7. Education in Interdisciplinary Areas
Of the important thrusts of NEP 2020, two matters have a deep underlying alignment. First, the
importance of interdisciplinary learning and study. Second, developing the sensitivity, capacities,
and understanding for living in harmony with nature, including the range of urgent issues around
climate change and the environment.
This NCF gives specific emphasis to developing interdisciplinary knowledge and capacities, as also their use for development of values and dispositions, including those related to the environment.
All subjects would include this interdisciplinary approach and aspects of living in harmony with nature, and these would be addressed appropriately at each Stage.
a. In the Foundational Stage, Curricular Goals are organised around the domains of development, and not specific curricular areas/subjects. Therefore, interdisciplinarity is inherent at this Stage.
b. In the Preparatory Stage, The World Around Us (TWAU) is designed as an Interdisciplinary Area, specifically meant to help students observe, engage with, and understand their immediate social and natural environment.
c. At the Middle Stage interdisciplinary Curricular Goals are embedded within specific curricular areas. Interdisciplinary learning, including learning about the environment, is developed through specific Goals and Competencies in the Learning Standards, and all the related curricular arrangements for achieving those — from content, and pedagogy, to assessment.
d. In the Secondary Stage, a specific Curricular Area called Interdisciplinary Areas is introduced to promote interdisciplinary knowledge, capacities, and thereby values and dispositions.
i. In Grades 9 and 10, the following essential subjects will be offered under Interdisciplinary Areas:
1) Individuals in Society (developing moral and ethical reasoning) in Grade 9.
2) Environmental Education (EE) in Grade 10.
ii. In Grades 11 and 12, Interdisciplinary Areas will include a range of subjects, illustratively, Sustainability and Climate Change, Public and Community Health, Media and Journalism, Legal Studies, Commerce, Family and Community Sciences, and Indian Knowledge Systems. The list and offering of subjects would depend on other practical considerations, such as availability of Teachers and interests of students. The specific aims of each Interdisciplinary Area subject would be to develop an integrated understanding of the chosen subject matter, while developing interdisciplinary capacities. This Chapter deals with The World Around Us in the Preparatory Stage, and the two essential subjects — Individuals in Society and Environmental Education in Grades 9 and 10 of the Secondary Stage.
Section 7.1 - Aims
The study of Interdisciplinary Areas develops interdisciplinary thinking, which in turn prepares students for responding effectively to real-life problems since real-life situations are interdisciplinary.
Interdisciplinary Areas in schools should aim to achieve:
a. Holistic understanding through interdisciplinary thinking: The study of Interdisciplinary Areas must teach students the ability to view their natural and social environment, and related issues and events, in an integrated manner. Developing the capacity to use knowledge and methods of inquiry from more than one discipline to analyse any phenomena with multiple perspectives will enrich students’ approach to understanding the world. Interdisciplinary Areas should break down the silos of disciplines which often render knowledge gained within disciplines unrelatable to the real life of the individual.
b. Living in harmony with nature: An interdisciplinary approach must form the foundation for understanding nature and learning to live in harmony with it.
i. Sensitivity towards and appreciation of the environment: Interdisciplinary Areas should help students see the connections between the natural environment and social processes. They must develop an awareness and appreciation of the interdependence between the natural and humanmade environments and the various economic, sociocultural, political, historical, ethical, and aesthetic dimensions of human societies. The need for balance between the environment and human society will be part of this learning.
ii. Environmental literacy: Interdisciplinary Areas should develop an understanding of ecological systems, natural resources, environmental issues, and interconnections between human activity and the environment. This will enable students to make intelligent and informed decisions about individual and collective work to solve current problems and prevent new ones.
c. Ethical and moral reasoning: Key ethical and moral questions based on a comprehensive understanding of issues or events are integral to Interdisciplinary Areas. Students must learn to reason the ethical and moral dimensions of an issue or event in the light of the human and Constitutional values mentioned in NEP 2020. They must develop the ability to take informed positions based on evidence and reason and advocate suitable action.
Environmental literacy prepares students for active participation in dealing with environmental issues. An environmentally literate person is someone who, individually and collaboratively, makes informed decisions concerning the environment; is willing to act on these decisions to improve the well-being of other individuals, societies, and the global environment; and participates in civic life. Environmentally literate individuals possess the knowledge and understanding of a wide range of environmental concepts, capacities, dispositions, and values that enable environmentally responsible behaviour in a range of environmental contexts. It requires going beyond fragmented thinking about the environment and thinking in terms of interactions of human and natural systems. The production of environmentally literate citizens through formal education will enable the knowledge, cognitive capacities, and attitudes acquired in the classroom to be transferred to the decision-making process of students throughout their lives.
Section 7.2 - Nature of Knowledge
In the Preparatory Stage, knowledge in The World Around Us is concrete and related to the real world. It is situated in exploration, discovery, dialogue with peers and adults, visits and excursions, observations, and creating artefacts, as well as stories, poems, folklore, and other forms of arts and literature.
The World Around Us brings together the understanding of different aspects to derive generalised concepts related to students’ immediate environment. These concepts are largely around patterns, processes (social and natural), and interconnections between the environment and human society. Through this Curricular Area, students develop capacities of inquiry that are useful to make sense of and interact with the immediate natural and social environment. In the Secondary Stage, the knowledge base of both Individuals in Society and Environmental Education is interdisciplinary, and rooted in knowledge, capacities, values, and dispositions developed across subjects.
A comprehensive understanding at this Stage requires being able to apply understanding, values, and dispositions, from other subjects. An understanding of events in the local community, State, nation, and world in terms of priorities and concerns (in the context of Individuals in Society and Environmental Education), as well as along multiple dimensions (social, moral, ethical, political, economic),comprises this comprehensive understanding.
Importantly, an appreciation of the fact that there are no definitive answers to many human issues is required — different interpretations and actions could be appropriate when seen from different perspectives, or when placed in different contexts.
These subjects provide the opportunity to critically explore and analyse the co-existence of multiple truths and realities. They offer multiple interpretations of a situation or an event, which must converge into equitable, just, and sustainable solutions.
Section 7.3 - Potential Challenges
Given that this is a new Curricular Area, challenges can only be anticipated. Primary among them is Teacher preparedness. This challenge has been already manifested in the teaching of Environmental Science (EVS) in Grades 3-5 as per the existing curriculum. As there is no formal structure to prepare Teachers for EVS, they often tend to focus on concepts related to their subject specialisation (e.g., Language, Mathematics). Presently, there are hardly any courses on Environmental Education, and none that prepare Teachers for this subject. The case is similar with Individuals in Society.
It has also been generally observed that content related to the natural environment is managed with greater ease by Teachers, but they find issues connected to the social environment challenging.
While the capacity development of Teachers is critical, until pre-service Teacher education makes the necessary transitions, the capacity for academic support in institutions will also need to be developed (in terms of both the understanding of people and the building of resource material,) particularly for the Secondary Stage.
Section 7.4 - Preparatory Stage — The World Around Us
Young children are intuitively inclined to observe their natural and social environments. They interact with family members and neighbours, and with the living and non-living world around them. They observe adults and develop the necessary understanding and skills required for them in their specific contexts.
