Compare igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, fossil formation, permeability and soil horizons. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.
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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which lightweight volcanic igneous rock is so full of trapped gas bubbles that it can float on water: pumice or marble?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
2. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
3. How do earthworms help keep garden and farm soil healthy for plants: their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients, or they eat rocks into lava?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
4. Which soil type has microscopic particles that pack tightly together, holding water and feeling sticky when wet: clay soil or sandy soil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
5. Which of the three main rock groups forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (such as granite and basalt): igneous rock or sedimentary rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
6. In which type of rock are fossils of ancient plants and animals almost always found: sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
7. Which soil type has large, gritty particles with big air spaces so water drains through it very quickly: sandy soil or clay soil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
8. What do gardeners call an ideal balanced soil that mixes sand, silt, clay and humus so it holds moisture and nutrients while still draining well: loam or gravel?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
9. What are fossils: the preserved remains, shells, bones or impressions of ancient living things turned to stone over millions of years, or modern plastic models?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
10. Which sedimentary rock is formed mainly from the calcium carbonate shells and skeletons of marine organisms and coral: limestone (and chalk) or granite?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
11. What do we call a rock that has tiny connected pores or spaces that allow water to soak and pass through it (such as sandstone or chalk): a permeable (porous) rock or an impermeable rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12. In a vertical soil profile, which uppermost layer contains the most humus, plant roots and soil organisms like earthworms: topsoil (A horizon) or solid bedrock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Which lightweight volcanic igneous rock is so full of trapped gas bubbles that it can float on water: pumice or marble?
Pumice
Pumice forms from frothy lava rich in gas bubbles, giving it a density lower than water.
2. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Humus
Humus retains moisture and supplies essential mineral nutrients to growing plant roots.
3. How do earthworms help keep garden and farm soil healthy for plants: their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients, or they eat rocks into lava?
Their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients
Earthworms aerate the soil, improve drainage and recycle organic matter into plant nutrients.
4. Which soil type has microscopic particles that pack tightly together, holding water and feeling sticky when wet: clay soil or sandy soil?
Clay soil
Tiny clay particles have tiny pores that trap water and become sticky when wet and hard when baked dry.
5. Which of the three main rock groups forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (such as granite and basalt): igneous rock or sedimentary rock?
Igneous rock
Igneous rocks crystallise from molten rock either underground (magma) or on the surface (lava).
6. In which type of rock are fossils of ancient plants and animals almost always found: sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary layers gently bury remains in mud or sand; the extreme heat of magma destroys fossils in igneous rock.
7. Which soil type has large, gritty particles with big air spaces so water drains through it very quickly: sandy soil or clay soil?
Sandy soil
Sand grains are relatively large, creating wide pore spaces that drain water rapidly.
8. What do gardeners call an ideal balanced soil that mixes sand, silt, clay and humus so it holds moisture and nutrients while still draining well: loam or gravel?
Loam
Loamy soil combines the good drainage of sand with the moisture and nutrient retention of silt, clay and humus.
9. What are fossils: the preserved remains, shells, bones or impressions of ancient living things turned to stone over millions of years, or modern plastic models?
The preserved remains, shells, bones or impressions of ancient living things turned to stone over millions of years
Fossils provide direct evidence of how organisms and environments have changed over geological time.
10. Which sedimentary rock is formed mainly from the calcium carbonate shells and skeletons of marine organisms and coral: limestone (and chalk) or granite?
Limestone (and chalk)
Limestone is a carbonate sedimentary rock built from ancient marine shells and coral reefs.
11. What do we call a rock that has tiny connected pores or spaces that allow water to soak and pass through it (such as sandstone or chalk): a permeable (porous) rock or an impermeable rock?
Permeable (porous) rock
Permeable rocks have interconnected pore spaces or fractures that let water percolate through.
12. In a vertical soil profile, which uppermost layer contains the most humus, plant roots and soil organisms like earthworms: topsoil (A horizon) or solid bedrock?
Topsoil (A horizon)
Topsoil is the fertile surface layer where seeds germinate and most roots and decomposers live.
