AGES 7–9 · ROCKS AND SOIL
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Describe the material, choose the quantity and connect the conclusion to the record.
Chapter index · Worked correction · Discussion and checking · Vocabulary articles
A smooth pebble, a rough rock fragment and a handful of soil invite different questions. What is it made of? What does its surface look like? How much water stays in a sample? This guide for children aged roughly 7–9 connects twenty words with a small fictional investigation. The age band is flexible; an adult may read aloud and begin with five words.
All four editions share numbered meanings, examples and an original story. A card’s links open the matching meaning in English, Mandarin, Hindi or Russian. Explain the idea in a familiar language before trying another expression. Some translations are phrases; the goal is a stable meaning, not four labels memorised without context.
Mandarin uses Simplified Chinese and pinyin with tones. Hindi and Russian have approximate Roman reading aids; Russian stress marks are for learning and are normally omitted in everyday writing. The supplied records can be studied entirely on paper, without collecting or touching unknown soil. They are invented teaching examples rather than classroom measurements or a national curriculum claim.
Chapter index
1–4 · Choose the feature and the quantity
5–8 · Layers and descriptions: words 11–15
9–12 · A gentle seven-day practice plan
Start by naming the question. Rock and mineral concern what a material is; rough and smooth describe its surface; damp and dry describe its moisture condition. These categories can overlap. One rock fragment can be smooth and damp at the same time. Becoming wet does not by itself prove that the rock changed into a different mineral.
Worked correction
Worked correction: “Both samples received 40 mL of water, so the same amount must have drained out.” Keep the equal input: A and B each received 40 mL. At the same stated endpoint, A’s collected drainage was 30 mL and B’s 10 mL. Equal input does not mean equal drainage. In our ideal accounting, 10 mL remains in A and 30 mL in B. State the quantity being compared before saying “the same”.
Soil texture has a specific meaning: the relative proportions of sand, silt and clay mineral particles. General surface texture, such as rough or smooth on a pebble, is a related everyday use of the word, not the same measurement. Soil can also contain organic matter and spaces with air and water. A list of mineral particle sizes alone does not describe everything in a soil.
Read the map in useful contrasts: rock and mineral, grain and whole sample, damp and dry, water entering and water draining. A pebble is a small rock fragment, not a separate mineral simply because it is rounded. Sand names a particle-size group rather than one mineral. Different minerals can occur in sand, and a rock can contain more than one mineral.
Some terms need context across languages. Hindi मिट्टी and Russian почва refer to soil here, not modelling clay or an entire planet. Silt is represented by a size-description phrase in Russian to avoid confusing this particle group with every muddy deposit. Clay also names a particle-size group in this lesson; a clay-rich soil remains a mixture.
1. rock · 岩石
English: rock
Natural solid Earth material, commonly made of one or more minerals; size alone does not identify its kind.
A small fragment can still be a piece of rock.
中文（普通话）: 岩石 (yánshí)
天然固体地球材料，常由一种或多种矿物组成，大小不能单独判种类。
小碎片仍可为岩石一块。
हिन्दी: चट्टान (caṭṭān)
प्राकृतिक ठोस भू-पदार्थ, प्रायः एक या अधिक खनिज; केवल आकार से प्रकार नहीं।
छोटा टुकड़ा भी चट्टान का भाग हो सकता है।
Русский: го́рная поро́да (gornaya poroda)
Естественный твёрдый материал Земли, обычно из одного или нескольких минералов; размер сам не определяет вид.
Маленький обломок тоже часть горной породы.
Try it: Explain why fragment size is not a rock-type test.
2. mineral · 矿物
English: mineral
A naturally occurring solid with a characteristic composition and ordered internal structure; many rocks contain minerals.
One rock can contain more than one mineral.
