02 - Std'05 - Environmental Studies PDF

C ONTENTS
Foreword
A Note for the Teachers and Parents
iii
v
1.
Super Senses
2.
A Snake Charmers Story
15
3.
From Tasting to Digesting
22
4.
Mangoes Round the Year
35
5.
Seeds and Seeds
42
6.
Every Drop Counts
51
7.
Experiments with Water
60
8.
A Treat for Mosquitoes
67
9.
Up You Go!
76
10.
Walls Tell Stories
87
11.
Sunita in Space
99
12.
What if it Finishes ...?
110
13.
A Shelter so High!
120
xi
14.
When the Earth Shook!
131
15.
Blow Hot, Blow Cold
139
16.
Who will do this Work?
147
17.
Across the Wall
154
18.
No Place for Us?
165
19.
A Seed tells a Farmers Story
174
20.
Whose Forests?
182
21.
Like Father, Like Daughter
192
22.
On the Move Again
200
xii
1. Super Senses
Has this ever

happened to you?
You were eating in the

playground, an eagle flew
down and took away your
roti.
You dropped something sweet on
the ground and within minutes
many ants collected around it.
As you walked softly past a

sleeping dog, its ears shot up
at once.
Why does it
happen? Think
and tell
Animals also have different senses. They can see, hear,
taste, smell and feel. Some animals can see their prey from
far away. Some can hear even the faintest sound. Some
animals can find their friends by their smell. The animal
world is full of examples of amazing senses!
Super Senses
How did the ant recognise a friend?

An ant was going along on the ground. It saw a group
of ants coming from the other side. The first ant quickly
came back to its hole. The ant guarding the hole
recognised it and let it in.
Tell
How did the ant know that the other ants
were not from its group?

How did the guard ant recognise this ant?
Try this and write

Drop some sugar, jaggery or anything sweet on the ground.
Wait until the ants come there.
How long did it take for the ants to come?
Did one ant come first or a group of ants came together?
What did the ants do with the food?
Where do they go from there?
Do they move in a line?
Teachers Note : Children of this age are interested in animals. Encourage them
to share their experiences. Children should be supported to carry out observation
activities which require patience.
Looking Around
Now carefully, without harming the ants, block their path

for a while with a pencil.
Now observe, how do the ants move?
Many years ago a scientist did many experiments like this.

He found out that as the ants move, they leave a smell on the
ground. The other ants follow the smell to find the way.
Now can you guess why the ants behaved
like that when you blocked their path?

Some male insects can recognise their
females by their smell.
Have you ever been troubled by mosquitoes.
Just think, how do they know where

you are?
Mosquitoes can find you by the smell of your
body. They also find you by the smell of the
sole of your feet and the heat of your body.
I am a silk worm. I
can find my female
worm from many
kilometres away by
her smell.
Have you seen a dog sniffing here
and there? What do you think it is

trying to smell?
Dogs mark out their own area on
the road. They can make out if another
dog has come into their area by the
smell of its urine or potty (latrine).
Super Senses
Write
In what ways do human beings make use of this special
sense of smell of dogs?
When do you find your sense of smell helpful to you? List
some examples. Like to know by its smell that food has

gone bad or that something is burning.
Name the animals that you would be able to recognise only
by their smell, without seeing them?
Write the names of five things whose smell you like and five
things whose smell you do not like.

I like the smell of
I do not like the smell of
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Do you and your friends have similar answers?
Looking Around
Do and find out

From the smell of the clothes of your family members, can
you say whom do they belong to? Try to recognise the

clothes of any two members of your family in this way.
Why so?
Today Rajni had to go out for some
important work. She had to leave her sixmonth old son Deepak with her sister
Sushila. Sushila also has a baby of
the same age. It was funny that both
the babies did potty at the same
time. She happily cleaned her
daughter but when she was cleaning
her sisters son Deepak, she covered
her nose with her dupatta (scarf).
Think and discuss

Sushila covered her nose when she cleaned Deepaks
nappy, but not when she cleaned her daughter. Why do

you think she did this?
How do you feel when you walk near a heap of garbage?
Think of the children who spend the whole day picking

things from such garbage.
Is a smell good or bad for everyone in the same way?
Or does it depend on how each one feels about it?

Teachers Note : Sushilas example illustrates a common situation in families.
Discuss with children how we often find a smell bad when we think it is
from something dirty. If we analyse it, we may not be so offended by certain
smells.
Super Senses
Lets see
Write the name of a bird which has eyes in front of its head
(like in humans).
Write the names of some birds which have eyes on either
side of the head. What is the size of their eyes as compared

to the size of their head?
Most of the birds have their eyes on either side of the head.
Their eyes can focus on two different things at a time. When they
look straight ahead, both their eyes focus on the same object.
You must have seen birds moving their neck very often. Do
you know why? In most of the birds, eyes are fixed and cannot
move. So birds have to turn their heads to see around.
Looking with one or both eyes

Close your right eye or cover it with your hand. Tell your
friend to stand to your right, at some distance, and ask him
to do some action (wave hand, shake head, etc.)
Could you see your friends action, without moving your neck?
Now try to look at your friends action with both your eyes
open but without moving your neck.

What was the difference on looking with one or both eyes?
Teachers Note : When a bird focuses both eyes on an object, it can estimate the
distance. When its eyes focus on two different things, it increases its range of
vision. Children will understand this better, once they start observing the location
of eyes of different birds. While seeing with one eye and then with two eyes, children
will understand how with two eyes, the span of vision increases.
Looking Around
Now toss a small ball or a coin and try to catch it. Try
this with both your eyes open. Then close one eye and
try to catch it. When was it easier to catch?
Imagine how it would be to have your eyes in place of
your ears? What would you be able to do then, which

you cannot do now?
Some birds like kites, eagles, vultures can see four times
as far as we can. These birds can see things from a distance
of eight metres what we can see from a distance of two metres.
Now can you guess from what distance can an eagle in the
sky can see a roti on the ground?
Do animals see colours?
Deepa Balsawar
Animals cannot see as many colours as we can. See how

things in these pictures will be seen by some animals.
It is believed that animals that are awake in

the daytime can see some colours. Those animals
that are awake at night can see things only in
black and white colours.
Super Senses
Sharp ear
In Class IV, you read that we cannot easily see birds ears. Their ears
are small holes covered with feathers.
Write
The names of ten animals whose ears can
be seen.
The names of some animals whose
ears are bigger than our ears.
Think
Is there some link between the size of
animals ears and their hearing?
Try this
For this activity find a quiet place in your school.
Tell one of your friends to stand at a short
distance and ask him to say something softly.
The rest of you should listen carefully. Then all
of you put your hands behind your ears, as
shown in the picture. Let the same child say
something again as softly as before. In which
case was the sound sharper? Ask your friends
too.
Put your hands over your ears and say
something. Can you hear your own voice?
Looking Around
Sit near a desk. Tap the desk once with
your hand. Listen carefully. Now put your

ear on the desk as shown in the picture.
Tap on the desk once again with your hand.
Listen again. Was there any difference in
the sound of the tap?
This is how snakes hear. They do not have external ears
(which you can see). They only feel the vibrations on the ground.
Sounds send messages

High up on a tree, a langur warns others of
dangers like a tiger or leopard. The langur
does this by making a special warning call.
Deepa Balsawar
Birds also give alarm calls to warn about the

danger. Some birds even have different
sounds for different kinds of dangers. For
example, there is a different warning call if
the enemy is coming from the sky or if the
enemy is on the ground. When any animal
gives the warning call, all the animals in that
area understand the danger signal.
Some animals start behaving in a different way when an
earthquake or storm is about to come. People who live in
forests and can observe such behaviour of animals come to
know of the danger.
In December 2004, few tribes that live in the forests of
the Andaman Islands noticed the animals behaving in a
different manner. They guessed some danger. So they
moved away to a safer part of the island. Soon after, the
islands were hit by the tsunami but these people were
saved.
Super Senses
Dolphins also make different

sounds to give messages to
each other. Scientists believe
that many animals have a
special language of their own.
Write
Can you understand the sounds of some animals?
Which animals?
Do some animals understand your language?
Which ones?
Say it with sounds

Just like birds and dolphins you can also make your own
language of sounds for giving messages. Remember you have
to talk to your friends with only sounds and no words. How
and when will you need to give an alarm call? For example,
when the teacher is coming to the classroom!
Sleeping-waking
Some animals go into a long, deep sleep in certain seasons.
Then they are not seen for many months.
Have you noticed that during the cold season you cannot
see any lizard in the house? Where do you think they

have gone?
Teachers Note : The lesson gives examples of several animals with sensitive
senses. Encourage children to find out more such animal senses from newspapers,
TV programmes, etc.
10
Looking Around
Sloth
It looks like a bear but is not. It is a sloth. It
spends almost 17 hours a day sleeping while
hanging upside down on a tree branch. The sloth
eats the leaves of the same tree on which it lives.
It hardly needs anything else. When it has eaten
enough leaves from that tree, it moves to the
nearby tree.
Sloths live for about 40 years and in that time
they move around only eight trees. Once a week
it comes down from the tree to relieve itself.
24
24
Hours
Time for which

sloth is awake
18
Hours
18
Hours
Hours
Hours
Hours
Sleeping time for sloth
12
12
Hours
If you were to show a sloths daily routine

(sleeping and waking) in a 24-hour clock, this
is what the clock would look like.
Hours
How will you show the clock

for a house-lizard in winters?
Given here is the sleeping time of some animals. Below each picture
write for how many hours a day that animal sleeps.
Cow__________
Python__________
Giraffe__________
Cat__________
When you see different animals, do you have any questions about
them? Make a list of ten such questions.

Teachers Note : The sleeping and waking routine of animals is given in a 24 hour
clock to encourage children to think about fractions (one-third, one-fourth, etc.)
Explain phrases like call of nature, relieve itself etc.
Super Senses
11
A tiger can see six

times better at
night than most of
us humans.
The tigers whiskers

are very sensitive
and can sense the
movements or
vibrations in air.
They help the tiger
move in the dark
and find its prey.
T igers make different

sounds for different
purposes like when it is
angry or to call out to a
tigress. It can also roar or
snarl. Its roar can be
12heard upto 3 kilometres
away.
A tigers sense of hearing

is so sharp that it can
make out the difference
between the rustling of
leaves and the sound of
an animal moving on the
grass. The ears of the tiger
can move in different
directions and this helps
to catch the sounds from
all around.
Each tiger has its own area

which may cover several
kilometres. T igers mark
their area with their urine.
A tiger can at once come
to know if there is another
tiger in its area by the
Looking Around
smell of the urine. A tiger
will avoid going into
another tigers area.
The tiger is one of the most alert animals. And yet, today
tigers are in danger.
What do you think are some of the dangers to tigers in
the jungle?
Can human beings also be a threat to animals? How?
Do you know that today many animals are killed and their
parts are sold? Elephants are killed for their tusks, rhinoceros
for its horn, tigers, crocodiles and snakes for their skins.
Musk deer are killed just to make a little scent from its musk.
People who kill animals are called hunters and poachers.
The number of tigers and many other animals in our country is reducing.
There is a danger that some of them will soon disappear. To protect the
animals, our government has made some forests as protected areas. Some
of them are the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttrakhand and Ghana in
Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. In these areas nobody can hunt animals
or destroy the jungle.
Find out
Where are other such National Parks in India?
Collect information on these and write a report.
What we have learnt

Have you noticed that sometimes singers put
their hand on their ear when they sing?

Why do you think they may be doing this?
Give examples of animals that may have a very strong
sense of sight, hearing or smell.
Teachers Note : Discuss with children the various threats to the tiger poaching,
destruction of forests for roads, dams, human settlements, forest fires, etc.
Super Senses
13
Lets make a paper dog

For this you need: thick paper, pencil, scissors,
sketch pen.
2
a
Paper Strip
Bow, Wow!
Give your dog
a name!
b
c
d
4
Cut a long strip of thick paper. Mark the strip as
shown here.
Make small cuts on the lines marked 1 to 6.
Hook together the cuts on the number 1 and 2 (see

picture a).
In the same way, hook together 3 in 4, and 5 in 6 (see
picture b and c)
Make a cut in the mark on the leg (see picture c).
Turn down the corners of the strip on top of the head,

to make the ears (picture d)
Mark the eyes and nose with a sketch pen.
Wasnt that fun!
14
Looking Around
2. A Snake Charmers Story
I am Aryanath
I can do something special which
I am sure none of you can do!
Do you know what? I can play
the been! You must be surprised.
Yes, I can make snakes dance
by playing the been. I have learnt
this art from my family
members. We people are known
as Kalbeliyas.
My grandfather Roshannathji
was famous amongst our people.
He could easily catch many
poisonous snakes. He tells me
many stories about his past.
Come, listen to his story in his own
words
NAAG GUMPHAN
Designs of this kind are
used in rangoli,
embroidery and as wall
decoration in Saurashtra,
Gujarat and South India
Teachers Note : Talk to the children about their experiences related to snakes
before starting with this narrative. This would make the lesson more interesting.
15
Dadaji remembers
From the time of my grandfather and great grandfather, we
have always been saperas (snake-charmers). Snakes have
been an important part of our life. We used to move from
village to village carrying our snakes in bamboo baskets.
Whenever we stopped in a village, a
crowd would gather around us. We
would then take out our snakes from
our baskets.
Even after the show, people would
stay on. They knew that in our tinbox
there were many types of medicines
for them. We made these medicines
from plants collected from the forests.
I had lear nt all this from my
grandfather. I felt nice that I could
help people with my medicines even
if doctors and hospitals were far off.
In return, people would give us some
money or foodgrains. In this way we
could manage our life.
Sometimes, I was called to places
where someone had been bitten by a snake. From the marks
of the bite I tried to find out which snake had bitten the person.
I would then give a medicine for that. But I have not always
been on time to help. As you know, some snake bites can
even cause death on the spot. But most of the snakes are
not poisonous.
Sometimes, when some farmers would come running for
help shouting snake, snake, I would catch that snake.
16
Looking Around
After all, catching snakes was something I had been doing

since my childhood.
Oh, those were the good days. We could help a lot of people
in many ways. We also entertained them. It was not like today
when everyone watches TV for entertainment.
When I grew older, my father taught me how to remove their
poisonous teeth (fangs). He also taught me how to close the
tube of poison in the snakes mouth.
Think and tell

Have you ever seen anyone playing a been? Where?
Have you ever seen a snake? Where?
Were you scared by it? Why?
Do you think all snakes are poisonous?
In chapter 1 you read that snakes do not have ears
which you can see. Can the snake hear the been or
does it dance when the been moves? What do you think?
What can we do
Aryanath! your father used to travel with me ever since he was
a young child. He learnt to play the been without being taught.
These days it is diffcult. Now the government has made a
law that no one can catch wild animals and keep them. Some
people kill the animals and sell their skins at high prices. So
they made a law against this. Now, with this law, how will we
earn our livelihood? We people have never killed snakes, and
sold their skin. People say that we keep the snakes in bad
Teachers Note : If possible, explain about poisonous fangs, ducts and their
removal by showing visual aids.
17
Kalbeliya dance
Teachers Note : This narrative focuses on the relationship and interdependence

between snake-charmers and snakes. By talking about more such communities
it can be clarified that most of them do not treat animals badly (which is a common
perception).
18
Looking Around
Mani Babbar
Pankaj Gorana
conditions. If we wanted, we too could have earned a lot of

money by killing snakes. But we would never do that. Snakes
are our treasure, that we pass on from one generation to
another. We even gift snakes to our daughters when they get
married. In our Kalbelia dance we also have movements similar
to the dance of the snake.
Aryanath, you will have to
make a different life for
yourself. You have got your
fathers gift of playing the
been . You and your
cousins can form a been
party and entertain people.
But do not waste this
knowledge about snakes
you have got from your
Musical instruments used in been party
elders.
Been, tumba, khanjiri and dhol . Except dhol all
Share your knowledge
the other three instruments are made from dried
gourd (lauki)
about snakes with children
who live in
towns and cities. Tell them, that they should
not be scared of snakes. Help them to recognise
poisonous snakes.
Tell them how snakes are friends of the
farmers. They eat the rats in the fields, otherwise
rats would eat the crops.
Now you tell our story. Also make a new story
of your life, to tell your grandchildren.
Write
Have you ever seen animals being used for entertainment
of people? (For example, in a circus, on the road, or in a

park)
When and where did you see this?
Which animal show did you see?
How did people behave with the animals in the show?
Was anyone teasing the animals? How?
What kind of questions came to your mind after seeing
that animal show?

Imagine that you are an animal in a cage. Think how you
would feel. Complete the following sentences :
I am afraid when
I wish I
I am sad when
If I had a chance I would
I do not like it at all when
19
Do you know?
Of the many kinds of snakes found in our country,
only four types of snakes are poisonous. They are:
Cobra, Common Krait, Russels Viper (Duboiya),
Saw-scaled Viper (Afai).
A snake has two hollow teeth (fangs). When it bites,
the poison enters the person's body through the
fangs. There is a medicine for snake bites.
The medicine is made from the snake's poison and
is available in all government hospitals.
Cobra
Afai
Krait
Duboiya
Write
Like snake-charmers, which other people depend on
animals for their livelihood?
Survey People who keep animals

Talk to some people in your neighbourhood who keep one
or more animals for their livelihoodfor example, a horse for
a tonga, hens for eggs, etc.
Name the animal they keep?
How many animals are there?
Is there a separate place for the animals?
20
Looking Around
Who looks after them?

What do the animals eat?
Do the animals ever fall ill? What does the keeper do then?
Make some more questions and discuss.
Make a report on your project and read it out in the class.
Make a snake puppet

Take an old pair of socks.
Put one on your arm.
Stick buttons or bindis for
the eyes.
Cut out a long red strip of
paper for using as the tongue

and stick it in the place as
shown.
On the other side of the paper
make a V shaped cut.
Now you can play

with this puppet!
Your snake is ready!
What we have learnt

The government has made a law that no one can
catch and keep snakes. What do you think about
this law? Give reasons for your answer and write in
your own words.
21
3. From Tasting to Digesting

Different tastes
Jhumpa ran into the kitchen and caught hold of her mother
saying, Ma, I am not going to eat this bitter karela (bittergourd).
Give me gur (jaggery) and roti. Ma smiled and said, You ate roti
and sugar in the morning. Jhoolan teased Jhumpa, Dont
you get bored of only one kind of taste? Jhumpa replied
quickly, Do you get bored with licking imli (tarmarind)? I bet
your mouth is watering just by hearing the word imli. Sure I
love the sour imli. But I eat sweet and salty things too. I even
eat karela, said Jhoolan and looked at her mother. They both
laughed heartily.
Jhoolan said to Jhumpa, Lets play a game. You close your
eyes and open your mouth. I will put something to eat in your
mouth. You have to tell what it is. Jhoolan took a few drops
of lemon juice in a spoon and put them in Jhumpas mouth.
Sour lemon, Jhumpa replied quickly.
22
Looking Around
Jhoolan then picked up a small piece of jaggery. Her mother

suggested, Crush it, otherwise she will know what it is?
Jhoolan crushed the jaggery but Jhumpa easily guessed it.
They played the game with different food items. Jhumpa could
tell the fried fish even before tasting it. Jhoolan said, Now
close your nose, and tell me what this is? Jhumpa was
confused, It is a bit bitter, a little salty and somewhat sour.
Give me one more spoonful. Jhoolan took another spoonful
of the cooked karela, uncovered Jhumpas eyes, and said,
Here it is, eat! Jhumpa laughed, Yes, give me more.
Discuss and write
mmm...!
Jhoolans mouth started watering
when she heard the word imli.

When does your mouth water? List
five things you like to eat and
describe their taste.
woo
f!
Do you like only one kind of taste
or different ones? Why?

Jhoolan put a few drops of lemon
juice in Jhumpas mouth. Do you

think we can make out the taste
with just a few drops?
If someone were to put a few seeds
of saunf (aniseed) on your tongue,

would you be able to tell with your
eyes closed? How?
23
How did Jhumpa make out the fried fish?
Can you guess the names of certain things

only by their smell, without seeing or tasting
them? What are these things?
Has anyone ever told you to hold your nose
before taking a medicine? Why do you think

they tell you to do this?
Close your eyes and tell

Collect a few food items having different
kinds of taste. Play a game with your
friends like Jhumpa and Jhoolan did. Tell
your friend to taste the food and ask
How did it taste? What was the food
item?
On which part of the tongue could you
get the most taste in front, at the back,

on the left or right side of the tongue?
Which taste could be made out on which
part of the tongue? Mark these parts

on the picture given.
One at a time put some things to eat in
other parts of your mouth under the

tongue, on the lips, on the roof of the
mouth. Did you get any taste there?
Teacher's Note : Encourage children to be creative and to explore their vocabulary

to describe different kinds of flavours. Discuss how the combination of different
flavours brings so much variety in our food. Different combinations of taste (such
as sweet-sour, hot-spicy) may be discussed in the class to develop this understanding.
24
Looking Around
Use a clean cloth to wipe the front part of

your tongue so that it is dry. Put some sugar or
jaggery there. Could you taste anything? Why
did this happen?
Stand in front of a mirror and look closely at
your tongue. How does the surface look? Can

you see any tiny bumps on the surface?
Tell
If someone asks you to describe the taste of amla
or cucumber, you might find it difficult to explain.

How would you describe the taste of these tomato,
onion, saunf, garlic. Think of words that you know
or make up your own words to describe the taste.
When Jhumpa tasted some of the things, she said
Sssee, sssee, sssee What do you think she may

have eaten?
Why dont you make sounds that describe some
tastes? From your expressions and sounds ask

your friends to guess what you might have eaten.
Chew it or chew it well: Whats the difference?

Try this together in class:
Each of you take a piece of bread or roti or some cooked rice.
Teachers Note : Children will need help because it is sometimes difficult to

identify exactly which part of the mouth can sense a particular taste.
25
Put it in your mouth, chew three to four times
and swallow it.

Did the taste change as you chewed it?
Now take another piece or some rice and chew
it twenty to twenty-five times.

Was there any change in the taste after
chewing so many times?
Discuss
Has anyone at home told you to eat slowly
and to chew well so that the food digests

properly? Why do you think they say this?
Imagine you are eating something hard like
a green guava. What kinds of changes take

place in itfrom the time you bite a piece
and put it in your mouth to when you
swallow it? Think what does the saliva in
our mouth do?
Teacher's Note : On page 27, children are not expected to draw the digestive
system. Encourage children to imagine and express their own ideas about what
happens to the food in their body. Encourage sharing of pictures and free
discussion, without any judgement of right or wrong.
26
Looking Around
Straight from the heart

Where do you think the food must be going after
you put it in your mouth and swallow it? In the
picture given here, draw the path of the food
through your body. Share your picture with your
friends. Do all of you have similar pictures?
Discuss
How do you feel when you are very
hungry? How would you describe it?

For example, sometimes we jokingly
say, I am so hungry I could eat an
elephant!
How do you come to know that you
are hungry?
Think what would happen if you do
not eat anything for two days?

Would you be able to manage without
When I am hungry
my head aches.
drinking water for two days? Where do

you think the water that we drink goes?
I get angry easily
when I am hungry.
When my sister is
hungry she cries.
Ic
ry
too
hu , wh
ng en
ry
. I am
When I am hungry I feel

tired.
27
Nitu was given a glucose drip

Nitu was very sick. All day she was
vomiting and she also had loose
motions. Whatever she ate, she
vomited. Her father gave her sugar
and salt solution. By evening Nitu was
feeling weak and dizzy. When she got
up to go to the doctor she fainted.
Her father had to carry her to the
doctor. The doctor said that Nitu should get
admitted in the hospital. She needs to be given a
glucose drip. Hearing this, Nitu got confused. She knew
that during the games period in school, the teacher
sometimes gave them glucose to drink. But what was a
glucose drip? Doctor aunty explained, Your stomach is
upset. Your body is not keeping any food and water and it
has become very weak. The glucose drip will give you some
strength quickly, even without eating.
Talk and discuss

Do you remember that in Class IV you made a solution of
sugar and salt? Nitus father also made this and gave her.
Why do you think this is given to someone who has
vomiting and loose motions?
Have you heard the word glucose, or seen it written
anywhere? Where?
Teacher's Note : Discuss with children about how glucose is used. It is too
abstract for children to understand how glucose gives energy. You may like to
invite a doctor to talk to the children. It is not expected that children will understand
all the details at this stage.
28
Looking Around
Have you ever tasted glucose? How does it taste? Tell your
friends.
Have you or anyone in your family been given a glucose
drip? When and why? Tell the class about it.

Nitus teacher used to tell the girls to have glucose while
playing hockey. Why do you think she did this?

Look at Nitus picture and describe what is happening.
How is the glucose drip being given?
Martins Window
Heres an old story

it seems so funny!
There was a window
in Martins tummy!
Actually by mistake
Martin was shot.
Right in the stomach
it bled a lot!
The wound slowly healed
and was covered by skin.
But the hole was still there
you could peep right in!
Oh! what a chance

for doctors to study.
What happens to the food
inside the body!
The story seems odd
but it is really true.
The secret of Martins stomach
helped us all - me and you!
Rajesh Utsahi
Chakmak, August 1985
(Translated by Anupa Lal)
29
Story A Stomach with a Window

In the poem, you read about a soldier called Martin. In 1822, he was
eighteen years old and was very healthy. When he was shot, he got
seriously hurt. At that time Dr. Beaumont was called to treat him.
Dr. Beaumont cleaned the wound and put the dressing. After one and
a half years, the doctor found that Martins wound had healed except
for one thing. He had a big hole in his stomach. The hole was covered
with a loose flap of skin, like the washer in a football. Press the skin
and you could peep into Martins stomach! Not only that, the doctor
could also take out food from the stomach by putting a tube in the
hole. Dr. Beaumont felt he had found a treasure. Can you guess how
much time he spent on doing different experiments on this stomach?
Nine years! During this time Martin grew up and got married.
At that time scientists did not know how food was digested? How
does the liquid (digestive juices) in the stomach help? Does it only help
in making the food wet and soft? Or does it also help in digestion?
Dr. Beaumont took some liquid (juices) out of the stomach. He wanted
to see what would happen to a food item kept in a glass filled with it.
Would it get digested on its own? For this he did an
experiment. With the help of a tube, he took out
some digestive juice from the stomach. At
8.30 am he put twenty tiny pieces of boiled
fish in 10 millilitres of the juice. He kept the
glass at the same temperature as that
of our stomach about
30C. When he checked at
2 pm he found that the
pieces of fish had dissolved.
Dr. Beaumont tried this
experiment with different
food items. He gave Martin
the same food at the same time and then compared how long it took for
food to be digested in the glass and in Martins stomach. He recorded
his observations in a table.
30
Looking Around
Here is a part of his observation table:

No. Food item
Time taken for digestion

In the stomach
In the glass with digestive juices
1.
Unboiled milk
2 hours 15 minutes
4 hours 45 minutes
2.
Boiled milk
2 hours
4 hours 15 minutes
3.
Full boiled egg
3 hours 30 minutes
8 hours
4.
Half boiled egg
3 hours
6 hours 30 minutes
5.
Raw egg, beaten
2 hours
4 hours 15 minutes
6.
Raw egg
1 hour 30 minutes
4 hours
So, what does our stomach do?

