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~Poovizhi, Prabha, Arun

STEM land is being scaled to different schools in and around Auroville. We had a meeting with all the STEM land coordinators from Isai ambalam school, Udavi school, Thamarai night school, Auroville ITI, TLC and  Aikiyam school.

We shared what we did in each STEM land. We discussed about algebraic identities, powers and how children can understand visually. One of the STEM coordinator solved it blindfolded. When we blindfold the cube size feels like it’s the same but when we compare it with the other cube it is a bit easier to figure it out. It was fun to learn.

Next meet : Link

~ Pratap/Sundar

Recently we had a group of interns from Saradha Gangadharan College. By the end of the internship each intern had created programs in scratch. (There were a few bugs 🙂  in the code ).  We redistributed the programs and fixed bugs.

Link to Internship program:  Link

~ Abilash.S

As most of the students were new to electronics, they were asked to build a simple battery holder ( Aravind Gupta Toys) and to measure the voltage from the battery using the multimeter. They were given different batteries and were asked to measure the voltage by keeping them in series. They were able to notice the change in voltages in different batteries and enjoyed the process. The students helped each other by sharing their knowledge to their younger buddies and we were able to see the Peer Learning build up. At the end of the day they were able to learn about voltage, LED, copper, multimeters, and make the LED glow.

~Ranjith, Saranya

We(True education team on Inspiration Project) are making a short film on “Story on Prahaladan”.

We add VFX in our film using “Natron” open-source software.

Below video is about basic step to create VFX using chromakey.

~ Naveen and Abilash

It was Abilash’s first class in Auroville Schools. He had asked me what would be a good place to start making science projects with small children. I said that something fun and interesting will make the children curious to work on. Then we decided to make a Straw Spray (Aravind Gupta toys – Toys from Trash).

So, at Isaiambalam school Abilash and I were in the process of making the straw spray. After completing the process, I was demonstrating how the straw spray works, to Abilash. Athiyaman and Aasish from 6^th Grade came over and asked us what we had made, and how to make it. I just showed them the model that we had built using straws and thermocol.

I asked them how the water was pulled upwards?

They answered,“You are sucking the water upwards”

I again demonstrated it to them and said, “Look carefully I am not sucking the water upwards, I am blowing only the air.”

Athiyaman said that as I blow, the water is being pulled upwards but he did not know why.

The next morning, I was having breakfast when Athiyaman came to me and said that the straw spray that he had made was not working. I asked him how he made it because I did not show him how to make it. I had only shown him the completed model. He said he saw the model and made one like that at his house by himself and showed it to me. Then as it was time for his morning assembly he left the model he made with me and went to the morning prayer. I also left to my class.

Again, in the afternoon he had come to me and asked whether I made the straw spray work. In the morning, I had forgotten the straw spray model he gave me and left it in the dining hall itself. I went with him and found it in the corner of the table where I had my breakfast.

Then I looked at the model and made some modifications to make it work. Then it worked. I explained to him the Bernoulli’s principle and told him that “as we blow the air, the air moves faster making the pressure of the air low and the water moves in the upward direction as atoms move from high pressure to low pressure.”

I was happy that day because I found a child inspired to work on his own. Then only I realized that when I do my best and with myself fully involved in a thing it will reach out.

~ Abilash.S

This week the students of Auroville schools did a project on Vacuum lift. The task was to lift the glass jar with the use of balloon and not with the hand. When they first set the balloon on top of the jar, the air pressure outside the jar and the air pressure inside the jar were the same. As they lit a small piece of paper and dropped it inside the jar, heat was created inside it and was pushing its way out of the jar. This hot air pushing out past the balloon caused the balloon to wiggle. However, while hot air was going out, no new air was able to coming in (the balloon works like a one-way valve, letting air out but not in). So now there was less air, less stuff, in the jar. With less stuff taking up space in the jar, the pressure inside the jar was less than it used to be, that is, less than the air pressure outside the jar. Since the pressure outside the jar was greater than the pressure inside the jar, a part of the balloon was sucked into the jar due to vacuum. And now the students were able to lift the jar up by holding the balloon from its top.

~Saranya

One day Vipaasana Course Reflection:

By attending this one day course I enjoyed the real peace and harmony. I understood through my own experience the meaning of Dhamma, it means the universal flow of nature and impermanence. Whatever sensation I felt in my body I was able to accept it and not react to it with either craving or aversion. That helped me to train the habit pattern of my unconscious mind and come out of my misery. In the One Day Course, I shared my peace and harmony with others with Metta.

I acknowledge Sanjeev and Deven for creating the space for us to grow and I will use it in my life.