Rocks and Soils!
Year 3 have been experimenting and testing types of soils in science to see what happens when water is added. Based on our previous experiences in the school garden and soil exploration we predicted how the soil would change when we added water to the sample. We found out that soil is made from broken down (eroded) rock, but can also be made from lots of other debris like leaves, animals, insects, sand, clay and clay.
We used beakers to measure and ensure we were testing our soil samples fairly.
We then waited and discovered the layers of material starting to form! It was interesting to talk about why soil is made from so many different parts and how that helps plants grow. We are excited to continue our investigation into rocks and soils at the John Soane’s Museum on Wednesday where we will learn about the many ways humans use these natural materials.
Trip to Highgate Cemetery
On Wednesday, Year 3 visited Highgate Cemetery to explore the types of rocks used to build man made structures. We discovered that gravestones are made from sandstone, marble, granite and even slate! We also spotted some natural weathering on some of the gravestones and tried to guess their age. After lunch we sketched the gravestones focusing on their sculptural features and detailed carvings. Luckily the local stone mason – Neil was onsite to answer some of our burning questions so we interviewed him!