Dr. Beaumont did many experiments and found out many secrets
about digestion. He found that food digests faster in the stomach than
outside. Did you notice this in the table?
Our stomach churns the food to digest it. The doctor also saw that the
food did not digest properly when Martin was sad. He also found that the
juice in our stomach is acidic. Have you heard of anyone talking about
acidity especially when that person has not eaten well or the food is not
digested properly.
Dr. Beaumonts experiments became famous across the world. After
this many scientists did many such experiments. What did you say? No,
they did not shoot people in the stomach. Nor did they wait for a patient
with a hole in the stomach. They used other scientific ways to look inside
our bodies.
Did you like the story of Martin or, should we say, the story of our
own stomach?
- Anita Rampal
Chakmak, August 1985
Think and discuss

Imagine if you had been in place of Dr. Beaumont, what
experiments would you have done to find out the secrets of our
stomach? Write about your experiments.
Teacher's Note : This story is to introduce children to the method of science and
the passion with which scientists pursue their experiments. It is not necessary
that children should understand the story about digestion in all its detail.
31
Good food, good health

Dr. Apar na has two patients Rashmi and Kailash.
Dr. Aparna talked to them to find out more about them.
Read what the doctor found.
Rashmi, 5 years
Kailash, 7 years
She looks about 3 years old. She

has very thin arms and legs and a
pot belly (stomach like a balloon).
She often falls sick.
He looks older than his age. His

body is fat and flabby. He has pain
in his legs. He is not very active. He
goes to school by bus and spends
many hours watching TV.
She always feels tired and cannot

go to school regularly. She does not
have the strength even to play.
Food : She is lucky if she can get a
little rice or one roti to eat in the
whole day.
Food : He does not like to eat homecooked food like dal-rice, vegetables
and roti. The only thing he finds
tasty are chips, burger, pizzas and
soft drinks from the market.
Dr. Aparna measured the height and weight of both the

children. Then she told them, there is only one treatment
for both your problems proper food!
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Looking Around
Discuss
Why do you think Rashmi could eat only one roti in the
whole day?
Do you think Kailash would like games and sports?
What do you understand by proper food?
Why do you think that the food of Rashmi and Kailash
was not proper?
Find out
Talk with your grandparents or elderly people and find out
what they ate and what work they did when they were of
your age. Now think about yourself your daily activities
and daily diet. Are these similar or different from what your
grandparents did and ate?
Proper food every childs right?

You have read about two children. One is Kailash who does not
like home-made food. The other one is Rashmi who does not
even get one proper meal a day. About half the children in our
country are like Rashmi. They do not get enough food that they
need to grow and develop properly. These children are weak and
sickly (often ill, in poor-health). But it is the right of every child
to get proper food.
33
Read about this story in

Kalahandi district in Orissa.
Think and discuss
P. Sainath
Do you know any child
Gomti is thirty years old. Gomti

works in the fields of a rich
farmer. For all her hard work,
she gets paid very little. So little
that she cannot even buy
enough rice to feed her family.
Some months she does not get
any work at all. Then she has
to eat leaves and roots from the
jungle. Gomtis children are
weak with hunger and always
sick. Few years ago her
husband died of hunger.
Most rice grows in Kalahandi
district. Rice is even sent to
other states from here. Many
times the rice that keeps lying
in the godowns gets spoiled. In
the same Kalahandi there are
many, many poor people like
Gomti. Why do people die of
hunger in such a place?
34
who does not get enough

to eat in the whole day?
What are the reasons for
this?
Have you ever seen a
godown where a lot of grain

has been stored? Where?
What we have learnt

Why can you not taste food properly
when you have a cold?

If we were to say that digestion
begins in the mouth, how would

you explain this. Write.
Looking Around
4. Mangoes Round the Year
Hey, today
Nitu has
brought
potato sabzi.
Wow! Amans
lunch box has
sweet puries.
I have got
bhindi.
Oh! Nitu, I think
your potato
sabzi is spoilt.
Dont eat that. You

may fall sick. Here,
you take some
bhindi.
Preeti
Nitu
Aman
Preeti
Nitu
Discuss
Aman
How did Aman know that the potato sabzi had got
spoilt?
Have you ever seen some food that has got spoilt?
How did you know that it was spoiled?

Preeti told Nitu not to eat the potato sabzi. What
would have happened if she had eaten it?

Teachers Note : Let children give examples of food spoilage based on their own
experiences. It is important to explain the difference between food spoilage and
wastage of food. The experiment with bread can be started when you begin the
lesson, because it will need to continue over six days at least.
35
Write
Look in your kitchen and write down names of food items
that
- can get spoilt in 2-3 days
- can be kept for a week
- would not spoil till one month
Look at your friends list and discuss in the class.
Will your list be the same in all seasons? What would
change?
When food gets spoilt in your house, what do you do
with it?
Biji returned the bread

Amans Biji went to the market to buy bread. The shop was
very crowded. The shopkeeper picked up a packet of bread
and gave it to Biji. She looked at it and returned it immediately.
Look at the picture of the bread packet here and guess
why Biji returned it? How did she find that the bread had
got spoilt?
Find out
Look carefully at two-three packets of food items:
What can we know from what is written on the packet?
When you buy anything from the market, what do you
look for on the packet?

Teachers Note : Help children to read and note the information on the packets
regarding weight, date of packing etc. While doing the experiment precautions
need to be taken depending on the weather conditions e.g. the bread should not
be allowed to dry up, there should be some ventilation in the room. Do put up the
chart in the classroom and remind the children to fill it in every day.
36
Looking Around
How does food get spoilt?

The whole class can do this
experiment together. Take a piece of
bread or roti. Sprinkle a few drops of
water on it, and put it in a box. Close
the box. See the bread or roti
everyday until you find some
changes on it.
Make this table on a chart paper
and put it up in the classroom.
Fill up the chart every day after
discussing the changes seen.
Day
Changes in the bread or roti

By touch
By smell
By looking through
hand lens
By colour
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Find out the reason for these changes. From where did the
fungus come on the bread?

Different kinds of food items spoil due to different reasons.
Some foods spoil soon, some stay good for long. List some
seasons and conditions in which food spoils quickly.
37
Given below are some food items and some simple methods
by which these could be kept fresh for 1-2 days. Match the
correct pairs:
Food items
Methods
Milk
Put in a bowl and keep the bowl in a

container with some water.
Cooked rice
Wrap in a damp cloth.
Green coriander (Dhania)
Boil it.
Onion, garlic
Keep it in a dry open place.
Summer treat Mamidi tandra

Chittibabu and Chinnababu live in Atreyapuram town in Andhra
Pradesh. The brothers spend the summer holidays playing in
the mango garden, when the trees are full of fruits. They also
like to eat unripe mangoes with salt and chilly powder.
At home, their mother cooks unripe mangoes in different
ways. She also makes many kinds of mango pickles. The pickles
last through the year until the next mango season.
One evening, while having food Chinnababu asked, Amma,
we have so many mangoes. Make some mamidi tandra (aam
papad) from them.
Their father said, Making mamidi tandra needs four weeks of
hardwork. If you both promise to help us everyday for the next
four weeks, we can together make the mamidi tandra.
Both the brothers quickly agreed to help. The next day both
the children went to the market with their father. They bought
a mat woven from the leaves of a palm tree, poles of casuarina
tree, string made of coconut husk, some jaggery and sugar.
38
38
Looking Around
Amma found a sunny place in the backyard. Both the brothers

made a high platform by using poles. They spread out and tied
the mat on that platform.
The next day, Appa chose the most ripe mangoes. They took
out the mango pulp into a large pot. Then they strained the
pulp through a fine muslin cloth, to remove the fibres from the
pulp. Then Chittibabu crushed the gur (jaggery) till there were
no lumps. They added the jaggery and sugar in equal amounts
39
39
to the pulp. Chinnababu mixed the jaggery and sugar well with
a big spoon. Amma then spread this pulp into a thin layer over
the mat. The thin layer was left to dry in the sun. In the evening,
they covered the mat with a clean saree to avoid any dust.
The next day they again took out some mango pulp. They
added jaggery and sugar into the pulp. Then they spread the
pulp over the previous days layer. This work was given to both
the brothers. Both of them together spread many layers over it.
For the next four weeks they hoped that it would not rain.
For four weeks, they added layer after layer until the jelly
grew four centimetres thick and looked like a golden cake. After
some days Amma said, The mamidi tandra is ready, we can
take it out and cut it into pieces tomorrow.
The next day, the mat was brought down from the platform.
Mamidi tandra was cut into smaller pieces. The brothers tasted
it. It was tasty. Chhinnababu said, Wow, how tasty! After all we
have also helped in making it.
Write
Why was sugar and jaggery mixed into the mango pulp
and dried in the sun?

Why did Appa first choose the most ripe mangoes to be
used for making the mamidi tandra?

How did the brothers make the mamidi tandra? Write down
step-by-step what they did for this.

What things are made in your house from ripe and unripe
mangoes?
40
Looking Around
Make a list of all the different types of pickles that you
know about.
Find out and discuss

Is there any kind of pickle made in your house?
What kind of pickle is it? Who makes it? From whom

did they learn to make the pickle?
What all things are needed to make any one type of
pickle in your house? How is the pickle made? Find

out the recipe and write.
How are these things made in your house.
Papad Chutney Badiyan

It is a two-day journey by train from Pune to Kolkata.
If you were to go on this trip, what food items would

you carry with you? How would you pack them?
Make a list on the blackboard of all the packed
food. What food would you eat first?
What we have learnt

Glass jars and bottles are dried well in the sun before
filling them with pickles. Why is this done? Do you

remember what happened to the bread in the experiment?
To eat mangoes round the year we make different items
like pickle, aam papad, chutney, chikky, etc. List some

other food with which we make different things, so that
we can enjoy it throughout the year.
41
5. Seeds and Seeds
Gopal was waiting for his mausis family to visit them. They will
be coming the next day for their holidays. He was thinking
about all the fun and nice food that he would have with his
cousins. Just then his mother called out, Gopal, before you
sleep, remember to soak two small bowls (katoris) of chana
(gram). She was going to his Buas house and would return
only in the morning.
As he was soaking the chana, Gopal thought, How will two
small bowls of this be enough for eight persons? So he soaked
another two bowls of chana. When his mother returned the
next morning, she saw that the chana were overflowing
from the vessel. How much did you soak? asked his
mother. How did that happen! wondered Gopal.
You soaked too much! Anyway it is good, now I
will cook half of them, and leave the other half to
sprout. I can send these to your aunt. The doctor
has told her to eat sprouts, mother said. She
tied half of the soaked chana in a wet cloth,
and hung them up to sprout.
Discuss
What things are soaked before cooking in your house? Why?
What things do you eat after sprouting? How are they
sprouted? How much time does it take?

Has the doctor or someone you know ever told you to eat
sprouts? Why?
42
Looking Around
Do this and find out

Do you remember that in Class IV you did an activity
with seeds? Now try another one.
Take some chana and three bowls.
Put five chana in the first bowl and fill it up with
water.
Put a damp piece of cloth or some cotton wool in the
second bowl. Now keep the same number of chanas in

it. Make sure that the cotton wool or cloth remains wet.
Put the same number of chanas in the third bowl.
Do not put anything else in it. Cover all the three

bowls.
Observe after two days and note the changes in the bowls.
Are the seeds getting air?
Bowl 1
Bowl 2
Bowl 3
No
Yes
Yes
Are the seeds getting water?

What changes did you see?
Have the seeds sprouted?
Tell and write

In which bowl did the seeds sprout? What difference did
you see between this bowl and the other bowls?

Why did Gopals mother tie the chana in a damp cloth?
Teachers Note : Sprouting time of seeds may vary according to the temperature
and humidity of the weather.
Seeds and Seeds
43
When you split the whole

masoor, you get me masoor
dal. But then you cannot
sprout me! Can you think why?
Draw
Look carefully at your sprouted chana and make its drawing?
Project : Plant your seeds

Take a clay pot or a tin can with a wide mouth. Make
a small hole at the bottom of the can. Fill your can with
soil. Put four or five seeds of the same kind in the soil
and press them gently. Different group can plant
different kinds of seeds, such as mustard (sarson),
fenugreek (methi ), sesame (til ) or coriander (dhania).
Write
Name of the seed : ____________
The date on which you planted them: ___________
The day you observe something coming out of
the soil, start filling the table:
Date
44
Height of the
plant (in cm)
Number of leaves
seen
To find the
height of a plant
use thread and
then measure it
on the scale.
Any other change
Looking Around
Find out
How long did it take for the plant to come out from the soil?
What was the difference in the height of the plant on the
first and second day?

On which day did the height of the plant
increase the most?

Did new leaves come out of the plant every day?
Was there any change in the stem of the plant?
Discuss
Which seeds took the most number of days for the stem
to come out of the soil?

Which seeds took the least days to come out of the soil?
Which seeds did not grow at all? Why?
Did anyones plant dry up or turn yellow? Why did this
happen?
What would happen if the plants do not get water?
Straight from your heart

What is inside the seed?
How does a big plant grow from a tiny seed?
Teachers Note : Students are not supposed to be given formal information in

response to these questions. These are meant to explore their own intuitive ideas.
Discussion in class will help them think about how plants need air, water
and soil.
Seeds and Seeds
45
Think and imagine

What would happen if plants could walk? Draw a picture.
Find out
Do some plants grow without seeds?
Trapped!
Plants which hunt!

There are some plants which trap and eat
frogs, insects and even mice. The Pitcher
plant (Nepenthese) is one such plant. It is
found in Australia, Indonesia and Meghalaya
in India. It has a pitcher-like shape and the
mouth is covered by a leaf. The plant has a
special smell that attracts insects to it. When
the insect lands on the mouth of the plant,
it gets trapped and cannot get out. What a
clever way to hunt!
So many seeds!
How many types of seeds can you collect?
Where will you find them? Each of you
should try to collect as many different
types of seeds as you can. After that, put
all the seed collections together. Now
observe these seeds carefully their
shapes, sizes, colours, textures (smooth
46
Looking Around
or rough). Make a seed chart to put up in the class. You can

start with a table like this.
Name of the seed
Rajma
Colour
Shape (draw)
Reddish brown
Texture
Smooth
Think
Did you keep aniseed (saunf ) and cumin ( jeera) in your
list?
Which was the smallest seed and which was the biggest
seed in your collection?
Make lists of :
Seeds that are used as spices in your home.
Seeds of vegetables.
Seeds of fruits.
Light seeds (check by blowing them).
Seeds which are flat.
Make more groups. How many groups of seeds did you make?
Do you know any games that you can play with seeds?
Discuss with your friends.

Write a
letter!
Wandering seeds
Plants cannot move around. Once they
grow, they remain in the same place. But
their seeds are great travellers! They can
reach far and wide. Look at picture 1 on the
next page and see the flying seeds.
Seeds and Seeds
47
Ok,
bye!
Kenneth Rowley
Olga Gerrard
Acchhoo!!
Picture 2
Picture 1
Have you ever seen any seed that can fly?

What is it called in your area?
Look at your seed collection. Guess how many of those
could have travelled by flying.

Look at picture 2. This seed cannot fly, but it can still
travel by sticking on to the fur of animals or on our clothes.
In this way it gets a free ride! Did you get any new idea from
these seeds? Read how the idea of Velcro came to George
Mestral.
This happened in 1948. One day George Mestral came

back from a walk with his dog. He was amazed to find
seeds sticking all over his clothes and on his dogs fur.
He wondered what made them stick. So he observed these seeds
under a microscope. He saw that the seeds had many tiny hooks
which got stuck to clothes or fur. This gave Mestral the idea of
making Velcro. He made a material with similar tiny hooks that
would stick. Velcro is used to stick together many things clothes,
shoes, bags, belts and many more. What a way to take inspiration
from nature!
48
Looking Around
Look at the pictures given below and guess how the seeds
travel and reach different places.
Some plants spread their seeds over long distances. When

the soyabean pods are ripe, they burst and the seeds are
thrown out. Have you ever heard their sound?
Think what would happen, if seeds did not spread and
remained at one place only.
Make a list of the different ways by which seeds are spread.
Who came from where?
Have you included human beings also in your list?
Yes, we also carry seeds from one place to another,
knowingly or unknowingly. We bring the seeds of plants
that we find beautiful or useful, to grow them in our
garden. Later the seeds of these plants spread to other
places. Many years later people may not even remember
that these plants did not grow here earlier. They were
brought from somewhere else. Do you know from where
chillies came to our country? These were brought to
India by traders coming from South America. Today
we cannot think of food without chillies!
Read this poem to know which plant came from
where.
Seeds and Seeds
49
From South America

long ago,
came a tomato,
a potato,
and a green chilli.
Do you know this?
A cabbage came
from Europe,
and also a pea.
From Africa
came a coffee bean,
and a green bhindi.
They crossed the land.
They crossed the sea.
Did you know this?
(Bhindi is also called okra, and methi is
called fenugreek)
A mango sang,
Come in! Come in!
An orange smiled
inside its skin.
Welcome to India,
a banana said.
the methi and spinach,
brinjal and radish,
nodded its head.
Did you know this?
...
Rajesh Utsahi
Chakmak, May-June 2002
vkyw fephZ pk; th] dkSu dgk ls vk, th! vkyw fephZ pk; th] dkSu dgk ls vk, th! vkyw fephZ pk; th] dkSu dgk ls vk, th!
vkyw fephZ pk; th] dkSu dgk ls vk, th! vkyw fephZ pk; th] dkSu dgk ls vk, th! vkyw fephZ pk; th] dkSu dgk ls vk, th!
Did you know this?
What all was grown in India long ago? Were mangoes and
bananas grown here? What came from other countries?
Imagine food without potatoes or tomatoes!
What we have learnt

Reena has drawn this picture of the seed sprouted by
her. What do you think the seeds need for sprouting?

Write in your own words. How would Reenas seeds
look if they did not get the things needed. Show by
drawing a picture.
How do seeds spread to far off places? Write in your
own words.
50
Looking Around
6. Every Drop Counts
Long Long Ago
Rainwater collected in this lake spread over many miles.

It was made in such a way that when the lake was full, the
extra water flowed into another lake at a lower level. When
that too filled up, the
extra water flowed into
the third lake and so on
filling nine such
interconnected lakes. The
collected rain water could
be used throughout the
year and there was no
shortage of water. Today,
Ghadsisar is no more in
use. Many new buildings
and colonies have come
up in between those nine lakes. Now the water does not get
collected in these lakes but just flows away and is wasted.
51
Pawan Gupta
This is a picture of Ghadsisar. Sar means a lake. King Ghadsi

of Jaisalmer got it made 650 years ago with the help of the
people. All around the lake there are ghats with steps leading
to the water, decorated verandahs, large halls, rooms and
much more. People came here to celebrate festivals and for
programmes of music and dance. Children came to study in
the school on the ghat. The talab belonged to everyone and
everyone took care to keep it clean.
Through the eyes of Al-Biruni

More than a thousand years ago, a traveller came to
India. His name was Al-Biruni. The place that he came
from is now called Uzbekistan. Al-Biruni carefully
observed and noted down the details of all that he saw.
He wrote especially about those things that he found
very different from his own country. Here is a part of what he
wrote about the ponds of that time.
The people here are very skilled at making ponds. My
countrymen would be surprised to see them. They pile up huge
rocks and join them with iron rods to build chabutaras (raised
platforms) all around the lake. Between these, there are rows
of long staircases, going up and down. The steps for going up
and coming down are separate. So there is less crowding.
Today when we study history, we can learn a lot about those days
from the writings of Al-Biruni. (This stamp came out in 1973, one
thousand years after his birth.)
Think and find out

Look at the area around your school. Are there any
fields, farms, pucca roads, drains, etc. Is the area

sloping, rocky or flat? Think, what will happen here
when it rains? Where will the rain water go into
the drains, pipes or pits? Is some water also getting
soaked into the soil?
Drop-by-drop
Besides Jaisalmer, many places in Rajasthan, get very little
rainfall. Here it rains for only ten to twelve days in the entire
year, sometimes not even that much. The rivers here do not
Teachers Note : We can tell children how Al-Birunis book is helpful to know
about the past. Also discuss about other sources of history, such as old buildings,
coins, paintings, etc. Help children to locate Uzbekistan in the world map.
52
Looking Around
have water in them all round the year. And yet, most of the
villages in these areas did not have a shortage of water.
People knew that every drop of water was precious. Lakes
and johads were made to collect these
precious drops of water. Water was
everyones need. One and all came
together in this work be it a
businessman or a labourer. Some water
from the lakes soaked into the ground
and reached the wells and bavdis
(stepwell) in that area. The soil of the
area also became wet and fertile.
Every house had a system to collect
the rain water. Look at this picture.
Meenu
How do you think the

rainwater that falls on
the roof will reach the
underground tank?
Draw the path.
Have you ever seen
a stepwell? Look at
the picture. Can you
imagine by looking at
the picture that the
steps go down several
storeys deep? Instead of drawing the water up from the well,
the people could go down the steps and reach the water.
That is why they are called stepwells.
Teachers Note : How does the earth soak water and how does it reach wells and
stepwells? This can be discussed with children.
Every Drop Counts
53
Long ago, people used to make long journeys with their

caravans of animals and goods. People felt it was a good
thing to give water to thirsty travellers. Thus, they built
many beautiful stepwells.
Have you ever faced a shortage of water in your area?
If yes, then what was the reason for it?

Talk to your grandmother or any elderly person. Find
out, when they were of your age:
From where did they get water for the house? Has there
been a change now?

What kind of water arrangements were made for
travellers for example piau, mashak (leather bag) or

any other? Now what do people do about water when
they travel?
Customs related to water
Devraj Agarwal
Even today people get water from very old lakes, dharas,
stepwells and naulas. Many customs and festivals are related
to water. At some places,
whenever lakes get filled up
with rainwater, the people
gather around the lake to
celebrate.
See the bride of Uttarakhand
in this picture. After getting
married she has come to the
new village. She bows to the
spring or the pond. In cities
one can see an interesting
form of this custom. The new
bride worships the tap in her home. Can we even imagine life
without water?
54
Looking Around
Devraj Agarwal
Do you have some special pots for water at your place?

Look, water is being filled in this beautiful copper pot. The
shining yellow pot of brass is seen in the other picture. Many
stone carvings are also made near the place of drinking water.
Have you ever seen any beautiful building near the place of
water? Where?
Find out
Is there a lake, well or stepwell near your house or school?
Visit it and find out more about it.
How old is it? Who got it built?
What kinds of buildings are around it?
Is the water clean? Is it cleaned regularly?
Who all use the water?
Is there any festival celebrated at this place?
Is there any water today, or is it dry?
Every Drop Counts
55
Think over it!

In 1986, there was no rain in Jodhpur and the surrounding areas.
People remembered the old and forgotten stepwell ( baoli ). They
cleaned the stepwell and more than two hundred trucks of garbage
was taken out of it. People of the area collected money. The thirsty
town got water from the stepwell. After a few years it rained well
and again the stepwell was forgotten.
Discuss
There are two old wells in the area where Punita lives. Her
grandmother says that about fifteen - twenty years ago there
was water in these wells. The wells could have dried up
because:
Water is being pumped up from under the ground,
with the help of electric motors.

The lakes in which rain water used to collect are no
longer there.
The soil around trees and parks is now covered with
cement.
Is there some other reason for this? Explain.
The story today

Let us see the different ways in which people manage water today.
See page 57 and discuss.
Do you get water in your house by any of these ways? Put a tick ()
on that. If you get water by some other way, write in your notebook.
Teachers Note : Discuss the unequal distribution of water with children. It is
important to know how people get water from different sources and the problems
they face. Though it is challenging, yet it is important to discuss issues of caste
and class related to water, especially from the chilldrens perspective.
56
Looking Around
A Jal Board water tanker

comes to our colony twice a
day. We have to stand in a
long queue to get water from
the tanker. People at times
have fights over water.
We fill water from the well.

The nearby well dried up a
year ago. Now we have to
walk far to reach the other
well. We are not allowed to
take water from some of the
wells because of our caste.
This is how
we get
water
We get water from our taps,
all day long.
We have put a pump

directly in the Jal Board
pipeline. Now we don't have
any problem!
Every Drop Counts
We have put a motor to

pump up the water from
the borewell. But there is
no electricity, so what do
we do!
We get water at home for

half an hour. We fill this in
the tank to use all day.
Sometime it is dirty.
There is a handpump
nearby, but the water that
we get from it is salty. We
have to buy water for
drinking.
We get water from the canal

itself.
57
Discuss
Everyone has the right to live. Yet, is everybody getting
enough water to live or even water to drink? Why is it

that some people have to buy drinking water? Should it
be like this? Water on this earth is for one and all. Some
people draw out water from the ground by deep bore
wells. How far is it correct? Have you ever seen this?
Why do some people put a pump directly in the Jal Board
pipe line? What problems would other people face due
to this? Do you have any such experience?
Look at this bill and tell

From which office has this bill come?
Do you get a water bill at home? Find out from where it
is sent?
Why do you think Dilli Sarkar (Government of Delhi) is
written under Delhi Jal Board?

In whose name is the bill? How much money do they
have to pay for each month?

Do you have to pay for water? How much? Is the rate of
water different in different colonies? Ask your elders.

