Right percentage of science and cinema
Objective: Observation, Questioning, Analysing Understanding, Team spirit
It has been proved yet again that integrated learning is not just about having fun, but it also gives students better understanding of the subject. In a unique four day learning experiment, children of Grade-8, Upper Primary School Khekra №3, learnt about percentage, lifecycle of a banana and this activity was clubbed by making children understand cinema. Children realised that cinema is more than just a hero and heroine. A movie is a result of team effort- where different teams do different jobs- thus involving several professions.
Learning Percentage Conceptually & Applying
The first unique activity was about understanding how to calculate percentage, which has been a mystery for most of the students even though they learn it as part of the syllabus. Many students do not understand the concept of ‘Prathishath’. Classroom sessions began by simple conceptual understanding on how to calculate percentage. Students were taught to calculate percentage of boys and girls in the classroom. A step further, they calculated the percentage of government schools and private schools in Khekra. It was an amazing learning process dotted with meaningful conversation.
The next purpose of the classroom activity was to make students understand the professions that exist in the movie industry and their contribution in terms of percentage — that goes into making a good movie.
Then there was a gradual shift to understanding Botany. Students tried to understand the life cycle of a banana which is not similar to the life cycle of a mango. In case of mango- from a plant to a tree then a flower, a fruit- and inside the mango the seed,-if sowed again turns into a plant and the cycle continue. Life cycle of a banana is slightly different.
New Banana Plant come from a seed?
Children had to visit fields to explore the lifecycle of a banana. They spoke to family and people around their village to learn about the banana plant.
The next day, many students were quick to figure out that the seed in the banana, in terms of life cycle is not very significant. Unlike a mango tree, the new banana plant comes from the root, and every part of the banana plant serves a purpose.
Following this, with excitement high in air, children watched “The Horseman’- world’s first movie that was shot using 12 still cameras. Each camera captured a shot of the horse and it’s rider as they moved, one after another. The slides were then converted into a motion picture. The screening of this movie, gave the children a new dimension to film making .Till then, cinema meant only Amitabh Bachchan- the super star. Kids quickly fell in love with the horse and called him their super star.
From calculating percentage to exploring life cycle of a banana and understanding the basics of movie making the little ignited minds had a challenge before them in the form of a activity and that was to make a movie on life cycle of banana.
Excitement was high in air as kids were divided into two groups- girls and boys. Each group in 15 minutes finalised their frames to shoot a movie. By putting the frames together, on a mobile phone, the life cycle of a banana was captured through 8–10 frames.
Students worked as a team to understand various professions. In a movie, the role of a musician, editor, writer, technician is on par with the roles of the hero and heroine. Children realised how frames come together to make a visual treat.
Thus an fun filled integrated approach used to bring about clarity in Maths, explore Science (Botany), understand professions related to cinema ended with lot of objectives being met.
If you resonate with our work, want to implement this model in your community, want to support this initiative, support crowdfunding campaign, or just want to drop in some encouraging words, we invite you to write to us at tarkeybein@gmail.com :) Thank you Deepthi for scribing this story!
