Chosen context - Designing instructions for structuring and using a mind map by unpacking the story of Monkey Puzzle with 6-year-old learners.

Step one - Read the story to the class using voice modulation gestures and puppets, alongside interactions during the story and allowing children to predict.

Step two—Explain the mind map. Draw one on the board/ use a digital tool using a different story that children are familiar with, using question cues that children can relate to. The template could talk about the characters (monkey and butterfly), the setting, the sequence of animals in the story, and the monkey's emotions.

Step three - Check for understanding by asking a few questions and students' ideas about the mind map. Challenge children to expand their ideas with deeper insights.

Step four - Give choice for children to choose the activity sheet (place three types of activity sheets) for the same assignment. (a partially filled-in mind map with the outline of a monkey, butterfly, and some word prompts, the second sheet could have a flow chart or circles that connect with headings, and the third sheet could have a heading and the entire work to be done by the student). Children could also choose to work in a group.

Step five - For children who require assistance, give simple question prompts, use pictures for cues, scaffold writing by giving them a device, or they could cut out words to stick.

For children, who can perform at grade level, allow the child to create the map using simple guidelines. Give cues, to think about the monkey, its features, the setting of the story, and the characters in sequence. For independent children, ask them to think about descriptive adjectives, and draw or write the emotions that the monkey expresses throughout the story, why the butterfly was unable to identify the family?

Some children could enjoy using a system to create a mind map, if possible.

Teachers to check with students while they are working, to give feedback, and individual assistance.

Step six - Acknowledge the work done by all students and have them share their work with their friends to talk about their favourite part of the story.

Step seven - Children could carry the sheet home. They can be given a mind map template to make a mind map of their favourite story to bring to class the next day.

Step eight - Have children display the work and they could talk about it to their friends during the break or after class.

Step nine - Those who have not done the activity, could be given prompt sheets that they might want to use during break to complete the work.

Step ten - Have them make a mind map for a subject concept like science or Math the following day so children can connect to the idea that mind maps are used to organise thoughts and ideas using visual roadmaps. Children can share their understanding of creating a mind map.

Goal: Understand the basic story elements and the moral of the story.

Teacher’s Role- Teacher will read the story loudly and can ask simple questions to the students

like

1.       What are characters are there in the story? (Who is the main character in the story? - woodcutter)

2.       What kind of setting was there in the story? (River and forest)

3.       What happens when the woodcutter loses his axe?(He was crying and asking for the help)

4.       What was the solution (Woodcutter was rewarded by the God)

It also can be done with the help of graphic designer

Tier 2: On Level Learners

Goal: Understand the main story elements and the moral, with more focus on the character’s choices and the lessons learned.

Teacher’s Role- Teacher will instruct the students to read independently or will make the group of 2-3 students to work independently and can ask the questions like

1.       Who is the main character in the story and how was he? (The woodcutter who was honest and poor)

2.        What was the Setting in the story? (The river, the forest, and the spirit’s realm.)

3.       What was the problem? (The woodcutter loses his axe and is tempted by the golden and silver axes)

4.       What was the solution (He chooses the original axe because of his honesty.)

• Engage the student in a discussion about honesty and its importance in real life.

Tier 3: Highly able Learner

Goal: Analyze the deeper meaning of the story, exploring themes like character development, moral reasoning, and the consequences of choices.

Teacher’s Role- Teacher will ask the students to  analyze the character’s motivations and reflect on the story’s themes. Encourage them to compare the woodcutter’s choices to those of other characters in different stories or to real-life situations.

Teacher can

• Ask the student to make inferences about the woodcutter’s character (e.g., “What do you think makes the woodcutter so honest? Is it his poverty, his values, or something else?”).

• Guide the student to write a short reflection or essay on the moral of the story, drawing connections to other situations where honesty is tested.

• Encourage the student to discuss how the woodcutter’s actions may have influenced others.

And also can engage them in activities like

•  writing a short essay answering questions like, “What does the woodcutter’s behaviour tell us about his character?” and “How does his honesty affect the outcome of the story?”

