Grades K–8 (Kit)
Get hands-on with soil texture! This simple, engaging kit allows students to explore the feel of different soil textures using sandpaper and magnification. By comparing coarse, medium, and fine sandpaper, students begin to understand how soil particles differ in size and texture.
This activity is perfect for introducing soil science concepts, supporting inquiry-based learning, and helping students practice basic observation skills through touch and sight.
Kit Contents
- 30 squares of sandpaper:
- 10 pieces of 60-grit (coarse)
- 10 pieces of 220-grit (medium)
- 10 pieces of 400-grit (fine)
- 10 hand lenses for close observation
- Teacher instructions for guiding texture exploration
Lesson Plans
Use this kit with the lesson Texturing: The Big Picture available on the National Agricultural Literacy Curriculum Matrix. Additional soil and earth science lessons can also be found on the Matrix to expand this activity into a full soil science unit.
Extend the Learning
Encourage students to compare their sandpaper observations to real soil samples collected from a schoolyard, garden, or local park. Challenge them to predict which sandpaper grit most closely matches the soil’s texture before confirming with a soil texturing triangle or other classification activity.
