How to Decorate Your Classroom Like an Indian Village
Decorations can turn a boring, structured classroom into an enthralling learning environment. Transforming a classroom into an Indian village will spark the students' imaginations and help inspire them to learn more about Indian culture. Decorations that engage all of the senses will allow students to experience the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures of India from the confines of their classroom. Such decorations are not difficult to create, but require a lot of creativity and effort.
Things You'll Need
- Burlap sacks
- Wooden trays
- Indian spices in bulk
- Grains in bulk
- Indian textiles
- Cardboard
- Straw
- Hot glue gun
- String
- Ceiling hooks
- White poster board
- Permanent marker
- Paper lanterns
- Indian music and speakers
Instructions
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Create an Indian market scene along one side wall of the classroom. Fill burlap sacks and wooden trays with grains and spices. Use real Indian spices so the classroom takes on the odors of a real Indian village. Hang plastic vegetables and fruit such as peppers and bananas from hooks on the walls. Fill barrels with fake lemons and limes. Fill a bookshelf with many vibrant Indian textiles and hang a few across the wall.
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Build a faux thatched roof awning to extend over the Indian market area. Using a hot glue gun, attach straw to a long rectangular piece of cardboard (perhaps a broken-down refrigerator box). Staple the edge of the awning to the wall above the market scene. Secure the corners of the awning by attaching clear string to each and looping the string onto hooks in the ceiling.
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Make road signs for the names of famous Indian cities such as Mumbai and New Delhi. Use thick white poster board and a permanent marker. Write the names in Hindi with the English translations underneath. Place the signs around the classroom so they appear to be pointing in various directions.
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String a variety of paper lanterns across the classroom. Choose lanterns in deep reds, oranges and yellows. Use the lanterns as the classroom's primary source of lighting when possible.
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Play traditional Indian music lightly throughout the day. This will subtly transport the students to an imaginary Indian village and make your lessons seem more relevant and inspiring.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
