An exploration of the integration of movement and nature education, Nature Moves is an attempt to diversify nature education resources by creating and documenting movement-based nature learning resources inspired by fascinating movements in nature, and the performing arts. We have created a resource bank of movement-based activities that educators can choose from in their nature education and environmental studies classes. Nature Moves ............................................ An exploration of the integration of movement and nature education, Nature Moves is an attempt to diversify nature education resources by creating and documenting movement-based nature learning resources inspired by fascinating movements in nature, and the performing arts. With a little deep observation of our natural surroundings, we'll realise that nature is so much more than colours, sights, and words. Nature Moves is a resource bank of movement-based activities that educators can choose from in their nature education and environmental studies classes. Take these ideas and activities to your classroom to explore how nature moves, and watch your space transform! Nature Moves Resource Bank DOWNLOAD Nature Movements Bingo DOWNLOAD

Tamil Alphabet Charts Walk into any bookstore and you’ll find alphabet charts filled with giraffes, penguins, and macaws. But what about the creatures that are around us? This chart brings together the plants and animals of Tamil Nadu, from dugongs to Indrella snails, fungi, odonates, wasps, wildflowers all through the Tamil alphabet. As the name suggests, this chart will have all flora and fauna seen in Tamil Nadu with their Tamil names. This chart is produced mainly to introduce the biodiversity of Tamil Nadu through the Tamil alphabets for the kids, teachers and nature educators. The flora and fauna presented here are carefully chosen so that (i) It covers organisms from all the landscapes of Tamil Nadu. For instance, Dugong, Seashell, Sardine are from marine ecosystems, Indrella snail, Strobilanthus are from the forests, and wasps, spiders, and skink are from plains and urban settings. (ii) Organisms are not the so-called iconic or charismatic but lesser-known organisms such as stingray, butterflies and odonates, (iii) And not just from one or two groups of organisms but cover most of the taxa such as fungi, plants, invertebrates, reptiles, birds and mammals. This resource is created in collaboration with Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF) and illustrated and designed by Karunya Baskar . Read more about the journey of this resource here . Download Tamil Alphabet Chart Download Explainer Document - Tamil Alphabet Chart Download Vowels - Tamil Alphabet Chart Vowel-Consonents Tamil Alphabet Chart Download Download Consonents - Tamil Alphabet Chart The alphabet chart is now available in video format as well. It's available in our YouTube channel .

Hidden Housemates Uncover the creatures and natural phenomena that often go unnoticed, right inside your home or school. These bingo sheets and the accompanying activity sheets invite you to closely observe everyday spaces, fostering an understanding of urban biodiversity and our shared environment. English Hindi Hidden Housemates (1) Kannada Hidden Housemates (2) English Hindi Kannada English Hindi Hidden Housemates (3) Kannada Note for Educators Hidden Housemates works well for both young and older audiences and is a great way to engage people in nature observation, even when outdoor spaces are not accessible. It is perfect for educators to assign as "nature homework" to explore their homes or for in-class activities within school premises. Activity Ideas You can ask learners to draw the different housemates they find, research their roles in the indoor environment, observing and noting where they like to reside, and create simple indoor ecosystem maps.

The school is housed in a small, seemingly nondescript building, offset from the Hesarghatta main road. A lone Singapore Cherry (Muntingia calabura) tree marks one corner of the school. ‘Look, there goes a Haavu Rani!’, one of the teachers casually remarked as she walked into the school. Haavu Rani is Kannada for Skink, it translates to ‘Snake Queen’.

