Faraday - The Science Course
An integrated science course (Physics, Chemistry, Biology & Geology) for learners (10 yrs & above)
Faraday - The Science Course
DreamNobel is an education initiative with a simple motto, “We want to drop that apple on every child’s head so that they can discover their gravity”. We have developed a unique science course whereby a kid can be broadly “taught” all the major theories of all the Science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Biology & Geology) in an integrated manner. This is done following a problem-solving methodology, using the last 2,500 yrs history of sciences as the underlying foundation. In doing so we want to ensure that “independent thinking” and “empathy” become an integral part of student’s personality.
Key Features of Faraday
- It is structured around curiosity, creativity, and empathy. This course uses science as a tool to strengthen these qualities in a learner.
- All basic science subjects i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geology are integrated into a single journey of exploration bringing out deep interconnections between them.
- The course uses a storytelling methodology mixed with science theories/concepts to empower children to strengthen the superior problem-solving abilities that they are born with.
Operational Details
- Subject covered: Physics, Chemistry, Biology & Geology
- Batch size: One batch will have around 5-10 kids
- Session Duration: Around 1.5 hours
- Session Frequency: Once/Twice a week.
- Total No. of Sessions: Around 100.
- Age bracket: Kids aged 10 years and above
All the above parameters are to give a rough estimate. We are open to modifications that suit requirements of learners without sacrificing the core purpose of learning/education.
Faraday's Approach to Science Learning
Curiosity and more curiosity: Every student in the class has the right to ask any and as many questions as they want to ask. Curiosity is encouraged and enhanced by making it a priority.
Then what?
Curiosity is handled…not answered: As questions tumble out, we work on them with the learner in a way that helps them own their questions, thereby helping them develop a respect for their questions without a need to judge them upfront. This works wonders for their curiosity for Science becomes simple and accessible rather than a complicated subject.
How is that done?
Interconnections between subjects/concepts is the tool: Questions require scientific concepts to get answered. However, if concepts are presented in an isolated manner, then they make no sense to imagination. This is the key strength of Faraday. All the concepts across the subjects, and within subjects, are presented in an interconnected fashion thereby creating deep imaginations. In Faraday all the previous classes drive the future class. Towards the end of the course we draw a single chart that integrates all the classes/theories across all the subjects into a single visual framework. This not only helps kids make sense of this world in totality (and not in bits and pieces) but also triggers their curiosity in a way that they learn to use it to create solutions.
How does that help?
Independent Thinking & Empathy: Since all scientific concepts in this course take birth in an interconnected fashion in the context of learner’s curiosity, it helps them grasp the scientific concepts from the first principles thereby developing an independent thinking mind. Also, as children through their own independent thinking participate in creation of answers, they naturally develop an empathetic mindset to various viewpoints. An empathetic independent thinker is what the future demands.
In short, the Faraday course, uses Science as a tool to get children ready to face the world where change is more of a norm than an exception. While doing so it ensures that children understand the basic scientific theories in a way that they develop a natural inclination for Sciences. We dream of seeding Nobel laureates by tons while laying the foundations for an empathetic world.
Course Flow
- Module1: This module involves developing a simple problem solving methodology using age old stories (Panchatantra, Jataka, etc.)
- Module2: This module involves exploring the major theories of all sciences in an integrated manner using the problem solving methodology developed in Module1.
- Module3: Visualizing the integrated framework of science on a single screen
Course Coverage
- Physics :Mechanics, Gravity, Heat/Thermodynamics, Waves, Sound, Light, Electricity & Magnetism, etc.
- Chemistry: Atomic Structure, Chemical Reactions, Periodic Table, Radioactivity, Nuclear Reactions, Organic Chemistry, Electrochemistry, etc.
- Biology: Microscopy, Taxonomy, Cells/Tissues/Organs, Human Anatomy, Life Systems, Genetics, Evolution and Origin of Life, etc.
- Geology: Size/Weight/Age of Earth, Earth Processes, Catastrophism, Uniformatism, Plate Tectonics, etc.
