Words Live Nature What's happening this week, on our adventure Creatures in Our Schools 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’. More A Bugs Life Is that little piece of paint from the wall moving? Who cleans up the crumbs from my kitchen while I’m asleep at night? Who lives in that little white tent in the corner of the wall? More

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. 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 ............... ...............

Plant Poster Plants are always bustling with life - they entertain bees, provide resting places for various insects and birds, food for caterpillars, and whatnot! It takes just a few extra seconds of observing to find them! Print and use them as Anchor Charts in your classrooms and homes to start conversations about them! English Kannada Giant Milkweed Hindi TAMIL Fishtail Palm English Kannada Singapore Cherry English Kannada TAMIL English Lotus Poster English Kannada Neem Hindi TAMIL Lotus Kashmiri English Note for Educators Here is a sample activity to use this poster with students: Choose a plant near you and dedicate 5-10 minutes to quiet observation. Look closely at its overall form and its individual components- leaves, flowers, bark, and any fruits. Try to find other organisms using, living on, or visiting the plant. What interactions do you notice? Are there tiny insects, larger creatures, or even signs of homes on its branches? Use the relevant poster as a guide to discuss the diverse life forms you observed and their unique relationships with the plant. What unexpected discoveries did you make that aren't on the poster? Could the students collectively make a poster like this for another plant, based on their local observations and research?

This learning module is an invitation to discover, develop and nurture a wonderment and curiosity for water as an ecosystem that is teeming with amazing life forms that use it in various ways! Life in Water ............................................ In our current school textbooks, the topic of water is introduced to teachers and learners with a focus on our 'uses of water.' For example: how and why is water useful and important to humans, what does scarcity of water imply for us, or how should we conserve it? Water, as an ecosystem, however, goes so much beyond our use and interactions with it. As you will discover through this module, water is also home to and as important to a multitude of life on Earth. Divided into three levels Each level has been designed for children belonging to specific grades and age groups. ● With two major topics and relevant sub-topics covered, each level has been designed with an aim to achieve a series of nature learning goals. ● The module is designed using different mediums to engage the learner, including read-aloud stories, observation charts, picture-cards, audio-visual resources, group activities, and discussions. ● The lessons are linked with existing EVS chapters and cover a range of topics that nurture wonderment for water as an ecosystem. Download the Water Module LEARNING MODULE MODULE WITH RESOURCES This learning module is an invitation to discover, develop and nurture a wonderment and curiosity for water as an ecosystem that is teeming with amazing life forms that use it in various ways!

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

There's Nothing There: Game Join Arali and her Amma on their journey from school to their home and help them spot hidden and not-so-hidden plants, animals, insects, birds and everything that you can through this game! This game is based on 'There's Nothing There' , our bilingual children's storybook. We found our inspiration for this book through conversations and interactions during our collaborative Suttha Muttha project with the Fig Tree Learning Center and the younglings and teachers of Tarabanahalli Govt. School, situated in the rapidly changing landscapes of the peri-urban outskirts of Bangalore city. Authors: Roshni Ravi, Jane Sahi, Karunya Bhaskar Design and Illustration : Karunya Bhaskar Game Design : Kruthi Raj Supported by : The Bangalore Sustainability Forum In Collaboration with : The Fig Tree Learning Center Translation Support (Kannada) : Anu Mothi, Maadhyama Aneka Pvt. Ltd Translation Support (Hindi) : Nidhi Pal Here are the steps to download and play: 1. Download the folder in your computer by clicking on the button below: 2. Once downloaded, unzip the folder , open the folder: click on the file named Book_Game_Prototype.exe 3. This file will open the game. DOWNLOAD

The Nature Learning Resources featured here span a variety of topics from the current primary school EVS curriculum followed in India. The resources we create are nature-centric, contextual, culturally relevant, age-appropriate, learner-centric, experiential, empathetic, inquiry-based, and accessible. They have been sorted by class and theme. To ensure that learners connect with our resources and find them accessible, the trial and testing of resources is ongoing over the next three years. Blog More Resources The Nature Learning Resources featured here span a variety of topics from the current EVS curriculum followed in India. Designed to be age-appropriate, they are organized into different themes, available in multiple languages, and some of the resources are adapted to specific regions as well. We regularly add new resources as they are developed, and you can find updates about our latest releases on our social media . Bingos Anchor Charts Alphabet charts Natural History Activities Modules Story Books Resource Search Search

