What is Soil Made Of?

Dirty is the perfect name for a series that will have kids wanting to head outside and see
some of the interesting points the books make about soil—what it is, how it’s formed, what it’s good for.
Though the titles don’t have to be read in any particular order (especially since some of the information
overlaps), the best place to start is still What’s Soil Made Of? This close-up look at soil explains that it is
composed of eroded and weathered rocks, plant matter, and poop. The books are neatly laid out, with
simple text captioning the many color photographs. A good gambit is used to get kids to turn pages: each
spread ends with a question. All of the books end with a science-lab feature that offers simple experiments
for budding scientists. Full of useful information, this series makes the most ordinary of substances

Part of the series Down & Dirty: The Secrets of Soil, this book introduces young scientists to the components of soil. It starts by explaining clearly that a primary component of soil is the broken up pieces of the underlying rock layer in an area and how that rock is broken into small pieces. Then there is an introduction of the organic materials as soil components followed by the importance of air and water in the soil.

In the classroom the book creates high interest with clear pictures that illustrate the content. Beginning with a Table of Contents to guide the reader to the information they may be looking for, each section uses text and clearly labeled illustrations to develop key science concepts. Important words are bolded and then defined in the “Science Words” section using both pictures and text. There is a “Science Lab” section that suggests investigations that students can complete that focus on the content of the book. An index at the end of the book allows the reader to find specific places in the book where key ideas are presented.

As a part of your library, this book can be used as a tool for primary age students to begin doing research for reports or projects. In addition the “Science Labs” section contains some great ideas for both individual and class investigations. The investigations not only focus on doing, but also on the importance in science of recording and analyzing data.

What’s Soil Made Of? provides an overview of organic components, rock weathering, animals living in soil, and different types. Animals focuses on excretion and decomposing bodies and mentions how earthworms and larger animals loosen soil. Plants mentions vegetation that grows without soil but concentrates on how most receive nutrients through roots. Is All Soil the Same? notes variations such as clay, volcanic soil, and peat. Dirt or Soil focuses on a distinction in terminology that could be explained in a couple of sentences. Curiously, none of these offerings includes basic terminology such as topsoil or humus. There are many photos here, some of which appear in more than one volume, and the selections all conclude with an activity suggestion.