The World Around Us curriculum uses this natural curiosity of students to help them gain a more systematic understanding of the natural and social environment in their immediate context. As students engage with their environment, they represent and express their understanding in different ways. This helps them develop Competencies related to the other subjects of Language, Mathematics, and Art as well.
7.4.1 Approach
The approach will be to focus on the immediate environment of students, with gradual progression of some aspects beyond the city/town/village at the end of the Preparatory Stage, in order to gain foundational knowledge of Science and Social Science as well as a grounding in Environmental and Vocational Education. The interdisciplinary approach taken will reflect the lives of students. This will also ensure that students develop a holistic view of the world, with an understanding of relationships and interdependencies.
Knowledge, values, and dispositions will be developed through various sources from the locality, region, and country. Focus will be on stories, poems, narratives, folklore, histories, and games from diverse sources.
Vocational Education will be integrated in The World Around Us through the development of prevocational capacities. Capacities related to understanding the occupations around them, observing, and engaging with animals and plants, and creating simple objects lay the foundation for development of vocational capacities in the Middle Stage. The pedagogy at this Stage will also lend itself to the development of prevocational capacities, e.g., maintaining flowerpots/kitchen gardens, clay modelling, and dialogue with shopkeepers during visits to the local markets.
7.4.2 Learning Standards
The Curricular Goals and Competencies for The World Around Us indicate the expectations from students related to understanding of the social and physical environment at this Stage. A structured exploration of this environment develops understanding, as well as the capacities to deepen and extend this understanding.
7.4.2.1 Curricular Goals & Competencies
| Curricular Goal | Competencies |
|---|---|
| CG-1: Explores and engages with the natural and socio-cultural environment in their surroundings |
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| CG-2: Understands the interdependence in their environment |
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| CG-3: Explains how to ensure the safety of self and others in different situations |
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| CG-4: Develops sensitivity towards social and natural environment |
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| CG-5: Develops the ability to read and interpret simple maps |
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| CG-6: Uses data and information from various sources to investigate questions |
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| CG-7: Gains foundational familiarity with basic concepts from natural sciences and engineering |
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7.4.3 Content
The approach, principles, and methods of selecting content have commonalities across subjects — those have been discussed in Part A, Chapter 3, §3.2 of this document. This section focusses only on what is most critical to The World Around Us. Hence, it will be useful to read this section along with the above-mentioned section.
7.4.3.1 Principles of Content Selection
The following principles will inform the selection of content for The World Around Us.
a. Content selected must enable the development of essential process capacities (observation, making hypotheses, experimentation to test hypotheses, data collection and analysis, discussion). For example,
i. Assign tasks based on the natural curiosity of students with reference to specific questions/assumptions/hypotheses– they could be asked to observe and record the growth of plants from seeds under different conditions (in different kinds of soil, under different amounts of sunlight).
ii. Extend this experience to students’ own lives and ask them to describe their observations and hypotheses on how crops/plants grow in pots. They can discuss the various uses of plants
iii. Organise visits to local markets, fairs, museum, and monuments, and share observations and experiences throughout the processes using different modes
iv. Conduct hands-on experiments to test hypotheses and make informed conclusions. Experiments can be conducted in groups to encourage collaboration, teamwork, and social interaction
b. Content selected should enable maximum possible social interaction, and interaction with the natural environment. For example,
i. Identity and relationships within family and community; plants and animals; own body; geographical features; transportation and communication; local institutions; migration of families; different habits in different communities (food, practices, traditions); food habits and shelter of animals; various local traditional art forms; festivals and celebrations; community melas and marriage celebrations; day and night, time of sunrise and sunset, patterns; sun, moon, stars, and planets
c. Content selected should reflect diversity and must be inclusive while developing sensitivity and breaking stereotypes. For example,
i. Diversity of geographical characteristics, flora, and fauna around them
ii. Impact of hot weather or excessive rain on plants and animals
iii. Practices related to work especially with reference to gender – division of labour at home, food distribution in families, understanding the context of migrant labourers.
d. Content must move from the local context to an understanding of social and natural environments beyond the immediate environment as students progress across grades.
i. Content should be contextual and related to the immediate environment in lower grades of this Stage.
ii. Gradually increasing exposure to other contexts through comparison and analogy is important — multiple geographies, genders, communities. For example, if the concept of ‘Transport’ has to be discussed, content can include the pictures in the textbook, discussion of modes of transport in the community, sharing of narratives of travel by students, local news reports related to transportation, instances of use of these roads by the local community, videos of modes of transport that are not available in the locality (e.g., understanding trains in a school in the upper Himalayas).
e. Content selected should be such that it can be presented in multiple ways, which go beyond the textbook. For example, students should have the opportunity to explore the same content in various modes as indicated below:
i. Case studies
ii. Visual representation through pictures and simple maps
iii. Using ICT-based resources – videos to give evidence for discussions and/or support discussions on specific issues
iv. Poems, stories, plays, games, and news stories
v. Folklore, folk songs, oral histories, and oral narratives
vi. Visual art projects
vii. Building of models, scientific tinkering, and engaging in hands-on experiments to test hypotheses
f. Environmental values and dispositions must be integrated in the content and should enable pedagogy that is not didactic/prescriptive. For example,
i. Judicious use of water
ii. Dignity of all living beings
iii. Impact of humans on the environment
iv. Needs of plants and animals
g. Content must incorporate Indian knowledge and local culture. For example,
i. Food preservation
ii. Processes to conserve resources, including local wells and stepwells
iii. Local literature – alignment with contemporary knowledge, natural disasters, and human-nature conflicts
7.4.4 Pedagogy and Assessment
The approach, principles, and methods of pedagogy and assessment have commonalities across subjects – those have been discussed in Part A, Chapter 3, §3.3 and §3.4 of this document. This section focusses only on what is most critical to The World Around Us. Hence, it will be useful to read this section along with the above-mentioned section.
7.4.4.1 Pedagogy for The World Around Us
Environment, for students in the Preparatory Stage, is what is immediately around them and affects their lives. Students learn about the environment through structured interaction with their natural and social environment, exploration, discussion of experiences and observations, interaction with adults and peers, exemplars, task-oriented activities, structured observations, experiments, surveys, and visits.
This engagement with the immediate environment provides a base for moving into exploring larger systems (from locality to district to region to state to nation to world), broader issues (from home to community to larger society), and an expanding understanding of concerns, connections, and consequences. Thus, students’ engagement with their immediate environment leads them to an understanding of distant environments — they are able to apply their understanding from ‘near’ to ‘far’, and vice versa.
Values and dispositions — e.g., collaboration, respect for diversity, inclusion, scientific temper, sensitivity towards the social and natural environment are best developed if they are demonstrated — by adults in the school. Students must also get the opportunity to practise them in their interactions.
7.4.4.1.1 Pedagogical Approaches
Students’ questions and experiences — related to the social and physical environment, and of social processes around them (including schools and family) — must be given space. This establishes trust and empathy between the Teacher and students.