• Compare the woodcutter’s actions with other famous characters who made honest decisions, like in Aesop’s fables or real-life role models.

  
  

Differentiated instruction helps tailor the content based on the learning level of the child. Children can improve on their skills as it meets their individual needs.

lesson plan on internal organs – Digestive system and respiratory system

Objective –

To understand the structure and functioning and to visualize the functioning of both the systems

Materials required –

Charts, coloured markers, pre drawn templates

1 – introduction to different organs and their functioning in digestive system (using various methods like charts, pictures, videos, reading material, research and group work)

2 – introduction to different organs and their functioning in respiratory system (using various methods like charts, pictures, videos, reading material, research and group work)

3 – comparative study (unique and common features)

4 – Group activity – flow of digestive system as a sequence chart

5 – group activity – flow of respiratory system as a sequence chart

6 – pair activity - comparison using a venn diagram and mentioning the unique and similar features (similarities – both are internal, very essential for living etc. Differences – one is for oxygen and other for nutrition etc)

7 – exit card on ‘what did you find more interesting about these systems’– for children to reflect on what they have learnt and for teacher to understand what every child has understood.

Story Dice for knowing 5Ws and 1H in a story (Who, What, When, Where, Why and How)

Catering to students with varied backgrounds with different skill levels.

The cube consists of six faces having 6 commands asking 5ws and 1H of the story. The child rolls the dice and answers the question based on it. Teacher asked the prompt question and also gives scaffolding if needed. The questions have different level of complexity to cater to each skill level.

Who is the story about? Who is affected? Who benefits? Who loses?

What happened in the story? What are the consequences?

Why does it happen? Why did the conflict happen?

When did the story take place?(time, of the day, month, year)

Where does the story take place?(city, area, country)

How does it happen? How can the conflict be resolved?

The teacher can provide a printed worksheet for students who would like to write down the answers instead of speaking. The worksheet consists of 5W and 1H questions. The child has to write the answer based on the command that he rolled.

Also, the teacher can write on the board all the ideas given by the students and discuss it

Here the teacher provides an opportunity to generate ideas through collaborative and peer learning

Submitted by

Swati Chatpalliwar

By Roald Dahl 

(a chapter from grade 6 English text book Gulmohar ) 

Grade 6 

Writing activity (long answers) differentiated using tiering and RAFT 

Tier 1 

Type of learner- analytical skills still developing 

Role- Matilda 

Audience - Ms. Honey (Matilda’s teacher ) 

Format- conversation - direct speech 

Topic- Describe, how you (Matilda) made the glass tip over?

Tier 2 

Type of learner- analytical skills match grade 6 level

Role- Matilda

Audience- Ms Honey 

Format- conversation - direct speech 

Topic- how and what skills were required by you (Matilda) to make the glass tip over?

Tier 3

Type of learner- analytical skills above grade level

Role-Maltilda 

Audience - Ms Honey 

Format- conversation- direct speech 

Topic - Would it be wise to use your magical abilities to seek revenge on others?

Objective:

• Assess understanding of nouns and verbs.

• Identify areas needing more support.

• Provide reflection on the lesson.

Materials:

• Index cards or small pieces of paper

• Markers or pens

• Whiteboard and markers (for instructions)

Steps:

1. Lesson Recap 

• Review nouns (person, place, thing, idea) and verbs (action words).

• Example sentence: “The dog (noun) ran (verb) quickly.”

• Have students identify nouns and verbs in provided sentences.

2. Interactive Practice 

• Students create their own sentences and identify the nouns and verbs.

• Do a quick whole-class exercise to identify nouns and verbs.

3. Distribute Exit Cards 

• Hand out cards. Students write:

1. A sentence with a noun and verb.

2. Something they understood well.

3. Something they’re still confused about.

4. Complete Exit Cards 

• Students reflect and write answers. Walk around to offer support.

5. Collect Exit Cards

• Collect the cards as students leave.

6. Review and Reflect 

• After class, analyse responses and address confusion in the next lesson.

Differentiation:

• Struggling Learners: Provide sentence starters or work in pairs.

• Advanced Learners: Encourage more complex sentences.

