JC Conservation provides elementary education day

The Earth Balloon, Augmented Reality Sand Box and the Soil Tunnel Trailer brought soil and water conservation to the Rock Hills Elementary School.

Kindergarten through fifth grade participated in the morning on Wednesday, Sept. 27. The youth education goal of the Jewell County Conservation District is to help students understand and appreciate how necessary it is to protect soil and water quality. The food, fiber and fuel we all need come from the soil – not the store! Plus, water needs to be conserved. The less erosion from fields, the better the quality of water is in our rivers, ponds and lakes.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Earth Balloon gave students and teachers an opportunity to see the Earth from the inside out. This replica of the Earth is nearly 20 feet tall! Each group was shown mountain ranges, oceans and cities by Brenda Mikesell and Corbin Larson of the Republic County conservation district. Then the students could enter the balloon and view the world from the inside. The young Rock Hills Grizzlies were asked questions such as what covers most of the Earth, and if they could point out the mountain ranges with snow on them.

Every day we walk on soil, but we can't see what is beneath our feet. The conservation district wanted the students to understand the value of soil. Amanda Johnson of the Mitchell County conservation district and Shannon Smith of the Ottawa County conservation district, assisted with the soil tunnel trailer. Students were able to view plant roots, including soybeans, corn and wheat and native plants from an inside the ground perspective. They could see how many organisms - grubs, earthworms and beetles - can live in the ground.

Jeremy Jacobs, NRCS district conservationist, and Sherry Koster, Jewell County conservation district, explained terraces, waterways and erosion with the augmented reality sandbox. With the majority of the Rock Hills Elementary students not being familiar with what terraces and waterways are, this was the perfect opportunity to show them why those conservation practices are built, and how they help prevent erosion. Students could hold their hands over the sandbox and make it rain! The sandbox was a great educational tool to show students how topography, and watersheds affect how water moves.

In the afternoon, the fifth grade class went to the Mankato City Park for an afternoon of forestry, soils, composting, wildlife and streams! The class was divided into three groups. This gave the students the opportunity to learn about the state tree of Kansas – the cottonwood – plus growth rings and which trees grow best for windbreaks. The state soil of Kansas – Harney silt loam – plus the different types of soils that are found in Kansas were shown to each group.

Wildlife and Parks provided the always popular "Skins & Skulls" display. This was the first time many students have been able to touch the pelt of a coyote and raccoon.

How to make compost – which included hand mixing of all the ingredients – was another stop for the Rock Hills fifth graders. The stream bank trailer provided the students with the hands on opportunity to see erosion in riparian areas and how that can be prevented by keeping trees, shrubs and grasses growing along the river banks. The afternoon ended with a game of cornhole. All the students took home prizes from the game!

The conservation district hopes this day was not only fun for the students and teachers of Rock Hills Elementary, but a great educational opportunity for all involved.

This conservation education was possible with the help of the Natural Resources Conservation Service staff (from both the local and area office), Mitchell, Ottawa and Republic County Conservation Districts, Kansas Wildlife and Parks, Kansas Forest Service and Elevate Ag.