Biodiversity
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GEOMETRY IN NATURE
Objectives:
- To introduce children to different shapes
- To get children to associate to the fact that shapes are widespread in nature
Requirement:
- Objects of different geometric shapes
- Notebooks and pencils
- Magnifying glass
Time required:
- 30 min time for a nature/ shape walk.
- 30 min for introduction and recap
Background:
Procedure:
1. | Introduce children in the classroom to different shapes by either drawing the same on the board or using different materials or blocks to indicate to them different shapes. | ||||||||||
2. | For older children, you could simply ask them to recall different shapes. | ||||||||||
3. | Students could then draw different shapes in their notebooks ( it could be a good recall exercise for younger and older children alike) | ||||||||||
4. | Take students on a short walk through the school garden or any accessible open space and allow them to explore and bring back things of different shapes that they may come across. | ||||||||||
5. | Ask children to either note down or collect all the different things (stones, pebbles, leaves, flower petals, cross-section of fruits, branches, shells, feathers, wings – butterfly for e.g., etc) of different shapes that they come across | ||||||||||
6. | Organise things bought back by children in different designated areas (based on the shapes collected – circular, triangular, oval, cylindrical, etc) to indicate to children variety in nature. Please note depending on the age group, children may or may not be able to identify names of all the different shapes that they come across, let them collect the objects nevertheless. | ||||||||||
7 | Back in the classroom you could ask children different questions: | ||||||||||
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8 | You could relate children to different shapes we use today – maybe shapes of different day to day objects, shapes used in architecture, etc. could be discussed in the classroom. |
- You could relate children to different shapes we use today – maybe shapes of different day to day objects, shapes used in architecture, etc. could be discussed in the classroom.
Extension and Variation:
- Students could collect leaves of different shapes, these could be dried and herbarium of the same could be made and pasted in the classroom
- Students could collect seeds of different shapes and a small collection of the same could be maintained in the classroom in small transparent containers
- Older children could make a collection of the cross-section of different fruits and vegetables. A collage of the cross section could be made by painting cross-section of different fruits/ vegetables or by taking a picture and creating a collage of the same through a power-point presentation.
- Older children could also mark angles while on a shape walk. Introduce students to observe angles in nature
- angles of bird beaks – open and close
- angle of the leaf from the branch/ twig
- Older children could be asked to make videos of different angles found in nature – acute, obtuse, reflex and right angle
- Children could take up a project to make short videos which will help them understand patterns and geometry in Nature.
ARTHROPODS – LITTLE WONDERS OF NATURE
Objective:
- To observe over time the different types of arthropods present around us
- To create a small micro habitat and nurture some arthropods and observe the same over time
Requirement
- Notebooks and pencils
- Magnifying glass
Time Required:
- Time (30 min of observation and recording time, weekly once).
- Observation by students will require to be scattered across different times – morning, afternoon, evening, night (only if the selected site is near their home)
Background:
There are different types of animals in the world, the larger ones most of us are more familiar with. But there are numerous smaller animals too. Arthropods are small animals with jointed feet and other appendages on their body. The word arthropod actually means “jointed feet.” Arthropods are classified further. Provided as a resource is a simple key (dichotomous key) for the classification and identification of different arthropods. This will help students to get started on the classification process.
Procedure:
If students decide to investigate the arthropods further, one could look at some of the following steps
1. | A quick survey of the school including the building and open spaces will help identify areas where these little creatures can be found |
2. | Don’t forget the classrooms and toilet walls as these could be places where you could find some types of spiders and maybe even moths |
3. | Explore the garden to see other types of arthropods including spiders and insects like butterflies and grasshoppers |
4. | You could also find in your school garden millipedes and centipedes. |
5. | Ensure that the observations are made in adult supervision. Care must be taken to ensure you don’t get hurt or hurt any of these creatures. |
6. | Carry out regular surveys every week or whenever possible and observe and make note of the different types of creatures that you come across. |
7 | Observations could be made at different times of the day, over a period of a couple of months to get a good idea of the school arthropod diversity. |
8 | Survey and record sheet could be made use of to record student observations and drawings. |
Observe and Record different arthropods (Survey and record sheet)
Date of survey:
Time of survey:
Weather:
Place of survey:
Name | Colour | Number of legs | Number of wings | Does it make any sound | Where did you find it | Approximately how many of these you found together | Draw and Colour Me |
1. Create an Arthropod habitat
If you want to start a small habitat where you could find some of these arthropods, you might have to take up some of the following steps
1. | You will have to identify a damp, shady, well-protected area near the school garden preferably. |
2. | Ask students to collect some old woolen rags or fallen twigs/ logs |
3. | These collected rags/ twigs and logs should be placed in this identified area. |
4. | If the weather is dry, you might be required to make these twigs and logs a little damp by sprinkling water over it. |
5. | On your worksheets make a note of the date you created this habitat |
6. | Leave the place undisturbed for about a week |
7 | Come back later to investigate the different forms of life you may come across |
8 | Ensure that the observations are made in adult supervision. Care must be taken to ensure you don’t get hurt or hurt any of these creatures. |
9 | Come back and carry out surveys every week and observe the different types of creatures that you come across |
10 | Keep a record of the date and types of arthropods/ other creatures sighted each time you make a survey of this created habitat |
Observe and Record different arthropods (Survey and record sheet)
Date of survey:
Time of survey:
Weather:
Place of survey:
Name | Colour | Number of legs | Number of wings | Does it make any sound | Where did you find it | Approximately how many of these you found together | Draw and Colour Me |
NATURE DETECTIVE
Objectives:
- To encourage children to develop a sense of scientific record keeping
- To encourage observation and learning
Requirement:
- Notebooks for recording data, Pencil and pen
- Magnifying glass
- Guides to study birds, insects, plants among others
Time required:
- 30 minutes once every week (however students could be encouraged to make more frequent observations).

Procedure:
- Students of the class could be divided into small groups of 4-5 members
- Students could be asked to observe a particular plant or animal species or a patch of greenery
- Observation by students will require to be scattered across different times – morning, afternoon, evening, night
- In case of plants students could be encouraged to observe the same plant in different locations – maybe even within or near homes
- The same patch or same species could be observed by a group comprising of 4-5 students. They could maintain individual records in individual record books
- Materials: Notebook, pencil, colour pencils, magnifying glass
Record Observations
(for a particular plant/ animal species)
Date | Time | Weather | Place | Habitat | Whether sighted or there was evidence of sighting (droppings/ feathers/ markings, calls) | **Notes |
Theme 5: Healthy Living
Start-up Idea
Schools are an important learning centre for children where a change can be brought about among children. Schools can play an important role in the diet of children. Some schools can influence the diet of children by consciously altering the food served to the children, others can influence what children bring to school and still further educate children about the need for a good diet and appropriate sanitation practices.
What it’s about?
Adequate nutrition is essential to ensure good health, growth and overall development among children. Poor nutrition also increases the risks of illness. Inappropriate nutrition can lead to childhood obesity which is an increasing public health problem in many countries. Good hygiene and sanitation practices too plan an important part in the overall health of a child. What children eat? How they keep themselves clean? Do they understand the linkage between clean hands and good health? Are some of the ideas which might crop up?
Some more ideas
1. | Establishing a nutrition garden in the school. |
2. | Healthy snack time at school |
3. | Getting children to understand what they eat? |
Enviro-Calendar Linkages
7th April | World Health Day |
15th October | |
16th October | World Food Day |
2nd December | National Pollution Prevention Day |