Hands-on activities energize Isha Vidhya students from KG onwards to empathize with and nurture nature. Rather than spend their Personal Responsibility Time in a leisure activity, many students take the next step by spending that time in environment-related activities.

In this newsletter that celebrates World Environment Day (5 June), read the diverse opportunities presented to the students to connect with nature.

Tree Knowledge

The Physical Education teacher at Isha Vidhya Nagercoil took students from Classes 4-8 on a campus tree tour. He identified more than 45 varieties of trees and explained their uses and benefits. After understanding the value and importance of trees, the students expressed their gratitude by hugging the trees. It was an enriching outdoor lesson that encouraged students to protect and preserve the environment.

Bird Watching

Class 8 students from Isha Vidhya Coimbatore stepped into the forests surrounding the Isha Yoga Center at dawn each day for the period of a week for guided bird-watching sessions. They learned to use binoculars, observe birds in their natural habitat, and record their colors, calls, feeding habits, and flight patterns. More importantly, they discovered the value of patient observation, the importance of conserving natural habitats, and what it means to be responsible towards the environment.

Making Soil Healthy

In a hands-on activity designed to understand sustainability and the recycling of organic materials, Class 5 students of Isha Vidhya Karur prepared an organic mix comprising manure, dry leaves, and straw, and spread it around the roots of plants. It showed them a simple way to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and improve plant growth and soil health naturally.

Trip to Kiruba Garden

The excursion was delightful twice over for Isha Vidhya Tuticorin students from Classes 1-3 as they learned about different plants and trees. They observed fruit trees such as mango, sapota, guava, and gooseberry from close quarters, and marveled at the colorful display of flowers in the garden. The outing effectively connected young minds to nature.

Learning Rainwater Harvesting

The Class 4 teacher at Isha Vidhya Villupuram described how rainwater harvesting works, its uses, and its benefits. Creating cardboard models thereafter kept the students engrossed and helped them understand how rainwater harvesting saves water, enhances groundwater levels, and curtails its depletion, thereby benefiting the environment.

Gifting Saplings

Since 2021, Isha Vidhya Erode has been gifting a sapling to every student on school reopening day. By nurturing the green gift, students naturally form a lasting bond with nature and develop empathy towards it. Over the years, they have collectively dotted their backyards at home with more than 4700 of these saplings to create a greener environment.

Creative Recycling

Class 4 students at Isha Vidhya Salem cleaned old water bottles and then artistically modeled them to create pen stands, flower vases, plant holders, and artefacts. This activity helped the students learn how to employ their ingenuity to reuse waste material and taught them to grasp the significance of reducing plastic waste.

Awareness Campaign

Class 8 students at Isha Vidhya Dharmapuri celebrated World Environment Day by presenting a mime performance on environmental protection at the morning assembly. Later, they rallied at a nearby village to generate awareness on saving soil and planting trees. The hands-on participation sensitized the students about environmental challenges and how small actions can lead to positive change.