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 7-9
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. 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
2. When water seeps into a crack in a rock, freezes into ice overnight and expands by about 9%, wedging the rock apart, what type of physical weathering is this: freeze-thaw (frost wedging) or photosynthesis?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
3. 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
4. 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
5. When fine-grained mudstone or shale is compressed by mountain-building forces, what metamorphic rock does it form that splits into flat, waterproof sheets used for roofing: slate or chalk?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
6. What is soil made of: a mixture of weathered rock particles (sand, silt, clay), decaying organic matter (humus), water, air and living organisms, or pure crushed glass?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
7. What do we call a rock that does NOT allow water to pass through it because its crystals interlock tightly without gaps (such as granite or slate): an impermeable rock or a permeable rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
8. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
9. On the Mohs hardness scale of minerals from 1 (softest, talc) to 10 (hardest), which natural mineral is the hardest (10) and can scratch all other minerals: diamond or chalk?
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. Which rock group forms over millions of years when layers of sand, mud, pebbles or shells are compacted and cemented together (such as sandstone, limestone and shale): sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12. What is the solid, unweathered layer of rock that lies beneath the subsoil at the bottom of a soil profile: bedrock or topsoil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12 questions · Seed 55 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. 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).
2. When water seeps into a crack in a rock, freezes into ice overnight and expands by about 9%, wedging the rock apart, what type of physical weathering is this: freeze-thaw (frost wedging) or photosynthesis?
Freeze-thaw (frost wedging)
Water expands as it freezes, exerting strong pressure that widens rock cracks over repeated cycles.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. When fine-grained mudstone or shale is compressed by mountain-building forces, what metamorphic rock does it form that splits into flat, waterproof sheets used for roofing: slate or chalk?
Slate
Slate is a foliated, impermeable metamorphic rock that cleaves into flat tiles.
6. What is soil made of: a mixture of weathered rock particles (sand, silt, clay), decaying organic matter (humus), water, air and living organisms, or pure crushed glass?
A mixture of weathered rock particles (sand, silt, clay), decaying organic matter (humus), water, air and living organisms
Healthy soil combines mineral particles from weathered rock with organic humus, air spaces and water.
7. What do we call a rock that does NOT allow water to pass through it because its crystals interlock tightly without gaps (such as granite or slate): an impermeable rock or a permeable rock?
Impermeable rock
Impermeable rocks block water from soaking through, making slate ideal for roof tiles.
8. 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.
9. On the Mohs hardness scale of minerals from 1 (softest, talc) to 10 (hardest), which natural mineral is the hardest (10) and can scratch all other minerals: diamond or chalk?
Diamond
Diamond ranks 10 on the Mohs hardness scale because of its strong three-dimensional covalent carbon lattice.
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. Which rock group forms over millions of years when layers of sand, mud, pebbles or shells are compacted and cemented together (such as sandstone, limestone and shale): sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rocks form in layers (strata) from deposited and lithified sediments.
12. What is the solid, unweathered layer of rock that lies beneath the subsoil at the bottom of a soil profile: bedrock or topsoil?
Bedrock
Bedrock is the parent solid rock beneath loose soil and weathered regolith.
12 questions · Seed 55 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. 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
2. When water seeps into a crack in a rock, freezes into ice overnight and expands by about 9%, wedging the rock apart, what type of physical weathering is this: freeze-thaw (frost wedging) or photosynthesis?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
3. 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
4. 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
5. When fine-grained mudstone or shale is compressed by mountain-building forces, what metamorphic rock does it form that splits into flat, waterproof sheets used for roofing: slate or chalk?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
6. What is soil made of: a mixture of weathered rock particles (sand, silt, clay), decaying organic matter (humus), water, air and living organisms, or pure crushed glass?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
7. What do we call a rock that does NOT allow water to pass through it because its crystals interlock tightly without gaps (such as granite or slate): an impermeable rock or a permeable rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
8. What is the dark, nutrient-rich organic material in topsoil formed from decomposed leaves, roots and animal remains: humus or magma?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
9. On the Mohs hardness scale of minerals from 1 (softest, talc) to 10 (hardest), which natural mineral is the hardest (10) and can scratch all other minerals: diamond or chalk?
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. Which rock group forms over millions of years when layers of sand, mud, pebbles or shells are compacted and cemented together (such as sandstone, limestone and shale): sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12. What is the solid, unweathered layer of rock that lies beneath the subsoil at the bottom of a soil profile: bedrock or topsoil?
Topsoil → Subsoil → Bedrock
12 questions · Seed 55 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9
Rocks, fossils & soil layers
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. 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).
2. When water seeps into a crack in a rock, freezes into ice overnight and expands by about 9%, wedging the rock apart, what type of physical weathering is this: freeze-thaw (frost wedging) or photosynthesis?
Freeze-thaw (frost wedging)
Water expands as it freezes, exerting strong pressure that widens rock cracks over repeated cycles.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. When fine-grained mudstone or shale is compressed by mountain-building forces, what metamorphic rock does it form that splits into flat, waterproof sheets used for roofing: slate or chalk?
Slate
Slate is a foliated, impermeable metamorphic rock that cleaves into flat tiles.
6. What is soil made of: a mixture of weathered rock particles (sand, silt, clay), decaying organic matter (humus), water, air and living organisms, or pure crushed glass?
A mixture of weathered rock particles (sand, silt, clay), decaying organic matter (humus), water, air and living organisms
Healthy soil combines mineral particles from weathered rock with organic humus, air spaces and water.
7. What do we call a rock that does NOT allow water to pass through it because its crystals interlock tightly without gaps (such as granite or slate): an impermeable rock or a permeable rock?
Impermeable rock
Impermeable rocks block water from soaking through, making slate ideal for roof tiles.
8. 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.
9. On the Mohs hardness scale of minerals from 1 (softest, talc) to 10 (hardest), which natural mineral is the hardest (10) and can scratch all other minerals: diamond or chalk?
Diamond
Diamond ranks 10 on the Mohs hardness scale because of its strong three-dimensional covalent carbon lattice.
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. Which rock group forms over millions of years when layers of sand, mud, pebbles or shells are compacted and cemented together (such as sandstone, limestone and shale): sedimentary rock or igneous rock?
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rocks form in layers (strata) from deposited and lithified sediments.
12. What is the solid, unweathered layer of rock that lies beneath the subsoil at the bottom of a soil profile: bedrock or topsoil?
Bedrock
Bedrock is the parent solid rock beneath loose soil and weathered regolith.
12 questions · Seed 55 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification