The module will introduce the participants or students to Animal shelters, their forms, needs, and purpose through the presented videos. The module will also develop on these factors to introduce or discuss how natural buildings are obviously a sustainable choice.
Most of the narrative content from On Nature’s Duty is presented in dual languages to facilitate understanding in diverse regional contexts.
Videos to be shown/ presented
Mud Dauber
Spiders: the ultimate web designers/ मकड़ियों की जबरदस्त वेब डिजाइनिंग
Devoted Hornbill couple
Yellow backed Spiny orb weaver/ येलो बैकेद सप्यनी ओर्ब वीवर (2.30- 5.30 mins)
चाड़-प्वाथों दुणी में मैंसों दखल | उत्तराखंड की नेचर डॉक्यूमेंट्री फिल्म (2.30- 5.30 mins)
Note to the facilitators.
The facilitator can adapt these resources to their sessions. Stressing the points below directs the session towards the subject of the module.
In general, young students are amused by the visuals and lose track of the narrative. A couple of nudges or prompts might wire their concentration to the audio.
It is a good practice to follow facilitation that is inquiry-based, interactive, and encourages the students to question and explore.
Points for the facilitators to highlight during the session
- Discuss the purpose of and the need for a shelter. The differences that arise for each being.
- Different forms of animal shelters or homes. Important points that wildlife and other animals consider before choosing or building their homes
- The effort that goes into building these structures. Their sturdiness, space, limitations, and plus points.
- Sharing and highlighting the part of coexistence and harmony. Discussing the practicality of it.
- Cautions that need to be exercised around insects, invertebrates, reptiles, or other animals.
- Who builds the homes/ nest/shelter? Partnering, parenting, and the mutual efforts in the process.
Introducing Human-made structures inspired by natural ones
Draw out the commonalities and differences between animal-made, human-made shelters, natural, traditional, and modern structures.
When discussing housing, note that students in rural settings are generally familiar with traditional structures built from earth, straw, stones, or similar materials. Use this as a starting point for a comparison with other shelter forms.
In an urban/semi-urban/ peri-urban set-up, unlike rural participants, they may need an introduction with examples of natural forms of building.
Participants must be guided towards a discussion on the environmental impacts and footprint of the modern automated architecture. Develop it further to introduce the energy-efficient, non-polluting/ contaminating models inspired by the rest of nature.