OGW-4 Final PDF

Ms Meena Rawat
M.A., M.Sc., M.Ed.
Ex. Principal
Raja Ram Mohan Roy Academy, Dehradun
La Chatelaine School, Chennai
Presently
President, Prayatna Society for Social Upliftment
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First Edition: 2014

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All rights reserved with the publisher. No part of this

publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in
any form or by any means (electronic or mechanical
including photocopying) without the prior written
permission of the publisher.
We are committed to serve students to the best of our knowledge and

resources. Further, our endeavour is to ensure an impartial harmonising
of the religious and cultural sentiments of all communities. We have
taken utmost care in editing and printing this book. However, the
author and the publisher will not be held responsible for the mistakes
made inadvertently. Errors brought to our notice shall be gratefully
acknowledged and attended to in our next edition.
The series Our Green World has been prepared keeping in view the developmental characteristics
and needs of the students of Classes I-V. The focus of the series is to develop an awareness about
the environment and to develop habits, attitudes and skills in students to become healthy and active
members of the community.
Salient Features
l Enables the students to:
* develop an understanding of basic structure and functions of various parts of human body

and the need to take care of these parts.
* develop an understanding of social, cultural, natural and man-made environment and their

inter-relationships.
* develop awareness and understanding about their personal well-being, belongings and

surroundings and ways to keep them clean.
* demonstrate an understanding for conservation of natural resources and protection of

the environment and thus provide motivation towards proper utilization of resources and
protection of the environment.
* demonstrate an understanding of distance in space and time and the relationship between

them.
l Develops skills of learning, and keeps the students abreast of relevant knowledge through
self-learning.
l Inclusion of values, habits and attitudes (learning to live together).
l Perceives the environment as an integrated whole taking into its fold the natural, the man-made,
the social and the cultural environment.
l Adopts the principle of moving from oneself to the immediate environment extending gradually
to wider environment.
l The text has been written in a simple and lucid language.
l Carefully structured and graded, the concepts are explained through real-life examples and lively
and multicoloured illustrations which stimulate the students power of observation.
We hope that all these will contribute towards making environmental studies an appealing subject
for students and teachers alike.
Constructive suggestions towards the betterment of the book would be thankfully acknowledged.
— Authors
Contents
Lesson Name
UNIT 1 : My body and things
that surround me
Contents
· Main parts of the

Learning objectives
· Knowledge of main
Activities
· Formation of correct
1. Internal organs of the human body. parts of our human statements.
human body · Organs of digestive body. · Fill in the blanks.
Page 1 System. · Knowledge of names · Matching correctly.
· Organs of respiratory of organs of various
system. · Comprehension
systems of our body.
questions.
· Organs of circulatory · Understanding of the
system. · Find your pulse.
basic functioning of the
· Organs of excretory different systems. · Solution of crossword
system. puzzle.
· Organs of nervous.
system.
· Recap.
· Activity time.
· Things to do.
· Movement.
2. Living and Non living things · Knowledge of · Formation of correct
Page 8 · Respiration. characteristics of living statements.
· Growth. things. · True and False.
· Irritability. · Ability to differentiate · Comprehension
· Nutrition. between living and non Questions.
living things.
· Excretion. · Fill in the blanks.
· Reproduction. · Identification of living
· Recap. and non living things.
· Activity time. · Solution of riddles.
· Things to do.
UNIT 2 : My Needs
3. Foods · Food. · To familiarize students · Formation of correct
with different kinds of statements.
Page 15 · Energy giving food.
food required by the · True and False.
· Body building food. body.
· Comprehension
· Food that supplements · To understand the
questions.
growth. purpose of including
· Match correctly.
· Roughage. various food items in
the diet. · Make a chart to record
· Water.
your diet.
· Contamination of food. · Realization that food
gets contaminated.
· Storage of food.
Lesson Name Contents Learning objectives Activities
· Recap. · Knowledge about · Collection of pictures
· Activity time. various methods used of favourite fruits and
to store food. vegetables to paste in
· Things to do.
scrap book with record of
details of their nutritional
value.
4. Sources of food. · Food from plants. · Knowledge about · Formation of correct

Page 21 · Food grains. different kinds of food statements.
products obtained from · Fill in the blanks.
· Pulses.
plants.
· Vegetables and fruits. · True and False.
· Knowledge about
· Beverages. · Comprehension
different kinds of food
questions.
· Nuts& Oils. products obtained from
animals. · Match the following.
· Spices.
· Understanding the · Collection and
· Food from animals. classification of food
significance of a food
· Dairy farms. chain. samples along with
· Poultry farms. nutritional value.
· Fisheries. · Solution of a riddle
puzzle.
· Recap.
· A riddle game
· Activity time.
· Things to do.
5. Sources of water · Introduction. · Understanding the · Formation of correct

Page 29 · Rain water. method by which water statements.
is recycled. · True and False.
· Rain water harvesting.
· Significance of rain · Fill in the blanks.
· Pollution of water.
water harvesting.
· Recap. · Comprehension
· Realization of questions.
· Activity time. consequences of water
· Writing of slogans to
· Things to do. pollution.
promote importance/
· Knowledge about significance of water.
methods used to make
· Fill in the blanks from
water potable.
words in a grid.
6. Air and Us · Weather patterns. · To understand the · Formation of correct

Page 34 · Composition of air. importance of the air statements.
around us. · True and False.
· Air occupies space and
· Knowledge about · Fill in the blanks.
has mass.
composition of air. · Comprehension
· Properties of air. Questions.
· To grasp significance of
· Recap. the various properties · Perform an experiment
· Activity Time. of air. with air.
· Things to do.
7. My Need for Shelter · Introduction. · To understand the need · Formation of correct
Page 39 · Requirements of an for shelter. statements.
ideal house. · Awareness about need Fill in the blanks.
· Drainage system. for cross ventilation · True and false.
· Electric fittings. and a proper drainage
· Comprehension
· Different rooms in a system.
questions.
house. · Knowledge about the
· Match the following.
· Recap. various rooms in a
house. · Description of dream
· Activity time. house.
· Things to do.
· What is required in an
ideal house puzzle.
8. Types of Houses · Introduction. · Knowledge about · Formation of correct

Page 45 · Different kinds of the different kinds of statements.
houses. houses. · Fill in the blanks.
· Description · To understand why · True and false.
different kinds of
houses are built.
· Activity time. questions.
· Things to do. · Survey of houses in
your locality and share
observations with class
mates.
Revision Exercise 1 T o assess knowledge

gained from Chapters
Page 50
1 to 8
9. All about clothing material · Introduction. · To be able to · Formation of correct

Page 52 · Natural and artificial differentiate between statements.
material. artificial and natural · Fill in the blanks.
· Clothing material from fibres.
· Match correctly
animals. · To sensitize students
· Clothing material from about crueltyto animals · Comprehension
to kill them for fur and questions.
plants.
leather products. · Collection of different
· Recap. kinds of yarn to paste in
· To learn how silk is
· Activity time. scrap book. To classify the
made.
· Things to do. yarn and more.
· To learn how cloth is
UNIT 3: LEARNING TO BECOME made.
INDEPENDENT
10. Reading a Map · A Sketch. · To be able to interpret · Formation of correct
Page 57 · Directions. and draw a sketch of a statements.
locality. · True and false.
· What is a map?
· To be able to interpret · Match correctly
· Symbols.
information stored in a · Comprehension
· Scale. map. questions.
· Uses of maps. · To acquire the ability to · Make a sketch and a map
· Recap. locate directions. of your locality.
· Activity time.
· Things to do.
· Wearing clean clothes. · To understand the need · Formation of correct

11. Maintenance of Clothes
Page 63 · Washing and Drying to maintain our clothes. statements.
Clothes. · Motivation to was.h dry · Fill in the blanks.
· Ironing our clothes. and iron our clothes. · True and false.
· Wearing clothes to suit · To understand the need · Comprehension
the season. to wear different clothes questions.
for different seasons.
· Recap. · Identification of clothes
· Activity time. worn for different
seasons.
· Things to do.
· Puzzle out jumbled
names.
12. Taking care of our · Introduction. · To become aware of the · Formation of correct
body parts · Keeping the digestive need to keep our body statements.
Page 67 tract clean. parts clean. · Fill in the blanks.
· Exercise. · To understand the · True and false.
importance of exercise.
· Posture. · Comprehension
· To learn how to questions.
· Taking care of sense maintain good posture.
organs. · To make a record of
· Recap. different muscles
exercised during the day.
· Activity time.
· Identification of correct
· Things to do. posture.
Formative Assessment 2 Page 67 · Discuss exercise of
different muscles in class.
UNIT 4: LEARNING TO BECOME
RESPONSIBLE
13. Keeping our surroundings · Introduction. · To be able to distinguish · Formation of correct
Clean · Degradable materials. between degradable statements.
Page 72 · Non degradable and non degradable · Fill in the blanks.
materials. waste.
· Match correctly.
· Disposal of waste · To gain knowledge on
· Comprehension
material. how to make compost.
questions.
· Making compost. · To understand the
· Identification of
significance of Recycling
· Recycling. degradable and non
Reducing and Reusing.
· Recap. degradable waste.
· Activity time. · Writing slogans to
promote the three R’s.
· Things to do.
14. Pollution- Cause and Effect · Introduction. · To grasp the meaning of · Formation of correct
Page 78 · Causes of pollution. the term pollution. statements.
· Air pollution and · To learn the various · True and False
prevention. ways by which the air · Fill in the blanks.
· Water pollution and and water get polluted.
· Comprehension
prevention. · To sensitize the need to questions.
· Noise pollution and prevent pollution.
prevention. · Identification of different
forms of pollution.
· Recap.
· Activity time. · Observations regarding
· Thing to do. pollution followed by class
discussion.
Revision Exercise 2 To assess knowledge
Page 83 gained from Chapters
9 to 14
Test Paper 1 To evaluate knowledge
1 to 14
15. First Aid and Home · Introduction. · To understand that · Formation of correct
Remedies · Treatment of wounds. corrective action soon statements.
Page 87 · Nose bleeding. after an accident can · True and false.
save a life.
· Burns. · Match the following.
· Dealing with fire. · To learn basic steps to
· Comprehension
be followed to treat
· Bruises. questions.
various kinds of injuries.
· Insect bites. · Making list of things
· To realize that it is a
· Snake bites. needed for emergency
good idea to be cautious
· Poisoning. care and making a
· Sprains and fractures. comparison with class
mates.
· Recap.
· Getting ready a First Aid
· Activity time.
kit.
· Thing to do.
UNIT 5 : LEARNING TO SOCIALISE

16. Fesitivity and Festivals · Introduction. · To understand · Formation of correct
Page 94 · National Festivals. the significance of statements.
celebrating festivals. · True and false.
· Independence
Day,Republic · To learn about the · Match correctly
Day,Gandhi Jayanti. different national,
harvest and religious · Comprehension
· Harvest Festivals,Pongal, questions.
festivals.
Makar Sankranti, Lohri, · Research on Children’s
Baisakhi, Onam, Bihu. day and Teacher’s day.
· Religious Festivals,
· Promotion of
Christmas, Id,
environmental
Dusshera, Deepawali,
consciousness
Holi, Gurupurabs and
Mahavir Jayanti.
· Recap.
· Activity time.
· Thing to do.
17. Community Services · Introduction. · To understand the · Formation of correct

Page 102 · School. meaning of community statements
service. · True and false.
· Police
· To learn that people in · Match correctly
· Fire Brigade. schools and hospitals
· Hospitals. · Comprehension
etc. serve the people.
questions.
· Red Cross Society. · To reallze the
· Identification of people
· N.G.O.’S. significance of service
who serve the community
· Gram Panchayat. and description of their
· Municipality. contribution.
· Recap. · Class discussion on
contributions towards
· Activity time.
service.
· Thing to do.
18. Our Contributions · Introduction. · To grasp the meaning of · Formation of correct

responsible behaviour. statements
to Service · Story.
Page 107 · Travel by trains and · To learn how to make a · Fill in the blanks.
buses. beginning · Match correctly.
· Keeping hospitals clean. · Comprehension
questions.
· Keeping school campus
clean. · Making of a poster to
promote responsible
· Recap.
behavior.
· Activity time.
· Preperation of a skit to
· Thing to do. further promote the
cause.
UNIT 7: MY PRECIOUS
ENVIRONMENT
19. Universe · Introduction. · To gain knowledge · Formation of correct
about the vast universe. statements
Page 112 · The Solar System.
· The Planets. · To differentiate between · True and False
satellites and planets · Match correctly
· About satellites.
and stars.
· Constellations. · Comprehension questions
· Recap. · Star gazing and record of
observations.
· Activity time.
· Spotting of planet names
· Things to do. in word maze.
Revision Exercise 3 To assess knowledge

15 to 19
20. Natural Phenomenon · Night & Day. · To understand the · Formation of correct
Page 120 · Seasons. meaning of the term statements.
natural phenomenon. · True and false.
· Composition of earth.
· Familiarity with different · Match correctly.
· Volcanoes.
natural occurences
· Earthquakes. · Comprehension
questions.
· Tsunami.
· Observe nature and keep
· Storms, Hurricanes
records.
& Tornadoes.
· Class discussion on power
· Avalance.
of nature vs. man.
· Recap.
· Activity time.
· Thing to do.
21. Natural Resources · Introduction. · To differentiate between · Formation of correct

Page 127 · Renewable and non renewable and non. statements
renewable resources. renewable resources. · Fill in the blanks
· Water. · To become familiar · Match correctly
with all the natural
· Flora. · Comprehension
resources.
questions.
· Fauna.
· Identify natural resources
· Metals. at home.
· Sunlight & wind. · Methods to conserve
· Recap. resources. (A class
· Activity time. discussion)
· Thing to do.
UNIT 7 : MAN MADE CHANGES

22. Scientists and Inventions · Introduction. · Knowledge about life of · Formation of correct
Page 133 · Fire. early man. statements
· Clothing & more. · Introduction to some · True and False.
recent inventions. · Match correctly.
· The Aero plane.
· The Telephone. · Comprehension
questions.
· Television.
· Making a can rotate.
· Computers
· Recap. · Conclusions and class
discussion.
· Activity Time.
· Things to do.
· Formation of correct
23. Means of Transport · Introduction. · To become familiar statements.
Page 139 · Land transport. withthe different means
of transport. · True and False.
· Water transport. · To realize the · Match correctly.
· Air transport. importance of fuel
conservation.
· Activity time. questions.
· Things to do. · To make a tennis ball rise
into a funnel.
· Suggest explanation to
opening of windows by
gust of wind .
· Discuss in class.
24. Mediums of · Verbal Communication. · To differentiatebetween · Formation of correct

Communication · Written communication. verbal and mass sentences.
Page 144 · Postal System. communication. · Fill in the blanks.
· To gain knowledge · True and false.
· Courier Services.
about different
· Telegrams. · Match correctly.
mediums of
· Mass Communication. communication. · Comprehension
questions.
· Fax.
· Make a code language.
· E- mail.
· Recap.
· Activity Time.
· Things to do.
25. Saftey Rules · Road Rules. · To understand why it · Formation of correct