中文（普通话）: 矿物 (kuàngwù)
有特定成分及有序内部结构的天然固体，许多岩石含矿物。
一岩可含多种矿物。
हिन्दी: खनिज (khanij)
विशिष्ट संघटन और व्यवस्थित अंदरूनी बनावट वाला प्राकृतिक ठोस; कई चट्टानों में खनिज।
एक चट्टान में एक से अधिक खनिज हो सकते हैं।
Русский: минера́л (mineral)
Природное твёрдое вещество с характерным составом и упорядоченной структурой; многие породы содержат минералы.
В одной породе может быть несколько минералов.
Try it: Distinguish one mineral from a rock containing several.
3. pebble · 卵石
English: pebble
A small usually rounded rock fragment; its shape does not make it a separate mineral.
The smooth pebble is still a rock fragment.
中文（普通话）: 卵石 (luǎnshí)
通常较圆的小岩块，形状不使它成为另一矿物。
光滑卵石仍岩片。
हिन्दी: कंकड़ (kaṅkaṛ)
छोटा प्रायः गोल चट्टान-टुकड़ा; रूप से अलग खनिज नहीं बनता।
चिकना कंकड़ अभी चट्टान का टुकड़ा है।
Русский: га́лька (galka)
Небольшой обычно округлый обломок породы; форма не делает его отдельным минералом.
Гладкая галька остаётся обломком породы.
Try it: Describe the pebble’s shape without inventing its composition.
4. sand · 沙
English: sand
A size group of loose mineral or rock particles; in soil texture, sand particles are larger than silt and clay.
Sand is not one single mineral name.
中文（普通话）: 沙 (shā)
松散矿物岩粒的大小组，土壤质地中沙粒大于粉砂和黏土粒。
沙不是单一矿物名。
हिन्दी: रेत (ret)
ढीले खनिज या चट्टान कणों का आकार समूह; मिट्टी में सिल्ट-क्ले से बड़े।
रेत एक ही खनिज का नाम नहीं।
Русский: песо́к (pesok)
Размерная группа рыхлых минеральных или породных частиц; крупнее ила и глины в описании почвы.
Песок не название одного минерала.
Try it: Explain why sand is not one mineral name.
5. silt · 粉砂
English: silt
The soil mineral-particle size group between sand and clay; here the word refers to size, not a named mineral.
Silt particles are smaller than sand particles in our comparison.
中文（普通话）: 粉砂 (fěnshā)
沙与黏土间的土壤矿物粒级，本课指大小而非矿物名。
比较中粉砂粒小于沙粒。
हिन्दी: गाद (सिल्ट) (gād (silṭ))
रेत-क्ले के बीच मिट्टी का खनिज कण-आकार; यहाँ आकार, खास खनिज नहीं।
तुलना में सिल्ट कण रेत से छोटे हैं।
Русский: пы́леватые части́цы (pylevatyye chastitsy)
Промежуточная между песком и глиной размерная группа почвенных частиц; здесь размер, не минерал.
Пылеватые частицы в сравнении мельче песчаных.
Try it: Place silt between sand and clay by particle size.
6. clay · 黏土
English: clay
Here, the finest of the three mineral-particle size groups used for soil texture; a clay-rich soil is still a mixture.
Clay-rich does not mean every particle is clay.
中文（普通话）: 黏土 (niántǔ)
此处三种土壤矿物粒级最细者，富黏土土壤仍混合物。
富黏土不意每粒皆黏土。
हिन्दी: चिकनी मिट्टी (क्ले) (ciknī miṭṭī (kle))
यहाँ तीन खनिज कण-आकार में सबसे महीन; क्ले-समृद्ध मिट्टी भी मिश्रण।
क्ले-समृद्ध यानी हर कण क्ले नहीं।
Русский: гли́на (glina)
Здесь самая мелкая из трёх почвенных минеральных фракций; глинистая почва всё ещё смесь.
Глинистая не означает, что каждая частица глинистая.
Try it: Explain why clay-rich soil is a mixture.
7. soil · 土壤
English: soil
A natural surface material with mineral or organic solids and spaces that can hold air and water; it can support living things.
Soil is more than crushed rock alone.