• Visual Learners: Allow students to draw pictures representing their sentences.

Shahida KH

DILD1241017

Objective: Assess students' ability to differentiate between simple and compound sentences.
Instructions for Students:

1. Write your name on the exit card.

2. Read the sentences below and identify whether each is simple or compound by writing "Simple" or "Compound" next to it.

Sentences on the Exit Card:

1. The dog barked loudly.

2. I wanted to play outside, but it started to rain.

3. She baked a cake and shared it with her friends.

4. The sun is shining.

Exit Card Activity 2: Create and Combine

Objective: Evaluate students' ability to create their own simple and compound sentences.
Instructions for Students:

1. Write your name on the exit card.

2. Complete the following tasks:

   • Write one simple sentence about your favorite food.

   • Write one compound sentence about what you like to do on weekends.

3. Use a conjunction in your compound sentence (e.g., and, but, so, or).

Differentiated Instructions helps the teacher to approach each child with their strengths. Preparing the learning objectives and strategies that could benefit keeping each child in mind will help the teacher to work efficiently in the classroom.

Strategy Cubing

-Diverging type of learners - Who learn from thinking deeply about the topic and move ahead and find many ways to understand the topic.

The Assimilating type of learners- They are independent learners -who think than acting-keep asking” what is there to learn”?

Example of Cubing

Topic-States States of matter( solid, liquid, and gas.)

 1.Compare .

Look around at different objects around you and identify the objects. Make a list of all objects that you see in the classroom

 2.Associate .

Categorize each of these objects into solid, liquid, and gas.For example.

The cupboard is a solid.

The water in the glass is a liquid

 The balloon is contains a gas or  the air around us is a gas.

 3.Analyze .

How are these objects different from each other?

For example, Why is the cupboard solid?

 Why is water a liquid?

Make a list of points.To understand the characteristics of solids, liquids and gases.

4. Apply .

Give reason

Solids are not compressibility

Why do liquids flow?

Gas are easily diffusible.

5 Argue ...

List out the characteristics of solid liquid and gases

Subject – Environmental Science

Topic/Concept – Biotic and Abiotic factors

Learning group – 6 children

Highly abled leaners – 2

On level leaners -2

Struggling leaners – 2

Learning Objectives

a)Identifying biotic and abiotic factors.

b) Identifying and classifying the factors of a pond ecosystem into biotic and abiotic factors.

c) The co existence of both factors in an ecosystem.

Preactivity

Taking the children to a pond ecosytem and to observe, note/draw or tell about their observations.( They can record their observations in their science diary)

Implementation of cubing

a) Preparation of the cube with six s

b) Writing the task on each side based on the concept

1. Describe it

Describe biotic and abiotic factors by observing the pond ecosystem Biotic - The living things or factors in the pond( water plants, fish, frog, pila, tadpole)

Abiotic – The non-living factors seen in the pond( water, rock, sand)

2. Compare

Compare biotic and abiotic factors.

In the pond ecosystem there are certain organisms that can grow, move, breath and eat food such as – fish, tadpole, plants.

The abiotic factors cannot grow, breath or eat food to live such as stone, rocks, sand.

3. Associate

Like the pond ecosystem when we look around and there are many biotic and abiotic factors.

The chair, desk, book, pen you use are all abiotic where as the potted plant, fish in the bowl, I, you we are all biotic

4. Analyse

The chair we sit, the book we write, the pencil we use all of them never grow, breath or eat food. They are not living. They cannot move by themselves.

Thus the abiotic factors cannot grow, breath and eat food.

The plants, trees, animals, birds, your friends can breath, grow eat food to live.All biotic factors can grow, breath and eat food.

5. Apply

Can you create an ecosystem containing biotic and abiotic factors ( Children are given choices to set an aquarium, a kitchen garden )

The children can understand how the different components work together in both the created ecosytems.( Fish need water to swim,plants need soil and water to grow)

6. Argue or Against it

Argue how the coexistence of both factors in an ecosystem is crucial for the survival.

c) Allowing the children to select the side and to explore concept

d) Concluding the period with an exit card.

e) Silent reading - While the teacher working with the struggling leaners the highly abled and on level children are given a handout for extended reading on the concept.

f) After working with the struggling leaners pair teacher can come back and can issue exit card.

