Rocks, Soil and the Water Cycle — Answers
Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the 4th Grade earth, rocks & weather worksheet.
Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheet4th Grade · Science · Earth, Rocks & WeatherRocks, Soil and the Water Cycle — Answers
Part A: Rocks and the water cycle
Read the passage. Then circle the best answer.
Rocks are made of minerals. There are three main types of rock. Igneous rock forms when hot, melted rock cools and hardens (for example granite and basalt). Sedimentary rock forms when layers of sand, mud or shells are pressed and cemented together over a very long time (for example sandstone and limestone). Metamorphic rock forms when heat and pressure deep underground change one rock into a new rock (for example limestone changes into marble).
Soil covers much of the land. It is a mixture of tiny pieces of broken-down rock (sand, silt and clay), humus (rotting bits of dead plants and animals), air and water. Plants grow in soil.
Water on Earth keeps moving in the water cycle. Evaporation: the Sun warms water and it turns into water vapor, an invisible gas. Condensation: the water vapor rises, cools and turns into tiny drops of water that make clouds. Precipitation: the drops join together and fall as rain, hail or snow. Collection: the water runs into rivers, lakes, oceans and the ground — and the cycle starts again.
- ALayers of sand are pressed together.
- BMelted rock cools and hardens.
- CShells dissolve in the sea.
- DSoil dries out in the Sun.
Answer: Melted rock cools and hardens.
Igneous rock forms when hot, melted rock (magma or lava) cools and becomes solid. Granite and basalt are igneous rocks.
- Asedimentary
- Bigneous
- Cmetamorphic
- Dvolcanic
Answer: sedimentary
Sedimentary rocks form from layers of small pieces (sediment) that are pressed and cemented together over a very long time.
- Asedimentary
- Bigneous
- Cmetamorphic
- Dsoil
Answer: metamorphic
Metamorphic means changed form. Heat and pressure change one rock into a new rock.
- AWater vapor cooling into tiny drops
- BRain or snow falling from clouds
- CWater collecting in oceans and lakes
- DLiquid water turning into water vapor
Answer: Liquid water turning into water vapor
When the Sun warms water in oceans, lakes and puddles, some of it turns into an invisible gas called water vapor. That is evaporation.
- AWater vapor cools and condenses into tiny water drops.
- BSmoke rises into the sky.
- CThe wind blows soil into the air.
- DRain evaporates in the ground.
Answer: Water vapor cools and condenses into tiny water drops.
High in the sky the air is cooler, so water vapor condenses into tiny drops of water (or ice) that make up clouds.
Part B: Words that matter
- evaporation
- condensation
- precipitation
- collection
- water gathers in rivers, lakes and oceans
- water vapor cools into tiny water drops
- liquid water turns into water vapor
- rain, hail or snow falls from clouds
Answer: evaporation → liquid water turns into water vapor; condensation → water vapor cools into tiny water drops; precipitation → rain, hail or snow falls from clouds; collection → water gathers in rivers, lakes and oceans
Answer: humus
Answer: igneous
Answer: Tiny pieces of rock (sand, silt and clay), humus (decayed plant and animal material), air and water.
Part C: True or false?
Write True or False.
Answer: False
Water keeps moving around the water cycle. It evaporates, condenses, falls and collects again and again.
Answer: True
Water vapor in the air touches the cold glass, cools down and condenses into drops. The water does not leak through the glass.
Answer: True
They form from layer after layer of sediment, so layers (bands) are often easy to see.
Answer: False
Soil also contains humus, air and water, and many tiny living things.
Part D: Working scientifically: the soil shake jar
You can try this at home. Wear gloves or wash your hands after handling soil.
With a grown-up, fill a clear jar about one-third full with garden soil. Add water until the jar is nearly full, screw the lid on tightly and shake it for one minute. Leave the jar somewhere it will not be bumped and look at it again after a day.
Answer: The largest, heaviest pieces: small stones, gravel or coarse sand.
Answer: Bits of humus (dead leaves, twigs and roots).
Answer: The smallest pieces (clay and silt) settle slowly, so the water needs time to become still and clear.
Model answer: At the bottom there were small stones and sand, then a layer of fine silt, then a thin layer of clay on top, with cloudy water above and bits of humus floating. The heaviest, largest pieces sank first, and the smallest, lightest pieces sank last, so they ended up on top.
Success criteria:
- Describes at least two layers in the correct order
- Explains that bigger, heavier pieces settle first
- Mentions humus floating on top
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.
Great work. Here's what to try next: