Global Outdoor Classroom Day
In an attempt to create an enjoyable learning experience outside the four walls of the classroom, the students of Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Lucknow experienced “Outdoor Classrooms”. They joyfully participated in numerous interesting activities and learnt valuable skills. It was a whole school activity with every child engaged. Here’s what happened………………
Pets Day Out– The day began with great excitement as the first event of the day was –‘Pet Day’,Many students got their pets to show them to their school mates .These pets included many dogs, a Persian cat, a rabbit, a guinea pig and a turtle as well. The students enjoyed watching the well groomed pets and their entertaining antics. Parents have always been our greatest partners and this time also they were a part of this activity.They enjoyed interacting with the children and answering queries of the students about their pets.
Laundry Day – Our tiny tots from the pre- primary section got a hands on experience in the skill of washing and drying clothes. The keen cleaners enjoyed the process of soaking, washing and drying clothes. The tactile sensation of soapy and clean water made them super excited. This activity enhanced their fine motor skills and taught them the concepts of ‘wet and dry’ and ‘clean and dirty’. Most importantly, they learnt the dignity of labour.
Web weave art – The pre-primary students enjoyed another outdoor activity of weave art wherein they a learnt a new form of painting that incorporated swinging a bottle of paint on a sheet of paper and then blowing on the paints with a straw to create a colorful web of paints.
Little Picassos– Students of class IA&B, went outdoors to collect leaves and barks of trees and then painted them beautifully .This brought them close to nature and taught them the role of trees in our environment.
Pot Art– The enthusiastic painters of classes II A&B went outdoors to paint pots. They cleaned the pots and decorated them beautifully with their colourful and vibrant imagination. They learnt about their role in the upkeep of the environment and taking care of their surroundings.
Outdoor vegetable market – An outdoor mock vegetable market was organized for our keen learners of class IV A&B. The teachers told them about the finer nuances of weights and measurements .They enjoyed learning about the use of money as a medium of exchange.
Nature Tagging– This outdoor activity involved students of class V A&B .The students had to go outdoors and collect things in nature and give them tags based on Nouns and Adjectives. It helped the students to understand the usage of English grammar and made them more observant of nature in all its glory.
Farm Trip– Students of classes VI &VII were taken to visit a farm in the vicinity. They enjoyed seeing fresh vegetables growing in the farm .Many of them enjoyed plucking vegetables and fruits right off the trees. For many it was their first visit to a farm. Students learnt about the functioning of farms, the role of soil water and climate for plants. Most importantly they learnt about the value of the hard work that is involved in the process of farming.
Cyclathon-A cyclathon was organized for the senior classes where students went on a 7 km cycle hike in and around Ansal API. The students interviewed the shop owners and pedestrians. The purpose of this activity was to encourage the students to engage in physical exercise and to hone up their observation and interviewing skills. Students enjoyed riding their bikes outdoors and interacting with people.
Kite Flying– Boys and girls of classes VIII &IX enjoyed flying kites .A much loved traditional sport which has almost lost out its meaning especially for the apartment dwellers. The students enjoyed the sport thoroughly and also learnt the concepts of physics namely ‘Air Buoyancy’ and ‘Tensile strength of fiber.’The safety aspects of flying kites was also discussed with the students.
Cooking from scratch –Students of classes VIII &IX engaged in the outdoor activity of preparing tea on a temporary ‘Chula’ made out of bricks. They collected bricks, twigs and firewood to light up a fire and managed to prepare tea.This activity instilled in them basic survival skills, problem solving skills and most importantly team work. Form an academic point of view they learnt the concept of ‘Complete and Incomplete Combustion’.
Story telling session– ‘Stories are the best medium of learning’, hence a story telling session was taken up by Mr. Pankaj Rathore. He related stories from the famous fable of ‘Vikram and Betal’. The stories inspired the students to do a subjective analysis of situations in life. They learnt how to come to a decisive solution for tricky situations.
Candle Decoration and Toran Making -Keeping in mind the festive season just round the corner, the students of the primary section were engaged in ‘Candle Decoration’ and ‘Toran making’. The students displayed their artistic talent made beautiful torans and candles.
The students learnt many concepts and skills with a practical and permanent learning experience. They thoroughly enjoyed the NO BAG DAY which was a perfect blend of learning, academics, soft skills and reconnecting with nature.