Poornesh MM

This Foundation Project implemented by IFA will engage first to fifth grade students of the Government Primary School, Banakal in Mudigere taluk, Chikkamagaluru district. This 15-month project, titled Kitakiyaachagina Keeta Vismaya (Wonders of Insects Beyond the Window), is an arts-integrated journey into the amazing and complex world of insects. This project uses art to illustrate the curriculum in science through the process of ‘seeing’ and ‘understanding’. Poornesh MM is the Project Coordinator for this project. 

Having 20 years of teaching experience, Poornesh is passionate about insects and constantly creates awareness about them to students and the community. He is also a photographer and a resource person at various trainings organised by the Department of State Educational Research and Training (DSERT) in engaging language and science curriculum. Given his experience, he is best placed to be the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project of IFA. 

K.P. Poornachandra Tejaswi is an eminent Kannada writer from Mudigere. His narratives invariably intertwine various facets that draw from his interest in nature. In his collections of short stories Parisarada Kathe, he affirms the critical value of ecological aesthetic to our lives. In the current context, there is a demand for an eco friendly environment that minimises conflicts between humans and animals, fostering growth and sustainable prosperity. Tejaswi's writings effectively bring these concerns to the forefront. Poornesh, inspired by his writings, aims to engage students to construct strong relations with the environment.

Engaging with the world of insects is an exciting and innovative aspect of this project. A unique collaboration between a teacher and students, it brings scientific and creative interests together in visualising insects from around the school. This collaboration provides a model for mutually beneficial science/art explorations in related fields. In this connection, children will also be introduced to insects by visiting the insect museum at Tejaswi Foundation in Kottigehara, near Mudigere. 

An important exploration in this project is the insects found in the green plants, trees and the banks of small flowing rivers around the school. Poornesh uses a list of amazing bug facts that are fascinating and builds knowledge of the wide variety of functions of insects. This project combines reading, writing, science and visual art in an authentic investigation. However, the focal point of this structure is not just limited to insects and also has the potential to integrate physical education, social studies, and more. Poornesh also plans to include information on insect environments, diet, predators and more.

Through this project, students work with strong cross-curricular content in science and art. Students also gain insights and experience in creative thought processes, a skill that is enormously important, but often overlooked in the classroom. They practise and learn visual literacy, exploration, reading and writing in this holistic project 

As a way to build visual awareness, students are introduced to a wide variety of examples of photographs of insects. Later, Poornesh will invite experts, poets, and writers to conduct workshops for students discussing, reading and writing about their observations. The observations will be transformed into stories, drawing, painting, clay modelling, storytelling and illustrations. Poornesh is planning to organise two exhibitions one in the school and another at a cluster resource centre in Kottigehara.

The outcome of the project will be an exhibition and a publication. The Project Coordinator’s deliverables to IFA along with the final report are the copies of the publication, photographs and the video documentation of the entire project.

This project suitably addresses the framework of IFA’s Arts Education programme in the manner in which it attempts to connect students and schools to the cultural knowledge of the local communities they live in. 

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens promptly and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project at midterm and document it through an Implementation Memorandum. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.