Page 149 · Traffic signs. is important to follow statements.
· Safety at home. rules. · Match correctly.
· Recap. · To learn the meaning of · True and False.
traffic signs.
· Activity Time. · Comprehension
· Things to do. questions.
· Make a poster to promote
safety rules and discuss
the adage ‘Better be Safe
than Sorry’ in class.
Revision Exercise 4 To assess knowledge from

chapters 20 to 25
Page 157
Test Paper 2 To evaluate knowledge

15 to 25
UNIT 1: MY BODY AND THINGS THAT SURROUND ME
Internal Organs of the
1 Human Body
palm
Main parts of the human body
head arm
The human body can be divided into two main
parts: the head and the trunk.
The head contains: eyes, nose, ears and mouth.
The neck attaches the head to the trunk. The thorax (upper
part of trunk)
upper part of the trunk is called the thorax and
the lower part is called the abdomen.
abdomen (lower
The arms are attached to the upper part of the part of trunk)
trunk and the legs are attached to the lower part
of the trunk.
An arm consists of the shoulder, elbow, wrist and
hand. The hand has a palm to which are attached knee leg
one thumb and four fingers.
A leg consists of the thigh, knee, ankle and foot.
The foot has an ankle, a heel and five toes.
ankle
foot
heel
The human body
Organs of the human body
Any part of the body which is specialized to perform any particular function is called
an organ.
The organs which are on the outer side of the body and can be seen are called external
organs. The head, eyes, nose mouth, arms legs and skin, etc., are external organs.
There are a large number of organs inside the body, they are called internal organs.
All the organs which work together to perform a particular task forms a system
Let us learn about the different organs present inside our body which work together to form
systems. These systems perform different tasks for our body.
1
Main internal organs of the human body
Organs that together form the Digestive System
The tongue, teeth, oesophagus or food pipe, stomach,
small intestine and large intestine work together to form mouth
oeosophagus
the digestive system which digests the food we eat.
The tongue and teeth are inside the mouth and help
us to chew the food we eat and also to taste it. Saliva
helps to moisten the food so that it can be easily
swallowed, the process of digestion is also initiated by
liver
the saliva.
The food pipe called the oesophagus connects the pancreas stomach
mouth to the stomach. The stomach is an elastic bag small
like structure where the food is churned, digestive intestine
large
juices which are acidic in nature are added and intestine
the process of digestion which began in the mouth
continues. The food we have eaten is further broken
down to simpler products. The human digestive system
The stomach is connected to the small intestine which is a long pipe-like structure. It is
arranged in the form of a coil so that it can fit inside the body. The food from the stomach
enters the small intestine and juices from the pancreas and liver
Fact File
The small intestine is about are added. These juices are alkaline or basic in nature. With
three times the length of the help of these juices the food is completely digested and the
your body. simplified products are absorbed by the blood and taken to all
parts of the body.
The Pancreas
The pancreas lies behind the stomach and produces digestive
juices that help to break down the food we eat. It flows into
the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum.
Pancreas
The Liver
The liver is a very important gland. It produces bile which is
alkaline or basic in nature (bitter in taste). Bile helps to break
down the food we eat.
The liver also regulates the passage of digested material into the
Liver
body and is responsible for the removal of unwanted products.
That is why failure of the liver leads to death.
The liver and the pancreas are thus important glands which help in the proper digestion and
absorption of food.
2
The small intestine leads into the large intestine which is slightly broader. In the large
intestine water is re-absorbed and the undigested food is egested by the anus.
Organs that together form the Respiratory System

The nose, the windpipe or trachea and the lungs form the respiratory system.
We breathe air through the nose. This air is sucked into the lungs with the help of the
trachea (wind pipe). This process is called inhalation.
The lungs are two ‘sac’ like structures inside the chest. They are
very delicate important organs so are well protected inside a cage nose
formed by our ribs. The right lung is broader than the left lung. mouth
The lungs are pink in colour and spongy to touch. The lungs are lungs
trachea
pink in colour because of the presence of fine blood vessels.
Air containing oxygen enters the lungs by the process
of inhalation.
The impurities from the blood are released in the form of
a gas called carbon dioxide. Oxygen enters the blood and
diaphragm
this purified blood is taken to all the parts of the body.
Respiratory system
The process of breathing out impure air is called exhalation.
When we breathe in air (inhalation) our chest expands and when we breathe out air our
chest contracts (exhalation). Both processes together perform the task of respiration.
Organs that work together to form the Circulatory System

The heart and the blood vessels which help in circulating the blood to
all parts of the body form the circulatory system.
The circulatory system is like a transport system which carries
food and oxygen to all parts of the body. It also carries the waste
materials to the organ system which removes this waste from
the body.
The heart is the main organ of the circulatory
system. It is pear shaped and is located between
the two lungs in the chest cavity. The heart pumps
blood into the body by contraction and expansion Heart
of its chambers.
This forms a pulse beat which can be felt whenever an artery passes over
a bone.
The normal pulse beat for men is 72 times per minute and for women it is
76 to 80 times per minute.
The Circulatory
System
3
The blood vessels which carry blood away from the heart are Fact File
called arteries. Arteries are red in colour except the artery The blood takes about
leaving the heart. The blood vessels which carry blood back to 20 seconds to circulate through
the heart are called veins. The veins are blue in colour except the entire human body and
the vein bringing blood back to the heart. return to the heart.
The organs which together form the Excretory System

kidney The body works for us to stay alive, it works all day long
and a lot of waste material is formed. This waste is in
ureter the form of toxic compounds which are harmful for the
body and need to be removed. The excretory system
performs this task with the help of water. That is why
bladder
we need to drink a lot of water. The waste material
dissolves in water to form urine. The organs that help to
urethra
remove urine are: the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder
and urethra.
The Excretory System
The kidneys are a pair of reddish-brown, bean shaped organs about the size of a man’s fist.
They lie on each side of the backbone.
The ureter is a narrow tube that comes out of each kidney. It carries urine from the kidneys
to the urinary bladder.
The urinary bladder is a bag-like structure which stores the urine.
When the bladder is full the urine is removed with the help of the urethra which is a short
muscular tube.
brain
The nervous system peripheral
nerves
The nervous system controls and coordinates all the functions
of our body. The brain and the spinal cord along with nerves
form the nervous system.
The brain is the most important part of the nervous system. spinal cord
It controls all our muscular movements and is responsible for
the functioning of all the systems in the body. It helps us to
learn, think, remember and take action. That is why the brain is
enclosed safely inside a hard bony box.
peripheral nerves
4
The human brain can be divided into three main parts:
cerebrum
i) The Cerebrum
ii) The Cerebellum and
iii) The Medulla Oblongata
The spinal cord is a long cord attached to the brain. It
is enclosed by a tube formed by all the backbones.
Nerves which are thread-like structures carry
messages to and from the different parts of the body
to the brain and spinal cord. cerebellum medulla
• A part of the body which is specialized to perform some particular

function is called of the an organ.
• The organs which can be seen are called external organs.
• The organs present inside the body are called internal organs.
• Organs which work together form a system.
• Different systems perform different tasks.
• The Nervous System controls and coordinates all the systems.
Activity Time
Activity 1: Strike out the wrong word/words to form correct statements.
1. The upper part of the trunk is called the abdomen thorax .
2. The heart brain is an important organ of the circulatory system.
3. The kidneys lungs remove urine from the body.
4. The nerves blood vessels carry messages from one part of the body to the other.
5
Activity 2: Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the list given below.
inhalation arteries upper transport
1. The arms are attached to the _________________ part of the trunk.
2. Blood vessels which carry blood away from the heart are called _________________ .
3. The circulatory system is like a _________________ system.
4. Oxygen enters the lungs by the process of _________________ .
Activity 3: Match the following correctly.
1. Respiration a)
2. Circulation b)
3. Digestion c)
4. Learning d)
Activity 4: Answer the following questions.
1. Can you suggest why the long intestine is so long?
____________________________________________________________________
2. Why is the circulatory system also known as a transport system?
____________________________________________________________________
3. What happens inside our body during inhalation?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Why do the lungs need to be well protected?
____________________________________________________________________
5. Name the organs that together form the nervous system.
____________________________________________________________________
6
Things To Do
1. Hold your right hand over your left wrist below the thumb, your palm should be facing upwards. You
should be able to feel your pulse.
• Ask your friend to keep time.
• Now count the number of times your pulse beats in one minute.
• Go for a run and repeat the exercise.
• Record your observations.
• Why do you think the count changed?
• Write down your reasons.
2. Complete the crossword puzzle.
Across:
1. Removes waste products
2. Purifies the blood
3. Works without any break
4. Helps to suck in air
5. Controls all the activities of the body
Down:
1. Is the longest part of the body
7
Living and Nonliving
2 Things
You and I are alive are we not? Can we say that the animals around us are alive?
Can we say that the plants are alive?
Yes, animals and plants are living things and all of them show certain characteristics which
have been described below.
1. Movement
All living things show movement. If a creature moves on its own we can say it is alive.
Movement occurs when we change the position of our body parts. Birds use their wings
to fly from one place to another. Fish swim by moving their whole body with the help of
fins and some animals crawl on the ground using their whole body, for example, the snake.
Snakes do not have limbs.
Living things move in search of food and shelter, they also move away from their enemies as
fast as possible.
What about plants? Plants

cannot change their positions.
A tree is rooted in its place for
many years. But we have said
that plants are living so they
must move. To see movement
in plants we have to be very Petals slowly opening out when the moon shines
observant. Look closely at the sunflowers when they are in bloom. You will see that they all
turn their faces towards the sun during the day. The Summer Cyprus is another flower that
opens its petals during the day and closes them at night.
The moon flower opens it petals only when the moon shines.
8
Keep a potted plant inside your house. You will notice that it will start growing towards the
light. So, plants show movement which is very slow and gradual. This proves that plants
have life.
A car moves, it takes us places, so does a cycle and an airplane, but these vehicles cannot
move on their own, if left outside overnight they will still be there in the morning. They
cannot move on their own. So, we can say that nonliving things cannot move.
2. Respiration
All living things breathe or respire. Breathing in animals is easy to observe as the chest
moves in and out. In smaller animals this movement is not easy to notice. Human beings
and animals breathe through the nose or nostrils.
Fish breathe through gills. Plants breathe through tiny holes, called stomata, present
in leaves.
guard cells
Living things breathe because they need the
oxygen present in the air. Fish get this oxygen
from water; oxygen present in air dissolves stomata
in water. Oxygen helps to burn the food and gills
provide energy. All living things need energy
for movement and to perform their routine activities. If the air around us does not have any
oxygen then all the living things will die. Nonliving things do not breathe.
3. Growth
The shape and size of living things change with time. Think of yourself, as you grow, you
become taller and sometimes fatter, and your old clothes do not fit; you need new clothes.
After some time, growth in animals stops. However, hair grows back if you cut it, you grow
fatter if you overeat and nails also continue to grow.
Puppies grow to become dogs;

kittens become cats and the story is
repeated for every species.
9
Growth in plants is clearly visible. A small plant
soon grows into a big plant. The trunk of a tree
becomes thicker and thicker every year. The age
of the tree can be calculated by counting the
rings of growth on its trunk; every year a new
ring is added. Plants grow as long as they live. Rings of growth
Nonliving things do not grow.
Living things grow old and then die and become nonliving.
4. Irritability
Living things respond to stimulus which means that they feel and react. All of us feel hot
when the sun shines or when we are near a fire and we respond accordingly.
We close our eyes when there is too much light. Our mouth begins to water at the sight and
smell of delicious food.
If we keep a plant in a dark room with an open window
the plant grows towards the light coming from the open
window. Leaves of a touch-me-not or mimosa plant
close if touched.
Mimosa Eyes respond to
All these examples show that living things feel and react. plant strong light
Nonliving things cannot feel and do not react. Does your pencil cry when you drop
it accidently?
5. Nutrition
All living things need food to move, grow, work and play. Animals get their food from plants
or by eating other animals.
Animals like cows, goats, sheep, elephants and deer eat only plants, they are said to be
Herbivores. Lions, tigers, leopards and wolves eat the flesh of other animals, they are said
to be Carnivores. Some animals eat plants as well as the flesh of other animals, they are
said to be Omnivores.
Plants make their own food in the presence of sunlight and the green colouring matter in
their leaves called chlorophyll. Plants use the carbon dioxide of the air and water which
they absorb with the help of their roots to make food by the process of Photosynthesis.
10
As plants make their own food they are called autotrophs or food producers.
Mushrooms cannot make their own food but they are not animals,
mushrooms get their food from dead decaying matter, and so, are said
to be saprophytes.
If we eat vegetables without washing them
Saprophyte
properly we might get worms in our stomach.
These worms help themselves to the food we eat.
Tape worm (Parasite) They are said to be parasites.
Carnivores are also indirectly dependant on plants for their food. This is because the
animals they eat are herbivores. So, if there were no plants there would be no life on earth.
Nonliving things do not need food.
6. Excretion
All living things must remove poisonous waste from their bodies. The food eaten by animals
is converted into energy and during the process of this conversion waste products are
formed. These need to be removed as they are toxic and can harm the body. The process of
removal of these toxic substances is called Excretion. The kidneys are important excretory
organs in animals. In plants, the toxins are removed via the roots.
You must have heard about people who need a kidney transplant. This is because their
kidneys have stopped working. Such patients have to undergo dialysis, the process of
dialysis artificially removes the toxins from the body otherwise the patient will die.
Nonliving things do not excrete.
7. Reproduction
All living things reproduce in order to ensure the survival of their
species. This is because no living thing can live forever. All living
things one day die.
Different species reproduce in different ways, humans and many
animals give birth to babies. For example, a cow gives birth to a calf,
a horse gives birth to a colt.
Birds lay eggs. When an egg hatches the baby bird emerges. Snakes
and lizards also lay eggs.
Plants produce seeds. The seeds on germination develop into a
new plant.
Nonliving things cannot reproduce. Have you ever heard of the
birth of a baby book or a baby chair?
11
Characteristics of living things Fact File
Remember MR GINER, who is living Life began on Earth about 430 millions
years ago. First, plants came into
M: ovement
existence as single-celled organisms.
R: espiration Can you explain why plants came into
G: rowth existence before animals?
I: rritability
N: utrition
E: xcretion
R: eproduction
Characteristics of nonliving things

Nonliving things do not show any characteristics of living things. They do not move, respire,
grow, respond to stimulus, feed, excrete nor do they reproduce.
• Living things show certain characteristics.