中文（普通话）: 土壤 (tǔrǎng)
天然地表材料有矿物或有机固体及可容空气水的孔隙，可支持生物。
土壤不只是碎岩。
हिन्दी: मिट्टी (miṭṭī)
प्राकृतिक सतही पदार्थ, खनिज या जैव ठोस और हवा-पानी वाली जगहों सहित; जीवन को सहारा देता।
मिट्टी केवल पिसी चट्टान नहीं।
Русский: по́чва (pochva)
Природный поверхностный материал с минеральными или органическими твёрдыми частями и порами для воздуха и воды; поддерживает жизнь.
Почва — больше, чем измельчённая порода.
Try it: Name solids and pore spaces in a soil description.
8. humus · 腐殖质
English: humus
Well-decomposed organic matter in soil; dark colour alone does not prove a sample is humus.
Humus is not the name for every dark grain.
中文（普通话）: 腐殖质 (fǔzhízhì)
土中充分分解有机质，单深色不证明腐殖质。
腐殖质不指所有暗粒。
हिन्दी: ह्यूमस (hyūmas)
मिट्टी में अच्छी तरह विघटित जैव पदार्थ; केवल गहरा रंग प्रमाण नहीं।
हर गहरे कण का नाम ह्यूमस नहीं।
Русский: гу́мус (gumus)
Хорошо разложившееся органическое вещество почвы; одного тёмного цвета для определения недостаточно.
Не всякая тёмная частица — гумус.
Try it: Avoid identifying every dark speck as humus.
9. grain · 颗粒
English: grain
A small individual solid piece, such as one sand grain; many grains together can make a sample.
One visible sand grain is not the whole soil sample.
中文（普通话）: 颗粒 (kēlì)
小独立固片如一沙粒，多粒可成样品。
一可见沙粒非全土样。
हिन्दी: दाना (dānā)
छोटा अलग ठोस हिस्सा, जैसे रेत का दाना; कई से नमूना।
दिखता एक रेत दाना पूरा मिट्टी नमूना नहीं।
Русский: зерно́ (zerno)
Маленькая отдельная твёрдая часть, например песчинка; многие зёрна составляют образец.
Одно видимое зерно не весь образец почвы.
Try it: Separate one grain from the whole sample.
10. particle · 微粒
English: particle
A small piece of matter; some soil particles are too small to distinguish with unaided eyes.
Not seeing a clay particle does not mean it is absent.
中文（普通话）: 微粒 (wēilì)
小物质片，有些土粒裸眼分不清。
看不清黏土粒不代表无。
हिन्दी: कण (kaṇ)
पदार्थ का छोटा भाग; कुछ मिट्टी कण नंगी आँख से अलग नहीं दिखते।
क्ले कण न दिखना अनुपस्थिति नहीं।
Русский: части́ца (chastitsa)
Малая часть вещества; некоторые почвенные частицы неразличимы невооружённым глазом.
Невидимость отдельной глинистой частицы не означает её отсутствия.
Try it: Explain why a tiny particle may not be individually visible.
11. layer · 层
English: layer
A band of material above or below another; natural soil layers are not identical everywhere.
Our sketch labels two layers without claiming all soils look the same.
中文（普通话）: 层 (céng)
另材料上或下的一带，自然土层并非处处相同。
图标两层，不说所有土同样。
हिन्दी: परत (parat)
दूसरे पदार्थ के ऊपर-नीचे पट्टी; प्राकृतिक मिट्टी परतें हर जगह समान नहीं।
चित्र दो परत बताए, सभी मिट्टी एक जैसी नहीं।
Русский: слой (sloy)
Полоса материала над или под другой; природные почвенные слои не везде одинаковы.
Рисунок показывает два слоя, не одинаковость всех почв.
Try it: Describe a layer without claiming all soils match.
12. texture · 质地
English: texture
A description of material character; soil texture specifically concerns the proportions of sand, silt and clay.
A wet colour is not a soil-texture measurement.