Exit card

Provide exit card three sets and asking the children to work in pairs.

Exit card 1- Highly abled leaners

Explain how the abiotic biotic components are interdependent.

Exit card 2 – On level leaners

Using the T graphic organizer classify the given components in the two boxes

( Fish, water, air, plant, pila, duck, frog, rock, sand )

Exit card 3 – Struggling leaners

From the examples given below, gind out the biotic and abiotic components

a. Biotic components …………….( Air, Bird)

b. Abiotic components……………( Water, Frog)

Grade 2

Math: Solving word problems

Let's use the “I do”, “We do,” “You do” approach

Word problem:

Anu has ten chocolates, and her friend Madhu has five chocolates. What is the total number of chocolates Anu and Madhu have? 

Step 1: “I do” - The teacher models the desired behavior and the students observe

The teacher reads the word problem aloud. She then asks the class questions like

Who all have chocolates? (Anu and Madhu)

How many chocolates Anu has? (10)

How many chocolates Madhu has? (5)

What do we need to find? (Total number of chocolates)

What is the operation to find the total number? (Addition)

Thus, the teacher takes students through the word problem and writes them on the board while the students watch. 

Step 2: “We do” - The students are divided into groups to do the activity. The students practice the problem while the teacher guides them

The students read the problem in their small groups. They repeat the questions the teacher asked before and write down the answers. 

Step 3: “You do” - Each student attempts to solve the word problem independently. The student will apply the new concept learned while the teacher observes

In this step, each student will read the word problem independently, ask themselves questions, and write down the answers. The teacher will be an observer and support students who need help. 

If the teacher thinks that the student(s) mastered the concept, word problems with different numbers and operations can be given, and the difficulty level can gradually increase. 

Topic: Warehousing (Business Studies)

Grade - NIOS 10

Cubing

Cubing is a wonderful method used in Differentiated instructions. In this method, students are given tasks and explained the topic based on the cube's six sides. Each side represents a different type of thinking or skill.

Based on the different levels of the learners, the activities can be adjusted.

Materials :

1. A cube with prompts on each side

2. Chart paper, markers, and writing materials

Activity:

• Describe it - Describe warehousing

  How is warehousing used?

  Mention details of who all use warehousing

• Compare it - Compare warehousing to storage in one's kitchen to understand the basic idea.

  Compare the roles of a private warehouse and a public warehouse. What is the similarity and what is the difference?

• Associate it - Associate how warehousing is used in day-to-day life. Our favorite food items are available to us all the time due to warehousing. Farmers can produce a lot of goods due to warehousing.

• Analyze it - Analyze how warehouses help to reduce business costs. What are the different features of warehousing?

• Apply it - Students imagine that they own a retail store. Ask them how would they use warehousing to manage their stock.

• Argue for or against it - Is Warehousing helpful to business owners? If yes, why? If no. why?

  Critique the importance of warehousing in the business world

Adjustment of difficulty levels -

Students struggling with the concept: They can engage with perspectives of Description, Comparison, and Application to understand the concept more. The students can be given visual examples during description and may engage in roleplay to understand the application

Students who are on level: Students can engage with different perspectives. Understand the concepts through more examples. Based on their understanding, the students may create a small presentation on the Pros and Cons of warehousing. They can also delve into critiquing the importance of warehousing

Grade: 4

Topic: Fan vs AC (Based on the interest of the student the topic was chosen)

Describe it:

Fan:

A fan is a device designed to create airflow, typically consisting of rotating blades powered by an electric motor. Fans come in various types, including ceiling fans, table fans, hand fan and exhaust fans, each serving specific purposes. Move existing air around, which can make you feel cooler through evaporation and convection.

ACs:

An air conditioner is a literal “heat pump” that pulls heat from the air inside the house and then pumps it outdoors. A fan simply moves air around, but these currents create a wind-chill factor: the air currents push away the heat envelope around the human body, allowing the body to release more heat and feel cooler. Remove heat and moisture from the air by using a refrigerant to absorb heat and pump it outside. ACs can remove dust, pollen, and other particles from the air. Fans don't have filters.

