soil

Soil!!! It is a natural resource found in our own backyard!

Soil is a loose material in which plants can grow.

It is made up of rock, humus, air and water.

There are 5 components of soil:

Humus Sand Silt Clay Rock

What is Humus?

•It is decayed plants and animals matter in the soil.

•It is what provides the nutrients to the soil.

•Soil without humus, is inactive, lacking the ability to

produce quality plants and flowers.

Sand

•Sand is made up of small grains of

weathered rock.

•It does not hold water well.

•Has very few nutrients

Silt•I

t is made up of very small pieces of broken rock.

•Sand > Silt> Clay

Clay

•Can be many different colors

(red/ yellow/ gray)

•Holds water well

•Contains nutrients

Rock

Bottom of the soil layer.

Rock

3 Main Layers of Soil

• Topsoil

Humus

• Subsoil

Sand

Silt

Clay

• Bedrock

Rock

Top Soil

•Top Layer

•Animals live and plants grow

•Mixture of humus and rock fragments

•Best layer for growing plants.

Subsoil

•Made mostly of clay

•Under the topsoil

•Not as good for growing plants

Bedrock

•The third and bottom layer of soil.

•Made up of weathered rock and solid rock.

•Worst part of soil for plant growth.

What Have We Learned?

•Write two things we have learned on the sticky note.