Teachers need to help students develop conceptual understanding instead of accumulating facts. This implies that sufficient time must be provided for surveys, exploration, visits to institutions, excursions (including within the school campus), observation, experiments, simple inquiry, dialogue with Teachers and peers, role play, questioning, and the communication of ideas. Task-oriented work, wherein they take up some small tasks, helps students connect learning to doing. Through the creation of simple models and toys, they can communicate their understanding and make learning concrete in the process. Allowing students to take the lead in material development, through a variety of modes like art and craft, story, drama, and hands-on experiments provides space for them to be involved in several small-scale and large-scale assignments and projects. This is also invaluable for the development of prevocational capacities. Teachers must also be aware of values and dispositions that can be developed through activities, and plan deliberately to offer students experiences. They should also make the values and dispositions explicit for students by drawing attention to them. They should also make them explicit for students by drawing attention to specific values and dispositions (e.g., collaborative learning, developing a scientific temper, working in diverse groups, analysing work distribution at home, caring for the environment, cleanliness, standing in queues).
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Bal Shodh Mela I teach Grades 3, 4, and 5 in a rural school. Over the years, Bal Shodh Melas have become an integral part of my pedagogy to give my students an interdisciplinary exposure. Bal Shodh Melas or Children’s Research Festivals are intended to encourage students’ inherent sense of curiosity and interest in exploring their surroundings, and excitement to engage with new learning. Bal Shodh Melas encourage students to engage in research. I scaffold them to conduct simple inquiries on local issues/topics by formulating questions, collecting data, and drawing conclusions. The process encourages creative expression, and independent reading and writing, as well as collaboration among students. It is also a wonderful way for me to strengthen relations with the community, since community members are also invited to the mela organised to close the process. Through this process, learning happens in an integrated way – capacities developed across subjects are used by students, and learning is concretised within their own contexts. A few illustrative topics that my students have taken up for research are – my house; the history of our village/area; the geographical and natural location of our area; trees and vegetation around us; business and work, birds, and animals around us; means of transport; demography of our village/ward; local folklore and folk tales; folk sayings and phrases. I have fellow Teachers who use this even in crowded urban contexts as there is plenty of scope for exploration there too. For example, towns and cities go through a tremendous change and usually have people from diverse communities living there, not all of whom are originally from there. So, students can collect stories such as – when was a shop set up; where is the shopkeeper originally from; what conditions prompted them to migrate, and so on. After all, the objective is to collect stories – and what can be more interesting than the stories of the people around us?*
*7.4.5 Assessment in The World Around Us *
A few key principles of assessment are:
a. Students must be assessed for understanding of concepts and for the ability to demonstrate capacities particular to this subject, e.g., observation, making hypotheses, testing hypotheses via suitable experiments, identification, and classification.
b. Students must be assessed using oral, written and other performance tasks in a variety of ways, e.g., answering good questions, making presentations based on group work, creating artefacts, designing or replicating experiments, analysing data and results, and participating in discussions.
A few Teacher Voices illustrate different kinds of assessment below.
Types of Shelters I teach Grade 5. I wanted to assess my students’ understanding of types of shelters and why different regions need different kinds of shelters. Instead of asking students the usual kind of question on the types of houses in different regions, I tried something different. The question below has an illustration that helps students visualise a house with a particular kind of roof and why it does so. Even if they do not recall that rainy and snowy areas have houses with sloping roofs, they are able to logically deduce the reason for this kind of roof from amongst the given answer choices. In places with heavy rainfall, houses have sloping roofs because such roofs: a. Protect the house from strong sunlight. b. Protect the house from wind and dust. c. Provide more storage space in the house. *d. Prevent rainwater from collecting on the roof.*
Prevocational Capacities I teach Grade 4. The task below is intended to assess both students’ prevocational capacities as well as students’ understanding of environmental concerns. This is instead of simply asking them to respond to a direct question on how the planet can be kept healthy. 1. You have been given chart paper, crayons, pencil, sharpener, rubber, scale, bindis, coloured paper and glue. 2. Create a poster on the theme ‘Grow plants to keep the planet healthy’. I used the following criteria to grade my students:Grading Criteria Table
| Criteria | Grade C | Grade B | Grade A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uses of Materials | Uses only a few materials | Uses most of the materials | Uses all materials in a meaningful way |
| Understanding of the Task | Creates a drawing that does not convey the theme | Creates a drawing according to the theme | Creates a thematic representation to convey the theme |
| Cleaning up after Completion of Task | Leaves materials lying around | Puts materials together in one place | Differentiates between waste and reusable material and places material in appropriate places |
Signs and Symbols on the Road I teach Grade 5. The following question assesses students’ understanding of signs and symbols encountered during road travel, as well as their ability to interpret them. Instead of asking them directly about different types of milestones, this question gives them visual clues that can be used to respond to the question. Imagine you are travelling to Raipur from Surat. You will see many milestones on the way. Given below are two milestones, both showing the distance to Raipur, but are different. One is painted yellow and white, while the other is painted green and white. A. What does the yellow and white milestone tell us? B. What does the green and white milestone tell us?
Marking Scheme
| Marking Scheme – Total 5 Points | ||
|---|---|---|
| Question | Response | Points |
| Question A (Total 3 points) | Yellow and white milestone tells us we are on a National Highway | 1 |
| The yellow and white milestone tells us that we are on National Highway 53 | 1 | |
| The yellow and white milestone tells us we are at a distance of 85 km from Raipur | 1 | |
| Question B (Total 2 points) | The green and white milestone tells us that we are on a State Highway | 1 |
| The green and white milestone tells us we are at a distance of 30 km from Raipur | 1 | |
Note: Students do not need to respond in the exact words given in the marking scheme – the idea should be the same. No points should be deducted for aspects like grammar and spelling.
Section 7.5 - Secondary Stage (Grades 9 and 10)
The Secondary Stage would introduce Interdisciplinary Areas as a Curricular Area. In Grade 9, the subject Individuals in Society would aim to develop capacities for ethical and moral reasoning, and in Grade 10, the subject Environmental Education would then further develop and apply these capacities in the context of Environmental awareness.
7.5.1 Grade 9: Individuals in Society\
Ethical and moral reasoning involves thinking about fundamental questions related to everyday events – What is right or wrong? Can right or wrong be identified? What actions are justified? What is the ‘right’ thing to do? What are the reasons that justify the ‘right’ thing? This type of reasoning is necessary for responding rationally to situations, instead of impulsively or instinctively.
For example, the instinctive reaction to some situation may be driven by short-term self-interest. But the process of ethical and moral reasoning enables determining the right actions, not only for oneself but also for others in the same situation.
These questions are equally applicable across common situations that we encounter in real life. For example, on one hand a road may bring material prosperity to a village, but on the other hand it may affect the natural environment and influence the cultural community – what is the right thing to do? Tourism will alleviate poverty in a region, and also permanently change the area and its inhabitants – so what should be done? Can a war be termed just if it is fought to protect the interests of the disadvantaged?
