PBL: Decorate Our Classroom, Day 2
Date: September 20, 2022
Facilitators: Simran K, Simran J, Jasmine and Raveena
Broader Theme: Cultural Festival
What is a PBL ?
Project based learning is real-time learning where students spend an extended period of time in planning, executing and reviewing a particular project. It involves critical thinking, collaboration with other peers, development of creativity and communication skills. The PBL must fulfils two criteria, first being that it must be personally meaningful and secondly, that it fulfils an educational purpose.
Introduction
Celebrating a cultural event in class educates the kids about the traditional ethos of their country. Culture is an essential part of one’s identity and learning about its roots can help a young mind relate with the world around them.
The second day of our PBL series began with an ‘Opening circle’ where the arthlings stood together in a circle and were welcomed by calling out their names out loud, followed by warming-up their bodies with stretching certain body parts. The kids were introduced to our theme of ‘Durga Puja’. They were explained how goddess Durga removes the bad from the world and brings happiness. This was followed by showing a sample of materials to be used during work-time so that the toddlers can make an informed choice of what they would like to do during work-time.
Series of Steps
Work Time: Materials used were colored wooden blocks and grapat figurines for pandal making and painted pots (from yesterday’s small group activity) with bead stickers for decorative centered work time.
Small Group: Materials used were A3 sheets over which an outline of ‘kalasha’ topped with mango leaves and coconut, glue and colored rice (from yesterday’s sensory activity). As part of the set-up and execution, each kid was given one sheet. Glue was squeezed out on the sheets and kids were invited to spread the glue all over and sprinkle colored rice over the sheet.
Sensory: The arthlings were taken to the sensory path. Chalk wall had outlines of dhak, kalasha and humans dancing and kids were invited to color the wall with chalk. On the rhythmic wall, kids were prompted to mirror the percussive sound of a dhak being played during festivals. Speakers played the sound for kids to listen and follow.
How did it go?
Second day of the festivities witnessed great zeal and participation of each kid in every learning experience of the day.
WorkTime: Atharv Gupta, Aaradhya, Prisha, Jevika, Hriday, Kaira, Janya and Advaith participated in decorating te painted pots while Radhya, Yasha, Atharv Goyal and Jasvi played with grapats and pretend to hop in different puja pandals made out of colored blocks.
Small Group: The kids were asked to spread the glue within the kalasha outline first. Most of them spread it anywhere on the page since their main attention is always on the action of squeezing the glue bottle. It seemed like the sensory experience of spreading the glue using one’s fingers was quite mindful, especially for Janya and Jasvi.
Sensory: The toddlers have learnt the names of the basic colors now and many of them announced which colored chalk they would prefer while coloring on the chalk wall. Kaira asked the facilitator to draw her, her mom and dad over the wall. She even made circles on the wall and told the facilitator that she is making cookies. Jasvi pretended to put the cookie in her mouth and in that play, she also brought it for the facilitator to eat. Atharv Gupta and swastik seemed eager to produce sounds over the rhythmic wall.
Skills Enhancement
Collaboration: This whole PBL involves working together towards a common goal, i.e., to decorate their own class. This involves collaborating with each other and producing art pieces that are a joint production of the whole class.
Cultural Knowledge enhancement: Celebrating a cultural event can inform the toddlers about who they are and how they connect with others around them, thereby enhancing their sense of belongingness, Knowledge and leading to holistic development.
Creativity Upliftment: The toddlers engaged in numerous activities throughout the day that involved exploring different sensorial experiences, engaging with fine and gross motor skills and finally immersing in the free play around the theme that motivated them to use their personal agency and imaginative skills.
Socio-Emotional skills: The toddlers made colorful memories and many new friendships were formed. It is believed that celebrations can bring people together and induce many socialization skills in toddlers. They learnt to share rice and stickers while creating their own masterpieces.