Earth Education Fellows

Designing and delivering a three-phase outdoor curriculum (nature connectedness → climate & land-use understanding → advocacy and action) at Alcott School and Adyar Theosophical Academy. Includes biodiversity studies, climate literacy, civic rights, and a new nature literacy programme.

Reimagining environmental education within a private school through activity-based EVS classes and an Eco Club. Uses campus biodiversity to help students observe soil, trees, insects, reptiles, and everyday organisms through activities like soil/tree bingo and an A–Z biodiversity mapping exercise.

During the YouCAN fellowship, focused on teaching children about animals through story sessions and activity-based workshops, including work with underprivileged children. The project emphasised humane education and creative engagement rather than textbook-based learning.

Research-based project exploring how participatory mapping and futures-thinking tools can help Himalayan communities build their own land and restoration plans, enabling more equitable engagement with government forestry programmes.

Teach for Green – hands-on, curriculum-aligned environmental education for Classes 6–8 in government schools

Wetland Rovers of River Thamarabarani – a year-long wetland and river-basin education programme with 12 contact sessions (classroom + field), 5 major landscape field trips from source to sea, student journalling, and a culminating cross-school sharing where students present findings and reflections. Includes a school-based “model wetland” (artificial pond) maintained and monitored by students throughout the year.

Khoj Din Mandali programmes: (1) Local Khoji – a 6-month programme for teenagers/young adults to build a unique relationship with their city/town/village through thematic walks (heritage, water, waste etc.), learning ecology + sociology (class, caste, gender, power, biodiversity, invasive species), and creating outputs like films, theatre, books, and “unique maps”. (2) Early Years Nature & Arts Programme (ages 3–12) – art- and sensory-led nature learning using theatre, movement, puppets, storytelling, nature walks, simple science exploration; recent projects include a Tree Project (ages 3–5) and upcoming Insect Project. Also does local language outreach: translating/creating nature education content in Gujarati/Hindi for magazines and publishing translations of books (with Nature Classroom; publication forthcoming). Current partnerships: a learning centre + a school in Ahmedabad; a learning centre in Vadodara.

Nature Education for the Next Generation: Creating Young Conservationists in Salem is rooted in eco-literacy, mental wellbeing and citizen science. Angeline leads nature journaling, nest-building, bird attendance tracking, tree phenology through SeasonWatch, and creative observation activities such as Colours in Nature and Shapes & Patterns. Children map their mood before and after sessions, learn 10+ local species, and engage in student-led mini projects within the school campus. The project nurtures curiosity, confidence and care for local biodiversity.

Namma Iyarkai – Nature in Chennai reconnects children with local biodiversity through classroom nature walks, school-yard exploration and visits to Ramanthangal Lake. Children observe spiders, wasp nests, moss, wall-plants, birds andx butterflies, practising empathy and SEL-based reflection. Activities include documentaries, imagination games (“What if humans had taste buds on their feet?”), mood check-ins and creative expression. The project helps urban children recognise that nature is all around them and develop pride in Chennai’s ecosystems.

Anchored for Change – Ocean Literacy engages children from coastal communities in Kundapura through an eight-month, place-based module on marine life, ocean identity and conservation. Using letter exchanges, coastal walks, micro-habitat exploration, drawing and conversations with local fishers, the project builds empathy, belonging and awareness of marine issues. Children document species, stories and emotions, strengthening pride in their coastal heritage.

The Earth Connect brings together children from tribal, coastal and urban ecosystems through biodiversity walks, eco-exchange circles and collaborative art and action projects. She explores varied landscapes including zoos, tribal hamlets and fishing settlements. In these locations children compare ecosystems, learn from each other and express insights through journaling, drawing, storytelling, reels and performances. The project builds empathy, observation skills and environmental awareness across community boundaries.

Co-Stories: A Journey from Imagination to Conservation engages learners in Nagaravanam Park and nearby schools through storytelling, biodiversity observation and nature-based play. Using birds, moths, butterflies and spiders as entry points, Hareesha helps children reflect, document stories, and explore their emotional connection with the natural world. Through pre–post surveys, story creation, and a collaborative book of children’s narratives, the project aims to deepen environmental understanding, strengthen storytelling skills and nurture curiosity by blending imagination with ecological awareness.