• Movement, respiration, growth, irritability, nutrition, excretion and
reproduction are characteristics of living things.
• All living things one day die.
• Plants show movement but they cannot move from one place to another.
• Nonliving things do not show any of the characteristics of living things.
Activity Time
1. Plants animals can cannot move from one place to another.
2. Animals which eat plants are known as herbivores carnivores .
3. Removal of toxins from the body is known as excretion egestion .
4. Food in the stomach becomes acidic alkaline .
5. Arteries veins carry blood away from the heart.
12
Activity 2: State whether True or False.
1. Animals can prepare their own food. _____________
2. Plants also have sense organs. _____________
3. Plants grow throughout their lives. _____________
4. We can make nonliving things move. _____________
5. All animals reproduce by laying eggs _____________
sunlight year limbs oxygen stomata light
1. Snakes crawl because they do not have ________________ .
2. Plants breathe through tiny holes, called ________________ .
3. The trunk of a tree becomes thicker every ________________ .
4. Living things breathe because they need ________________ .
5. Plants move towards ________________ .
6. Food is prepared by plants in the presence of ________________ .
1. Explain why a car moves yet it is said to be nonliving.
____________________________________________________________________
2. Why do living things need to reproduce?
____________________________________________________________________
3. Illustrate how plants move without changing their positions.
____________________________________________________________________
4. How do plants get their food?
____________________________________________________________________
13
5. Why do living things need food?
____________________________________________________________________
6. Name the common features of all living things.
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Look around you and make a list of living and nonliving things that you can see.
Check out if the living things show the characteristics you have learnt.
2. Find the answers to the following riddles:

1. My hands move all the time yet I am not living.
2. I cannot move from place to place yet I am living.
3. I fly high up in the air but I am not alive.
4. I can traverse the sea but I am not a fish.
5. Everyone would go hungry if I did not shine.
6. Do not try to touch me.
7. I do not prepare my own food but I am not an animal.
8. I help myself to other peoples food.
1. L
2. P
3. P E
4. H
5. U
6. M
7. M H
8. P A
14
UNIT 2: MY NEEDS
3 Food
Food is vital for survival. It is one of our basic needs. We will not be able to survive if we do
not eat food. Food gives us energy to do our work; it helps us to grow, keeps our body in
good health and helps us to fight diseases.
It is however very important for us to eat the right amount and right kind of food.
Food can be classified into the following types:
1. Energy giving food
Rice, wheat, nuts, sugar and potatoes contain
carbohydrates. They are energy giving foods. Glucose is the Wheat
Potatoes
simplest sugar. It gives instant energy.
Milk, butter, ghee vegetable oils and meat contain fats.
Fats and carbohydrates are both energy giving foods but
fats give us more energy than carbohydrates. Bread
Butter
If we consume carbohydrates and fats in excess quantities then the fat is deposited in our
bodies under the skin. A little bit of extra fat is useful as it serves as a food reserve but too
much of fat makes us unhealthy. To remain healthy we should consume the right amount of
carbohydrates and fats.
2. Body building food
Proteins are called body building foods.
Protein is a nutrient needed by the human
body for growth and maintenance. Children Bajra
Pea Rajma
require a good supply of proteins.
Meat, eggs and fish are sources of complete
protein.
Milk and milk-derived foods are also good
Milk
sources of protein. Moong dal Meat
For vegetarians sources of proteins are pulses and legumes which include, soybeans, lentils,
kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas and cowpeas. Nuts, seeds of fruits, almonds, walnuts,
pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are also rich sources of proteins.
15
3. Foods that supplement growth
Our body also needs a daily supply of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins in our diet regulate our bodily functions. They
prevent deficiency diseases, promote healing, and encourage
good health. Fruits
Vitamins are substances, that our body needs to develop
normally. They assist in proper formation of bones, skin,
glands, nerves, and blood. They assist in digesting proteins,
fats, and carbohydrates so that we can get energy from food.
We get vitamins from fruits and vegetables.
Our body needs at least 11 specific vitamins: Vegetables

Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin C, and the members of the B vitamin
family.
We need only small quantities of vitamins for good health, but this small quantity is
essential for proper functioning of our body metabolism.
We ]usually get all our vitamins from the foods we eat. However, our body can make
vitamins D and K.
Each vitamin has a specific job. If you have low levels of certain vitamins, you may develop
a deficiency disease. For example, if you don’t get enough vitamin D, your bones will not be
formed properly and you could develop rickets. Some vitamins may help prevent medical
problems. Vitamin A prevents night blindness. Vitamin K helps in the clotting of blood.
The best way to get enough vitamins is to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods. In
some cases, you may need to take a daily multivitamin for optimal health. However, high
doses of some vitamins can make you sick.
Minerals are substances present in our diet which like

vitamins are essential for a variety of bodily functions. They
are important for building strong bones and teeth, blood,
skin, hair, muscles and for metabolic processes such as
those that turn the food we eat into energy. This means
that minerals are needed for the body to work properly,
for growth and development, and overall, for maintaining
normal health. Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium,
potassium, chloride, sulfur, iron, copper, iodine and fluoride
are some of the minerals required by the body. Minerals
are generally found in milk, cereals, green leafy vegetables,
nuts, fruits, sea foods, fish and meat. Their deficiency in the
human body causes different types diseases.
16
4. Roughage
Roughage also forms an important part of our
diet. As the name suggests roughage refers to
fibrous food. Vegetables and fruits are good
examples of food that is rich in fiber. If eaten Fruits
raw they work better but remember to wash
them thoroughly before eating.
The human body cannot digest roughage but it helps to
keep the digestive tract clean, in fact roughage acts like a
broom and helps to flush out the undigested part of the food
we eat easily.
5. Water Vegetables
Water is as important for us as food. It helps in digestion, removal of waste and also to
maintain the proper formation of blood and for the proper functioning of all the systems in
our body. Without water we will get dehydrated, all our metabolic activities will stop and
we will die.
Contamination of food
Food easily gets spoilt especially at temperatures between 30° to 40° Celcius. Bacteria
starts to eat the food and these bacteria then attack us if we eat this food.
If food is left open, flies may sit on it and deposit germs which are also carriers of diseases.
Nowadays, farmers use a lot of insecticides to protect their farm yield. These insecticides
are very harmful and slowly poison us. We should remember to wash all vegetables and
fruits properly before eating.
We should also remember to wash our hands properly before we eat our food.
Storage of food
You must have seen squirrels busily clambering up and down trees.
They are actually busy storing food. It is a good idea to store food for
use in the future.
• Cold storage: Food items like milk, fruits and vegetables, meat,
cheese and eggs can stay fresh for a longer time if we store them Jam
in refrigerators. Bacteria which spoil food cannot grow in cold
temperatures.
• Canning: Food can be preserved for a longer time if kept in air
tight cans. The bacteria which spoil food cannot grow without
oxygen.
Pickle
17
• Salting: Some fruits and vegetables can be preserved for a long time by adding salt. Salt
removes water and does not allow the growth of microorganisms.
• Sweetening: Many fruits like mangoes, apples, etc, can be preserved by adding sugar in
their jams and jellies. Sugar syrup drains out the water from the fruits and also kills the
bacteria.
Fact File
• Dehydration: Bacteria which are after all living Around 70 million people suffer from food
microorganisms cannot survive without water. poisoning every year with around 7 million
If the food is dried or dehydrated completely it of these cases being fatal. Careful food
can be preserved for many days. For example, storage, temperature control and preparation
is necessary to avoid potentially dangerous
powder milk, dried peas, etc.
bacteria, toxins and viruses.
• To protect food from rodents we must store
food grains and other edible items in proper air
tight containers.
• Our body needs carbohydrates and fats to provide energy.

• Proteins are required for proper development of the body.
• Vitamins and minerals are required in small quantities for proper
functioning of our body systems.
• Water is required in large quantities to ensure proper distribution of
digested food, removal of waste, etc.
• Roughage helps to keep our digestive tract clean.
• We should always wash raw fruits and vegetables before use.
• We should wash our hands before eating.
• Food can be preserved for a longer time if we prevent the attack of
microorganisms.
Activity Time
1. Rice and potatoes are rich in carbohydrates proteins .
2. We need small large amounts of vitamins and minerals.
3. Pulses help the body to not to grow.
4. We should should not store food in airtight containers.
5. Water is is not as important for us as food.
18
1. Proteins provide the body with energy. _______________
2. All the food we eat comes from either plants or animals. _______________
3. The body is able to synthesize (make) vitamin D. _______________
4. Vitamin B is required for the proper functioning of the eyes. _______________
5. Vitamin K helps in the clotting of blood. _______________
Activity 3: Draw lines to match correctly.
1. Fats (a) Mineral
2. Proteins (b) Energy
3. Vitamin D (c) Butter
4. Sugar (d) Rickets
5. Salt (e) Growth
1. Why does the body need food?
____________________________________________________________________
2. What would happen if we only included carbohydrates in our diet?
____________________________________________________________________
3. What is the role of vitamins in our diet?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Why is it so important to include proteins in our diet?
____________________________________________________________________
19
5. How and why does food get contaminated?
____________________________________________________________________
6. What are the various methods by which we can preserve food?
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Observe the food you eat and make a chart of the details as follows.
Meal Food eaten Classification of Comments

the food
Breakfast Bread/butter/eggs/ Carbohydrate/fat/ Balanced
milk/fruit protein/vitamins/
minerals

If you include the amount you have eaten, you will be able to find out if you are eating healthy food.
2. Collect pictures of fruits and vegetables you enjoy eating and find out the nutrients they provide. Paste
these in your scrapbook with a footnote about these details.
Check whether you would be lacking any important food product if you only ate these.
20
4 Sources of Food
Food from plants
The Plant Kingdom is like a factory where food is made, it is in fact a treasure house of food
varieties. The green leaves prepare food for the plant. Green leaves have a green coloured
compound called chlorophyll which in the presence of sunlight converts carbon dioxide
from the air and water, along with minerals from the ground, into food. This process called
photosynthesis, releases oxygen gas, which all living things require for breathing.
Thus plants not only provide food they also replenish the life saving gas oxygen. Since plants
can make their food themselves, they are called producers or autotrophs.
We get most of our food articles from plants which have been described below.
1. Food Grains
Wheat, corn, ragi, bajra and millet, etc,. are all seeds of plants which are ground to make
flour. This is then used to make ‘chapatis’, bread and other edible varieties of food. Rice
is also a seed from which the seed coat has been removed. It is the main food for people
in South Asian countries and is rich in carbohydrates. All these food grains are rich in
carbohydrates.
Food grains
Most grains are harvested by cutting the whole plant down with a scythe when the seeds
are fully mature. The cut plants are then tied into bundles and left to dry in the open or in
a covered area. Either way, in a couple of weeks, when the plants are fully dry the seeds are
separated.
We start with threshing. The dried plants are laid down on a large
sheet of cloth or plastic, kept on a flat surface and pounded with
a stick or a baton. Alternatively grains can be threshed by putting
the whole plant in a bag and beating the bag on a hard surface.
Threshing is stopped when all or most of the seeds have fallen out.
The bulk of the left over plants can be given to the chickens to peck
Threshing
through and then used as mulch.
21
A lot of chaff (excess plant matter) is stuck to the seeds after threshing,
so the next step is winnowing. Removing the grain from the chaff is
called winnowing.
The chaff is removed by letting the mixture fall to the ground from a
height so that the wind blows away the lighter chaff leaving only the
grain.
The outer covering of seeds of oats, barley, buckwheat, and rice need
to be further removed. For the removal of this coating a machine is
required. Winnowing
2. Pulses
Pulses which are a major source for proteins are also obtained from plants.
Here are some pictures of pulses which should form a major part of our diet as they provide
us with proteins which are needed for the growth and repair of the body.
Moong Dal Green Peas Roasted Gram Whole
Masoor Dal Red Kidney Beans Sorghum

(Red Ientils) (Rajma) (Jowar)
3. Vegetables and Fruits

All the vegetables and fruits in the market are obtained from plants.
Vegetables Fruits
22
Can you name the vegetables shown in the picture? We have already learnt that we should
include a lot of fiber in our diet. When we eat raw vegetables as salad we do just that.
However, we must remember to wash the vegetables thoroughly with clean water before
we eat them.
We can also cook the vegetables. It is advisable not to overcook as the original taste and
nutritive value will be lost.
Most of us enjoy eating fruits. Can you name the fruits shown? Which is your favourite fruit?
Mangoes
Plums Grapes
Remember to wash all fruits properly before you eat them. Fact File
Pumpkins are usually
Fruits and vegetables are rich in essential nutrients labelled as vegetables but
they contain seeds and are
like vitamins and minerals, and so must form an technically fruits.
essential part of our diet.
4. Beverages
Other than water, any liquid that is fit for drinking is said to be a beverage. Tea and coffee
are the most commonly used beverages.
Tea is made from leaves of the tea bush. The leaves are dried, crushed, fermented and dried
again. Systematic procedures are adopted to produce high quality tea. Tea was first used in
China as a medicinal drink. Tea is known to have positive health benefits. However, but too
much of tea can be harmful.
Coffee is another important beverage which we get from plants. Coffee beans are collected
from the coffee bush and ground to get coffee powder.
5. Nuts
All of us enjoy eating nuts, they are a popular snacks and can be used in a variety of ways to
add flavor to food.
23
Most nuts are a good source of nutrients. Nuts contain essential fats and proteins, and a
large selection of minerals and vitamins.
Some of the common nuts are almonds, groundnuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and cashew nuts,
all obtained from plants.
Walnuts Cashew nuts Groundnuts Almonds Hazelnuts

6. Oils
Oils are also obtained from plants. Seeds of groundnuts give groundnut oil. Sunflower oil is
extracted from sunflower seeds, clove oil is extracted from cloves, and eucalyptus oil which
has great medicinal value is extracted from eucalyptus leaves. Thus, plants are the main
source of oils.
Eucalyptus oil Sunflower oil Clove oil Groundnut oil

7. Spices
Herbs and spices add flavor to food and are also obtained
from plants. For example, bay leaf is the leaf of a plant.
Cinnamon is the bark of a tree. Cloves are flower buds and
mustard seeds are seeds.
ood from animals
F
Dairy Farms
Milk which is an important food product rich in protein,
fats, vitamins and minerals like calcium and phosphorous
is obtained from animals. Milk fat also contains soluble
vitamins A and D. Other important water-soluble vitamins in A variety of spices
milk are B1, B2, B11 and B12.
Milk provides a good balance between nutrition and
energy for all ages.
What’s more, drinking milk is a good way to take in
sufficient fluid, since milk consists largely of water.
Large-scale production of milk is done in dairy farms
where cows and buffaloes are raised and nurtured.
Dairy farm
24
Curd, butter, butter milk, cheese are produced in dairy farms and are also known as
dairy products.
Milk of animals such as camels, goats and sheep is consumed in some regions of our country.
Poultry Farms
Poultry farms are raised to provide meat and eggs for
those people who eat nonvegetarian food. Chickens
and hens are raised for their meat and eggs. Ducks,
geese and turkeys are also present in poultry farms.
Turkey meat is supposed to be a delicacy.
Poultry farm
Fishing and Fisheries

Fishing in India is a major industry in its coastal states, employing over 14 million people.
Fish provide high quality protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Nutrients and
minerals in fish are heart-friendly and can make improvements in brain development. This is
why fish farming has gained importance in our country.
Names of some varieties of fish which are relished as food are trout, tuna, salmon, cod
and perch.
Cod Tuna Perch
Trout Salmon
Different types of fish
Apart from fish, meat of other animals is eaten by those who are nonvegetarians. Meat of
goats and sheep is called mutton. Meat of cows is called beef. Meat of pigs is called pork.
Pigs are reared on a large-scale in piggeries.
A sheep farm A piggery

The Sun is the ultimate source of energy. Plants use this energy to prepare their food.
Herbivores eat plants to get energy. Carnivores eat herbivores to get the same energy. Some
animals eat both plant food and meat, they are called omnivores. The feeding relationships
and the energy flow form a chain. Since food is involved in this chain, it is called food chain.
25
seal frog
fish
grasshopper
snake
shark
algae
grass hawk
Food chains
Thus, a food chain is a group of plants and animals which feed upon each other.
All living things die one day. The decomposers break-up the food back into its elemental
form and the cycle continues.
• We get most of our food from plants.

• Food grains are extracted by threshing and winnowing.
• Plants prepare food in the presence of sunlight with the help of the green
colouring matter called chlorophyll present in their leaves.
• Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of vitamins and minerals.
• Milk is obtained from animals, mainly cows and buffaloes.
• Meat of fish is very good for health.
• Mutton, beef and pork are examples of other kinds of meat.
Activity Time
Activity 1: Strike out the wrong word/words to form the correct statement.
1. Seeds are removed from dried plants by threshing winnowing .
2. Fruits are rich in proteins fiber .
3. Plants prepare food in the presence absence of light.
4. Cinnamon is the leaf bark of a tree.
5. Plants release oxygen carbon dioxide during photosynthesis
26
autotrophs beverage protiens eggs threshing meat
1. Removing the grain from the chaff is called _________________ .
2. Poultry farms are raised to provide _________________ and _________________ .
3. Any liquid other than water suitable for drinking is called a _________________ .
4. Pulses are a major source for _________________________________.
5. Plants can make their food themselves so they are also called _________________ .
1. Ghee (a) cooking
2. Eggs (b) plants
3. Spices (c) medicine
4. Eucalyptus oil (d) dairy farms
5. Ground nut oil (e) poultry farms
1. How do plants prepare food?

