Did you know that a Fibonacci sequence can be found in a sunflower, albeit in a spiral? Do you know why bees build their combs in hexagons rather than squares or circles? Did you know that people associated gods and temples with certain tree species so that their sanctity would save them from being cut? Did you know that the Mettur Dam, built in 1934, is one of the oldest in the country?
If you had attended “Environex 2011” organised by S.B.O.A. School & Junior College, Anna Nagar, you would have come out smarter. The three-day arts and science exhibition held within the school campus featured over 60 pavilions put up by students from kindergarten to Std XI all focusing on the environment. The pavilions ranged from general ones like types of weather, habitats, agricultural practices, animals and plants by the younger children.
Meanwhile, the older ones were charged with enlightening the visitors with wider aspects of our environment linking them to the different subjects.
For example, the pavilion by the Tamil department had an exhibit on the 99 flowers found in Tamil Nadu as described in the classical song “Kurinji paatu”. The maths department had enthusiastic children explaining concepts like fractal geometry found in nature and how continuous wars at Pisa, Italy, led to the sub and top soil getting unstable and hence causing the Tower of Pisa to become the “Leaning” Tower of Pisa. The maths in its inclination and the calculations used in its restoration were also explained. The chemistry department got innovative and powered a rocket using fluid pressure, in this case – water. It was quite a spectacle.
Amidst this, one wondered what the French department had to put on display. But they did! Among other exhibits, they had a model of a self-sustaining eco-friendly house. Why? Because the French government offers tax discounts to citizens who have such houses.
Activities
One of the pavilions even had dancing papers — students in paper costumes — singing and dancing about the need to recycle and to do away with polythene. “Save our nature, save our future…” they sang dramatically. These were just a sample of what the 60-odd pavilions had for the visitors. The fact that Environex 2011 was completely student-driven was proven by the fact that even its logo (in pic) was designed by a student of the school — Rahul Selvan of Std VI.
“This is an opportunity to bring out the talent of our students. There is a need to create awareness about the environment we live in and why and how we need to protect it,” said Mrs. Selvarani, Principal, S.B.O.A. School & Junior College.
