A class of third grade students in Jackson, Mississippi started a "welcome-back-to-school" class project to make a plant pot to take home, and wanted a plant that was easy to take care of. So it was decided to use cactus plants.
The students were given greenware pottery in the style of a clown plant pot and they painted them with glaze and had them professionally fired at a class outing so they could see the process. It was great fun.
They planted the cactus seeds in the finished planters, and they grew nicely, but unfortunately the children were not allowed to take them home. Instead, the cactus plants were removed from the planters, and a small ivy replaced them before the children were allowed to take them home.
When interviewed, the teacher said cactus had seemed like a good idea at the time. But . . . .