58
Looking Around
It can be done
There are some groups that work hard to bring water to the
people of different areas. They ask the elders about the water
arrangement in their times. They rebuild the old lakes and
johads, and also build new ones. Let us see how the group
called Tarun Bharat Sangh helped Darki Mai.
This is Darki Mai. She lives in a village in the Alwar district of

Rajasthan. The women of the village used to spend the entire
day looking after their home and animals. Sometimes, it took
them all night to pull water from the well for the animals. In the
summer, when the wells dried up, they had to leave the village.
Darki Mai heard about this group and asked for help. Together,
the people from the group and the village decided to make a
lake. The problem of food and water for animals is now less.
People get more milk. They have started earning more.
From the book Char Gaon ki Katha
Have you ever read this kind of news in any newspaper? How
did people solve their problem of water? Did they repair and
reuse any old lake or stepwell?
What we have learnt

Make a poster : Do you remember the slogan
Water on earth is for one and all. Think of some other such
slogans. Draw pictures and make a nice poster.
Bring a water bill, look at it and tell
This bill is from___________date to___________date.
How much money is to be paid for this bill?
What else can you see in the bill, like the money spent
on repair, maintenance etc.?
Every Drop Counts
59
7. Experiments with Water
What floats what sinks?

Ayesha was waiting for dinner. Today Ammi was making her
favourite food puri and spicy potatoes.
Ayesha watched as her mother rolled out the puri and put
it in the hot oil. She saw that at first the puri sank to the
bottom of the pan. As it puffed up, the puri came up and
started floating on the oil. One puri did not puff up and did
not float like the others. On seeing this, Ayesha took some
dough and rolled it into a ball. She flattened it and put it in
a bowl of water. Alas! it sank to the bottom and stayed there.
Think what would happen if

Ayesha put a puffed puri in a bowl of water. Would
it sink or float?
You put a steel plate on water. Would it sink or
float? What would happen to a spoon?

Would the cap of a plastic bottle sink
or float on water?
In the evening Ayesha went for
a bath. She had just come out
when her mother called, Ayesha,
you have dropped the soap in the
water again. Take it out and put it
in the soap case. Ayesha was in a
hurry and the soap case fell out of
60
Looking Around
her hands. It started floating on water. Ayesha

gently put the soap in the soap case. She saw
that the case continued to float, even with the
soap in it.
Have you seen that some thing float on
water while others sink? Think how this
happens! The poem here raises such
questions.
Why, Oh Why?
A wooden boat
in water will float.
But a needle will sink!
Why does this happen?
Let me think...
An iron ship
will also float,
though its much heavier
than my boat!
But a needle,
light as a leaf,
thin as a pin,
will sink right in!
Let me think...
Shishir Shobhan Ashthana
Chakmak, December 1985
Do this and find out

Do this experiment in groups of four friends. Each group
will need a big pot filled with water and the things
listed in the table. Put each thing one-by-one in water
and observe.
61
Mark [] for the things that float. Mark [] for those that sink.
Things to be put in water
I guessed, before I
did it
I saw, when I
did it
(a) Empty bowl (katori)

(b) After putting in 6-7 small pebbles,
one-by-one
Iron nail or pin
Matchstick
(a) Empty plastic bottle with its lid
closed
(b) bottle half-filled with water
(c) Bottle full of water
Aluminium
foil
(from
medicine
packing)
(a) open and spread out
(b) pressed tightly into a ball
(c) in a cup-like shape
(a) Soap cake
(b) Soap cake on a small plastic plate
A piece of ice
Find out from the other groups which things floated and which
sank in the water?
After doing the experiment, fill in the blanks.
1. The iron nail ______ in water but the katori ______. I think
this happened because _________________________________
2. The empty plastic bottle ______ on water. The bottle filled
with water ______ because ______________________________
3. The aluminium foil ______ when it was spread out. When
pressed tightly into a ball it __________. This may have
happened because ____________________________________
62
Looking Around
Is it magic?
When Ayesha woke up in the morning, Ammi had fever. Abbu made
some tea and went to give medicines to Ammi. He told Ayesha, You
boil eggs. Also put some salt in the water. Ayesha took water in
a pot. By mistake she put too much salt in the water. She saw
the eggs at the bottom of the pot come up a little and start to
float in water!
Take some water in a glass. Put a lemon in it. Now keep
putting salt in the water, half-a-spoon at a time. Were you

able to float your lemon in water?
What do you think, the lemon floated in salty water,
because......
Dead Sea
All oceans and seas have salty water. The saltiest of all is
the Dead Sea. How salty? Imagine 300 grams of salt in one
litre of water! Would you be able to even taste such salty
water? It would be very bitter. Interestingly, even if a person
does not know how to swim, she would not drown in this
sea. She will float in water, as if lying down on it!
Remember the lemon you floated in salty water?
What dissolved, what did not?

On Sunday Ayeshas cousin brother Hamid came to her house
to play. As soon as he came he asked his aunt to make his
favourite shakkarpara (a sweet dish). Ammi said, Let me come
back from the market, then I will make some for you. Why
dont you help me? Take two glasses of water and put a bowl of
sugar in it. Mix it till it dissolves. Hamid thought, Let me
finish this work fast. Then I will watch TV.
Suggest some ways to Hamid for quickly dissolving sugar.
Teachers Note : It is not expected that children should be told about density. We
should accept different answers that children may give, such as water is heavy or
thick.
63
Do this experiment
Make groups of four friends. For the experiment you will
need 4-5 glasses or bowls, spoons, water, and the things
listed in the table. Take some water in each glass. Now try
to dissolve one thing in one glass. Observe what happens
and note in the table.
Things
Did it dissolve
or not?
What happened after

keeping for 2 minutes?
1. Salt
2. Soil
3. Chalk powder
4. 1 spoon milk
5. Oil
Tell
Could you see the salt after it dissolved in water? If no,
why?
Does that mean that now the water does not have salt?
If it has, then where is the salt?

What difference did you see in the water with salt, and
the water with chalk powder after keeping for sometime?

Which of the two would you be able to separate from the
water by straining with a cloth salt or chalk powder?

Teachers Note : There are many things which cannot be easily labelled as soluble
or insoluble. These categories are anyway not needed here. Children need to be
encouraged to fill the table on the basis of their own observations.
64
Looking Around
While doing the experiment Ayesha and Hamid had an

argument. Ayesha felt that after stirring it, the oil dissolved in
water. Hamid did not agree. He said, Look, the tiny yellow oil
drops can still be seen in the water. Ayesha said, Lets wait
for sometime and then see.
Do you think the oil got dissolved in the water? Why do
you think so?
Racing drops
Ayesha put two drops of oil on the lid
of her tiffin box. Next to that she put
two drops of water and two drops of
sugar solution. She tilted the lid. She
saw some drops slid down quickly,
while some were left behind.
You also try to do the same and then tell which drop went ahead?
Why did it slide faster?
Where did the water go?

One day Ayeshas mother put some water to boil on the
stove for making tea. She got busy with something and
forgot about it. When she remembered and came to check,
she found only a few drops of water left in the pan.
Think where did the water go?
Why did Chittibabu and Chinnababu keep their mango
jelly in the sun?

At your house, what things are made by drying in the
sun?
65
Dandi March
This incident took place in 1930, before
India became independent. For many
years the British had made a law that
did not allow people to make salt
themselves. They had also put a heavy
tax on salt. By this law people could not
make salt even for use at home. How
can anybody live without salt? Gandhiji
said, How can a law not allow us to use
freely what nature has given ! Gandhiji,
with several other people, went on a yatra
(long walk) from Ahmedabad to the Dandi
seashore in Gujarat, to protest against
this law.
Do you know how salt is made? The sea
water is collected in shallow beds dug in the
sand. Water is allowed to dry in the sun. After
the water dries the salt remains on the ground.
What we have learnt

You have washed your handkerchief and you want
to dry it quickly. What all can you do?

What things do you put in water to make tea? Which
of those things dissolves in water?

You have been given some mishri pieces (lumps of
sugar). Suggest some ways to dissolve them quickly.
Teachers Note : Children of this age cannot be expected to understand the

concept of evaporation but they can begin to think about it. Dandi Yatra can
provide a context to talk about the struggle for Independence.
66
Looking Around
8. A Treat for Mosquitoes
Blood test
Rajat is back at school today. He had been absent for
many days. How are you now ? asked Aarti. Im
alright, Rajat replied softy.
Jaskirat
Jaskirat: You must have played a lot while you were

at home.
Rajat : Who wants to play when you have fever! On
top of it I had to take a bitter medicine! I even had a
blood test.
Jaskirat: A blood test? Why? It must have been very
painful.
Rajat
Rajat: Actually, when the needle pricked my finger, it

felt like an ant bite. They took 2-3 drops of blood, and
sent it for testing. Thats how we came to know that I
had malaria.
Nancy: But you get malaria when a mosquito bites you.
Rajat: Yes, but we find out by the blood test.
Nancy
Jaskirat: There are a lot of mosquitoes in my house

these days, but I did not get malaria.
Nancy: Who says that every mosquito bite causes
malaria? Malaria spreads only by the disease carrying
mosquitoes.
Aarti
Aarti: All mosquitoes look the same to me.

Rajat: There must be some difference.
67
Abid Shamshad
Taking the blood on the glass slide for test
Nancy: Did they take the blood

from the place where the mosquito
had bitten you?
Dr Maryam looking at the blood slide

under the microscope. This miscroscope
makes things look thousand times bigger.
The details inside the blood can be seen
clearly. There are some miscroscopes
which make things look even more bigger
than this one.
Rajat: Of course not! How do I know when and where

the mosquito bit me?
Nancy: But how could they find out that you had
malaria by your blood test? Do you think they could
see something in the blood?
Find out
Do you know anyone who has had malaria?
How did they find out that they had malaria?
What problems did they have on having malaria?
What other diseases can be caused by mosquito
bites?
In which season is malaria more common? Why do
you think this happens?

What do you do in your house to protect yourself
from mosquitoes? Also find out from your friends

about what they do.
68
Looking Around
Look at the report of the
Dyhfudy foo`Qfr fjiksVZ

CLINICAL PATHOLOGY REPORT
osaQnzh; ljdkj LokLF; ;kstuk

Central Govt. Health Scheme
18/08/2007
Rajat
uke@Name............
11
vk;q@ Age..........
L=kh
Male
;k iq#"k@Sex.............
Fever with Chills and Rigors

jksx dh igpku@Diagnosis..............................................
(BaM yxdj oaQidih osQ lkFk cq[kkj)
Malarial Parasite Found in Blood Sample
([kwu esa eysfj;k osQ thok.kq ik, x,)
Pathologist
AnaemiaWhats that?
blood test given here. Which

words in the report help us
to know that the person has
malaria?
Medicine for Malaria
From early times, the dried and
powdered bark of the Cinchona
tree was used to make a
medicine for malaria. Earlier
people used to boil the bark
powder and strain the water
which was given to
patients. Now tablets are
made from this.
Aarti: You know, I also had to get a blood test done. But they took
a syringe full of blood. The blood test showed that I had anaemia.
Rajat: What is that?
Aarti: The doctor said that there is less haemoglobin or iron in
the blood. The doctor gave some medicines to give me strength.
He also said that I should eat jaggery, amla and more green leafy
vegetables, because these have iron.
Nancy: How can there be iron in our blood?
Jaskirat: There was something about this in the newspaper
yesterday.
Rajat (laughing) : So then you ate iron or what?!
Aarti: Silly! This is not the iron used to make these keys. I dont
know exactly what it was. After I ate a lot of vegetables and
whatever the doctor had said, my haemoglobin went up.
Teachers Note : You can bring a blood report in the class and discuss with the children.
69
Anaemia common in Delhi school

17 November, 2007 - Thousands
of children studying in the
Municipal Corporation schools in
Delhi suffer from anaemia. This
is affecting both their physical as
well as mental health. Due to
anaemia, children do not grow
well, and their energy levels are
low. This also affects their ability

to study properly. Now health
check ups are being done in the
schools and health cards are
being made for all the children.
Anaemic children are also being
given iron tablets.
Tell
20/06/2007
Aarti
uke@Name............
12 L=kh
vk;q@Age.......
Female
iq#"k@Sex..........
;k
Anaemia (vuhfe;k)
15/09/2007
Aarti
uke@Name............
12 L=kh
vk;q@Age.......
Female
;k iq#"k@Sex..........
Anaemia (vuhfe;k)
jksx dh igpku@Diagnosis..........................................
jksx dh igpku@Diagnosis..........................................
Normal Range
Normal Range
Haemoglobin
(gheksXyksfcu)
8 gm/dl
........
(ukWjey jsat)
12 to 16gm/dl
Pathologist
Haemoglobin
(gheksXyksfcu)
10.5 gm/dl
........
(ukWjey jsat)
12 to 16gm/dl
Pathologist
Look at Aartis blood report and find out the minimum
required haemoglobin?
How much did Aarti's haemoglobin go up and how long
did it take for that?

What does the newspaper report say about the problems
caused by anaemia?
Have you or anyone in your family ever needed to get a
blood test? When and why?

Teachers Note : A discussion can be initiated in the classroom, about how
diseases spread through the housefly. Newspaper reports can also be used in
the class.
70
Looking Around
What was found out by the blood test?

Have you had a health check up in your school?
What did the doctor tell you?
Find out
Ask a doctor or elders about the food items
which contain iron.
Baby mosquitoes
Jaskirat: There is a poster on malaria just outside our
class.
(Everyone goes out to look.)
Are you inviting mosquitoes?
BEWARE!
They Spread Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya!
Dont let water collect around you. Fill up the pits.
Keep the water pots, coolers and tanks clean. They should be
dried every week.
Put fish in the ponds, so that they eat the mosquito larvae.
Use mosquito nets to protect yourself.
Spray oil if water has collected at some place.
Rajat: The poster says something about larvae. What are those?
Nancy: They are baby mosquitoes. But they dont look like
mosquitoes at all.
71
Aarti: Where did you see them?

Nancy: There was an old pot lying behind our house. It was full
of water for some days. When I looked there I saw some tiny
thread-like grey things swimming. I was surprised when Mummy
told me that these had come out of the eggs
which mosquitoes lay in water. They are called
larvae. I also heard something about this on the
radio.
Rajat: What did you do?
Nancy: Papa immediately threw away the water.
He cleaned and dried the pot and kept it upside
down, so that no water would collect.
mosquitoes's larvae
Jaskirat: Shazia aunty told me that even flies

spread diseases, especially stomach problems.
Rajat: But flies dont bite. Then how do they
spread diseases?
Find out and tell

Have you seen any poster like this put up
anywhere?
larvae seen through

hand lens
Who do you think puts up such posters, or
gives ads in the newspapers?

What are some of the important points given in the poster?
Why do you think pictures of a tank, cooler and pits are
shown in the poster?
Think
Why do you think it talks about putting fish in the tank?
What do you think the fish eats?

What will happen when oil is spread on the water?
72
Looking Around
Find out
Which diseases are spread by flies and how?
Mosquito check
Divide your class into two or three groups. Each group will
go around to check one area in school or around it. It must
carefully note if water has collected anywhere, and mark
where it finds stagnant water.
Pot
Cooler
school ground
Tank
Gutter
Any open space in the

Any other place_____________
Since how many days has water collected there?

Has it caused any problem in the area?
Who is responsible for keeping these places clean?
Who is supposed to get the gutters and drains repaired?
Can any larvae be seen in the collected water?
Make a poster
In your group, make a poster with a message to keep the
cooler, tank, drains and the area clean (wherever water

collects). Put up your poster in and around your school.
Find out who is responsible for keeping the area around
your school clean. Write a letter from your class, reporting

your findings and suggestions. Find out to whom the letter
should be written and to which office it should be sent.
73
Survey report
Some children did this survey. Here are some of their reports.
Group 1
Group 2
We found something green around

the taps in our school which is
called algae. It was also slippery
there. The algae spreads a lot during
the rainy season. We think that they
are some kind of small plants that
grow in water.
There is a pond near the school. At

first you cannot see the water in
the pond as it is completely covered
with plants. One aunty told us that
these plants have grown
themselves in water. Around the
pond there are pits full of water.
We also saw some larvae in the
water. As we moved around, lots of
mosquitoes flew from the plants
growing around. Jaskirat feels that
there are so many mosquitoes in
her house because of this dirty
pond nearby.
Tell
Is there a pond or river
around your house or
school? Go and look around
and observe these things:
Can you see algae in or around the water?

Where else have you seen algae?
Are there plants growing on the side or in water? Find out
their names. Draw some of these in your note book.

Do you think these were planted by someone or did they
grow on their own?

What else can you see in water? Make a list.
A scientist peeps into a mosquitos stomach

This interesting incident took place almost a hundred years ago. A
scientist found out that mosquitoes spread malaria. Let's read about
this discovery in his own words.
Ronald Ross
74
My father was a general in the Indian Army. I studied to become a

doctor, but what I really liked was reading stories, writing poetry, music
and drama. In my free time I enjoyed doing all this.
Looking Around
In those days, thousands of people used to die from a disease that we now call
malaria. The disease was found in areas where there was a lot of rain, or in swampy
places. People thought that the illness was caused by some poisonous gas that
came from the dirty swampy areas. They gave it the name 'malaria' which means
'bad air'. One doctor had seen tiny germs in the blood of one of the patients, when
he observed it under a microscope. But he could not understand how these had got
into the patients blood.
My professor had some ideas about this. I think that these may be carried by
some kind of mosquito. As his student, I spent all my time chasing mosquitoes, to
catch and observe. We used to carry empty bottles and chase mosquito after mosquito.
Then we would put the mosquitoes into a mosquito net in which there was a patient
of malaria. The mosquitoes would have a feast, biting these patients. The patients
were paid one anna for allowing one mosquitoe to bite them.
I will always remember those days at the hospital in Secundrabad how we
used to cut open the mosquitos stomach and peep into it. I would spend hours and
hours bent over the microscope. By night my neck would be stiff and my eyes could
not see clearly! It used to be very hot but we dared not fan ourselves, as all the
mosquitoes would fly off in the breeze! Once I also fell ill with malaria.
I spent months like this with the microscope, but could not find anything. One
day we caught a few mosquitoes that looked different. They were brownish with
spotted wings. When I looked into the stomach of one of the female mosquitoes, I
saw something black there. I looked closer. I saw that these tiny germs looked just
like the ones that were found in the blood of malaria patients. At last we had the
proof! Mosquitoes did spread malaria!
In December 1902, Ronald Ross got the highest award for his discoverythe
Nobel Prize for medicine. In 1905, even as he lay dying, Rosss last words were, I
will find something, I will find something new.
What we have learnt

What can you do so that mosquitoes do not breed in
your house, school and neighbourhood?
How can you find out if someone has malaria?
Teachers Note : Tell children that anna was a form of currency used earlier in
India. Use the story of Ronald Ross to encourage children to know and talk about
scientific processes. It is important to share with children that in an ordinary
hospital of Secundarabad many important experiments were done some
successful and some not so successful which led to an amazing discovery about
a disease which has still not been controlled. Collect more such exciting stories
on discoveries about different diseases and share with children.
75
9. Up You Go!
84
2nd February 19
Mountaineering Camp
Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi
We were at the mountaineering camp

and were very excited. Twenty of us were
teachers from Kendriya Vidyalayas.
There were other women from banks and
other institutions. Today was the second
day of the camp. In the morning as I got
out of bed and put my foot down, I
screamed in pain. I remembered
yesterdays 26 kilometre walk with the heavy rucksack on
my back. I was afraid to go back to that steep climb and the
rough narrow path.
With tears in my eyes I started walking slowly towards the
room of Brigadier Gyan Singh, the Director of our adventure
course. I was thinking of what I would say to excuse myself
from that days trek. Suddenly, I heard his deep voice
from behind.
Madam, what are you doing here at breakfast
time? Hurry up! Otherwise you will have to trek
on an empty stomach.
Sir, Sir., I could not say any more.
You have came to tell me that you have blisters
on your feet, that you cannot walk, isnt it?
Yes, sir.
That is nothing new. Now get ready quickly.
76
Looking Around
I hung my head and rushed back to get ready. I had just

turned when I heard his voice again, Listen, madam. You
will lead group number 7. You will have to help any member
who has difficulty climbing the mountain. You have
already been told about the responsibilities of a group
leader in the mountains.
Tell
Have you ever seen the mountains? Have you also climbed
a mountain? When and where?

How far have you walked at one time? How far can you
walk?
Imagine
What do you think about the paths on the mountains?
Draw a picture.
A big responsibility
I started thinking about what a leader must do:
Help others in carrying their bags.
Let the group go ahead and keep to the last.
Help those who cannot climb properly.
Find a good place to stop and rest.
Look after those who are not well.
Arrange for food for the group.
The most important thing is to be ready to be punished
even when some one else may have made a mistake.
I realised that there was a special kind of discipline here.
I wondered whether the camp will still be fun!
Up You Go!
77
Group no. 7
Group No. 7 included girls from Assam, Manipur, Mizoram,
Meghalaya and Nagaland. I was the only teacher from Kendriya
Vidyalaya in this group. I was happy to meet my new group
members. Most of them could not speak Hindi well. I still feel
bad that after being together for 21 days, I could not talk
even once with Khondonbi from Mizoram. She spoke only
Mizo. But in our hearts we grew close to each other.
Tell
What do you think about the responsibilities of
a group leader?
How would you feel if you were made a leader in
such a camp?
What does a monitor in your class have to do?
Would you like to be the class monitor? Why?
4
5 February 198
We got vitamin C, iron tablets and hot chocolate milk with
our breakfast. These were given for strength and to keep us
warm in the cold. Every morning there would
be a medical check up. We tied our bandages
and counted the days left!
Crossing the river...
After an eight kilometre trek we reached a

river. There was a thick rope tied across the
river, from one bank to the other. The rope
was tightly fixed to pegs or pitons on both
the sides. I was feeling nervous. I started
thinking what would happen if the rope came
out. I was trying to estimate how wide the
river was.
78
Looking Around
Our instructor tied a rope around his waist and put a sling
(type of hook) in it. He then put the sling on the thick rope tied
across the river. Walking through the icy water, he went to the
other side. No one was ready to step into the fast flowing river.
Everyone was pushing each other to go first. I stood last in the
line hoping that no one would see me. Just then our instructor
came near me with the sling and rope in his hands. I knew
there was no escape now. I was ready, but did not have the
courage. Sir could guess my fears. He called out loudly, Three
cheers for Sangeeta madam! And before I knew it, someone
had gently pushed me into the water.
I was sure I would be carried away

by the river. But no, I found that I was
tied with the rope to the sling. Hold
the rope! Hold the rope, I could hear
the shouts. I somehow managed to get
hold of the rope and pull myself
forward. Slowly, with some courage, I
reached the river bank. I felt a special
kind of happiness as I came out of
the water. Happiness on finishing a
challenging task. Now, standing on
the bank, I was calling out to the others
to hold the rope tightly. I knew that this confidence was a result
of facing a challenge with courage.
Up You Go!
79
Kalyani Raghunathan
I felt as if my feet were frozen. I started shivering, my teeth

were chattering . I caught hold of the rope and started putting
my feet firmly on the river bed. As I walked further in, the river
got deeper and slowly the water reached upto my neck. In the
middle of the river I lost my balance and started slipping. I was
so scared and felt so cold, that the rope slipped from my hands.
I started shouting for help.
Find out and write

What kinds of tools are needed for climbing mountains?
Have you ever seen a hook and rope being used for anything
else? Where?
What else can we use if we want to cross a river in the
mountains?
Why do we need extra energy on the mountains?
Have you ever heard of anyone who has done something
adventurous? What?
Have you ever done anything adventurous? If yes, tell your
class. Write about it in your own words.
Rock climbing
10 February 1984
We had to climb 15 km to reach Tekla village. It was at a
height of 1600 metres. Our rucksacks had all that we may
need food packets, water bottle, rope, hook, plastic sheet,
diary, torch, towel, soap, windcheater, whistle, glucose,
jaggery, chana and some other snacks.
We could see fruits and
vegetables growing in the
step fields. We saw Colonel
Ram Singh standing on a
90 metres high flat rock
with pegs and ropes.
80
unathan
Kalyani Ragh
We had been told to first

observe the rock carefully
and identify holds places
where we can put our hands
and feet. Today I was not
going to back out. I stood first
in the line. Our instructor tied
Looking Around
a rope around his waist. He put the sling, and

held the thick rope which was hanging. He
started climbing as if he was running up. I
also put my sling. But as I took my first step,
I slipped. And there I was swinging from the
rope!
Keep your body at an angle of 90 while
climbing, I heard. Keep your back straight.
Do not bend.
Keeping this in mind, I imagined the rock as
flat ground and started to climb up. Again while
coming down we had to use the rope, in a special
way called rapling. I did this with the same
fearlessness.
Tell
Have you ever climbed a tree? How did you feel? Were
you scared? Did you ever fall?

Have you ever seen someone climb a small wall? What
do you think is the difference between climbing a

wall and climbing a high rock?
A funny incident
14 February 1984
It was evening. Khondonbi was feeling hungry. We did not

have anything to eat. She jumped over the fence and got
into a field. She quickly plucked two big cucumbers and
came back. Just then a woman came from behind and caught
hold of her bag. She started saying something to Khondonbi
in her own language. We could not understand what she
was saying. Khondonbi was trying to explain in her Mizo
Up You Go!
81
language which we could not understand. I tried to explain

in Hindi but neither of them could understand it. Finally, I
folded my hands to say that we were sorry.
By then our group had gone far ahead. It was already
dark. I thought we had lost our way. Now we were really
scared. We could not see anything even with our torches. I
started sweating even though it was cold. I tightly held
Khondonbis hand. I called out loudly, Where are you all?
Can you hear me? My voice echoed in the mountains. We
both started to whistle loudly and flashed our torches.
Probably the group had noticed that we were missing. We
heard some whistles at a distance. I understood the signal.
We held each other's hand tightly and waited. Khondonbi
felt that we should keep talking. She started singing a Mizo
song loudly. After some time, we saw them coming towards
us. At last! We were with the group again.
Tell
Is there anyone in your class whose language you do
not understand, or who does not understand yours?

