Young Naturalist Camp at Udaan Learning Center

Young Naturalist Camp

at

Udaan Learning Center (March 23-27, 2020) in collaboration with ‘Life Meets the Lens’ and ‘Himpicked’

This camp provides a mesmerizing experience of exploring, discovering and studying life sciences in a natural ecosystem.

Children often perceive Life Sciences as a difficult subject that requires immense rote learning and a knack for jargons, however, they need to experience the natural abundance by being in nature rather than a classroom.  Once students find out about the delicate balance with which our ecosystem functions, they will begin to care and appreciate the existence of all life on earth.

In these 5 days of camp, children will observe nature from a scientific lens and try to understand the beautifully woven web of interdependence in which no living being is more important than the other, including humans. This experience will also help children consider adding a naturalist, a biologist, or even an explorer to the list of their dreams for the future. 

 Above all, the camp provides the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, values, and motivation necessary to become environmentally-responsible citizens – all in a playful manner. Our pedagogy brings an opportunity for a child to build critical thinking and scientific inquiry skills; they help young people to form a bond with the natural world, encouraging them to be better custodians of the landscape.

Key Features/ Highlights of the camp

Exploratory nature walks: Children will get a considerable amount of time close to natural eco-systems while making free-minded and guided observations

Specimen Collection, Documentation and Discussion on discovering the life of insects and other creatures.

Documentation on iNaturalist app:-  This app helps them to connect with the larger scientific community through our citizen science project.

Mushroom foraging with respect to understanding the world of fungi in our ecosystem. Identifying poisonous, edible and medicinal mushrooms.

Mushroom cultivation with local materials.

 A magnified view- Using Eye Loupe Lenses and microscope is perhaps the biggest asset to any budding naturalist to explore the magnified world of micro-organisms, flowers, plants, and insects!

Museum: Participants also get a chance to see our biodiversity collection that includes hundreds of things from the forests of Palampur! And create one of their own

 Meaningful Conversations about Interdependence and Human Intervention: 

 The entire workshop helps weave an image in the minds of participants that describes the vast and beautiful web of interdependence that all creatures have on one another. We also discuss ways in which humans have changed the natural course of this planet and all life forms on it.

Exploring the village and landscape around through walks and treks.

Watching movies and documentaries to strengthen our understanding.

Spending evenings at bonfire and storytelling.

Lots more fun and learning will emerge from the energies that children would bring together.

Who is the workshop for:  This camp is specifically designed for children interested in diving deep into the natural world to understand the life sciences and are fascinated with the mesmerizing discovery of the life of a living organism.

 Language: A mix of English and Hindi

Suggested Contribution:- The expected contribution towards workshop is 7,500/- for 5 days which includes food, accommodation, material, facilitation and travel(local) expense during the camp if any. 

To register please write to clc@sambhaavnaa.org, or  Or Call on 8679475925 (Fatema)/8629809536(Vikram)

Venue: Udaan Learning Center (Sambhaavnaa Institute) at VPO Kandbari, Tehsil Palampur, District Kangra, PIN 176061