1.

0 Objectives

1.1 Introduction

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1.2 Understanding Environment and Children’s Perceptions towards it

1.3 EVS Curriculum in School Education

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1.3.1 Policy Perspectives in Environmental Studies

1.3.2 Environmental Studies: Subject versus Approach

1.3.3 Environmental Studies and the Paradigm Shift in its Teaching-Learning

1.3.4 Understanding Pedagogical Dimensions of Environmental Studies

1.3.5 Objectives of EVS Teaching-Learning

1.4 Role of the Teachers

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1.5 Let us Sum up

1.6 References

1.7 Weblinks
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1.0 Objectives

After going through this module, you may be able to:

• understand the conceptual features of Environmental Studies (EVS) and its importance in the school
curriculum;

• understand the environment and children’s perception towards it;

• understand the role of education for achieving sustainable development and in creating and environ-
mentally literate society;

• build your perspective in EVS and the idea behind its dual nature, i.e. as a subject as well as an ap-
proach;

• appreciate the integrated perspective of its curriculum organisation;

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• relate the curricular expectations and the pedagogical dimensions of EVS; and

• identify ways to accomplish them in your classrooms in a child-centred manner.

In this part of the module, we will be discussing policy perspectives in EVS, and the paradigms shifts in its
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teaching and learning. The pedagogical dimension of EVS will be delineated, and the dual nature of EVS as
a subject as well as an approach in teaching-learning will also be discussed.

1.3 EVS Curriculum in School Education

1.3.1 Policy Perspectives in Environmental Studies

You might know that all the education policies and commissions, till now, envisaged protection of the envi-
ronment, nurturing national identity, and inculcation of scientific temper as the core features. It requires the
curriculum, syllabi and textbooks of different subject areas at all stages to be woven around these core ele-
ments. “The Curriculum for the Ten-year School: A Framework, 1975” recommended, that a single subject
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Environmental Studies will look at both the natural and the social environment, while in Classes III-V, there
would be separate portions for social sciences and general science termed as EVS Part I and Part II. Recog-
nising some of the demotivating factors for children, the NPE 1986 and its revised form also recommended
bringing in curricular reforms and improving pedagogical practices to address the increasing academic bur-
den and make teaching-learning, child-centred, activity-based, and joyful, especially in the early stages of
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schooling. Accordingly, as a follow-up of the NPE 1986, the “National Curriculum for Elementary and Sec-
ondary Education – A Framework” prepared by the NCERT in 1988, recommended that at the primary stage,
during the first two years (Classes I and II), study of science would form an integral part of environmental
studies. In Classes III to V, it will be one of the two parts of environmental studies – one devoted to science
and the other, to social studies. In Classes I and II, a child learns mainly through concrete situations related
to her/his immediate environment. The major thrust of science in Classes I and II, therefore, should not be
to impart information to the children, but to sharpen their senses, to encourage them to observe and explore
their environment.

Understanding the fact that children, in the early stages, learn holistically and not in a compartmen-
talised manner, it is important to provide learning opportunities that are not fragmented into different disci-

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plines. Introducing EVS as an integrated subject helps them connect better with the related learning and also
addresses the issue of curricular load by easing out the burden of an additional subject at the primary level.
Keeping this in view, the NCF-2000 recommended that Environmental Studies be taught as an integrated
course for the entire primary stage, instead of in two distinct parts devoted to science and social sciences as
EVS I and II in Classes III-V. It mentioned “in Classes I and II, children are introduced to the environment in
its totality. No clear-cut distinction between natural and social environments has to be made. Its content will
be drawn from the immediate environment of the child. There will not be any separate area of study for it. Its
content has to be integrated with language, mathematics and other activities such as games, activities related
to health and art and aesthetics. The skills of observations, description and self-expression could be promot-
ed. In Classes III-V, the natural and social elements of environment may be introduced under a separate area
of study called Environmental Studies.”

