THE LINK – An exhibition on the environment

by with No Comment LEAF Program
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On World Environment Day, Fr Vincent Moonnu, former director of XTI, Sevasi and a founding member of Gujarat Jesuit Ecology Mission inaugurated an exhibition titled “The Link” at Martinwadi, Sevasi. A small group of 25 people attended the function. Others including Fr Lancy D’Cruz, SJ, Mr Francis Macwan and GJEM’s well wishers joined virtually.

The exhibition aims to create a space for young people to learn about diverse themes related to the environment. The exhibition is opened for public view. Visitors can book an appointment through our website or over the phone. (Website: gjemsj.org) (Phone number: 8200905890)

Butterfly Garden

Butterfly Garden

by with No Comment Environmental Education

Butterfly Garden

Creating a butterfly garden can engage students in the natural world and enrich their learning experience. Students learn best when they are allowed to develop their understanding of concepts over time.

This is a learning theory that reduces the focus on memorizing facts, vocabulary, and theories and emphasizes the importance of teaching for meaning and understanding.

As students develop their understanding they link new information with the knowledge they bring to the learning experience. Building and sustaining a butterfly garden provides your program with endless opportunities to engage students in hands-on activities that enhance their learning.

Keeping the above objectives in mind, we are creating a Butterfly garden in Sevasi. The aim of making Butterfly garden is to explore more bio-diversity and to teach the students more about plants and different types of Butterflies. Given below is the design of the butterfly garden. It is a work in progress.

Butterfly Garden
Priyanka Chaudhari Tree Plantation

LEAF Programs in South Gujarat July 2020 – Priyanka

by with No Comment ActivityBiodiversityEnvironmental EducationLEAF ProgramOrganic FertilizerOrganig Farming

LEAF Programs in South Gujarat

July 2020
Ms.Priyanka Chaudhari

Due to Covid-19 it was unable to go to schools in south gujarat to conduct workshops. Since the children and villagers were at home free, Priyanka thought of conducting environment awareness program in her village. She used the modules and did activities with the children as well as villagers. She gathered some villagers and taught them to make liquid pesticide with practical. She conducted activities mentioned below in the photos. Besides the activities she also gave awareness class. The children at home doing nothing since April were happy to join for the activity and learn something about environment. Even the villagers co-operated with her and learnt about environment

Participants from :

Priyanka Chaudhari Tree Plantation
Tree Plantation Drive by Priyanka Chaudhari
Priyanka Chaudhari Tree Plantation 2
Tree Plantation Drive by Priyanka Chaudhari
Priyanka Chaudhari Sound and Seek
Sound and Seek Activity by Priyanka Chaudhari
Priyanka Chaudhari Paper Bag
Paper Bag Making Activity by Priyanka Chaudhari
Priyanka Chaudhari Paper Bag 2
Paper Bag Making Activity by Priyanka Chaudhari
Priyanka Chaudhari Liquid Pesticide 1
Priyanka Chaudhari Making Liquid Pesticide with youth
Priyanka Chaudhari Liquid Pesticide
Priyanka Chaudhari Making Liquid Pesticide with youth
Priyanka Chaudhari Leaf Worksheet
Leaf Worksheet Activity by Priyanka Chaudhari
Priyanka Chaudhari Leaf Worksheet 2
Leaf Worksheet Activity by Priyanka Chaudhari
Priyanka Chaudhari Leaf Print
Leaf Print Activity by Priyanka Chaudhari
Priyanka Chaudhari Leaf Print 2
Leaf Print Activity by Priyanka Chaudhari
Monika Gamit Worksheet on LEAF 2

LEAF Programs in South Gujarat – July 2020

by with No Comment ActivityBiodiversityEnvironmental EducationLEAF Program

LEAF Programs in South Gujarat

July 2020
Ms. Monika Gamit

Due to Covid-19 it was unable to go to schools in south gujarat to conduct workshops. Since the children and villagers were at home free, Monika thought of conducting environment awareness program in surrounding villages. She used the modules and did activities with the children as well as villagers. She conducted activities mentioned below in the photos. Besides the activities she also gave awareness class. The children at home doing nothing since April were happy to join for the activity and learn something about environment. Even the villagers co-operated with her and learnt about environment

Participants from :