12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. Which lightweight volcanic igneous rock is so full of trapped gas bubbles that it can float on water: pumice or marble?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
2. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
3. How do earthworms help keep garden and farm soil healthy for plants: their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients, or they eat rocks into lava?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
4. Which soil type has microscopic particles that pack tightly together, holding water and feeling sticky when wet: clay soil or sandy soil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
5. Which of the three main rock groups forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (such as granite and basalt): igneous rock or sedimentary rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
6. In which type of rock are fossils of ancient plants and animals almost always found: sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
7. Which soil type has large, gritty particles with big air spaces so water drains through it very quickly: sandy soil or clay soil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
8. What do gardeners call an ideal balanced soil that mixes sand, silt, clay and humus so it holds moisture and nutrients while still draining well: loam or gravel?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
9. What are fossils: the preserved remains, shells, bones or impressions of ancient living things turned to stone over millions of years, or modern plastic models?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
10. Which sedimentary rock is formed mainly from the calcium carbonate shells and skeletons of marine organisms and coral: limestone (and chalk) or granite?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
11. What do we call a rock that has tiny connected pores or spaces that allow water to soak and pass through it (such as sandstone or chalk): a permeable (porous) rock or an impermeable rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12. In a vertical soil profile, which uppermost layer contains the most humus, plant roots and soil organisms like earthworms: topsoil (A horizon) or solid bedrock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. Which lightweight volcanic igneous rock is so full of trapped gas bubbles that it can float on water: pumice or marble?
Pumice
Pumice forms from frothy lava rich in gas bubbles, giving it a density lower than water.
2. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Humus
Humus retains moisture and supplies essential mineral nutrients to growing plant roots.
3. How do earthworms help keep garden and farm soil healthy for plants: their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients, or they eat rocks into lava?
Their burrows let air and rainwater reach roots, and their castings enrich the soil with nutrients
Earthworms aerate the soil, improve drainage and recycle organic matter into plant nutrients.
4. Which soil type has microscopic particles that pack tightly together, holding water and feeling sticky when wet: clay soil or sandy soil?
Clay soil
Tiny clay particles have tiny pores that trap water and become sticky when wet and hard when baked dry.
5. Which of the three main rock groups forms when molten magma or lava cools and solidifies (such as granite and basalt): igneous rock or sedimentary rock?
Igneous rock
Igneous rocks crystallise from molten rock either underground (magma) or on the surface (lava).
6. In which type of rock are fossils of ancient plants and animals almost always found: sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary layers gently bury remains in mud or sand; the extreme heat of magma destroys fossils in igneous rock.
7. Which soil type has large, gritty particles with big air spaces so water drains through it very quickly: sandy soil or clay soil?
Sandy soil
Sand grains are relatively large, creating wide pore spaces that drain water rapidly.
8. What do gardeners call an ideal balanced soil that mixes sand, silt, clay and humus so it holds moisture and nutrients while still draining well: loam or gravel?
Loam
Loamy soil combines the good drainage of sand with the moisture and nutrient retention of silt, clay and humus.
9. What are fossils: the preserved remains, shells, bones or impressions of ancient living things turned to stone over millions of years, or modern plastic models?
The preserved remains, shells, bones or impressions of ancient living things turned to stone over millions of years
Fossils provide direct evidence of how organisms and environments have changed over geological time.
10. Which sedimentary rock is formed mainly from the calcium carbonate shells and skeletons of marine organisms and coral: limestone (and chalk) or granite?
Limestone (and chalk)
Limestone is a carbonate sedimentary rock built from ancient marine shells and coral reefs.
11. What do we call a rock that has tiny connected pores or spaces that allow water to soak and pass through it (such as sandstone or chalk): a permeable (porous) rock or an impermeable rock?
Permeable (porous) rock
Permeable rocks have interconnected pore spaces or fractures that let water percolate through.
12. In a vertical soil profile, which uppermost layer contains the most humus, plant roots and soil organisms like earthworms: topsoil (A horizon) or solid bedrock?
Topsoil (A horizon)
Topsoil is the fertile surface layer where seeds germinate and most roots and decomposers live.
12 questions · Seed 104730 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification