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Understanding Freedom Through Literature and History

This term, the Grade 8 learners embarked on a powerful and thought-provoking learning
expedition titled “I Want to Break Free!”—an interdisciplinary journey that explored the
concept of freedom through the lens of literature, history, and lived experiences.

At the heart of this expedition was the guiding question: “Are we really free to choose?”
In English, students explored The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, a poignant novel that brings to
life the horrors of the Holocaust and the innocence of childhood during World War II.
Simultaneously, in History, they studied the global events of World War II, making
meaningful connections between individual stories and historical facts.

From Museum to Mindset: Understanding Freedom Through Lived Histories

To deepen their understanding of freedom and its limitations, students visited the
Partition Museum in Amritsar, located near the Golden Temple. The field trip provided a
powerful perspective on the 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan—one of the most
traumatic events in South Asian history. Learners reflected on how political decisions,
fear, violence, and displacement shaped the lives of millions and questioned the meaning
of “freedom” in such a context.

As the culmination of this expedition, Himmat opened the session by explaining the theme
of the speech presentation and introducing the students and their subtopics. He provided
the audience with an overview of the expedition, setting the stage for the students’
reflections. This was followed by a series of speeches where the students shared their
insights on the central guiding question.

Voices of Freedom: Student Speeches that Sparked Dialogue

The students demonstrated deep thought, personal insights, and connections to both
historical and contemporary issues. Modern-day examples were incorporated, drawing
parallels to current issues such as war, displacement, gender inequality, class privilege,
systemic oppression, and the influence of fear in decision-making.
The following students presented their reflections:

• Sarab Prakash delivered a compelling speech on how resistance plays a role in
  guiding our free will and helping us make conscious choices.
• Jaijagkaran spoke about the influence of fear on our decision-making, challenging
  the idea of freedom when fear is present.
• Mia explored how privilege shapes and often limits others’ choices, questioning
  whether all individuals truly have the same access to freedom.
• Sofia brought the expedition to a thoughtful close by delivering the concluding
  speech on “Are we really free to choose?” weaving together the themes and ideas
  explored by her peers.

This expedition was not just about learning facts or reading texts—it was about
encouraging students to question, empathize, and think critically. The journey empowered
them to voice their understanding of freedom, choice, and the factors that influence them
in both past and present contexts.