Soil permeability: do and review (non-statutory)
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can carry out and review an investigation to compare how water moves through different soils.
Key learning points
- Scientists investigate how water moves easily through permeable soils and slowly through soils with low permeability.
- Scientists often evaluate a completed investigation and suggest improvements.
- The size of particles in a soil affects its permeability.
- Soils with high permeability, such as sandy soil, allow water through easily, so decrease the risk of flooding.
- Soils with low permeability, such as clay soil, don't allow water through easily, so may be prone to flooding.
Keywords
Permeability - Permeability is the ability of a substance to allow gases or liquids to go through it.
Measure - To measure is to use equipment to find numbers to describe a feature of something such as its length, weight, size or time.
Data - Data is information collected during an investigation. It may be numbers, symbols, pictures or text.
Evaluate - To evaluate an investigation is to include an explanation of, and degree of trust in, the results.
Common misconception
Children may believe all soils are the same, therefore water flows through them all at the same rate.
As the children carry out the practical investigation with different soil types, they will see how water flows through them at different speeds.
Teacher tip
Try to use soil samples from different areas to ensure children see different flow rates. You can always make up your own soil samples using resources from a garden centre or buy a soil sample set from an education supplier. Children must wear gloves when handling soil.
Equipment
See additional materials for detailed guidance.
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - equipment
Risk assessment required - equipment
Exploration of objects
Exploration of objects
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Scientists create a plan before they carry out an to help them know what to do and what equipment they will need.
Q2.Which of these things might a soil scientist do?
Q3.Permeability is when a substance allows gases or , such as water, to pass through it.
Q4.Which of these pieces of equipment might you need to carry out a soil permeability test?
Q5.What type of investigation are you carrying out if you are only changing one variable?
Q6.When planning a soil permeability test, which of these variables would be the one you will change?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which of these soils will be the best soil to use improve the muddy football pitch?
Q2.Soils that do not allow water to pass through easily have low .
Q3.Different types of soils have different properties such as texture, colour and size of the pieces they are made from. These pieces are called __________.
Q4.Match the particle size of soil to its permeability.
allow water to pass through them more easily
do not let water pass through them easily
Q5.Which of these problems can be solved by using the correct permeability level of soil?
Q6.Scientists often a completed investigation and suggest improvements.
To help you plan your 3 science lesson on: Soil permeability: do and review (non-statutory), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 3 science lesson on: Soil permeability: do and review (non-statutory), download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 science lessons from the Rocks and soils unit, dive into the full primary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.