FAQ About EVS

Environmental Studies (EVS) at the primary stage envisages exposing children to the real situations in their surroundings to help them connect, be aware of, appreciate and be sensitized towards the prevailing environmental issues (natural, physical, social and cultural). Beginning with child’s immediate surroundings (including natural, social, physical and cultural settings) related to self, home, school and family in the early grades and gradually moving on to the wider environment (neighborhood and community at large), EVS not only helps children to get acquainted with their own environment but it also strengthens their bond with it.

Creating learning situations in the context of children is very crucial to learning EVS. Efforts need to be made to avoid giving direct information, definitions and descriptions and instead create situations for children to construct their own knowledge by interacting first hand with their surroundings and with other children, elders and significant others. During this process, they would access various sources of knowledge besides the textbook and explore various learning sites besides the classroom. Real world exposure would lead to opportunities for them to encounter various social issues (such as those of gender bias, marginalization, challenges of the differently abled (including those of the elderly and the sick) and natural concerns (such as those of protection, preservation, conservation of natural resources).

Care may be taken to ensure that besides resource material, the classroom environment and the pedagogical processes are inclusive i.e. they cater to the diversity of learners in terms of their abilities, cognitive development, pace, style, etc. It is important to acknowledge and give primacy to children’s experiences to help them connect these with the school knowledge while ensuring their active participation. Hence, the learning situations need to include a variety in approaches, strategies and resources to ensure that each learner (including the differently abled and the disadvantaged learners) gets opportunity to observe, express, discuss, question, critically think, improvise and analyze, i.e. gets engaged in various processes of learning involving use of multiple senses in individual and group set-ups.

As per the EVS curriculum, 

Primary education is the most important stage of education where children are introduced to a formal set up of schooling and hence it has to be well planned, implemented and assessed to make learning a meaningful and joyful experience.

Children’s life at school must be linked to their life outside the schools, ensure learning is shifted away from rote methods, facilitate overall development with integrated assessment and respect the identity of each child.

At the primary stage, development of language competencies and numeracy are given prime importance through concrete experiences. 

EVS in classes III to V as a subject which integrates the concepts and issues of science (physical, chemical and biological), social studies (history, geography, civics, society, culture etc.) and environment education (protection and conservation).

This subject is not there in classes I and II, but the issues and concerns related to it are meant to be part of language and mathematics.

While placing the child as the constructor of knowledge, emphasizes that curriculum, syllabus and textbooks should enable the teacher to organize classroom experiences in consonance with the child’s nature and environment and provide meaningful learning opportunities for all children. 

Acquire awareness about immediate / wider surroundings through lived experiences on various themes related to daily life e.g., family, plants, animals, food, water, travel and shelter.  

These are the major Curricular expectations:-

As per the EVS curriculum, children at the Primary Stage are expected to:

• Acquire awareness about immediate / wider surroundings through lived experiences on various themes related to daily life e.g., family, plants, animals, food, water, travel and shelter. 
• Nurture natural curiosity and creativity for the immediate surroundings.
• Develop various processes/ skills e.g., observation, discussion, explanation, experimentation, logical reasoning through interaction with immediate surroundings.  
• Develop sensitivity for the natural, physical and human resources in the immediate environment. 
• Point out and raise issues related to equality, justice and respect for human dignity and rights.

Various pedagogical approaches including

Activity based approach 

Cooperative approach 

Interactive approach

Constructive approach

Experiential learning approach

Project method etc. will be used for transaction of the chapters along with in-built assessment.

Activities have to be planned, implemented and assessed systematically. Assessment has to be an inbuilt part of the teaching learning process.

Approaches: As mentioned earlier, EVS involves organizing learning experiences in, about and for the environment, in trying to achieve its various objectives. Thus, EVS deals with education that is intimately connected with the environment. These three approaches have been commonly referred to as: 

Education In the environment

•  Gives reality, relevance and practical experience to learning through direct contact      with  the environment.
•  Develops important skills of data gathering and field investigations.
•  Develops aesthetic appreciation.

