KOCHI: MES Eastern School, Eloor, never had any dearth of ideas when it comes to engaging its students to expand their horizons beyond mere academics.
Last month, the school undertook a biodiversity survey on its campus engaging members of its nature and science clubs. The entire 2.80 acres of the campus was covered in the survey. In fact, more than 20 species of medicinal plants and 100-odd plant species were found from a piece of 10 cents of land alone.
Forty students were divided into groups and assigned specific areas for undertaking the survey. They were then asked to draw up a list of the species of the flora and fauna they come across. The idea was to prepare a comprehensive list of the flora and fauna on the entire campus.
Soil analysis
Students were also taught how to dry plants and form them into a herbarium. Besides, they learned to detect soil fauna through soil analysis.
The survey that enabled students to learn more about their campus also laid the foundation for drafting a biodiversity directory.
The school now has plans to expand the survey beyond the school campus. Initially, a similar survey would be undertaken in the ward within the limits of which the school is located. This will be followed by a survey in 20 more wards of the Eloor panchayat.
The school also aims at bringing out a book by compiling reports of students based on the survey. “The objective of conducting such a survey was to encourage inquisitive mind in students and to promote research to understand scientific principles,” said Sasidharan Kallery, faculty member and one of the coordinators of the project.
He said that the school would conduct a photo album exhibition based on the survey. A herbarium of plants is another long-term objective.
Source: The Hindu, 20-10-2010
Last month, the school undertook a biodiversity survey on its campus engaging members of its nature and science clubs. The entire 2.80 acres of the campus was covered in the survey. In fact, more than 20 species of medicinal plants and 100-odd plant species were found from a piece of 10 cents of land alone.
Forty students were divided into groups and assigned specific areas for undertaking the survey. They were then asked to draw up a list of the species of the flora and fauna they come across. The idea was to prepare a comprehensive list of the flora and fauna on the entire campus.
Soil analysis
Students were also taught how to dry plants and form them into a herbarium. Besides, they learned to detect soil fauna through soil analysis.
The survey that enabled students to learn more about their campus also laid the foundation for drafting a biodiversity directory.
The school now has plans to expand the survey beyond the school campus. Initially, a similar survey would be undertaken in the ward within the limits of which the school is located. This will be followed by a survey in 20 more wards of the Eloor panchayat.
The school also aims at bringing out a book by compiling reports of students based on the survey. “The objective of conducting such a survey was to encourage inquisitive mind in students and to promote research to understand scientific principles,” said Sasidharan Kallery, faculty member and one of the coordinators of the project.
He said that the school would conduct a photo album exhibition based on the survey. A herbarium of plants is another long-term objective.
Source: The Hindu, 20-10-2010
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