Grade 3 Spekboom Project

The Grade 3s had great fun propagating their own little Spekboom plant for our Eco Project this term. The children had a discussion about what they thought were important conditions for a plant to thrive. They then planted their Spekboom plant in a yoghurt cup. In the coming weeks, they will need to nurture their own little plants, making sure that there is adequate light, water and soil. A control plant has been put into a dark place, with no water and very little soil. We will compare the control plant to confirm the necessity for the perfect conditions for a plant to thrive. The children used an iPad to research in pairs some interesting fun facts about the Spekboom. The children learned that a Spekboom is proudly South African – indigenous to our country. They also discovered that this plant helps to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by acting like a carbon sponge, improving the quality of air we breathe. The Spekboom’s common name translates to “bacon tree” and it is an Elephant’s absolute favourite food.