Episode

Topic

Theme

1

The Earth:

Our Home Planet

- Origins

- From crust to core

- Formation of  Oceans,

  Continents,  Atmosphere

- Origins of Life

- Lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere – definitions and their interdependence

2

Life on Earth

- Evolution of life on Earth began 4.2 billion years ago

- Evidence of  algae  producing making Earth’s atmosphere oxygen rich 2.7 billion years ago

- A brief description of evolution of life on Earth from pre-Cambrian to neogene period

3

The World of Plants

- Different species of flora in different geographical conditions : Tropical, high latitudes, mountainous, domesticated plants etc 

4

The World of Animals

- Different species of fauna in different geographical conditions : Tropical, high latitudes, mountainous etc 

- Domesticated and wild animals

5

The Food Chain and Food Webs

- The interdependence of animals and plants

- Photosynthesis and CO₂  cycle

- Food Chain : how one organism depends on another for its energy requirements and existence

- Microbes and their importance

- Food chain imperative for equilibrium among the living species

Episode

Topic

Theme

6

Forests: Himalayan Region, NE and Himachal, Vindhyas,  Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka,  Orissa, Saurashtra,  and other regions

- What are forests?

- How these differ from each other

- Flora and Fauna

- Asiatic Lion, one- horned rhino, tiger

- Our vanishing wildlife

7

Importance and Uses of Forests

- Importance of forests: socially, economically and ecologically

- Forests help in soil formation and prevent soil erosion

- Help in Carbon sequestering

- Maintain water table

- Shifting cultivation and their effects

- Medicinal plants

8

Human beings – The Dominant species

- Humans and agriculture

- Human migration & migration patterns

- How human beings came to be the dominant species

- How human beings can and do disturb the delicate ecological balance

9

Soil and agricultural lands

- Soil is the living skin of the Earth

- Interaction between soil, biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere

- Soils are integral to climate, water cycle, waste and nutrient cycles and erosion

- Dominant soils of India

10

Agriculture

- Soil management: fertilizer, drainage, irrigation, pesticides

- Significance of Water

- Green Revolution: its success and failure

- Production, Storage and Distribution

- Water could become hazard or resource

- We need “second” Green revolution: How could it br made possible?

-  GM varieties

11

River Systems

- Major River Systems of India (Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Godavari, Cauveri)

- How major civilizations developed in the river valleys

- Over-extraction of water

- Dams and how they change ecology, cause displacement of people

- Pollution of rivers

- Ganga, Yamuna, Damodar, Periyar action plans

Episode

Topic

Theme

12

Ground Water

- Ground water: How does it get into ground?

- Used for irrigation and drinking purposes

-  Over-extraction and precariously falling water table

- How ground water gets polluted, F an As contamination

- Recharging aquifers

13

Our Coastlines

- about 21 per cent of human population lives within 30 kms of coast line

- coral reefs

- Western coastline (Arabian Sea) and Eastern Coast (Bay of Bengal)

- Variety of Sea life

- Sea food / Fishing

- Shipping and trade

- Oil and natural gas (Bombay High)

- Floods, Cyclones, Tsunami

14

Mangroves

- A delicate coastal ecosystem

- Can withstand higher salinity

- Rich in biodiversity

- resist inflow of sea water during cyclones, tsunami

- Sundarbans, Tamilnadu coast

15

Islands: Threatened

Ecosystems

- An independent ecosystem

- Andaman and Nicobar Islands and its flora and fauna

- Laccadive Islands

16

Wetlands

- Important for water conservation

- Rich in biodiversity, birds, reptiles, and vegetation

- migratory birds

- Keoladeo, Nal Sarovar buzz with birds

- Fresh Water Lake systems: their importance

 Ex. Dal, Loktak, Bara Pani

- Brackish Water lake system: Chilka and its unique ecosystem

17

Mountains and Mountain Ranges

- Rich in biodiversity and natural resources

- Flora and fauna that adapts to higher altitudes

- Orography affects climatic pattern

- Sources of rivers

- medicinal plants

- Himalayan Range,  Western Ghats and  Aravali range

Episode

Topic

Theme

18

Deserts

- Deserts Definition: How were they formed

- Well known deserts of the world (Sahara, Kalahari, Thar desert, Rann of Kachchh)

- Desert (hot): Their ecology, vegetation, and animals. Camel – a hardy desert animal

- Desert (cold) Ex. Laddakh

19

The Seas and the Continents

- Seas, Pangaea and formation of continents

- Tectonic Plates and their movements

- Tropics and high latitudes

- Formation of mountains

- Indian Plate and the formation of the Himalayas

20

The Oceans – Water, water everywhere

…..almost!

- Plate tectonics and the formation of various oceans

- The four ‘main’ oceans with info on area, deepest point, weather and ‘claim to fame’

- Ridges and margins

- Eruptions on the sea-floor and its importance to life

- principal resources obtained constitute hydrocarbons (oil and gas) and hydrates

21

Weather and Climate

- Wind cycle, sea and land breezes

- Water cycle and Rain

- Wettest and driest places (deserts)

- Climate in Tropics and high latitudes

-  Indian monsoon system

- Black current, gulf stream, El Nino and La Nina

22

Natural Hazards

- Earthquakes as a result of plate tectonics

- Floods, cyclones, Tsunamis, Forest fires, Volcanoes and Land-slides

- Prediction of earthquakes and tsunamis difficult

23

Environment and Health

- Environmental causes of health problems

- Major diseases (malaria, TB etc)

- Relation between rocks, minerals and human health

- Direct links between geology and health are provided by the food chain and inhalation of atmospheric dusts and gases

- Soils, sediments and water, F and As in water

Episode

Topic

Theme

24

Energy Resources

- Non-renewable energy resources (coal, natural gas, petroleum, nuclear fuels)

- Renewable energy resources (solar energy, wood, hydro, biofuels etc)

25

Global Warming and Climate Change

- Climate change on geological time scales

- Development through industrialization powered by fossil fuel

- Global warming a result of burning of fossil fuel and increase in GHGs

- Melting of Arctic / Antarctic ice, melting glaciers

- Rise in sea levels, change in climatic pattern

26

Tomorrow’s Challenges

- Megacities and pressure on resources (food, water, clothing, energy, housing, transport, sanitation, health etc)

- Conservation of natural resources

-  Reduction of Greenhouse gases

- development of renewable sources of energy: solar energy, ethanol, bio-fuels etc.

- Remote Sensing for natural resources management (forest cover, mineral resources, agriculture, water bodies, pollution), and monitoring weather

- People’s science movements for conservation of resources