Language and Ecology

Age group : 5^th , 6^th std

Objective: Using ecology (observing living and non living entities) to enhance language.

Lesson plan 1 :

Methodology

To introduce vocabulary in the area of diversity of living beings from prior knowledge.

Session 1 :

1. Name some insects , birds, mammals, reptiles that you have seen around .
2. Look at some of the pamphlets available on birds , butterflies, beetles , reptiles etc. Here is a link of some e-pamphletshttps://drive.google.com/folderview?id=15aR7viB7llEaiXH3jAiAEES4MQRxh_vv
3. Discussion points :

Have you noticed small creatures such as dung beetles , small butterflies ,geckos etc?

What are the characteristics you saw ?

Session 2 :

Objective : To make children appreciate and enjoy the interconnectedness of nature.

1. Go for a walk for half an hour .
2. Write down some of the insects , birds, reptiles and mammals that you see ( bring awareness that rats and bats are also mammals )
3. Make some small food chains (Here is a snapshot of one such made by a child )

Discussion points :

What do you observe in these food webs ?

Do you realize the roles of mushrooms ,ants and termites etc ?

Session 3

Objective : Sharing the learning with the group and building on it which encourages them to work towards more complicated concepts .

Children present simple food chains they have made .Teachers make a food web on the board .(This can be in a computer screen for online classes) Note : Children can also observe creatures inside the house eg. moths , spiders , cockroaches etc )

Discussion points :

What is it that which fascinates you all in the above exercise ?

Session 4 :

Objective : Using the vocabulary which came out of direct observations to build sentences .

1. Use Sentence table to make sentences of what/how different animals do/eat.

(One such sentence table homework for reptiles below: )

1. Use the food web to make your own sentences similar to sentence table.

Session 5 :

Objective : Applying language to express the experiences in nature.

1. Take a small walk and children use the sentences written. Two such examples a child said “Akka! Look the white-throated kingfisher is jumping on the grass and eating a worm. ““Akka ! look at rat chewing the cloth which had peanuts.”

Extensions :

Make a list of locally found amphibians,insects , birds and reptiles bilingually .

Sentence table with past tense verbs can be introduced.