A Types of Soil Chart for Your Classroom

Exploring soils and their properties in your science unit this term? Provide a visual reference of the four main types of soil with this age-appropriate types of soils chart.

This classroom poster has been designed by our experienced team of teachers to help you introduce the four main soil types to your students. The four main types of soil are sand, silt, loam and clay. The poster provides an image of each soil type and provides a brief description of each. The content from the poster is outlined below.

• Sand – Sand has the largest particles. It is usually found in hot climates. Sand does not easily retain water. 
• Silt – Silt has medium-sized particles. It is formed from sediments and is often found near lakes, rivers and runoff areas.
• Loam – Loam has medium-sized particles. It is a fertile soil that is full of nutrients, making it well-suited to growing plants.
• Clay – Clay has the smallest particles. Clay retains water well, making it well-suited to plants with a strong root system.

This types of soil chart can be downloaded as a full-color PDF or an editable Google Slides file. 

This resource would make a great addition to any lesson focused on introducing the four main soil types and their basic properties.

Maximize Your Use of This Types of Soil Chart

Posters make a great visual reference for students. You can display them on your class bulletin board during a unit of work on soil, or provide a copy for students to paste into their workbooks for future reference.

To liven up your lesson on the four types of soil, why not prepare samples of each soil type for students to explore? Teach Starter’s Observing Soil Worksheet is the perfect resource for students to use when making observations about the properties of various soil types. 

You could also conduct simple experiments, such as planting seeds in each soil type to determine which soil is best for plant growth. As the experiment unfolds and your students record their observations, your types of soil classroom chart will be readily available for your students to refer to! 

How to Access This Types of Soils Chart

Use the dropdown menu next to the Download button above to access either the easy-print PDF or the Google Slides version of this resource. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides template before accessing it.)

Print and enlarge the poster to display on your classroom wall, or print two-to-a-page for pasting into your students’ notebooks.

More Activities to Explore Soil Types and Properties

Looking for more activities to enhance your Science lessons on soil? Explore this great selection of teacher-created resources!

teaching resource

Types of Soil – Teaching Presentation

Practice identifying different types of soil with this 18-slide teaching presentation.

teaching resource

Properties of Soil Teaching Slides

Explore the properties of sand, silt, loam and clay with this comprehensive set of teaching slides.

teaching resource

Types of Soils – Comprehension Worksheets

Explore the properties of sand, silt, loam and clay with a set of 4 reading passages with accompanying comprehension questions.