How to learn the EEEF Way: Kindergarten
 

(c) Yogesh Pathak

 

With this article, we will start looking at examples of how to learn / how to teach as per the foundation and the first three pillars of EEEF for each school grade. We can think of the following five clusters for kindergarten. Some activities below are pre-requisites for others.
 

Teachers and parent volunteers should meet at the beginning of the year and plan an activity schedule, based on community resources, community calendar and events, and seasons.

These are just guiding examples. Teachers/parents/schools should feel free to modify these as desired or create new grade-appropriate activities.

 

Observation, Absorption, Reflection of self, family and surroundings (natural resource perspective)

• My Family - Interview your family members and share with class the next day: Who are the members in my family, including any pets & cattle? What and how much does each member eat each day? How much water do we drink each day? What do we need to cook food and how do we get water? How big is my house and from what is it built? What was here earlier on this piece of land?

• My Surroundings - Take one or more tours of your surroundings with an adult, ask questions, and share with class the next day: The weather in my area: Rain, Snow, Winds, Sunshine, Clouds, Seasons in my area, The Cycle of the Day: Sunrise, Noon, Sunset, etc, The night: Moon and it’s shapes, stars. Where can we see sunrise in my area? Where can we see sunset? What happens in my surroundings in different seasons – summer, autumn, winter, rainy season ?  

Observation of Nature

• Nature around me 1: This could be one or more tours near the home with an adult or one/more class tours in school surroundings. Ask questions and share with class the next day: What are some natural places around me? How is the land around me? What is soil? What are some water bodies around me e.g. rivers, lakes, streams, (and oceans, if available)? Observe – Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, Grasses, Mammals, Birds, Insects, Amphibians Snakes around me. Use all the five senses during such a nature tour. Discuss the variety in nature – diversity of trees and diversity of animals. Try to list and identify a few (OK to do this verbally – need not be in writing). Discuss these in class. Draw some of them as per teacher’s instructions.

• Nature around me 2: A field activity with one or more of: Nature Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of natural objects for children to find. Build a Nature Fort: Use sticks, leaves, and other natural materials to build a fort. Art supplies from nature: Select some natural materials like leaves, flowers, and stones to create art.

• Life Cycles 1: Observe and discuss life cycle of a tree from seed to fruit. Discuss some differences/diversity.

• Life Cycles 2: Observe and discuss life cycle of animals like frog, insects, dogs, and cows. Discuss some differences/diversity.

• Homes of animals: Field activity to observe and discuss homes (habitats) of animals (in the town and in wilderness), pets, and cattle.

• Parts of a tree: A field and class activity to observe and discuss

  • Leaves: Their design, types, smell, taste, colours, texture

  • Flowers: Their types, smell, taste, colours, texture

  • Bark: Patterns, smell, taste, colours, texture

  • Fruit: Their types, smell, taste, colours, texture

  • Roots: Examples, smell, taste, colours, texture

  • Edible, non-edible, toxic examples of the above parts

• Sounds of nature: Listening in nature to the sounds of wind, trees, water, and animals

 

Nature and Human Creativity, Storytelling and Imagination

• Art from Nature: A class or field activity (one or more) to create items of art from natural materials collected in the earlier activity. (Ideally do not bring natural material readymade to children – Let them collect things of their own liking).

• Storytime 1: A teacher can read or tell stories about animals, plants, and the environment.

• Storytime 2: Have children create their own stories about nature and above themes and narrate to class.

• Puppet Show: Create puppets from natural materials and perform a nature-themed show. Teacher may lead and students may participate to the extent they can.

• Animal Sounds: Mimic animal sounds and learn about different animals.

• Ongoing drawing & craft activities to capture observations done in nature

 

Human Communities and Nature

• Planting: Participate in planting a seed and a small plant.

• Gardens: Visit a public and a private garden and discuss what you saw

• Agriculture: Observe and participate in seeding/planting activity in a field, if available

• The things we use at home: Interview adults at home, followed by class discussion

• My community: Conversation with adults at home, followed by class discussion:

  • My village/town/city (includes: How did my village/city got built, and what was here before?)

  • What do various adults in my community/city do as a profession: How do they interact with nature in their work (if they do).

  • Nature centric communities: Are there any communities nearby that have nature at the center of their livelihood or work in nature? Learn more about them from adults. If possible, go for an observation field trip. What do they get from nature? How does nature affect them? Is their work seasonal?

  • Nature-Based Traditions & Celebrations: Ask about and observe, local celebrations, traditions and customs related to nature.

 

Survival and Needs

• The food we eat: Interview adults at home & explore at home, followed by class discussion

  • Where does our food come from.

  • How much of it comes directly from nature and what comes from the farm.

  • What do people eat that comes directly from nature.

  • The types of foodgrains/meat/vegetables/fruit we eat.

  • Medicines: Where do they come from? Is it possible to find medicines in nature?

• Air and Water: Class discussion:

  • Our need for water: Where does our water come from?

  • What is air and where does it come from?

• Animals vs. us: Class discussion:

  • Are we just one of the many animals?

  • What do animals and plants need to survive?

 

Such activities can be adapted to fit various cultural and socioeconomic contexts. They promote tangible progress along the EEEF, critical thinking, and a connection to nature.