中文（普通话）: 质地 (zhìdì)
材料特征描述，土壤质地特指沙粉砂黏土比例。
湿时颜色非土壤质地测量。
हिन्दी: बनावट (banāvaṭ)
पदार्थ का गुण-वर्णन; मिट्टी में खासकर रेत-सिल्ट-क्ले अनुपात।
गीला रंग मिट्टी बनावट का माप नहीं।
Русский: гранулометри́ческий соста́в (granulometricheskiy sostav)
Для почвы — соотношение песчаных, пылеватых и глинистых частиц; английское texture также бывает общим описанием поверхности.
Цвет влажной почвы не измеряет её гранулометрический состав.
Try it: Use the soil-specific meaning of texture.
13. rough · 粗糙的
English: rough
Having an uneven surface; a rough surface does not by itself identify the rock type.
The rough fragment and smooth fragment could be the same rock kind.
中文（普通话）: 粗糙的 (cūcāo de)
表面不平，单粗糙不判岩种。
粗片光片可能同岩种。
हिन्दी: खुरदरा (khurdarā)
असम सतह; केवल खुरदरापन चट्टान प्रकार नहीं बताता।
खुरदरा-चिकना टुकड़ा एक चट्टान प्रकार हो सकता।
Русский: шерохова́тый (sherokhovatyy)
С неровной поверхностью; шероховатость сама не определяет породу.
Шероховатый и гладкий обломки могут быть одной породы.
Try it: Describe a rough surface without naming a rock type.
14. smooth · 光滑的
English: smooth
Having a relatively even surface; smooth is a surface description, not a mineral name.
We describe the pebble as smooth.
中文（普通话）: 光滑的 (guānghuá de)
表面较平滑，是表面描述非矿物名。
描述卵石光滑。
हिन्दी: चिकना (ciknā)
अपेक्षाकृत सम सतह; सतह वर्णन, खनिज नाम नहीं।
कंकड़ को चिकना कहते हैं।
Русский: гла́дкий (gladkiy)
С относительно ровной поверхностью; описание поверхности, не название минерала.
Описываем гальку как гладкую.
Try it: Pair smooth with a surface description.
15. damp · 潮湿的
English: damp
Containing some moisture; dampness is a condition that can change.
The same sample can be dry first and damp later.
中文（普通话）: 潮湿的 (cháoshī de)
含些水分，可改变状态。
同样品可先干后湿。
हिन्दी: नम (nam)
कुछ नमी वाला; बदल सकने वाली अवस्था।
वही नमूना पहले सूखा, बाद नम।
Русский: вла́жный (vlazhnyy)
С некоторым количеством влаги; состояние может меняться.
Тот же образец сначала сухой, затем влажный.
Try it: Describe the same sample before and after wetting.
16. dry · 干燥的
English: dry
Containing little moisture in this description; appearance alone does not measure exact water content.
Dry soil does not automatically mean dead or useless soil.
中文（普通话）: 干燥的 (gānzào de)
此描述含水较少，单外观不量精确水分。
干土不自动死或无用土。
हिन्दी: सूखा (sūkhā)
यहाँ कम नमी; रूप से सटीक जल मात्रा नहीं।
सूखी मिट्टी अपने-आप मृत या बेकार नहीं।
Русский: сухо́й (sukhoy)
С малым количеством влаги в этом описании; вид не измеряет точное содержание воды.
Сухая почва не обязательно мёртвая или бесполезная.
Try it: Explain why appearance is not exact moisture measurement.
17. absorb · 吸收
English: absorb
Take a substance in; a drainage total alone does not show exactly how water is held within soil.
We say water remained in the sample before claiming a specific absorption mechanism.
中文（普通话）: 吸收 (xīshōu)
把物质摄入，单排水总量不示土内精确持水方式。
先说水留样内，再谈具体吸收机制。
हिन्दी: सोखना (sokhnā)
किसी पदार्थ को भीतर लेना; निकले पानी की गिनती अकेले भीतर धारण का तरीका नहीं बताती।
खास सोखने का तरीका कहने से पहले पानी नमूने में रहा कहें।
Русский: впи́тывать (vpityvat)
Принимать вещество внутрь; один объём стока не показывает точный механизм удержания воды почвой.
