Schools all over India have transitioned from in-person classes to online classes due to the outbreak of Covid-19. The massive shift of the classroom environment has proved to be troublesome for a lot of people. Studying from home can be challenging. The lack of a classroom environment gives way to plenty of distractions. All of our schedules have suffered greatly due to the pandemic. This has shown the worst effect on students. Especially students in the crucial year of 7th grade. Learning in some subjects has suffered more than others, for example, science. Lack of hands-on learning greatly affects the whole learning experience. The gaps in learning are up to students to cover themselves. But don’t worry, that is exactly what we are here for.
Students may find themselves distracted by their pets, family members, friends, TV, phone, etc. Tech problems like connectivity issues are a hindrance to effective online learning. Staying at home, being cooped up in the same place for the whole day makes students unproductive and lazy. Students might not feel motivated enough to complete tasks. Anxiety levels are also high in students due to the fear of getting infected. Studying from home requires stronger willpower than usual to stay focused. Students’ adaptability has been challenged here and the tips provided here help you not go down without an equal fight.
Study plan
Having a schedule or routine to follow every day is something many of us take for granted. A study plan that is a good fit for you, is the need of the hour. The most important step in forming a timetable is realizing that each and every student is different and every one of them is trying to utilize their time in the best way possible. For some students, mornings are most productive, others evening. Some of them cannot keep an eye open after eating lunch while others find themselves full of energy. So we have to plan our day keeping our body and its needs in mind.
Since you are at home you also have other tasks like daily chores to include in your daily timetable as well. In hindsight, the pandemic gives a great opportunity to enhance your knowledge of science. All knowledge is at the tips of your fingers. There are more than enough online resources for NCERT solutions for class 7 which should be explored by you after online lectures.
Designated study area
The pandemic has also snatched away our distinction of a workspace from home. We sleep and sit for classes in the same bed, in the same clothes. In order to properly understand science class, you need utmost attention which is not possible when your study area is cluttered and filled with distractions. Avoid clutter, not more than one notebook for each subject is required, one stationary box and laptop are enough.
Make notes
Now, that you have cleared your desk space. It is important to take running notes during online classes and refer to them after class. With online and recorded classes it’s easier for you to make even more efficient notes. For you to learn and retain science, it is necessary to take notes. Highlighting important definitions in biology and ecology, using sticky notes to make things stand out in your notes, using different color pens and highlighters, writing down formulae and reactions on a separate sheet of paper for physics and chemistry, are some of the numerous ways notes can be taken down. Notes are your creative space. You can make this process enjoyable by maximizing your creativity. Use the fact of you being at home to your advantage and make your notes as interesting as possible. Draw cartoon animals and plants talking about the difference in their modes of nutrition. Tabulate acids, bases and salts. Keep a separate note for formulae and numericals. These notes will come in handy in the future before exams.
Physical Activity
In this pandemic, where people are forced to stay at home at all times, it is easy to fall into bad habits and ruin our health for ourselves. Exercising is as important as studying. Exercising helps with studying as it pumps fresh blood to our brain and muscles and rejuvenates our body and also builds immunity, as learned in Chapter 11 Transportation in Animals and Plants. You should plan a separate hour for going out, meeting friends while maintaining social distancing and following Covid-19 guidelines. Go out cycling, play football, observe nature, apply what science taught you about it. It is also necessary for everyone to practice breathing exercises to avoid falling prey to the virus.
Study techniques
The pandemic allows you to look for studying techniques apart from what is already taught.
One of them is where you time your tasks, like for example, study physics for 25 minutes and then give yourself a break for 5 minutes for scrolling through social media. This is a very famous time management method known as the Pomodoro technique. With this technique, you learn to break up complex tasks such as biology transportation into easily digestible bits like xylem and phloem. As you work you can increase your work time, with your break time increased as well and you will start to notice that you can focus for long hours in no time without giving into little distractions. You can make use of focus apps such as Forest, Nosili, Engross available on the play store to help you time tasks right. If not focus apps the default timer is also enough.
One more study technique that can be utilized is the mnemonic technique where you create mnemonics and abbreviations for things that you find difficult to remember. One example of a mnemonic device is “My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles” this is a mnemonic for planets of the solar system according to distance from the sun ( Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,everyTo and Neptune). Others such mnemonic or memory devices can be made by you to remember concepts easily.
There are plenty of quizzes, puzzles, crosswords, ncert solutions available online. Use them to make your learning process even more engaging.
Take care of yourself
Don’t forget to eat and get sufficient sleep. As Chapter 2 Nutrition in Animals has already taught you, your brain and body need fuel to function properly. You are more likely to get distracted on an empty stomach. Have healthy snacks while studying. Get 8-10 hours of proper sleep. Your brain and body needs proper rest to stay in top form. Eating healthy, sleeping early also builds your immunity which is essential in these trying times.
With these tips at your disposal, home studying not only becomes a bit easier but also fun and engaging. Whatever comes it may students will adapt to it. Good luck.