Responding to these questions requires systematic reasoning in the following way:
a. To begin with, it requires an awareness of events – the context, the factors affecting it, and the people involved
b. Second, it requires identification of ethical and moral questions – whether there is violation of basic human and Constitutional values or any danger of the well-being and/or rights of any individual or community being affected
c. Third, arguments need to be constructed for and against possible actions.
d. Fourth, deciding what is the ‘right’ thing to do, the evidence used to make this claim, and how the action(s) will be carried out
e. Finally, identifying possible consequences of the proposed actions and what other steps can be taken to counter these
These capacities cannot be developed in a vacuum. Socio-cultural, economic and political issues, and current affairs are best suited to meet the aim of developing them.
Ethical and moral reasoning in this context requires the application of understanding gained from multiple subjects, as well as the moral and ethical values that are developed as a part of other Curricular Areas. Therefore, this subject is a part of Interdisciplinary Areas.
7.5.1.1 Learning Standards
In the Middle Stage, students develop multiple capacities, including values and dispositions related to human and Constitutional values. They engage with various concepts, particularly those related to science, social science as well as the environment.
Individuals in Society is intended to enable students to use these capacities and understanding in an interdisciplinary manner in the Secondary Stage. Through this, they will develop the capacity for ethical and moral reasoning in the context of issues/events with a wide impact and current affairs.
7.5.1.1.1 Curricular Goals & Competencies
| CG-1: Develops capacity for ethical and moral reasoning |
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|---|---|
| CG-2: Develops capacity to analyse current affairs from multiple perspectives |
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| CG-3: Applies ethical and moral reasoning to engage with current affairs related to the local community, State, nation, and the larger world |
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7.5.1.2 Content
The approach, principles, and methods of selecting content has commonalities across subjects – those have been discussed in Part A, Chapter 3, §3.2 of this document. This section focusses only on what is essential for Individuals in Society. Hence, it will be useful to read this section along with the above-mentioned section.
To meet the Curricular Goals, the content must draw from all the important domains of an individual’s participation in larger society. While these domains can be categorised as socio cultural, economic, and political, specific focus on the environment is also necessary. Therefore, students must gain adequate exposure to issues/events within all the following domains:
a. Socio-cultural domain
b. Economic domain
c. Political domain
d. Environmental domain
All issues/events will fall primarily within these domains. At the same time, these domains are not watertight – some issues/events may have dimensions falling within one or more of the domains.
*7.5.1.2.1 Principles of Content Selection *
Two sets of content will be required for this subject.
a. Content related to existing issues or events with wide-reaching impact The purpose of this first set will be to help students engage with specific issues/events that reflect larger concerns, which may have been persisting for a long time (even centuries), through case studies, short films, and documents.
The reason for the inclusion of this content is to simulate the process of exploring multiple perspectives, identifying core issues/events, the debates that arose, and how they were resolved or remain yet to be resolved. Students will be able to understand the long-term consequences of these events and appreciate the importance of taking moral and ethical positions.
This content will help them strengthen their own values and principles, and also help them experience the process of reasoning that is necessary for taking an informed position. The principles that will inform the selection of this content are:
i. Sufficient content should be available, with information, opinion pieces, data, debates, news reports, and similar material, to enable an understanding of multiple perspectives.
ii. The content should make these moral and ethical questions explicit and offer wellrounded arguments based on evidence and reasoning for responding to each of these questions.
iii. There should be a sufficient record of actions, consequences, and positive changes. There should be scope to examine different perspectives for change and the consequences of these changes.
iv. Even if the matter under discussion is not recent, there should be sufficient material to evolve ethical and moral questions, and how they have been addressed explicitly (e.g., concerns related to the environment).
Illustratively, gender inequality, unequal access to resources, debates related to the role of science and technology, political participation, and environmental concerns could be some areas around which materials could be made available.
b. Content related to current affairs
The second set of content is related to current affairs. This set will be dynamic – it will be selected by the Teacher and students based on their interest in current affairs. This content will integrate the learning of students in several curricular areas and help them apply the capacities developed through engaging with the first set of content. It will comprise two kinds of content – (i) news reports, articles, clippings of TV news, videos on social media, and data, and (ii) interviews with community members and reports of surveys within the community. The reason for inclusion of this content is to develop among students interest and understanding to engage with current affairs.
The following set of principles will inform this choice:
i. Content should be related to all four domains. Illustratively,
1) Content from the socio-cultural domain could be around gender, class, sports, and media
2) Content from the economic domain could be around public investment, wealth gap, employment, and schemes
3) Content from the political domain could be around rights and duties, civic engagement, democratic processes, crime, safety, and security
4) Content from the environment domain could be around health and hygiene, climate change, pollution, and biodiversity
ii. Content should enable students to engage with different dimensions and allow greater scope for ethical and moral reasoning. Illustratively,
1) Whether the acquisition of agricultural land for developing airports is justified by the increased livelihood opportunities and improved access to other cities
iii. Content should be close to the students’ life and experiences, and current learning across disciplines. Illustratively,
1) Students may find it difficult to relate to mass shootings in other countries. On the other hand, effect of long-term use of chemical fertilisers in rural settings, and the rich-poor divide in urban settings can be taken up.
iv. Content selected should not lead to confrontation among students or lead to backlash from the community. Illustratively,
1) Content that touches religious sentiments.
2) Content related to an area that has already polarised communities and is likely to excite passions
v. Content should be of various kinds – digital, text, readings, opinion pieces, newspaper reports, Parliamentary debates, research reports, data, as well as discussions with community members.
vi. In this age of information overload and fake news, it must be ensured the material is from a reliable and valid source. Illustratively, content must be from
1) Reliable magazines and newspapers/their websites
2) Videos of acknowledged experts in the field
3) Websites of reliable agencies or government departments or institutions/ universities
7.5.1.3 Pedagogy and Assessment
The approach, principles, and methods of pedagogy and assessment have commonalities across subjects – those have been discussed in Part A, Chapter 3, §3.3 and §3.4 of this document. This section focusses only on what is most essential for Individuals in Society. Hence, it will be useful to read this section along with the above-mentioned section.
7.5.1.3.1 Pedagogy for Individuals in Society
The Curricular Goals of this area will be best met through giving students the opportunity to engage with different content in different ways.
To this end, the pedagogical principles should be:
a. Students must be supported through the process of engaging with an issue/event before they work independently. This must be done through a set of questions and ongoing discussions to help them examine content from different perspectives. The process itself – how students engaged with content, how they identified what was important, how it made them feel, the questions they felt the need to reflect on/discuss, how they looked for answers to these questions, whether they satisfied with the answers, how they chose a view/opinion and why – must be discussed.
b. Students must be encouraged to look for information to answer any questions they may have, or for supplementary materials. Illustratively, they can ask community members, Teachers, any experts they know, or they can visit the local library, and search the Internet.
c. Students should engage with as much content as possible, and with different kinds of content. They should explore this content independently or in groups.
d. Students must present not only their learning but also their opinions on what they have read. For example, if they have read a case study on biodiversity collapse, they must present both what they have learnt, and also their opinions on how this collapse can be managed in their locality.
e. Students must have the opportunity to present opinions that may differ, and learn the process of listening to each other, put forth well-thought arguments, and be able to ‘agree to disagree’.
