Year 3 Rocks and Soils Worksheet - Beginner

Year 3 Rocks and Soils worksheet for Year 3 (Key Stage 2 / Year 3-6 (Ages 7-11)). Beginner level science practice, aligned to the UK National Curriculum. Print-ready with answer key included.

Science•Key Stage 2 / Year 3-6 (Ages 7-11)•Materialsbeginner

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Rocks, Fossils and Soils: The Year 3 Science Explorer

Year 3 • Ages 7–8 • Beginner

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Instructions: Read each activity carefully and use the clues on the page. Write answers in the boxes. Think about how rocks differ, how fossils can form, and what makes up soil.

Three Types of Rock

Use the word bank to complete each sentence. Read all the choices first; each word is used once. These are the three main rock groups you will meet in Year 3.

Word bank: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic

1. Rock made when melted rock cools and becomes solid is called __________ rock.

2. Rock formed from layers of sediment pressed together is called __________ rock.

3. Rock changed by heat and pressure underground is called __________ rock.

4. Granite is an example of __________ rock.

5. Chalk is an example of __________ rock.

Spot the Rock Group

Choose the best answer for each question. Circle one option. Use what you know about how each rock group forms.

1. Which rock group forms when melted rock cools?

2. Which rock group forms from layers of sediment?

3. Which rock group has been changed by heat and pressure?

4. Which rock is sedimentary?

5. Marble is which type of rock?

How Can a Fossil Form?

Put the events in the order they could happen to form a fossil. Write 1 for the first event, 2 for the next, and so on in each box. The events are deliberately mixed up.

A. More layers of sediment build up and press down.

B. An animal dies and its remains are covered by sediment.

C. Over a very long time, the remains are preserved in rock.

D. The soft parts decay, while a hard part or its impression may remain.

E. The sediment hardens into sedimentary rock.

What Is Soil Made From?

Read the soil clues and answer in the boxes. Soil is a mixture, so look for both tiny rock pieces and material from living things. Keep each answer short.

1. What are the tiny pieces of broken-down rock in soil called?

2. What is the name for decayed plant and animal material in soil?

3. Name one living thing that can be found in soil.

4. Besides rock pieces and decayed material, name one other thing commonly found in soil.

5. Soil can help plants grow. What does a plant get from soil that it needs to grow?

Rock and Soil Clue Check

Choose the best answer and circle it. Read each clue closely: some describe a rock, while others describe soil or fossil formation.

1. Which process can change rock deep underground?

2. Which material is formed from decayed living things in soil?

3. Which rock group often forms in layers?

4. What may happen to an animal’s hard parts after it is buried by sediment?

5. Which is a mixture found in soil?

Answer Key

Activity 1: 1. igneous ; 2. sedimentary ; 3. metamorphic ; 4. igneous ; 5. sedimentary

Activity 2: 1. Igneous ; 2. Sedimentary ; 3. Metamorphic ; 4. Sandstone ; 5. Metamorphic

Activity 3: A. 3 ; B. 1 ; C. 5 ; D. 2 ; E. 4

Activity 4: 1. Mineral particles / rock particles ; 2. Humus ; 3. Any suitable example, such as an earthworm ; 4. Air or water ; 5. Nutrients / minerals

Activity 5: 1. Heat and pressure ; 2. Humus ; 3. Sedimentary ; 4. They may be preserved ; 5. Rock pieces, air, water and decayed material