Сначала скажем, что вода осталась в образце, прежде вывода о механизме впитывания.
Try it: Separate retained amount from a microscopic mechanism.
18. drain · 排水
English: drain
Let water flow out or away; specify how much was collected and when.
More water drained from A during the stated interval.
中文（普通话）: 排水 (páishuǐ)
让水流出，说明何时收集多少。
给定时段A排出更多水。
हिन्दी: पानी निकलना (pānī nikalnā)
पानी का बाहर बहना; कब कितना इकट्ठा, स्पष्ट करें।
तय समय में A से अधिक पानी निकला।
Русский: стека́ть (stekat)
Вытекать или уходить; укажите собранный объём и момент.
За заданный промежуток из A стекло больше воды.
Try it: Name the endpoint of a drainage comparison.
19. compare · 比较
English: compare
Look for similarities and differences using clear features and stated conditions.
Compare equal water inputs at the same endpoint.
中文（普通话）: 比较 (bǐjiào)
按清楚特征给定条件找相同不同。
同终点比相等注水量。
हिन्दी: तुलना करना (tulnā karnā)
स्पष्ट गुण और तय शर्तों से समानता-अंतर देखना।
समान अंतिम समय पर बराबर पानी की तुलना।
Русский: сра́внивать (sravnivat)
Находить сходства и различия по ясным признакам и заданным условиям.
Сравните равные добавления воды в один конечный момент.
Try it: Compare A and B’s input, then their drainage.
20. observe · 观察
English: observe
Notice and describe what is available to see or measure, keeping explanations separate.
Observe the record before guessing why the samples differ.
中文（普通话）: 观察 (guānchá)
留意描述可见可量，区别解释。
先看记录再猜样品为何异。
हिन्दी: अवलोकन करना (avlokan karnā)
दिखने-मापने वाली बात बताएँ, व्याख्या अलग रखें।
नमूनों के अंतर का कारण पहले अभिलेख देखें।
Русский: наблюда́ть (nablyudat)
Замечать и описывать видимое или измеряемое, различая наблюдение и объяснение.
Сначала наблюдайте запись, потом предполагайте причину различий.
Try it: State one observation and one unanswered question.
The following story and tables are original fictional records. A and B are equal-volume soil samples in matching imagined drainage holders, receiving 40 mL each in the same way and compared at one stated endpoint. Their composition is not supplied. We assume initially dry samples, no spills, evaporation, leaks or water left in the apparatus or on the surface. All added water is either collected drainage or water remaining within the sample.
These assumptions make the subtraction meaningful; they are not a claim that a real soil experiment is perfectly loss-free. More drainage in this record means less water remaining at this endpoint. It does not establish which sample has more clay, better plant nutrition or cleaner water. The remaining amount also does not reveal whether water is held in pores or by a particular microscopic mechanism.
| Sample | Water added (mL) | Drainage collected (mL) | Remaining within sample (mL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 40 | 30 | 10 |
| B | 40 | 10 | 30 |
| Sample | Input minus drainage = remainder (mL) |
|---|---|
| A | 40 − 30 = 10 |
| B | 40 − 10 = 30 |
English · The Two Water Arrows
Lea and Omar looked at a fictional soil record. Each imagined sample, A and B, had received 40 mL of water. The samples had equal volumes and matching holders, and the record compared them at one endpoint.
“Same water in, so same water out,” Lea predicted. Omar drew an entering arrow and a leaving arrow for each sample. They kept 40 mL beside both entering arrows, then opened the drainage column: A had 30 mL collected below it, B only 10 mL.
Lea kept her correct statement about equal input but repaired the conclusion. Under the record’s assumptions, water was either collected below or still inside the sample. A had 10 mL remaining, B 30 mL. There were no spills, leaks, evaporation or water held elsewhere in this imaginary accounting.