The National Curriculum Framework-2005 called for the continuation and further strengthening of

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this integrated approach for Environmental Studies during the primary years. It also posited the continuation
of the same approach for its teaching-learning. It recommended that for the primary grades (I and II), the nat-
ural and the social environmental concerns should be an integral component of languages and mathematics.
Children should be engaged in activities to understand the environment through illustrations from the phys-
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ical, biological, social and cultural spheres. The language used should be gender sensitive. Teaching should
be in a participative and discussion-oriented mode. The subject Environmental Studies will be introduced
for Classes III-V, wherein within the natural environment, emphasis will be on its preservation and saving it
from degradation besides sensitising children to social issues like poverty, child labour, illiteracy, caste and
class inequalities prevailing around them. The content should reflect the day-to-day experiences of children
and their lives.
NCF-2005: Guiding Principles
• Connecting knowledge to life outside the school
• Ensuring that learning shifts away from rote methods
• Enriching the curriculum so that it goes beyond textbooks
• Making examination more flexible, and integrating them with the classroom life
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• Nurturing the overriding identity informed by caring concerns within the democratic policy of the
country

Let us reflect

* Differentiate between learning beyond textbook and beyond classroom with examples.
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* What are the practices that promote rote learning? How can you avoid them?

* What is your understanding on the last guiding principle with respect to Environmental Studies?

1.3.2 Environmental Studies: Subject versus Approach

The shift in global and national concerns towards sustainable development in the light of SDGs-2015 de-
mands the school curriculum go beyond preservation and conservation. The scope for addressing the envi-
ronmental and sustainability concerns lies more within science and social science in comparison to other
curricular areas at the school level. Hence, the primary stage, being the most crucial, demands designing
and implemention of EVS curriculum in tune with these core concerns. Recognising that the primary aim

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in EVS is to help children understand the processes that take place in their surroundings, so that they do not
remain passive learners.The EVS curriculum intends to make them informed and active mediators in the
issues prevailing around. Thus, it should provide distinct opportunities for the development and exercise of
cognitive and meta-cognitive abilities to sharpen the minds, developing process skills such as observation,
classification, interpretation, and experimentation besides stimulating learning.

We observe that, over the years, EVS evolved not just as a discipline cutting across the traditional
subject boundaries to help children understand their surroundings holistically but more as an approach that
intends to use environment as a resource providing learning opportunities to help children connect, sensitise,
and imbibe the skills to take appropriate actions for the environmental issues prevailing around.A common
belief could be that integrated approach to EVS may compromise the intent of the individual curricular ob-
jectives, which are distinct as per the nature of each subject. However, categorising knowledge into rigid
sections of subject boundaries is questionable and needs to be challenged. Environment encompasses nat-

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ural, physical, social and cultural aspects, which children do not compartmentalise while interacting with
it. For them each object (living/non-living), event, entity, phenomenon, practice, belief constitutes a subject
of inquiry and investigation. A fragmented approach through different subject areas will restrict this natu-
ral course of inquiry and holistic understanding of the issues/concepts. For example, while looking for the
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availability of water in surroundings, children will not only locate different sources in the neighbourhood
(geography), how these get water (science and geography) but also who owns them (political), who all are al-
lowed to access them (social science), unequal distribution of water (social science), cleanliness and hygiene
(science), properties of water (science), other scientific phenomena related to water besides festivals and
aesthetic aspects of water (culture, history, art, etc.). However, we, as teachers, tend to adopt a disciplinary
approach as we think of that particular body of knowledge in isolation, sometimes due to our own subject
background, and eventually end up transacting it in that manner. In the process, we fail to let children devel-
op interconnections existing between various subjects, themes and thus the concepts relating to them. In the
light of the above, you might appreciate the role of different disciplines towards building an understanding
on environment and the related issues and children’s learning, in which they perceive knowledge holistically.
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Thus, it is clear that different disciplines help understand the environment effectively yet dividing Environ-
mental Studies into watertight compartments of different disciplines will not help accomplish the desired
objectives.

1.3.3 Environmental Studies and the Paradigm Shift in its Teaching-Learning

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In consonance with these and to promote positive environmental actions towards sustainable development,
a new paradigm was proposed by the National Focus Group report on “Habitat and Learning” to bring about
the desired change. It lays emphasis on:

• Learning rather than teaching

• Building capacity for critical thinking and problem solving

• Locale specificity in the context of global vision

• Multidisciplinary approach

• Participatory with broad involvement of peers and other community members

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• Life long and continuous in character

• Sensitivity to diversity, equity and gender

• Knowledge generation

• Empowerment rather than indoctrination

EVS, as a subject and as an approach, emphasises on understanding the inter-linkages - the complex
ways in which one phenomenon or action is connected to another- and how the same thing can be understood
from different perspectives, which are often rooted in different disciplines. It is, thus, imperative to provide
opportunities to children to acquaint them with their immediate surroundings and develop their understand-
ing for the environment in a holistic and integrated manner. Thus, the themes and concepts of the syllabus
should essentially be connected to develop inter-related learning. This requires breaking the watertight com-