What do you do in such a case?
Have you ever lost your way? What did you do then?
Why do you think Khondonbi would have sung loudly?
Have you ever seen someone doing something special
to get over their fear? What and when?
Try
Ask your friend for a book without speaking. Try to explain
something to the class in the same way.
A special guest
15 February 1984
After dinner we met a special guest Bachhendri Pal. She had just been
82
Looking Around
selected as a part of the team to climb Mount Everest. She had

come to seek the blessings of Brigadier Gyan Singh. It was a happy
evening we were all singing. Bachhendri also joined us in singing
and dancing on the famous Pahadi song Bedu Pako, bara masa,
kafal pako chaita, meri chhaila. At that time we had no idea that
Bachhendri would become the first Indian woman to reach Mount
Everest and create history.
18 February 1984
Camp in the snow
We were standing at a height of 2134 meters. We were to spend
the night here. Everyone was busy trying to put up the tent. We
used double layered plastic sheets for the tent and for the ground.
The air between the layers would help to keep us warm. We put
in the pegs and began to put up the
tent. As we tied it from one side, the
wind flew the tent from the other side.
After quite a lot of pulling and tugging,
we managed to get the tent up. Then
we dug a drain around the tent.
We were feeling very hungry. We
collected some firewood and stones to
make a chulha and cooked some food.
After the meal, we collected all the waste
in a bag to clean the camp site. Soon
we got into our sleeping bags. I was not
sure if I would be able to sleep in it. Would it be comfortable?
Would I not feel cold? But the bags were filled with soft feathers,
which help in keeping us warm. We were all very tired. So very
soon we fell asleep.
Teachers Note : The children can be encouraged to learn the languages spoken
by their friends. This would help them appreciate and respect other languages.
Up You Go!
83
The next morning we woke up and found

that it was snowing. White soft fluffy
snowflakes were gently falling. Wow! It was so
beautiful ! The plants, the trees, the grass and
the mountains everything looked white. Today
we were to climb higher, to 2700 metres. We
walked carefully on the snow with the help of
sticks. It was difficult because we kept slipping. By afternoon
we had reached snow covered mountains. We enjoyed throwing
snowballs at each other and making a big snowman.
Last day at camp
21 February 1984
We were getting ready for the camp fire. Each group presented
a programme. We were enjoying telling jokes and laughing,
singing and dancing around the camp fire. Soon it was midnight.
Brigadier Gyan Singh got up and called me. I thought, Oh, no!
what have I done this time? But when Sir announced my name
for the Best Performance Award I stood still. He blessed me
and tears of joy rolled down my face.
Discuss
Why do you think a drain was
dug around the tent?

Besides mountaineering, what
Kalyan
i Ragh
unatha
n
are other activities that can be

called adventurous? Why?
Teachers Note : These pages of a diary are based on
the real experiences of Sangeeta Arora. She teaches
in Kendriya Vidyalaya, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi and is
also a member of this EVS textbook writing team.
84
Looking Around
Imagine and Write

You are on a mountain. How do you feel there? What can
you see? What do you feel like doing there?

Alone on the mountain top
A twelve-year old girl living in the mountains was out on a school picnic. She climbed a
mountain peak of 4000 metres with her friends. The girls had done this for fun and
adventure. Soon it was dark and they could not come down. It was also cold and scary.
They were alone without any food and it was a long night. This happened to Bachhendri
Pal, played when she was a young girl.
Bachhendri grew up in Nakuri village in the Garhwal area of Uttarakhand. When
she grew older, she joined Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi. Her guide
was Brigadier Gyan Singh. Bachhendri did very well in her training. She started to
train women in mountaineering courses. In 1984, Bachhendri was selected as a team
member to climb the Mount Everest.
Snow storm
There were seven women in that 18 member team. On the night of 15th May the team
was very tired after having reached a height of 7300 metres. The team put up their
tents and went to sleep. Around midnight they heard a loud sound and then a bang.
Before they were fully awake, the tent flew off and something very heavy hit them. There
was a terrible snow storm. Bachhendri was almost buried under the snow and was hurt
on the head. Many of the team members were also injured. The others used snow-picks
and axes to dig out those who had been buried under the snow.
The rest of the team members returned to base camp but Bachhendri went ahead,
climbing slowly but steadily towards the peak. It was seven minutes past one oclock in
the afternoon of 23th May when Bachhendri Pal stepped onto the peak of 8900 metre
high Mount Everest also called Sagarmatha in Nepal.
There was another team member with her. There was no space for two people to
stand on the top at the same time. One slip and they would fall straight down-thousands
of feet below! Bachhendri and her team-mate dug into the snow and pitched their axe
firmly in the ice. Using this as a hook, they tied themselves to it with a rope. Only then
two of them could stand there. She was shivering with cold but filled with the warmth of
achievement. She bowed her head, pitched the national flag and took photographs. She
spent 43 minutes on the highest peak in the world.
Bachhendri Pal became the first Indian woman and the fifth woman in the world to
reach the peak of Mount Everest.
Teachers Note : Teachers can either make available the photographs or if possible
the actual mountaineering equipment like sling, pitons, hunter shoes, sleeping
bag etc. This will help discussion with children.
Up You Go!
85
nathan
Kalyani Raghu
Think
Why did Bachhendri put up the Indian flag on the peak?
When have you seen our national flag being hoisted?
Have you seen the flag of any other country? Where?
Make groups of 6-8 children. Design a flag for your
group. Explain why you chose that design.
What we have learnt

Explain why it can be adventerous and challenging to
climb a mountain. How would you prepare if you were

to climb a mountain? What would you take with you?
Write in your own words.
86
Looking Around
10. Walls Tell

Stories
Reached Golconda
At last we reached Golconda.
We were glad that didi was with
us. Didi studies history and we
enjoy visiting different places
with her.
Shailja: My goodness! This fort
is so huge.
Shreedhar: And see at what a
height it is built!
Kalyani: Just look! Have you
ever seen such a huge gate?
Shailja: It must be very heavy.
I wonder how many people Kalyani : Look at these sharp iron
would be needed to open and spokes. I wonder why they were made?
Shailja: Look at these thick walls too.
close this gate.
Shreedhar: I have never seen such
thick walls.
Sukanto Debnath
Kalyani: At some places, a part of the

wall comes out in a round shape. I
wonder why?
Why is this small gate made in the big gate?
Didi:These are called bastions (burj).

See these are even higher than the wall.
The outer wall of this fort has 87
bastions. Thick walls, a huge gate and
so many bastions! So many ways to
ensure security!
87
Bastion
(Burj)
Hole
Think
Why were bastions made in the
fort wall?
Why were big holes made in
them?
Rajeev Singh
What difference would be there
if you were to look from a straight

flat wall or a bastion at a height?
How would the soldiers find
peeping from the holes in the
bastions useful while attacking?
What did we find inside the fort?

Shailja: I wonder how old this fort would be? Do you think the
king built the fort so that he could live here?
Kalyani : It was written outside that Qutubshahi Sultans ruled
here one after another, from 1518-1687.
Didi : Much before that, in 1200, this fort was made of mud
and different rulers lived here.
Shailja: Oh look! This board has a map of the fort.
Shreedhar: This map shows so many gardens, fields and
factories. See, there are many palaces also inside the fort.
Shailja: That means that not only the Sultan, but many other
people like farmers and workers must also have been living here.
Kalyani: It must have been a complete town.
The Sultans Palace

Shreedhar: These steps seem to go on and on.
Teachers Note : Draw children's attention to how a high and rounded wall
can help to see things at a distance and in different directions.
88
Looking Around
Shailja: Even in those days they used

to have buildings with two floors!
Kalyani: Now, the building is in ruins.
But one can imagine that earlier there
were many big halls and rooms here.
Shreedhar: Look at this beautiful
carving on the walls. It is so fine!
Rajeev Singh
Kalyani : We also saw something like a fountain on one of the roofs.

Didi : Yes, there were many big tanks and fountains here. They used
to be full of water.
Wow, what engineering!
Rajeev Singh
Think, even today when engineers design houses,

sometimes there is dampness in the walls. And here, so
long ago, there were fountains on the terrace! The building
must have been made with such good understanding.
If we think how the people lived five hundred years
ago, so many questions come to our mind. For example,
how was water lifted to such heights? Can you guess
how?
Think and discuss

How would the fountains have worked?
What arrangements would have been made in the
building for air and light?

Look carefully at the picture of the
We still do not have any electricty at
many places in our country. Even

at places which do have electricity, imagine what would
happen if there was no electricity for one week. What are
the things that would be difficult to manage without it?
Walls Tell Stories
89
Rajeev Singh
beautiful carving on the wall. What

kind of tools would have been used
for such fine carving?
Where is east-west?
At the place you are, where does the sun rise? Where
does it set? Where you are standing, find out what
all is there to your east. What all is there to your
west? Also find out, what places are to your north
and south.
Tell and write

Look carefully at the map of Golconda. On the map,
arrows show all the four directions.
If you are peeping inside from Bodli Darwaza, in which
direction from you is Katora Hauz?

If someone is entering from Banjara Darwaza, in which
direction from her is Katora Hauz?

In which direction will you walk from Bala Hisar to reach
Moti Mahal?
How many gates can you see on the outer walls of the fort?
Count how many palaces are there in the fort?
What arrangements for water can you see inside the fort?
For example, wells, tanks, stepwells.

On the map, 1 cm distance is equal to a distance of 110
metres on the ground. Now tell
On the map the distance between Bala Hisar and
Fateh Darwaja is ____ cm. On the ground, the

distance between the two would be ____ metres.
How far is Makai Darwaza from Fateh Darwaza?
Teachers Note: Children take a lot of time in identifying directions. They are
often confused about the north and south directions. Many a times we adults
also think that north is upwards. We also often show the north direction by
pointing to the top of the paper. It is not expected that children will be able to
understand directions by doing the activity once. It is important to link children's
own experiences with this.
90
Looking Around
Walls Tell Stories
91
Why these attacks?

While we were all talking, Shreedhar
called us to see a big gun (cannon). We
ran up the steps.
Rajeev Singh
Shailja: This must have been

the Sultan's big gun.
Didi : This was used by Aurangzeb. His full army came with
their guns and cannons to attack but they could not even
enter the fort. For eight months they camped outside the fort.
Shailja: Why would the army come here all the way from Delhi?
Didi: In those days, emperors and kings, played such tricks.
They tried to make smaller kingdoms a part of their own
kingdom. This was done sometimes by friendship, sometimes
by flattery, or even by marriage between families. And when
nothing else worked, they also attacked them!
Kalyani: Why is it that Aurangzebs army could not get into
the fort? He had so many soldiers and big guns.
Shailja: Didnt you see these strong thick walls? In the map
there is a long deep ditch (pit) along the wall. How could the
army enter?
Shreedhar: If the army tried to come from a different side,
then the soldiers in the bastions would have seen it from a
distance. No wonder it was difficult to attack the fort!
Kalyani: Imagine! The army is coming on horses and
elephants, with all their guns. Here, the Sultan's army stands
fully prepared.
Shailja: Oh no! How many people and soldiers on both the
sides must have been killed in all this fighting? Why do people
attack and have wars?
92
Looking Around
Shreedhar: Guns and cannons are things of the past now.

These days many countries have nuclear bombs. A single
bomb can cause so much destruction!
Discuss
Have you recently read or heard about any country
attacking or going to war with another country?

Find out what was the reason for this war.
What kind of weapons were used in this war?
What kind of destruction was caused because of this?
Find out
The big gun that Shreedhar saw was made of bronze.
Have you seen anything made of bronze? What?
Tribal people have been using bronze to make many things

since thousands of years. One wonders how they took out
copper and tin from the deep mines, melted these metals,
and turned them into beautiful things!
Find out from your elders about some of the things made
from bronze that were, or are still used in your house.

From its colour try to identify which one of them is made
from copper, which from brass, and which from bronze.
When there was no telephone
Didi asked us to wait at the king's palace. She herself went to Fateh Darwaza.
A while later we heard Didis voice, Alert! I am Sultan Abul Hassan. I am
very fond of music and Kuchipudi dance. We all laughed. We were surprised
how didis voice could be heard from so far. She later told us that if
you stand at Fateh Darwaza whatever you speak can be heard at the
kings palace.
Teachers Note: Pictures of bronze and brass vessels have also been given in
Chapter 6. Encourage children to identify different metals from their colours.
Walls Tell Stories
93
Arrangements for water

The picture shown here is made
after seeing a very old painting of
those times. Can you think why
bullocks have been used here? Use
your hand movement to show in
which direction the drum attached
to the rod moves when the bullocks
move. In which direction would the
toothed wheel move?
Drum
Toothed
Wheel
Look, this pole shown under the ground joins with another
wheel which has a number of pots on it.
Can you see the
clay pipes?
Now imagine, how would this garland
of pots lift water from the well?

Do you now get some idea about how
Rajeev Singh
the tanks could have been filled by

lifting water from the wells? Even
today we can see clay pipes in the
walls of the fort. These pipes would
have been used to carry water to
different places in the palace.
Where else have you seen such wheels attached to each
other. For example, in the gear of a cycle or somewhere

else?
Look around and find out how water is pumped up from
the ground to higher places?

How is water pumped up using electricity? How is water
lifted without electricity?
94
Looking Around
What a sad sight!
Rajeev Singh
Talking, whistling and listening to our own echo we were walking

through this mehrab (arch).
Shreedhar: Oh! The breeze feels so cool in this tunnel.

Shailja: It was written that soldiers stayed here.
Shreedhar: See this board, but look what the wall is like!
Shailja: Oh! Think how this wall has seen thousands of
years go by. It has seen kings and queens, horses and
elephants, war and peace... But we have spoilt it in just a
few years!
Kalyani: I dont understand, what kind of fun do people get
in writing their names all over the place like this?
Close your eyes and go back in time!

Imagine that you are in those days when there was a busy
town inside Golconda. Think about the questions given
below and discuss in class. You could even put up a play.
What is the Sultan doing in the palace? What kind of
clothes is he wearing? What dishes are being offered to

him? But why does he seem so worried? And in what
language is he talking?
Teacher's Note: Through this activity encourage children to imagine how life
would have been at that time the food habits, clothes, etc. They can express
these in a variety of ways, like by acting, drawing, making a story, etc.
Walls Tell Stories
95
Imagine the rooms in the palace the beautiful carpets
and curtains, the fountains on the terrace and the sweet

smell of roses and chameliwhere is this coming from?
What are the different kinds of factories you can see? How
many people are working there? What are they doing? What
are they wearing? How long do you think they work?
Look there! See how finely those craftsmen are carving the
stones using a chisel and hammer? Can you see the stone
dust in the air. Do you think this stone dust would harm
them in some way?
Going to the museum
Rajiv Singh
After seeing Golconda, the

children also went to a
museum in Hyderabad. Many
old items are kept there. Many
things were found when the
place around Golconda was
dug like pots, jewellery,
swords, etc.
Shailja: Oh! Why are these broken pieces of pots kept in the
almirah? See that small plate made of bronze. That blue piece
seems to be made of ceramic (clay).
Didi : It is through all these things that we come to know how
people of those times lived, what they used and what things
they made. If all these would not have been kept here, how
would you know so much about those times?
Teachers Note: Encourage children to talk to their elders and neighbours
about old times. This would help develop their understanding of history.
96
Looking Around
Write
What kinds of pots have you seen around you?
Try to find out from your grandparents about the other
kinds of pots and pans they used in their time?

Have you ever been to some museum or heard about it?
What all things are there in a museum?
Survey and write

Is there any old building or monument near your house
which people come to see? If yes, name it.

Have you ever gone to see an old monument? Which was
that? Did you feel it told you a story? What could you
know about those times from it?
How old was it? How did you know?
What was it made of?
What colour was it?
Were there any special kind of designs on the old building?
Draw them in your notebook.
Who used to live there in the olden days?

What kinds of activities took place there?
Do some people still live there?
Teachers Note: Talk to children about various sources of history, such as

maps, pictures, excavated things, books, records and ledgers.
Walls Tell Stories
97
Make your own museum

Rajni teaches in a Government school in Mallapuram district in Kerala.
Together with the children of her class, she has collected many old
things from all the houses. Like old walking sticks, locks, umbrellas,
wooden slippers (khadaun),
pots, etc. They also saw what
these things look like today.
Rajni and the children put up
an exhibition, which people
from the neighbourhood came
to see. You could also do this.
Look at the painting and tell

This painting is 500 years old. It
shows Agra fort being constructed.
What kinds of work are people

doing? How many men and
women are working? See, how
they are taking the huge pillar
up along the slope? Is it easier
to lift a heavy thing straight up
or along a slope? Were you able
to see the man carrying water
in a mashak (leather bag)?
What we have learnt

Sangeeta thinks it is useless to keep old things in a
museum. How would you convince her that it is
important to have a museum?
Why do you think the chapter is named, Walls Tell
Stories ?
98
Looking Around
11. Sunita in Space
Straight from the heart

What do you think the earth looks like? Make a drawing of
the earth in your notebook. On your drawing show where you
are. Take a look at your friends drawings too.
What is our earth really like?

Uzaira and Shahmir are playing with the globe.
While they play they are talking to each other.
Uzaira: Do you know that Sunita

Williams is visiting our school tomorrow?
I have heard that she has spent more than
six months in space.
Shahmir: (looking at the globe ) Hmm... look here is America,
Africa. Hey, where is space?
Uzaira: The sky, stars, sun and moon, they are all in space.
Shahmir: Yes, I know. Sunita Williams went in a spaceship. I
saw on TV that she could see the earth from there.
Uzaira: Yes, from there the earth looked like this globe.
Shahmir: If our earth looks like this globe, then where are we?
(Uzaira takes a pen and places it on the globe.)
Uzaira : Here we are. This is India.
Shahmir: If we were here like this, we would all fall off. I think
we must be inside the globe.
Teachers Note : We know that scientists have also struggled to build an
understanding of the shape of the earth. It is difficult for young children to
understand the shape of the earth. Encourage children to express their
ideas freely.
99
Uzaira: If we are inside, then

where is the sky, the sun, the
moon and the stars? We must be
on the globe. And all the seas and
oceans must also be on the globe.
Shahmir: (pointing towards the
lower part of the globe) You mean
to say that no one stays here?
Uzaira: People live here too.
Brazil and Argentina are here.
Shahmir: Are the people there standing upside down? Why don't
these people fall off?
Uzaira: Yes, it looks strange, isnt it? And this blue part
must be the sea. Why doesnt the sea water fall off?
What do you think?

If the earth is round like a globe,
how is it that we do not fall off?

Do the people in Argentina stand
upside down?
Talking with Sunita

When Sunita Williams came to India, thousands of children
like Uzaira and Shahmir got a chance to meet her. Sunita says
Teachers Note : Children can be told about Kalpana Chawla and her space
travel. An interesting book for teachers is How We Found the Earth is Round
by Isaac Asimov (Longman). This book talks about the way people in different
cultures have been thinking about the concept of earth over centuries.
Interestingly, even today childrens ideas match many of those ideas and
thoughts. Even for adults it can be mind boggling to imagine that people in
Argentina and India are actually standing upside down in relation to each other.
There is actually no up and down on the earth, it is relative.
100
Looking Around
that her friend Kalpana Chawla wanted to come to India and meet
children. She came to India to fulfil Kalpanas dream.
Sunitas experiences of living in space!
We could not sit at one
place. We kept floating in
the spaceship from one
end to another.
NASA
Water too doesnt stay at

one place. It floats around
as blobs. To wash our face
or hands we had to catch
these blobs and wet paper
with them.
We ate very differently there. The real fun was when all of us
would float into the dining area of the spaceship and catch the
floating food packets!
In space there was no need to use a comb. My hair kept standing
all the time!
Not being able to walk, we had to get used to floating around.
We had to learn to do simple things differently. To stay at one
place, we had to strap ourselves there. Papers also had to be
stuck to the wall of the spaceship. It was a lot of fun living in
space but it was also difficult.
Look at the photographs and write

Can you think why Sunitas hair was standing?
Look at Sunitas photographs and the dates
written on each of them. Write what all is

happening and when?
Sunita in Space
101
06)
-12-20
(9
f
f
o
e
We tak
Our
fee
t
floo dont
r! (1
s
1-1 tay on
2-2
006 the
)
Look, my hair is standing, no problem while

working (13-12-06)
Where is this food flying away? (11-12-2006)
Sun
ita o
102
Courtesy : NASA
utsi
de t
Looking Around
spac he spac
eshi
e! (1
p
6-12
-06) , really
in
Classroom becomes a spaceship

Close your eyes. Imagine that your class is a spaceship.
Zooo...m in 10 minutes you have entered in space. Your
spaceship is now going around the earth. Now say:
- Are you able to sit at one place?
- What about your hair?
- Oh, look where are your bags and books going?
- And what is your teacher doing? Where is her chalk?
- How did you eat your food during the break? How did
you drink water? What happened to the ball that you
threw up?
Act out or draw the scene.
Isnt it amazing?
On the earth when we throw something up, it comes down.
When we throw a ball up in air, it falls back. We are able to
catch it. On the earth, we dont keep floating around. When
we fill a glass or bucket with water, it stays there. It doesnt
float around in blobs as Sunita Williams says. It is
something special about the earth that makes this happen!
The earth pulls everything towards itself.
Sunita Williams went 360 kilometres away from the earth,
in the spaceship. Think how far this would be! Find out which
town or city is located about 360 kilometres away from where
you live. This is how far Sunita Williams went away from the
earth.
- Can you now say why Sunitas hair kept standing?
- Think why water flows downwards on any slope. On
mountains too water flows downwards, not upwards.
Teachers Note : It is challenging even for adults to understand how things
behave in space. The photographs given can be used to initiate discussion. It is
important to help children to raise questions and imagine things in space. We
become so used to things being pulled by the earths gravity that we never give
it much thought. It becomes tough for us to imagine what would happen if there
was no gravitational pull.
Sunita in Space
103
Magic 1 A tiny paper races a coin

Take a 5 rupee coin and a small piece of paper. The paper should be about
one-fourth the size of the coin.
1. Hold the coin in one hand and the paper in the other. Drop them at the
same time. What happened?
2. Now place the tiny paper on the coin and drop them. What happened this
time? Surprised!
Magic 2 A mouse lifts an elephant!
To play this you will need a small stone, a bigger stone

(lemon-sized), a thick roll of paper (which can be made
with layers of papers), mouse and an elephant made of
paper.
- Take a string about 2 feet long.
- At one end of the string tie the small stone. Stick or
tie the mouse to the stone.
- Put the string into the roll of paper.
- At the other end of the string tie the bigger stone and
stick the elephant.
- Hold the roll of paper and move your hand to rotate
the small stone.
Who is pulling whom? You will be surprised! The mouse
lifts the elephant! How did this magic happen?
Where are the lines, really!

Sunita describes her view of the earth from the spaceship:
The earth looks so beautiful and amazing. We could watch
it for hours, from the window of the spaceship. We could
clearly see the curved shape of the earth.
Teachers Note : Sunitas experiences have been used to give to children a
sense of the earths gravity. Use of the term gravity is not needed here. Children
would need to be helped to construct an understanding about the pull of the
earth. This can be done only by linking it with childrens own experiences.
It seems magical when the tiny paper falls with the coin at the same time.
This is because in our daily life we find that the air slows down the speed of
leaves or paper while they fall. Children are not expected to understand the
science behind the magic - A mouse lifts an elephant! They might not even be
able to understand that the bigger stone is lifted against the earths gravitation.
Actually, in the spaceship Sunita did not experience the pull of the earth
because the spaceship was revolving around the earth.
104
Looking Around
Look at this photograph of the earth, taken

from a spaceship. From such photographs today
we know what the earth looks like. But
thousands of years ago, people could only
imagine what the earth looked like. Scientists
tried hard to find out how big is the earth,
how does it go around?
NASA
Look at this photograph and tell

Can you see India?
Can you recognise any other place?
Where is the sea?
Do you find anything similar between the globe and this
picture of the earth? In what ways are they different?

Do you think Sunita could make out Pakistan, Nepal and
Burma separately, when she saw the earth from space?

Look at a globe in your school

Can you find India?

Where all do you find the sea?
Which countries can you see?
Can you see some of the countries with which India

plays cricket matches? For example: England,
Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and South Africa.
What else can you see on the globe?
(Uzaira and Shahmir are looking at different countries on the globe.)

Uzaira: See, there are lines between the different countries on
this globe. Are such lines also there on the earth?
Shahmir: There must be. They are there on the map of
India in this book. See, there are lines between the different
states too.
Sunita in Space
105
Uzaira: If we go from Delhi to Rajasthan, would we find

such lines made on the ground?
Look at the map given in this book and tell

- Can you find the state in which you live? Write its
name on the map.
- Which are the states next to the state you live in?
- Have you been to any other state?
- Shahmir thinks that there are lines drawn on the
ground between the states. What do you think?
When Sunita saw the earth from space she found the
earth very beautiful. Many thoughts came to her mind. As
she describes it, From so far away, one can only make out
the land and the sea. One cannot see the different countries.
Division into countries has been done by us. All the lines on
the maps are made by us, they are in our minds. I wish we
all think about this. Where are the lines, really?
Look at the Sky

Shahmir:
(He closes one eye and moves the coin back
and forth while looking at the moon.) Look, I can hide the
moon behind this coin.
Uzaira: Wow! Imagine hiding such a big moon behind such
a small coin.
Why dont you try to do the same with a coin? How many
centimetres away from the eye did you keep the coin to
hide the moon?
Think
Do you think the moon is flat like the coin or round
like a ball?
Have you ever looked carefully at the sky at night? Dont the
twinkling stars look magical! And sometimes the moon is silvery and
bright, while sometimes it is nowhere to be seen in the black sky.
106
Looking Around
Look at the moon tonight and draw what it looks like. Look
and draw again after one week, and then after 15 days.
Todays Date
Date after a week
Date after 15 days
Find out
When is the next full moon? At what time will the moon
rise on this day? What does the moon look like on this
day? Draw it.
What are the festivals related to the moon?
At night look at the sky carefully for 5 minutes.
What could you see?
Did you see anything moving in the sky? What do you
think it could be? A star or a shooting star or a satellite
(satellites are used for the TV, telephones and for
weather reports). Find out more about this.
Look at the table and tell

Given below are the times at which the moon rises and sets
in Delhi (on the given days).
Date
Time of moonrise
(hours : minutes)
Time of moonset
(hours : minutes)
28-10-2007
19:16
08:50
29-10-2007
30-10-2007
31-10-2007
20:17
21:22
22:29
10:03
11:08
12:03
On 28 October the moon came out at ___ minutes past ___ oclock.
On 29 October the moon came out at ___ minutes past ___ oclock.
Sunita in Space
107
On 29 October there was a difference of ___ hours and ___ minutes
in the time of the moon rise (as compared to 28 October).

