Learning about dirt, beaks, and rivers is how the fourth graders spent their day on March 26. They attended the Soil and Water Festival put on by the Missouri's Conservation Department. The students had a great time and learned a lot about the soil and water in Missouri. They also learned about the many different animals and organisms which make up the Missouri ecosystem. The Conservation Department set up nine stations with hands-on activities for the students. Those stations were called Enviorscape, Stream Table, CSI (Close-up Science Investigation), Eco-energy, Birds, Beaks, & Wetlands, Clouds in a Bottle, Formula For Soil, Erosion in a Bottle, and Ground Water Project. The students had many favorite stations and many favorite activities, but only one station was their absolute favorite.

"My favorite part was the food web [which was a part of the Ecoenergy station]. We got to be different animals and eat each other," said Fourth Grader Angelina Pratt. 


The teachers were hoping the festival would do many things for their students, including helping them learn through hands on activities. "We [the fourth grade teachers] have already taught about ecosystems in our classrooms so we were hoping for a lot of hands-on activities. We were hoping it would just reinforce what we have taught in our classrooms and that is exactly what it did," said Fourth Grade Teacher Mrs. Felicia Limb.

According to Youth Program Development Associate for the University of Missouri Extension Dale Hunsburger the Soil and Water festival was considered a success. It was considered a success because the fourth graders had a great time and learned a lot of things to help them on their MAP testing. That was proved through a pre-test given before the festival to test their knowledge and a post-test given after the festival. He said their knowledge after the festival was great according to the differences between the two tests. So, if you want to learn about the soil, water, animals, and organisms in the Missouri ecosystem, all you have to do is ask a fourth grader.