Mission to Mars One of my students brought a newspaper clipping on a manned mission to Mars to class. I asked her to read it out to the other students. There was a lot of excitement – I have tried to capture the conversation below. Student A: I don’t think humans can live on Mars! In our science class, Madam was saying that the conditions on Mars are not alright for human life. Student B: They will not be able to live like we do on Earth! They will have to live inside something like tents. But how will the tents be kept cool? How will they get water? How will they get electricity? Student C: The report says it will take seven months to reach Mars. What if an astronaut gets sick on the way? Will they come back? Even if doctors are on board, what if they need specialised equipment? Student A: The report says the trip will cost billions of dollars. That is many 100 crores of rupees! Student D: Don’t we have many other things to spend the money on? And the astronauts will be in danger. And what will they do on Mars? Student E: But going to Mars is like what travelling the seas was for ancient travellers! If they had thought about dangers and stayed at home, imagine what the world would be like! Maybe we wouldn’t have invented airplanes because everyone was happy to stay at home. At this point, I thought this would be a good area to explore. I asked students ‘What if we try to answer the question: Is such a mission to Mars important for humankind?’ The students were excited about the idea. I asked them to think about the following questions, and any others they could think of – a. What is the manned mission to Mars? Who planned it? Why has it been planned? Who is paying for it? Who will be going on this mission? When is it expected to take off? What are the challenges? Any other questions? b. Do you see any challenges related to the well-being of the astronauts? How will they and their families deal with the separation? Will their sacrifice be worth it? Can the money being spent on this mission be used elsewhere to improve human existence? We have seen that human entry into space has created space debris – has space exploration affected the environment in any other way? Any other questions? c. What are the arguments for and against a manned mission to Mars? Any other questions? d. What do you think is the right thing to do? Why do you feel this is the right thing? Any other questions? e. What will happen if your position is accepted? What will be the results? Are there any other steps that can be taken? Any other questions?
7.5.1.3.2 Assessment in Individuals in Society
A few key principles for assessment are:
a. Students must be assessed for understanding the context of a situation or event, the ability to identify ethical and moral dimensions, and the ability to recommend actions based on sound rationale and awareness of the consequences of the action.
b. Assessment of engagement with current affairs must never be only on the basis of general knowledge. It must be assessed with reference to specific situations or issues students are made aware of.
c. Assessment must be based on specific situations, issues, or caselets.
National Curriculum Framework for School Education National Curriculum Framework for School Education A few Teacher Voices illustrate different kinds of assessments below.
Real vs. Fake News I teach Grade 9. The question below assesses students’ understanding of how to verify whether a particular piece of news is real or fake. It provides a specific situation as a context, instead of simply asking them about different ways of verifying news as real or fake. While reading the newspaper today, you came across an article that surprised you. It said that it will be mandatory for citizens to file their income tax returns twice a year instead of once a year. This is to make the process more manageable for the Income Tax Department. How can you verify this news? Please choose the most appropriate option. a. You can check if other newspapers and television are carrying the same news. b. You can check if there is a notification regarding the same on the IT Department website. c. What are the arguments for and against a manned mission to Mars? Any other questions? d. You can carefully check who has written the article and the sources cited. e. A and B f. All of the above. I used the following marking scheme: A-1, B-1, C-1, D-0, E-4
Analysing a Case I teach Grade 9. The question below assesses students’ capacity to identify what is right or not in the context of a specific case. The questions do not have just a single correct answer. Students are required to pick what they think is the most appropriate choice. I feel that asking them to weigh choices is better than asking them to state responses directly. In May 2016, the government had passed the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) Act to ensure safe and transparent transactions related to private and commercial properties. While several reforms have been made, issues still persist, particularly in urban areas. Of late, news related to demolition of illegally constructed multistorey buildings or of construction being stopped due to legal issues in urban areas have appeared. For example, • In January 2021, the Supreme Court ordered demolition of four tower blocks that violated environmental norms in Kochi. About 350 families were displaced after years of uncertainty while the case was being heard in various courts. • In June 2022, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) ordered a real estate development company to halt construction of an eleventh tower, for which the builder did not have permission, in its residential project in Gurugram. Flats in the tower had already been sold. About 50 families who had invested in flats in the illegal tower have been affected, after more than a year of uncertainty. • In August 2022, two 40-storey towers were demolished on the orders of the Supreme Court in Emerald Court, Noida, as the builders had violated building norms. About 600 families were affected, after years of uncertainty while the case was being heard in various courts. 1. Why do you think the Supreme Court and NCDRC took this position? Choose what you think is the most important reason. a. They are bound to go by the law and the rules for building. b. If they allow violations, other builders will also not obey the rules. c. Violations are dangerous as they affect the strength and stability of structures. d. All builders must be aware of rules for multistorey buildings. 2. What do you think was the impact on families who bought the flats? Choose what you think is the most important impact. a. They suffered monetary losses as they had to stay on rent while having paid for a flat. b. They suffered loss of time as they had to keep going to Court and to meet the builder. c. They suffered mental harassment due to uncertainty from the long waiting period. d. Their rights as consumers were violated as the builder failed to meet the contract. 3. People say that while buying flats from builders, homebuyers should be more alert. Whose responsibility is it to ensure homebuyers have all the information they need before investing in a flat? a. It is the responsibility of the homebuyers themselves to check whether the builder has all necessary approvals. b. The website of the RERA must carry information regarding approvals for all building projects in simple words. c. It is the responsibility of the builder to give all information in writing and provide updates. d. It is the responsibility of the state government to ensure the builder has all necessary permissions. The marking scheme that I used was as follows:Question Table
| Question 1 | Question 2 | Question 3 |
|---|---|---|
| A: 1 | A: 1 | A: 0 |
| B: 1 | B: 1 | B: 2 |
| C: 2 | C: 1 | C: 1 |
| D: 1 | D: 2 | D: 0 |
Multiple Perspectives I teach Grade 9. The following question assesses students’ understanding of what is right and why, of multiple perspectives related to a single issue, and their ability to identify actions at multiple levels and provide a rationale for these actions. Panchmura village, near Bishnupur, Bankura District, is one of the main hubs of terracotta in West Bengal. Terracotta came into existence in Bengal due to the unavailability of stones and large endowments of alluvial soil left by the main rivers in the Bankura district: Damodar, Dwarakeshwar and the Kangsabati. Thus, the soil gets a perfect blend and high density for it to be crafted intricately and fired in order to produce the required terracotta products. Terracotta is of high interest in both the national and global markets. However, the artisans face issues of equipment, transportation, and other logistical problems. There is lack of interaction between the artisans and the urban consumers in Kolkata, and the artisans are mostly dependent on local patronage. Since they are not able to make much money, capital for further investment in tools and materials is limited. Further, sluggish marketing and falling demand are causing these marginalised artisans to become extinct; the lack of interest from the new generation further add to the woes. The terracotta temples in Bishnupur show a much better quality and precision than the artefacts being produced today. For example, the details on the terracotta tiles used in the temples are much more intricate and portray a more complex network of lines, curves, and dots. With the improvement in technology and instruments, how is this possible? Extinction of skill-specific labour is the answer to this. According to the locals, previously, the process of terracotta production in Bankura included three major classes of workers: the clay collectors and seivers, who would give a fine texture to the clay; the artisans who would add the intricate details, and finally the market traders. There is no specific class of labour anymore for each of these three roles. Also, Bankura artisans gradually scattered to different parts of the country, especially with young people moving to Kolkata to earn money. The remaining few of Panchmura are still struggling to keep this art form alive. Source: Adapted from: Bhowmick, Soumya. (2019). Bankura’s terracotta: Can timely measures facilitate socio-economic revival of potters’ community? Observer Research Foundation. Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 A: 1 A: 1 A: 0 B: 1 B: 1 B: 2 C: 2 C: 1 C: 1 D: 1 D: 2 D: 0 Based on the passage above, please respond to the following questions: 1. Why do you think it is important to keep the art of terracotta alive? 2. Should the artisans of Panchmura continue to struggle to keep their art alive? Give reasons for and against their doing so. 3. If you were in a position to do so, what would you advise the artisans of Panchmura, and why? 4. If you were in a position to do so, what would you advise the Government of West Bengal and the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, and why? I used the following criteria to mark my students performanceStudent Responses Table
