Lest They Disappear........Save Sparrows and Butterflies

  1. Documentary and short films
  2. Talk show
  3. Craft activity
  4. Field trip
  5. Awareness skit

 

DOCUMENTARY AND SHORT FILMS

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SPSrohini

‘Nature is the greatest gift of God and preserving it is the utmost duty of mankind.’

Classes : IX-X

Activity: Sensitizing kids to love the voiceless

The students were shown documentaries and short films as a wakeup call for the need to be environment conscious and caution them on the extinction of animals across the globe. Students were briefed about the endangered animals of China namely panda and the Asiatic lion, from Australia-the dolphin and from India, butterflies and common sparrows. Students were informed that pandas are endangered mainly due to habitat loss. Humans have cleared much of the bamboo forests that pandas need to survive and because pandas eat only bamboo, they cannot adapt to live outside the forests the way other animals can. The documentary on dolphins highlighted how their vulnerability to underwater noise, human interference and changes in their natural habitat triggered by marine traps and activities such as fishing, netting, vessel strike and above all pollution. The students were also cautioned that the winged creatures-butterflies and sparrows- once a familiar sight, are plummeting towards extinction due to mindless urbanization, landscape-scale threats from pesticides, development and global climate change. They were also sensitized that it is the indifference caused by a lack of emotional connects between humans and the natural world that is the major reason for animals being pushed to the edge of extinction. The films by Mohammad Dilawar, an environmentalist from Mumbai and Mr. Rakesh khatri founder of Eco roots Foundation also redressed the common problem of the current generation’s acute obsession with technology and their complete indifference towards nature. The documentaries also highlighted that the feathered beauties though tiny are very sensitive thus succumb to tower radiation. Their sudden disappearance as sentinels or as ecological indicators is a warning to humans about subsequent environmental hazards. Activity sheets highlighting the causes along with data survey on endangered species was completed by the students. The aim of the activity was to enable the students to  learn about the endangered species in diverse regions across the globe.

TALK SHOW

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‘Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, shall they be saved.’

Classes: IX- X

Activity: Connecting with nature

Mr. Rakesh Khatri, Founder of Eco Roots Foundation was invited to conduct a talk show to acquaint the students on the role of sparrows and butterflies in the food chain and ignite in them  the urgent need for conserving the feathered creatures to maintain the ecological balance. Mr khatri attributed the reason for the decline of sparrows to the high rise concrete buildings, mobile towers and cutting down of trees. He then inspired the youngsters to be the saviors of the sparrows and taught them how to build nests and bird feeders to bring them back. He also informed them that the nests are made of eco-friendly materials like coconut fibre, jute thread, and bamboo sticks etc. He informed the students that hanging such nests all over will help in bringing back the sparrows. The students interacted with Mr. Khatri sharing their views and queries. Nest making activity helped the children to understand how birds build their homes through hard work, patience and sheer determination. It also introduced them to the wider concept of connection with nature and of being sensitive to creatures and birds around them. The nests made by the students were put up in different places around the school. The students promised Mr. Khatri  that they would join him in his mission of making more nests to spread awareness and preserve sparrows.

CRAFT ACTIVITY

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Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

Classes:  IX & X

Activity: Live and Let Live- Poster Making and Paint a T-Shirt

The students enthusiastically participated in the Poster Making and Paint a T- Shirt activity that was a part of the awareness campaign organized for the ISA activity Lest They Disappear…… Save The Sparrows and Butterflies.  Aiming to conserve the feathered beauties, the students creatively and innovatively expressed their ideas to realize their role and responsibilities towards the endangered species. The activity also sensitized them to the cause and the urgent need to save them from disappearing. The aim of the activity was to develop students’ interpersonal and intrapersonal skills by working together in groups. At the same time the activity also enabled them to gain application and synthesis skills, to think out of the box and to inculcate their ideas in the most effective way. The students were proud to wear the T- Shirts for the entire day and be the ambassadors of the winged beauties. The posters were put up on display all over the school to spread the message that everyone needs to be actively involved in the  attempt at bringing the beautiful creations of God back.

FIELD TRIP

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‘The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.’

Classes:  IX & X

Activity: Nature is the art of God

Okhla Bird Sanctuary

Students of Class IX were taken on a guided tour by Mr. Rakesh Khatri, Founder of Eco Roots Foundation to Okhla Bird Sanctuary at the Okhla Barrage over Yamuna River. The students toured the kingdom of birds and experienced the peaceful harmony and tranquility of the place. They enjoyed spotting birds with binoculars from the bird tower and were delighted to watch Flamingoes, Common Coot, Birds of Paradise, Parrots, Eurasian Magpie along with vulnerable species Baikal, Baer’s Pochard Sarus crane and the sociable Lapwing. The bank also had a variety of trees like Fycus, Babool, Sheesham,  Keekar and several shrubs and herbs. Mr. Khatri informed the students that due to regular 24x7 traffic on the national highway that passes by, the bio diversity is badly affected. The noise and air pollution has resulted in the depletion of flora and fauna of the sanctuary. He motivated the students to join hands in restoring the pristine beauty of nature by being one with nature, looking at the magic around and taking steps towards being responsible citizens.

Yamuna Biodiversity Park

Students of Class X were taken on an excursion to the Yamuna Biodiversity Park to watch sparrows, birds and butterflies that are now becoming extinct. The resource person Ms. Preeti Vohra, Nature Education Officer informed the students that the park is spread over 457 acres in the upstream of river Yamuna and is divided into two phases. Phase I consists of conservatories of medicinal plants, butterflies and fruit plants besides rangelands, sacred grove and migratory ducks’ wetland. She further informed them that Phase II consists of mosaic of wetlands interspersed with the grasslands and floodplain forests. The Park comprises of  native flora and fauna which used to exist 100 years ago and then became extinct locally and further, acts as a natural conservation site for specific group of endangered plant Just past the entry pocket and to the right is a “Welcome Rock facet” representing the origin of the Ganga and Yamuna and their convergence at Allahabad.

The aim of the excursion was to create awareness about different facets of biodiversity, develop positive attitude towards the environment, propagate eco-friendly attitude amongst various sections of the society, generate awareness on various environmental dimensions, its conservation and sustainable usage of natural resources through action-based programs.

AWARENESS SKIT

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‘You cannot change your future, but you can change your habits and surely your habits will change your future’.

Classes:  III –XII

Activity: Let’s end cruelty to all animals

The students presented a skit on the plight of butterflies and sparrows and their plea to mankind to save them from disappearance and resultant extinction. The act presented enabled the students to understand that animals too have souls and they also have all the rights to live in this world just like humans.  They learned to evaluate the present condition of the feathered creatures and to appreciate the gift of nature emphasizing their role and responsibility to save them. The students also presented a dance with the soulful track of the sparrow as its backdrop music. All the students then took a pledge to save sparrows and butterflies and spread awareness to conserve the biodiversity of the species to maintain the ecological balance. Everyone promised to place water bowls and some grains on rooftops to feed birds and plant as many trees as possible to give them their natural habitat. The aim was to engage the participants at physical, emotional, mental and social level simultaneously. The platform also provided the participants with  an optimum opportunity to exercise autonomy and consciousness in a safe and fictional space and become critical thinkers in situations that they come across.