Project Day

The tastefully decorated entrance built in the anticipation for all those who entered the room. There were big models which showed fruits, vegetables and the seeds inside them. Actual seeds were also on display which was followed by description of germination. Hearing about germination from the tiny tots, along with edible parts of different plants, uses of plants and trees was really great.

The walls and the centre piece artistically picturized all the salient features of the seasons and the young ones explained them well. The entire room could have been used as a photo booth, each wall, each display vying with each other for praise.

Children usually listen to stories narrated by their parents, grandparents or teachers. This time we had the little ones from Senior KG sweetly telling us a few. The attractively created backdrops, with 3 D effect enhanced the story in the minds of the visitors. The centre piece had the characters from the stories. Children were divided into groups and the related the story picking up the thread from their previous partner. One could see the visitors taking photos of their children in front of each story portrayal. The stories were: The Selfish Giant, The Frog Prince, The Little Fir Tree, Little Red Riding Hood, Ask Mr. Bear. The class room mobiles included many important items/characters from each story – like castle, frog prince.

One of the most common topics of today is pollution. But it is an entirely new concept for Class 1 and it did not deter them from explaining the whole scenario with carefully formed statements. The centre model conveyed a strong message “Say No To Plastics”. It showed a big globe with examples of decomposable and non-degradable products. They not only had models on almost all kinds – Vehicular, Land, Water, Thermal, Soil, Air, Light, Visual pollution, the children explained these with examples. They enlightened us about their causes, the effect on us/environment and had even come out with solutions in some cases.

Classes 2 and 3 took us through a journey of our body and the environment. Though the entrance may have given you a false note that you were entering the world of medicine, once one crosses the threshold there were in for a feast to learn facts on various topics from human body to protecting the environment. Their message was loud and clear when the centre piece was about saving planet earth. They had a model of all the important organs of our body. As safety measures are vital in this age, a couple of models were on prevention of accidents on roads. The road was shown in another model where sensors were placed on strategic points which when activated by the passage of vehicles will switch on the next street lamp. Other working models included drip water irrigation, solar power irrigation, waste water treatment plant and a windmill producing power for the house nearby. Non working models like structure of DNA, Rain water harvesting; Photosynthesis, Day and night, Sewage Treatment Plant, etc. were equally appreciated. Their take home – a sapling inside a tender coconut was very innovative.

One was welcomed into this room with a beautifully designed maze and human face on the door with the help of geometric shapes. A person with mathemaphobia may have had some trepidation in entering this room, but the choice of topics with visually pleasing charts and models would put anxiety to rest. The activities held the interests of the visitors. They included calculating the age, shadow triangle, finding the day of any date, among others. Mathematics in real life showed building with such architectural designs, like the Burj Khalifa. Other models were of Geodesic Dome, String art, Geometrical city, Fibonacci series, Pascal triangle, Ramanujam number, etc. There were a few working models too like Pythagoras theorem, Tesla 3-6-9. The Centre piece was a huge display of BMI and the photo-booth, concentric circles, was strategically placed near it.

English Department welcomed one and all into their library, through their door chart. Their main message of the room was ‘The Importance of Reading Books”. They set up a shelf at the entrance of the room where various dailies and weeklies were spread out. People were seen browsing through them as they passed by. The centre piece which also served as photo booth had a tree shelf with small children books. A couple of bean bags and pillows were spread out. Children enjoyed reading the stories and take pictures. One backdrop gave details of some eminent authors and poets. Grammar, which included parts of speech, rhyming words, prefix-suffix, compound words, tenses, was presented in a very interactive manner. But that was not all. All time favourites Alice in Wonderland, Gulliver’s travels, Treasure island and Harry Potter were depicted in the form of models supplemented by explanation and charts at the background. The charts had the story board, details about the author, characters and other related stories. Character sketch of Geronimo Stilton, Armando Salazar, Poetry Analysis of “The Poison Tree” and Book Review of “Percy Jackson – The Lightning Thief” were also on display.

Tamil Department showcased the language in a very spirited form. Their efforts had a lot of appreciation as the visitors could visualize what was being depicted and they could relate to it. All the five land forms Kurunji, Mullai, Marutham, Neithal, Paalai were very intrinsically depicted. Even minute details were not ignored. Their centre piece represented the village life, the main backbone of the country. Scenes from epics adorned the walls along with the life in Tamil Nadu (both past and present). Important personalities like Avvayyar, Bharathidasan, Bharathiyar were covered. Famous works like Thirukkural found their way too. Famous scenes from the life of some famous kings like Karikala Cholan were showcased. Even though medicine has grown in leaps and bounds, home remedy and Tamil medicine has not lost its popularity for various reasons and information was given about “Nattu Maruthuvam” too. Some models like the Thanjavur Temple had the adults giving a second look.

