1. Invasive Alien Plants Nonzwakazi Bans Percy Mdala High School Knysna Knysna Western Cape

2. South Africa

3. Southern Cape

4. Overview Background of School Background of School Reason for Project Reason for Project Planning aligned to Curriculum Planning aligned to Curriculum Implementation of project Implementation of project Challenges Challenges Way Forward Way Forward Conclusion Conclusion

5. Background of School Percy Mdala opened in 1990, the only high school for Xhosa speaking learners in Knysna

6. Community The community profile show high levels of The community profile show high levels of illiteracy illiteracy The majority of the people in the community The majority of the people in the community are unemployed. are unemployed. Peoples’ income is supported by tourism which Peoples’ income is supported by tourism which is seasonal work. is seasonal work.

7. Tourist destination

8. Reason for Project Knysna is a water stressed area, Knysna is a water stressed area, and currently experiencing a drought. and currently experiencing a drought.

9. On some days the school had to close earlier due to dry taps, and toilets need running water. Three grade 11 learners embarked on the Adopt A River Project, using the Khayalethu stream. The rest of the class decided to investigate the use of water by Invasive Alien Plants in the Khayalethu stream

10. Planning aligned to curriculum

11. Curriculum Links  Invasive Alien Plants is part of the Grade 11 Life Sciences syllabus  Hypothesis: Invasive Alien Plants absorb more water than indigenous plants.  Practical – Potometer will be used in the class to verify the hypothesis  Independent variable  Dependent variable  Fixed variable  Conclusion

12. Links with other Learning Areas Geography :LO 1 Skill Geography :LO 1 Skill LO 2 Knowledge [Water cycle, droughts] LO 2 Knowledge [Water cycle, droughts] Physical Sciences: LO 1 Investigation Physical Sciences: LO 1 Investigation LO 2 Knowledge [Water cycle] LO 2 Knowledge [Water cycle] Languages : LO 1 listening Languages : LO 1 listening LO 2 Speaking [Presentation] LO 2 Speaking [Presentation]

13. Implementation of project  Learners started this project in July 2010  The class lesson in July 2010 included * Identifying and legislation IAPs * Identifying and legislation IAPs * Negative impact on our water resources * Negative impact on our water resources  Meetings with partners in September 2010  Workshop on the methods of control of IAPs in Sept in Sept

14. Khayalethu stream with alien plants

15. Pine trees

16. Learners identified the different IAPs  Black Wattle  Pine  Inkberry  Bramble  Black Wood

17. Organizations and individuals partners 1.Knysna Municipality 2.SANPARKS 3. Working for Water [WfW] 4.People and Parks [Rasta community] [Rasta community] 5.Clubs at school [Enviro, Science, Drama, Interact, Science, Drama, Interact, SCO, clubs] SCO, clubs] 6.Khayalethu Community

18. Meeting with partners

19. Workshop on methods to control IAPs

20. Community awareness of water crisis and IAPs

21. Continue with implementation October October Class experiment on the use of water by selected IAP’s and indigenous plants Class experiment on the use of water by selected IAP’s and indigenous plants Use data to answer the hypothesis on the use of water by IAP’s Use data to answer the hypothesis on the use of water by IAP’s January 2011 January 2011 Monitoring of the areas with learners and partners. Monitoring of the areas with learners and partners.

22. Challenges Sustainability of the project Sustainability of the project Community Involvement Community Involvement

23. Way Forward Workshop with interested staff Workshop with interested staff Involving the primary schools Involving the primary schools Weed buster week awareness campaign and control of IAP’s [ 4 th – 8 th October] Weed buster week awareness campaign and control of IAP’s [ 4 th – 8 th October] Three year plan, Grade 11 project Three year plan, Grade 11 project

24. Conclusion Learners and community members must adopt an attitude of working for the environment. Learners and community members must adopt an attitude of working for the environment. We need to realize that we are dependent on nature and not vice versa. We need to realize that we are dependent on nature and not vice versa.

25. Thank you Presenter Nzwaki Bans E-mail nzwaki@webmail.co.za