Science Quiz on Friday

There is a science quiz on Friday about soil formation. The students are expected to know how soils are formed by weathering of rock and the decomposition of plant and animal remains.

Key Concepts

• Weathering is the process that breaks down Earth’s rocks into smaller and smaller pieces over time.
• Soils are made up of small pieces of weathered rock.
• Soil contains many substances including decomposed plant and animal remains (Humus)
• The materials in soil, or soil type, are different in different areas.

Fundamental Questions

• What is weathering?
• What is soil made of?
• How are soils different in different areas?

What concrete words should students know?

• Soil: A mixture of sand, silt, clay, rock and humus (plant and animal remains)
• Weathering: When forces on Earth break rocks apart or wear rock away.
• Decomposition: To break down into smaller, more basic parts
• Rock: Made up of minerals; the hard parts of Earths surface
• Plant and Animal Remains: When plants or animals die, their remains decompose to help form soil (humus)

Student Misconceptions

• Students should understand that soils are made up of a variety of natural materials and that it is not just dirt.
• Students might think that dead plants and animals are not part of the formation of soil, but, in fact, decomposed remains allow nutrient cycling to occur and are a part of soil formation.