Student’s Responses
| Question | Response | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Question 1 | Gives reasons based on the passage | 1 |
| Goes beyond the reasons given in the passage, including preservation of socio-cultural traditions | 2 | |
| Question 2 | States a few reasons for artisans to persist and face the challenges | 1 |
| Argues reasons for and against the artisans to persist based on reasons given in response to question 1 | 2 | |
| Question 3 | Suggestions are given without rationale | 1 |
| Provides concrete suggestions (e.g., setting up self-help groups, approaching the government for support) and how these will help overcome the challenges faced by the artisans | 2 | |
| Question 4 | Suggestions are given without rationale | 1 |
| Provides concrete suggestions (e.g., facilitation of participation in crafts mela, setting up funds for preserving traditional crafts) and how these will help overcome the challenges faced by the artisans | 2 |
7.5.2 Grade 10: Environmental Education
In Grade 10, students will engage with Environmental Education as a separate subject. They will focus on a holistic understanding of key concerns and issues related to Environmental Education through drawing upon their understanding across areas, and the capacities developed in Grade 9.
At this Stage, students will deepen their environmental knowledge, assess issues, and analyse their causes across various areas, make informed judgements on statements and debates in media and society, and use a range of techniques developed in earlier grades to investigate, analyse, synthesise, question, critique, and draw their own conclusions. They will use multiple perspectives to develop an integrated understanding, and advocate actions at multiple levels.
While it is important that students in this Stage acquire a conceptual understanding of environmental issues and challenges, as well as an appreciation of the magnitude of the problem, it is equally important to ensure they do not get discouraged or despair for their future. The intent is not to scare students or pin responsibility on them to respond to the crises. Therefore, the presentation of alternatives through examples of actions taken to reverse or at least contain environmental damage must be ensured. At the same time, it is important to emphasise that the onus for mitigation cannot be solely on the individual, and the whole community and society must be mobilised for this.
7.5.2.1 Learning Standards
All students must be aware of what is happening around them related to the environment to be able to advocate and participate in necessary action. Environmental Education intends to develop the environmental understanding necessary in all citizens, as well as the methods and capacities they must employ as ordinary citizens (e.g., problem identification, causes, future impact visualisation, prediction, policy actions, societal actions, as well as actions at the level of individuals, and the ability to critique specific actions and their impact).
7.5.2.1.1 Curricular Goals & Competencies
| Curricular Goal | Competencies |
|---|---|
| CG-1: Understands key issues and challenges related to climate change, pollution, and biodiversity collapse |
|
| CG-2: Appreciates the need for interconnectedness, balance, and harmony between human society and nature – the essence of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ |
|
7.5.2.2 Content
The approach, principles, and methods of selecting content have commonalities across subjects — those have been discussed in Part A, Chapter 3, §3.2 of this document. This section focusses only on what is most essential for Environmental Education. Hence, it will be useful to read this section along with the above-mentioned section.
7.5.2.2.1 Principles of Content Selection
The following principles must inform content selection for Environmental Education at the Secondary Stage.
a. Content must reflect indigenous and global perspectives, and reflect actions and potential actions of individuals, bodies/institutions, and nations; it must develop the understanding that collaborative and sustained local and global solutions are needed. For example:
i. The scientific basis and causes of climate system and climate change; causes of biodiversity collapse and its impact; causes and impact of pollution; interrelationships among them
ii. Vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change, consequences of climate change and options for adapting to it
iii. Use of natural resources like petrol across the globe and how it has affected economies and cultures; loss of glacial ice; climate change and rising sea levels; flooding due to heavy rains; soil erosion in islands; shrinking of rivers
iv. Measures taken to address these changes and sustainable practices
v. Local and global efforts towards mitigation of/adaptation to climate change – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Kyoto Protocol (carbon credits, Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement); Conferences of Parties; Cancun Agreement; Durban Platform for Enhanced Action
b. Content must present strong qualitative case studies and quantitative data that indicate the impact of events and phenomena and enable analysis of contemporary impact. It should enable a holistic study, through offering multiple perspectives, and include stories of successful transformations. These case studies should be local – which can be selected by the State curriculum developers or Teachers — national and international. For example,
i. Jal Jeevan and projects to clean rivers, Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan
ii. Sustainable homes with natural materials and cooling/heating systems in India
iii. Astro-tourism for sustainable rural development in Ladakh and Africa
iv. Developmental needs versus conservation of environment
v. Disposal of e-waste, biowaste, medical waste (including radioactive materials)
vi. Case studies of work and impact of grassroots individuals and organisations
c. Content should represent inter-and-intra-nation ethical dilemmas and conflicts related to the environment and cultures/countries, as well as indicate how these have been/can be resolved. For example,
i. Sharing of river waters
ii. Carbon credits/offsets
iii. Displacement, environmental refugees
iv. Benefits for privileged groups versus vulnerable groups
v. Shrinking space for animals leading to human-animal conflict
d. Content should incorporate Indian and local knowledge and perspectives. It must engage the student with indigenous knowledge and viewpoints and enable them to present their analysis and findings through different mediums and perspectives. For example,
i. Cropping pattern
ii. Reviving lost crops
iii. Sustainable practices that have both evolved historically but have been lost in the country such as drainage, cooling, water systems; cultural traditions related to agriculture, forests, flora, and fauna
iv. Stepwells, sacred groves
v. Animal rights; rights of other entities within nature; nature as our home and our caregiver whom we must respect and protect; indigenous perspectives
vi. Organic agriculture
e. Content must enable school-based actions. It should enable advocacy at different levels and through different means. For example,
i. Use of creative media that can enable recording of environmental issues, challenges, and positive actions and stories (e.g., videos)
ii. Development of materials (e.g., newsletter, scripts for motivation, articles) for dissemination in the community
f. Content must enable informed and well-researched group discussions and debate. Debates that are topical and pertinent should be included – particularly around balancing development with preservation of the environment. For example,
i. Older and contemporary environmental debates; development versus environmental preservation; movement from cities for sustainable living
*7.5.2.2.2 Recommended approach *
Students will take up specific issues and examine their impact using an interdisciplinary lens. They will discuss root causes, impact, and mitigation of these environmental issues. While the approach can be varied, it is recommended that the triple planetary crisis – biodiversity collapse, pollution, climate change – comprise the themes to be taken up during the Secondary Stage. To ensure a holistic understanding of all aspects with the required depth, it is recommended that experiential learning be enabled through case studies, site explorations, projects, guided readings, and other similar approaches. Whichever approach is taken, students should be able to examine the issue locally, and then extend their understanding into regional, national, and international concerns and actions. The underlying principle is to provide evidence-based understanding of both the crisis and its mitigation. Another principle is to ensure a holistic understanding as opposed to a fragmented understanding of perspectives from science, social science, human rights, politics, ethics, and justice. This principle is operationalised through approaching the content using a social-environmental systems framework.
