Today, Ingrid dropped by Lower Elementary to teach the students there about succulent plants and to help them start growing their own. Succulent plants are generally thicker and hardier than other plants, and they require little water. Think of a cactus! Some succulents can be propagated by removing a cutting from an existing plant, and then re-planting and caring for that cutting. With luck, it will produce roots and continue growing from there.
Students examined a few different types of succulent plants and then started their own, taking a few cuttings that Ingrid provided and planting them in petri dishes with some gravel and potting soil as a base. We made lots of extras in case not all of them are successful; once they begin to grow, Ingrid will help students take care of them and eventually transplant them into their own pots. This unit serves as part of our Practical Life curriculum in Lower Elementary, and it dovetails nicely with the gardening work that we do each spring.