Savidya activities at Champawat- A reportage
Prem B Bisht, Village
Darah, P.O.& Distt. Champawat, 262523, Uttarakhand, India.
This is an eyewitness account of the
Science Workshop by Pratham at the Science
Resource Center,
Kulethi, Champawat (June 3-6, 2012). I was present at the workshop as I was on my private
visit of village during the summer vacation.
The facts presented in this report are purely on the memory of the
author and could be slightly away from the actual intention of the
program. This is purely an academic work
and does not represent any official report for financial gains. However, this
report can be used by anyone either in parts or in toto for academic purpose
[a reference to the blog can be expected].
Nature, Air-water,
Sound and Human body- The topics:
The workshop by Pratham was focused
on 4 topics. Those were (1). Nature
exploration (2). Air and water (3). Sound, (4). Human body
On the forenoon of 3rdJune
(9 AM-12:00 noon), the workshop was inaugurated by Additional District Education
Officer (Basic) Dr.Anand Bhardwaj.
Several people including those from Pratham addressed the gathering. A total of 104 children were selected for the
workshop from the Savidya-supported
primary- and middle-schools from class 4,5 and 6,7 & 8 , respectively.
 |
| Amar Ujala, 4th June 2012, Champawat (Courtesy, Amar Ujala). |
The whole workshop was divided in
to two levels of understanding. One of
them was primary level and other one was at the junior high school level. 4 topics for each of the levels made it to 8
intense interactive sessions with the children. One of the highlights of the
workshop was the “lively interaction” of each topic/sub topic with the
involvement of almost every student.
Each interactive session was of about 3 hours [Slightly
long, but was not felt by the children as it was ‘all interactive’-even out
side the class –an intense learning
activity connected with the topic being interactively discussed inside
the class, (phew!)].
1. Mr. Ashutosh
Upadhyay presented the experiments-cum-lecture on Nature explorations. The students were involved with the data
analysis with the data they collected from the experiments on transpiration.
Ms. Hamdana explained the microscopic
word of nature with the microscope. The kids enjoyed watching stomata of onion
peals, leaves, potato skin and ants and so on. Children were asked to draw in
their note books what they saw through the microscopes. There were 4 microscopes for each class.
2. Mr. Gaurav
explained the principle of sound through various experiments with close
interaction with the students.
3. Mr. Ninad
explained the principle of air and water through series of experiments!
4. Mrs. Jayshree Mane explained the Human body through the models of human body and other interactive games with the students.
Whispering gallery
modes and dom!
During these interactive sessions,
I also discussed the interesting aspects with Mr. Ashutosh Upadhyaya, Mrs.
Mane, Mr. Ninad, For example, one of the
my research topics, which actually falls in the front line area of research
“whispering gallery modes” was very closely related with one of the activity that
Mr. Ninad does on “doms”. It should be
worth considering their expertise to construct one dome at Kulethi center.
Successful workshop
at Kulethi school!
It was
understood that the activity at Kulethi center was very successful with the
interests of the local participants, teachers and principles of the two
schools. In future, Pratham generally
helps such centers with
(i). A science
clubs in adopted schools, -an activity that can be started at Kulethi. This club is affiliated with the vigyan
prasar net (VIPNET: www.vigyanprasar.gov.in/vipnet/vipmem.htm)
of DST, New Delhi. There is one form to be filled (can be
downloaded from the website of DST) by the schools/ center for registration and
is to be sent to DST. Pratham can help do this. There is no fee for the
registration.
(ii). Under
VIPNET, there has to be a monthly chart of the activities, a format to be sent
to them, with a copy to Pratham.
(iii). The
benefits of VIPNET will be a free newsletter from the DST, scientific kits of
demonstration , astronomy kits, weather kits, books an posters etc can be
obtained time-to time from DST.
(iv). Besides,
Pratham can help with certain information exchanges, one program yearly Or
depending on the interest and interaction.
(v). Pratham could be requested to send volunteers
who can be requested to visit the schools for special sessions on any topic
etc. with a minimum honorarium. It is to
be noted that the volunteers work for Pratham on a bare minimum wages.
Nature Exploration:
Under this topic, children were
made to realize/watch the nearby objects. The food preparation for human being
was compared with that by the plant kingdom.
An experimental activity was done on the transpiration by the trees.
Microscope
slide preparation (!) was taught to the students with the onion/ tomato peals
and stomata were seen by the children on their own (efforts). Small animals such as ants and their activities/
were seen by the students during the session.
Sound:
The principles of sound were
demonstrated with the simple activities such as
hearing the sound of a spoon (hit by an object) with or without a
disposable glass (the spoon and glass connected with a string) placed on one of the ear.
Air and Liquids
The session started with the
question if one could see the air? Then
balloon experiments of weight of air, water-air experiments on two glasses
separated with a paper, followed by a series of hot air experiments gave a good
understanding of the air pressure and fluids. One of the exciting experiments
that stole the show was to find the streaming options of water from a bottle
with a capillary opening!
Human Body
Started
with a student by asking her to take two rounds of the 10 ft corridor outside
the class room to hear the heart beats with a home made tube-funnel stethoscope, the activities under this topic were
focused on (i). right from the breathing mechanism to blood circulation in the
various part of the body, (ii). chewing of the food to the digestive tact,
(iii) including the excretion parts of the human body. Various activities with the participation of
each students included the understanding of the brain.
In Champawat, the weather was
cloudy on 6th June 2012, and hence my plans of seeing Venus transit
over the Sun (as well as plans of Pratham activitst, who had come prepared with
the sun-filters) could not take shape.
The Sun came out of the clouds, but not before 10:35 AM that was
immediately after the Venus transit was over.
 |
| Amar Ujala, 7 June 2012 (courtesy: Amar ujala) |
Concluding remarks
Overall, this was an extra
ordinary, interesting 4 day experience.
While sitting in the sessions, I could feel that all these activities were
done to open up the minds of the primary and juniour high school students. This was
nothing but exactly what I do even with my Ph.D. students in the beginning. This
thought is a tribute to the Pratham volunteers.
Prem B Bisht, 16-Jun-2012