Contact us at [email protected] with your name and contact details
"This course is not only for children who want to be scientists when they grow up. This course is for anybody who has questions about the natural world. It's for anybody who wants to go on a wild ride that exists in the innocent white space between the lines in science textbooks.
Sharad sir is a great storyteller. I personally loved the caricatures of famous and not-so-famous scientists and their backstories. There’s so much schools don’t teach us about the history of science. Sharad sir's eyes glint with pride every time I ask a question. He is flexible and lets our questions lead the class. I can tell his aim is to keep the flame of curiosity burning in the learner.
This journey of science taught me that textbooks state our discoveries as facts, but they are not facts – theories are fragile, and every theory is bound to be replaced eventually (at least that's what the history of science tells us). This course humanizes science and gives me the faith to say that every child will become a scientist if they learn to respect their own questions."
- Saanvi Mundra (Science course student during the period 2019-2022)
"The Science Class/course started on a very promising note and continued with the same spirit throughout its length. Sharad had a topic planned for every session. Sharad's meticulous research and preparation for each class is commendable, worthy of our praise. Children have noted the preparatory work, the homework that their Teacher completes before taking a class! that is inspiring! Very few Teachers will put this kind of effort to ensure their students get maximum benefit out of the Teacher's knowledge.
Every class had stories about science, history of science, scientists, their theories, counter theories, origin of concepts, their application - all discussed in an environment that encouraged children to participate in the discussion and to ask questions. Sharad encourages children to ask questions and to keep asking until they are convinced with the replies and have understood the topic to their satisfaction. Sharad has been very patient with the children and with their questions; he never termed children's questions as silly and that encouraged all children to participate equally. Whenever in doubt, my daughter continues to ask questions to all her teachers- some teachers are happy to have a student who is curious to learn and some may be annoyed, but my daughter is persistent.
All classes ended with a prompt update for the parents, giving a brief of the topics discussed.
The DreamNobel journey, in time length, was long, as these were originally physical classes that had to be converted to online due to Covid gap. Physical classes have certainly been more effective than online.
The course has no assignments or homework so children had no added pressure. There was always a recap of previous class and children referred their notes. However, online sessions did affect the seriousness of taking notes.
I would like to see some accountability from children's side, and coming from old school, I can only suggest some research based homework (by referring books only) that'll take, say 20-25 mins, during the week or the children can just pen down the highlights from previous class. I'm aware that DreamNobel is not built on this format and that is exactly the reason we opted for the course :)
My daughter connects a lot of dots in all subjects; I credit the course for this quality. The course is not designed as a supplement to science taught in school, hence the resultant benefits will be subtle and underlying, but notable.
Our most treasured takeaway, is to dream of Nobel! All children qualify for this dream! It's been an inspiring journey. Our gratitude.
I hope many more children benefit out of this course and Sharad's teaching."
- Nidhi Sharma (Mother of Tiana who was a Science course student during the period 2019-2022)
"I met Sharad uncle via my father and having spent some time with him and conversing with a few of his students, I realized there were a lot of things beyond school which we weren’t taught about and wanted to know more.
The first few classes were just the fundamentals of his method of tackling a question. At the end of each class, he would leave us with a question which I would toil with for the entire week. Later on, we started with the science part.
Very frankly, I remember little to nothing of what he taught, from a data/content perspective, and still have to refer to my notes. The classes were never about testing one’s memory. The focus was always on developing an important skill i.e. the ability to tackle questions from first principles. Even now, when I refer to my school textbooks and see a few things left or being out of portion, I still read about it from the internet, while applying the same basic principles. In my opinion it is a rather important skill to have.
Secondly, his classes didn’t follow a very strict rule of having to complete a specific portion in a specific timeframe. We would’ve spent entire classes discussing doubts or even things completely out of the portion like commerce or mythological stories, depending on queries or context. This was helpful in my growth as a person, for I developed the skill to converse on a wide spectrum of topics."
