Third-grade students at Phenix Elementary School have been busy studying about the importance of soil. 

“They know that many of the things we depend on every day from food to medicine, clothes, shelter, oxygen and many other things come from plants,” officials said in a press release. “Soil is necessary for the growth of plants. Students have brought in soil and analyzed it. Students have even made and eaten a model of the layers of soil, including bedrock, subsoil and topsoil, using graham crackers, crushed Oreos, chocolate pudding and a few gummy worms.”

Julie Hamlett and Patricia Mays from the Southside Soil and Water Conservation District visited classes and discussed with students the importance of soil and taking care of it. 

“Students learned that topsoil is only about three inches deep and that the subsoil in our area is mostly clay. The bedrock in this area of the state is granite.  Mrs. Hamlett and Mrs. Mays had students perform a field test to feel and describe the different textures of sand, silt and clay,” according to the release. “Students even got to play a game to show how water molecules move differently through sand, silt and clay and why loam (a mixture of the three) is the best type of soil for many crops.”