____________________________________________________________________
2. Name the different kinds of food prepared by plants.
____________________________________________________________________
3. Why are dairy farms so important?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Name the different kinds of pulses and explain why it is so important for us to include them in
our diet.
____________________________________________________________________
5. How are the food grains removed from the plants?
____________________________________________________________________
6. Why have fisheries gained importance in our country?
____________________________________________________________________
27
Things To Do
1. Collect samples of food grains, pulses and spices and categorise them in a suitable manner.
Add footnotes to highlight their food content and significance
2. Answer the riddles given below to solve the crossword.
A. Who am I?
Down
1. I am in potato and also in sweet.
2. Forever on the run, I come and I go.
3. I look like a tree, am actually too small.
Across
4. Ready to eat no cooking required.
5. A monkey’s delight the toothless’ respite.
6. They say I have ears but I don’t really hear.
7. A letter to each and me you reach.
8. Are shriveled and old, but not in a desert bowl.
9. Some say I am a vegetable am really a fruit.

1. 3.
4. S L D 5. B N
W R

2. 6. C R
T M 8. R I S N
7. E C
N
9. P M P I

T

A ‘Riddle about me game’

Divide the class into two teams.
Members of each team will ask the members of the other team a riddle about fruits/vegetable/any food
item in turn.
The responding team will answer (in turn). If the student whose chance it is cannot answer, another
member will get a chance to answer. However, the team will get only half marks if the answer is correct
otherwise the team will get no marks.
28
5 Sources of Water
Water is crucial for sustenance of life on earth. Without water no living organisms can
survive. Only those planets which have water can support life.
70% of our body weight is contributed by the water present in our bodies. We should drink
at least 10-12 glasses of water every day. Water helps to digest our food and then transport
it to all the different organs. It helps to remove the waste products formed.
Water is also essential for cooking, washing, cleaning and bathing. Without water, life will
not only become uncomfortable it will come to a standstill. Water is life.
Rain water
Nature doesn’t create new water. It constantly recycles the same water that existed on the
planet billions of years ago.
This recycling process, known as the water cycle, describes the movement of water as it
passes through three phases: solid, liquid and gas.
The water cycle

Evaporation describes the change
from water as a liquid to water as
precipitation
a vapor. The heat of the Sun causes condensation
evaporation of water from the surface solar
of the ocean, freshwater sources water-vapor transp
ort energy
such as rivers, lakes and streams, the
ru
no
surface of the Earth and from the Evaporation & Transpiration

ff
plants by the process of transpiration.

All this evaporated water combines to evaporation
produce clouds. evaporation
Condensation describes the change of ocean

water from gas to liquid. The clouds groundwater flow
produce rain due to condensation. In
colder climates snow is formed. Thus,
the water used is cycled back.
Rainwater and snow are important sources of water.
29
The rainwater and water from the melting snow collects to form ponds and lakes, some
flows as streams and rivers which lead to the sea. The waters of the seas combine to form
the mighty oceans.
If all the water flows away into the ocean we will not have enough water during the dry
season. Ocean water cannot be used as it is salty.
Underground water
Plants and trees on the surface of the Earth retain
this water, which slowly filters into the Earth to Picture of a well with a
form groundwater. This water can be used by person pulling up water
digging wells. It is pulled up in a bucket with the
help of a rope as shown.
Nowadays tube wells and bore wells have
become very common.
A tube well is a type of water well in which a long,

100–200 mm (5 to 8 inch) wide stainless steel tube or pipe
is bored into the ground till it touches the water table The
lower end is fitted with a strainer, and a pump at the top
lifts the water.
Bore wells are similar with some technical differences.
We are using so much of the underground water that the water table is decreasing at
an alarming rate. Our wants have exceeded our needs. The decrease in forest cover has
reduced the amount of water going into the water table underground. So, today our water
reserves are in danger. It has become crucial for us to learn how to conserve water.
Rainwater harvesting
The gathering and accumulating of rainwater is one method to solve problems of scarcity
of water. Rainwater collected from roofs makes an important contribution. This water,
especially during the monsoons when the air is clean, is pure and can be used without
treatment. Can you think of different ways to collect rainwater?
Water pollution
It is just as important for us to use clean water as it is to eat clean food. Water gets polluted
by the acidic gases in the air and by having harmful waste dumped into it. Improper disposal
of garbage, animal and human excreta, industrial waste including the acidic gases present
in the smoke, pesticides and detergents used to wash utensils and clothes, etc., all add to
water pollution.
Water borne diseases like typhoid, cholera, dysentery and jaundice can prove fatal.
30
It is very important for us to drink water which is ‘potable’ which means safe for drinking.
Potable water
Water can be made safe to drink by boiling. Most germs die quickly at
high temperatures. Water that has been boiled for 1 minute is safe to
drink after it has cooled.
“Reverse osmosis” water filters remove

bacteria and viruses and can also remove harmful salts from
water. R.O. filters are widely used today to purify water.
Chemical disinfectants (such as chlorine or iodine) when added in
calculated amounts can also purify water.
Ultraviolet (UV) light and solar radiation can also purify water.
R. O. Filter
The water provided by the municipality is clean as it has been filtered, aerated and treated
with chemicals to render it safe for drinking.
Fact File
75% of the earth is covered with water.
97% of earth’s water is in the oceans. 75% of
the world’s freshwater is frozen in the polar
ice caps.
Only 3% of the earth’s water can be used as
drinking water.
Although a person can live without food for
more than a month, a person can only live
Water purification unit without water for approximately one week.
But with the high levels of pollution today it is safer

to use water that has been further purified.
Thus, it is not only important for us to use clean water, it is equally or more important to
prevent contamination of our water resources.
31
• Without water no living organisms can survive.
• Nature doesn’t create new water.
• The same water that existed on the planet billions of years ago is recycled.
• Rainwater and snow are important sources of water.
• The water cycle describes the movement of water as it passes through
three phases: solid, liquid and gas.
• Water that filters underground forms the water table.
• The water table has decreased at an alarming rate.
• Rainwater harvesting is one method to solve the problem of water scarcity.
• It is important to drink and use clean water.
• It is important to keep a check on water pollution.
Activity Time
1. The water table has increased decreased at an alarming rate.

2. Nature creates does not create new water.
3. Evaporation describes the conversion of liquid solid water to vapor.
4. Boiling cooling of water makes it potable.
5. Germs die at high low temperatures.
1. Every time it rains new water has been created. _____________

2. Pollution levels in water have increased to a large extent. _____________
3. It is safe to drink river water. _____________
4. Water borne diseases can be fatal. _____________
5. Living organisms are found only in those planets which have water. _____________
Activity 3: Fill in the blanks with suitable words.

decreasing boiling water scarcity fatal ocean
1. Rainwater harvesting can solve the problem of _________________ .
2. Water borne diseases can be _________________ .
3. The water table is _________________ because we are using more water than we need.
32
4. Water can be purified by _________________ .
5. We cannot drink _________________ water.

1. Why is sea/ocean water not fit for drinking?
____________________________________________________________________
2. How can water be made fit for drinking?
____________________________________________________________________
3. Suggest ways by which we can conserve usable water?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Why is there scarcity of water even though the amount of water on Earth is the same as it was
billions of years ago?
____________________________________________________________________
5. Who is responsible for pollution of water?
____________________________________________________________________
6. Describe the various ways by which water gets polluted?
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Why is water so important? Make slogans to show that water is important and display the slogans on
the class bulletin board.
2. Find suitable words to fill in the blanks in the given grid of alphabets
1. We should only drink _______________ water.
2. We cannot _______________ without water.
3. Human and animal excreta _______________ water.
4. _______________ water is nature’s gift.
5. Plant and animals cannot _______________ without water.
33
6 Air and Us
The Earth is surrounded by a layer of gases called the atmosphere. The atmosphere is very
important to life on Earth and does many things to help protect the living organisms.
The atmosphere absorbs the heat from the Sun and keeps the Earth warm. It keeps the
overall temperature of the Earth fairly steady, especially between night and day. So we
don’t get too cold at night and too hot during the day. The outer layer of the atmosphere
has a gas called Ozone. Ozone helps to protect the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet
radiations from the Sun.
Weather patterns
The atmosphere also helps to form our weather patterns and climate. The heating and
cooling of the Earth’s air causes the air to move? Warm air rises up into the sky, while cold
air stays closer to the Earth. Cold air pushes warm air up. This causes air to move and wind
to blow. Strong winds give rise to storms. Given below is a simple experiment to show that
air expands on heating and becomes lighter.
Take an empty bottle and tie a balloon over its mouth.
Heat the bottle using a water bath, as shown in the figure given alongside
You will observe that the balloon will inflate. air expands
Put off the flame and leave the bottle to cool.
You will see that the balloon deflates. water
expands
Thus, when the air becomes hot the air inside the bottle expands
and inflates the balloon and when the air becomes cold the air
contracts to it original state and deflates the balloon.
Composition of air Heated air expands
The atmosphere is made up of gases mostly nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). There are
breathing other gasses that are part of the atmosphere which are
out
present in much smaller amounts. These include argon,
carbon dioxide, neon, helium, hydrogen, etc.
Oxygen is needed by animals and plants to breathe. All living
organisms use oxygen to convert food into energy and give
breathing in out carbon dioxide.
Air rich in carbon dioxide
34
oxygen gas out Carbon dioxide is used by plants during
carbon dioxide photosynthesis, a process by which plants make food.
gas Oxygen is given out by the plants during this process.
oxygen In this way the amount of oxygen used is replenished.
carbon If plants stopped giving out oxygen then there would
dioxide
gas in be no life on earth.
Air rich in oxygen

As we go higher in the atmosphere the amount of air decreases,
so does the amount of available oxygen. This is why mountaineers
carry oxygen cylinders.
We cannot see air but we can feel it when the wind blows.
Oxygen cylinder
Air occupies space and has mass
Take a flat balloon and blow into it. Is the balloon getting
bigger? The more air you put into the balloon the bigger it will
get. Air is filling up the balloon. Now, let out all the air from the
balloon. What happens? Does it go flat again?
So, we can say that air occupies space.
Air not only occupies space it also has mass or weight. Here is an experiment to weigh air.
Blow up two balloons and hang one from each end of a strip of wood. Hang the centre of
the strip of wood with a thread so that you have a balloon scale. With a pin, carefully make
a little hole in one of the balloons near the knot to let the air out slowly.
Watch what happens with your scale.
The side with the burst balloon will go up.
This indicates that the balloon with air is heavier than the empty balloon.
Fact File
The air in a medium-sized
room weighs about as
much as you do.
The weight of air per unit of area is called air pressure. The pressure of air in tyres can hold
up the weight of a bike.
35
There is so much air in the atmosphere around the earth that it forms a heavy layer, pushing
down towards the ground. We do not feel the pressure nor do we get crushed because the
air pressure is the same inside and outside our body.
Here is an interesting experiment to show the crushing power of the atmosphere.
(To be performed by the teacher/tutor)
Take an empty tin can with a lid.
Fill it with half a cup of water.
Heat the can till the water starts to boil.
Hold the can with a tong, carefully close the lid, and immerse the can in cold water.
You will observe that the can will immediately crumble. The reason is that the boiling
water has made the air expand and go out of the can. With the lid closed no air can come
into the can.
When immersed in cold water the water vapour will condense, the air contracts, and there
will be empty space (vacuum) inside the can.
The atmospheric pressure on the outside will crush the can.
Every time you drink through a straw, you suck the air out of your mouth and make an
empty space. The heavy air outside the glass then pushes on the surface of the liquid in the
glass or bottle and pushes the drink up the straw to fill the space in your mouth.
We can say that air exerts pressure.
The wonders of air pressure

A medicine dropper works on the same principle.
When the rubber bulb is pressed air escapes.
There is a vacuum inside the dropper.
The medicine is pushed in due to air pressure.
A syringe works in a similar manner.
36
As the plunger is pushed down air is pushed out as the plunger is pulled up, air pressure
forces the liquid to move up.
Thus, air around us serves us in various ways. We should take care of this air and make sure
we keep it clean. One easy way is to keep our surroundings green.
• The earth is surrounded by a layer of gases which form the atmosphere.

• The atmosphere provides oxygen which is crucial for life.
• It protects the earth from the dangerous ultraviolet radiations from the sun.
• It helps to maintain a steady temperature on the earth.
• It helps to form the weather patterns and climate.
• Air pressure helps us to sip a drink with the help of a straw.
• Air pressure is useful in many other interesting ways.
Activity Time
1. Air pressure can cannot regulate the temperature on the earth.
2. Warm Cold air rises up.
3. Air is visible invisible .
4. Plants prepare food from oxygen carbon dioxide .
5. Air exerts does not exert pressure.

1. Ozone protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiations. _____________
2. The atmosphere does not keep the overall temperature of the earth steady. _____________
3. Cold air is lighter than warm air. _____________
4. We can see air but we cannot feel it. _____________
5. Air does not have any weight. _____________

Pressure oxygen absorbs space ozone
1. The atmosphere _________________ the heat from the sun.
2. The outer layer of the atmosphere has _________________ gas.
3. The weight of air per unit area is called _________________ .
37
4. As we go higher in the atmosphere the amount of _________________ decreases.
5. Air occupies _________________ and has mass.

1. If air is invisible how do we know that it surrounds us?
____________________________________________________________________
2. Why do we not feel the weight of the air?
____________________________________________________________________
3. What do you understand by the term air pressure?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Describe one experiment which proves that air pressure has crushing power.
____________________________________________________________________
5. Describe two ways in which air pressure helps us.
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
Collect the following items:
1. 2 clean and dry plastic drink bottles 1-2 liters in size
2. Latex balloons
3. Pin or tack
What You Do:

1. Make a small hole in the bottom of one bottle with the help of the pin or tack. Widen it so that your
hole ends up about 1/8” across…if it’s a little bigger, that’s okay too.
2. Place a balloon inside the neck of the bottle and stretch the opening of the balloon over the mouth so
that the opening is covered completely as shown.
3. Blow into the balloons one by one.
4. You will notice one balloon will inflate and the other one will not.
5. Can you explain why this happens?
Explanation
When the balloon is placed inside the bottle, and there is no way for the air inside to escape, the pressure
inside the bottle increases and does not allow the balloon to blow up. When there’s a hole at the bottom,
however, the compressed air can escape, and the balloon can expand.
38
7 My Need For Shelter
Like food, air and water we also need shelter. Early Man used to
live in caves to seek shelter from harsh climatic conditions and
also from enemies and carnivorous animals. Slowly, man learnt to Picture of early man in a cave
build huts then houses. Day by day there has been improvement in
construction techniques to suit the never ending wants of mankind.
An ideal house should have the following:
Ventilation
By now we have all learnt the importance of breathing in air which has oxygen. Our house
should have windows and ventilators to let in this fresh air. If we construct windows on
opposite sides then cross ventilation occurs. The impure air, rich in carbon dioxide, which
we breathe out can leave and pure air can enter.
Have you ever sat in a closed room for a long time? You will soon feel suffocated and will
want to go out, for a breath of fresh air!
Sunlight
A good house should be well lit. The windows should allow sunlight to enter. Sunlight keeps
the house free from germs. We have already learnt that our body prepares vitamin D in the
presence of sunlight. Vitamin D helps our bones and teeth to develop properly. Deficiency
of vitamin D causes a bone disease known as rickets.
A courtyard and a garden