At Nature Classrooms, we run collaborative projects using multiple ways of engagement. These include the Suttha Muttha project with schools and teachers in Silvepura Village, Bangalore to enhance stories of local ecology among school communities. We also engage with schools and organisations to develop contextual resources based on the EVS curriculum. Additionally, we have been involved in a collaborative research project that explores how nature features in the social life of urban children. There Is Nothing There KANNADA HINDI THE GAME Nature Classrooms’ nature learning book ‘There’s Nothing There!’ follows Arali and her Amma’s journey from her school to their home, and everything that they see (or maybe don’t) in between - and you will get a chance to join them in these delightful journeys! This visually stunning bilingual book was inspired by the younglings and teachers of Tarabanahalli Govt. School, in peri urban Bangalore who embarked on adventures to explore nature in and around their school grounds and local neighbourhoods. ‘There’s Nothing There!’ finds its roots in the conversations and interactions during our two year collaborative Suttha Muttha project with the Fig Tree Learning Center supported by The Bangalore Sustainability Forum. The Nature Classrooms team and Fig Tree's dedicated educators (Jane, Sarojini, and Gousia), illustrator and designer Karunya Bhaskar joined hands, weaving together the little and not-so-little interactions and shared experiences of nature that they came across along with the students and teachers from government schools in Silvepura Village, Bengaluru's vibrant and rapidly changing peri-urban landscape. Based on our trials with the schools we work with, we are in the process of compiling various nature activity ideas that can compliment the story book and also be used by teachers in and around their classroom and school spaces. Look out for these on our website! If you use this book with your students and would like to share your nature activity ideas with us please get in touch - we would love to trial them out as well! Authors: Roshni Ravi, Jane Sahi Design and Illustrations: Karunya Bhaskar Supported by: The Bangalore Sustainability Forum In collaboration with: The Fig Tree Learning Center Languages: English and Kannada, English and Hindi Translation support (Kannada): Anu Mothi, Maadhyama Aneka Pvt. Ltd Design support (Hindi): Janhavi Translation support (Hindi): Nidhi Pal Additional support (Hindi): Mihir Pathak Projects Search Search

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

At Nature Classrooms, we run collaborative projects using multiple ways of engagement. These include the Suttha Muttha project with schools and teachers in Silvepura Village, Bangalore to enhance stories of local ecology among school communities. We also engage with schools and organisations to develop contextual resources based on the EVS curriculum. Additionally, we have been involved in a collaborative research project that explores how nature features in the social life of urban children. Resource Creation Our ever-expanding collection of free-to-use and open-source resources spans a wide range of topics drawn from nature, and links closely with the environmental studies curriculum of different boards taught in primary schools across India. Designed and curated by our experienced team, and trialled in collaboration with teachers, expert resource persons, and educators, these resources are available in various formats; activity sheets, anchor charts, posters, natural history stories, and teaching-learning modules and lesson plans. They are designed to help teachers and educators inspire students to: look closely and deeply engage with the natural world around them, rekindle their innate sense of curiosity, exploration and wonder learn through direct and guided observations, and discover connections between themselves and the natural world This resource bank continues to grow through brainstorming sessions and feedback from educators and collaborators working and with experience from diverse contexts. We enjoy collaborating with educators to design more resources or adapt our available resources to multiple contexts. If you would like to collaborate, write to us at info@natureclassrooms.in Suttha Muttha Working with schools in Silvepura to make experiences and stories of local ecology and biodiversity accessible to school communities in peri-urban Bengaluru in partnership with the Fig Tree Learning Centre. Read More Explore More Resources Browse through our growing collection of meaningfully designed Nature Learning Resources, created around different themes in nature. All our resources are open-source, tested and trialled, and continually updated as new ideas evolve. Our resources are free for teachers and educators to download, adapt, and use. Read More Projects Search Search

At Nature Classrooms, we run collaborative projects using multiple ways of engagement. These include the Suttha Muttha project with schools and teachers in Silvepura Village, Bangalore to enhance stories of local ecology among school communities. We also engage with schools and organisations to develop contextual resources based on the EVS curriculum. Additionally, we have been involved in a collaborative research project that explores how nature features in the social life of urban children. Natural History Step into the fascinating world of the creatures and plants right outside your door. Our "Natural History Series" offers a collection of simple, beautifully illustrated stories about the common but often overlooked residents of our local ecosystems. From mud and leaf architects to friendships and deception, these resources are designed to spark curiosity, deepen connections with nature, and provide educators and learners with accessible, engaging tools to explore and learn about the natural world around them. Ages 6+, Adults Bats: Flying Mammals Bats are some of the most amazing flying mammals, but also the most misunderstood creatures sharing space with us. Use this resource to learn, teach and start the conversation around these curious, upside-down marvels! DOWNLOAD (ENGLISH) DOWNLOAD (KANNADA) Termites and Termite Mounds Termites are extraordinary engineers of the natural world. Our Termite resource introduces you to these tiny architects and their magnificent homes, the termitariums. Use this teaching-learning resource to introduce children and adults to the fascinating world of termites and their homes, or as an anchor chart. Find a termite mound and learn around it! DOWNLOAD (ENGLISH) DOWNLOAD (KANNADA) DOWNLOAD (HINDI) Fig Tree and Fig Wasp We are incredibly lucky to have so many different types of Fig Trees growing all around us. As unique as the fig itself, are the Fig Wasps – very tiny flying insects, yet essential for the tree’s very existence. Our "Fig Tree and Fig Wasp" story cards invite you to listen carefully to the tale of this extraordinary friendship. Use this teaching-learning resource to introduce children and adults to the fascinating world of Fig Trees and Fig Wasps- indoors or outdoors, near or under a Fig tree. DOWNLOAD Projects Search Search