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Outdoor lesson plans for rocks & soils with Year 3

Year 3 - Rocks and soils

Explore the fascinating world beneath your feet with engaging outdoor science lessons on soils, fossils, and rocks. Through hands-on investigations, active games, and creative activities, children will classify soils, explore fossil formation, and test rock properties in fun, memorable ways.

Lesson Plans

Comparing and grouping rocks

During this outdoor lesson your children will explore different kinds of rocks and their associated properties. They will discuss the features of these rocks and work together to identify and classify them. 

Learning objective:

To compare and group together different kinds of rocks.

Comparing permeability

Carry out an investigation into the permeability of different rocks by having some fun in puddles! As part of this outdoor lesson your children will also secure their rock identification skills while having the opportunity to expand their vocabulary for this topic.

Learning objective:

To compare the permeability of rocks.

Comparing durability

The main activity of this outdoor lesson will require children to work collaboratively to set up an investigation into the durability of rocks, in order to design a product to be used in another year group, that is based on the properties of rocks. 

Learning objective:

To compare durability of rocks.

Understanding some fossil formations

Deepen your children’s understanding of how mould fossils are formed using nature found in your outdoor space. Children will start by familiarising themselves with the vocabulary and principles associated with fossil formation through an active science game and use this to describe the process afterwards!

Learning objective:

To understand how some fossils are formed.

Investigating soil compositions

Deliver a hands-on outdoor lesson that gives your children opportunities to explore your outdoor space and make systematic observations of the soil types they find. Your children will become familiar with soil formation and use artwork to display how they have classified soils.

Learning objective:

To investigate the composition of different soil types.

Before you get started

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