How Do Soils Differ?

Purpose:	To identify physical properties in soil. (Color and Texture)
General Information:	Soils differ in many ways both in chemical and physical properties. The easiest way to tell one soil from another is to look at physical properties. Two important properties are color and texture. The charts below can be used to distinguish differ types of soils. Your student's will be able to tell different soils using the charts they have for color and the texture (the soil does have to be wet).
Materials:	Containers or collection trays, soil chart (color), water
TEKS:	4.1A 4.2A,B,C,D,E 4.11A
Procedure:	This exercise should be done in three different areas that you can visually see the differences in soil color. In the Green Pool area there is soil found at the base of dirt bank by the stairs that has washed down from above and is dark brown. In the rocky area you should be able to fine areas of gray and yellow soils. There are also pockets of very sandy soil in this area. The students should take a pinch of soil in their fingers and decide what color the soil is using the chart. The students should try to roll soil into ball in their hands. It has to be somewhat moist to do this. They should use their charts to decide if it is sticky, slick, smooth or gritty. Explain to students how the soil color is related to fertility (how well plants grow in them), and which types hold water. Ask students would they buy a farm with the types of soils they have examined and explain why or why not.