The trip to Rajasthan was planned as part of the Social Science and General Sciences curriculum. The Social Sciences curriculum is based on the belief that geography leads to history leads to culture. Thus, the course content begins with the story of the universe and the earth, forces of nature and different eco regions on the planet, followed by how life emerged and adapted to the differences in habitat.
To supplement the instruction in the classroom, the students of the Girls Non Formal School are taken on study tours to various habitats. They visited the alpine habitat in the last academic year and this August they have visited the desert eco region. In December they hope to visit the marine habitat in Tamil Nadu. The trip was the first time that the staff planned a trip independently with decreased support from the Education Advisor. 20 girls took the trip accompanied by the Social Science and Science expert.
The children prepared for the trip by studying reviewing the basic concepts about the echonograph and habitats before the trip. The teachers were briefed and researched the NGO that would host them in one location and all the others they would visit on their tour. The excitement and trials of the selection procedure took its toll on the time and energy of the staff that mentored the children, but the values taught and learnt are integral to the curriculum[1] implemented by the project.
Similarly, the flash floods in Rajasthan while the trip was in progress forced the group to make many decisions about changes in plan which contributed to learning. An exhibition will be held in September by the participants to share their learning. This will be supported by an exhibition of the research done on the Jodhpur region by the students who did not travel.
[1] The teaching team at the Project wrote a list of values and ideals that they wish their students to graduate with. We call this the Critical Curriculum.
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