On Tuesday, 28th October, Year 3 bWW set off to the Palmengarten as part of our rainforest topic. The children were excited to step into the warm, humid environment and see the amazing plants they had been learning about in class. We were especially impressed by some of the enormous leaves—so big they could almost shelter the whole class like umbrellas!
As we walked around, we noticed how different the leaves were in shape and size, each perfectly suited to the rainforest’s heavy rain. The children spotted vines twisting and climbing high into the canopy to reach the sunlight, and were amazed by the many different shapes and colours of the blossoms.
After lunch came the highlight of the day—the chocolate workshop! First we spotted cacao trees and saw the pods that grow straight out of the trunk and the larger main branches of the tree, which really is an unusual sight. Then we started the actual workshop. Even though we already knew a few facts about chocolate, seeing real cacao beans up close and making our own chocolate was a great experience. The children had a fun time crushing the cacao beans and mixing ingredients to create their own chocolate. It was absolutely delicious—and very messy!
The children also learned that growing cacao beans takes a lot of hard work, and sadly, the farmers who grow them often don’t get paid fairly. That’s why it’s so important to buy Fairtrade chocolate—to make sure the farmers receive a fair wage for their work, so their children don’t have to work on the cacao plantations but can go to school instead.
It was a fantastic day, bursting with sights, sounds, and smells that brought the rainforest to life.
Text & photo: U. Wetterich