journeying together · onam, the annual harvest festival of kerala, celebrates the vamana avatar of...
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Journeying Together September 2017 Vol. 15
In this Issue:
Celebrations & Festivities Beyond the Classroom Guest Lectures
Teachers’ Day Global Citizenship Special Assemblies
Project Based Learning Students’ Corner Awards and Accolades
Celebrations and Festivities
Students across all grade levels organised various programs to entertain the teachers. They had an
opportunity to bond with their students through the various music and dance performances. Many games
were organized by the students and the teachers enjoyed every bit of it.
Back to School Days
You are the saw
Who cut us diamond
You are the light
Who gave us brightness
You are the root
Who gave us branches
You are the background
Who gave us fame
After all you are the teacher
Who made us great
To teach is to touch one's life forever
Thank you teachers for touching our lives everyday
- Sahana Bharadwaj, Grade IX
Shubh Navaratri
This year, we celebrated Navaratri in school by keeping a small 3 step Golu in our reception area.
The Golu dolls were brought by the students. The students of IV Mohanam also presented a special
assembly on this nine day festival. They explained why Navaratri is celebrated and how
Mahishasura was killed. Dance and music made the assembly colourful and fun. Our teachers also
danced and sang for us to celebrate Navaratri.
- Mahima Jhanvi Karthik, Grade V
Special Assemblies
Onam was celebrated in a traditional manner. We presented music, dance and drama on
the harvest festival.
- Students of grade IV Shankarabaranam
Onam, the annual harvest festival of Kerala, celebrates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu and the homecoming
of Mahabali. This festival was celebrated with the same fervour and gusto seen in the state of Kerala, with
the campus decorated with a pookalam. Students performed songs and danced on the occasion.
A Feast (Sadya) For the Eyes
Beyond the Classroom
The Sociology and Psychology students of grade XI and XII visited the Irula community at Annai Sathya
Nagar, Thirukazhakundram. The children had an insight into the Tribes of India and the Bonded Labour
System. Children were also given an opportunity to interact with the tribals to get to know about their
culture, lifestyle, and problems.
A visit to the Irula Community
The trip was enriching and interesting and we learned about the Irula culture and their lifestyle. It
provided us with an opportunity to mingle with people about whom we had only read about in text books.
Through our interaction with the tribals, we learned the value that each day must be lived to the fullest
before wondering about the next and we must cherish what we have.
- Grade XII Sociology and Psychology students
Bake Me a Biscuit
The trip to the Madras Bakery was full of fun and excitement. Though the trip was long, the ride with our
friends made up for it. The sweet aroma of biscuits welcomed us into the factory. We first watched a
documentary on the making of the confectionaries. We were then taken around to see the processing units
and bakery equipments. We saw the bakers mixing the wheat, sugar and oil to give the biscuits the perfect
shape. They were then baked and cooled before being packed. The best part was when we got to taste the
freshly baked, hot biscuits. The trip inspired us to try making biscuits at home.
- Grade IV students
Right on Track
The students of the junior campus got an opportunity to visit the Rail Museum. They got to see the
train from both the inside and the outside and get a feel of a literal travel by train.
Silence is Golden
Our trip to Ramakrishna Mutt was very „quiet‟.
First we went to the meditation hall where we sat
in meditation for some time. It relaxed our body
and minds, then we were shown a power point
presentation on „Silence‟. The Swamiji spoke to us
on the value of silence and respecting others. All
of us felt that sitting quietly for some time is not so
difficult. - Students of grade V
A Breath of Fresh Air
Students of grade XII went on a trip to Yelagiri a few months before their board exams to relax and
rejuvenate.
Global Citizenship
The students of X Sahana, under the mentoring of organic farmer Mr.Jaishankar Kanappan
enriched the soil and planted an edible garden. The Grow boxes were readied, the soil mulched,
trellis constructed, seeds sowed and watered. A vertical herb garden made entirely of discarded
plastic bottles is coming up. Watch this space for the garden in full bloom!
Green Haven in the making
Education For All
10 students from grade XII visited GUVI, an IIT Madras incubated company to understand the
process of content development. As part of their global citizenship project, these students have
chosen to create engaging and accessible subject related content in vernacular languages for
underprivileged children in corporation schools.
Thinking Green.... A Compost Bin
Students of grade VI Sembaruthi made their own roller-type composting bin. They made a
prototype which was translated into a working model with the help of Mr. Kalyanasundaram,
workshop instructor from Annamalai Polytechnic.
Guest Lecture for students of grade X
Madhuvanti by Mr. Narsimhan
Santhanam, founder of EAI (Energy
Alternatives India). Under his guidance,
the students are working on a project to
learn about energy consumption and
alternatives.
Save Energy Today for a Better Tomorrow
Let’s Put Waste in the Right Place
Students of grade VII Vairam had a
session with the secretary of the
R.A.Puram Residents Association,
Mr. Rangarajan, on neighbourhood
waste management activities.
Students from grade VI to IX
participated in an Art Event on the
topic Energy Conservation. It was an
attempt to integrate Art and Global
Citizenship.
Colours of Tomorrow
Project Based Learning
Master Chefs
Students of grade VII excitedly accepted the challenge posed by our Biology Acharyas to create EDIBLE
CELL ORGANELLES. Pizzas, cakes, soups, chocolates representing cell organelles were prepared by
different groups. Our Acharyas turned into Master Chef judges to assess all our presentations. This
internal project was one of its kind as it involved innovative cooking and baking with friends. A lot of
discussion and preparation went in before ideas were turned into reality. It was great fun to cook with
friends, to present the end product and to eat it all finally. It also provided us with a great learning
experience.
