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Tactile Geology Workshop: Exploring Earth’s Story at The Doon School

Students examining fossils during the Tactile Geology Workshop at The Doon School.

What if Theia never collided with Earth? Could we create our own rocks? What creatures today might become fossils in the future? These were just some of the exciting questions raised by students during the Tactile Geography Workshop at The Doon School’s Young Creators Programme—a session designed to make geology and geography a hands-on experience.

Discovering Earth Through the Tactile Geology Workshop

We all study fossils, landscapes, and Earth’s history in textbooks. But how much do we actually remember? Studies show that learning by lecture has only a 5% retention rate, while learning through touch and experience reaches 75%. The Tactile Geology Workshop at The Doon School transformed geography into an interactive, immersive adventure, making Earth’s evolution, terrain, and forces come alive.

Led by Dr. Swapnamita Choudhary, a geologist from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, students explored Earth’s formation, structure, and natural forces through real fossils and hands-on activities.

Students debating and learning potential future index fossils during the geology workshop

Exploring Earth’s Evolution: Tactile Learning in Action

Students traced Earth’s geological timeline, from its molten beginnings 4.6 billion years ago to its collision with Theia, which formed the Moon and tilted Earth’s axis. This shift still influences seasons, tides, and climate today.

With real fossils in hand, they studied the earliest life forms—cyanobacteria, ammonites, and ancient elephant ancestors. These tactile experiences helped them connect with Earth’s past in a way that no textbook can.

The Hands-On Science Behind Earth’s Structure

Through interactive rock classification, students learned to identify igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Working in teams, they analyzed texture, grain size, and transformation processes, making the study of geography and geology a tactile experience.

A discussion on plate tectonics followed, where students discovered how mantle convection moves continents and creates mountain ranges like the Himalayas.

Fossil Debates and Future Discoveries


A lively debate emerged on which animals today might become future fossils. Would it be cockroaches, whales, or even humans? This sparked critical thinking about Earth’s long-term evolution.

A hands-on rock classification activity at the Earthlab Science Club’s geology workshop

Why the Tactile Geology Workshop Made an Impact

The highlight? Handling million-year-old fossils—a moment that deepened students’ curiosity about Earth’s history. They later watched a 3D film on the Origins of Life to extend their learning, linking geology, geography, and astronomy.

The Tactile Geology Workshop—curated by Earthlab Club—did more than teach geography. It immersed students in discovery, inspiring them to explore Earth’s past, present, and future through touch, observation, and debate.

Dr. Swapnamita Choudhary guiding students through Earth’s geological timeline.

Workshops like the tactile geology workshop, curated by Earthlab Club, create immersive, hands-on experiences that go beyond rote learning, leaving a lasting impact on young minds. By blending exploration, experimentation, and storytelling, Earthlab Club ensures that students gain a deeper understanding of the world around them, making science informative, exciting and memorable.

To learn more about Earthlab and our workshops, reach out to us at info@earthlab.club or WhatsApp us at 9997014663.

   

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Lab Logs

Why Experiential Learning is the Future of Education!

Discover Experiential Learning with Earthlab’s Workshops!

Imagine a child’s eyes lighting up as they watch the world turn upside down in a room transformed into a camera obscura. They then go on to build their own pinhole camera with a phone box and, in a darkened room, experience the magic of developing negatives and positives of the images they captured. These are not just fun experiments; they are profound experiences that connect curiosity with creativity, turning fleeting moments into lasting skills. At Earthlab Club, this isn’t just an experiment—it’s the foundation of our philosophy. We believe that learning happens best when students actively do, feel, and connect. Known as experiential learning, this approach nurtures intellectual, emotional, and social growth in ways that traditional methods often overlook.

In today’s digital age, where children encounter screens as early as two months old and attention spans seem to shrink daily, experiential learning offers a vital counterbalance. Research paints a concerning picture: excessive screen exposure in children is linked to weakened concentration, reduced focus, and declining academic performance. Adolescents, in particular, face the growing challenges of indiscipline and poor learning outcomes tied to prolonged smartphone use. The ASER 2023 survey revealed that one in four adolescents struggles to read a Grade 2-level text fluently—a worrying decline over the years.

These challenges call for an education model that goes beyond rote memorization and passive instruction. Learning must be deeply engaging, relevant, and connected to the real world. Experiential learning answers this call. By engaging multiple senses, fostering curiosity, and linking knowledge to practical applications, it addresses the gaps left by conventional methods. The emphasis placed on experiential education by India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 highlights its critical role in preparing students for the complexities of the future.

A rhetoric workshop with Earthlab Club where students learned the art of storytelling and crafted a few themselves.

