Take a Closer Look: What Is Soil?

You might think that soil is just dirt . . . but it is much more than that! Help Bud and Sprout discover all the things that make up the different kinds of soil.

Print this page and look closely at a handful of soil.

• What color is it?

• What does it feel like? What does it smell like?

• Try separating the soil into different parts. Put things that are alike in piles such as all sticks with sticks, and all roots with roots. Record what you find.

• What else can you tell about the soil?

When you're finished, go on to learn why soil is so important...