If you saw the moon rising at 7 pm today, would you see it at the
same time tomorrow?

On 31 October the time of setting of the moon is given as 12:03.
Have you ever seen the moon at 12 in the afternoon? Why dont we
easily see the moon or stars during the day?
The poet is also raising such questions in this poem.
Twinkling stars
Stars are twinkling
in the sky.
Why do they twinkle?
Tell me why.
How many can you see?
They shine so bright

in the dark of night!
Why do they hide
in the morning light?
Some shining stars
we know so well.
But every star
has a tale to tell!
Anware Islam
Chakmak, December 2003
NASA
Some seem near

and some seem far.
Is there a name
for every star?
An interesting photograph!
A spaceship went to the moon. This
photograph of the earth was clicked
from the surface of the moon.
See how the earth is looking. Can
you see the surface of the moon? Do
you have some questions after looking
at this picture? Write down those
questions and discuss them in the
class.
Teachers Note : Both children and adults enjoy looking at and admiring the
night sky. Children will need help understanding the difference between a star, a
shooting star and a satellite. Stars can be seen twinkling. A shining object which
seems to move with a constant speed in the sky can be a satellite. A shooting star
is actually a meteroite which catches fire when it enters the earths atmosphere.
When we show interest ourselves children will also be motivated to observe the
night sky and learn many new things.
108
Looking Around
Do your best and things will work out!

When Sunita was five years old she saw pictures of Neil Armstrong landing on
the moon. In 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. Like
any other child, Sunita was also fascinated. Sunita says that when she was a
young girl she really loved sports, especially swimming. She was never too
interested in studies. After high school Sunita wanted to become a diver. But
she could not get into that course. Instead, she
became a helicopter pilot. One day she found out
that if she studied and trained for it, she could
join the Space Mission. And that is what she did!
In 2007 Sunita Williams set a new record for the
longest space flight by a woman.
Sunita often gives her own example to tell
children, If you want something, but you get
something else, do not give up. Do your best,
and things will work out!
When Sunita was asked by a child what would
she like to do in the future, she answered, I want to become a school teacher!
So that she could make children understand how science and maths are closely
linked to our lives.
What we have learnt

Why do children always slide down the slide
and not slide up? If this slide were there in

Sunitas spacecraft, would children slide
like this? Why?
Why do we see stars mostly at night?
Looking at earth from the space, Sunita said,
Different countries cannot be seen as

separate from here. These lines are on
paper. They are made by us. What do you
understand by this?
Sunita in Space
109
12. What if it Finishes...?
A bus journey
Today, we were going on a school trip to the Adalaj stepwell
(baoli ), about eighteen kilometres from Ahmedabad. We began
counting the vehicles on the road. Some of us counted the
bicycles, others counted the buses, cars, and motorcycles. Abraham,
who was counting bicycles, soon got bored. There were hardly any
bicycles on this highway.
Screeeech! The driver suddenly braked at the red light. It was a big
crossing, and we could see
the traffic lined up on
all sides. Honk, honk,
the sound of loud
horns, and smoke
coming out of the
vehicles! May be that
is why a little boy in a
rickshaw
was
coughing so much.
I smelt something,
familiar. I remembered
this smell it came
from Babas tractor in the village.
Teachers Note : Examples of familiar highways can help children see the
difference between various kinds of roads. Discussion with children could involve
listening to their own experiences about the noise made by vehicles and the ill
effects of smoke.
110
Looking Around
Look at the picture and write

What are the different kinds of vehicles that you can see?
What do you think they need as fuel?
Which of the vehicles do you think give off smoke? Put a
red mark on those.
Tell
Do you ride a bicycle? If yes, where all do you go on it?
How do you come to school?
How do your family members go to work from home?
What problems can we have from smoke coming out of
vehicles?
Petrol
Pu mp
On the petrol pump
Petrol Pump
After sometime our bus

stopped at a petrol pump.
There was a long queue. It
seemed as if we would have
a long wait. We all got down
from the bus and started
looking around the petrol
pump. We saw many large
boards and posters.
Teachers Note : The term oil can be used for petrol, diesel and crude oil. Discuss
with children about various minerals which are mined from deep inside the earth.
What if it Finishes...?
111
Petrol and diesel will not

last forever. Save it for
your children.
Make every drop go a
long way.
Switch off the engine
when you stop the car.
Date 06-06-2007
Rate
Petrol: Rs 47.74 per litre
Diesel: Rs 35.21 per litre
We could not understand why it was written that petrol and

diesel will not last forever. We thought of asking an uncle who
works at the petrol pump.
Abraham : Uncle, from where do we get petrol and diesel?
Uncle (who works at the petrol pump ) : From deep, deep
down under the ground.
Manju : But how does it get made there?
Uncle: It is formed naturally, but very slowly. It is not made by
a human being or a machine.
Abraham : Then we don't need to buy it. We can take it out
ourselves using a borewell, like we pump out water!
Uncle : It is not found everywhere, but only at a few places in
our country. We need big machines to pump it out and clean it.
112
Looking Around
Find Out
Which states of India have oil fields?
Besides oil, what else is found deep inside the earth?
They discuss further...

Divya : Is petrol going to finish? The poster said that petrol is not
going to last forever.
Uncle : It does not get made as fast as we take it out. It takes lakhs of
years for it to be formed under the earth.
Abraham : How will vehicles run if the oil finishes?
Manju : On CNG. I had seen on TV that vehicles which run on CNG
give less smoke.
Uncle (laughing) : That too comes from below the earth. It is also
limited.
Divya : Electricity can be used to run vehicles. I have seen an
electric bicycle.
Abraham : We will have to do something. Or else, how will we travel
when we grow up?
Divya : If fewer vehicles run on the road my dadi (grandmother)
would be happy. She says, Look! vehicles line up like ants. What
will you do when you grow up?
Manju : See, only one or two people are sitting in these cars. Why
doesnt everyone use a bus?
Abraham : That will save petrol. One bus can carry many people.
Manju : When I grow up I will invent a car that runs on sunlight.
Then we won't have to worry about it getting finished. We can use
it as much as we want!
Teachers Note : Different uses of solar energy can be discussed. The concept of
energy is abstract for children of this age but they can begin thinking of it in terms
of strength, power, etc. Encourage children to think which resources are limited
and why.
113
Treasure from the earth

It is not easy to find out where oil is, deep down below the earth.
Scientists use special techniques and machines to find this out. Then
through pipes and machines petroleum is pumped up. This oil is a
smelly, thick, dark coloured liquid. It contains many things mixed
in it. To clean and separate these, it is sent to a refinery. Have you
heard of a refinery?
It is from this petroleum or oil that we get kerosene, diesel, petrol,
engine oil and fuel for aircrafts. Do you know that L.P.G. (cooking
gas), wax, coaltar and grease are also obtained from this?
It is also used in making several other things like plastics and
paints.
I started thinking about saving oil. I remembered that

sometimes Baba keeps the engine of the tractor on, while
doing something else. At times, the pump in the field is also
left on. How much oil would be going waste! I thought I will
surely talk to Baba when I get home.
Write
What all can vehicles run on?
What kinds of problems will we face, if the number of
vehicles keep on increasing? For example, more traffic on

the road. Talk to your elders and write about it.
Manju said, Why doesn't everyone use a bus? What do
you think, why dont people travel by buses?

Suggest some ways to deal with the problems arising out
of the growing number of vehicles.

Teachers Note : Discuss about the possible options for reducing the number of
vehicles on the road and also use different news reports related to it.
114
Looking Around
Find out and write

How much oil?
Scooter
Car
Tractor
How much petrol/diesel

can be filled at a time?
How far can it go on one
litre of petrol/diesel?
The rates of petrol are different in each city. The rates of

petrol and diesel in Chennai are given here. Look at the
table and answer the questions.
Oil
Rate of
one litre in
2002
Rate of
one litre in
2007
Petrol
Rs 28
Rs 47
Diesel
Rs 18
Rs 33
In
years the rate of petrol went up by

rupees. The rate of diesel increased by
rupees.
What was the difference in the rates of petrol and diesel
in the year 2007?
Find out
What is the price of petrol and diesel in your area?
Why are the prices of petrol and diesel going up?
In one month how much petrol and diesel is used in your
home? What is it used for?
115
One poster is given here.
For dry cleaning

For lighting
As petrol, diesel or
aeroplane fuel
Where am I used?
As kerosene and LPG
To run machines
For making
plastic and paints
Save Fuel, Make it a Habit
See the poster and write

Where all is oil used?
Where is diesel used? Find out.
Teachers Note : It would be useful to have a discussion on the poster. This will
help children understand that petrol, diesel, kerosene, L.P.G. etc. are all different
forms of petroleum. These have different uses in our lives. Children will understand
the poster better by relating it to their own experiences.
116
Looking Around
Divya wrote a poem and read it out to her friends. Read and
discuss it.
Who Am I?
I'm black, I'm thick,
I flow. Who am I?
Do you know?
I will last longer,
If you use me with care.
I got made over centuries.
I won't always be there.
I light your lamps,
I cook your food.
I run your machines,
Fly planes in the sky!

Who is more useful
To people, than I?
If not used with care
I won't always be there
Will they fight over me?
What is life without me?
I'm black, I'm thick,
I flow. Who am I?
Do you know?
Think and discuss

What would happen if you dont get petrol or diesel for a
week in your village or town?

Suggest some ways to save oil.
Wood for chulha
harti
Urja B
Durga lives in a village in Haryana. Everyday

she spends many hours collecting wood for the
chulha (stove). Her daughter also has to help
her in this. For the past three months she has a
cough. There is a lot of smoke when damp wood
is burnt. But Durga does not have any other
option. When there is not enough money to buy
food, where will there be money to buy wood?
Discuss
Have you ever collected dry wood or made cow dung cakes?
How are they made?

Do you know anyone who collects dry wood or leaves to
be used for lighting a chulha?

117
Who cooks food in your family? What about other families in your area?
If they cook food using wood or upla (cow dung cakes), what
difficulties do they face due to smoke?

Can Durga use anything else instead of wood? Why not?
Today, about two-third (2/3) people

in our country use uple, wood and dry
twigs, etc. These are used not only for
cooking food but also for keeping warm,
for heating water and for lighting. Many
other things are used for all activities
at home kerosene, LPG, coal,
electricity, etc.
Kancha had seen a bar chart in a
book. The chart shows the number of houses
Urja Bharti
out of 100 that use each type of fuel. It also shows the use of which fuel
has increased and which fuel has decreased over the past twenty years.
30
20
10
10
Year 1976
75
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
18
Eletricity
40
80
Coal
50
90
LPG and Kerosene
60
100
Uple and Wood
70
Eletricity
84
Coal
80
LPG and Kerosene
90
How many houses out of 100 use it
100
Uple and Wood
How many houses out of 100 use it
Change in fuel use over twenty years
Year 1996
In year 1976, out of 100 how many houses used uple and wood?
Which was the fuel used the least in 1976?
In 1976, LPG and kerosene were used in______houses and in 1996
this increased to______. This means that in twenty years their use
increased by________%.
118
Looking Around
Out of 100 how many houses were using electricity in 1996?

Which fuel was used the least in 1996? What percentage of
houses used it in the year 1976?
Find out from your elders

When they were young what was then used to cook
food at home?
In the past 10 years use of which cooking fuel has
increased in your area? Use of which fuel has

decreased?
Guess the use of which fuel would increase and which
would decrease in the next 10 years.
What we have learnt

Imagine that a company has given you a chance to design
a new vehicle like a mini bus. What kind of vehicle would

you design? Write about it. Draw a picture and colour it.
While making the design, who did you plan to take care of:
old people
children
those who cannot see?
Look out for news reports on oil. Cut these and make a
collage. Put up a chart in your classroom. Also write your

own views on these news reports.
Make a poster with a message on saving fuel. Write a slogan
too. Where would you like to put up this poster?

Teachers Note : Encourage children to relate the use of the term per cent to
other instances from their lives, such as chances of winning a game, marks in
a subject. discount sales, etc.
119
13. A Shelter so High!

A travellers tale
Gaurav Jani
I am Gaurav Jani and

this is Loner my
partner my motorcycle.
But, Loner is never lonely.
We are together all the
time.
I and my motorcycle
wait for a chance to get
away from the busy,
crowded and noisy city of
Mumbai. We like to travel
to different parts of this wonderful country. Let me tell you
about our amazing journey on the highest roads in India.
Getting ready
This journey took about two months. I had to carry everything
on my motorcycle. I had to plan and collect all the things I
needed. I packed a small tent, sleeping bag, plastic sheet, warm
clothes and food that would remain fresh for some days. I also
took my camera and extra cans for petrol. Loner and I left
Mumbai, passing through small villages and towns of
Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan to reach Delhi.
It took me three days to cover 1400 kilometers from Mumbai
to Delhi. I was hoping to see something new and different in
Delhi. But Delhi looked just like Mumbai! I am tired of looking
at the same kinds of houses, made of cement, bricks, glass
and steel. I was looking forward to my journey ahead. I was
120
Looking Around
excited that I would be able to see wooden houses, houses

with sloping roofs and those covered in snow. I had seen
pictures of such houses in many books.
I packed more things in Delhi and continued. In two days
we were in Manali. It was so refreshing to be in the mountains
and breathe the clean air ! Now the real journey was to begin.
We had to travel through difficult roads of the state of Jammu
and Kashmir to reach Leh in Ladakh.
Find out
Check in your map. Which states would one pass through
while travelling from Mumbai to Kashmir?

Gaurav Jani passed through several states while going
from Mumbai to Delhi. Find the capital cities of these

states. Was there any other big town on his way?
Is Manali a plain or a hilly area? In which state is it?
New home
Loner and I were covering
long distances each day.
All I needed was food and
a tent to protect myself
from the cold night air.
My nylon tent was so
small that I could just
about fit in it to sleep.
Gaurav Jani
Loner stood guard

outside the tent. The breeze and the sound of the birds woke
me up to see the sunrise.
A Shelter so High!
121
Tell
Have you ever stayed in a tent? Where? What was it like?
Imagine that you were to stay alone in a small tent for two
days and could take with you only ten things. Make a list
of those ten things.
What are the different types of houses that you have seen?
Tell your friends about it. Make drawings too.
Cold desert
At last Loner and I reached Leh.
For the first time I saw such an
area high, dry and flat called a
cold desert. Ladakh gets very little
rainfall. Here there are high
snowcapped mountains and a
cold, flat ground.
In Leh, I found myself in a quiet
street with beautiful white houses. As I rode slowly, I
found that I was being followed by a group of children. They called out
jule, jule, meaning welcome, welcome. They were all amazed to see
my Loner. Everyone wanted me to come to their home.
Gaurav Jani
At home with Tashi

Tashi dragged me to his home. It was a building with two floors.
The house was made of stones which were kept one over the
other. The walls were coated with a thick layer of mud and lime.
The house looked like a shed from inside with a lot of hay
Teachers Note : Discuss with children that all the deserts are not hot and
sandy. Encourage students to look at the map and find all the states mentioned
in the chapter.
122
Looking Around
stored there. We took the wooden steps and reached the first
floor. This is where we stay, explained Tashi. The ground
floor is for our animals and for storing necessary things.
Sometimes when it gets too
cold, we also move downstairs.
I noticed that the ground floor
had no windows. Thick tree
trunks were used to make the
roof strong.
Gaurav Jani
Tashi then took me to the roof

of his house. What a view! I could
see the same flat roofs all around.
On some red chillies were, laid
out to dry and on some there were
orange pumpkins and golden yellow corn. Some had stacks of
paddy and on some cow dung cakes were laid out to dry.
This is the most important part of our house, said Tashi.
During summer season we dry many fruits and vegetables.
We store them for winters when we do not get fresh fruits and
vegetables.
As I stood there with Tashi I could see how every part of the
house was built specially to suit the needs of his people. I
could understand how the thick walls, a wooden floor and a
wooden ceiling protected them from the cold.
Write
During winters, Tashi and his family live on the
ground floor. Why would they be doing so?

What is the roof of your house like? What all is the
roof used for?
A Shelter so High!
123
People living on top of the world

Now was the time to climb higher. Loner had a tough time
zigzagging along narrow, rocky mountain roads. At many
places there were no roads at all.
I was moving towards the rocky plains of Changthang.
This place is at a height of almost 5000 metres. It is so high
that it is difficult to breathe normally. I had a headache and
felt weak. Then I slowly got used to breathing in such air.
For many days we kept wandering in this area with not a
single human being in sight. No petrol pumps, no
mechanics! Only clear blue sky and many beautiful lakes
around.
Many days and nights passed. Loner and I kept moving
ahead. Suddenly one morning I saw before me flat grassy land.
Many sheep and goats were grazing there. Far in the distance
I saw some tents. I wondered who lived there and what they
were doing in this far out place.
Find out
At what height is the place where you live?
Why did Gaurav Jani say - This place is so high that it is
difficult to breathe normally?

Have you ever been to a hilly place? Where?
At what height was it? Did you have any difficulty in
breathing there?
Which is the highest place you have been to?
The Changpa
There I met Namgyal and came to know about the Changpa a tribe
living on the mountains. The Changpa tribe has only about 5000
people. The Changpas are always on the move with their goats and
124
Looking Around
I was carrying very little of my belongings

on my motorcycle. But the Changpas carry
everything that they own on their horses and
yaks. It takes them only two and a half hours
to pack everything and move ahead. Within no time they put up
their tents at the chosen place, the luggage is unpacked and
their homes are ready.
You are most welcome into our home, said Namgyal as he
led me to the big cone-shaped tent. They call their tent Rebo.
Yak hair is woven to make strips which are stitched together.
These are strong and warm and protect them from the icy strong
winds. I saw that the strips were tightly tied with nine sticks.
The ground is dug about 2 feet deep. The tent is then put up
around this on the higher part of the ground.
Teachers Note : In the language of the Changpa changthang means a place
where very few people live. Are there words like this in different languages spoken
by children? As you go up the mountain, the level of oxygen in air becomes less
and at times people have to carry oxygen cylinders. It is not expected that children
understand the concept of oxygen. But children may have some idea that it is
difficult to breathe on high altitudes. This will make them sensitive towards people
living in such conditions. Through this they will also understand all kinds of
difficulties people have to face for a living.
A Shelter so High!
125
Gaurav Jani
sheep. It is from these that they get all that

they need milk, meat, skin for tents and
wool for coats and sweaters. Their goats are
their only treasure. If a family has more
animals it is considered more rich and
important. From these special goats they get
wool for making the world famous pashmina
wool. The Changpa graze their goats at higher
and colder places so that the goats have more
and softer hair (fur). They stay high up on
these mountains in very difficult conditions
because that is where these goats can live.
This is their life and their livelihood.
The world famous pashmina

It is believed that a pashmina shawl is as warm
as six sweaters! It is very thin yet very warm.
The goats from which the soft pashmina wool is
collected, are found on very high altitudes of
5000 metres. In winter, the temperature here
drops below 0 C (40 C). A coat of warm hair
grows on the goats body which protects it from
extreme cold. The goats shed some of their hair
(fur) in summer. This hair is so fine that six of these
would be as thick as one hair of yours!
The fine hair cannot be woven on machines and so weavers of Kashmir make
these shawls by hand. This is a long and difficult process. After almost 250 hours of
weaving, one plain pashmina shawl is made. Imagine how long it would take to make
a shawl with embroidery.
Gaurav Jani
As we stepped into the tent I realised that I could stand up

straight. It was not like my tent. I also saw that the Rebo was as
big as a room of my flat in Mumbai! It was held up by two
wooden poles in the middle. There was an opening to let out the
smoke from the chulah. Namgyal told that, the design of this
tent is more than a thousand years old. The tent protected the
Changpas from extreme cold.
How cold must it be? In winters the
temperature drops many degrees below
zero! The wind blows at 70 kilometres
per hour. Imagineif you were on a bus
which was going at this speed, how
far from your house would you reach
in one hour?
Rebo
Near the Rebo there was a place to

keep sheep and goats. Changpas call
Teachers Note : We can discuss with children that there are different kinds of
houses in different regions. The same area may also have different kind of houses.
The reasons include climate, economic conditions and also the availability of
local raw material (stone, mud, wood).
126
Looking Around
this lekha. The walls of a lekha are made with stones. Each
family puts a special mark on their own animals. The women
and young girls count and take the animals out of the lekha.
They count them again everyday when they bring them back in
the evening.
For the Changpas their animals are a very important part of
their life. Is any animal part of your life? For example, as a
pet, or as helpers in farming. List five ways in which different
animals are a part of your life.
Find out
You read that in Changthang the temperature drops below
0C. Look at newspapers on the TV to find cities in India

or abroad where the temperature drops below 0C. In which
months do you expect to see this?
Towards Srinagar
I spent a few days with the Changpas but, sadly, it was time to
move on. My return journey would take me away from this special
part of the world, towards towns which looked like a totally different
world. This time I took a different route from Leh. I was going
towards Srinagar via Kargil. I saw many more amazing buildings
and different houses.
I stayed in Srinagar for a few days. I was amazed by the
houses there. They took my heart away! Some houses are on
the mountains, while some are on water. I took many pictures
of these. See my photo album (p. 128).
Teachers Note : Children at this age are not expected to understand the concept
of temperature. But using newspaper reports and linking C with their experiences
of hot or cold will help them make some associations. This also provides an
opportunity to know the names of some new cities in which the temperature drops
below 0C.
A Shelter so High!
127
Many families in Srinagar live in a donga.

These boats can be seen in Dal Lake and
Jhelum river. From inside the donga is just
like a house with different rooms.
Afaq Ghada
Tourists who come to Srinagar love to stay in

houseboats. Houseboats can be as long as
80 feet and around 8 to 9 feet wide.
Afaq Ghada
Vinod Raina
Houses of Srinagar My photo album
Afaq Ghada
Beautiful carving on wood can be seen on the

ceiling of houseboats and some big houses.
This design is called khatamband, which has
a pattern that look like a jigsaw puzzle.
Afaq Ghada
Afaq Ghada
In villages of Kashmir, houses are made from

stones cut and kept one on top of the other
and coated with mud. Wood is also used. The
houses have sloping roofs.
Some old houses have a special type of window

which comes out of the wall. This is called
dab. It has beautiful wood pattern. It is
wonderful to sit here and enjoy the view!
128
The old houses here are made of stone, bricks

and wood. The doors and windows have
beautiful arches (mehraab ).
Looking Around
.
the dal lake
kara ride on
hi
S
e
th
y
jo
Tourists en
Vinod Raina
When I started my journey, I had

not imagined that in one state I
would see so many different kinds
of houses and lifestyles. I had a
wonderful experience of living on the
mountains in Leh and another of
living on water in Srinagar. I saw how
both the houses in these areas were
made to suit the climate.
Return journey
After a long journey Loner and I

were about to reach Mumbai. My
heart felt heavy. I also felt that my
motorcycle did not want to come
back. I was happy that I had learnt
and experienced so many new
things. I had also brought back
some memories in my camera. And
of course, this was not the end!
Next time when Loner and I get
bored of the city, we will again set
out for a new journey!
Afaq Ghada
Again it was time to move on. In Jammu I saw houses like I have
been seeing in Mumbai. The same cement, brick, steel and
glass. These houses are very strong. But they are not as special
as the houses I was lucky to see in Leh and Srinagar.
Can you tell what is shown in this picture? Every lane

in Kashmir has a bakery. Kashmiri people dont cook
roties in their homes, they buy it from such bakeries.
Tell
The houses in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir are
made to suit the climate and the needs of the people there.
A Shelter so High!
129
Are there different types of houses in the place where you
live? If yes, think about the reasons.

Think of your own house. Is there something special in it
like a sloping roof as it rains a lot, or a courtyard where you

can sleep when it is hot or where things are kept in the sun
(for drying, etc.)? Make a drawing.
What are the materials used
for making your house? Is it

mud, brick, stone, wood or
cement?
Discuss and write

Look at this picture. Can you
Anita
Rampa
see any houses in the picture?

These houses are made of stone
and mud. Nobody lives here in
winter. In summer, the Bakarwal people live here when they
bring their goats to higher lands for grazing.
Can you guess the similarities and differences in the life of
Bakarwal people and the life of the Changpas.
What we have learnt

You read about different kinds of shelters in Jammu and
Kashmir some on high mountains, some on water, some
with beautiful designs in wood and stone, and some
mobile shelters that can even be packed and carried to
another place.
Describe how these shelters suit the needs of the people
who live there.

How are these different from the house you live in?
130
Looking Around
14. When the Earth Shook!