Our National language Hindi shared its show space with our ancient language Sanskrit. Apart from the grammar topics they had charts and models regarding ancient, old poets in Hindi Literature. Some of the famous relics and epics were also on display. The importance of Sanskrit and Hindi in various dialects was neatly shown. Stories connected to patriotism towards our nation and respect towards our teachers was also selected. The centre piece had all the national symbols of India.

Class 6 students were involved in this category. Their working models were exquisite as they were complemented with excellent explanation. Keeping in mind the water scarcity faced by the city there was a water indicator system to indicate the levels in our tanks. Other models included motion based door opener, fire and gas avoider system, Health monitoring system, Automatic visitor counter, Automatic waste segregation system, etc. Models were also done on Smart road safety systems, voice/vibration controlled systems and those that can be controlled using Android phones. Some of these models were accompanied by the circuit diagrams as well. Each model was coupled with a good explanation which included the working procedure, Principles, Applications, Sensors used, Advantages (and sometimes disadvantages as well) of the system, importance of safety, and the compatibility in today’s world. The centre piece enlightened us regarding the old and new technologies.

Classes 7 to 9 were involved in this project, which had on display several working models. The Entrance was decorated in such a way that you knew that you had entered the world of Engineering. Easy-to-understand explanations of how hydraulics powers diggers, cranes, lifts and bridges had the parents listening attentively. In this age of pollution one would really love to have a smoke absorber like the one created by the children. How is a rocket launched? How is the machine moved to change the direction of the missiles? Well, this was beautifully explained with the help of a working model. Other exhibits included: pneumatic machine, robotic arm, siege engine, propeller car, turbines etc. Their centre piece was a model of a smart city. Photo booth had a submarine and several marine creatures with a scuba driver at the background. One could see children waiting for their turns for a click. The backdrops and the mobiles made one wonder whether they had entered a real Engineering capsule.

Students from our school have the privilege to pursue their passion in robotics as an after-school activity. Along with their trainer they get to exhibit their skills during the Project Day too. The visitors were welcomed into the room by a humanoid. All the models on display were working and they were strengthened by descriptive explanation. Their working models included 3-level transmission system, object avoidance robot, robotic arm, movable fork lift, blind stick, prosthetic robotic hand, automatic water sprinkler, etc. The main attraction for the children and adult alike was the game where the planets were to be placed on their right orbit by a robot.

San Academy has a very sincere set of students in Scouts and Guides and they very diligently take part in all the events that come their way. In their room they set up a tent and the visitors could visualize the experience they get while camping out. The entrance had two huge paintings of a scout and guide with their motto. After a thorough survey of the charts and models, everyone could realize what being a scout or a guide means. There was a detailed explanation of the journey a child takes from the age of 3 to 15 and the various tests that they would undertake. Various memorabilia were on display too. Also as exhibits in that room was various art and craft items that were made by the teacher and the students.

The entrance and the lobby gave the general idea to the visitors on what they could expect when they visited the classrooms. A cultural event was held for the visitors twice a day, to give an introduction of the theme, by each category.

“Curiosity is a delicate little plant that, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom.” - Albert Einstein

“ÉUREKA 2022”, conducted on December 16th and 17th, at San Academy Kamakoti Nagar, gave the opportunity to give wings to the students’ imagination and bring forth ideas to present in the form of models and charts. It was an engaging event for students with quick learning opportunities & interactive approach in propagating knowledge.

The theme for the Nursery and Kindergarten level was “Fitness Fun Via Fundamental Movements”. They had conveyed the message that Fitness Fun is about being healthy, feeling good about oneself, and having a lot of fun. Their theme was in turn divided as Non Locomotor Skills, Locomotor Skills and Object Control Skills. The students had logically explained various means to maintain robust health. The topics displayed around the room depicted outdoor games, individual activities, exercises, gymnasiums, etc. They analysed healthy food habits and dealt on routines that are needed to keep a body fit. They even held several games and recreational activities which enabled them to use different body parts for various skills. The students competently participated in all the tasks conducted. Their Chief Guest for the day was Dr. S. Sivabalan, Founder & Chief Physiotherapist, Bee Health Studio & Bee Physio life Research Institute of India.

Classes 1 and above explored the theme “Earth to Space”. The students were divided according to the subjects. Each subject was allotted two rooms. In addition there was also Robotics, Scouts and Guides and Art. Each subject investigated topics that were relevant to the theme and their subject, thus ensuring that though some of the models were on display in each room, the content that was traversed was different. The central theme was showcased with different perspective making the rooms unique in their own way.

