • A.Clay is too dry
  • B.Clay is too light
  • C.Clay can stay soggy, so the roots get too little air
3.Which soil would you choose for a tray of seeds?
  • A.Wet clay that stays soggy
  • B.Crumbly soil that holds water but does not go soggy
  • C.Dry sand that water runs through
4.Soil with rotting leaves mixed in grows strong plants. Why?
  • A.The rotting leaves add food to the soil and help it hold water
  • B.The leaves make the soil sandy
  • C.The leaves keep the sun off
5.How does sand feel when you rub it between your fingers?
  • A.Gritty
  • B.Sticky
  • C.Silky
6.What could a gardener dig into sticky clay soil to help it?
  • A.Plastic
  • B.More clay
  • C.Compost, to make it more crumbly
7.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

LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 5 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Three Soils, Three Pots

Set 5. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The garden soil, which stayed damp but not soggy. 2. Water ran straight through the gritty sand. 3. Sticky and smooth. 4. The same seeds, the same pots, the same windowsill and the same water.
  2. 2.Clay can stay soggy, so the roots get too little air
  3. 3.Crumbly soil that holds water but does not go soggy
  4. 4.The rotting leaves add food to the soil and help it hold water
  5. 5.Gritty
  6. 6.Compost, to make it more crumbly
  7. 7.Water drains through sand quickly

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