The Suttha Muttha project is a collaboration between Nature Classrooms and the Fig Tree Learning Centre in Silvepura Village to take experiences and stories of local ecology and biodiversity to school communities in peri-urban Bengaluru. The goals of this project are as follows: i) To provide access to good quality nature related teaching-learning material, ii) To increase awareness and curiosity about local ecology and biodiversity, and iii) To foster ecological relationships and identities. Suttha Muttha Connecting school communities in peri-urban Bengaluru to their local ecology and biodiversity The Suttha Muttha project is a collaboration between the Nature Learning Team at Nature Conservation Foundation and the Fig Tree Learning Centre in Silvepura Village to take experiences and stories of local ecology and biodiversity to school communities in peri-urban Bengaluru. Suttha Muttha in Kannada translates to ‘our surroundings’. This work supported by a Bangalore Sustainability Forum small grant will engage and collaborate with school communities and learning centres in and around Silvepura village to bring the natural world and ecological processes around them closer. Government schools in peri-urban Bengaluru are unique in their needs, opportunities and challenges. The school, classroom space and campuses are often small, with one or two rooms for the entire primary school and one teacher for 40 students across classes I-V. Few schools are fortunate to have access to a tree or two within or just outside the school compound. Learning in these schools is disconnected with the rapidly changing neighbouring landscapes of farmlands, gardens and fruit orchards. Many students come from families that have migrated from other parts of India to Bengaluru in search of work, making both the Kannada language and the local landscape something they have to contend with and acclimatise to. How do animals eat? Students observing cows in a shed near their school to find the answer. Students going on a nature walk! However, these are sparsely equipped, small, learning spaces are not without excitement and serendipitous opportunities to engage with nature though; during one of our school visits we were lucky to observe a pair of skinks frolic on the sunbathed school steps. The skinks captured the students’ attention and sparked many conversations about the similarity with snakes, superstitious beliefs and questions about their behaviour. By making meaning of these kinds of serendipitous encounters with myriad creatures that visit their schools, and then designing and creating relevant and accessible teaching-learning material, curating stories, songs, and sayings and offering immersive nature workshops we hope to facilitate deeper connections towards the natural world for teachers and students.We hope that consistent and meaningful experiences, conversations in and about nature will enable school communities to be more connected to their surroundings (Suttha Muttha) and encourage them to include nature learning as an integral part of their school culture and ethos. The goals of this project are as follows: To provide government schools in peri-urban Bengaluru access to good quality nature related teaching-learning material The creation and distribution of teaching-learning material that reflects local ecology and biodiversity is likely to increase the richness and diversity of EVS and nature studies in government school classrooms in the area. This will help teachers transact lessons in EVS as well as help students better understand concepts through local examples that can be easily observed. Students playing "Colours in Nature", a game designed to observe the variety of colours that can be found in the natural world To increase awareness and curiosity about local ecology and biodiversity Good quality, factually and ecologically sound nature learning material has the potential to inspire and motivate students to be more curious about their surroundings and natural phenomena around them. Students are likely to ask more questions, experience moments of wonder in nature and be more open to learning about biodiversity in their immediate surroundings. To foster ecological relationships and identities among school communities Through classroom discussions, stories, observations, nature immersion workshops and nature walks around the school(s) we hope to encourage school communities to engage with their local environments more regularly and meaningfully. Children playing nature games during an immersion workshop in Silvepura Partners ................................... ................................... Back to Projects Funders ............... ...............

In collaboration with Azim Premji University, this study looks to understand how children in the city relate to, frame and consume ’nature’. This will generate baseline information on the nature literacy levels of urban children which will aid us in identifying areas that need addressing as part of our own interventions. We hope to explore the city through the lens of children and learn more about their lives as situated and on-going; with children framing their own narratives. Children and Nature in the City A research project to explore the city through the lens of children It is now common to speak of children in the city as being vulnerable to a ’nature-deficit disorder’; a term that has foregrounded social movements that attempt to bring children ‘back to nature’. Children in the city, in this sense, are twice removed from ’nature’-once by being spatially distant from ’nature spaces’ and then through the digital worlds that they inhabit even within the cityscape. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has further marked a pronounced shift in how the everyday is experienced-shaping our mobilities and increasing our dependence on digital technologies. For many children, the space of the school has been brought to the home and interactions with outdoor spaces have become sparse. These pronounced shifts in how the everyday is experienced could have lasting implications on the development of children’s affective attitudes towards nature. ’Nature’, however, is not only consumed through embodied experiences but through varied forms- from cultural artefacts such as toys and posters to nature documentaries. For children enrolled in schools, Environmental Studies (EVS) is another medium which presents an opportunity to be introduced to and learn more deeply about nature around them. But often, these syllabi too present a nature that is distant from them. Children are often seen to be more acquainted with. charismatic species that are ‘far away’ than those closer to home. A research project designed in collaboration with Azim Premji University, this study looks to understand how different children in the city relate to, connect with, frame and consume ’nature’. The study will generate baseline information on the nature literacy levels and connections of 10-12 year olds in the city; which will aid us in identifying areas that need addressing as part. of our own interventions at Nature Classrooms. We look to employ a range of research methods in our study to present avenues through which participants can articulate and express the relationships that they have with the non-human world. Through the study, we also try to attend to the socio-material lives of children by looking at how their mobilities and spaces have been shaped and transformed by the pandemic. We hope to explore the city through the lens of children and learn more about their lives as situated and on-going; with children framing their own narratives about their lives, neighbourhoods and communities. Team Members: Aashish Go khale Kaustubh Rau Vena Kapoor Roshni Ravi Ovee Thorat Suhel Quader Download ................................... Partner ...................................

