Wall Painting as a Learning Tool in EVS Classroom

Objectives

• To observe and understand trees around us.
• Create a vibrant class atmosphere through wall painting.

Introduction

Plants are very important to the environment. Trees are our lifeline as it is our primary source for food. Humans cannot survive without plants. They also play an important role giving out oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. However, we are becoming ignorant and forgetting the importance of trees.

To sensitize students on the importance of trees, I planned to do a tree drawing activity in my class. There are 10 students in my class coming from a nearby village called Thimmanayakanpalayam (TN Palayam).

Tree Activity

Before starting the activity, I asked my students to collect and bring whatever materials they get from the trees.

The next day they brought leaves, barks, and a bird’s nest to the class. They had picked them up from the nearby badam, neem and rain trees.

I painted a tree on the wall of my classroom and pasted some paper leaves on the branches of the tree. While painting, students were observing and helping me with the colors. Some were even suggesting modifications on the shape of the branches and leaves. We pasted pictures of some birds, insects and flowers on the tree.

Follow up

I have decided that as a follow up, we will depict the seasonal variation of trees on the wall drawing. If a flower blooms on the tree, we will paste the flower’s picture. If there is fruit, we will paste the fruit’s picture. If the trees shed their leaves, we will tear off some leaves from the painting. The purpose is to make this activity a live phenomenon in the class. All these changes will be done after engaging students in a discussion on what they have observed.

Reflection

The students really enjoyed this activity. Using the picture on the wall, we discussed the importance of trees. Students shared their ideas - trees give us air to breath, fruits and flowers to eat, wood to make furniture, gives us shade, is a source of medicine and provides shelter for birds and animals. They learnt about some of the creatures that live around the tree – they saw a squirrel running on the bark of the tree, a myna and a crow standing on the branches etc. It was evident that they had started keenly observing the tree.

Children love to look at the colours, shapes and movement of animals. They enjoyed visualizing the tree inside a classroom.  This has caught the attention of students in other classes as well and they want to do the same in their class.

At the end of the class, I asked students to draw a tree on a white sheet and the things they see around it. Some sample students work is attached below. We can use this activity for both lesson 1 and 2 in grade 3.