- Vedant Ahuja (Science course student during the period 2020-2023)
"Thank you, Sharad.
Vedant used to look forward to Friday class . .. It was not only science but also ability to think beyond obvious. It changed the way he approaches a problem. Thank you for your time and being so patient with the children.
We are here because we could see gradual change in our child's rational and critical thinking (much needed for further studies). Thank you so much for everything. For me you were more like a life coach to my children. They learned to see things beyond obvious through your teachings"
- Richa Ahuja (Vedant’s Mother)
"As a student of 10th Grade, who has chosen to not take science as a subject, I have a lot to say about my journey in this science course. I feel partly why I didn't like continuing with science wasn’t just because I didn’t like it or that I didn’t understand it, but because it wasn’t being taught, in the schools, in a way I would have liked it to. Sharad sir’s science course however I feel is the most genuine way to learn science, because it takes you on a topsy-turvy journey of how science progressed over centuries. The course starts with a module that guides the participants on how to think critically. I remember those earlier classes very well and how we went from problem-solving to understanding scientific thinking, using simple age old stories. I think the way this course takes its time to slowly reach the concepts we learn in the school curriculum actually helps us second-guess everything and really makes us think about what we are learning. I ask my friends now who take science and I ask them questions, they can tell me direct answers from what they have read in the textbook but even a single query questioning the concept itself and they don’t know how to answer it, because they just believe what they read, or what they are taught. This course took us through the history of science and helped me understand that what we learn in the classroom isn’t fixated, but can always be questioned. Because if Democritus can be laughed at about his atomic theory and be proven right centuries later then what is really science rather than just theories (i.e. approximate answers) about how the world works? I loved the progression of the atomic theory part the most because we first covered it earlier in the class and went back to it almost a year later, which made it truly feel like being on a scientific journey. The only thing I felt near the end of the course was that it felt stretched out too long and a little tiresome to remember those earlier classes. But there’s a lot I learned from the course and it made science exciting for me in middle school."
- Aditya Mathur (Science course student during the period 2019-2022)
I really liked and identified with the reason for which Sharad started these science classes. As a parent and after looking back on my own childhood journey and relationship with subjects, I feel we learn and remember things that we are interested in. And we are interested in things because we understand them. And this is the big differentiator that Sharad brings to the table along with his unmatched passion, dedication and years of wisdom.
His curriculum is holistic in its approach and has the unique ability to tie the different streams of biology, physics and chemistry together. His strength is to clearly demonstrate that what is happening in a chemical reaction is exactly how it happens within the human body and exactly the same way appears in the outer world. He has all the traits (and more) of a good teacher - a parent can ask for.
I am sure I would have become an engineer like I wanted to if I had him for my physics teacher in my childhood.
My only one input will be to have a mechanism, as a part of the course, to test the child (as in to demonstrate to the child themselves how much they’ve learnt and understood through the course).
- Manisha Bansal (Mother of Ria who was a Science course student during the period 2020-2023)
Your Instructor
Pre midlife crisis: Around 14 years of experience in private equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, corporate strategy and business development across IT and infrastructure sectors. Working across such diverse profiles have given me a well-rounded perspective to not only evaluate problems from a much broader dimension, but also helped me strengthen my unlearning-relearning capabilities.
Post midlife crisis: Then life decided to show me what the word "experience" can mean. Truly for the first time while dealing with children on Sciences, I experienced an "Experience". They taught me the most important lesson of life and i.e., the happiness that accompanies the true realization, "I don't know". It is this realization that led to creation of DreamNobel, an education initiative that engages students in a way that independent thinking and empathy become an integral part of their personality.
Thus, over the years, first working in corporates across sectors and profiles and then with children, have taught me the real meaning of what it means to love one's work while living a meaningful life. Now I am on a journey to internalize these lessons while continuing to engage with children on Sciences.
I have done B.Tech (IIT) and MBA (IIM). I am married and am based out of Mumbai with my wife and two children.