About
Our motivations behind this project
Our ideas behind the project
In recent days, several new techniques have come to the forefront to make teaching more engaging for students and rewarding for the teachers involved. One such technique is the gamification of teaching tools, which can significantly improve student engagement in the classroom and support a positive outlook towards learning. However,
virtual gamification tools, an increasingly common curriculum across the world, often tend to shut out marginalized communities who may not have access to smart devices or the internet.
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In this project, we aim to provide physical board games to the underprivileged schools in and around Bhopal to make science learning more engaging for them.
Biodiversity education in schools is crucial because it helps students, especially at primary and middle levels, understand the interconnectedness of different life-forms, and makes them aware about their roles in environmental protection. Urban blue and green spaces are often the hotspots of biodiversity.
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The gamified tools on the biodiversity of these hotspots can help the local kids connect the buzzwords from their textbooks and syllabi to the nature itself.
Why Bhojtal?
Bhojtal is the official name for the Upper Lake (also known as Bada Talab, or Big Pond) in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, India. It's a large, artificial lake, famously believed to have been constructed by the Paramara King Bhoj in the 11th century. It's a critical resource for Bhopal, serving as a major source of drinking water for a significant portion of the city's residents.
Along with the adjacent Lower Lake, it forms the Bhoj Wetland, which is recognized as a Ramsar site of international importance due to its rich biodiversity. The wetland is very rich in biodiversity, supporting over 200 species of phytoplankton, around 100 species of zooplankton, more than 100 species of aquatic plants, around 40 fish species, and a significant number of insects, reptiles and amphibians. It is a haven for numerous bird species, both resident and migratory.
But Bhojtal faces significant threats to its biodiversity and overall health due to pollution from untreated sewage and domestic waste flowing directly into the lake from surrounding urban settlements, agricultural runoff, and habitat destruction and encroachment along the lake's fringes.