An ideal house should have a courtyard and a garden outside the house. The plants in the
garden and the grass in the lawn provide a regular source of oxygen. Children can play in
the courtyard and breathe in pure air at the same time to remain healthy.
The roof
The roof of an ideal house has to be designed according to the weather conditions. High
rainfall areas should have houses with sloping roofs. The rainwater from these roofs can
be led into a collection tank. This is called rainwater harvesting. The collected water can be
used when there is a scarcity of water.
39
Verandahs
Most often houses have verandahs built around to help protect the rooms from rain.
Shades should be built above the windows to keep out the rain.
Flooring
Floors in an ideal house should have a slight slope towards the exit to drain out water from
the floor.
Doors
Double doors at the entrances are useful. The outer door with a grill and wire netting help
to keep the mosquitoes and flies out. At the same time the grill ensures that strangers do
not gain easy entry into our house.
An ideal house should ensure safety from
animals and thieves, all doors and windows
should have bolts, there should be grills
outside the windows to keep thieves away.
Drainage system
A good drainage system is a must for all houses. Stagnant water can be the cause of many
diseases and make the house unhygienic to live in. All the drains leading from the kitchen,
toilets, etc., should flow unhindered into the sewage tanks. Covered pipes and drains are a
must to keep the environment clean. We should ensure that no water collects around the
house as mosquitoes breed in stagnant water and mosquitoes are carriers of dangerous
diseases like malaria and dengue.
Electrical fittings
It is important that all electric wiring is concealed, open wiring may result in
accidents. Automatic circuit breakers are fitted in most houses to keep the
house safe from electric fires.
Rooms in a house
There are separate rooms in an ideal house for different
purposes.
A kitchen is a room where food is cooked. The
kitchen has to be designed accordingly. It should be
well-ventilated with an exhaust fan which helps to
remove the smoke. Modular kitchens ensure proper
storage of materials required for cooking.
A store room is a very useful room to have in a house. It can be used to store all extra things.
40
The dining room is a room where we all sit down to enjoy our
meals with family and friends. A dining table with chairs, side
racks to keep snacks etc. are required in a dining room. Some
people like to keep a refrigerator in the dining room, some
like to keep it in the kitchen. Others have refrigerators both in
the kitchen and in the dining room.
Bedrooms are rooms used for sleeping. A comfortable bed is
a must for a bedroom. There should be a cupboard
to keep our clothes. A bedside table to keep
our books and a table lamp make the bedroom
look good. We should remember to keep our
belongings in their proper places to keep the room
neat and tidy.
Generally, bedrooms have attached toilets. Toilets should

have waterproof tiles, a shower area, a sink, a pot and
proper supply of water. We should learn to keep the toilets
clean and free from bad odour. Excreta of humans not only
smell foul but it also invites disease spreading bacteria. We
should learn to keep the toilets dry.
A study room is meant to study in. It should be constructed in a
secluded part of the house. The study should also be well-lit and
properly ventilated. Book racks, a study table and a chair are a
must for a study.
A drawing room is the room
where we welcome all our
guests. The main entrance
leads into the drawing room.
This room should have
comfortable chairs or sofas, to seat our guests, side
tables to place water glasses, etc. Remember, in India
guests should be treated like God.
Our house is like a temple. We should keep it clean and decorate it tastefully. Too much of
clutter is bad. We should learn to keep all our things in their proper places and tend to the
plants in our garden.
41
• We need shelter to protect ourselves from harsh climatic conditions and
also from our enemies.
• Early Man lived in caves.
• Slowly man learnt how to construct houses.
• A good house should have proper ventilation, drainage system, enough
light, a garden and a courtyard.
• The electric wires should be concealed.
• The various rooms in a house are, kitchen, dining, storage, study, bed
rooms, toilets and a drawing room.
Activity Time
Activity 1: Strike out the wrong word/words to form the correct statements.
1. Early Man lived in huts caves .
2. Sunlight helps our body to prepare Vitamin D food .
3. Plants use carbon dioxide oxygen to prepare food.
4. We should keep the toilets wet dry and clean.
5. We serve food in the kitchen dining room.
stagnant carbon dioxide oxygen sunlight concealed
1. A good house should have enough ________________ .
2. A garden outside the house ensures we get enough ________________ to breathe.
3. Stale air has more ________________ gas.
4. Electric wiring of a house should be ________________ .
5. There should be no ________________ water outside the house.
42
1. Drawing room (a) Preparing food
2. Dining room (b) Bathing and washing
3. Bedroom (c) Reading and writing
4. Study room (d) Reception of guests
5. Bathroom (e) Eating
6. Kitchen (f) Sleeping
1. What is the use of a good drainage system in a house?
____________________________________________________________________
2. Why is ventilation so necessary in a house?
____________________________________________________________________
3. Why do houses and windows need to have wire nets?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Describe the advantages of having a double door at the entrance.
____________________________________________________________________
5. What is the use of constructing shades over windows?
____________________________________________________________________
6. Describe the advantages of having a garden outside the house.
____________________________________________________________________
43
Things To Do
1.
Describe your dream house. You can make a picture/paste a picture and give reasons why you
would want to live in such a house.
What are the important things an ideal house should have?
2. Find answers to the riddles in the grid given below.

Riddle me out:

1. I prevent breeding of mosquitoes.
2. Disinfect the house.
3. Use me to make a garden.
4. I keep the air fresh and pure.
5. Without me air cannot come and go.
6. I keep the house safe.
C M G N C U E D C S W K
O R A Y O V S J O E I T
V S R D U F U G U R N L
E X D C R B N N R G D X
R V E N T I L A T I O N
E R N T Y U I I Y P W L
D R A I N S G H A K S P
F D S Q R W H E R Y U O
G R I L L L T M D B V C
X C V B N M L K J H G F
F D S A W E R T Y U P K
X C V B N M L K J H G F
44
8 Types of Houses
The shape and design of houses depend on the climatic conditions, geographical
topography and economic condition of the people living in a particular area.
We learnt in lower classes that ‘kuchcha’ houses are made of cheaper materials like mud,
wood and straw. These houses are temporary establishments and are made by those
people who keep on moving from one place to another.
Houses in Japan are made of light wood preferably bamboo because Japan is in a highly
earthquake prone zone. If ‘pucca’ houses made of bricks and cement are constructed,
greater wide spread damage will occur if there is an earthquake.
People belonging to lower economic groups cannot afford to make ‘pucca’ houses. They
have to make do with temporary houses made of cheaper materials.
Houses in snow-covered areas

Eskimos living in the Arctic region build their houses
out of blocks of snow. These houses are called igloos.
You will be surprised to know that though ice melts
on heating it is a bad conductor of heat. So, houses
built of snow are very warm inside. It would be next
to impossible to construct any other kind of house in
these regions. An Igloo
Houses in earthquake prone areas

People living in these regions use light materials
such as bamboo to build their houses. These
houses collapse harmlessly when there is an
earthquake and damages are greatly minimized.
A bamboo house
45
Fact File
Bamboo is a fascinating plant. Here are some interesting facts about bamboo:
• Bamboo is not a tree. It is actually a grass.
• Bamboo has been reported to grow as much as 39 inches in 24 hours.
• Bamboo releases 35% more oxygen than the same amount of trees.
• There are over 1,450 species of bamboo.
• Bamboo grows on every continent except Antarctica.
• Because it is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, bamboo does not need fertilizers and pesticides for growing.
• Bamboo has a higher tensile strength than steel.
• More than one billion people in the world live in houses made of bamboo.
Houses in flood prone areas

In flood prone areas houses have to be built above the
danger marks. This can be done by using tall poles or by
construction of pillars.
A House on stilts
Houses in high snowfall and high rainfall areas
In areas which have a lot of rain or snow, houses have
sloping roofs so that the snow and rain can slide off
easily, and there is minimal leakage and seepage of water
into the houses.
House with a sloping roof
Houses in coastal areas

Fishermen living in coastal areas make their houses using reed, wood, coconut or palm
leaves. They build ‘kuchcha’ houses designed to remain cool. Fishermen also live in
houseboats.
Houseboats have become a great tourist attraction in coastal areas. People love to spend
time on these houseboats; it is a novel experience.
Houseboats in Kashmir are made of wood. They are moored at the edges of the Dal lake
and have bedrooms, a kitchen, a toilet and a living room.
Houseboats
46
Tents
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other
material draped over or attached to a frame of poles. Smaller
tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground. Large
tents are usually anchored using ropes tied to stakes or
tent pegs.
Tents were first used as portable homes by nomadic peoples.
Now they are used for recreational camping and temporary
shelters.
Houses in villages Tents

These houses are generally ‘kuchcha’ houses built of mud, bamboo and straw. They are
called huts. The thatched roof is interesting as it is made of straw. It keeps the house cool
during summers and warm during winters.
People have started modernizing their houses in villages too.
A modern house in a village A hut

Houses in cities and towns
People in cities and towns live in ‘pucca’ houses made of bricks and cement. These houses
are of various types.
Bungalows and cottages
These are houses which have a separate compound of their own
with enough space to make a beautiful garden. Only very rich
people can afford to live in cottages and bungalows.
Flats A bungalow
Many working class people prefer to live in flats. Many flats
can be accommodated in one building. In big cities these
buildings, sometimes more than 20 storied high, are known
as skyscrapers. Living in flats is very convenient. Essential
services are easily available. The newspaper man delivers
the newspaper; the milkman delivers the milk. Vegetables
and groceries can also be ordered at home.
Flats
47
All flats in a building share a common garden. They may also have a swimming pool, a
playground and a gymnasium. Chances of meeting and making friends increase while living
in flats. Moreover, it is much safer to live in flats than in bungalows and cottages.
• The shape and design of houses depend on the climatic conditions,

geographical topography and economic condition of the people.
• Early man lived in caves.
• ‘Kuchcha’ houses are cheaper to build.
• Houses in earthquake prone areas are made of light materials like bamboo.
• Houses in high rainfall areas are raised on poles or pillars.
• In the Arctic region Eskimos live in Igloos.
• Tents are portable houses.
• In the villages, people live in huts called ‘kuchcha’ houses.
• In the cities people live in cottages, bungalows and flats which are
‘pucca’ houses.
Activity Time
1. Ice is a good bad conductor of heat.
2. Houses in heavy rainfall areas have flat sloping roofs.
3. In earthquake prone areas houses are made of bricks bamboo .
4. Living in flats is convenient inconvenient .
5. Bungalows have a common separate garden.
huts Houseboats portable igloo Japan
1. Earthquakes are a natural phenomenon in ________________ .
2. An ________________ is a house made out of snow.
3. ________________ are a great attraction for tourists.
4. Tents were once used as ________________ homes.
5. People in villages live in ________________ .
48
1. Tents are portable houses. _____________

2. People live in flats for convenience. _____________
3. Temporary houses are more economical to build. _____________
4. Houses in high rainfall areas should be raised on poles or pillars. _____________
5. Poor people live in temporary ‘kuchcha’ houses. _____________

1. What factors play an important role in determining the kind of houses people build in a
particular region?
____________________________________________________________________
2. What are the advantages of living in a flat?
____________________________________________________________________
3. What kind of houses do people make in coastal areas?
____________________________________________________________________
4. What would you do if you were trapped in a place covered with snow?
____________________________________________________________________
5. Why is it so important to live in a house?
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
• Study the kind of houses in your locality and categorize them.
• Check out the drainage system to see if there are any open drains
• Check out if there are gardens and trees nearby.
• See whether the electrical wiring in your house is concealed.
• Check whether there is an automatic circuit breaker.
• Share your observations with your class.
49
Revision Exercise 1
(From chapters 1 to 8)
A. Solve the given crossword puzzle.

CLUES
Across→

1. Found in potatoes and rice
2. Main organ of the body.
3. Connects kidney to urinary bladder.
Down↓

1. Convenient to live in.
2. Produces a juice which is alkaline in nature.
3. Found in Arctic and Antarctic regions.
4. Works 24x7.
5. Is actually a seed.
6. Connects the brain to all parts of the body.
7. Food product produced by plants rich in proteins.
B. Match the following.

Column A Column B
1. (a) Excretion
2. (b) Touch me not
3. (c) Heavy rainfall
4. (d) Portable
5. (e) Respiration
50
50
C. Classify the food articles shown as being rich in carbohydrates/fats/proteins/vitamins & minerals.
Write the names of the vitamin or mineral if you know it.
a) ______________________ b) ______________________ c) ______________________
d) ______________________ e) ______________________
D. Write True or False.

1.
The liver produces bile. ___________
2. Calcium and Iodine are vitamins. ___________
3. Plants do not depend on animals for their survival. ___________
4. Our body cannot prepare any vitamin. ___________
5. Food is churned in the intestine. ___________
51
51
All About Clothing
9 Materials
The weather conditions on earth are such that all of us need
to wear clothes. During the winters we need to wear woolen
clothes to keep us warm. During the summers we need to
wear cotton clothes to protect ourselves from the scorching
heat of the sun. Our body mechanism makes us perspire
when it is hot and the perspiration, on drying, allows cool
air, through the cotton clothes, to cool the body.
Rope
Natural and artificial fibres
Clothing material is of two types — natural and artificial or manmade. Clothes that are
made from plant and animal fibres are made from natural fibres. Clothes made from fibres
which have been synthesized in the laboratory like rayon, nylon, polyester, and terylene are
said to be made from artificial fibres.
Artificial fibres are stronger than natural fibres, they dry more quickly and the colour does
not fade but these fibres do not absorb sweat, and so, if we wear them during summers
we feel extremely hot. The skin may get rashes. So, clothes made of artificial fibres should
never be worn in summers.
Clothing material from animals

Fur, leather and wool are obtained from animals. A thick
growth of hair called fur covers the skin of many animals. These
animals are killed and their skin is removed along with the fur.
This fur is used to make coats, shawls, etc. It is very cruel to kill
animals for their fur. So, we must say “No” to fur.
Fur clothes
The fur of animals like sheep, camels, rabbits and

goats are shaved and their fur is spun to make wool
like cashmere, mohair, angora, etc. Fur like hair
grows back again. It is better to wear a woolen coat
rather than one made of fur.
Woolen clothes
52
Leather is obtained from the skin of cows, pigs, goats,
and sheep. Exotic animals such as alligators, ostriches,
and kangaroos, even dogs and cats, who are slaughtered
for their meat as well as their skin. Leather is
manufactured by treating the hides to make them soft.
The process of turning animal skin into leather is called
tanning. Leather is used to make many items like shoes,
hand bags, jackets, coats, etc.
However, cruelty to animals is wrong. So, we should
avoid using leather products.
Leather items
Silk
Silk is also obtained from animals. The silkworm spins a
cocoon around itself from which silk thread is obtained. The butterfly
production of cocoons for their filament is called sericulture. pupa eggs
The cocoons formed are then immersed in boiling water.
This frees the silk filaments and is known as the degumming
process. However, the hot water also kills the silkworm
pupae. silkworm
Fact File
Did You Know
• Silk has a much lower density than cotton, wool and nylon.
• Silk can absorb moisture — up to one third of its own weight without
feeling damp.
• Silk cocoons consist of a single raw fibre which is approximately 1 km long.
• The finest quality mulberry silk comes from the mulberry tree silk
caterpillar.
• Silk fibre is as strong as steel, making silk the strongest natural fiber in the
Silk yarn world — 30 times stronger than cotton!
Clothing material from plants

