NATCHEZ &8212; Everything comes from soil, and emergency preparedness is vital.

Those two things along with other informative areas of conservation awareness were the main topics Thursday at the Conservation Field Day. The field day was held at the Mississippi State Extension Office and offered students an interaction with state conservation workers.

&8220;This presentation is part of their basic science skills that they are learning in school,&8221; chaperone Betty Hicks said.

Fifth- and sixth- graders from local schools participated in the field day that included five outdoor stations, a watershed harmony play and a puppet show inside the MSU office.

One of the stations included a presentation of basic survival skills given by Veterans Service Officer Erle Drane.

&8220;This presentation is to teach you basic survival skills, readiness and family and community preparedness,&8221; Drane said to the group of students. &8220;All these things on the table will help you to survive through a disaster and even offer a little entertainment,&8221; Drane said pointing to the various items including magazines, lighters and food.

A station given by Joey Hagerson outlining the different types of soil and dirt was also part of the event.

&8220;Dirt is what your mother tells you to go outside and clean off your shoes when you come in,&8221; Hagerson said. &8220;Soil is what makes everything we eat, wear and even the grass you&8217;re standing on.&8221;

Another station giving students a look into the different type of trees and identifying them seemed to be the most popular.

The students lined up in two different groups, each group standing behind a student sitting in a chair and raced toward to station presenter. The goal being to search through two leaf-filled boxes to find the leaf similar to the one he was holding.

&8220;This station is showing the importance of trees, the different types of trees and how to identify them by their leaves,&8221; station instructor Stuart Sellers said.

&8220;I&8217;ve learned a bunch about trees and the soil and what to do if there is a storm or a hurricane,&8221; Cathedral student Carly Allen said.

Mike Williams taught students the difference in the different types of soil in a popular demonstration of collecting a soil sample. With an instrument on the side of his truck that dug deep into the ground raising the truck up on two wheels, the students excitement became obvious by the &8220;wows and cools,&8221; that were overheard.

&8220;This is a demonstration of the different types of soil we have throughout the community,&8221; Williams told the students while laying the recently taken soil sample out on the table.

&8220;I&8217;ve learned a lot about bad storms and that there is different stuff we need to bring and a lot about trees and leaves,&8221; Cathedral student Kate Lynn Falkenheiner said.

The last outdoor station was given by Trey Deloach and explained the different types of wood seen in a daily routine.

The watershed play was also a favorite as characters, portrayed as puppets of a small town affected by industry, told their stories and the effects seen on the watershed.

&8220;I&8217;ve had fun and think it was a good science field trip,&8221; Falkenheiner said.