- Uttara Stefanie Prakash and Gitanjali Naveen, Grade VII
Hop Scotch and Sing Along
The students of grade IV got to make their own music note books out of old unused papers. The children
also played a game to learn about the placement of notes. The notes were drawn on the floor and the
children played a game of hopscotch to the ragam „Shankarabaranam‟ to learn the theory behind musical
notes. This is the first step for the children to be ear trained to distinguish one raga from the other.
Awards and Accolades
Quiz Whiz
Nandith Narayan, Pragya Agrawal and Amritha Rajeswari Krishnan were the
runners up at the CSIR Quiz
Kick Start
B. Tridhaman, of grade III,
won 2nd prize in a District
Level Karate Competition
In the ASISC Shuttle Badminton Regional
Level Competitions held in Tuticorin,
Gourav of grade XII was the runner up in
the Senior Boys Singles Tournament.
Kavya and Srinidhi of grade XII were
runners up in the Senior Girls Doubles
Tournamnent. Gourav and Srinidhi will
represent the school at the National
Level.
Badminton Players who made us proud
tGELF Harmony
In the tGELF Harmony Regional Competition held in our school, the Hari Shree team has
qualified to the National Levels in the Street Play event.
Guest Lectures
The students of grade II had an
interactive story telling session with
Ms. Sri Vidya from Story Trails.
Dr. Sheikh Ahmed spoke to Biology students
of grade XII on gene expression and its
regulation
Guest Lecture on Reproductive
Health by Dr. Radha Pandiyan from
Chettinad Health City.
Dr. Adnan Mohamed Mytheen
spoke to students of grade X on
the structure of the eye and its
defects
Dr. Kumar Ebenezer spoke to
students of grade XII on
Biotechnology and
applications.
Students’ Corner
International Literacy Day
In the year 1965, UNESCO declared September 8 as the International Literacy Day. Its aim is to highlight
the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies as there is a connection between
illiteracy, poverty and prejudice against women. Being literate enables one to create, ideate and connect
with the world at large.
Many organizations have been established in order to help people overcome challenges and obstacles in
their path towards being literate. These organizations work tirelessly in spreading literacy and awareness in
remote and inaccessible areas. The theme for this year‟s International Literacy Day was „Literacy through
Digital Technology‟, as technology plays an important role in the modern world.
Literacy does not mean that we reach only to the young children; it must also extend to the adult population
of the country. Though India has come far since Independence, we still have miles to go before we reach a
100% literate state. .
- Prathik Senthil, Grade VII and Athreya Sunil, Grade VI
Teacher’s Day
What is Teacher‟s Day? We typically think Teacher‟s Day is just some day designed to honour teachers, but
what is it really? In school we spend the day celebrating it but do we all know the significance of Teacher‟s
day? It is celebrated every year on the 5th of September on the birthday of India‟s first Vice President and
second President post independence, Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a great scholar, philosopher and recipient
of the Bharat Ratna.
The job of a teacher goes beyond just the classroom interaction of delivering the lessons. Every time a teacher
takes that extra effort to help students, it is because they wish for every student to do well. Their association
with the students does not end with just the extra worksheets and classes, but they adopt the role of a parent,
friend, philosopher and guide. They deserve nothing less than an immense amount of respect and appreciation
for everything they do for us.
Teachers are our pillars of support and they provide us with all the necessary inputs to achieve our dreams
and aspirations. They see potential in each and every one of us and mould us into individuals who will
contribute to society. It is their vast experience and commitment to their profession that helps us hold our trust
in them. In a teacher we find an empathetic listener who understands their student.
The quote “A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind and touches a heart” is very true for all teachers around the
world who strive to make their children better, smarter people. Happy Teacher‟s Day to every outstanding and
magnificent teacher!
- Harshini Ramaswamy, Grade XII
International Charity Day
Most of us have heard of the proverb „Sharing and Caring‟. It happens to be one of my most favourite lines
as it holds a lot of meaning and depth to me. Every time I share, it makes me happy from the inside and gives
me a sense of satisfaction and joy, when I see the pleasure and happiness on the face of others. My most
unforgettable experience was during the floods in Chennai when my whole family contributed towards
preparing food for the people in need. My mother prepared hot chapathis with vegetables and pickles and my
father and I took it upon ourselves to deliver it to the people. I always used to think that sharing worked well
only during Math divisions! This was the first time that I saw a crowd of people waiting for food and
supplies. Sharing my food with the needy was a very big learning experience for me and it is then that I
realized that we don‟t need an International Charity Day (September 5) to share our lives with others. We
can look for these moments everyday in our lives. I also understood that charity is not giving away what we
don‟t want, but sharing the little that we have. I also understood that „Charity begins at Home‟.
- Kavya Ramaswamy, Grade V
Teacher Editors - Dr. Sarayu Ganesan, Ms. Yoshida Menon and Ms. Anuradha Babu
Student Editors - Ms. Samyuktha Sreekanth and Mr. Rithvik Senthil
Design and Technical Support - Ms. Priya T
Photography - Mr. Ganesan and Mr. Sugumar
Moving ahead … to the next term
In October…
October 04 - School re-opens October 18-22 - Diwali Holidays
October 06 - International English Olympiad
October 10 - International General Knowledge Olympiad
CA/SA– Please refer to our website for dates of examinations.