A social-environmental systems framework: provides a useful conceptual frame for understanding the interlinkages between society and nature that have implications for sustainability. The framework lays emphasis on interdisciplinarity, integrating conceptual frameworks and methods from the natural and social sciences for a holistic understanding of sustainability challenges. Central to the social-environmental systems framework are ideas of equity, environmental justice, and human well-being fundamental to the development of sustainable societies.
The implications of the social-environmental systems framework in the school curriculum are to help students develop awareness of and concern about interdependence between the natural and humanmade environments and the various dimensions (economic, socio-cultural, political, historical, ethical, and aesthetic) of human societies. They also appreciate the need for balance between the environment and human society.
These three selected themes – biodiversity collapse, pollution, and climate change – are central to the current planetary crisis and provide a comprehensive understanding of issues as well as mitigation. It may be important to highlight other issues as well. However, it is strongly recommended that the approach given below is followed. This approach balances all aspects while providing a comprehensive understanding of local and regional issues.
a. Students should be able to gain an understanding of the causes and history of each of the themes and key issues related to each of the three through case studies, guided readings, site explorations, projects, and similar approaches.
b. It is preferred that the content should be contextual (located in the community, region, or State where the school is located). If this is not possible, it must be ensured that at least a part of content students engage with is contextual.
c. Content being used should offer rigour while being simple. Teachers should refer to similar issues (which can be included in the textbook) to ensure a broader understanding.
7.5.2.3 Pedagogy and Assessment
The approach, principles, and methods of pedagogy and assessment have commonalities across subjects – those have been discussed in Part A, Chapter 3, §3.3 and §3.4 of this document. This section focusses only on what is most essential for Environmental Education in schools. Hence, it will be useful to read this section along with the above-mentioned section.
7.5.2.3.1 Pedagogy for Environmental Education
Students must examine environmental issues not only from a scientific/technological lens but also from the lens of the social sciences and humanities. They must examine how the actions of individuals, communities, and nations – both historical and contemporary – can have far-reaching consequences. Pedagogy must, therefore, be informed by the following:
a. Teacher must deliberately plan for the development of environmental values and dispositions. They should be made explicit for students by drawing attention to environmental values embedded in case studies and narratives.
Environmental values encompass sensitivity towards social, political, economic, cultural, and natural environment and phenomena, and the ability and motivation to identify and raise questions related to dignity, justice, and rights. They also include aesthetic appreciation of surroundings including diversity of the physical and socio-cultural environment.
Environmental Education critically addresses, both social and natural concerns. Social concerns include issues of gender and marginalisation, equity, justice and respect for dignity and rights. It also encourages students to develop knowledge about indigenous practices for prevention of environmental degradation. Natural concerns include issues related to survival of animal species and animal rights, and sustainable use of resources, like forests and rivers.
Therefore, Environmental Education enables in students a well-developed set of environmental values as well as the capacity to participate and initiate actions to remediate or prevent further degradation of the environment and promote sustainability.
b. Much of the content should be presented through debates and discussion and not as a definitely concluded position.. This allows for the opening of possibilities and developing abilities for critical engagement. These abilities must be developed through investigation, analysis and problem solving, and similar strategies that are relevant to their own communities.
c. Debates around historical and contemporary issues in education enable the development of the ability to take actions through critical engagement with theory and practice.
d. Students must identify how they can express their understanding in the community, whether through advocacy or simply through dialogue.
e. Students must get as much exposure as possible at this Stage – through books, media, films, dialogue among peers and elders, interaction with peers from other schools, video conferencing with experts and peers outside the State or country.
f. Teachers must not consider self and textbook as the only sources but enable interaction with other persons and/or media to expand students’ learning. Teachers must have a resource pool of persons who can support their learning.
g. A significant platform must be provided to students to share their experiences, findings, and reflections (school newsletter, seminars, publications, TV interviews, social media).
h. For continued learning throughout the year, students can take up a project or participate in an ongoing project (e.g., cleaning rivers, community projects, sustainable school practices, green school, volunteering for local organisations dedicated to environmental causes).
i. Students must be encouraged to read materials on the environment, and present synthesis of readings; reviews of relevant books and films, videos, programmes, and reflections can also be shared.
Case Studies When I think about what I want my students to learn about the environment, I realise the question is difficult. They must be aware of the danger the world is in because of environmental degradation. However, the future seems so dismal that I don’t want them to think that their lives hold no hope. My responsibility deepens because of this dilemma. I plan to share the realities of the triple planetary crisis with them but also provide them with details of initiatives taken by individuals and communities to make small changes that have a positive impact on the environment. I also want to help them develop a sense of how to respond as members of a community to decisions and policies made by governments related to the environment. I think the best way to achieve these goals is to give them detailed case studies to read. These case studies must help students understand not only the context and specific issues, but also actions taken to address these issues. There are several instances in our country of people who have revived traditional practices of conservation or used simple technology to devise solutions and alternatives. Reading these case studies will not only help students adopt a positive, solution-oriented attitude; it will also help them see how communities can take action at a local level.
7.5.2.3.2 Assessment in Environmental Education
A few of the key principles for assessment in Environmental Education are:
a. Students must be assessed for understanding of environmental issues and concerns, as well as their ability to identify actions that can be taken to mitigate these issues.
b. Assessment must be based on the context of a situation/event or use caselets. A few Teacher Voices below illustrate the different kinds of assessments.
