Nature Learning Resources
Developing user-friendly educational resources that correspond to EVS primary school curricula
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The Nature Classrooms project aims to connect learning to the natural world through the channel of primary school Environmental Studies (EVS). School-going students in urban and peri-urban spaces in India often have limited access or engagement with nature in their formative years. The same childrens often grow up to be fearful and suspicious of nature around them, or see nature as distant from their lives and contexts, only to be found in faraway “wild” spaces.
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Environmental Studies (EVS) is a mandatory primary school (Grade 1-5) subject that was introduced to address this gap and encourage children to engage and connect with nature. However, schools often face a lack of resources, leaving the teachers overworked and underprepared to teach EVS. In addition, the standardised curriculum is often full of distant and unrelatable examples. The subject is often seen as dry, burdensome and unnecessary - and the status quo remains unchanged.
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At Nature Classrooms we want to change this status quo. Since 2019 we have been creating opportunities for learners to develop wonder, love, and connections to nature. We develop user-friendly educational resources that supplement and correspond to EVS primary school curriculum. These resources are contextual, adaptable and age appropriate, and based on education theory, practice and pedagogy. Our approach to creating these resources is informed by our 10-point pedagogy, which was developed through years of field experience and engagement with teachers and educators.
You can read more about our Pedagogy here.
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Our Nature Learning Resources take a variety of forms - including illustrated digital and printable activity sheets, games, posters, anchor charts, storybooks, zines, worksheets, and more. Each resource has multiple classroom activities of increasing complexity to correspond to the spectrum of learning levels spanning Grades 1-5. Therefore, teachers can revisit the same resource with different grades, but engage with it in an entirely different way, optimising their time. Our resources ease the teaching process and encourage students to bond with nature while learning EVS. These are available free of cost to teachers and educators across states and boards of education.
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Created by educators, ecologists and designers, our resources encourage children to observe nature around them, and learn through hands-on activities that involve the arts and creative methods of engagement. We focus heavily on the visual aspect, working closely with illustrators and designers to ensure our resources are engaging, of a high quality and introduce children to the beauty of nature around them. The design process also involves partnering with chosen schools and teachers to receive feedback and conduct trials, ensuring the materials are user-friendly. For each resource, we create options in different languages for low cost as well as high quality printing, so that teachers can select a version that suits their needs.
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Each resource has multiple classroom activities of increasing complexity to correspond to the spectrum of learning levels spanning Grades 1-5. Therefore, teachers can revisit the same resource with different grades, but engage with it in an entirely different way, optimising their time. Our resources ease the teaching process and encourage students to bond with nature while learning EVS. These are available free of cost to teachers and educators across states and boards of education.
