Rocks, soils and fossils

Rocks have properties

Rocks are grouped by what they are like: hard or soft, does water soak in (permeable) or not, grains large or small. Granite is hard and does not let water through, which is why it is used for steps; chalk is soft and crumbles.

Soil

Soil is broken-up rock mixed with humus — the dark remains of dead plants and animals. Sandy soil drains fast and dries out; clay soil holds water and can waterlog roots.

Fossils

A fossil is the shape or hardened remains of a living thing from long ago, preserved in rock. Fossils tell us which animals and plants lived here before, and they take many thousands of years to form.