A bad dream
Help! Help! Save me! Aaahhh! Ooooww There was screaming
and shouting everywhere. The ground was shaking and people
were running all around.
Screaming loudly I got up. On hearing me my mother also
woke up. She came running and held me tight. It was the
same bad dream! It has been more than six years now since
the earthquake. But in my sleep I still feel the earth shaking
and trembling.
I am Jasma. I live in the Kutch area of Gujarat. I was eleven
years old when there was an earthquake.
It was 26 January, 2001. Everyone from the village children
and old people had gathered in the ground of the school to
watch the parade on TV. Suddenly the ground was shaking.
People were scared and started running here and there. No
one knew what was happening and what to do. There was
total panic!
Teachers Note : Talking to children about the earthquake in Bhuj would help
them understand the context. The effects of an earthquake can also be discussed.
131
In a few minutes, our village was flat on the ground. All

our things clothes, pots, grains and food were trapped
under the stones, mud and wood from the fallen houses. At
that time everyone thought of two things to save the people
who were trapped and to treat the injured. The village
hospital was also damaged. Many people
were seriously injured. My leg also got
fractured. The doctor treated
people with the help of the
villagers.
Six people of our
village died. My
grandfather ( Nana )
was also buried under
the houses. My mother
wept all the time. Seeing
my mother, I also cried. The entire village was sad and
disturbed.
House of Motabapu who is the sarpanch of our village
was not much damaged. He gave rice and wheat to everyone
from his godown. For many days, the village women cooked
food together at Motabapus house and fed everyone.
Imagine, being without a house in the cold winter! Fear
and the cold kept us awake in the nights. All the time we
were worried that there may be another earthquake.
Discuss and write

Have you or anyone that you know ever faced such
difficulty?
Who all helped at such a time? Make a list.
132
Looking Around
Help arrives
For some days after that, people from the cities kept coming to
see what had happened. They came with food, medicines and
clothes. Everyone used to rush to take these things. The
clothes that we got were very different. We had
never worn such clothes before.
People from different groups from
the city, helped us to put up the tents.
Staying in these plastic tents in the
cold winter months was very
difficult.
Some of these people were
scientists. They tried to find out which areas have more
chances of having an earthquake.
People from our village talked to them
many times. They had suggestions
about building our houses again.
Engineers and architects showed us
some special designs for houses. They
said that with this design, houses would not get damaged
much in an earthquake. But our people were a little afraid.
They thought if these people build our houses, our village
will not look like our old village. So, the villagers thought
they would build their own houses with their help. The
groups would build the village school.
We all worked together to rebuild our village. Some people
dug and brought the clay from the pond. We mixed the clay
with cow dung and made large cakes. We put these on one
another to make the walls. We whitewashed the walls and
decorated them with beautiful designs and small pieces of
Teacher's Note : Talk to the children about government agencies and voluntary
groups. For this, examples from their own area can be taken. A discussion can
also be held on the kind of work engineers and architects do.
133
mirrors. We put up the thatched roof. Now our house shines like
a diamond in the dark night!
Discuss
A lot of people from other places came to Jasmas village.
Who were these people? In what ways would they have
helped the villagers?
People in Jasmas village rebuilt their houses with
suggestions from the engineers. Will these houses be safer
than before in case there is an earthquake again? Why?
Think, if there were an earthquake where you live, would
your house be in danger? What kind of damage could
take place?
Write
Compare your house with that of Jasma. List in your
notebook what materials were used in making both the

houses.
Jasmas House
Your House
What will you do?

People from the groups also made children in Jasmas school practice
what they should do in case there is an earthquake. This is what
they said:
- If possible leave the house and go to an open ground.
Teacher's Note : Talk to the children about what all can be done if there is a
warning about such disasters.
134
Looking Around
- If you cannot go out of the house, lie down

under a strong thing like a table and hold on
tightly, so that it does not slip away. Wait until
the shaking stops.
Have you been told in your school or anywhere
else about what to do in case of an earthquake?

Why do you think one should go under a table
during an earthquake?
Come practice, what to

do in an earthquake
Who helped?
Sunil Jacab
Read this TV report on the Bhuj earthquake.
Ahmedabad, January 26, 2001

At least a thousand people are feared
dead in the earthquake that struck
Gujarat this morning. Many thousands
have been injured. Army jawans have
been called in to help.
At least a hundred and fifty buildings
have fallen in the city of Ahmedabad. In
these, there are a dozen multi-storeyed
buildings. By this evening, around 250
bodies have been removed from these
buildings. It is feared that several
thousand people may still be trapped.

Rescue efforts are on. There is perhaps
no building in the city which has not
developed cracks.
The situation in Bhuj is even worse.
People are running around in shock and
panic. Within an hour of the earthquake
the fire engines had reached and started
work along with the local people. Offers
to help are coming from all corners of the
country and abroad.
Write
According to the TV report, thousands of people were
injured and some died in Gujarat. If the buildings had

135
been made in a way that they would not fall in the

earthquake, would the damage have been different? How?
At times like this, when people have lost their homes and
all their belongings, what kind of help would they need?

In such situations whose help would be needed and for
what? Write in your notebook as shown here.
Whose help will be needed

1. Dog
How will they help

To smell out where people
are lying trapped
2.
Discuss
Have you ever seen people in your area helping each
other? When?
Why do people live together in a neighbourhood?
Imagine living in a place where there were no other houses
or people around. How would it be? For example, whom

would you play with? With whom would you celebrate
festivals and special days? Would you be scared?
People face a lot of difficulties when they lose people from
their family, or their houses and belongings. In newspapers

of the last one month, look for news related to such
disasters earthquakes, floods, fire, cyclones, etc., in
different parts of the world. Collect these news reports
and paste them in your notebook.
136
Looking Around
Your news report

Make your own report which mentions the following:
- Cause of the disaster, date and time

- What kind of damage did it cause to lives, belongings,
livelihoods?
- Which people came forward to help? Which government
offices or other groups?
If there is no rain, crops can fail and there can be a drought.
But food for people can be brought from other places so that
there is no famine, which means people dont have to stay
hungry, and they dont die of hunger.
Have people in your area ever got affected by famine or
drought? Find such reports of different countries from

newspapers. Make your own report.
You may need some help from these in case of an accident or
emergency. Find out and write their addresses and phone

numbers. Add more names to this list.
Address
Phone Number
Fire Station
Nearby Hospital
Ambulance
Police Station
Difficult times
Write a report with the help of the following words:
floods, river water, injured people, food packets, rescue work,
camps, dead bodies, dead animals floating in water, houses
137
under water, aerial survey (to see the scene of disaster from a
plane), sad people, diseases spread by dirty water, homeless
people, trapped people.
What we have learnt

What type of difficulties are faced by people during floods?
Look at the picture, what kind of a school have the children
come to after the flood? Write down what people had to do to
make their life normal again after the flood.
Teachers Note : In a discussion about the importance of a neighbourhood,

various examples like daily interactions, weddings or a death in the
neighbourhood can be taken. After collecting articles from the newspaper, children
can work in different groups on different disasters. Discuss how different people
are affected by disasters differently. For example, farmers are the most affected
by floods, fishermen by tsunami, etc.
138
Looking Around
15. Blow Hot, Blow Cold
There was a woodcutter. Everyday in the morning he used to go

to the forest to cut wood. In the evening he would sell the wood
in the city. One day he went deep into the forest. It was a very
cold winter. His fingers were becoming numb. Every now and
then, the woodcutter would put down his axe and bring his
hands close to his mouth. Then he would blow hard on them to
warm them.
While he was cutting wood Mian
Balishtiye was watching him from a corner.
Mian Balishtiye saw that the woodcutter
kept blowing on his hands. He began to
wonder what all that was about! But he
could not understand it. He got up
thinking that he would go and ask the
woodcutter. After walking a little, he came
back thinking that the woodcutter may
not like being asked. Finally, Mian
Balishtiye could not help himself. He went
hopping to the woodcutter and said, Hello
brother, if you dont mind can I ask you
something?
Seeing this tiny person the woodcutter
was amazed and amused. But, he hid his smile and said, Of course,
of course, ask what you want to. All I want to ask is why do you
blow from your mouth on to your hands? said Mian Balishtiye.
Teachers Note : It would be good for the children to know that this story has
been written by Dr. Zakir Hussain, former President of India. He has written many
stories for children. It could be discussed why an imaginary character like Mian
Balishtiye could have been used.
139
The woodcutter replied, It is too cold. My hands are frozen,

so I blow on them to warm them up a little. Then, when they get
cold again I warm them again by blowing.
Mian Balishtiye nodded, Oh, ho, so thats it!
And with that he moved off. But he stayed nearby and kept a
close watch on him.
Soon it was afternoon. The woodcutter began to think of
lunch. He picked up two stones and made a chulha. He lit a fire
and put a small handi (pot) filled with potatoes to boil. The wood
was damp, so the woodcutter bent down and blew on the fire to
help it burn. Balishtiye was watching him from a distance. Arre,
he said to himself, There he goes again blowing from his
mouth! Does fire come out of his mouth?
The woodcutter was feeling very hungry. He took out a potato
from the handi. He tried to eat it but the potato was too hot. He
again began to blow on it foo, foo.
Arre, said Balishtiye to himself, Hes blowing again! Now
what? Is he going to burn the potato? After blowing a few more
foo, foos on it, the woodcutter put it in his mouth and began to
eat it.
140
Looking Around
Now Mian was very surprised! He just could not stop himself
and off he went hopping to the woodcutter. Hello brother, he
said, If you dont mind, can I ask you a question again?
The woodcutter replied, Not at all. Ask whatever you want.
Mian Balishtiye said, This morning you told me that you
blew on your hands to warm them up. Now you are blowing on
this potato, which is already so hot. Why do you want to make
it hotter?
No, no, my little friend. This potato is too hot. I am blowing
on it to cool it down.
When he heard this, Mian Balishtiyes face became white. He
began to tremble with fear, and started to back away.
The woodcutter was a good man. He said, Whats wrong
Mian? Are you trembling because of the cold?
But Mian Balishtiye kept going backwards. When he was a safe
distance away, he said to himself, What kind of a creature is this?
Surely he must be a ghost or a djinn. Blow hot, blow cold with the
same breath! It is just not possible!
Thats right there are some things which just cannot be but
they are!
Zakir Hussain
Do this
Miya Balishtiye was confused when he saw the woodcutter
blowing on his cold hands to make them warm and on the
hot potatoes to cool them.
Have you warmed your hands in winter by blowing on them
when they are cold? How does it feel?

Blow hard from your mouth onto your hands. How
did you find the air from your mouth as compared

to the air around? Was it hotter, or cooler?
Now put your hands at some distance from your mouth, and
blow again. Does the air from your mouth feel warm? Why?
Blow Hot, Blow Cold
141
Think and tell

Can you think of any other way in which you use the warmth
from your breath?
Fold a piece of cloth 3-4 times. Now bring it close to your
mouth and blow hard on it. Did the cloth become warm?
Balishtiye saw that the woodcutter was trying to cool the hot
potatoes by blowing on them. What would have happened if

he had eaten the potatoes without cooling them?
Have you ever burnt your tongue when you ate or drank
something that was too hot? How do you cool some food
when it is too hot?
If you were to cool these three hot things dal, roti, rice in
which ways would you do so?
Picture 1
Mini tried to cool her tea by blowing on it.
Which do you think will be hotter Minis
tea or the air she blew from her mouth?
Picture 2
Sonu was feeling very cold. He kept
blowing on to his hands. Now think
and write, which will be cooler
Sonus hands or his breath?
142
Looking Around
For what other things do you blow air from your
mouth?
Make a paper whistle

1
Take a piece of paper 12 cm long and 6 cm

wide.
Fold the paper into half (as in picture 1).

Tear it off a little in the centre to make a small
hole (as shown in picture 2).
From both the sides, fold the paper upwards
(picture 3).
Hold the paper between your fingers and put

it to your mouth.
Blow on it and hear the whistle. Whose whistle

was louder - yours or your friends?
Blow gently and also blow hard and make

different sounds.
Blow in different ways

Make whistles of the things given below. Write in a sequencefrom
the loudest to the softest whistle.

- Wrapper of a toffee
- A leaf
- A balloon
- The cap of a pen
- Any other thing
Teachers Note : Children take time to understand the concept of hot and cold
air. Through the activity, we can try to enable children to understand that the air
coming out of our mouth can be cold or hot as compared to the temperature
outside. It is not expected that children will be able to understand all this at one
go. It is important to link this concept with different experiences of children.
Blow Hot, Blow Cold
143
Have you seen people playing different musical instruments
like flute, dholak, been ...., guitar, mridang , etc. Can you
recognise their sounds with your eyes closed? Find out more
about these musical instruments. Collect their pictures too.
Write
Can you name some things which produce
melodious or pleasing sounds when we blow

into them.
Do this and discuss

Have you seen someone blowing on their
spectacles to wipe them clean? How does the

air from the mouth help in cleaning the
spectacles?
Take a glass. Bring it near your mouth and
blow hard on it. Do this two or three times.
Does the glass look hazy?
Can you make a mirror hazy in the same way? Can you
tell by touching the mirror what made it hazy? Is the air

you blew from your mouth dry or wet?
Put your hand on your chest. When you breathe in, does
your chest come out or go in.

Measure your chest
Take a deep breath in
Ask your friend to measure your chest with a thread.
Measurement____________
Teachers Note : Air blown out from our mouth is hot and the mirror cold. The
hot air that we breathe out contains water vapour which turn into tiny droplets of
water when it comes in contact with the colder mirror. This makes the glass
moist and hazy.
144
Looking Around
Now breathe out. Again ask your friend to measure

your chest. Measurement____________
Was there any difference in the two measurements
of your chest?
How many breaths in one minute

Put your finger under your nose. Can you feel any air
when you breathe out from your nose?
Count how many times in one minute do you breathe
in and breathe out.
Jump 30 times. Did you feel breathless?
Now again count how many times in one minute you
breathed in and out.
What was the difference in your count before and
after jumping.
The clock inside you

You have all heard the tick tick of the clock. Have you seen a
doctor using a stethoscope to listen to our chest? What do
you think she hears? Where is the sound coming from? Is
there a clock inside your chest that keeps ticking away?
Do you want to listen to your heartbeat? Take a rubber tube
as long as the distance from your shoulder to your elbow. At one
end of the tube fix a funnel. Place the funnel on the left side of
your chest. Put the other end of the tube to your ear. Listen
carefully. Did you hear a dhak dhak sound?
Teachers Note : To help children time one minute the teacher can say start
and stop in the activity for counting breaths.
Blow Hot, Blow Cold
145
Snake tells the flow of air!

For this take a round paper 10-15 cms wide. Cut
this paper in a spiral shape (as shown in picture 1).
Picture 1
To hold this snake tie a thread on both sides.

Tie a knot or a button to make it hang. Now the
snake is ready to move.
Hang this snake near a hot thing. For this you

can take hot tea, water or a burning candle. Now
see from the top, in which direction the snake
moves.
Whenever the air flows upwards it will move in a

clock-wise direction. When the air flows downwards
the snake will move in the opposite direction.
Stand with this snake below a fan. Look in which

direction it moves. Take this paper snake to
different places and observe its movement.
Can you understand from the movement of the

snake - if the air is moving upwards or downwards?
Picture 2
What we have learnt

While playing, Amit hit a wall. His forehead was
swollen. Didi immediately folded a scarf (4-5 times),

blew on it and kept it on Amit's forehead. Why do you
think didi did this?
We blow to cool hot things as well as to warm them.
Give examples of each.

Teachers Note : The snake game can give an idea to children about the
direction of air flow. When the hot air rises the snake moves in a clockwise
direction. When the cold air comes down (as it is heavier) the snake moves in an
anti-clockwise direction as happens under a fan. To find out the direction in
which the snake is moving we must remember to view it from above.
146
Looking Around
16. Who will do this Work?
Sudharak Olve
Have you seen such scenes around you?
Have you ever thought of people who do this work? Can you imagine
how they would feel?
Why do you think people need to do this kind of work?
147
Our friends spoke to some staff who do cleaning jobs. Here

are some of the things they told us.
Q. Since when have you been doing this work?
A. About twenty years. Since I completed my studies.
Q . Why did you not study further? You could have got
some other job?
A. You need money for studies. And even after that most
of our people continue to do this kind of work.
Q. What do you mean?
A. Since our great grandfathers times... or even
before that, most people of our community have
been doing this work. Even after getting a college
degree, our people do not get any other kind of job. So
they have to do this work.
Q. Why is that so?
A. That is the way it is. In the entire city, all the people who do this kind of
work are from our community. It has always been so.
Interview (adapted) from the documentary film India Untouched by Stalin. K.
Write
Talk with people who do the cleaning job around your house
and school.
w Since when have they been doing this work?
w How much have they studied?
w Have they tried to look for some other work?
w Did the elders in their family also do this work?
w What kind of difficulties do they face in doing this work?
Teachers Note : Before children talk with the staff which does cleaning , discuss
the kinds of questions that could be asked. Sensitise children to be respectful
during their interactions.
148
Looking Around
w What are the different kinds of work being done in this drawing?
List any five of these.
w If you were asked to do any five jobs shown in this picture,
which would you choose?

w Which five jobs would you not choose? Why?
149
Discuss
w What kinds of work or jobs do people not want to do?
Why?
w So, who does this kind of work? Why do people do this
kind of work that others do not want to do?
Imagine
w What would happen if nobody did this work? If nobody
cleared the garbage lying outside your school or your house

for one week, then what would happen?
Think of some ways (machines,
or other things) so that people
would not have to do the work
they don't like to do. Draw a
picture of what you thought.
(These pictures are also made by
children)
Do you think that anyone has ever tried to change this

situation? Yes, many people have tried. People are trying even
today. But it is not easy to change this. One such person was
Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhiji had a friend Mahadevbhai Desai.
Mahadevbhais son Narayan also stayed with Gandhiji when
he was young. This incident is from Narayan's book.
Teachers Note : Discussion can be organised with the people who are involved
in bringing such changes in the community. News items on issues related to
untouchability can be used in the class to develop sensitivity.
150
Looking Around
Remembering those days

When Narayan (Babla) was about 11 years old, he was staying in Gandhijis
Sabarmati Ashram. Like everyone else in the Ashram, he had to do various
kinds of work. One of his jobs was to teach the guests how to clean the
toilets. In those days, the toilets were not what we know today. There used
to be holes under which baskets were kept. People sat on the holes. Later
the baskets had to be lifted by hand, to be emptied.
It was the usual practice that people from a particular community would
do this work. But in Gandhijis Ashram, every person had to carry the
basket to the compost pit and empty it there. No one was excused from this
task - not even the guests. Narayanbhai remembers how some people used
to try and avoid this work. Some even left the Ashram because of this.
Some years later Gandhiji went to stay at a village, near Wardha in
Maharashtra. Gandhiji, Mahadevbhai and others started to clean the toilets
in the village. They did this for some months. One morning a man coming
from the toilet, saw Mahadevbhai. He pointed to him and said There is a
lot of dirt over there. Go and clean that! When Babla saw this, he was very
angry. He thought, the villagers felt that this was not their work. This was
for Gandhiji and his team to do. He asked Gandhiji why this was so. Gandhiji
replied, Untouchability is a serious matter. Lot of hardwork will be required
to change this.
Narayan knew that the people who usually did this work were thought
to be untouchable. He asked What is the use if the village people do not
change their thinking? They have become used to someone else doing this
work for them.
Gandhiji replied, Why? Dont you think the people who clean also benefit
from it. They also learn a lesson. To learn something is like learning a new
skill. Even if it is a cleaning job.
Little Narayan was not convinced. He again argued, Those who make a
place dirty but do not clean it should also learn lessons. Gandhiji and
Narayan continued to argue about this. But when he grew up Narayan
always followed the path shown by Gandhiji.
From the book in Gujarati by Narayanbhai Desai Sant-Charan-Raj, Sevita, Sahaj
Tell
w Why did Gandhiji and his team start doing the job of
cleaning. What do you think about this?

w Do you know any such people in your area who try to help
others in solving their problems? Find out.

w Guests at Gandhijis Ashram had to learn this work also.
If you were one of these guests, what would you do?

151
w What are the toilet arrangements in your house? Where is the
toilet? Inside the house, or outside? Who cleans the toilet?

w How did the man who was returning from the toilet behave
with Mahadevbhai? Why did he behave like this?

w How do people generally behave with those people who
clean toilets and drains? Write.

A childhood story
This story is almost a hundred years old. Seven-year old Bhim went to Goregaon
in Maharashtra with his father to spend his holidays. He saw a barber cutting
the long hair of a rich farmers buffallo. He thought of his own long hair. He
went to the barber and asked for a hair cut. The barber replied, If I cut your
hair both my razor and I will get dirty. Oh, so to cut human hair can be
dirtier than cutting an animals hair, wondered little Bhim.
Later this little Bhim was known as Bhim Rao Baba Saheb Ambedkar.
He became very famous across the world. Baba Saheb fought for justice for
people like him. After Indias freedom the Constitution was prepared under
the leadership of Baba Saheb.
Narayan and Gandhiji discussed all this many years ago. Have
things changed now?
A conversation in school - the reality today
Hetal : I am Hetal, and this is Meena. We both study in Class III.
Q: What all do you do in school?
Meena: We clean the ground.
Q: Do all children clean?
Hetal : No, not all.
Meena : We also have to clean the toilets. We do it on different days. I
clean on Monday, she does on Tuesday, and she on Wednesday All
the children from our community do this.
Hetal : We have to carry twenty buckets of water for this. We have to
sweep and wash.
Q : Why only you? Why not all the children?
Hetal : Only we have to. If we dont we get beaten.
Interview (adapted) from the documentary film India Untouched by Stalin. K.
152
Looking Around
Tell
w Who does the cleaning in your school? What all has to
be cleaned?
w Do all children like you help in this? If yes, how?
w If all do not help, why not?
w Do all children do all kinds of work?
w Do they sometimes have to miss classes to do this work?
w Do the girls and boys do the same kinds of work?
w What all work do you do at home?
w Is the work done by boys and girls, men and women the
same?
w Would you like to bring some change? What kind?
Discuss
w Do people look at different kinds of work in the same
way? If not, why is this so? Why is it important to bring

change?
w Gandhijis favourite song (bhajan) is given here. This bhajan
is in Gujarati. Try to understand the meaning of these

lines with the help of your elders. Think about these lines.
oS".ko tu rks rs.ks dfg, ts ihM+ ijkbZ tk.ks js]

ij nq%[ks vieku lgs ts eu vfHkeku uk vk.ks js
What we have learnt
w Gandhiji used to say that every person should do every
kind of work. What do you feel about this? If everyone

followed this, what are the things that would change?
What are some changes that will happen in your own
house?
153
17. Across the Wall
Stars in her eyes (Indian Express, 2007)

utensils for a living. The gender wall
her mother had put up for her.
Today, Afsana herself has become a
strong wall of NBA, the Nagpada
Basketball Association of Mumbai.
Today, she is the source of strength
for five other girls who have come to
the basketball court, leaving behind
the problems of their everyday lives.
Just 13 years old, Afsana Mansuri
has already jumped over the wall.
The wall between her jhuggi and the
local basketball court. The wall made
by society, for a girl who washes
Today, she is the star of a young

team. This team has managed to
surprise some of Mumbais club
teams. With a lot of guts and courage,
the team has reached the semi-finals
of a district-level tournament.
Meeting the team

We read in the newspaper about Afsana and the Nagpada
basketball team. We thought of meeting these girls and
introducing them to you.
We took the train and got off at Mumbais Victoria Terminus
Station (railway station). From there we walked towards
Nagpada. It took us just twenty minutes to reach there.
There we met Afsana and the other girls of the Nagpada
Basketball Association. Read the interview with the team
members.
154
Looking Around
Meet this special team!

Meet Afsana, Zarin, Khushnoor and Afreen. At first the girls were
quiet, but once they started, they just did not stop!
Zarin began, My house is just in front of this ground. My brother
used to play here. I would
stand in my balcony and
watch the boys play. I
was in Class VII at that
time. Whenever the boys
played a match, many
people came to watch.
The winning team got a
lot of praise. Everyone
cheered the players. On
seeing all this, I wished I
could also play. Would I too get a chance to show my talent? I
asked the coach, but was afraid. He is a good friend of my father.
The coach said, Why not? If you bring some more girls, you can
make a team. Then I will teach you.
Find out
Is there any place to play near your house?
What do people play there? Who plays there?
Do the children of your age also get a chance to play there?
What other things happen at this place?
Teachers Note : Give opportunities to children to share their experiences about

games. Discuss these to build childrens understanding on issues, such as, similar
games for boys and girls, equal opportunities for all while playing, etc.
Across the Wall
155
We asked Was it easy to make a beginning?

Khushnoor: At first my parents refused. But when I insisted
they agreed.
Afsana: My mother works in the flats and sends us to school. I also
help her. When I told her about my plans to play basketball, Ammi
got angry. She said, Girls do not play basketball. Do your work, go
to school and study hard. No need to go to the ground to play. But
when my friends and Coach Sir talked to her, Ammi agreed.
Afreen : We were not allowed, because we are girls. My grandmother
gets very angry with all of us. But still, we three sisters come here
to play. Grandmother scolds us and even scolds our Coach Sir!
She tells us, You need proper equipment to play. You need to have
a lot of milk for strength. Where will the money for all this come
from? But daddy understands our feelings. He even teaches us
some special moves used in the game. My daddy also used to play
on this ground when he was young. He did not have proper shoes
or clothes. He used to practice with a plastic ball.
Daddy tells us that Bacchu Khan was the coach when he used
to play. He saw my daddy playing once. He realised that the boy
played very well and that he should be trained properly. He gave
proper shoes and clothes to my daddy. My daddy could have become
a very good player. But because of his responsibilities at home, he
left the game and took up a job. So he wants us to play and become
good players.
Tell
Has anyone ever stopped you from playing some games?
Which games?
Who stopped you and why? What did you do then?
Did anyone help you and encourage you to play?
156
Looking Around
We asked Tell us about your team

One girl: We felt a bit strange in the beginning. We were the first
girls team here. People used to come and watch us practicing.
They were curious to see how girls would play basketball. Now
people are no longer surprised. They have begun to accept that we
girls can also play well.
Afsana: I was eleven years old when we first started playing. At
that time we were not allowed to go anywhere else to play a match.
It has been two years since then. Now we go to other places also
for matches. But all this could happen only because of our hard
work and Sirs coaching.
Another girl : Yes, we really work hard. Sir is also very strict. We
first jog together and then do our exercises. Sir teaches us how to
play the game well. We practice how to keep the ball with us, to dodge
the players of the other team, how to throw the ball in the basket, to
score a goal, to pass the ball well, and to run fast on court.
Afreen: Sir says, While playing, dont think you are girls. Play
like a player. Keep
playing even if you get
a little injured. We
support each other and
say Come on, get up,
you will be fine! Now
our game has improved
a lot. Everyone says that
we play as well as the
boys team.
Teachers Note : Make different groups of children in class to give them a chance to
play different games. Try to encourage the children to play for the team, not for
themselves.
Across the Wall
157
One girl: We also play with boys teams. We want them to play
with us as equals. They should not be lenient because we are
girls. Sometimes we get angry when the boys imitate us. But we
take it as a challenge and correct our mistakes. If the boys try to
cheat, we scold them!
Discuss
Do girls and boys play different types of games in your
school or neighbourhood? If yes, then which games do

the boys play and which do the girls play?
Do you think that there is any difference between the
games and the way they are played by boys and girls?
Should the games for boys and the girls be different? What
do you think?
We said Tell us more about your team.