If you are an educator looking to engage with articles and opinion pieces on nature education and pedagogy, a student looking to explore discourses in nature education, or just curious about these things - this page lists essential readings available online. Many of these articles and essays have inspired and influenced discussions within Nature Classrooms, and we hope to share this inspiration with many more. NC in Media Articles and Publications We share our learnings and experiences through articles and blogs, opening up conversations on nature education and exchanging ideas with educators, researchers, and practitioners. Building a Community of Nature Educators in Bengaluru (The Hindu ) Nature Classrooms Feature Exploring Children’s Relationships with Nature Project Report by Aashish Gokhale Nature-based S ocial Emotional Learning Internship Report by Priyanka Prakash Uncovering the Potential of Learning at Home Vena Kapoor and Roshni Ravi Nature and Art - A Natural Synergy Roshni Ravi and Vena Kapoor Samuhik Pahal - a monthly journal by Wipro Foundation: Nature Education (June 2022) Vena Kapoor, Roshni Ravi, Mythreyi K Connecting Learning to the Natural World (iWonder) Vena Kapoor and Roshni Ravi Age Appropriate and Locally Relevant Nature Learning Modules for Schools Vena Kapoor and Roshni Ravi Nature in Syllabus (Deccan Herald) Nature Classrooms feature The Suttha Muttha Project in Bengaluru is introducing children to the local biodiversity. Here's how. (EdexLive) Nature Classrooms feature Bringing nature back to classrooms (idr Feature) By Vena Kapoor Podcasts We participate in podcasts to discuss nature education and exchange ideas and experiences with students, educators, researchers, and practitioners. Women for Nature - Heart of Conservation Podcast Vena Kapoor in conversation with Lalitha Krishnan The Thing About Nature Education - Podcast Vena Kapoor in conversation with Ishika Ramakrishna Back Blog

The Suttha Muttha project is a collaboration between Nature Classrooms and the Fig Tree Learning Centre in Silvepura Village to take experiences and stories of local ecology and biodiversity to school communities in peri-urban Bengaluru. The goals of this project are as follows: i) To provide access to good quality nature related teaching-learning material, ii) To increase awareness and curiosity about local ecology and biodiversity, and iii) To foster ecological relationships and identities. Communities of Practice An online series on ideas, experiences and practice of nature learning In 2021 Wipro Foundation and Nature Classrooms discussed facilitating and hosting an online space to enable for a Communities of Practice (CoP) in Nature Education and Learning for Wipro Partner organisations and other organisations and practitioners working in education. The CoP in Nature Learning offered us an opportunity to come together as a community to discuss, present, learn from each other and then explore areas for collaboration. The purpose of CoP is to enable exchange of ideas and discuss, share training tools we are developing to make nature learning, and nature immersion a part of our long-term education interventions. We are now making these learnings available to all through a series of seven sessions that have now been uploaded on our YouTube channel . CoP Session 1 : Introduction and Understanding Needs CoP Session 3 : The philosophy and history of Environment Education CoP Session 2 : The role of Libraries in Nature Education CoP Session 4 : Nature Learning for Children with Special Needs CoP Session 5 : Nature Learning for Children with Special Needs - Part 2 CoP Session 6 : Using Theatre in Nature Learning CoP Session 7 : The Small Science Process, Textbooks and Beyond

Gujarati Alphabet Chart Walk into any classroom and you'll often find charts featuring exotic animals. But what about the unique life thriving in our own landscapes? Our Gujarati Alphabet Chart celebrates the rich biodiversity of the Surendranagar district in Saurashtra, Gujarat. Featuring names in the Kathiawadi dialect, this resource brings the vast savanna grasslands and thorn forests right into the learning space. It highlights unique local life—like wolves and indigenous breeds of livestock—that are essential to the region's ecology and pastoral culture. Developed collaboratively with pastoralists, botanists, and artists, this chart helps children and teachers discover the beauty, diversity, and cultural value embedded in Gujarat's grasslands. Download Gujarati Alphabet Chart Activity Sheet 1 Download Activity Sheet 2 Download Activity Sheet 3 Download