“Then B must be clay,” Omar said. Lea checked the label. It only said B; no composition was supplied. The result showed different water drainage in this arrangement. It did not identify all the particles or explain exactly how they held water.
Beside the record were two drawings of rock fragments. One surface was rough, the other smooth. Omar wondered whether smooth was the name of a mineral. Lea made two headings: material and surface. A small rounded pebble was still a rock fragment. Its roundness did not make a new mineral.
They added sand, silt and clay to a word map. These were particle-size groups for soil texture. Humus belonged with decomposed organic matter, not with every dark speck. The map reminded them that soil could include solids and spaces containing air and water.
Finally they read C and D. Each received 50 mL. C drained 20 mL; D drained 35 mL. This time C had more water remaining: 30 mL compared with 15 mL. They read the new numbers rather than copying which earlier letter had retained more.
Their final note said, “First ask what kind of description we need. Then read the quantity, check the conditions and keep the conclusion within the evidence.”
中文（普通话） · 两个水流箭头
莉娅和奥马尔看一份虚构土壤记录。A、B两个想象样品都注入40 mL水，样品体积相等、容器相同，并在一个共同终点比较。
“进水相同，出水就相同。”莉娅预测。奥马尔为每个样品画一个进入箭头、一个流出箭头。两个进入箭头都保留40 mL，然后打开排水栏：A收集30 mL，B只有10 mL。
莉娅保留注水相等的正确陈述，修正结论。按记录假设，水只可能收集在下方，或仍在样品里。A留10 mL，B留30 mL。想象记录无泼洒、漏水、蒸发或别处留水。
“那B一定是黏土。”奥马尔说。莉娅查标签，只写B，没有组成资料。结果显示这次排列的排水不同，不识别全部颗粒，也不解释它们精确怎样持水。
旁边两张岩片图，一表面粗糙，一光滑。奥马尔问光滑是否矿物名。莉娅另写材料和表面两标题：圆小卵石仍是岩片，圆度不使它成新矿物。
他们把沙、粉砂、黏土加词图，作为土壤质地的粒级。腐殖质配分解有机质，不配所有深色小点。土壤既有固体，也有容空气和水的空间。
最后看C、D，各注50 mL。C排20，D排35，故C留30、D留15 mL。这次C留更多。他们读新数，没有照搬早先哪个字母留更多。
最后笔记：“先问需哪种描述，再读数量、查条件，并把结论留在证据范围内。”他们用另一语言的同号词卡再解释一次，意思保持不变。
हिन्दी · पानी के दो तीर
लिया और ओमर ने काल्पनिक मिट्टी अभिलेख पढ़ा। A और B में 40 mL पानी डाला था। नमूनों के आयतन और धारक समान, अंतिम तुलना एक समय पर।
‘बराबर पानी अंदर, तो बराबर बाहर,’ लिया बोली। ओमर ने हर नमूने का प्रवेश और निकास तीर बनाया। प्रवेश पर दोनों 40 mL रखा, फिर निकास देखा: A से 30 mL, B से केवल 10 mL।
लिया ने बराबर इनपुट का सही कथन रखा, निष्कर्ष सुधारा। अभिलेख की शर्त में पानी नीचे इकट्ठा या नमूने भीतर था। A में 10 mL, B में 30 mL शेष। कल्पित हिसाब में छलकाव, रिसाव, वाष्प या दूसरी जगह पानी नहीं।
‘तो B ज़रूर क्ले,’ ओमर बोला। लिया ने नाम देखा: केवल B, संघटन नहीं। परिणाम इस व्यवस्था में अलग निकास बताता था, सभी कण या पानी धारण का सटीक तरीका नहीं।
पास दो चट्टान-चित्र थे, एक खुरदरा, एक चिकना। ओमर ने पूछा चिकना खनिज का नाम? लिया ने पदार्थ और सतह दो शीर्षक बनाए। छोटा गोल कंकड़ भी चट्टान-टुकड़ा था। गोलाई नया खनिज नहीं बनाती।
शब्द-मानचित्र में रेत, सिल्ट, क्ले मिट्टी के कण-आकार समूह थे। ह्यूमस विघटित जैव पदार्थ से जुड़ा, हर गहरा बिंदु नहीं। मिट्टी में ठोस और हवा-पानी की जगह दोनों थीं।
आखिर C-D पढ़े। दोनों 50 mL; C से 20, D से 35 निकला। भीतर C में 30, D में 15 mL। इस बार C में अधिक रहा। नए अंक पढ़े, पुराना अक्षर-उत्तर नहीं दोहराया।
अंतिम नोट: ‘पहले किस तरह का वर्णन चाहिए, फिर मात्रा, शर्त और साक्ष्य की सीमा।’
Русский · Две водяные стрелки
Лея и Омар читали вымышленную запись почвы. Обоим образцам A и B добавили 40 mL. Объёмы и держатели одинаковые, сравнение в один момент.