Emerging Classroom co-creates a flexible, child-led curriculum with Class 5–8 students in Manivali/Karjat. Starting from what children observe—trees, birds, forests, farms and village life—Mrunal facilitates games (Memory Chain, Nature-e-Charades), perception activities (Nature Cloud), neighbourhood mapping, SeasonWatch tree tracking, bird sessions and emotional reflection. The project weaves children’s definitions of nature with local environmental challenges like garbage, water issues and sand excavation. All learnings are documented to create an open-source, rural place-based curriculum model.

Nature Stories & Everyday Biodiversity uses slow nature walks, sensory games, creative arts and micro-observations to help children notice insects, plants, textures, colours and patterns around them. Through guided reflection circles, journal-making, story prompts and child-led exploration, the project deepens emotional connection and everyday ecological awareness. Nimmy works across community spaces, homes and local outdoor environments, enabling families and children to rediscover nature in their immediate surroundings.

Critterabad Explorations brings urban children into close contact with insects and other “city critters” through safe, guided neighbourhood walks, micro-habitat searches, nature journaling and creative storytelling. The project helps children overcome fear, understand ecological roles and recognise biodiversity in pavements, walls, gardens and playgrounds. Through sketches, identifications and child-led sharing circles, participants learn to see Hyderabad as a living ecosystem.

Creative Nature Connectedness for Children in Conflict with Law uses ecology themes, art, movement and hands-on experimentation to spark empathy and awareness. Activities include Lost Lakes (visualising human impact on water), natural tie-and-dye, clay animal modelling, music with waste materials, and eco-exchange letters with coastal children. The project nurtures joy, expression, collaborative learning and the five components of nature connectedness through reflective circles and creative action.

Mandala Gardening & Nature Farming introduces children in Dhun School to chemical-free farming through hands-on mandala beds. Students dig, observe earthworms and insects, sow vegetables, monitor growth and cook their harvest. Sharwan integrates maths (counting steps, birds, leaves), science concepts, soil types, composting and pollination through play. Role-plays, butterfly life-cycle work and daily observations deepen understanding of ecological roles and the impact of chemicals. The project nurtures pride, responsibility and joy in growing food.

Museum to Outdoors: Natural History Explorers uses museum spaces as gateways to real-world biodiversity learning. Children handle safe specimens, explore themes such as animal adaptations and coastal ecosystems, and then carry these insights outdoors through short “museum-to-field” walks. The project encourages sketching, questioning, comparison and storytelling, helping children link static exhibits to living nature.

Fazal is developing a place-based ecological learning programme rooted in the 15-acre ecological park and wildflower meadow at Scindia School, Gwalior. Working primarily with students in grades 6–8, the project aims to spark curiosity, build comfort in open natural ecosystems, and help children see beauty and joy in the outdoors. Through nature walks, observation frameworks, natural history exploration, creative arts, and activities such as Habitat Museum, Web of Life, Origin Stories, and Butterfly Origami, students learn to observe closely, identify birds and plants, and understand the ecological restoration happening on their campus. The programme introduces children to grassland biodiversity and nurtures deeper, more imaginative relationships with nature.

Bhopal Butterfly Corridor Project — A community-centred initiative in Khari Village (Sehore district) that engages children (Grades 5–8 and younger) in creating butterfly-friendly gardens in homestays and neighbourhood spaces. Through hands-on sessions, walks, games, caterpillar observation, drawing, card activities, and story-based learning, the project restores pollinator habitats, builds awareness of butterfly ecology, and nurtures young “butterfly protectors” who advocate for nature within their village.

Anuj’s project focuses on strengthening nature education and conservation awareness in Nainital through school-based learning, zoo-based experiential programmes, and community outreach. He works with students (middle, high school, and junior classes) and with key conservation stakeholders—Nainital Forest Department, Nainital Zoo, and Nagar Palika—to build ecological understanding. Activities include nature-based painting, best-from-waste creation for animal enrichment, quizzes, debates, storytelling treasure hunts, and outreach presentations for rural schools. Parallel to this, he contributes to policy-level efforts such as biodiversity signages and documentation that may be formally adopted by the district administration to promote environmental literacy across Nainital.