Monika Gamit Worksheet on LEAF 2
Activity by Monika Gamit - Worksheet on LEAF
Monika Gamit Worksheet on LEAF
Activity by Monika Gamit - Worksheet on LEAF
Monika Gamit Tree Plantation 2
Tree Plantation Drive by Monika Gamit
Monika Gamit Tree Plantation
Tree Plantation Drive by Monika Gamit
Monika Gamit Recognising the Name of Trees
Activity by Monika Gamit - Recognising the Name of Trees
Monika Gamit Recognising the Name of Trees 2
Activity by Monika Gamit - Recognising the Name of Trees
Monika Gamit Paper Bag Making
Paper Bag Making program by Monika Gamit
Monika Gamit Paper Bag Making 2
Paper Bag Making program by Monika Gamit

ECO SPIRITUALITY

by with No Comment Uncategorized

ECO SPIRITUALITY

Jesus used Nature to explain the Kingdom of God, and how God relates to human beings. Born in a manger, he grew up as a carpenter’s son, living among village folk – farmers, fishermen, shepherds, .. He saw and lived an intimate relationship that exists between people and Mother Earth. He shared the Good News of God’s love that he experienced though Nature. He presented them in his parables and teachings– agriculture assures food, trees give fruits, vines provide drink, sheep in the pasture and fish in the water give rich nourishment, birds of the air are fed and even ephemeral lilies are colourfully attired by Nature. How much more will our loving Father take care of our every need! Jesus invites us to bloom like the lilies of the field and fly free like the birds of the air, trusting in Our Father’s love.

Till a few years ago we learnt in Catechism that our Christian Faith is founded on two pillars – love of God and love of our neighbour. Our Pope Francis has added another pillar – love of Nature. His Encyclical letter “Laudato Si’” addressed to all the followers of Jesus, and ‘all women and men of good will’ emphasises,

“Human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbour and with the earth itself.”(LS 66)

The goal of ‘Gujarat Jesuit Ecology Mission’ (GJEM)is to understand, integrate and spread Pope Francis’ third pillar of our Faith

‘More than in ideas or concepts as such, I (Pope Francis)am interested in how such a spirituality can motivate us to a more passionate concern for the protection of our world… all need an “ecological conversion”, whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship with the world around them’

Put simply, Eco Spirituality is communing with God in and through His creation. ‘In Him we live, move and have our being’ (Acts.17.28) – we are born and die in the lap of Mother Earth. Her fundamental elements – Earth, air, water, fire and space – keeps us alive. Our constant communion with Mother Earth is, then, our communion with God.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, in his well-known Spiritual Exercises, begins the Retreat with the ‘Principle and Foundation’. He says that human beings are created to commune with God. This communion is always through His creation. Use creation as much as you need to commune with God.

The Spiritual Exercises ends with the contemplation to attain love. Ignatius tells us that God dwells and labours in all his creatures, including us humans, sustaining our unique characteristics, and leading us to God.

The Mission of GJEM is to integrate and spread the third foundational Pillar of our Faith – a loving relationship with Nature. Communion with Nature and through Nature with the Creator Lord would then become the core of our discipleship of Jesus.

- Rappai Poothokaren SJ,

LEAF Webinar July 2020

Report on LEAF Webinar July 2020

by with No Comment Environmental EducationLEAF ProgramPublicationsWebinar

Report on LEAF Webinar July 2020

On 27th July, 2020 we organized Webinar for Past & Present Leaf Students with the purpose on how they can put their learning into practice and what environmental activities they did during lockdown.

23 students joined us through google meet. We started webinar with Welcoming Speech & introduction. Mrs. Archana gave presentation on Child and Environment. Trupti Parmar was the moderator for the day.

Mr. Jothi did interaction with the students and inspired them. Ms. Monica and Ms. Priyanka also shared their experience with the students. This webinar was student oriented so we gave more time to them to share what work they have done for nature. After sharing we discussed about Action Plan.

LEAF Webinar July 2020

Sharing we received from the students:

Chris Parmar

⁙ They segregate wet and dry waste.

⁙ Everyday gives water to the Plant.

⁙ Put bird feeders and Nest for the birds.

Pankil Gosai

⁙ He grows lady’s finger and coriander in his kitchen garden.

⁙ He is following organic farming.

⁙ Daily he gives water to birds.