Cotton, flax and hemp fibres are obtained
from plants.
Cotton is obtained from the seed of the
cotton plant.
Hemp fibres are generally used to make ropes
and sails as they are very strong and durable. Cotton plant Linen fibre
Fibres from the stem of the flax plant are woven into linen. This fabric is used to make table
cloths, napkins, handkerchiefs, etc.
53
Spinning and weaving
All natural fibres namely, cotton, wool, linen, silk and
hemp are widely used in clothing. Fibres are converted
into yarn by a process called spinning. It is then rolled
into bundles.
The process of arranging two sets of yarn together, to
make a fabric, is called weaving. A power loom
People who weave fibres are called weavers. Weaving is a method of fabric production in
which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric
or cloth.
Cloth is usually woven on a loom. A loom is a device that holds one set of threads in place
while another set of threads are woven through them.
A hand loom
There are two basic types of looms namely hand looms and power looms. On a hand loom
cloth is woven by hands. Power looms run on electricity.
Once the cloth is made it is sent for dyeing and printing. To dye the cloth into different
colours it has to first be made colourless. This is done by a process called bleaching.
Different prints on the cloth make it beautiful and we can select the colours and prints of
our choice to make clothes. Tailors sew the cloth to make clothes for us.
• We need to wear clothes to protect our bodies from the harsh weather
conditions.
• Clothing materials from plants and animals are said to be natural materials.
• Fur and leather are obtained from animals.
• Silk is obtained from the silk worm
• Natural fibres are obtained from plants and animals.
• Wool and silk are animal fibres.
• Cotton, linen and hemp are plant fibres.
• The fibres are spun into yarn. The yarn is woven into cloth.
• The tailor stitches our clothes from the cloth.
54
Activity Time
1. During summers we should wear synthetic cotton clothes.
2. Synthetic fibres are natural artificial .
3. Artificial fibres are stronger weaker than natural fibres.
4. Weaving Tanning is the process of converting animal skin to leather.
5. Silk fibre is stronger weaker than cotton fibre.
loom dry linen fur weaving
1. Fibres are converted to yarn by the process of ________________ .
2. ________________ is obtained from fibres of the flax plant.
3. Weaving of yarn into cloth is performed on a ________________ .
4. Clothes made from artificial fibres ________________ quickly.
5. Wool is obtained from ________________ of animals.
1. Hemp (a) Pupa
2. Bleaching (b) Summer
3. Silk (c) Ropes
4. Cotton (d) Leather
5. Jacket (e) Yarn
55
1. What is the difference between natural and artificial material used to make cloth?
____________________________________________________________________
2. What are the different sources for obtaining fibres?
____________________________________________________________________
3. How are fibres converted into cloth?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Why is it better to wear woolen clothes rather than clothes made of fur during the winters?
____________________________________________________________________
5. Which kind of clothes should be worn during summers and why?
____________________________________________________________________
6. How is leather made?
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Collect samples of different kinds of clothing materials.
2. Paste them in your scrap book.
3. Below each sample mention
• The material (natural/artificial) it is made from
• The fibre from which it is made.
• The kind of clothes that can be made from it.
56
UNIT 3: Learning to become independent
10 Reading a Map
Before we learn how to read a map it is important for us to learn how to locate a place with
the help of a sketch.
A sketch
Suppose you want to invite your friend over to your house you will have to give directions.
It will become easier if you draw a sketch of the position of your house with respect to the
other buildings/parks/markets, etc., which may be located to the right/left/east or west of
your house.
Look at the sketch shown below.
Your
House
School
Post
Bank office
Market Police
station
Park
+
Hospital
Your
Friends House
To reach the school from your house you would have to walk straight ahead up to the end
of the boundary of the bank take a right turn and then again take the first right turn. Can
you direct your friend to your house? Can you direct yourself to her house?
57
A sketch like the one shown above makes it
easy to locate a particular place even though Fact File
Cartography is the art and science of making maps.
exact distances and directions are not known. Did you know that maps were used as early as 6th
century BC? Maps help us understand and learn
Directions more about the geographical features of a place.
It is very important to be aware about where
we are located for only then will we know which
way to turn. We have already learnt about the
four cardinal directions.
Remember the Sun rises in the East and if we are facing the East then our back is turned
towards the West. When our right hand points toward the South, then our left hand points
towards the North.
East
North South
West
Direction can also be found out with the help of a magnetic compass.
The needle of the compass always points in the North South direction.
Another way to find directions is to look at the sky. The Pole Star
always points towards the North.
What is a map?
A map is a diagrammatic representation of the earth’s surface or part of it. It gives
information about the place through lines, shapes and other symbols. On the top of a map
the direction pointing North is shown with the help of an arrow pointing upwards.
A map is generally a two dimensional representation which is drawn
on a flat surface, eg., on the page of an Atlas.
A Globe is a three-dimensional model of the Earth and indicates
clearly the location of the main cities of all the continents. We have to
learn how to read a map.
58
Symbols
Maps can be drawn to represent roads, places, rivers, lakes, mountains, etc. These are
represented with the help of symbols and signs. Understanding these symbols and signs
requires the use of a key. The key clearly shows the picture along with a written description
of the meaning.
Scale
A map is a visual representation of a much larger area of land so maps have to be scaled
down. It is important to understand that all parts are decreased by the same proportion.
The map indicates the scale that has been used.
If the distance between two cities is 150 km the scale used may be described as follows:
Let 1 cm represent 100 km.
Then the line drawn between the two cities should be 1.5 cm long.
If 1 cm = 100 km
1.5 cm = 150 km
Measure the distance of the hospital, park and school in the map given above and use the
scale given to find the distance of all three from the house. A sketch unlike a map does not
show direction nor does it represent accurate distances. A map always has an arrow on the
top right hand side of the page pointing towards the North. Maps also represent different
features of the land with the help of signs and symbols.
59
Refer to the map of India in an Atlas. You will see the States marked out with fine dotted
lines. Every State is shown with its name and capital. There are 29 states and 7 Union
Territories in India. The names of the union territories are given below.
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Chandigarh
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli
• Daman and Diu
• Delhi (National Capital)
• Lakshadweep
• Puducherry (Pondicherry)
Locate your own state on the map. Then name the states which lie to the North, South, East
and West of your state.
Now, locate the capital Delhi and name the state which lies to the East of Delhi.
Uses of maps
A map is a record of a large variety of information namely distances, physical features
(mountains, forest, rivers, etc.), and shapes of places or destinations:
• A map gives a miniature “picture” of a very large space.
• A map is like a guide.
• With a map, one does not have to depend on local directions.
• It is a direction finder and a dependable way to take a journey.
Life today offers so many opportunities to travel. Thus, it has become very important for us
to learn how to read maps.
• A sketch helps us to locate a place.

• It is important for us to know our bearings.
• A sketch does not show directions nor does it represent accurate distances.
• A map gives far more information than a sketch.
• A map is a scaled down representation of a large area.
• A map shows direction.
• A map uses symbols and signs to tell us about the physical features of
the place.
• A map is like a guide.
60
Activity Time
Activity 1: Strike out the wrong word/words to complete these sentences.
1. One way to locate direction is to look at the sky sea .
2. A globe is a two three -dimensional model of the earth.
3. A sketch represents accurate inaccurate distances.
4. In a map it is important that all some parts are reduced in a particular proportion.
5. If we can read a map we need do not need a guide.
1. There are 29 States and 7 Union Territories in India. _____________
2. A sketch is more accurate than a map. _____________
3. To interpret a map we need to have a key. _____________
4. The arrow in the map always points towards the South. _____________
5. Weather conditions can be predicted on a map. _____________
1. Delhi (a) Firection
2. Uttarakhand (b) Union Territory
3. Map (c) Only location
4. Sketch (d) Symbol
5. Lake (e) State
1. What do signs and symbols on a map represent?
____________________________________________________________________
2. Why are distances scaled down on a map?
____________________________________________________________________
61
3. Name the seven union territories of India?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Name the Northern most State of India.
____________________________________________________________________
5. Name the three water bodies that surround India.
____________________________________________________________________
6. In what two ways can a map help you?
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Make a sketch of the place you live in. Then explain to the class where you live by presenting the
sketch on the board.
II. Make a map to show where your house is located.
• Find out the distance from your house to school and scale this distance down.
• Find out the distance from your house to your favorite outing place and scale this down by an
equal amount.
• Now try and represent the position of your house with respect to these two places as a map.
• You could add the description of the landscape between the two places by adding symbols.
• Remember to give the key and the direction.
62
Maintenance of
11 Clothes
All of us need to learn how to look after our own things. As children our parents take care of
us but slowly we must learn to look after our own needs.
Wearing of clean clothes

If we wear the same clothes everyday without washing they will not only get dirty but also
start smelling bad. Our body releases toxic waste products in the form of perspiration which
occurs on the skin and dirty our clothes. If the pores of the skin get blocked we begin to
feel lethargic. Dirty clothes attract bacteria and other organisms that can make us ill. After a
good bath we all feel fresh don’t we? Do we wear dirty clothes after a bath?
Washing and drying of clothes

Active and healthy children learn to change their clothes to suit the occasion. During
summers we should wear light cotton clothes which can be easily washed. When it is
hot we perspire more and perspiration contains excretory products of the body which
make it smell bad. It is important to put our clothes for washing after they get soiled with
perspiration. If we wear dirty clothes we might get skin diseases.
Clothes should be washed with good detergents and dried properly because wet and damp
clothes invite the development of bacteria and also begin to smell bad. However, it is not
advisable to dry clothes under direct sunlight as the colour may fade. Wind helps to dry
clothes faster. So, we should dry clothes in airy places.
Fact File
After the fall of the Roman Empire in 5th century
AD, Europe lived through a 1000 year long period
in which personal hygiene and cleaning of clothes
was almost totally abandoned. This led to the wide
occurrences of diseases and plagues.
63
Ironing our clothes
Dried clothes should be ironed to make us look smart. We
must learn to iron our clothes carefully as the fabric might
burn. Synthetic fibres do not need to be ironed, they also
catch fire easily. So, when we wear synthetic clothes we
should stay away from fire.
After ironing our clothes we should put them away neatly inside the cupboard.
Woollen clothes should not be washed with water and a detergent as wool is a delicate
fibre. Woolen clothes should be dry cleaned with petrol. As we do not perspire much during
the cold season, woollen clothes need not be washed every day.
Silk clothes should be washed with mild good quality detergents and never dried directly
under the sun. It is better to have silk clothes dry cleaned just like the woolen clothes.
To remove stains from our clothes we need to use stain removers. Vinegar can help to
remove tea coffee and even ink stains. Removal of stains has to be done as fast as possible.
Talcum powder helps to get rid of oil stains from our clothes.
Wear clothes to suit the season

It is important to wear clothes made of suitable materials during different seasons.
Cotton clothes are most suited for the summer season as they absorb sweat and can be
washed and dried easily. We need to iron cotton clothes before wearing them.
Ironed clothes make us look smart and when we feel good about our looks we feel
confident.
During the winters we should wear woolen clothes to keep our body warm. As we do not
perspire much during the winters we need not wash woolen clothes often.
During the monsoon season we should wear clothes that help to keep
the rain away. Raincoats and gumboots help protect the clothes we are
wearing. Carrying an umbrella to keep our heads dry is
also a great idea during rainy weather.
As we have learnt, each season makes us
wear different types of clothes. Once the
season gets over, it is important to wash
the clothes of the previous season and store
them safely till the next year. Using naphthalene balls or dried neem leaves help protect
stored clothes from insects like silver fish and termite. Rats are also known to harm
clothes by shredding them. Using rat-traps and storing clothes in a steel almirah helps to
keep rats away.
Maintaining clothes helps us to protect them and make them last longer. Clean and
well-preserved clothing helps us to make a good impression on people.
64
• All of us must learn to look after our own needs.
• If we wear dirty clothes we might get skin diseases.
• Clothes should be washed with good detergents and dried properly.
• Wet and damp clothes begin to smell bad.
• It is not advisable to dry clothes under direct sunlight.
• Woollen clothes should be dry-cleaned.
• Silk clothes should be dry-cleaned or washed with mild detergents and
dried in the shade.
• Ironed clothes make us look smart.
• Neem leaves and naphthalene balls help to protect our clothes.
Activity Time
1. Clothes are protected by using naphthalene balls soap .
2. We should dry clothes in damp dry places.
3. We should wear clothes made of the same different materials for different seasons.
4. Clothes made of artificial material need need not be ironed.
5. Before storing our clothes for the next season we should should not wash them.

neem directly winters foul dried
1. Dark coloured clothes are worn in ________________________ .
2. Washed clothes need to be ________________ properly.
3. Clothes should not be dried ________________ under the sun.
4. Unwashed clothes have a ________________ smell.
5. ________________ leaves also help to protect our clothes.

1. Crumpled clothes make us look smart. _____________
2. We need to take proper care of our clothes. _____________
3. Cotton clothes can be worn during all seasons. _____________
4. Neem leaves help to protect our clothes. _____________
5. Silver fish and termites damage our clothes. _____________
65
1. Why do we need to wash our clothes?

____________________________________________________________________
2. Why is it not essential to wash woolen clothes regularly?
____________________________________________________________________
3. How can we keep our woolen clothes clean?
____________________________________________________________________
4. How would you remove ink stains from your clothes?
____________________________________________________________________
5. How would you maintain clothes made of silk?
____________________________________________________________________
6. How would you remove oil stains from your clothes?
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1.
Under each picture write ‘W’ for clothes worn during winters, ‘S’ for clothes worn during summers
and ‘M’ for clothes worn during the monsoon season.
II. Find the names of articles used to clean clothes from the jumbled up words given below.
1. Meen ________________________
2. Nnaahheeptl labls ________________________
3. Teerdteng ________________________
4. Haws ________________________
5. Lortep ________________________
66
Taking Care of Our
12 Body Parts
Now that we have learnt how to take care of our clothes don’t you think it is just as
important to take care of our body parts? Our body is like a machine which keeps working
to give us energy to do whatever we wish to do. At the same time waste materials need to
be removed from the body. So, we have to make sure we keep ourselves clean. If we do not
keep our body parts clean there are chances we will pick up diseases which will trouble us
and we will begin to remain unhealthy.
Here are a few tips on how to keep your body clean.
Keep your digestive system free of undigested food

Wake up early in the morning and slowly stretch your muscles so that they do not get
cramps. Drink water so that you can go to the toilet to flush out the undigested food you
ate the previous day. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water and then dry
them using a clean towel.
Brush your teeth with a soft brush slowly in a circular motion to
remove any food particles sticking to your teeth. If you brush your
teeth very hard you might remove the enamel which protects the
teeth and thus cause damage. Food particles which are left around
the teeth invite bacteria. Remember to clean your mouth thoroughly
after eating and brush your teeth at night before sleeping.
We need to look after the gums too as the gums hold our teeth in place. Massaging the
gums gently after brushing strengthens the gums as the massaging increases the blood
circulation. Do not brush your teeth with a hard toothbrush or coarse tooth powders as
these may damage the gums.
Eating too many sweets damage our teeth as sweet food invites bacteria to our mouth.
These bacteria may damage our teeth.
Exercise
There are more than 500 muscles in our body which work along with the bones to enable
us to perform many tasks. Simple tasks like standing and walking require bone support and
muscular strength. There are 206 bones in our body attached to different muscles. We need
to exercise the muscles so that they remain strong and functional. Our muscles get weak
and stop to function if we do not use them. We have both small and big muscles in our
67
body. The muscles of the arms and legs are big muscles and the muscles of the eyes
are small. It is easier to exercise the bigger muscles. However, most of us forget to exercise
the smaller ones.
Yogic exercises are very good for our body but they have to be performed under
professional guidance. Early morning walks or jogging is good. Playing games like tennis,
badminton, hockey, football, etc., are also very good. Those of us who exercise early in the
morning can concentrate better on our studies as exercises help to take oxygen to all parts
of the body especially the brain.
Fact File
We exercise at least 30
muscles when we smile.
A good body massage also helps to strengthen our muscles.

Healthy people have strong bones and muscles.
Posture
The term posture means the position of a person’s body when standing or sitting. Good
posture keeps the backbone straight and strong, and helps the bones to grow properly.
While standing hold your head up and chin in.
Look straight ahead
Put your shoulders back.
Tuck your tummy in.
Keep your knees straight.
Keep your chest forward.
Keep your feet 15 cm apart. 7 7 3
Balance your weight behind on the front part of your foot, behind the
toes and not on the heels.
Take a deep breath and relax your shoulders.
Balancing a book on your head is a good way to check whether you have a good posture.
While walking
Keep your back straight.
Hold your head high and chest out.
Swing your arms.
Now try walking with the book balanced on your head. 7 3 7
68
While sitting
Try to keep your back straight.
Put your back against the back rest of the chair.
Your knees should make a right angle.
Feet flat on floor.
Don’t cross your legs.
Stop Slouching and Slumping
While lying down Example of bad posture
Do not read. Good posture
Do not eat and drink.
Other tips
Do not stoop while reading.
Stand upright while talking to your friends. 7 3 7
Basically be aware of your bones and muscles, and do not strain them.
Take care of your sense organs

Eyes
Wash your eyes in the morning with clean water.
Handle things with sharp edges carefully.
Do not read while lying down or walking.
Do not read in dim light.
Ears
Our ears help us to hear. The ear drum is the most important part of
the ear which vibrates due to any sound. If the ear drum is damaged
we will not be able to hear.
Always clean your ears with cotton buds.
Never try to clean your ears with a match stick or any other pointed
object.
Nose
Blow out the dirt from your nose while taking a bath.
If you have a cold use a clean handkerchief or tissue paper to blow
your nose.
While sneezing cover your nose and mouth.
69
Skin
The pores of our skin get blocked with the dirt and dust around us.
These pores need to be kept open so that the body can remove the
toxic waste products. That is why we need to take a bath at least
once every day. We should wash our hair at least twice a week. If
our hair remains dirty and uncombed we might get lice.
We should trim our nails regularly. Long nails collect dirt which may
enter our mouth while eating and make us ill.
• To remain healthy we must keep our body clean.

