Let’s celebrate the Sun

As the education world explores strategies to equip students with the skills and knowledge they’ll need to be successful innovators in a 21st century workforce, there has been a growing emphasis onSTEAM— the educational discipline that engages students around the subjects ofScience,Technology,Engineering,the Arts andMath.

It gives students tools and methods to explore new and creative ways of problem-solving, displaying data, innovating, and linking multiple fields. The arts and STEM subjects naturally complement and inform each other, so implementing STEAM principles into education allows for more understanding, innovation and a cohesive education in the classroom.

Based on the same principles, a cross campus follow on EBC-2 activities on the Theme : ‘Let’s Celebrate the Sun’ for middle school (Grade 6-8) students was organised at

Faridabad Campus on 23^rd December 2021. The Social Science Department took the initiative to organise a few activities focused on the importance of the Sun in Geography. Various activities were organised on the basis of relevant concepts taught at different grades. The mode of sessions were all hybrid wherein the students participated online as well as the students physically present at the school. The attendance in all the sessions were around 80 percent.=+

Teacher Mentors : Ms Ripudaman Preet

Mr Vishwajeet Singh

Ms Bonny Dhar

Ms Apoorva Jaiswal

Ms Manpreet Kaur

Mr Nishant Mazumdar

Mr Adnaan Farooq

Mr Ankit Parmar

For Grade VI

Topic: Difference in the duration of day with changing seasons.

Activity :

1. An advertisement to invite people in different hemispheres in the month of December.
2. 2D presentation of the motions of the Earth .
3. 3D Models of the motions of the Earth.

GROUP A: Students of grade VI participated in a group activity to advertise their location in Southern hemisphere where duration of days are longer in December and various activities like Surfing, Uluru Camel Camp, Cricket ‘The Ashes series ‘could be enjoyed . They focused on advertising the destination through different Art forms and subjects like pictorial representations , statistical data analysis, financial aspects involved, mode of transportation.

Group B and C : Students made 2D models presenting the Tilt of the Earth as the cause in the difference in the duration of Day in different seasons.

GROUP D (Online students ) : Presented a 3D working model of the motions of the Sun and the Earth.

Learning Outcomes :

Content Based Outcomes:

The students were able to

• analyse and comprehend the importance of the tilt of the Earth.
• Make connections between Rotation of the earth, its tilt and duration of the day
• Compare the difference in the duration of day in the southern and Northern Hemispheres in a particular month.

Skill based Outcomes:

The Students were able to

• Focus more on the motions of the Earth and its impact in different hemispheres.
• Recognise the places in different hemispheres with different seasons and duration of day and night.
• Represent the factual information in a tabular form.
• Present their views and discuss the opposing viewpoint of others.
• Analyse a case study in both the Hemispheres and in the polar regions.
• Pictorial representation and map plotting skills.
• Plan and advertise the tourist location highlighting all the social, political and geographical aspects.
• Make 3 -D working models of the Motions of the Earth.

For Grade VII

Topic: Layers of the Atmosphere

Activity :

1. An advertisement to invite people in the different habitable layers of the atmosphere.

2. D/3D presentation of their habitable layer of the atmosphere.

GROUP A :Students of grade VII participated in a group activity to advertise their habitable layer of the atmosphere. They focused on advertising the layer through different Art forms and subjects. The activities organised were Role play, Rap singing, pictorial Representations , physical phenomenon like temperature and pressure change, geographical location like altitude ,wind, humidity and cloud cover, chemistry composition of the air.

Group B and C : Students made 2D models presenting the importance of their habitable layer of the atmosphere.

GROUP D (Online students ) : Presented a 3D working model of the temperature variation in the different layers of the atmosphere.

Learning Outcomes :

Content Based Outcomes:

The students were able to

• analyse and comprehend the importance of the layers of the atmosphere..
• Make connections between different layers of the atmosphere.

Skill based Outcomes:

The Students were able to

• Focus more on the layers of the atmosphere its composition and importance.
• Recognise the places in different layers with different compositions and elements of atmosphere.
• Represent the factual information in a tabular form about each layer.
• Present their views and discuss the opposing viewpoint of others..
• Pictorial representation skills.
• Plan and advertise the tourist location highlighting all the social, political and geographical aspects.
• Make 3 d working models of the Layers of the Earth.

For Grade VIII

Topic: Changing Agricultural patternsin the world.

Activity :

• Students were divided in groups of 4 each.
• Each group needed to create a sketch of farmland from their locality.
• Each group identified the factors and type of crops they would cultivate in their farmland.
• Showcase diversification of crops (varieties of crops) to increase their trade and business from your own farmland.

Learning Outcomes:

Content Based Outcomes:

• The students were able to identify and analyze the factors responsible for the shift in agricultural activities around the world. Make connections between Rotation of the earth, it’s tilt and duration of the day.
• Compare and comprehend the factors affecting agriculture in the world.

Skill based Outcomes:

The Students were able to

• Focus on the cropping patterns in India and in the world.
• Recognise how the climate change could affect the global agricultural within a decade..
• Represent the factual information on how the climate change impact the agriculture.
• Present their views and discuss the opposing viewpoint of others.
• Analyse the case study how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change.
• Pictorial representation and map plotting skills.
• Plan and advertise the best agricultural practises highlighting all the social, political and geographical aspects.
• Make 3 d working models of the Farmlands.

The activities were thoroughly enjoyed by the students as they learnt to appreciate the gifts of nature and its contribution in social and economic development. The students realised their duty towards nature and were able to develop empathy with it. The educators and parents highly appreciated the activities and recommended such activities to be integrated in the regular curriculum across the grades. The Principal, Ms Anju Wal commended the idea of integrating Social Sciences in making such sessions wherein the scientific concepts were presented and related with real life situations. This encourages students to develop their critical thinking skills.

The Deputy Head, Middle School, Ms Megha Bohra appreciated the efforts of the teachers in organising and executing the activities. The guidelines specified for the all the activities were duly followed by the Mentors and students alike.

https://youtu.be/aoKnsGgWnmE