This week in science, Year 3 became budding soil scientists as we explored the fascinating world of ‘soil permeability’.The classroom was buzzing with excitement as the children investigated how different types of soil allow water to pass through – or not!
For our experiment, we tested five different types of soil: chalk soil, chalk loam, sandy soil, clay soil, and clay loam.The aim was to find out which soils are more permeable (allow water to pass through) and which ones are less so.
The Method: To keep things fair, we used the same amount of soil and water for each test, making sure we kept the variables the same. Here’s how we did it: 1. We measured three heaped spoonfuls of each soil type. 2. We placed the soil in a coffee filter to act as a sieve. 3. Then, we poured exactly 30ml of water over the soil and observed how much water came through.
Before starting the experiment, the children made their predictions, guessing which soils would let the most water through and which would hold onto the water. After testing each soil, we discussed our results and compared them to our original predictions.
Our Findings: The children discovered that soils like sand and chalk were much more permeable, allowing water to pass through easily. On the other hand, clay and clay loam soils held onto the water, with little to no water making it through the filter.
Conclusion: We learned that soil permeability is linked to the size of the particles in the soil. Larger particles, like those found in sandy soil, create more space for water to flow through. In contrast, clay particles are very small and compact, which means water struggles to pass through.
The children loved acting as scientists, carefully measuring their materials, testing their ideas, and making conclusions based on real evidence. It was a great hands-on experiment that helped us better understand the different types of soil and how they interact with water.