• We need to exercise regularly to keep our muscles and bones strong.
• We need to brush our teeth gently in circular motion to remove food
particles. Our gums need to be massaged to keep them strong.
• To keep our backbone straight we should maintain good posture all
the time.
• We need to take care of our eyes nose ears and skin.
Activity Time
1. Bones and muscles work together separately .
2. Brush your teeth harshly gently in circular motion.
3. Exercise strengthens weakens the muscles.
4. Clean your ears with a cotton bud match stick .
5. We have more than 500 bones muscles in our body.

pores backbone soap posture blocked
exercise eardrum wash water
1. If our __________________ is damaged we will not be able to hear.
2. Regular __________________ keeps us healthy.
3. We should _______________ our hands with _____________ and ____________ before eating.
4. Good __________________ helps to keep the __________________ straight.
5. The __________________ of our skin get __________________ with dirt.
70
1. Correct posture helps our bones to grow properly. _____________

2. Massage makes the muscles and gums weak. _____________
3. Exercises soften our bones. _____________
4. We have 206 muscles in our body. _____________
5. We should eat our meals comfortably while lying down. _____________
1. What should be your posture while standing?

________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the things we should not do while lying down?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why is exercise required to keep us healthy?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. How can we acquire a good posture while walking?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. Why is it necessary to brush our teeth?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. How can we strengthen our gums?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Keep a record of the muscles you exercised and find out which part of your body was left out
II. Discuss this with your classmates to find a solution.
III. Under the pictures shown write ‘C’ for correct posture and ‘W’ for incorrect or a wrong posture.
71
UNIT 4: LEARNING TO BECOME RESPONSIBLE
13 Keeping Our
Surroundings Clean
Now that we have learnt how important it is for us to keep our clothes and body clean so
that we remain healthy, it is time we looked around to see whether our surroundings are
just as clean.
Waste material
To begin with we should make sure our room is clean. We should make sure there is a
dustbin in our room so that we can throw away things we do not want into the dustbin.
However, we should not throw away banana skins into the dustbins in the rooms as they
will begin to decay and the room will smell bad. Tiny insects will hover around and soon you
will find ants in the room. So, throw away only dry garbage into the dustbin. Somewhere
in your house there will be a dustbin for wet garbage. Throw waste edible material there.
Almost every day all families generate a lot of waste material. This can be classified as
degradable and nondegradable.
Degradable materials are those materials which undergo
the process of decay and decomposition. These substances
include leftover food, vegetables, tea leaves, etc. Degradable
products do not harm the environment. Of course we should
not throw them anywhere we want. It is a good idea to make
a pit to throw the degradable materials because in the pit
they can get converted to manure which is food for plants.
Nondegradable materials are those materials which are made
up of man-made materials. These materials do not undergo
the process of decay and decomposition as they are made
of substances on which microorganisms cannot live. These
materials include plastic, polythene, etc.
Nondegradable waste materials are a threat to the
environment as they will eventually choke mother earth by
covering it up.
Disposal of waste material
It is a challenge for both municipalities and communities
to dispose waste material without harming or polluting the
72
environment. We all must make an effort to ensure proper disposal of waste material. It is
important for us to know what the best method of disposal is.
Disposal of solid waste

Solid waste also known as refuse can be categorized as degradable, nondegradable and
recyclable. It is essential for us to separate the different categories. Degradable waste is
the most harmless waste and can be taken to the dumping grounds. The waste from each
household should be dumped in the big dustbins provided for each locality. This waste is
collected by municipal vehicles and dumped either into open dumping grounds, landfills or
sanitary landfills.
In open dumping grounds the waste is thrown openly
to decay. It is exposed to stray animals, rodents and
flies which spread diseases. The waste begins to rot
and smells foul. When it rains the rainwater carries
harmful substances to the streams which results in
water pollution. Thus, open dumping is a poor method
of waste disposal.
Disposing of waste in a landfill involves burying the Open dumping ground
waste into a pit. At the end of each day, a layer of soil is
scattered on top of it and some mechanism, usually a roller is used
to compress the garbage, which now forms a cell. Thus, every day,
garbage is dumped and becomes a cell. However, there are chances
that harmful substances produced during the decay process leach
into the groundwater and cause water pollution.
A sanitary landfill is more hygienic and protects the environment. Land fill
It is lined with materials that are impermeable such as
plastics and clay, and are built over impermeable soil. When
the sanitary landfill sites become filled they can be used
for recreational or other purposes. This method is used to
dispose nondegradable and poisonous substances.
Incineration Sanitary Landfill

The nondegradable waste is sometimes burnt. However,
burning increases the levels of carbon dioxide in the air and adds to global warming as
Carbon dioxide traps the heat of the sun within the atmosphere of the earth. Burning of
polythene is very dangerous as the gases released damage the Ozone layer. Incineration
also damages the land and kills plants. Thus, it is not advisable to burn solid waste.
73
Making compost
Composting is a technique used to accelerate the natural
decay process. Compost is both good for the environment
and for kitchen gardens. It can very easily be made at
home if there is some land space outside the home.
In villages compost pits are dug and everyone throws
degradable garbage into these pits. When one pit is full
Advantages of composting
it is covered and left to compost while another pit is dug.
Composting may take as long as one year but with a little bit of human intervention it can
compost sooner and better. The end product is worth the wait. It can be used as healthy
manure for the plants.
Recycling
Recycling involves the collection of used and discarded
materials to convert them into new products. It reduces the
amount of waste that is thrown into the community dustbins.
It saves landfill spaces thereby making the environment cleaner
and the air fresher to breathe.
If recycling is done in a proper manner, it will solve the
problems of waste or garbage. The steps involved in the
process prior to recycling include
a) Collection of waste from doorsteps, commercial places, etc.
b) Collection of waste from community dumps.
c) Collection/picking up of waste from final Some items that can be recycled or reused
disposal sites. Paper Old copies
Most of the garbage generated in the household can Old books
Paper bags
be recycled and reused. Organic kitchen waste such
Newspapers
as leftover foodstuff, vegetable peels, and spoilt or Old greeting cards
dried fruits and vegetables can be recycled by putting Cardboard box
them in the compost pits that have been dug in the Plastic Containers
garden. Old newspapers, magazines and bottles can Bottles
Bags
be sold to the ‘Kabadiwala’, the man who buys these
Sheets
items from homes.
Glass and Bottles
In your own home you can contribute to waste ceramics Plates
reduction and the recycling and reuse of certain Cup
Bowls
items. To cover your books you can use old calendars
Miscellaneous Old cans
and newspapers. Unless all of us contribute our Utensils
efforts, mother earth will become a big dumping Clothes
ground full of the waste all of us together produce. Furniture
74
The need of the hour today is
Re - duce Re - cyle Re - use
Fact File
Recycling is an excellent way of saving energy and conserving the environment. Did you know that:
• 1 recycled tin can would save enough energy to power a television for 3 hours.
• 1 recycled glass bottle would save enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.
• 1 recycled plastic bottle would save enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for 3 hours.
• 70% less energy is required to recycle paper compared with making it from raw materials.
Disposal of liquid waste

Sewage is waste water mixed with waste matter from domestic or industrial establishments
that is carried away in sewers or drains for dumping or conversion into a form that is not
toxic. Sewage contains fecal matter, urine, etc. Untreated sewage looks dirty and smells
foul. Most sewage flows into lakes, oceans, rivers and streams. However, the sewage should
be treated in a plant before it is allowed to flow into the water bodies. It is the responsibility
of the Government to ensure that this happens. The citizens must inform the Government if
they notice a lapse.
Any home or other building that is not connected to a municipal or city sewage system
needs a method for getting rid of human waste. All buildings not serviced by a municipal
treatment plant need to have an onsite sewage disposal system that is properly designed
and filed with the local public health authority.
A typical sewage disposal system has 2 basic parts:
• A septic tank, or a treatment plant and;
• A soak pit
Septic tank: A septic tank is a watertight, underground container used for receiving,
treating, and settling human waste.
Septic tanks should be inspected every year, they usually need servicing every 2 to 3 years,
depending on the number of people using the
system and the volume of daily sewage flow.
Soak pit: Soak pit is designed to filter the water
clean before it reaches the ground water.
The Municipality and the Gram Panchayat are
responsible for sanitation and cleanliness
needs of the locality. However, we must all
contribute towards keeping our surroundings
clean and green.
Soak pit
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• We must learn to keep our environment clean.
• Waste material can be classified as degradable, non degradable and recyclable.
• Degradable waste does not harm the environment if it is disposed safely.
• Solid waste can be disposed in open dumping grounds, landfills or sanitary
landfills.
• Sanitary landfills are the best option.
• Solid waste can also be incinerated but incineration causes air pollution.
• Making compost out of degradable solid waste is a positive step.
• Recycling of solid waste is another positive method to check pollution.
• It is crucial to dispose sewage in accordance with the guidelines set by the
municipality.
Activity Time
1. Leftover food and vegetables form degradable non degradable waste.
2. Open dumping is a poor good method of disposing waste.
3. Sanitary landfills are more less hygienic than landfills.
4. Incineration of waste is advisable not advisable .
5. Pollution can be checked if we reduce increase waste production.

poisonous compost recycling refuse designed
1. Solid waste is known as _________________________ .
2. _________________________ of waste material saves land refill spaces.
3. A sewage disposal system has to be properly _________________________ .
4. In villages garbage is thrown in _________________________ pits.
5. Sanitary landfills are used to dispose _________________________ materials.

I. Compost (a) Treatment plant
2. Landfill (b) Nondegradable
3. Polythene (c) Open dumping grounds
4. Sewage (d) Water pollution
5. Rodents (e) Garden
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1. What steps would you take to keep your room clean?

________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why should we not throw degradable waste into dustbins inside the room?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Where is solid waste disposed?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. What are the drawbacks of dumping waste materials in open dumping grounds?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. Which is the best method to dispose degradable solid waste?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. In what manner can sewage harm the environment?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1.
Under each picture write ‘D’ for degradable ‘R’ for recyclable waste.
1I.
Make a record of things you throw as waste at home and classify them as above.
III. Suggest ways by which you could reduce, reuse and recycle this waste.
IV. Make a slogan/slogans to promote the message Reuse, Recycle and Reduce Waste to save
the environment.
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Pollution—
14 Cause and Effect
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of undesirable substances into the natural environment.
These substances are unsuitable for sustaining life. Introduction of chemical substances or
energy, such as noise, heat or light have a negative effect on living organisms. The harmful
substances which cause pollution are called pollutants.
Causes of pollution
It is interesting to note that natural products suit
the environment better than manmade products.
A simple example is polythene material which can
be seen spread over in the streets, neighborhoods,
rivulets and river-banks of small or big rivers. You will
observe that at some places the Ganga and Yamuna
rivers are covered with a thick layer of polythene
material. Polythene chokes the water bodies, pollutes the land and poisons us slowly.
Polythene is a major threat to animals as they eat the polythene bags containing food
which we dump carelessly around. Polythene is indestructible and polythene pollution
has caused great concern.
Today it has become very easy for us to travel. Many
people have cars, in fact the number of cars has
increased so much that the roads are choked with
moving cars. The emission of harmful gases from these
vehicles causes so much air pollution that breathing
has become difficult and people living in the cities are
not at all healthy.
Factories have added to the pollution levels by emission of smoke and production of
unwanted chemicals and poisonous gases as side products.
Farmers have used artificial fertilizers to improve the quality of crops but these fertilizers
have caused water pollution.
It is clear that we have spoilt the environment gifted to us by nature and we will have to
bear the consequences.
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Air pollution
Air pollution is caused mainly by smoke which is
released by vehicles on the roads and the many
factories in industrial towns. In villages people burn
dung cakes and wood for cooking which also release
smoke and adds to air pollution.
Smoke contains carbon particles, poisonous gases
like Carbon monoxide and acidic gases like Sulphur
Dioxide and Carbon dioxide. Acidic gases combine with rainwater to produce acid rain
which damages animal and plant life.
During the winters water vapours condense around the solid particles (pollutants which
maybe carbon particles or dust) in air which creates smog. Smog reduces visibility, screens
the warm sunshine and is suffocating.
Air pollution causes many respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis and even lung cancer.
Prevention of air pollution
• Planting of trees is one way to reduce air pollution as trees use the carbon dioxide and
replenish the air with oxygen.
• The smoke released from chimneys should be passed through filters to make it harmless.
• We should try to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads; riding a cycle is a
good idea.
Water pollution
The main cause of water pollution is the entrance of untreated sewage water from houses,
farms and industries into the water bodies. The excessive fertilizers and pesticides used by
farmers also reach the water bodies after it rains.
Fact File
Sewage contains human excreta, soaps and When we talk about chemicals that “hurt”
detergents etc. which damage aquatic life. If the soil, we usually point finger to the farmers
this water reaches the drinking water supply, who use pesticides and other chemicals that
destroy the soil. However do you know that the
diseases like cholera, dysentery and jaundice
homeowners use ten times more chemicals per
are spread. acre than farmers? Saving the planet means just
The pesticides used by farmers harm aquatic life a little change in our own lifestyle.
too. The flow of excessive fertilizers promotes
the rapid growth of weed in the water which
chokes the life of other aquatic plants.
Prevention of water pollution
• It should be mandatory (compulsory) to ensure that all kinds of sewage water are
treated before being allowed to enter the water bodies.
• Use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers should be restricted.
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Noise pollution
Noise is generally regarded as unwanted sounds which produce
unpleasant effects on the ears. Noise is produced by household
gadgets, vehicles on the road, jet planes, loudspeakers, etc.
Noise disturbs both animals and human beings. It has been
found that plants are also affected by noise.
Household gadgets like mixer, grinder, vacuum cleaner, washing
machine, etc., and televisions greatly increase the levels of
sound inside the house.
Loudspeakers, loud radios, vehicles on road, airplanes,
etc., are a major source of noise pollution outside
the house.
The eardrum can be damaged by loud sounds or by
prolonged exposure to noise. Thus, long exposure to
loud noise may result in hearing loss which may
become permanent.
Apart from hearing impairment noise pollution causes an increase in the rate of heart-beat
and thus increases the blood pressure.
It causes headaches, irritability and nervousness and decreases our ability to work.
Prevention of noise pollution
Noise pollution can be prevented to a large extent if all of us contribute towards the cause.
• Growing green plants and trees reduces noise pollution as they absorb sound.
• We need to check pollution at all levels to protect our planet earth and keep our
environment safe.
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• The introduction of undesirable substances into the natural environment
causes pollution.
• Manmade products like polythene have greatly harmed the environment.
• Air pollution has been caused by fumes emitted by vehicles, smoke and
poisonous gases emitted by factories.
• Air pollution causes the formation of smog during the winter season which
is very unhealthy for both plants and animals as it screens the sun.
• Water pollution is caused by leaching of sewage water, fertilizers and
pesticides used by farmers into the water bodies.
• Noise pollution is caused by gadgets inside the house, vehicles,
loudspeakers, etc., outside the house.
• Pollution has to be checked at all levels to keep our environment a safe
place to live within.
Activity Time
1. Chemical substances have a negative positive effect on the environment.
2. Air pollution causes respiratory excretory problems.
3. Jaundice Malaria is caused due to water pollution.
4. Plants and trees take care of the environment in one many ways.
5. Smog reduces increases visibility.

spoilt acidic decreases pollution filters
1. Smoke released from factories should be passed through _____________ to make it harmless.
2. Noise pollution _________________________ our ability to work.
3. _________________________ gases combine with rainwater to form acid rain.
4. We have _________________________ the environment gifted to us by nature.
5. Decrease _________________________ and save the environment.