Compare It:

A fan primarily circulates air within a room, creating a wind chill effect to cool people directly, while an air conditioner actively removes heat and moisture from the air, lowering the overall room temperature; fans use significantly less energy than ACs but are less effective in extremely hot or humid conditions where an AC is needed to provide substantial cooling. 

Key Differences:

Cooling Mechanism: Fans move air to create a wind chill effect on people, while ACs extract heat from the air, lowering the room temperature. 

Energy Consumption: Fans use significantly less electricity than air conditioners. 

Effectiveness in High Humidity: Fans are less effective in high humidity environments compared to ACs. 

Application: Fans are best for mild temperature situations or to supplement cooling with an AC, while ACs are necessary for extreme heat or high humidity. 

Associate it:

Fans are commonly associated with providing comfort in warm climates, aiding in ventilation, and being an integral part of household appliances. They are also linked to traditional hand-held fans used in various cultures.

Analyse it:

The primary components of a fan include the motor, blades, housing, and control mechanisms. The motor drives the blades to rotate, creating airflow. The design and angle of the blades affect the volume and direction of air movement.

An air conditioner is a device that helps regulate the temperature, humidity, and quality of air in a space such as your home. It cools down hot indoor air by removing heat and transferring it outside while sending excess moisture down the drain.

Apply it:

Fans are used in homes and workplaces to improve air circulation and provide cooling. They are also employed in industrial settings for ventilation and in electronic devices to prevent overheating.

Air conditioners (ACs) are used to remove heat and humidity from an enclosed space to make it more comfortable. They can also help filter the air, which can be beneficial for people with allergies and asthma.

Benefits of using an AC and fan together

Energy savings: Using a fan with an AC can reduce your energy bill by up to 20%. Reduced wear on AC: Using a fan can reduce the strain on your AC, which can extend its lifespan.

Faster cooling: A fan can help cool your home faster by circulating cold air.

More comfortable: A fan can help you feel cooler by evaporating humidity from your skin.

How to use an AC and fan together

Position the fan: Place the fan near the AC vent to circulate cold air.

Increase the AC temperature: You can increase the AC temperature by a few degrees while using a fan.

Turn on the fan first: Turning on the fan first can help circulate cool air before turning on the AC.

Why using a fan with an AC can save energy?

A fan can help circulate cold air from the AC, so the AC doesn't have to work as hard.

A fan can help evaporate humidity from your skin, which can make you feel cooler.

Argue:

The main difference between a fan and an air conditioner (AC) is that a fan moves air around, while an AC lowers the temperature of a room. 

How they work 

Fans: Circulate air, which creates a wind-chill effect that makes you feel cooler. Fans can't change the temperature of a room.

ACs: Remove moisture from the air to lower its temperature.

When to use them 

Fans: Fans can make hot weather more bearable, but they can't compete with the hottest days.

ACs: ACs are best for cooling a room down in hot weather.

Cost 

Fans: Fans are cheaper to run than ACs.

Health 

Fans: Fans are generally healthier than ACs because they don't carry germs and spores.

  Using them together 

Using a fan and an AC together can cool a room more effectively and use less energy.

As learner’s we all have our learning styles. In order to learn optimally we need challenge and success, by ignoring the differences in learning styles we may not be able to learn to our fullest potential. Differential instructions provides an inviting and flexible environment to the learner to achieve his or her full potential of a learner and it makes learning enjoyable and meaningful.

Mind map is an excellent tool that provides students with wide range of learning styles opportunity to graphically expand and represent his or her thoughts and learning of a complex topic.

An example of using the Mind map for a class 5 Maths students as follows.

Teacher starts the topic of ‘the base 10 system’ or ‘decimal system’ by explaining some fun facts and history of it and then asking or working with the class to expand it as follows..

