Rocks and Soils

So far, in science, the Year 3 children have learned all about different types of rock. They can now name rocks and their properties and understand how rocks are formed.

Last week's learning saw them give explanations of how igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are formed and give the properties of these rocks. 

This week, the children have furthered their understanding by learning about types of soils. The children  can name the children can begin to explain how the Earth is made up of different layers of rock and soil. To help them to remember them different layers and to help them to explain how each layer is different, they made a 'dirt pudding; to represent this. 

Each child was given a clear, plastic cup. These are the layers that they created:
1. mantle - honey used to represent this liquid rock layer
2. Earth's crust - a cookie used to represent this 5-50 mile thick layer
3. bedrock - layered thin apple slices used to represent this layer of  rock
4. subsoil - chocolate pudding used to show this dense layer (it is lighter in colour as it contains fewer nutrients than the top soil and is densely packed and clay-like).
5.topsoil: crushed Oreos to make the nutrient rich top soil.