«Вошло поровну — вышло поровну», — предсказала Лея. Омар нарисовал входящую и выходящую стрелки. На входах сохранили 40 mL, затем открыли сток: у A собрано 30 mL, у B только 10 mL.
Лея сохранила верное равенство ввода и исправила вывод. По допущениям вода либо собрана внизу, либо внутри образца. У A осталось 10 mL, у B 30 mL. Проливов, утечек, испарения и воды в других местах не было.
«Значит, B обязательно глина», — сказал Омар. Лея проверила подпись: только B, состава нет. Результат показывал разный сток в этой схеме, не все частицы и не точный механизм удержания воды.
Рядом два рисунка обломков: шероховатый и гладкий. Омар спросил, не название ли минерала гладкий. Лея написала два заголовка: материал и поверхность. Маленькая округлая галька оставалась обломком породы. Округлость не создавала новый минерал.
На словесную карту добавили песок, пылеватые частицы и глину — размерные группы для текстуры почвы. Гумус связали с разложившимся органическим веществом, не с любой тёмной точкой. В почве были твёрдые части и пространства для воздуха и воды.
В конце прочитали C и D. Каждому 50 mL; сток C 20, D 35 mL. Остатки 30 и 15 mL: теперь больше у C. Они прочитали новые значения, не скопировали прежнюю букву ответа.
Последняя запись: «Сначала вид описания, затем величина, условия и границы данных».
Answer aloud, point to the record or sketch the quantities. Try “The input is ___, the collected drainage is ___, so under these assumptions the remainder is ___.” Give time to name the quantity before calculating. The checking guide is visible below. A familiar-language explanation is welcome before trying the matching word in another language.
1. Does equal input require equal drainage?
2. How much remains in A and B under the assumptions?
3. Does B’s result prove it contains more clay?
4. Is a smooth pebble a new mineral because it is rounded?
5. Does every dark grain have to be humus?
6. What does soil texture describe here?
7. Are the tiny particles absent if we cannot see them separately?
8. Which sample retains more in the C-and-D record?
9. Can the record show exactly how the remaining water is held?
10. What must be checked before subtracting drainage from input?
Discussion guide
No. Both inputs are 40 mL, but A drains 30 mL and B 10 mL at the given endpoint.
A: 40 − 30 = 10 mL. B: 40 − 10 = 30 mL. All added water is accounted for.
No. Composition is not provided. The result describes drainage and remainder, not a full material identification.
No. Shape and surface are descriptions, while mineral identity requires other evidence.
No. Colour alone does not establish well-decomposed organic matter.
Relative proportions of sand, silt and clay mineral particles.
No. Some are too small for unaided eyes. Lack of visibility is not proof of absence.
C: 50 − 20 = 30 mL. D: 50 − 35 = 15 mL. C has 15 mL more remaining.
No. It gives an amount under stated assumptions, not a microscopic mechanism.
Initial moisture, endpoint and other destinations for water. Our fictional model rules out losses and water elsewhere; a real setup requires checking them.