The students used their critical thinking and were able to provide visual representation of abstract concepts like space archeology, space architecture, animals and plants in space, likelihood of aliens and a reading library in space. Several factors were examined to delve into the possibility of life in other planets. Though a few topics like ISRO, NASA, Robots, Aliens, Space-Ship, Space suit, Phases of the moon, Chandrayaan, Contribution of Aryabhatta in Astronomy, Mission to Mars - Mangalayan project, Space Stations, all kinds of satellites were exhibited in almost every room, the sub topic was different.

The English Department had story telling with various imaginative ideas, intricately made cartoons, innovative puppet shows that involved aliens and robots, they even enacted imaginary interviews, had a role play on “What do Astronauts do in space?”, created poems (including Acrostic), predicting end to stories, fabricated a Jurassic Park in Mars, they had several entertaining puzzles for the parents too. Their Space library not only had abundant facts which piqued the interest of others but it also guided the audience through the astronomer’s view of the Earth, Space Race, the study of Earth from space, Space as seen through a child’s mind, Space in Literature and entertainment industry, to evaluate how time travel is done in books and introduced many books and authors to the visitors who were spellbound by the diversity in the concepts.

The Math department wowed one and all when they calculated the mass of willing participants in all other planets. They described geometrical shapes using space objects, explained the designing of spaceships and space suits, the relation between Planetary temperature and their distances from the Sun. The students’ attention to details and fascination with space could be seen in their designing a mathematical city. Models depicted speed of light from sun to other planets and the distance between the planets and the sun, the different angles formed by the sun's ray with the latitude and its effect on earth. Mathematical formulae were used to calculate area and perimeter of land using satellite view. Explicit explanation was rendered on angles used in rocket trajectory and the speed of the rocket to reach Moon, Mars and Earth's orbit. Some of the other topics were different time zones on Earth and on other Planets, Distance of different layers from Earth to space, Alien java and volcanoes- Olympus mon and Tessellation on Earth. Space debris, India's missiles, and Constellations- stars pattern were also explained.

The Science Department enthralled their visitors with working models both in science and robotics. They expounded curiosity by illustrating various application of Earth and Space Science to everyday life. Most of their models were either working or in semi-working state. Many enjoyed looking through the telescope, and were captivated by the working models of LVM3-M2 rocket, Solar Tracker Using Light-Dependent Resistor using Arduino, Smart irrigation System with soil Moisture Sensor and DC Water Pump, Satellites and communication, Big Bang to current epoch, Phases of the moon and Radiometer. Their model on Magnetar was exemplified by explanation. Their non-working models on Rock cycle, Water cycle, Tardigrades, Regoliths, Alien plants. Weather balloon, Solar Panels in space craft were equally appreciated

On the Robotics Front we had the Self Drive Rover in Space (Obstacle Avoider), using ultrasonic sensor, Bluetooth controlled robotic car and Robotic Arm using servos proved to be a crowd puller. Their working models was exquisite as they were complemented with excellent explanation. Some of their models involved using Android phone for various functions.

The Social Science Department enlightened their audience on Space Shuttles, which included their launching and the changes that take place during a launch. They described the Volcanoes in Earth and Mars, demonstrated Rotation and Revolution, Seasons, illustrated how Eclipse occurs, minerals available in Earth and Space, and about the first human to go to space as a tourist. They also outlined about the structure and formation of Earth. Layers of the atmosphere. Deep space atomic clock vs earth clock Human food in space craft and Earth Comparison of craters in earth ,moon and other planets, Impact of Indian satellite on agriculture. Stephen Hawking space inventions Changing Angles and Changing Tides How are satellites used in archaeology Celestial bodies in Navigation To learn the different angles formed by the sun's ray with the latitude and its effect on earth. To gain knowledge about the summer & winter solstice.

Languages touched on all important topics. Art room had diverse exhibits by our students. The Scouts, Guides, Cubs and Bulbuls walked through their activities.

A cultural event was held for the visitors, to give an introduction of the theme in the form of dance, mime, song, skit and villu pattu.

Each class decorated their rooms, the corridors, the doors, ceilings (with classroom mobiles) on their chosen themes. The walls were not far behind, with charts prepared by the students and thematic backgrounds by the teachers, which added colour to the display. One of the main attractions was the centre piece which ranged from Space Station, Rockets, Earth and it’s satellites, Mars with Self-Drive Rover. On display were also the scrap books and worksheets made by students.

Parents and visitors keenly interacted with students who exuded confidence while explaining to them about the various projects and activities that were on display. The Chief Guest of the Day was Dr. R. Santhanakrishnan, a Professor in the School of Aeronautical Sciences at Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science.

It was a mass participation with working and static models based on their respective themes. Every single inch of space in the class rooms was utilized by the students and teachers. The entire bonanza was a treat to our eyes, which simulated our brains. The visitors would have garnered some information from the eager students.

This was a perfect example of inspiration and igniting minds to explore the world.