One girl : Our team is very special. Our team is united. Even if we
quarrel, we quickly make up and forget about it. Here we have
learnt how to stay and play together. Some of the girls from our
team got a chance to play as part of the Mumbai team. The match
was at Sholapur.
Zarin : When we went to Sholapur we found that the team had
girls from different parts of the state. They did not talk to us nicely
and treated us like juniors. They would not even give us a chance
to play properly. We felt very bad. There was no cooperation at all in
that team.
Teachers Note : If possible, try to develop an understanding in children that
players are recognised by their ability to play rather than by their caste or
economic status.
158
Looking Around
During the match I threw the ball to one of the team members. But
she could not catch it. In turn, she started scolding me, blaming
me for the mistake. In all this misunderstanding we lost the match.
But this never happens in our own team. If we do miss a basket
because of someones mistake, we do not get angry. We say, Never
mind, next time we will do better! It is most important to support
each other, because we are
all part of a team.
Afreen: After playing
in Sholapur we realised
what was special about
our team. Cooperation
between us is our
strength. We understand
and support each other
well. Even if every player is
excellent, the team can lose a match if all do not
play together as a team. To play as a team it is important to
understand each others strengths and weaknesses.
Write
Have you ever played as
part of a team of your class,

school or neighbourhood? Whom did you play with? What
game did you play?
What is the difference between playing for yourself and for
the team?
While playing in a team would you like to play for yourself
or for the team? Why?

Is your team like the team Afsana played with at Sholapur
or like the Nagpada team? How?

Across the Wall
159
We said You have done so much. What next?

Afsana: We have been playing well. So we
have got a chance to go to many places. We
have played for our city and our state. We
hope to work hard and play for our country
some day.
Yes, then we will also be popular like
the cricketers!
We all want to play well. We should bring
glory to our area and our country. We want
to show that the Indian girls team can win
a gold medal! We will make this happen.
Discuss
Have you ever taken part in some game or competition
from your school or area? How did you feel?

Did you go to some other place to play? What was that
place like? How did you like going to that place?

Have you seen matches being played between India and
other countries? Which ones?

Teachers Note : It is necessary to develop an understanding among children
that players are recognised by their perseverance rather than at what level they
are playing. If a child plays or participates at the school level with full devotion,
that should be the real achievement. It is not important what position he or she
secures. In fact, ranking and unhealthy competition needs to be avoided.
160
Looking Around
We all know about the cricketers of India, and we all like them.
Do people also know and like the Indian players who play
some other games? (Yes or No). What do you feel about it? Do
you know the players of the Indian football or kabaddi team?
We asked Did you face some other difficulties?

Khushnoor: To tell the truth, we have not got all this very
easily. As girls, even to be able to start playing was difficult.
We had to convince our families. Sometimes we even had to
fight. Even today not many girls can play like this. Forget
games, earlier some people did not even allow girls to study.
My mother wanted to do many things, but she never got a
chance. So my mother encourages me to take part in all
activities like games, swimming and drama.
Afsana: Even now, we are supposed to go home as soon as
we finish playing. The boys go here and there, and can
chitchat till late. No one says anything. After coming from
school, I help my mother with the cleaning work in two or
three houses, do my studies and then come here to play. I
also help at home. If my brother wants tea and he makes it
for himself, then mother says, He has three sisters. Yet, he
has to work.
One girl : Now, just look at Zarins younger brother. He is
only five years old but he says, Mummy, why do you send
didi to play? She does not look nice playing like that on the
ground. Ask him if he will play and he says, I am a boy, of
course I will play!
Afsana: But it is good for everyone to play. We have now
realised, how much we benefit from playing. I want to be
such a good player that other girls and boys would wish to
be like me.
Across the Wall
161
Discuss
What would happen if girls are not allowed to play games,
to study or do some other work of their choice?

How would you feel if you were not allowed to take part in
some game or drama?

Have you heard of any women players? Name them and
the games they play.

In which areas other than sports have you heard of women
getting recognition?
Are these women less known than men? Why?
How would you find the world to be, if girls never got a
chance to take part in games, drama or dance? How would

you feel if such a thing happened to boys?
Do you know of any woman or girl who you would want to
be like when you grow up? (Think of names other than a

film actor or a model)
What next?
Afreen: I just want to say that if you have some dreams for
yourself, give your best to fulfil them.
Khushnoor: If you have a wish or a dream, have courage to
speak about it. If you dont do this now, you may regret later.
162
Looking Around
We said The newspaper wrote about all of you. Now students

will read about you in this book. How do you feel?
Afreen: We are so happy about it that we have no words to explain
our happiness. We now feel we must play even better, to make our
area and our country famous.
All Girls : Yes, this is our wish too.
Coach Sir
The coach who made this team, Noor Khan told us This part of Mumbai is
very crowded. This is the only playground in this area. This is our small Bacchu
Khan playground. A person named Mustafa Khan used to live in our area.
Everyone was afraid of him. But children were very fond of him, so everyone
started calling him Bacchu Khan. There was no ground then, it was just muddy
land. Bacchu Khan used to train children to play. We were among those children.
It is because of Bacchu Khans devotion and training that players from this
area are able to compete
with the teams of other
countries. Like Bacchu
Khan, I have trained the
children of this area.
Today our team has
some who play at the
international level. Some
have even won the
Arjuna Award.
Noor Khan continued
In the last few years we
have also prepared
a girls team here.
Our girls play for the
Maharashtra
State
team. They practice well
with good discipline. Our girls and boys come from different types of families.
Some are from poor homes, some from richer. Some study in Urdu medium and
some in English. But once they come here, they all make a team.
Across the Wall
163
Think and write

The newspaper report said, Afsana has jumped over the
wall. The gender wall that her mother had put up for her.
Think and write in your own words, what was this wall?
What do you understand by gender bias?
What we have learnt

Should games for boys and girls be different?
Think and write what you feel.

If you are made the leader of a team, how will
you prepare your team?
164
Looking Around
18. No Place for Us?
Jatryabhai
Jatryabhai was sitting at the door with his daughter Jhimli.
They were waiting for Sidya. It was almost night but Sidya had
not come home. Two years back Jatryas family came to Mumbai
from Sinduri village. Here, they only knew the family of a distant
relative. With their help, Jatryabhai
began to repair torn fishing
nets. But the money he got
was not enough. They had
to pay for the medicines,
food, school fees and rent for
the house. Here, they even
had to buy water.
Young Sidya also had to
work in the nearby fish
factory to earn some
money. From four oclock till
seven oclock in the morning, he cleaned and sorted the big
and small fish. Then he would come home, take a nap, and go
to school in the afternoon. In the evening he would wander
around the vegetable market. He would help some memsahib
(lady) to carry her bags, or go to the railway station to pick up
empty bottles and newspapers to sell to the kabadiwalla (junk
seller). Somehow they were managing their life in the city.
It was night, but Sidya had not come home. Jhimli was
watching a dance on TV, through the neighbours window.
But Jatrya did not like watching TV. Here, everything was so
No Place for Us?
165
different. The day would pass running around for work, but the
evening brought back old memories.
Think and tell

Jatrya felt alone, even in a crowd of people. Have you ever
felt like this?

Imagine how it feels to leave ones own place and go far
away to live in a new place?

Why do you think families like that of Jatryas are coming
to big cities?
Have you seen any children (in your school or
neighbourhood) who also go to work?

What kind of work do they do? Why do they have to work?
Thinking of old days

Jatrya was born in Khedi village, in the middle of thick green
jungles and hills. His people had been living here for many years
even before his grandfather was born.
There was peace in Jatryas village, but not silence. There
were so many soothing sounds the gurgle of the flowing river,
the murmur of trees and the chirping of birds. People did farming.
They would go to the nearby forest, chatting and singing together,
to collect wild fruits, roots and dried wood. While working with
elders, children also learnt many things to dance together, to
play flute and dhol , to make pots of clay and bamboo, to
recognise birds and imitate their sounds, etc. People collected
166
Looking Around
things from the forest for their use. Some of those they would
sell in the town across the river. With that money they would
buy salt, oil and some clothes.
It was a village, but people here lived together like a big
family. Jatryas sister was married in the same village. People
helped each other, in good and bad times. The elders would
arrange weddings, and settle quarrels.
Jatrya was now a strong young man.
He worked hard in the fields and caught
fish from the big river. He and his friends
would go to the forest to collect fruits,
roots and plants for medicines, and fish
from the river, to sell these in the town.
During festival time, Jatrya would dance
and play the drum, with boys and girls
of his age.
Tell
In Khedi village what all did children learn?
What do you learn from your elders?
Jatrya learnt so many things in Khedi. How many of those
would be useful for him in Mumbai?

Do you hear the sounds of birds everyday? Which ones?
Can you imitate the sound of any bird? Show how.
What are some of the sounds that you hear everyday, but
the people of Khedi may not be hearing?

Have you experienced silence? When and where?
Teachers Note : Children can be made sensitive to the experience of calm or
peace as clearly different from silence. They can do this through the activity of
listening to sounds with their eyes closed. When they are calm and the class
becomes quiet, they can still hear many sounds. So there can be peace, but
there need not be silence.
No Place for Us?
167
Across the river

One day the people of Khedi heard that a big dam was to be
built on the river. For this, a big wall would be built to stop the
flow of the river. Khedi and many nearby villages in that area
would be drowned under water. The people would have to leave
their villages and their lands, on which their forefathers had
lived for centuries.
After a few days, government officials along with the police
started visiting these villages. Small children of the village saw
the police for the first time. Some children would run after them,
and some would get scared and start crying. The officials
measured the width and length of the river, the fields, forests
and houses. They called meetings with the elders of the village.
They said, Villages on the bank of the river would have to be
removed. People having land at Khedi will be given land far
away, on the other side of the river. They will have everything
there a school, electricity, hospitals, buses,
trains, etc. They will have all that they could
not even dream of here in Khedi.
Jatryas parents and most elders
were not happy about leaving
their village.
Listening to all this, Jatrya
would get a little scared, but also
feel excited. He would think that
after getting married, he would
take his bride to the new house
in the new village. A house where
he could just press a button for the light and turn on the tap for
water. He could go by bus to see the city. When he would have
children, he could send them to school. They will not be like
him, who had never been to school.
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Looking Around
Discuss and tell

Many people in Jatryas village did not agree to move away
from their land and forest. Why? They had to leave even
though they didnt want to. Why?
In Khedi, how many people were there in Jatryas family?
When he thought about his family who all came to his

mind?
Who all come to your mind when you think about your
family?
Have you heard of people who dont want to be moved from
their old place? Talk about them.

Do you know some people who have never been to school?
Do you also know of any place where there is no school?
Imagine
Think of the kinds of difficulties people have to face where
a dam is being built.

Draw a picture of Khedi village and a picture of Jatrya's
dream village. Discuss the differences between them. Also

look at the pictures your friends have drawn.
A new place
It was a summer afternoon. Jatrya was feeling faint in the hot
sun and wind. His feet were burning on the coal tar of the pucca
road. There wasnt a single tree to offer some shade. Just a few
houses and shops. Jatrya was on his way home after buying
medicines. He had an old tyre on his back. These days, he had
Teachers Note : Discuss with children the different aspects of dams. You can
give examples of any dams in your area or nearby. Dam may benefit some, but
there are some people for whom dam may bring problems, all these can be
discussed in classroom.
No Place for Us?
169
to light his stove with just these rubber pieces of old tyres.
These caught fire fast, and also saved some firewood. But the
smoke and smell of burning tyres
were terrible!
In this new Sinduri village, they
had to pay money for everything
medicines, food, vegetables,
firewood, and fodder for the
animals. They could just not
afford to buy kerosene. But from
where to get the money for all this?
Thinking of all this, Jatrya
reached home. The roof made of a
tin sheet made the house hot like an oven. Jatryas wife had high
fever. His daughter Jhimli was rocking her little brother Sidya to
sleep in her lap. After all, there was no other older person with
them. Jatryas parents had been so sad about leaving Khedi that
they had died before he moved here.
In Sinduri there were only eight-ten families he could call his
own, those from his old village. The whole village had got scattered
and people had gone wherever they had been given land.
This was not like the new village Jatrya had dreamt about.
There was electricity, but only for sometime in a day. And then,
the electricity bill had also to be paid. There were taps, but no
water!
In this village, Jatrya got just one room in a tin shed. It had
no place to keep the animals. He also got a small piece of land.
But that was not good for farming. It was full of rocks and stones.
Still Jatrya and his family worked very hard. But they could not
grow much on the field, and could not make enough money
even to buy seeds and fertilisers. In Khedi, people did not fall
sick often. If someone fell ill there were many people who knew
170
Looking Around
how to treat them with medicines made from plants. People felt
better after taking those medicines. Here in Sinduri, there was
a hospital but it was difficult to find doctors, and there were no
medicines.
There was a school here, but the teacher did not care much
about the children from Khedi village. These children found it
difficult to study in a new language. The people of Sinduri did
not welcome the newcomers from Khedi. They found their
language and way of living strange. They made fun of the Khedi
people by calling them unwanted guests. Not much of what he
had dreamt had come true!
Write
Was Sinduri like the village of Jatryas dreams?
What difference did he find between Sinduri and his dream
village?
Have you ever been to anyones house as an unwanted
guest? How did you feel?

What all does your family do, when you have guests at
home for a few days?
Some years later

Jatrya stayed for a few years in Sinduri. The children were also
getting older. But Jatryas heart was not here in Sinduri. He still
missed his old Khedi.
But there was no Khedi now. There was a big dam and a big
lake of collected water in and around Khedi. Jatrya thought, If
we are to be called unwanted guests, then at least let us go to
some place where our dreams can come true. Jatrya sold his
land and his animals and came to Mumbai. Here, he started a
new life with his family. His only dream was to send his children
to school, to give them a better future, a better life.
No Place for Us?
171
Here too, things were not easy. But he

hoped that things would get
better.
Jatrya started saving
money to repair his
one-room shack. His
relatives would tell
him, Dont waste
money on this. Who
knows, we may have
to move from here
too. In Mumbai there
is no place to stay for
outsiders like us.
Jatrya was scared and worried. He thought, We left Khedi
for Sinduri, we then left Sinduri for Mumbai. If we have to
move from here too, then where can we go? In this big city, is
there not even a small place for my family to stay?
Think
What had Jatryabhai thought while moving to Mumbai?
Did he find Mumbai as he had imagined?

What kind of school do you think Jatryas children would
be going to in Mumbai?
Teachers Note : Discuss with children about the difference between people
being displaced or asked to move from a place, and those who go on a transfer.
Both situations may cause different kinds of problems and difficulties. Discuss
how many big projects like dams, bridges, highways, factories are promoted in
the name of development. Do all people benefit from these? These are live issues
which can be related to many newspaper reports and ongoing debates.
172
Looking Around
Find out and write

Do you know of any family that has come to your town
after having moved out of their place? Talk to them and

find out:
- From where have they come? Why did they have to come
here?
- What kind of place did they live in there? How do they
find this new place compared to the old one?
- Is their language and way of living any different from
that of the people here? In what ways?
- Learn some words from their language and write them
in your notebook.
- Do they know how to make some things that you cannot
make? What?
Have you ever read or heard of a city slum being removed?
How do you feel about this?

People also shift from one place to another when they get
transferred in their jobs? How do they feel then?
Debate
Some people say that The city people do not create
garbage. Cities are dirty because of the slums. How do

you feel about this? Discuss and debate between
yourselves.
What we have learnt

Like Jatryas family, thousands of families come to
stay in big cities for many different reasons. Do you

think their life may be better in a big city from what
it was before? Imagine how they feel in a big city.
No Place for Us?
173
19. A Seed Tells a

Farmers Story
I am a small seed!
I am a small bajra seed. I have stayed in this beautiful wooden
box since 1940. I want to tell you my story. This is a long story
but not mine alone. It is also the story of my farmer Damjibhai
and his family. If I do not tell my story now, it might be too late!
I was born in Vangaam in Gujarat. That year there was a
good bajra (millet) crop. There was a festive mood in the village.
Our area was famous for its grain and vegetables. Each year
Damjibhai kept aside some seeds from a good crop. This way
our bajra family went on from one generation to another. Good
seeds were stored in dried gourd (lauki ) which was coated with
mud. But that year Damjibhai himself made a
strong wooden box to store us. He put in neem
leaves to protect us from insects. He put different
seeds in different compartments of the box. That
was our beautiful home!
In those days Damjibhai and his cousins lived
together. It was a large family. Everyone in the
village helped each other, even in farming. When
the crop was ready and harvested, everyone celebrated together.
Oh! Those wonderful days! With big feasts and lots to eat!
In the winter, it would be time to enjoy the undhiya (a kind of
stew). All the vegetables were put into a clay pot, along with
fresh spices. The pot was sealed and kept between hot coals.
The vegetables cooked slowly in this special cooker, on the fields.
Teachers Note : Encourage children to talk about their experiences before
beginning the chapter. Millet has been used only as an example. The children
can be asked to narrate their own observations about changes in crops and
vegetables that have taken place in their area.
174
Looking Around
Oh, I forgot, the pot was placed upside down!

That is why the dish was called undhiya or
upside down in Gujarati. Undhiya would
be eaten with bajra rotis, freshly cooked on
the chulha. Oh, what an earthy delicious
flavour! Along with that, home-made butter,
curd and buttermilk was served.
Farmers would grow many different
kinds of crops grains and vegetables
according to the season. The farmers kept
enough for their needs and sold the rest to
shopkeepers from the city. Some farmers also grew cotton. At
home, family members spun cotton on a charkha (spinning
wheel) to make cloth.
Tell
Are rotis made in your home? From which grains are they
made?
Have you eaten roti made from bajra or jowar ? Did you
like these?
Find out and write
In your house what is done to protect grains and pulses
from insects?
Which are the different festivals related to farming,
celebrated in different seasons? Find out more about any
one such festival and write in your notebook
The name of the festival, in which season is it celebrated,
in which states of India, what special foods are made, is it
celebrated only at home with the family, or together with
many people.
Talk to the elders in your family and find out if there were
some special foods cooked earlier that are not cooked

any more?
A Seed Tells a Farmers Story
175
Find out about the crops cereals, vegetables, pulses that are grown
in your area. Of those, is there anything that is famous across the

country?
Can you recognise

these grains?
When times changed

Over the years, many changes took place in the village. Some
places could get water from the canal. They said the canal
brought water from far away where a dam had been built on a
big river. Then electricity came. Switch on the button and there
was light! People found that only one or two crops, like wheat
and cotton, got better prices in the market. So most farmers
began to grow only these. Soon we old friends bajra and jowar,
and also vegetables were forgotten and dismissed, even from
Damjibhais fields! Farmers even began to buy seeds from the
market. People said they were new kinds of seeds. So farmers
did not need to store seeds from the old crop.
Now people in the village cooked and ate together only on
very special days. As they ate, they would remember how tasty
the food used to be in the past fresh from the fields. When the
seeds have changed, how could food ever taste the same!
Damjibhai was getting old. His son Hasmukh looked after
the fields and the family. Hasmukh was making a lot of money
from farming. He rebuilt the old house. He brought new
machines for farming. He used an electric motor to pump water.
He bought a motorcycle to go to the city easily and also a tractor
to plough the field. The tractor could do in a day, what the
bullocks would take many days to do.
176
Looking Around
Hasmukh would say, Now we are

farming wisely. We grow only what we can
sell in the market at a good price. With
profits from our fields we can improve our
life. We can make progress.
Lying forgotten in the wooden box, I and
the other seeds had our doubts. Is all this
really progress? There is no longer any need
for seeds like us, and animals like the
bullocks. After the tractor has come, even
people who worked on the fields, are no
longer needed. How will they earn money?
What will they live on?
Discuss
The bajra seed saw differences in the way Damjibhai
and Hasmukh did farming (for example, in irrigation,

ploughing, etc). What were these differences?
Hasmukh said, With profits from our fields, we can
progress. What is your understanding of progress?
Write
What kind of progress would you like to see in your area?
More and more expenses

The next twenty years saw even more changes. Without cows
and buffaloes, there was no cow dung, to be used in the fields as
fertilizer. Hasmukh had to buy expensive fertilizer. The new kinds
of seeds were such that the crops were easily affected by harmful
insects. Medicines had to be sprayed on the crops to keep away
Teachers Note : Use childrens experiences to discuss the kinds of changes
which have taken place in agricultural practices over the years and the possible
reasons for that. Newspaper reports should also be used.
177
the insects. Oh, what a bad smell these had,

and how expensive they were!
The canal water was not enough for the
new crops. All the farmers used pumps to lift
water from deep under the ground. To meet
all these expenses, loans had to be taken from
the bank. Whatever little profit was made, was
used to repay the loan.
But there was little profit! Everyone was
growing cotton, so the cotton prices were
not as high as before. The soil itself was no
longer the same. Growing the same crop
over and over, and using so many
chemicals, had affected the soil so much
that now nothing could grow well there. It was becoming difficult
to earn a living by farming alone.
Hasmukh too changed with the times. He is often tense and
angry most of the time. His educated son Paresh did not want to
do farming. He now started work as a truck driver. After all, the
bank loans still had to be repaid. Often Paresh doesnt come
home for days. At times he is away for a week. Two days back
when he came home, Paresh started looking for something.
Ba, he asked his mother, Where is Dadajis wooden seed
box? It will be useful to keep the screws and tools for the truck.
Now do you understand why I told you my story?
Discuss and think

What can happen to Hasmukhs farm after some years?
Teachers Note : It is important to give space to children to freely express what
they understand by progress and development. Contemporary debates around
the world can be linked to this discussion for example, farmers struggles in
developing countries, efforts to save traditional seeds and medicines, and who has
the right over all this knowledge farmers or the big multinational companies?
178
Looking Around
Damjibhais son Hasmukh chose to become a farmer like
his father. Hasmukhs son Paresh is not a farmer, but a

truck driver. Why would he have done so?
The seeds were not sure that what Hasmukh was talking
about was really progress. What do you feel?

Have there been any changes near your area, which may
be difficult to call progress? What changes are these?

What are the different opinions about them?
Read the report from a newspaper and discuss it.
Tuesday, 18 December 2007, Andhra Pradesh
Farmers in Andhra Pradesh have been sent
to jail for not being able to pay back their
loans. They had suffered a big loss in farming.
One of these farmers, Nallappa Reddy, had
taken a bank loan of Rs. 24,000. To repay the
loan, he had to take another loan from a
private moneylender, at a very high rate of
interest. Even after repaying Rs. 34,000
Reddy could not repay the entire loan. Reddy
says, The bank sends farmers to jail for not
paying back small loans. But what about the
big businessmen? They take loans of crores

of rupees. Nothing happens to them when
they do not return the money!
Nallappa Reddys story is shared by
thousands of farmers in India who are
suffering huge losses. The situation is so bad
that many farmers see no way out of this
except to commit suicide. According to
government figures 1,50,000 farmers have
died like this between 1997 and 2005. This
number may be much higher...
Project
What questions come to your mind about farmers and
farming? Write some questions in your group and ask a

farmer. For example, how many crops do they grow in a
year? Which crop needs how much water?
Visit a farm near your area. Observe and talk to the people
there. Write a report.

Read the report on page 180 by a group of Class V students
who went to visit Bhaskarbhais farm.
179
Bhaskarbhais Farm (Dehri village, Gujarat)

As we entered his farm, we were surprised. There were dead leaves, wild
plants, and grass everywhere! Some of the tree branches seemed so dry, as if
eaten by insects. At places we saw some plants with colourful leaves. Why
these? Bhaskarbhai said they were croton plants which gave him a signal
when the soil became dry. We were surprised! How? He explained that the
roots of the croton do not go deep in the ground. So when the top layer of the
soil becomes dry, the croton leaves bend and become limp. This signal tells
Bhaskarbhai which part of his farm needs to be watered.
We found the soil soft and crumbly. We could see tall coconut trees, full of
fresh coconuts. We thought he must be using some special fertilisers.
Bhaskarbhai said he does not buy fertilisers made in factories. His soil is
fertile because of all the dried leaves which slowly rot and mix with it. He dug
the soil a little and told us to look. We saw thousands of earthworms! These
are my soil's best friends, he said. The earthworms soften the soil as they
keep digging underneath to make tunnels. This way air and water can easily
get into the soil. The earthworms also eat the dead leaves and plants, and
their droppings fertilise the soil.
Pravin told us about his uncle in the city, who has dug a pit in his garden.
He puts dried leaves in the pit, along with all the kitchen waste peels of
vegetables and fruits, and leftover food. He also has earthworms in the pit.
They turn the waste into compost (a natural fertiliser). So his uncle gets good
fertiliser without spending extra money.
We all had some fresh coconuts from the farm. They were really tasty! We
also learnt so much about a new way of farming!
Group members : Praful, Hansa, Krutika, Chakki, Praveen, Class5C
Journey of a bajra seedfrom a field to a plate

What can you see in each picture on the next page?
In picture 2 you can see the bajra cobs in the mortar (okhli, used
for crushing). The cobs are crushed with a pestle (moosli ) and
the seeds are separated from the cob. You can see the separated
seeds in picture 3. Now this work is also done by big machines,
like threshers. We call both these as different technologies
using our hands or big machines to crush the seeds.
What technology could have been used to cut the stem in
picture 1? What do you think is being done in the grinder

(chakki ) in picture 4? What ways (technologies) would have
180
Looking Around
Milamber
Aparna
Claud Rinolt
Rainy I A Murkery
been used to do the work shown in picture 5 and 6? You can

see that the dough is ready in picture 6. When do you think
a sieve (chhalni ) would have been used? Discuss each step
in detail, in any language you wish to use.
What we have learnt

There have been many changes over time, in our food. What
can this mean? Use the seed story and what you know from
your elders to explain.
What would happen if all the farmers were to use only one
kind of seed and grow only one kind of crop?