⁙ On Ganesh Chaturthi he always makes Eco-friendly Ganpati instead of Plaster of Paris

Kartik Mishtry

⁙ He prefers bicycle for nearby place.

⁙ Few years back he attained one workshop at Xavier Technical Institute,S evasi. That time we gave one sapling to him. He planted that sapling at his grandmother’s home and now it has became a tree.

⁙ After online classes he spends his most of the time with nature like feeding the birds.

Tejashwini

⁙ She planted so many plants at her farm and also taking care of it.

Rhutu Shah

⁙ When Lockdown 2 opened she and her parents did research and made a list of the Air purifier Plants. They went to nursery and bought plants and did plantation.
⁙ Water from the washing machine is recycled and used in the garden.
⁙ They try to avoid Plastic as much as possible.

Meghdeep Jadeja

⁙ He prefers bicycle for nearby place.
⁙ He feeds and gives water to birds.

Rana Jayshree

⁙ After online classes she used to go to the garden and spend time with nature.
⁙ Planted Aloe Vera and Basil at her place.
⁙ She explained to the people in her community not to harm animals by giving leftover food in plastic bag.
⁙ Society members also encourage her. She has encouraged everyone for Tree plantation.

Palak

⁙ She feeds and gives water to the birds.
⁙ She did plantation.
⁙ She also did some science experiment regarding plants.

Raut Vishal

⁙ He and his friends planted 100 Mango saplings in the open area of the Deevalya boarding campus.
⁙ When they left hostel they told father that they want to do plantation in hostel. With father permission they did plantation.

Zainab Topiwala

⁙ She put Bird feeder at her place.
⁙ Did Plantation.
⁙ As much as possible she tries to avoid use of plastic.
⁙ In a Lockdown they did some social work like distributing food to needy people.

The sharing of the LEAF students was inspiring, we have given follow up activities and we plan to organize another webinar next month.

Webinar on Green Teachers Program

Webinar on Green Teachers Program

by with No Comment Environmental EducationGreen Teachers ProgramTeachers UpskillingWebinar

Webinar on Green Teachers Program

ENABLING TEACHERS WITH E-SKILLS

It has been a challenging time for all the teachers all around the world because of Covid-19 Pandemic. In the context of the digital divide and lack of infrastructure and experience in online education, teachers are forced to improvise and innovate with available technology.

Keeping in mind the challenges and problems faced by the teachers regarding technology for online education, GJEM organized Online Teaching-Learning Workshop at St. Xavier's English Medium School, Borsad and St. Xavier’s School, Bharuch. The thrust of the workshop was that the teachers can adapt their content to online education and find innovative ways to reach out to rural students.

Instead of duplicating classroom teaching, we inspired the teachers to use short films for education as well as activity modules available from www.arvindguptatoys.com. Inspired by the tremendous response we received from the teachers, we decided to organize a webinar on the same topic. We received good response for the event which was organized on 17th and 18th July 2020 in which 53 teachers from 19 schools had participated

Webinar on Green Teachers Program

Following topics were included for the webinar: Pedagogy for online education, Environmental activities through the online, demonstration on google forms and google classroom and learning science and maths through Dr Arvind Gupta’s online modules. The keynote address was given by Fr. Lancy D’Cruz SJ. Our IT expert resource person Mr Shashi Darshan besides giving a detailed presentation on the google classroom tried to address the technical queries from the teachers.

We thank all the principals and teachers who participated in the workshop.

Green Teachers Program – July 2020

by with No Comment Environmental EducationGreen Teachers ProgramTeachers UpskillingWebinar

Green Teachers Program - July 2020

St. Xavier’s School, Bharuch

The workshop was conducted for teachers of St. Xavier’s school, Bharuch on 10th July 2020. 20 teachers participated in the workshop. Three topics were included in the workshop:

Environmental Education through Films
Online Education
Google Forms.

The first session was on short films. We kept open discussion after the films. Each one them interpreted in their own way and made it more interesting.

The second session was conducted by Mrs. Archana on Online Education through PPT. After the session the teachers also shared how they use different methods for online education and make the lessons easy interesting for students.

The third session was conducted by Mr. Jothi on Teaching Pedagogy and how to create Google forms. The teachers tried to create google forms so that they can use for online education. We suggested them to prepare questions on environmental films and send it with short films to the students. With this we concluded our workshop.