Celebrating Environment Week the Pre-primary way at TFS!

A noble thought leads to a noble action. With a noble intention to serve our very own divine Mother Nature, The Indian School-Second Shift dedicated an entire week from 13th to 17th July, 2015 to observing Environment Week. It was a sight to revel when each one, from the children of the Pre-Primary classes to the teachers and staff tended and toiled, putting in honest efforts to restore to Nature, as it were, as She has always been generous and selfless. The activities for each day of the week were pre-arranged for all the 5 Pre-primary classes, namely, Canary, Dove, Pelican, Koel and Swan. The Plant is an epitome of nature. On 13 July, the teachers led the children to the School garden to make them familiar about the 'life wheel' of a plant. They planted seeds in their tiny individual pet bottles, with their names inscribed. Little hands busily patted the soil and the seeds in the bottles by and after watering them, gave them for safe-keeping to their teacher packed with a proud smile! Once back in the classroom, the children were full of happy stories and accounts about plants and trees. Several of them even named stories they remembered about nature.

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The teachers used self-made illustrations to explain the various stages in the life of a plant. So eager, were the children that they persisted with enquiring if their seeds had yet inched taller! The prized bottles now line the window ledges of each class as their young owners impatiently await their advancement! On 14th July, the children watched videos on Healthy living and Healthy thinking in the Smart board room. The teachers demonstrated with picture clips, why and how we must have a kind and sympathetic attitude towards the environment. There was a wave of Green all over School and fondly the children of the Pre-Primary classes were named the bearers of a new Green revolution! The classes were bustling with activities on awareness about the environment which encompasses all forms of life. With stories and narrations, the children were told about the need to respect and care for all living beings, beginning from the wobbly worms in one's kitchen garden, to the roaring tigers of the Sunderbans. On 15th July, the children of PP Canary did wonderful craft on Mother Earth. They coloured individual paper globes in a profusion of colours to symbolise the richness of the Earth and her message of love, peace and harmony. They adorned their work with ribbons and hung them beautifully in their classroom. Meanwhile, PP Koel was seen engrossed in their artwork in which they had tried to capture the essence of humanity. They drew two hands together in expression of love and brotherhood. In a novel attempt, PP Dove made an interesting craft from empty tetra packs. They made bird feeders with the help of paints and ice-cream sticks. Bird feeders are excellent means to provide food for those gentle creatures that often come wandering by our windows. There is more. PP Pelican was also occupied with their captivating activity on the Life cycle of a Butterfly. The children were first presented with the tale of the transformation of the butterfly which was followed by craftwork where they made pretty butterflies and caterpillars of newspaper. Finally, the lovely children of PP Swan worked hard as they coloured up the drawing of a giant tree with finger and thumb prints! It gave an interesting texture to the otherwise ordinary tree-making exercise! The children armed with dusters and brooms dusted and swept clean the Smart board class on 16th July as a part of their duty to keep a Swach environment, following the footsteps of a Swach Bharat for one and all. The final day of the Environment Week, 17th July,turned out to be extraordinarily entertaining and will be reminisced for days to come. A Fashion Show was held in the school auditorium where children took the stage in clothes made of waste materials!The show got everyone cheering and clapping for the performers as they exhibited mind-blowing outfits made of old newspapers, magazines, tetra-packs and what not. The music and the lights only added to its splendor. It was a delight to behold th energy, dedication and sincerity with which these young children had participated in these environment-related activities. Seeing their enthusiasm to learn and do more for the environment ensures one and all that the efforts to guide and challenge the minds of these children on the importance of acquiring knowledge on our environment has been successfully delivered. Ms. Archana Shyam.