A material is what we use to make things from.

Rock is a naturally occurring material made up of one or more minerals.

Things that are natural are found in nature and have not been made by people.

A quarry is a place where rock is dug out of the ground.

Introduction to rocks

Science

In this Rocks and soil unit, pupils learn to describe in simple terms how fossils are formed. In the Evolution and inheritance unit, pupils will build on this knowledge to recognise that things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago.

In the Uses of everyday materials unit, pupils learnt to identify and compare the suitability of materials, including rock. In this Rocks and soils unit, pupils will build on this knowledge to compare and group different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties.

This unit covers comparing and grouping rocks based on appearance and physical properties, understanding fossil formation, and recognising that soils are made from rocks and organic matter. It involves setting up practical enquiries, making observations, and using evidence to answer questions.

Rocks and soils

Rock is a solid material that occurs naturally in Earth.

The appearance of an object is the way something looks.

To compare is to look for similarities and differences.

To identify is to name something correctly.

Information gathered using secondary sources is information that has been collected by someone else.

The appearance of rocks

Physical properties are the features which can be observed from the way an object looks or feels or can be measured.

Hardness is the quality of being difficult to bend, cut, or break.

To compare is to examine or look for the difference between two or more things.

To group is when a number of people or things are put together.

Physical properties of rocks: hardness

A geologist is someone who studies what the Earth is made of.

Hardness is the quality of being difficult to bend, cut or break.

A mineral occurs naturally and can be dug out of the ground.

A scale is a set of numbers or amounts, used to measure or compare the level of something.

Mohs' scale of hardness (non-statutory)

Permeability is the ability of a substance to allow liquids like water to pass through it.

If a substance is permeable, it will allow water to pass through it.

If a substance is impermeable, it will not allow water to pass through it.

Physical properties of rocks: permeability

Suitability is the fact of being acceptable or right for something or someone.

Physical properties are features which can be observed from the way something looks, feels or can be measured.

Everyday uses of rocks

Weathering is a natural process that slowly breaks apart or changes rock. Heat, water, wind, living things, and other natural forces cause weathering.

Wind, rain, heat and cold are natural forces.

Erosion is when bits of rock and earth are carried away from their original location, by natural forces like wind and rain.

When objects are moved from one place to another, it is called transportation.

A geologist is a scientist who studies what the earth is made of.

Weathering and erosion of rocks

A fossil is the remains or imprint of living things that are sometimes preserved in rock.

Living things decay when they die, meaning they gradually break down and rot away.

Sediment is a solid material that can be moved and deposited in a new location.

An imprint is a mark on a surface that has occurred by pressing something into it.

How fossils are formed

Palaeontology is the study of fossils and how life on Earth has changed over millions of years.

Resin is a sticky substance which is produced by some trees.

Minerals occur naturally and can be dug out of the ground.

Sediment is solid material that is moved and deposited in a new location.

More about fossil formation

A fossil is the bones or remains of living things that are sometimes preserved in rocks.

A palaeontologist is a scientist who studies fossils and how life on Earth has changed over millions of years.

Discovered is when something has been found, especially if this is for the first time.

Evidence is information which helps us to prove if something is true or not.

Mary Anning (non-statutory)

Soil is the loose surface material that covers most land on Earth.

A prediction is a statement saying what you think will happen.

We make an observation when we look closely at something and use other senses too.

Silt is made from broken grains of rock, with particles larger than clay but smaller than sand.

Organic matter comes from plants and animals that are alive or were once alive.

What soils are made from

The describing words we use for a material are called its properties.

Particles are very minute parts of a material or substance.

The texture of an object or material is the way it feels to the touch.

A digital microscope shows magnified images of objects on a screen.

Loam is high-quality soil that is a mixture of clay, sand, silt and decaying plant material.

Different types of soils (non-statutory)

Weather is rain, wind, sun or other conditions you get at a particular time or place.

The climate of a place is the kind of weather a place usually has over many years.

Soil is ground up rock mixed up with plant and animal remains.

A nutrient is any substance that plants or animals need in order to live and grow.

Flooding is the covering or submerging of normally dry land with a large amount of water.

Healthy soil (non-statutory Climate Change & Sustainability)

If a material or substance is permeable it will allow liquids and gases to pass through it.

A plan is a method that maps out the steps that will be taken during an investigation.

In a comparative test, the thing that is being changed has labels, such as the types of materials.

A variable is something that can be changed, measured or kept the same in an investigation.

Soil permeability: plan (non-statutory)

Permeability is the ability of a substance to allow gases or liquids to go through it.

To measure is to use equipment to find numbers to describe a feature of something such as its length, weight, size or time.

Data is information collected during an investigation. It may be numbers, symbols, pictures or text.

To evaluate an investigation is to include an explanation of, and degree of trust in, the results.

Soil permeability: do and review (non-statutory)

A geologist is a scientist who studies what Earth and other planets are made from.

We make observations when we look closely at something and use other senses too.

Moon rock is rock collected from the surface of the Moon.

A space agency is an organisation that focuses on space exploration, aeronautics, and space transportation.

Rocks and soils

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These lessons will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.