Education About the environment

• Provides understanding of how natural systems work, appreciates the complexity and wonder of natural systems.
•  Provides understanding of the impact of human activities upon these systems  
• Fosters environmental awareness and concerns 

Education For the environment: 

• Develops an informal concern and sense of responsibility for the environment
•  Develops the motivation and skills to participate in environmental improvement 
• Compatible with the wise use of environmental resources 

The integration of these approaches in EVS results in the much desired Education for Sustainability or Sustainable development, which aims at helping children develop a knowledge about their immediate environment – natural and social – and motivated to act for its protection and conservation. 

The whole paradigm has been shifted from the idea of teacher teaches, the learner learns. In such a situation, it is important to provide enough opportunities to learners to engage in the process of knowledge construction. For this inquiry and questioning, the existing knowledge would be an effective process, where learners will be able to understand, compare, comprehend, and conceptualize any idea, event, or fact with multilayer analysis. This entire process will put them on the path of knowledge construction, which is based on logical conclusions, evidence, and various sources. This will also facilitate them to develop their deep understanding about the concept.

Example:

In Cooperative learning Approach

• Students work in heterogeneous groups (made by teachers) and cooperate with each other during the teaching learning process.
• All members of a team/group should get equal opportunities to take part in activities.
• It helps in developing their social skills, interpersonal skills, communication/ skills, problem solving abilities etc.
• Teacher's aim is to facilitate student learning.

Ans. “If the world is saved, it will be saved by people with changed minds, people with a new vision. It will not be by people with old minds and new programmes. It will not be saved by people with old vision but a new programme” – Daniel Quinn

The main focus of EE(Environmental Education) should be to expose students to the real-life world, natural and social, in which they live; to enable them to analyse, evaluate, and draw inferences about problems and concerns related to the environment; to add, where possible, to our understanding of environmental issues; and to promote positive environmental actions in order to facilitate the move towards sustainable development. 

Environmental studies aid children in comprehending how things work and interact in their environment. At the primary level, it is an integrated subject area that incorporates knowledge from science, social science, and environmental education.

Its aim is to help students acquire a holistic or integrated view of the

environment in which they live.

 Broad Objectives of EVS 

Awareness: To help the social groups and individuals to acquire knowledge of pollution and environmental degradation.

In order to take any step towards protecting our environment surroundings, we need awareness, which can come only from studying subjects related to our ecosystems. What are the issues the world is facing today? What are the components which constitute the universe? What are the different species of plants and animals? How can we ensure their long term survival? What is sustainability and how can it be achieved?

All these questions will be answered only if we learn about the environment and apply

that knowledge practically.

Knowledge:

To help social groups and individuals to acquire knowledge of the environment beyond the immediate environment including distant environment.

Making sure that the needs of future generations are met by the earth’s resources, would be a Sustainable form of consumption of those resources today. At the current rate of consumption, Natural resources will be depleted far too fast for future generations to survive. Our irresponsible usage of these resources will leave our future generations to bear with the consequences of this exploitation. Environmental education helps people understand the repercussions caused by over exploitation, and act accordingly.

Attitude building for motivating to protect environment:

To help social groups and individuals to acquire a set of values for environmental protection.

such as

Raises Awareness about Environmental Threats

It can encourage today’s generation to switch to safer and better choices. One would know the rescue drills for natural calamities better, how to use your greens better (they can do what no medicine can) etc. Environmental Education is one subject that warns you against everything which may go wrong.

Health Benefits

Both physical and mental health get affected with a depletion of the environment. These can instead flourish if we come more in contact with Nature.

One of the best benefits of this type of education is that it takes place outside the confines of a classroom. Students, who would not have otherwise spent this time outdoors, experience serenity and the healing powers of nature. In fact, treatment through natural means is called Eco-therapy. It helps patients recover from depression, cures heart ailments, maintains Blood Pressure, sleep longevity, improves eyesight etc. It's no hidden fact that a person who remains closest to nature is likely to stay healthier.

Skills and Capacity Building: To help social groups and individuals to develop skills required for making discriminations in form, shape, sound, touch, habits and habitats. Further, to develop the ability to draw unbiased inferences and conclusions.

Artistic Imagination

Places with natural surroundings are best for artists to create their masterpieces. Poetry, painting, sculptures etc are all products of imagination, inspired by nature quote from the cult film Dead Poets Society says

“ Medicine, law, engineering, these are the noble pursuits, necessary to sustain life but poetry, romance, love, beauty, these are what we stay alive for”.Such creative work, more often than not, are the products of nature. Environmental education can make people recognize the hidden artist within them.