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partments and overcoming the traditional boundaries of disciplines so as to address essential and common
concerns. Integrated approach to EVS at the primary level, re-emphasised by NCF-2005, adopted a thematic
approach for its curriculum. In the EVS syllabus for Classes III-V, themes were spelt out to bring together
insights from different disciplines especially social studies, sciences and environmental education; and a web
of possible connections of various concepts and skills within as well as across different stages was drawn
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up within a child-centred perspective to provide a common interface of the related concepts and concerns.
Since, learning Environmental Studies primarily occurs outside the walls of the classrooms, one can say that
EVS forms a bridge between the school environment and of the environment outside the school. An effort
should be made to relate the child’s local knowledge to the school knowledge. Children should be encour-
aged to tap sources other than the textbooks and teachers such as home, neighbourhood, newspapers, media
and different books. Their access to multiple resources, which includes their interaction with peers, elders
and community, makes learning effective, as adult support is crucial to children’s thinking.
The pedagogy of EVS should essentially be based on activities in and out of the classroom, as well as
other methods such as stories, poems, plays and various kinds of group activities. The activities should allow
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free exploration, seeing patterns, making comparisons and understanding inter-linkages, which would enable
children to appreciate the similarities and differences in nature such as sounds, colours, sights and shapes,
etc. Concern for the environment and inculcation of related values can be promoted through such interaction
with their neighbourhood and community members.

In order to understand and address the issues and concerns in their surroundings, children need to be
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engaged in learning situations and provided opportunities exposing them to have a constructive interaction
with their physical and social environment so as to let them explore these through active learning and play-
based experiences. This helps in nurturing their curiosity by prompting them to observe, formulate their own
questions; allowing multiple interpretations and expressions of learning; encouraging them to work in groups.
During the process, they get actively involved through a variety of processes namely observing, identifying,
enquiring, recalling, describing, doing, relating and interacting with their immediate environment and ex-
tending it to discover new meanings and relationships. This approach encourages them to confront real world
problems, which are within their everyday experience. In other words, an enabling environment for children
would be the one which is rich in stimulation and experiences and allows them to explore, experiment and
freely express themselves.

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 Refer to the weblink 9: http://environmentinsider.com/impact-industrialization-environment/

1.3.4 Understanding Pedagogical Dimensions of Environmental Studies

EVS, as an approach, is based on ‘learning how to learn’. It intends to create and engage the learner active-
ly in meaningful learning contexts of self and peer learning and allows her/him to construct knowledge by
active sharing of experiences. This process helps inculcate certain values like, self-reliance, self-confidence,
and social development, and facilitates the learning of social roles and development of group spirit in var-
ious situations within and outsidethe school. Such a learning environment involves learning tasks that are
challenging, that allows independent thinking and multiple ways of solving, and encourages independence,
creativity and self-discipline in learners. Through this, the child gets better equipped to face the ever-chang-
ing environment in her/his life. Very often, there is a common practice to use textbooks, which a teacher

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considers to be an embodiment of the complete syllabus. These textbooks dominate the classroom practices
to such an extent that even the evaluation practices are heavily dependent on the content taught in the class.
Accordingly, children are expected to cram the information given in the textbooks in order to reproduce that
in examination to secure more and more marks. Using only a textbook in a traditional manner, no doubt,
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makes planning and transactional process relatively easier for a teacher but it also reduces the syllabus to
narrow and compartmentalised pieces of information, which can be tested and graded based on rote memory
of students. But, a child-centred system of education requires serious efforts to discourage rote memorisation
and departure from the legacy of bookish learning.

If we accept and understand that EVS is beyond textbook then we, as teachers, need to review how
best wecan facilitate the process of learning to learn. It requires you to design learning situations to ensure
that children will be encouraged to seek out knowledge from sites other than the textbook – in their own
experience, in the experiences of people at home, in the community, in libraries and other sites outside the
school. This elucidates that learning and knowledge are to be sought out, authenticated and thereby con-
structed, and that neither the textbook nor the teacher is an ultimate authority.
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Learning is both an active and a reflective process where the learner constructs meaning, challenges,
revisits and restructures her/his own meanings, views and interpretations. Social interaction plays an im-
portant role in this process; it contributes fundamentally to the individual’s knowledge construction. Thus,
knowledge is constructed uniquely, individually and in multiple ways through a variety of resources, experi-
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ences and contexts.