At Earthlab Club, we amplify this approach by weaving insights from neuroscience into our programs, aligning learning experiences with how the brain naturally learns. Activities like designing pinhole cameras, composing original songs, building paper speakers, enacting their own stories, or creating their own podcasts tap into the brain’s ability to adapt and grow through new experiences—a concept known as neuroplasticity. When students actively engage with the world around them, they stimulate critical areas of the brain, enhancing memory, processing skills, and creativity.

We believe that education flourishes when it is both immersive and personal. At Earthlab, students connect—not just with the concepts they’re learning, but with their peers and mentors in meaningful, collaborative ways. This connection fosters a sense of belonging, encouraging students to learn from and with each other.

The creative process, too, lies at the heart of learning. Building, experimenting, and exploring teach children not only problem-solving but also the patience and persistence that underlie innovation. Whether crafting a story or designing a solution, the act of creation builds skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

And finally, there is communication. At Earthlab, we emphasize reflection and self-expression, giving students the tools to articulate their insights and ask better questions. By closing the loop through thoughtful inquiry, we ensure that learning isn’t just absorbed—it transforms into action.

This holistic approach wouldn’t be possible without collaboration. We work with experts from diverse fields—science, design, communication, technology, nature, and astronomy—to craft workshops and programs that are as inspiring as they are educational. Our partnerships with schools like The Doon School, Dehradun Hills Academy, and Tonsbridge School bring these experiences to life, ensuring students leave not just with knowledge but with the skills and mindsets they’ll need to thrive.

As parents and educators, we all want children to grow—not just academically, but as confident, curious individuals who can navigate an ever-changing world. Experiential learning is more than an effective teaching method; it’s a way of equipping young minds with the tools to think critically, collaborate meaningfully, and adapt to new challenges.

At Earthlab Club, a dedicated space at Jakhan in Rajpur Road, Dehradun, we’re not just reimagining what education looks like; we’re reimagining what it can do. Whether you’re a parent seeking transformative experiences for your child or an educator looking to inspire your students, we invite you to join us.

Let’s turn curiosity into capability, and education into an unforgettable journey. Together, we can revolutionize learning—one story, one experiment, and one connection at a time.

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Lab Logs

How Earthlab Science Club Gives Hands-On Learning About Subjects

Students understand scientific theories in real life through Earthlab’s hands-on workshop.

 

Imagine a group of children gathered around, working on a simple project of building their own paper speakers. As they coil copper wires and connect circuits, something goes wrong and the sound doesn’t play. Instead of giving up on their project entirely, the children trace the issue back to a broken copper wire and start re-coiling it. This moment of discovery, problem-solving, and teamwork isn’t just an imaginary scenario. This is a real-life instance from one of Earthlab’s science workshops, a living proof that children are naturally curious, inquisitive, and unafraid of hard work. However, these qualities often fade when learning becomes confined to rote memorization and rigid structures. To truly understand, enjoy, and keep up with science and its real-world applications, children need immersive, hands-on experiences. Earthlab Club based in Dehradun, has integrated all of these factors and aims to provide students with transformative learning experiences; it is a dedicated learning space where experiential learning is at the core of designing its workshops and activities. Our approach integrates play and experimentation to make complex concepts more accessible and enjoyable.

Would children learning in a conventional classroom question what happens if a copper wire is broken and find a solution to the speaker’s inability to work? Traditional learning methods often prioritize written tests and memorized formulae over activity-oriented exploration, leaving little room for experimentation and discovery. Research consistently shows that the retention rate of lecture-based learning is only about 5%, whereas learning by doing and practicing goes up to 75%. Hence, Earthlab has partnered up with Clifford Prince, who is currently a research scholar at the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, ISRO to lead and guide the STEM workshops that have been organized; together we are creating and curating a solution to rekindle curiosity in young minds using experiential learning. Rooted in constructivist theory, this approach emphasizes on context-specific learning and includes problem-based learning, project-based learning, activity-oriented learning, and  students form their understanding by engaging with real-life, meaningful issues.

Students learning about basic scientific concepts in Earthlab’s STEM 101 workshop.

Studies show that children learn better in learner-centered environments, where they actively engage by doing and seeing rather than just listening, aligning perfectly with the “do-it-yourself” principle where students can see, touch, and manipulate objects. Unlike traditional teaching, activity-oriented learning allows students to understand concepts while practicing skills and working on interconnected disciplines simultaneously. This not only nurtures creativity but also cultivates an interest in subjects that many students fear or find challenging which is the driving factor behind the fact that Earthlab has worked along with several schools such as TonsBridge Residential School, The Doon School, and others to create a range of immersive experiences focused on building, creating, and experimenting. These workshops blend creativity, science, and fun, tapping into the wow factor for students.