Use five to ten calm minutes and stop earlier when needed. This flexible plan is not a promise of mastery in seven days. The paper records are enough; no unknown soil handling, rock breaking or equipment purchase is required. Revisit one contrast at a time and keep its meaning steady as the language changes.
| Day | Words | Small activity | What to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–5 | Compare rock, mineral and particle-size words. | Surface is not the same as material identity. |
| 2 | 6–10 | Describe soil solids and organic matter. | One grain is not the whole sample. |
| 3 | 11–15 | Separate layer, texture, surface and moisture. | Name which feature is being described. |
| 4 | 16–20 | Read A and B’s water arrows. | Input and drainage are different quantities. |
| 5 | 1–20 | Read the shared story. | Keep correct observations while repairing conclusions. |
| 6 | Selected five | Open matching cards in another language. | The expression changes; the meaning stays. |
| 7 | Review | Explain C and D without the answer guide. | Read the new values before choosing a sample. |
If the learner treats smooth as a rock type, keep the surface observation and ask a separate material question. Smooth tells us about a surface, while mineral composition needs further evidence. If the learner assumes every dark sample is humus, preserve the colour description but do not turn it into an identification. Colour is one observation, not a complete material analysis.
If equal water input is confused with equal drainage, put two arrows on paper: entering and leaving. Keep 40 mL on both input arrows, then add the different recorded outputs. Calculate each remainder separately. If the child claims B must contain clay, ask whether the record actually gives B’s composition. A plausible explanation is not yet an established fact.
If the relationship is explained correctly but a translated word is slow to appear, keep the reasoning and practise that language link. If the vocabulary is fluent but a claim exceeds the evidence, return to the table and its assumptions. A language gap, an arithmetic slip and an evidence gap need different repairs; none is a diagnosis of the child.
Try a new fictional pair at a common endpoint. C and D each receive 50 mL under the same no-loss accounting assumptions. C drains 20 mL and D drains 35 mL, leaving 30 mL and 15 mL within the samples. C retains more in this record. The letters do not encode a material type, and an answer from A and B cannot simply be copied without reading the new values.
A useful progress sentence is “I can name the feature, state the conditions and limit the conclusion.” Explain one relationship in a familiar language and find its card in another. A careful observation may end with a question about composition or pore space. It need not end with an unsupported identification or a recommendation about growing a particular plant.
| Sample | Water added (mL) | Drainage collected (mL) | Remaining within sample (mL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | 50 | 20 | 30 |
| D | 50 | 35 | 15 |
Are rock and mineral the same word?
No. A mineral has a characteristic composition and internal structure. Rocks commonly contain one or more minerals or other geological material. Size and surface alone do not settle identity.
Is sand one kind of mineral?
No. It is a particle-size group. Sand can have different mineral or rock compositions; our word describes size rather than one chemical identity.
Does clay-rich mean pure clay?
No. Soil remains a mixture. The relative proportions of the mineral particle groups help describe its texture; organic matter and pore spaces matter too.
Does soil always have the same proportions?
No. Mineral particles, organic matter, air and water vary among soils and with conditions. A typical diagram is an example, not a fixed recipe for every soil.
Does more drainage mean a better soil?
Not by itself. This record compares water amounts at one endpoint. Suitability for a plant or use needs more information about the soil and the requirements of that use.
Does the remaining water prove absorption into particles?
No. It establishes a remaining amount only under our assumptions. Water can be held in soil in different ways; the arithmetic does not identify the microscopic mechanism.
Can the same sample become damp and later dry?
Yes. Moisture condition can change without changing every mineral in it. Keep the material description separate from its current condition.
How can a child use four languages without overload?
Keep one meaning steady, explain it in a familiar language and open the same numbered card elsewhere. Practise a short phrase. Five understood words can be enough for one session.
Background reading for adults
Adult background on rocks, minerals and soil properties. Word cards, records and story are original fictional examples. The water accounts are teaching models, without claims of real classroom measurements, exact soil identification or national curriculum requirements.
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