Download - The Sprout Project
Name:
Class:
The best time to plant a
tree was twenty years ago.
The second best time is right now!
So, what is The Sprout Project anyway?
What’s inside
What you need
The Sprout Project is the collaboration between SAPPI paper and The African
Carbon Trust to tell children about global warming and how to help save the planet.
A paper sprouting pot and some seeds
A paper ruler to measure the height of your seedling
A graph to track your seedling’s growth
Seedling care instructions
Some potting soil
A bit of water
A pair of scissors
The greenhouse effect...it’s a good thing, as long as we don’t add to it
Heat radiated from earth
Energy from the sun
Heat reflected back to Earth by greenhouse gases
The greenhouse
effect is important.
Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth
would not be warm enough for humans to
live. But if the greenhouse effect becomes
stronger, it could cause problems for humans,
plants, and animals.
Gre
enho
use
gase
s
The greenhouse effect keeps the Earth 33 C warmer than it would be, otherwise every-thing would be super cold.
Fact!
As trees grow, they help stop global warming by removing carbon dioxide from the air, storing carbon in the trees and the soil, and releasing
oxygen into the atmosphere.
They provide shelter for animals.
They purify the air we breathe.
They grow delicious fruit.
They provide shade.
oxygen
As trees grow, they help stop global warming by removing carbon dioxide from the air, storing carbon in the trees and the soil, and releasing
oxygen into the atmosphere.
Why Plant Trees?While they are fighting global warming, trees provide many benefits to all of us, every day.
carbon dioxide
Due to a process known as photosynthesis, trees convert CO2 into Oxygen. With this process, everybody wins. Plants get the carbon they need, we get the oxygen we need and the conversion helps limit the thing known as the greenhouse effect.
Greenhouse gases from human
activity is likely responsible for
most of the global temperature
rise over the last 50 years.
Fact!
Energy from the sun
More heat gets trapped in the atmosphere
Too many greenhouse gases in our
atmosphere because of pollution
increasing the temperature of the planet
Global Warming...is definitely a bad thing.
Humans add approximately 7
billion metric tons of carbon to
the atmosphere annually, half of
which cannot be absorbed and
continues to build up.
Fact!
Pollution is the biggest factor affecting Global Warming. When too many
greenhouse gases get added to the atmosphere, the “blanket” around the
earth gets denser. More heat gets trapped in the atmosphere and the Earth’s
temperature gets higher.
Some people call it ‘climate change’ and say we don’t need to worry about it.
But the fact is, any amount of greenhouse gases we add to the atmosphere is
bad. We should all strive to keep our pollution as low as possible.
Pollution
Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Use
energy-saving bulbs in your room.
Wait until you have a lot of clothes to wash before
using the washing machine. Don’t use the machine
for one item just because it’s your favorite shirt.
Take shorter showers. Heating water uses energy.
Dress warmly inside your house when it’s cold,
instead of using a heater
Walk instead of getting a lift in a car.
Plant trees. Trees soak up carbon dioxide, one of
the greenhouse gases, from the air
yes no
yes no
yes no
yes no
yes no
yes no
Makeadifference Cutthisoutalongthedottedline,takeithomeand
stickitonyourfridge,bedroomwalloranywhereyouand
otherscanseeit!
Markwithan“X”thethingsyouwouldliketotryathome.
Tear-off
along dotted line
Tear-off
along dotted line
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1 cm
2 cm
3 cm
4 cm
5 cm
6 cm
7 cm
8 cm
9 cm
10 cm
11 cm
12 cm
0
Weeks
Name:
It’s time to transplant your seedling
Use your Sprout Project ruler to track the
growth of your seedling every week.
Tear this page out and stick it on your classroom wall. Transplant your seedling once it
has grown to the right height. Be sure to keep your seedling safe from harsh sunlight
and strong winds. Be patient and you will see the beauty of nature grow.
Start by tearing out the ruler and fold-up box page, then separate the ruler and the box. Fold along all the lines and follow these instructions step by step.
Folding Instructionsfollow these easy instructions to make your paper sprouting pot
1. 2.
3. 4.
5. 6.
Name:
1 cm
7 cm
13 cm
4 cm
10 cm
16 cm
2 cm
8 cm
14 cm
5 cm
11 cm
17 cm
3 cm
9 cm
15 cm
6 cm
12 cm
18 cm
19 cm
20 cm
Care Instructions
Fold
alo
ng a
ll th
e lin
es
Fold along all the lines
Fold along all the lines
Fold
alo
ng a
ll th
e lin
es
Tear-off
along dotted line
Peel offThen fold in half and stick together
Care Instructions
1. Construct your paper sprouting pot
2. Fill your paper sprouting pot with
potting soil
3.Make 4 evenly spaced holes by
sticking the end of a pencil into
the soil, about 3 or 4 cm deep
4. Drop the seeds into the holes
Place on windowsill, or anywhere
that gets a bit of direct sunlight
5.
Remember to water your seedling
everyday 6.
To sprout your seed:
Transplanting Instructionsfollow these easy instructions to turn your seedling into a beautiful tree
1.
2.
3.
It’s a very good idea to “harden off” your seedling for a few days before
planting by placing your sprouting pot with seedlings in them outdoors in
a protected area out of drying wind or sun. If possible transplant on an
overcast day otherwise in late afternoon or early evening to avoid drying out
of the root hairs.
Carefully make a few slices in the bottom of the carton with a pair of
scissors. Gently place the carton in the hole. Lightly tamp soil up around the
seedlings. The sides of the carton will force the water straight down into the
soil: the roots will follow through the bottom of the rotting carton. Water the
seedling with approximately a 500ml of water once a week to start. Add a
day between waterings as the roots grow deeper. Eventually the carton will
rot away leaving a growing tree.
Select an appropriate location with enough space to ultimately contain a
fully grown tree. Dig a hole large enough to contain the sprouting pot.
Printed on:
For more information on how you can
make a difference visit:
www.trees.co.za
Happy Sprouting
Printed on:
For more information on how you can
make a difference visit:
www.trees.co.za