A field experiment was conducted in 2013—2015 at Shouyang in Shanxi Province of China, to study the effects of different mulching modes on the changes of soil moisture and temperature, and to explore the best planting pattern of dryland maize in Shanxi Province. Three different mulching patterns were included, i.e. plastic film-straw overlay (MS) , full plastic film mulching (FM) , narrow plastic film mulching (NM). And soil temperature, moisture, and yield of spring maize were assessed using traditional farming pattern as control (CK). Results showed that the diurnal variation of MS was smaller than that of FM, NM and CK, the difference was 8.8 ℃; and 25～35 d after sowing, the temperature in 15cm soil layer increased from 19.1 ℃ to 26.5 ℃, showing a weak warming effect. During the whole growth period of maize, MS raised 68 mm of soil storage in the 0-160 cm soil layer compared to CK, and the 3-year average water content in MS, FM and NM increased by 4.5%, 0.4% and 1.2% respectively. Compared to CK, maize yield of MS increased by 17.4% , WUE of MS increased by 24.8% . Thus, the plastic film combined with straw mulch could improve soil temperature, moisture, and consequently improve maize yield and WUE, should be the best mulching pattern for dryland maize cultivation in Shanxi Province.