Teachers Note : We often limit our understanding of the word technology to mean
only big machines and instruments. A process or method is also a technology, for
which we might normally use the word technique. For example, we could discuss how
making dough from dry atta (flour) is also a technology, a special process. Straining
the flour, pouring water slowly while kneading (you will surely appreciate this, if you
have made a mess by putting too much water!), bringing it to the desired consistency,
and at the end collecting the dough into one big lump - all these might be difficult to
describe in words but are important to understand as processes. Encourage children
to speak in their home language; do not expect them to do it in English.
181
20. Whose Forests?
Daughter of the jungle

Look at the picture. Where do you think these children are off
to, with little bundles on their sticks? When you find out you
too would want to go with them!
The children are going to the forest. There they jump, run,
climb trees and sing songs in their language called Kuduk.
They pick the fallen flowers and leaves, to weave them into
necklaces. They enjoy the wild
fruits. They look for birds,
whose calls they imitate.
Joining them in all this fun is
their favourite didi Suryamani.
Nitin Upadhaye
Every Sunday Suryamani

takes the children to the forest.
As they move around, she
shows them how to recognise
the trees, the plants, and animals. Children enjoy this special
class in a forest! Suryamani always says, To learn to read the
forest is as important as reading books. She says,We are forest
people (adivasis). Our lives are linked to the forests. If the forests
are not there, we too will not remain.
Suryamanis story is a true story. Suryamani is a Girl Star. Girl Stars is a

project which tells extraordinary tales of ordinary girls, who have changed their
lives by going to school.
Teachers Note : Encourage children to share their experiences and imagination
about forests. Planting thousands of trees does not make a forest. It is important
to discuss the web of relationships between plants, trees and animals in a forest,
to see how they depend on each other for food, security and habitat.
182
Looking Around
Discuss
What do you think is a forest?
If someone grew lots of trees close to each other, would
this become a forest?

Find out and write
Other than trees what
all is there in a forest?

Do all forests have similar
Nitin Upadhaye
types of trees? How many

trees can you identify?
Suryamani says, If the
forests are not there, we

too will not remain. Why so?
Growing Up
Suryamani loves the forest since she was a child. She would not take
the direct road to school, but would choose the path through the forest.
Suryamanis father had a small field. Her family used to collect leaves
and herbs from the forest and sell these in the bazaar. Her mother would
weave baskets from bamboo or make leaf plates out of the fallen leaves.
But now no one can pick up a single leaf from the forest.
That is since Shambhu the contractor came there. The people of
Suryamanis village were afraid of the contractor. Everyone except
Budhiyamai. She would say, We the people of this forest have a right
over it. We look after our forests, we don't cut trees like these contractors
do. The forest is like our collective bank not yours or mine alone. We
take from it only as much as we need. We dont use up all our wealth.
Teachers Note : It would be useful to begin this lesson with a discussion about
the lives of forest-dwellers and their relationship with the forest. Also about who
a contractor is and what is a contract. This lesson draws upon the true story of
Suryamani, whose organisation works on these issues. Discussions can also
include similar organisations or people working to save forests and forest people
in your area.
Whose Forests?
183
Suryananis father could no longer support the family on

the small land. He moved to the town in search of work. But
things did not improve. Sometimes there would be no food in
the house. At times Maniya Chacha (uncle) would send some
grain from his small shop to Suryamanis house.
Chacha tried hard and got admission for Suryamani in the
school in Bishanpur. Here they would not have to pay for the
fees, uniforms and books. Suryamani would have to stay there
and study. Suryamani didn't want to leave her village and
forest. But Maniya Chacha was firm. If you do not study,
what will you do? Go hungry? Suryamani would argue, Why
should I go hungry? The jungle is there to help! Chacha tried
to explain, But we are being moved away from our forests.
Even the forests are disappearing in their place mines are
being dug, dams are being built. Believe me, it is important for
you to study, to understand about the laws. Maybe then you
can help to save our forests. Young Suryamani listened, and
tried to understand some of what he said.
Think and write

Do you know anyone who loves the forest?
The contractor did not allow Suryamanis people to go
into the forest. Why?

Is there any place around your area which you feel should
be open to everyone, but where people are not allowed

to go?
Discuss
Who do you think the forest belongs to?
Bhudhiyamai said Forest is our collective bank not
yours or mine alone. Are there other things which are our
collective wealth? So if someone uses more, everyone would
suffer?
184
Looking Around
Suryamanis journey
Nitin Upadhaya
Suryamani was filled with joy on seeing the school at

Bishanpur. The school was near a thick forest. Suryamani
studied hard and passed her B.A. after getting a scholarship.
She was the first girl in the village to do this. While
she was in college she met Vasavi didi , a
journalist. Suryamani soon joined her to work
for the Jharkhand Jungle Bachao Andolan
(Movement to Save the Forests of Jharkhand).
This work took Suryamani to far off towns
and cities. Her father did not like this. But
Suryamani continued her work. Not only that, she also started
to fight for the rights of the village people. Her childhood friend
Bijoy helped her in this work.
Suryamani had another friend Mirchi, who stayed with her
day and night. Suryamani would share all her thoughts and
dreams with Mirchi. Mirchi would listen and say Keee Keee.
Suryamani had a dream. for her Kuduk community. She
wanted all her people to feel proud of being adivasis.
Do you have a friend with whom you can share everything?
Some people have moved so far away from the forest, that
they can't understand the lives of forest people. Some even

call them jungli. Why is it not correct to say this?
What do you know about how adivasis live? Write and draw
a picture.
Do you have an adivasi friend? What have you learnt about
the forest from her.

Teachers Note : There should be a debate on the need and also the problems
associated with the building of big dams, roads, mining projects, etc. It is important
for students to discuss and understand that all of these drawing out water,
petrol or digging for minerals from under the ground, or commercial fishing from
the seas are examples of using our common resourses. All these are important
issues today.
Whose Forests?
185
Suryamani was 21 when

she opened a centre, with
the help of Vasavi didi
and others. She called it
Torang, which means
jungle in the Kuduk
language. Suryamani
wanted that on festivals
people should sing their own songs. They should not forget
their music and should enjoy wearing their traditional
clothes. Children should also learn about herbs,
medicines, and the art of making things from bamboo.
Children should learn the language of school but must
link it with their own language. All this happens in the
Torang centre. Many special books about the Kuduk
community and other adivasis have been collected. Flutes
and different types of drums are also kept there.
Whenever something is unfair, or if someone is afraid
that his land and livelihood would be taken away, they
turn to Suryamani. Suryamani fights for everyones rights.
Suryamani and Bijoy have got married and work
together. Today their work is praised by many people.
She is invited, even to other countries, to share her
experiences. People of her area are also raising their voice
for a new forest law.
Right to Forest Act 2007
People who have been living in the forests for at least 25 years,
have a right over the forest land and what is grown on it. They
should not be removed from the forest. The work of protecting the
forest should be done by their Gram Sabha.
186
Looking Around
Nitin Upadhaya
Suryamanis Torang
Think
Do you know of any one who works to save forests?
What is your dream? What will you do to make your dream
come true?
Collect reports about forests from newspapers. Did you
find any news about how the cutting down of forests affects
the weather? How?
In Torang Suryamani does a lot to keep the Kuduk music,
dance and traditions alive. Would you like to do something

like this for your community? What would you like to
keep alive?
Read and tell

Sikhya, a Class X girl in Orissa, wrote a letter to the Chief
Minister. Read a part of the letter.
A forest is everything for us adivasis. We cant live away from the forests
even for a day. Government has started many projects in the name of
development dams and factories are being built. Forests, which are ours
are being taken away from us. Because of these projects, we need to think
where the forest people will go and what will happen to their livelihood?
Where will the lakhs of animals living in the forests go? If there are no
forests, and we dig out our lands for minerals like aluminium, what will be
left? Only polluted air, water, and miles and miles of barren land...
Is there any factory or some construction work going on
in and around your area? What type of work?

Due to the factory is there any effect on the trees and
land? Have the people in that area raised this issue?
Whose Forests?
187
North
West
East
Very thick forest

Less thick forest
South
Look at the map and write

What all is shown in the map?
188
Looking Around
You have read Sikhyas letter. Look for Orissa in the map.
Is there a sea close to Orissa? How did you find out?
Which are the states which have the sea on one side?
Where is Suryamanis state Jharkhand on the map?
Where are forests on the map? How will you find these?
How can you find out which states have very thick forests
and which have less thick forests?

For someone in Madhya Pradesh, in which direction would
the countrys thickest forests be? Name those states.
Daman Singh
Lottery for farming in

Mizoram
You read about the forests of
Jharkhand in Suryamanis
story. Now read about forests
on the hills of Mizoram. See
how people live there, and
how farming is done.
Ding, Ding, Ding.... As soon as the school bell rang Lawmte-aa, Dingi,
Dingima picked their bags and hurried home. On the way they stopped
to drink water from a stream in a cup made of bamboo which was kept
there. Today not only the children, even Saima Sir was in a hurry to
get back. Today there would be a special meeting of the Village Council
(Panchayat). At the meeting there would be a lottery to decide which
family will get how much land for farming. The land belongs to the
whole village, not to separate people. So they take turns to do farming
on different parts of the land.
A beautiful pot made of bamboo was shaken well. One chit was
taken out. Saima Sirs family got the first chance. He said, I am happy
that my family gets to choose first. But, this year we cannot take more
land. Last year I had taken more and was not able to farm it well. After
my sister Jhiri got married and went away it is difficult to manage
farming alone.
Whose Forests?
189
Saima Sir asked for three tin of land. Little Mathini asked, What
is three tin of land? Chamui explained, The land on which we grow
one tin of seeds is called one tin of land. One by one, the village
families got their piece of land for farming.
Find out
Which are the states around Mizoram?
Chamui said they measure land using tin. Which are the
other ways of measuring land?

Returning from school, children drank water in a bamboo
cup. Who do you think would have made this cup and
kept it in the forest? Why?
Have you ever seen anything which people are free to use,
with no one there looking after it?
Jhoom farming
Jhoom farming is very interesting. After cutting one crop, the land is
left as it is for some years. Nothing is grown there. The bamboo or
weeds which grow on that land are not pulled out. They are cut and
burnt. The ash makes the land fertile. While burning, care is taken so
that the fire does not spread to the other parts of the forest. When the
land is ready for farming it is lightly dug up, not ploughed. Seeds are
dropped on it. In one farm different types of crops like maize, vegetables,
chillies, rice can be grown.
Weeds and other unwanted plants are also not pulled out, they are
just cut. So that they get mixed with the soil. This also helps in
making the soil fertile. If some family is not able to do farming on
time, others help them and are given food.
Teacher's Note : There can be some discussion about the hilly terrain of the
North East, and the state of Mizoram, and also the unique system of jhoom farming
followed there.
190
Looking Around
The main crop here is rice.

After it is cut, it is difficult to
take it home. There are no
roads, only hilly paths. People
have to carry the crop on their
backs. This takes many weeks.
When the work is over the
entire village celebrates. People
get together to cook and eat, sing
Daman Singh
and dance. They do their special cheraw dance. In this dance people
sit in pairs in front of each other, holding bamboo sticks on the ground.
As the drum beats, the bamboos are beaten to the ground. Dancers
step in and out of the bamboo sticks, and dance to the beat.
Find out more about the cheraw
dance. Do it in your class. But be

careful and dont hurt yourself.
About three-fourth people in
Mizoram are linked to the forests. Life
is difficult but almost all children go to
school. You can see some of them here,
playfully blowing their leaf whistles! You
too have made many such whistles,
havent you!
Daman Singh
What we have learnt

What is similar and what is different between jhoom
farming and Bhaskerbhais way of farming?

Explain in your own words why forests are important
for the people living in forests?

Did you find something interesting in jhoom farming?
What is it?
Whose Forests?
191
21. Like Father,

Like Daughter
Aaa chhee!
Ashima was sitting near the window
and reading. It was windy and there
was a lot of dust in the air. Suddenly
Ashima sneezed loudlyaaa chhee!
Ashimas parents were sorting
out vegetables in the kitchen. Her
mother said, She sneezes just like
you do. If you were not here, I would
have thought it was your sneeze.
Fill in the table

Ashima sneezed just like her father. Do you have any
such habit or trait which is similar to that of someone in

your family? What is it? Whom is it similar to?
Your special habit or trait
Whom is it similar to?
Teachers Note : In Class III we had drawn attention to the similar traits children
shares with the immediate family members. Discussion can now focus on how
some traits/features which are also similar in distant relatives in the extended
family. This should be done through childrens own experiences.
192
Looking Around
Tell
Does your face or anything else look similar to that of
someone else in your family? What is it?

Did someone tell you this or did you find it out yourself?
How do you feel when people compare you with someone
else in your family? Why do you feel so?

Who laughs the loudest in your family? Laugh like that
person.
Who is whose aunt?

Nilima had gone to the house of her nani (mothers
mother) in the school holidays. She saw someone
coming and went to tell her mother, Amma, a
mausi (mother's sister) has come to meet you.
Her mother came out to see who had come. She
told Nilima, No, this is not your mausi ! She is
your sister Kiran. You know your eldest nani ?
Kiran is the daughter of her elder son. Kiran is
your cousin sister. In fact, you are her cute son
Samirs mausi !
Make a list of all the family members from Nilimas nani to
little Samir. How are they all related to Nilima? Write.
Find out
In your family are there any such examples of uncle-
nephews or brother-sisters, where there is a big difference

in the age? Find out from your elders.
193
dadis
e your
k
i
l
y
l
t
c
ter!
ok exa
daugh
d
n
o
c
You lo
e
s
sisters
cousin
How we are all related!
Nilima started playing with Samir. Her mother

called Kiran and said, See, my Nilimas hair is
a lot like yours thick, curly and black. Its
good she does not have hair like mine
straight, limp and brown! Nilimas nani
laughed and said, Yes, isnt it strange? We
sisters had thick curly hair and now our second generation has
similar hair. Nilima was listening to all this. She thought, We
are called distant relatives, but, how closely related we are in
many ways!
Find out and write

Does Nilima have curly hair like her nanis ? Now you
look for some special trait in your sister or brother (could

also be cousins). Like the colour of eyes, dimples in
cheeks, height, broad or sharp nose, voice, etc. See if
this trait comes from the fathers side or the mothers
side. Make this table in your notebook and fill it. An
example is given.
Special trait
Nilimas Curly hair
Whom does it
resemble?
her nani
(grandmother)
From whose side?

Mothers
Fathers
Have you seen a very young child in your (or any
other) family? Whom does the childs eyes, nose, hair

or fingers look like in the family? Write their names.
Nimilas hair is like her nanis thick and curly.
Nilimas mother has straight, brown and limp hair?

What type of hair do you have black or brown, oily
or dry?
194
Looking Around
What is the colour of your hair? Measure and write
the length of your hair.
Its not easy to

measure dadajis hair!
Is your hair like that of anyone else in your
family? If yes, then name the person.

Measure the hair of other members of your
family.
Who has the longest hair in your family?
How many people do you know whose hair is
longer than one metre? Does having long hair

run in their family?
be
d to his!
e
s
Iu
nt
tha
r
e
l
tal
Do you know how to measure your height?
Measure yourself from head to toe and write

how tall you are.
How tall do you think you will be when you
grow up? Is anyone else in your family of the

same height?
Measure the height of your family members
and rote it down.
Is this a mirror?
Look at the next page. Is Saroja standing in front of a mirror?
No, this is her twin! Did you get confused? Their mother's
brother (mama) also gets confused when he sees them together.
At times Saroja gets scolded for mischief done by Suvasini.
Sometimes Suvasini tricks her mama and says, Suvasini
has gone out. But now mama has learnt a trick. He says
Teachers Note : Encourage children to think of some ways of measuring hair and
height.
195
Sing a song in Marathi ! Why this funny trick?

Read about them and you will understand.
The sisters were just two weeks old when
Saroja's father's brother's wife (chachi) adopted
her and took her to Pune. Everyone in chachi's
house is very fond of music. Mornings begin
with music in the house. Saroja knows many songs in both
languages Tamil and Marathi. At home everyone speaks
Tamil and at school most children speak in Marathi.
Suvasini stays with her father in Chennai. Her father is a
karate coach. Since she was three, Suvasini started doing
karate with the other children. On holidays, both father and
daughter start practicing in the morning.
Saroja and Suvasini look alike but are also quite different.
Do you now know why mama has his way of finding out who
is who?
Discuss
What is similar between Saroja and Suvasini? What is
different?
Do you know any twins? What is similar in them? How
are they different?

Do you know of twins who don't look the same?
Saroja and Suvasini look a lot like each other yet are
different. For example, Saroja knows two languages. If
Suvasini's family also talked in two languages she could
also learn both. We learn many things like language, music,
love for reading, or knitting, when we get a chance and an
environment to do so.
Teachers Note : Discuss with children that we acquire certain traits at birth
from our parents. Some things we learn from our environment.
196
Looking Around
This from the family

Do this interesting survey in your class. Write how many children
can do this :
1. Without touching your teeth fold your tongue
towards the back of your mouth.
2. Roll your tongue by lifting it from the
sides.
3. Open all the toes of your feet. Now
without moving the others, move
the little toe.
4. Touch the thumb to your wrist.
5. Make a V by separating two fingers of your
hand to each side.
6. Move your ears, without holding them.
Those children who could do any of these should ask
their family members also to do so. So, how many children
have got this trait from their family?
No, no, dont be
worried! It is not that
if any of the parents
have polio, their
child will also have it
But not this from parents...

Satti was only a few months old
when one of her legs was affected
by polio. But she never let this
come in the way of her work and
her life. Walking long distances and
climbing many stairs has been a
part of her work. Now Satti is
married. Some people tell her not
to have any children. She is also
worried that her children may also
get polio. She spoke to a doctor
about this.
197
Have you read or heard anything about polio? Where?

Have you read or heard any news about pulse polio? What?
Do you know of anyone who has polio?
Experiments with peas rough or smooth?

Gregor Mendel was born in a poor farmers family in Austria in 1822. He
was very fond of studies but the very thought of examinations made him
nervous (Oh! you too feel the same!). He did not have money to study at the
University so he thought of becoming a monk in a monastery. He thought
from there he would be sent to study further. Which he was. But to become
a science teacher he had to take an exam. Oh no! he got so nervous that he
kept running away from the exam, and kept failing!
But he did not stop doing experiments. For seven years he did experiments
on 28,000 plants in the garden of the monastery. He worked hard, collected
many observations, and made a new discovery! Something which scientists
at that time could not even understand! They understood it many years
after his death, when other scientists did such experiments and read what
Mendel had already written.
What did Mendel find in those plants? He found that the pea plant has
some traits which come in pairs. Like the seed is either rough or smooth. It
is either yellow or green, and the height of
the plant is either tall or short. Nothing in
between.
The next generation (the children) of a
plant which has either rough or smooth
seeds will also have seeds which are rough
or smooth. There is no seed which is mixed
a bit smooth and a bit rough.
He found the same with colour. Seeds
which are either green or yellow give rise to
new seeds which are either green or yellow.
The next generation does not have seeds with
a mixed new colour made from both green and
yellow. Mendel showed that in the next
generation of pea plants there will be more
plants having yellow seeds. He also showed
that the next generation will have more plants
with smooth seeds. What a discovery!
198
Looking Around
Some from the family, some from the environment

From a distance Vibha knows that her nana (grandfather) is
coming from his loud laughter. Nana also talks loudly and
hears with difficulty.
Are there people in your house who talk loudly? Is it their
habit, or they cannot also hear very well?

Are there times when you do not talk loudly in front of some
people? When? With whom? Why? When can you speak loudly?
Some people use a machine in their ear to help them hear
better. Some use a stick or spectcles to help them in other

ways. Do you know someone who does so?
Talk to people who cannot hear very well. Find out if they
had this problem from birth. When did they start to have a
problem with hearing? What difficulties do they face?
We have seen that some traits or habits we get from our
family. Some things and skills we learn from our environment.
At times our abilities change because of some illness or old age.
All these together make us what we are!
What we have learnt

What do you think what all is a part of you
that you got from your mothers side?
Teachers Note : Discuss with children about polio which is caused by a virus
and is not inherited. Many a times people have such misconceptions about some
diseases like leprosy. Discuss, how and where these can be treated. If possible,
invite a doctor to respond to the childrens questions.
199
22. On the Move Again
Dhanus village
Today all the relatives have come to Dhanus house to celebrate
Dushera. They have come with their luggage in their bullockcarts. Dhanus father is the eldest in the family. So all the
festivals are celebrated at their house. Dhanus mother (aai ),
mothers brothers wife (mami ) and fathers brothers wife (kaki )
are busy making puranpoli (sweet rotis made from jaggery and
gram). Alongwith this a spicy kadi dish is also made.
The day passes in laughing and chatting. But by evening
everyones mood changes. The women and children begin to
pack their luggage. The men sit down with the mukadam (agent
who lends money) for the meeting. The mukadam gives the
details of the loan taken by each family.
Then the talks for the next few months begin. The mukadam
explains to the villagers in which areas they would go for the
next six months. He also gives them some money as loan, for
their expenses. Ever since Dhanu remembers, this has been
Teachers Notes : Talk in the class about issues related to borrowing money,
loans, debts and agents. Try to relate the meaning of these words by taking
examples from daily life.
200
Looking Around
the routine. Families like

Dhanus work on the lands
of big farmers till Dushera,
before the rainy season. Many
other families also work on
such lands. They earn just
enough money to keep them
going through these months.
But how to manage the remaining six months, when there is
no rain, and no work in the fields? So, everyone borrows money
from the mukadam. To pay back this money, they have to work
for the mukadam. Mukadam is an agent for sugarcane factories.
He helps them to find work in sugarcane fields.
Tell
Did all the farmers in Dhanus village have their own land?
During what time of the year did Dhanus family get work
in the village? During what time did they not have work?
Do you know of any families like Dhanus, who have to
leave their villages for months in search of work?
Think and find out

If people in Dhanu's village did not leave the village in
search of work, what difficulties would they face in their

own village?
In Dhanus village, there can be no farming when there is
no rain. Do you think farming can be done even without

rain water? How?
Teachers Notes : Draw childrens attention to the fact that sugarcane farming
can be done during those months, when there is no rainfall. Discuss various
methods of irrigation in the farms, like, tubewells, canals, wheel for water lifting
etc. Ask children to draw these. If possible take them or ask them to go with their
family to see these.
On the Move Again
201
In the next few months, Dhanu, his parents, his kaka

(fathers brother) and his two elder children, his mama, mami
and their two daughters, and forty-fifty other families from
the village will stay away from home. In these six months,
Dhanu and many children like him will not be able to go to
school. Dhanus old grandmother, aunt who cannot see, and
two-month old cousin sister would stay back in the village.
In other homes too the old and
the ill people stay behind. Dhanu
misses his grandmother a lot.
Dhanu always keeps wondering
who will take care of his
grandmother! But, what can
Dhanu do?
Think
Dhanus family and many others from the village go far
away for work but some people stay back in the village.
When Dhanu and other children leave the village for six
months, what happens in the village school?

What arrangements are made at your home for old and
unwell family members when everyone goes for work?
After Dushera
The caravan of these families would now settle near the
sugarcane fields and sugar factories. For six months they would
stay in their huts made of dry sugarcane and its leaves. The
men will get up early in the morning and go to cut sugarcanes
in the fields. The women and children tie the bundles of
sugarcane. Then the bundles are taken to the sugar factory.
Dhanu often goes with his father. Sometimes, they spend nights
outside the factory on bullock-carts. There, Dhanu plays with
the bullocks and wanders around.
202
Looking Around
At the factory, Dhanus father gets the sugarcane weighed

and takes a receipt (a note to say how much sugarcane they
have given). They show this
receipt to the agent who
then keeps an account
of their loan. The
agent also gives
them some money
for the next weeks
expenses. Then
Dhanus aai and
mami take the
children to the nearby village market, to buy atta (flour) and oil
for the next week. Sometimes mami buys laddoos or some sweets
for the children. She also buys pencils, an eraser and a notebook
for Dhanu. After all he is mamis favorite! But Dhanu wont be
using these for six months, because he wont be going to school.
Mami wants Dhanu to study and become somebody in life.
She does not want Dhanu to move around with his family like
this. mama and mami tell Dhanus parents, Next time
when we leave
our village after
Dushera we will
leave Dhanu with
his dadi and
chachi. He will go
to school like the
other children in
the village. He
should continue
his studies. He
should
study
further and become somebody.
On the Move Again
203
Think and tell

Why does Mami wish that Dhanu should
go to school for the whole year and study?

What happens when you are not able to
go to school for a long time?
Discuss and write

Dhanu has to go with his village people to other places.
Can there be some arrangements during that time so that

Dhanu continues his studies? What kind?
Do you know of any jobs/work for which people have to
stay away from their families for many months? Look for
examples from this book and write.
What are the similarities and differences in the lives of
different kinds of farmers?
What we have learnt

You have read about many kinds of farmers in
different lessons in this book. Fill the table.

Name of the
Owns land
What do they grow
What difficulties Any thing
farmer
or )
(
or )
(
do they face
else
1. Damjibhai
(Lesson....)
2. Hasmukh
(Lesson....)
Teachers Notes : Discuss with children that some arrangements can be made
for educating children of communities that are on the move. Many times the
teacher moves along with them. Also discuss for what kind of work some
communities migrate from one place to another.
204
Looking Around

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C ONTENTS

A Snake Charmers Story

From Tasting to Digesting

Mangoes Round the Year

Seeds and Seeds

Every Drop Counts

Experiments with Water

A Treat for Mosquitoes

Walls Tell Stories

What if it Finishes ...?

When the Earth Shook!

Blow Hot, Blow Cold

Who will do this Work?

Across the Wall

No Place for Us?

A Seed tells a Farmers Story

Like Father, Like Daughter

On the Move Again

Has this ever

You were eating in the

As you walked softly past a

How did the ant recognise a friend?

were not from its group?

Try this and write

Now carefully, without harming the ants, block their path

Many years ago a scientist did many experiments like this.

like that when you blocked their path?

Just think, how do they know where

Have you seen a dog sniffing here

and there? What do you think it is

sense of smell of dogs?

When do you find your sense of smell helpful to you? List

some examples. Like to know by its smell that food has

by their smell, without seeing them?

things whose smell you do not like.

I do not like the smell of

Do you and your friends have similar answers?

Do and find out

you say whom do they belong to? Try to recognise the

Think and discuss

nappy, but not when she cleaned her daughter. Why do

Think of the children who spend the whole day picking

Or does it depend on how each one feels about it?

side of the head. What is the size of their eyes as compared

Looking with one or both eyes

open but without moving your neck.

your ears? What would you be able to do then, which

sky can see a roti on the ground?

Do animals see colours?

Animals cannot see as many colours as we can. See how

It is believed that animals that are awake in

ears are bigger than our ears.

animals ears and their hearing?

something. Can you hear your own voice?

Sit near a desk. Tap the desk once with

your hand. Listen carefully. Now put your

Sounds send messages

Birds also give alarm calls to warn about the

Dolphins also make different