Expert-led workshops and masterclasses will ensure students receive the best training and exposure.At Earthlab the activities and workshops curated are authentic, meaningful, and connected to real-world contexts while also going hand-in-hand with students’ syllabus. For instance, in our STEM 101 workshop, students through hands-on experience, learned and mastered the basics of measuring quantities such as length, mass, and temperature using standard and advanced measurement instruments. Similarly, in one of the workshops organized by Earthlab Science Club the students learned how to measure the atmospheric humidity using a hygrometer and also learned how to measure pH using pH paper providing a focus on chemistry and earth sciences. If in one of the Earthlab’s workshop students are learning the principles of electromagnetic induction and green energy through The Windmill Making where they gain invaluable skills related to scientific principles and project construction, on the other hand Earthlab’s Science Club creates learning experience that is focused on Building Paper Speakers, where students use everyday materials to dive deep into the concepts of sound and sound waves.  The hands-on focused learning is also forwarded in the Earthlab’s Young Creators Summer Program where students aged 8-16 years were provided with tailored learning experiences, as they explored the fascinating world of light waves and sound waves, the  students were provided with the tools to collect information, analyse evidence, and engage with constructive feedback and critique from friendly experts, allowing them to refine their work and giving them an active voice in their learning journey.

Paper speakers made by Doon School students.

Earthlab’s Science Club builds on the ability to provide tactile learning, where the learners are provided with various tools and setups to make, build, create and experiment. This follows the pathway of building trust and responsibility, while also teaching them how to handle and use several tools and objects with care. In one workshop the students explored the properties of electromagnetic radiation and light waves, and learned about reflection, refraction, and magnification through the use of laser, they also learned about principles behind ancient optical device using Camera Obscura,  in another one of our workshops, they have also used protractors and other tools to study the laws of optics. The students have worked with tools like microscopes, magnets, motors etc. all done under the guidance and keen observational eye of our in-field STEM expert. These activities and workshops are entirely hands-on and project-based learning experiences where students work as collaborative team members, putting their classroom theories to the test while also understanding the importance of experimentation and creation.

Science and Astronomy workshop at The Doon School, Dehradun.

Earthlab encourages students to participate in goal-oriented learning, building knowledge through exploration and problem-solving. Beyond scientific concepts, Earthlab also strives to nurture skills such as communication, confidence, critical thinking, teamwork and empathy by making them work in teams and individually, preparing them for challenges beyond the classroom. Our aim is to turn learning into an adventure. It is always heart-warming to hear and experience students going through a transformation with every single one of these experiences, who wouldn’t enjoy reading reviews like ‘copper is not bronze’, or ‘that making a speaker is not that challenging’ at the end of every workshop. By making learning fun and engaging through the experiential learning process, the Earthlab Science Club equips students with a lifelong curiosity and joy for discovery, empowering the creators of tomorrow.

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Lab Logs

Empowering Voices: Earthlab’s Theatre Club

In a world filled with screens and distractions, the need for avenues of authentic expression and creativity has never been more pronounced. Enter Earthlab’s Theatre Club, a space where children can immerse themselves in the transformative power of theatre. 


In this nurturing environment, they are encouraged to unlock their imaginations, build confidence, and develop invaluable communication skills that extend far beyond the confines of the stage. Our club offers children an exciting journey into the world of theatre, where they can explore, express, and ignite their passion for storytelling. Led by experts, our activities are designed to nurture confidence and unleash the storytelling prowess of young minds.


Theatre in Education:

Theatre is not just entertainment; it’s a powerful educational tool. In our club, children engage in immersive experiences that go beyond traditional learning. Through role-playing, improvisation, and script analysis, they delve into complex themes, develop empathy, and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.


Children’s Theatre:

We believe in the magic of children’s theatre, where young performers shine. In our club, children explore the art of performance, honing their acting skills and discovering their unique voices. From creating characters to rehearsing scenes, they unleash their creativity in a supportive environment.


Creative Dramatics:

Creative dramatics is at the heart of our Theatre Club, offering children a platform to express themselves freely. Through games, exercises, and improvisation, they learn to think on their feet, collaborate, and overcome stage fright. They discover the joy of storytelling, turning ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences.


Fostering Imagination and Confidence:

In our Theatre Club, children dream big and embrace their inner storytellers. Through expert-led activities, they develop confidence, trust their instincts, and take risks in a safe environment. They learn to communicate with clarity, conviction, and creativity, empowering them on and off the stage.


Cultivating Storytelling Skills:

At Earthlab’s Theatre Club, storytelling is about connecting with audiences and evoking emotions. Through script reading, character development, and performance techniques, children captivate audiences with their storytelling prowess. They explore language, gesture, and expression, bringing stories to life on stage.


Theatre is a journey of self-discovery, collaboration, and transformation – and at Earthlab’s Theatre Club, children are at the heart of it all. Join us on an adventure of imagination and creativity, where every moment is an opportunity to shine. Let’s unleash the storytellers within and inspire the world with our tales of wonder and magic.


Join us as we discover the magic of storytelling and unleash the creative potential within each and every child.


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Lab Logs

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