Animal-Human Conflict I teach Grade 10. The following question assesses students’ understanding of animal-human conflict. Instead of directly asking them about the effect of shrinking spaces for animals, it refers to a recent event and assesses their ability to identify the most viable solution i.e., wildlife corridors. A tiger was captured on CCTV cameras on the night of May 7, 2023, in Mhow, near Indore in Madhya Pradesh. It was captured again on the night of May 10, 2023, by CCTV cameras. Despite an intensive search, including through the use of drones, the tiger was not located. No attack on any human or animal was reported. Forest department officials say that in 2019-20, pug marks had been seen in Mhow, although no tiger was spotted. They confirmed that tigers have been spotted in the forests close to the town. Experts say that the tiger may have wandered into the town looking for a partner or maybe migrating to establish its own habitat. What can be done to protect the persons living in the town while ensuring tigers are also allowed to thrive? Please choose the most appropriate option(s). a. Forests near the town should be fenced in completely to avoid movement of tigers outside the protected areas b. People living in the town should avoid going out at night and keep domestic animals safely locked in shelters c. Lots of shrubs and trees should be planted in pieces of unused land between areas that are more thickly forested d. Cages should be set up to trap tigers, that can then be released into protected forest areas e. Other I used the following marking scheme: A-0, B-0, C-4, D-0, E-0
Biodiversity Collapse I teach Grade 10. The following question assesses students’ understanding of an environmental issue and strategies developed for mitigation. Instead of a direct question, students are asked to think of the case studies they have engaged with and choose one to elaborate. It also assesses students’ holistic understanding of, both the issue, and why specific strategies work in that context. Using any example, describe how biodiversity collapse affected a specific community. Illustrate how local action by the community helped mitigate the impact of the collapse. Why do you think their strategy/strategies are important? This is the marking scheme that I used:Student Responses - Biodiversity Strategies
Student’s Responses
| Response | Points |
|---|---|
| States the aspect of the biodiversity collapse that was addressed by the community | 1 |
| Describes the social implications | 1 |
| Describes the environmental implications | 1 |
| Explains the strategy/strategies for mitigation | 1 |
| Explains why the strategy/strategies were identified | 1 |
| Explains how the strategy/strategies were implemented | 1 |
| States the result of implementing the strategy/strategies | 1 |
| Provides reasons for the success of the strategy/strategies | 1 |
| States why they chose to describe the strategy/strategies | 1 |
| Explains how the strategy/strategies can be used in other places | 1 |
Revival of Lakes I teach Grade 10. The following question assesses students’ capacity to synthesise various aspects of a situation and come up with possible actions based on a sound rationale. Instead of asking students to recall and state the strategies needed for revival of a lake, the question provides a specific context. Students can draw on this context, as well as their broader understanding, to propose specific strategies. Read the following extract and answer the questions below. Najafgarh Lake: Despite a mention in the Delhi Gazetteer of 1883 and the Survey of India Map of 1911, currently the Delhi Government says that the Najafgarh Lake (Lat. 28°36’38.67’N, Long. 76°59’12.18’E, Alt. 216 m) no longer exists in Delhi. Prior to the 1970s, Najafgarh Lake in South-West Delhi occupied more than 300 sq. km and was a biodiversity hotspot, home to various water birds and local wildlife. The fact that a vast lake ever existed here in the region comes as a surprise to most residents of the area and the need for resurrecting it is not a popular topic of discussion. Status of Najafgarh Lake: Currently the lake stands as a topographical depression brimming with overgrown grass and garbage. As of 2015, the erstwhile lake has been removed from Delhi’s map instead of reviving it. The lake’s disappearance, and its use as a dumping ground has raised health concerns for the local population who are migrants from neighbouring states of Delhi. The land owned by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has been loaned to the Government Girls Senior Secondary School (II) in Dharampura with intentions to convert it into a park. Despite erection of benches and swings and placement of a fence around the area, the land suffers from poor maintenance. Pollution is rampant in the area and the Najafgarh drain, previously known as Sahibi River with its origin near Najafgarh lake, is now one of the most polluting sources, contributing to the degradation of the river Yamuna. Lowering of the ground water table, encroachment, and concrete constructions have led to the lake drying up due to absence of proper water resource planning and scientific management by involved authorities. Residents reported the presence of fish up until 10 years ago and said the lake dried up 5 years ago. Plans for revival: In 2019, the Delhi government announced a plan to revive Najafgarh lake and declare it a notified wetland. The government hopes that the lake’s revival will help address water needs in south-west Delhi. However, not all residents are pleased with the idea, since they are apprehensive it will cause floods in the vicinity in the monsoon. Elders narrate stories of the troubles they faced due to flooding of the lake every monsoon. People who have encroached on the riverbed are also angry since they feel their homes are threatened. Some persons have even started farming on parts of the riverbed, and feel their livelihood is threatened. Experts cited a Central Ground Water Board report in favour of the lake’s revival. As per the report, water table in south-west Delhi is in the ‘semi-critical’ category. ‘The presence of a large water body in the area would bring down the temperature by a few degrees. Once the water body is revived the soil in that area would be able to hold more moisture, which would, in turn, help the growth of trees. It would also help to prevent runoff during heavy rains and prevent flooding,’ said environmentalist CR Babu. Sources: Rustogi, Paridhi & Singh, S.K. (2017). Revival and Rejuvenation Strategy of Water Bodies in a Metropolitan City: A Case Study of Najafgarh Lake, Delhi, India. International Journal of Advanced Research (IJAR), Pg 189-195. Roychowdhury, Adrija. (2019). Villagers divided over revival of Najafgarh lake. Hindustan Times, New Delhi.What strategies would you recommend to the Delhi government to make the lake revival project a success? Give reasons for choosing the strategies. The marking scheme that I use is as followsStudent Responses - Strategy Selection
Student’s Responses
| Response | Points |
|---|---|
| Picks only a few unrelated points from the passage | 1 |
| States one strategy without giving a reason | 2 |
| States more than one strategy with no reason | 3 |
| States multiple strategies with supporting rationale from the passage | 4 |
| Selects multiple strategies and states rationale based on a generalised understanding of the issue | 5 |
7.5.3 Teachers
At the Preparatory Stage, we need Teachers who have specific capacities — illustratively, pedagogical approaches informed by an understanding of the context, of students’ ability to evolve understanding through discussion, and of the use of multiple methods; capacities like observation and experimentation; ability to connect beyond specific themes; and environmental awareness and sensitivity. Teachers of either Science or Social Science can teach The World Around Us till pre-service programmes start offering this specialisation, provided they undergo well-designed in-service modules.
At the Secondary Stage, the Social Science Teacher should teach Individuals in Society and the Science Teacher should teach Environmental Education.
In Grade 9, there will be a need for Teachers who are aware of issues/events in the four domains that must be covered. Teachers of Social Science will be best placed for teaching Individuals in Society. Training modules must focus not only on content but must also require Teachers to examine their personal moral and ethical frameworks. At the same time, Teachers within the school must meet regularly to discuss current affairs, and strengthen their own capacity for discussion and debate, and the application of ethical and moral reasoning, as well as applying interdisciplinary understanding. This will also help ensure inclusion of different perspectives, and subject-related expertise.
In Grade 10, the Science Teacher should handle Environmental Education, as content at this Stage would include scientific concepts and ideas. If the Science Teacher is not available, the Social Science Teacher can take up this subject. However, the Teacher should be cautious to not overemphasise content or capacities that are more aligned to their own subject of specialisation and bring in elements as needed from the other area. The Teacher of Environmental Education should combine relevant understanding of both Science and Social Science at the school level and be able to draw linkages between the two in the context of the subject. The pre-service curriculum must have Environmental Education as a compulsory component. Student Teachers can also undertake projects and small research studies related to Environmental Education aligned to those expected from school students. Until this transition is made, well-designed training modules will be needed to capacitate Teachers.