(A) the numbers (0 to 9)

(B) place value (1, 10, 100, 1000)

(C) positions notation (of a number)

(D) Arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)

(E) Fraction and decimals

Each Topic or nodes (A to E) then can be further expanded. For example, the (A) the numbers can be branched to show the count of each number if they had to be represented in a quantity of chocolates’, how each number will have a quantity of chocolates representing it.. How Roman’s wrote the numbers .. etc.

The mind map activity can be done over a period of time and whenever the class learns a new thing about base10 system’ the same is then added to the mind map in a relevant place or branch or node.

This activity will also provide an easy opportunity to recap the concepts in ‘the base 10 system’ and if the mind map is displayed on the wall or a common area in the classroom, the children can walk over and help each others to clarify their doubts and discuss and share their understanding with each others

Mind map empowers the students to enhance critical thinking and comprehension. Understand how a concept Diverges and Converges.

Grade: 3rd Grade

Type of learners: Social learners and Visual learners can benefit from this group activity and enhance their skills.

Objective: To help students understand and practice synonyms and antonyms, and reflect their learning using exit cards.

Activity: Cut Cards of Synonyms and Antonyms

Materials required:

• Synonym Cards: “huge,” “giant,” “big,”

• Antonym Cards: “hot,” “cold,” “fast,” “slow”, “big”, “small”

• Blank Cards: for students to add their own words

• Markers or pencils: to write

During the activity:

Ø  (before activity) Preparing cards or small posters with words containing synonyms and antonyms.

Ø  Dividing the class into groups and give each group one set of cards containing both synonym and antonym words.

Ø  Each group will work together and match the synonyms and antonyms cards accordingly.

Ø  If students are unsure, I will encourage them to use a dictionary, if needed.

Reflection using Exit Cards:

Ø  I will offer cut cards and encourage students to use those blank cards and come up with few additional words (synonyms or antonyms).

Ø   I will encourage them to frame sentences using those words, offering them few examples; e.g. The big building is opposite to the small building.

For Social learners: I would encourage volunteers to share their matched pairs and explain to the other groups why they think the words are synonyms or antonyms.

For Visual learners: I will encourage children to use picture cues/flash cards to represent the words they wrote or sentences they framed.

Topic:  Shapes

1. Describe:

Introduction to shapes:

       Children are asked to bring different objects, and they are placed together. Pick one of them, for eg : a circular object and describe it by exploring how the objects look different from each other. Each shape is introduced by showing and describing the features. Later the names are introduced. (Circle, Triangle, Square, Rectangle.)

More shapes are introduced based on the grade level and their understanding.

2. Compare it:

Children are taken for a nature walk and asked to look around and observe the different shapes that they see. Later they are asked to draw the shapes that they have observed and compare with each other and find the differences and similarities.

3. Associate it:

       Now that they have learnt different shapes they are asked to take the work home  and associate it with an object around then and tabulate it.

Eg: Rectangle- door

4.Analyze it:

Next day, they will visualise the shapes when the names are called and they will draw in the air using the fingers .Making a note of how may line they have drawn and number of time they stop to complete the shape.

 Now, the terms corners and sides are taught.

5.Apply it:

Different props are shown, eg : cars, bangle, door….

Why are certain objects in a particular shape? what is the advantages of it?

Eg: why can’t a cars wheel be square in shape?

6.Argue for or against it:

Write a few lines about each shape and its importance.

Cubing helps -Diverging -The WHY-group of leaners

Who learn from thinking deeply about the topic. They move ahead and find many ways to understand the topic.

Also, the Assimilating type of learners- They are independent learners -who think than acting-asking” what is there to learn?