1.3.5 Objectives of EVS Teaching-Learning

In the light of this,the following objectives of EVS teaching-learning have been identified for the primary
stage of schooling:

• To enable children to locate and comprehend relationships between the natural, social and cultural envi-
ronment;

• To develop understanding based on observation and illustration, drawn from lived experiences and phys-
ical, biological, social and cultural aspects of life rather than abstractions;

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• To create cognitive capacity and resourcefulness to make the child curious about social phenomena, start-
ing with the family and moving on to wider spaces;

• To nurture the curiosity and creativity of the child, particularly in relation to the natural environment
(including artifacts and people);

• To develop awareness about environmental issues;

• To engage the child in exploratory and hands-on activities to acquire basic cognitive and psycho-motor
skills through observation, classification, inference, etc;

• To emphasise design and fabrication, estimation and measurement as a prelude to the development of
technological and quantitative skills at later stages; and

• To be able to critically address gender concerns and issues of marginalisation and oppression through
values such as equality,justice, respect for human dignity and rights.

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In spite of the best intentions of curriculum designers, a lot depends on the way the curriculum is
implemented in schools. Teachers being the conduit who shape the curricular idea into the classrooms, their
own knowledge, understanding, attitudes, perceptions and prejudices significantly influence its transaction.
Therefore, it is crucial not only to update their knowledge and skills but also ease out the challenges faced by
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them in order to build a positive attitude for accomplishing the objectives as intended. The following section
thus discusses the critical roles that teachers can play in effectively transacting EVS in the classrooms.

1.4 Role of the Teachers

• Explore prior experiences of children without any prejudices and bias using appropriate triggers (ques-
tions or enquiry-based other episodes) to allow their free expression.

• Understand and analyse their responses to plan strategies to link them to the new learning.

• Convert concepts/issues to be acquired/addressed into learning situations which act as stimuli for learn-
ers to construct new knowledge.
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• Provide contextual learning situations by organizing activitiesthat link with their real life to enable them
to establish immediate connect.

• Engage learners meaningfully as per their abilities to construct knowledge.

• Allow the subject boundaries to be blurred with focus on the process of learning rather than the product.
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• Enable children to tap multiple resources beyond textbook and letting them experience varied learning
opportunities besides chalk and blackboard.

• Help children imbibe the capacities to critically think, express their opinion freely, question and build
their perspectives on the problems and issues prevailing around.

• Create space for all voices to be heard and allowchildren to discuss and debate issues. Try not to impose
your own beliefs on the children. Also, try not to judge their opinions or suppress the same.

• Encourage and appreciate even the smallest of their endeavours.

• Analyse your classroom strategies and approaches regularly and reflect and review them in order to im-

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 prove the teaching-learning process so as to accomplish the objectives of EVS learning.

1.5 Let us Sum up

Till now, we learnt about why Environmental concerns should be at the core of a curriculum across all stages
of education. The national and international scenario and the shift from Environmental Education to Edu-
cation for Sustainable Development has changed the discourse. Understanding different streams namely;
Environmental Studies, Environmental Science and Environmental Education, and their objectives also help
strengthen the planning and implementation of EVS at the primary level. Thus, delineating the integrities
of EVS, the module reflected on the related policy perspectives, its nature, approach and other pedagogical
dimensions, including the role of teachers to accomplish the desired objectives of EVS learning.

1.6 References

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1. National Policy of Education, MHRD, Government of India Publication, 1986.

2. National Curriculum Framework for School Education, NCERT Publication, New Delhi, 2005.

3. The position paper of the National Focus Group on Habitat and Learning, NCERT, New Delhi, 2006.

1.7 Weblinks

1.
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http://www.cifor.org/publications/pdf_files/WPapers/WP68Pacheco.pdf

2. http://www.theplaidzebra.com/as-environmental-issues-get-worse-farmer-suicide-rates-are-getting-
alarmingly-high/

3. http://thelogicalshit.com/?p=5

4. http://www.unscn.org/files/Publications/Briefs_on_Nutrition/Brief5_EN.pdf

5. https://www.elaw.org/files/mining-eia-guidebook/Chapter1.pdf (PAGE 8)
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6. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/climate-change/coal/Coal-mining-impacts/

7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ9ETC8bk70

8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5r4loXPyx8&authuser=0

9. http://environmentinsider.com/impact-industrialization-environment/
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10. http://www.importantindia.com/15285/impact-of-industrialization-in-india/

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