An exploration of the integration of movement and nature education, Nature Moves is an attempt to diversify nature education resources by creating and documenting movement-based nature learning resources inspired by fascinating movements in nature, and the performing arts. We have created a resource bank of movement-based activities that educators can choose from in their nature education and environmental studies classes. Nature Strokes ............................................ Nature has always been our greatest muse. From the earliest forms of communication, we've looked to the natural world for inspiration- a world rich in color, pattern, texture, design, movement, and more. The Nature Strokes module is an Art and Nature handbook designed to help you explore this timeless connection through hands-on, fun, and exploratory activities! This working module is filled with activities, resources, and ideas that use art as a vibrant medium for learning about nature and, in turn, learning about art through nature. It serves as a guide for educators to help learners of all ages see the artistic value in everything around them, adding a new dimension to how we perceive and appreciate the world. Look out for updates from us as we release more units of this module in various themes!

We are working towards creating a holistic nature learning framework and modules that will become an integral part of the child's school learning and curriculum. To ensure that our ideas and interventions are pedagogically sound, appropriate and contextual, we partner with education groups and individuals who have experience in nature education. We also work closely with designers to create easy to use and replicable learning material, tools on nature that teachers and children can use. Working With Schools Partnering with Schools to develop age and place appropriate Nature Learning In collaboration with education professionals, designers, schools and teachers we are working towards creating a holistic nature learning framework and modules that will become an integral part of the child's school learning and curriculum. A Nature Learning Programme for Schools and Teachers The last few decades have seen a number of schools and conservation groups conduct nature-based activities, but most often these are outside of the school hours, and separate from the school syllabus and requirements. Typically, these involve taking children for nature camps, bird watching trips, tree planting drives, creating nature clubs and organising talks on nature. These programmes, conducted by various conservation groups and individuals over the last couple of decades arguably have been instrumental in getting a whole generation of people in India interested in nature, conservation and wildlife, with some following careers in these fields. While these education and outreach programmes are useful and important, teachers and parents tend to view and find these burdensome (often unnecessary) and considered ‘extra-curricular’. This is why we believe that it is important to understand and design a nature learning framework in partnership with schools and school teachers so we can transact locally relevant and age appropriate concepts on nature and the environment. The idea is that these nature modules and concepts can then be incorporated as a part of the school curriculum, and leveraging the fact Environment Education (EE)/ Environmental Sciences (EVS) is a compulsory subject in the school curriculum. Currently, we work with children and teachers of Grade I-V across different school types (Govt., Private, Alternate) and boards In partnership with Educators and Designers To ensure that our ideas and interventions are pedagogically sound, appropriate and contextual, we partner with education groups, professionals and individuals who have experience in nature education. We also work closely with designers to create low-cost, easy to use and replicable learning material, tools on nature that teachers and children can use. Partner Schools since 2018: 1. Government Lower Primary School, Tarabanahalli 2. Parikrma Centre for Learning, Nandhini Layout 3. Parikrma Centre for Learning, Sahakara Nagar 4. Government Urdu Higher Primary School, Ganganagar 5. Geddalahalli Government School

Behaviour Tales This resource delves into the amazing world of animal hygiene exploring how animals - from birds preening their feathers to mammals licking their fur and insects maintaining their exoskeletons - employ unique strategies to stay clean.This resource can be effectively integrated into science lessons focusing on animal adaptations or health and hygiene units. The activity around it can be adapted to increasing or decreasing complexity for older or younger students, respectively. Animal Grooming Charts English Hindi Kannada Note for Educators Begin by asking students how and why they keep themselves clean. Introduce the concept that animals also groom themselves using different organs and behaviours that we do not have or use! Use the poster to discuss specific examples, and explore other animal grooming behaviours students might have observed of domestic animals around them. This resource is a direct example of how local nature and ecology can be incorporated into our EVS textbook chapters. Questions to Explore Why do animals need to keep clean? How do their methods compare to ours? Students can be encouraged to observe pets or local birds for grooming behaviors, draw different animals grooming, roleplay/enact different grooming behaviours, or even research other unique animal cleaning habits (e.g., ants grooming each other, fish cleaning stations).