Participation: To provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively involved at all levels in environmental decision making.

Renewable sources of Energy: Environmental education makes people understand the importance of renewable energy. Non renewable sources of energy like petrol, diesel etc are the major sources of the world’s pollution. Using renewable sources like solar energy, wind energy etc is encouraged by Environment Education, and is imperative in our fight against global warming.

There are various projects being taken by Governments and organizations for enhancing Ecological education throughout the world. The Indian government has established The Environmental Education, awareness and training program with an objective of spreading this in remote areas of the country as well as other developed parts. The National Environmental education act 1990 requires national leadership to increase environmental literacy. It also established the office of environmental program to implement this. CPR environmental education center was set up by the ministry of environment of India to increase environmental consciousness.

Education forms the basis of everything in today’s world including the environment. Environmental Education imparts knowledge about the current situation and future prospects of nature. It teaches people to explore all the problems related to the environment, and engage in wise ways of preserving it.A number of schools have taken the initiative to provide practical as well as theoretical knowledge about the impact of human activities on Nature. They take students out of the four walls of a classroom and make them do activities like gardening, watering plants, meditation in community parks etc. Education is the only way to make the best minds work productively.

In this era, the natural world is under threat. Different species of Flora and Fauna are on the verge of extinction, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat – everything is polluted or has contaminants. By including Environmental studies as a subject in schools, as well as in higher education, we can make coming generations more sensitized and encourage them to find innovative solutions and methods for the way ahead, in order to protect nature.

Children have an innate curiosity, but they require assistance in understanding their   observations and how to relate the new information to their existing knowledge. When teachers encourage  children to question, predict, explain and explore in a safe environment, they offer children the support that is essential for becoming successful environmental science/studies students and thinkers.

Teaching Strategies:According to E. Stones and S Morris, "Teaching strategy is a generalized plan for a lesson, which includes structure, desired learner behavior in terms of goals of instruction and an outline of planned tactics necessary to implement the strategy. The lesson strategy is a part of a larger development scheme of the curriculum."

To accomplish the objective of teaching, it is expected that teacher should use different kind of resources available to them in order to transfer the knowledge and present the matter in a very powerful and effective way.

Types of Teaching Strategy

 Autocratic Style

Autocratic style of teaching strategies is traditional. The autocratic style strategies are content centered, the teacher remains more active and students are passive listeners. The main emphasis is on presentation. These strategies do not consider the student abilities, interests and personality of the learner. There is no freedom for the learner in this teaching process.

These are highly subjective and conventional styles of teaching process, e.g. lectures, tutorials etc.

 Permissive Style

It is mainly child-centered; the pupils largely determine content. The effective objectives are mainly achieved by permissive style strategies.

These strategies create situations for student and teacher interaction and both remain active in teaching. Teaching is organized with the consideration of student interest, abilities and values. These strategies encourage the creativity of the pupils, e.g. project, group discussion, role playing, brainstorming etc. Broadly, all teaching methods can be divided into 3 categories

   1.  Telling Method: It includes lectures, tutorials, presentations etc.

   2.  Showing Method: It includes demonstration, project, survey etc.

   3.  Doing Method:It includes practicals, experimentation, role play etc.

Role of a facilitator/Teacher

Learning through real-life processes and experiences is an effective way of learning among children.

By using school and local environment as the learning ground, we as teachers ensure that our students follow their naturally preferred way of learning, thereby enhancing their learning, knowledge and competence.

• It is said that learning made from the immediate environment and from real life experiences remains with the individual for a longer period of time.
• Also such learning is easier to be recalled and applied in the later stage of life.
• Bring in social context, and encourage coopération and collaboration based learning within and outside the class.

As a facilitator, the teacher's job is to support every student to do their best thinking and practice. As a facilitator, the teacher encourages the full participation of students, promotes mutual understanding, and cultivates shared responsibility among students.

Teachers promote behavior directed towards environmental protection and lead to transformation that overcomes that reality, both in its natural and social aspects. They help develop learners the skills and aptitudes necessary to understand ecological issues and take necessary actions.