Can you dig it?

Does soil vary or is it always the same?

Be careful when digging - spades may not look sharp but they can cause serious damage!  Place the spade onto the soil and press it down with your foot.  DO NOT stab it downwards or you could chop off your toes!  It would be wise to wear plastic gloves when sorting through soil.  Make sure you wash your hands after the investigation.

PLAN

Collect soil samples from different places.

Sift through each sample carefully.

Record your observations.

I WILL NEED

Soil.

A spade.

A hand trowel.

Containers for the soil.

Smaller containers.

Magnifying glass.

Pencil and paper.

I MAY NEED

A microscope.

Coloured pencils.

A camera.

FAIR TEST

Make sure you keep the soil samples separate.

.

PREDICTION

What differences do you think there will be in the different soil samples?

Does this connect to any science you have done or heard about previously?

PRACTICAL ACTIVITY

Where did you collect the samples from?

Why did you choose these places?

What did you observe initially?

What other investigations did you carry out?

How did you measure any differences you noted?

COLLECT

DATA

How will you measure any differences you observe?

Record your observations clearly and neatly.

ANALYSE

DATA

Record carefully and present clearly.

PRESENT

FINDINGS

You could show on a map where you obtained your soil samples.

You could present a display of the different soil types and what they contained.

Would some drawings - or some photographs - make things more interesting?

EVALUATE

INVESTIGATION

If you were going to do this investigation again, what would you do to improve it?

If you have carried out this investigation, click the icon to send in your results to Brainboxx and we may publish your work on the website.  It is best to e-mail the results of your investigation or you may need to send them by post.  Make sure you get permission from a teacher, parent or other adult before you get in touch.

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