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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 8 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 might happen if the sand were watered every day instead?
  3. 3. How many seedlings grew in the garden soil?
  4. 4. How did the clay feel when wet?
2.Soil with rotting leaves mixed in grows strong plants. Why?
  • A.The leaves make the soil sandy
  • B.The rotting leaves add food to the soil and help it hold water
  • C.The leaves keep the sun off
3.Why are worms good for soil?
  • A.They mix it and make tunnels that let air and water in
  • B.They make it sandy
  • C.They make it dry
4.Why do plants in pure sand need watering often?
  • A.Sand is too dark
  • B.Water drains through sand quickly
  • C.Sand makes water cold
5.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
6.How could you test which soil holds the most water?
  • A.Look at the color of each
  • B.Pour the same water into each and measure how much drips out
  • C.Smell each one
7.What could a gardener dig into sticky clay soil to help it?
  • A.Plastic
  • B.Compost, to make it more crumbly
  • C.More clay

LessonPrint · 2-PS1-2 · Set 8 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Three Soils, Three Pots

Set 8. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.1. The clay stayed soggy, with water sitting on top. 2. More seedlings might grow, because the sand dried out within a day. 3. 5 tall green seedlings. 4. Sticky and smooth.
  2. 2.The rotting leaves add food to the soil and help it hold water
  3. 3.They mix it and make tunnels that let air and water in
  4. 4.Water drains through sand quickly
  5. 5.So only the soil is different
  6. 6.Pour the same water into each and measure how much drips out
  7. 7.Compost, to make it more crumbly

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