Grade: 3

DI: Exit Cards and 4MAT

Supplementary Material provided to students:

• Crayons/Pencil colors

• Manipulatives

• Some play toys like fake food items, animals, dolls etc (to use for creating word problems)

• Fake currency notes

• Blank paper chits/index cards

• Graphic Organizers:

1. Multiplication tables booklet

2. Place Value concept illustration

3. Graph paper of Math Manipulatives

4. Examples of solving 2 digit problems in step by step way/partial product

5. Area model/Arrays

6. Word Problem Solving Strategy

   1. Paraphrasing and breaking down the steps

   2. Identify key Information and variables - underline or circle or highlight or note down with labels

   3. Identify what is to be found/solved

   4. Translate words into  mathematical symbols

      1. Total,” “sum,” “combined” → Addition (+)

      2. “Difference,” “less than,” “remain” → Subtraction (−)

      3. “Times,” “product of” → Multiplication (×)

      4. “Divided by,” “quotient of” → Division (÷)

      5. “Equals” → Equals sign (=)

   5. Draw diagrams or visual representation

   6. Create the equation 

   7. Solve step by step

   8. Verify the answer - logical estimation and backfill

7. Provide a table with corresponding word terms for various mathematical symbols (times, group of, etc)

Srividya

Pooja

Sananda

Grade 6 to 7

Helping Visual Learners to Learn Visually: A Mind Mapping Exercise

This particular exercise employs mind maps and other organisers which are graphically represented to assist the visual learners in better understanding and retaining information.

This is how it would work.

• As an educator, introduce a topic from a course, such as Photosynthesis. Explain how the information when visualised can aid the comprehension of complicated concepts.

• As an educator, provide the students with a mind map template that is labelled with the essential ideas from the topic (e.g. Evaporation or Condensation, etc.) Let them collaborate as a premade team to complete the map with information, explanations and other examples

• Students will then proceed to designing their own mind map/ graphic organiser on a different topic (e.g., Photosynthesis or the Battle of Panipat).

Students should link ideas with colours, symbols and lines.

After this, ask students question like, “How do all of the ideas interact with each other” or “What are the fundamental part of the process implied in the topic?”.

• Students hence share their maps within small groups and different teams come up with concrete mind maps and graphical organisers to help them elevate their understanding of pre-existing topics in their syllabus.

This exercise can be done using:

o Blank papers with coloured pencils, highlighters and markers.

o Using Canva or Google Drawings.

o Using the premade templates provided to them via the educators.

• This approach is very effective for the visual learners to gather information and process them in an organised and structured manner. Mind maps and graphical organisers help the students get a general structure of the content by making it simpler and easy to comprehend the way different concepts are linked with each other. The colours and shapes when produced in a presentable manner helps them recall information quicker and accurately.

Learning Style 1: Diverging 

• Prefers visual stimuli and concrete situations. Enjoys group work, discussion, and feedback.

1. Provide students with a plant diagram labeled with key components (leaves, roots, sunlight, water, CO₂).

2. Distribute puzzle pieces (e.g., sunlight, water, CO₂, glucose, oxygen) for students to match with the diagram.

3. Conduct a hands-on demonstration using a potted plant, water, and a flashlight to simulate sunlight.

4. Facilitate a group discussion where students explain their understanding and provide feedback to each other.

Learning Style 2: Assimilating 

Prefers analysis, theories, and reflection, Enjoys logical explanations and structured content.

1. Introduce photosynthesis as a story (e.g., “The Sun’s Gift to Plants”), where sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide team up to create food for the plant.

2. Guide students in creating a flowchart using keywords:

• Inputs: Sunlight + CO₂ + Water

• Outputs: Glucose + Oxygen

3. Discuss each step using reflective questions like:

• “Why do plants need sunlight?”

• “How does water reach the leaves?”

Learning Style 3: Converging 

Prefers practical tasks and deductive reasoning. Learns best through experimentation and problem-solving.

1. Set up a simple experiment: Place two leaves from the same plant in different conditions (one in sunlight and one in darkness).

2. Have students observe changes (e.g., leaf color or texture) over a day.

3. Ask students to analyze results and deduce why sunlight is essential for photosynthesis.

4. Discuss their findings as a class.

Learning Style 4: Accommodating 

Prefers planning, taking risks, and solving problems intuitively. Thrives on active and challenging activities.

1. Present a real-world scenario: “Imagine you are a farmer in an area with little sunlight. How would you help your plants grow?”

2. Provide materials like mirrors, artificial lights, and reflective surfaces.

3. Let students brainstorm and create a model or plan to solve the problem.

4. Students present their solutions to the class.