1. Sewage should be sometimes sent to the treatment plant. _____________
2. Water pollution results in formation of smog. _____________
3. Noise pollution can damage our ability to hear. _____________
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4. Animals are also affected by pollution. _____________
5. Pollution endangers life on earth. _____________

1. Describe the different ways by which plants protect the environment.
________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the different ways by which air gets polluted?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Describe how sewage is rendered safe for the environment.
________________________________________________________________________________
4. What are the diseases that can occur due to water pollution?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. What damages can be caused by noise pollution?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. How can we contribute towards decreasing pollution?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
Below each picture write ‘A’ if it shows air pollution, ‘W’ if it shows water pollution, ‘N’ if it depicts noise
pollution and put an ‘X’ if it does not depict any kind of pollution. In some cases you might have to write
both symbols.
• Look around your neighbourhood and see what kind of pollution you can observe.
• Record your observations. You may take photographs and paste them to show your classmates.
• Each student should present their recorded observations.
• Discuss how you as a class could help to decrease pollution.
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Revision Exercise 2
A. Study the given pictures and write ‘A’ if the material is made from animal fibre, ‘P’ if it is made from plant
fibre and ‘S’ if it is made synthetic fibre.
B. Study a map of India and answer the following questions:

1. Name two northern states of India.
2. What symbol is used to represent the rivers?
3. What symbol is used to show railway tracks?
4. Which symbol is used to show mountains?
5. What is the difference between a map and a sketch?
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C. Find the names of things used to keep our body and clothes clean.
b l h r e l w d t s c w q m z x s h b
t o o t h p a s t e z r u o w z q k g
e t w x c n s m k l w e y i x z a q f
k j g n a p h t h a l e n e b a l l s
i w t v x w i u i q g h d l p o f d a
v b n k j f n e p g w s h h e c n b q
k d e t e r g e n t z v g t y u i o m
l s w g h l m v b m e r i y f r u u x
q d l o e t a l c u m p o w d e r v c
u h j f d e c s w r b n e x a z z m o
y u e r i s h a m p o o f r j h a w v
p b n c x q I z d a h j k p u t r e q
e h f d s n n r c c x x z w y u k l t
y u e w v p e t r o l d f h v b m s w
o m e q x c z z u m l p y e w g h p z
q w c v n h u t r b e r l o r t g b x
i z w q d l o k i u g f r d m n d u v
D. Cross the odd one out.

1. nose stomach kidney liver
2. rose bush monkey rabbit water
3. oxygen food house car
4. mass pressure gas vacuum
5. direction scale symbol sketch
6. cardboard paper vegetable peels plastic
7. cotton silk fur nylon
8. sewage cholera jaundice smog
9. water sulphur dioxide sunlight oxygen
10. factories humans incineration plants
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Test Paper 1
A. Tick (3) the correct answer.
1. The liver is _____________________ .
(a) an external organ (b) an internal organ (c) gland
2. The lungs are pink in colour due to the presence of _____________________ .
(a) blood vessels (b) oxygen (c) air
3. Citrus fruits contain _____________________ .
(a) vitamin A (b) vitamin B (c) vitamin C
4. Pulses are a source of _____________________ .
(a) Carbohydrates (b) Fats (c) Proteins
5. During photosynthesis plants release _____________________ .
(a) Carbon dioxide (b) Oxygen (c) Water vapours
6. The production of cocoons for obtaining silk fibre is called _____________________ .
(a) sericulture (b) vermiculture (c) compositing
7. Talcum powder helps to get rid of _____________________ stains.
(a) ink (b) oil (c) tea
8. During summers we should wear _____________________ clothes.
(a) woolen (b) silk (c) cotton
9. We should brush our teeth _____________________ .
(a) softly (b) hard (c) in circular motion
10. Plastic bags should be _____________________ .
(a) thrown around (b) recycled (c) burnt
B. Match the following.
1. Smog (a) Water pollution
2. Newspaper (b) Nondegradable
3. Vegetables (c) Recyclable
4. Broken pipes (d) Noise pollution
5. polythene (e) Conservation
6. Sketch (f) Reusable
7. Hearing impairment (g) Carbohydrate
8. Cholera (h) Air pollution
9. Recycle (i) Inaccurate
10. Rice (j) Degradable
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C. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
1. Digestive juices in the stomach are _______________ in nature.
2. The liver produces _______________ which is _______________ in nature.
3. The _______________ opens its petals only when the moon shines.
4. _______________ protects the earth from dangerous ultraviolet radiations.
5. Early Man lived in _______________ .
6. Fibres are converted into yarn by a process called _______________ .
7. Yarn is converted into cloth by a process called _______________ .
8. The Pole Star always points toward the _______________ .
9. Before eating we should wash our hands with _______________ .
10. A _______________ refill is hygienic and protects the environment.

D. Answer the following questions.
1. Differentiate between an organ and a system. Name all the organs of the digestive system and
mention the function of each.
2. Give 8 reasons to show that a mountain is nonliving whereas a tree growing on the mountain
is living.
3. Which foods would you include in your diet to make sure you are eating a balanced diet?
4. Why does food get contaminated? Describe four methods by which we can preserve food.
5. What do you understand by rainwater harvesting? Describe one method by which you too
could harvest rain water.
6. Name three water borne diseases. What methods can be used to purify water?
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First Aid and
15 Home Remedies
When someone gets hurt sometimes it is not possible to go to a doctor immediately. All of
us should know how to treat a person who is injured before medical help is reached. We
should take responsibility of the person who is injured. The aid or treatment given to the
victim before the arrival of medical help is called First Aid or emergency care. Everyone
should learn the basic rules of giving emergency care. If you witness an accident do not run
away, this is the time for you to prove your worth. Be calm and take quick action, by doing
so you can save a person’s life.
Treatment of wounds
When the skin of our body is cut or torn it starts to bleed and is called a wound. We should
not neglect a wound even if it is a very minor one. This is because germs can enter our body
through this cut and cause infections. The following steps should be taken to treat
the wound:
• Wash our hands properly with antiseptic soap to ensure they have no germs.
• Clean the wound with the help of a cotton pad soaked in warm water. Do not use soap as
it can irritate the wound.
• Try to arrest the bleeding by applying pressure with the thumb and fingers.
• If the bleeding does not stop put some ice or cold water on the wound. Blood clots faster
in cold water.
• If the bleeding is very severe use a tourniquet to tie the area near the wound tightly so
that blood does not enter the wound. Loss of too much blood is dangerous.
• Apply an antiseptic cream over the wound.
• Dress the wound with a sterile bandage or a medicated self-adhesive tape.
• Call for medical help or take the person to the doctor in case of major wounds. Minor
wounds heal naturally; but we must take care to arrest infection.
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Nose bleeding
A nose bleed occurs when a small vein, along the lining of the nose, bursts. The First Aid
treatment is as follows:
• Pinch all the soft parts of the nose together between the thumb and the index finger.
• Lean forward slightly with the head tilted forward. Leaning back or tilting the head
back allows the blood to run back into the sinuses and throat, and can cause gagging or
inhaling the blood.
• Hold the nose for at least five minutes. Repeat as necessary
until the nose has stopped bleeding.
• Sit quietly, keeping the head higher than the level of the
heart. Do not lay flat or put your head between your legs.
• Apply ice (wrapped in a towel) to nose and cheeks.
If the bleeding does not stop, seek medical help.
Fact File
Dangerous First Aid Myths
Sucking venom from a snakebite.
Cutting the skin of a snakebite victim to suck out the poison may be a classic first-aid technique, but doctors now say
it’s useless and even dangerous. “Cutting and sucking, or applying a tourniquet or ice does nothing to help,” says
Dr. Robert Barish, an emergency physician at the University of Maryland. The outdated measures “may do more harm
than good by delaying prompt medical care, contaminating the wound or by damaging nerves and blood vessels.”
When your nose bleeds do not put your head between your knees or tip your head back as it was once believed
because you can breathe the blood into your lungs or get it in your stomach and vomit.
Burns
Burns can be caused by hot objects, fire, steam, boiling water, crackers, electric points and
chemicals like acids. A burn or other injury caused by hot liquid or steam is called a scald.
Scalds are the most common burn among children.
This is what we need to do to treat burns and scalds:
• If the burn or scald is over clothing, remove the clothing immediately, if it isn’t stuck to
the burn. Remove watches or jewellery. Leave any blisters alone. Treat the burn under
running water for 20 minutes. Do this straight away. This treatment is still useful up to
three hours after the burn. Do not rub ice over the area.
• Cool the burn, not the person. If the burn is large, stop cooling it after 20 minutes. This
is because hypothermia can happen quickly. In hypothermia the body temperature falls
below normal, it can be dangerous so the victim needs to be kept warm.
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• Cover the burn with a loose, light, non-sticky dressing such as plastic wrap or a clean, wet
cloth. Raise burned limbs.
• In case of acid burns wash the area with a solution of baking soda and water.
• Seek medical help.
Dealing with fire

In case there is a fire it has to be put out immediately.
If a person’s clothes catch fire cover the person with a
blanket to cut off air supply and roll him/her on
the ground.
Never try to put out a fire caused by petrol or kerosene
with water, instead throw sand on it to cut off air supply.
In case of electric fire, switch off the mains.
Bruises
Bruises are often caused by falls, sports injuries, car accidents, or blows received by other
people or objects. The immediate action to treat a bruise is to reduce bruising and swelling.
• Apply ice for about 15 minutes at a time, and always put something like a towel or wash
cloth between the ice and the bruised skin.
• Rest the affected area, if possible, elevate the affected area.
Insect bites
Insect bites are, mostly, not serious. Sometimes however, they cause allergic reaction. Sting
of bees, wasps and ants, etc., are troublesome and painful. Bites of insects, like mosquitoes,
cause itching. Scorpion and ant bites can be very severe. Although rare, some insects also
carry disease. The bite of a black widow spider can be fatal, if left untreated. We should
always be ready to give First Aid. Remember you need to take the
following steps in case of insect bites.
• Move to a safe area to avoid more stings.
• Take help to have the stinger removed especially if it’s stuck in
the skin. This will prevent the release of more venom. Wash the
area with soap and water.
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• Apply a cold pack or cloth filled with ice to reduce pain and swelling.
• Apply a topical cream to ease pain and provide itch relief such as calamine lotion or
those containing colloidal oatmeal or baking soda.
Snake bite
Snake bites can be deadly if not treated quickly. Children are
at a higher risk due to snake bites because of their smaller
body size. It has been well said that “Prevention is better than
cure.” One important lesson to learn in life is to be careful.
Always remember to:
• Avoid areas where snakes may be hiding, such as under rocks and logs.
• Even though most snakes are not poisonous, avoid picking up or playing with any snake
unless you have been properly trained
• Don’t provoke a snake.
• Tap ahead of you with a walking stick before entering an
area where you can’t see your feet. Snakes will try to avoid
you if given enough warning. You will not believe it but
snakes are very shy of you.
• When hiking in an area known to have snakes, wear long
pants and boots if possible.
The First Aid rules to remember are as follows:
• Protect yourself or the person and quickly move beyond the striking range of the snake.
• Note the snake’s appearance and be ready to describe it to the emergency staff.
• Be quick in calling for medical help.
• Keep the person calm.
• Have the person lie down with the wound below the heart.
• Keep the person still to keep the venom from spreading.
• Remove any rings or constricting items because the affected area may swell.
• Create a loose splint to help restrict movement of the area.
• Cover the wound with loose, sterile bandage.
Do not
• Cut a bite wound
• Attempt to suck out venom
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• Apply tourniquet, ice, or water
• Give the person alcohol or caffeinated drinks
At the hospital, treatment will depend on the type of snake.
If the snake was venomous, the person will be given anti-
venom treatment.
A tetanus shot may be given, depending on date of
last injection.
Poisoning
It is important for us to be aware that many things can cause
poisoning namely, household detergents, insecticides, paints,
eating toxic plants, overdose of medicines, nail polish, boot
polish, naphthalene balls, poisonous fumes, etc.
The symptoms for poisoning are abdominal pain, bluish
lips, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, difficulty in breathing,
headache, skin rash, fever, nausea and vomiting, weakness and any other sign of discomfort.
Immediate first aid is very important in a poisoning emergency. The first aid you give before
getting medical help can save a person’s life. Here are some things you can do for the
person until help arrives:
• If the person has been exposed to poisonous fumes, such as carbon monoxide, get him
or her into fresh air immediately or open windows and doors to remove the fumes.
• If the person swallowed the poison, remove anything remaining in the mouth but wrap a
clean cloth around your fingers or wear gloves before doing so.
• If the suspected poison is a household cleaner or other chemical, read the label and
follow instructions for accidental poisoning.
• If the poison spilled on the person’s clothing, skin or eyes, remove the clothing. Flush the
skin or eyes with cool or lukewarm water.
• Do NOT make a person throw up. A strong poison that burns on the way down the throat
will also do damage on the way back up.
• Keep the person comfortable. The person should be rolled onto the left side, and remain
there while getting or waiting for medical help.
• Call for medical help immediately
Sprains and fractures

A sprain occurs when the soft tissue connecting muscles and bones pulls or tears. Most
sprains hurt, and some take even longer than a broken bone to heal.
• Have the victim rest, with the affected area elevated.
• Apply cold compress or ice pack wrapped in cloth to the affected area.
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If pain or swelling continues consult a doctor.
A fracture is a break or crack in a bone that can be caused by
an accident, fall, or blow. The patient experiences great pain
and cannot move the injured part.
These are the things you should do immediately:
• Immobilize the affected area, that is, do not let the victim
Keep the affected area elevated use or move the affected area.
and the victim at rest.
• Control bleeding but do not elevate the affected area.
• In case the neck or back is injured do not move the victim.
• Support the affected bone with a splint. Do not try to push a protruding
bone back into the body.
• If no open wound present, apply ice pack wrapped in clean cloth.
• Call for medical help immediately.
Learn to stay away from danger, be careful and also be prepared to handle an emergency.
• Everyone should learn the basic rules of emergency care.
• Accidents can happen anywhere but prevention is better than cure.
• Emergency care given to an injured person before the arrival of a doctor
is called First Aid.
• Wounds should be cleaned with running water.
• Excessive bleeding should always be arrested.
• When ice is used it should be wrapped in a towel or wash cloth.
• A fractured bone should be rendered immobile.
• We should always be quick to find medical help.
Activity Time
1. When someone gets hurt we should remain calm and take quick slow action.
2. In Hypothermia the body temperature becomes lower higher than normal.
3. A fire caused by petrol or kerosene should be put out with water sand .
4. Prevention is worse better than cure.
5. While hiking through an area likely to have snakes we should wear long short pants.
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1. When our nose bleeds we should lean forward. _____________
2. We should clean wounds with soap and water. _____________
3. While using ice to treat a bruise we should wrap it in a towel or wash cloth. _____________
4. Treatment for a snake bite depends on the type of snake. _____________
5. After giving First Aid we should seek medical advice. _____________

1. Poisoning (a) Immobilize
2. Acid burns (b) Hot liquid
3. Fracture (c) Bluish lips
4. Scald (d) Reduce swelling
5. Cold packs (e) Baking soda solution
1. Why do we need to give ‘First Aid’ to small wounds which tend to heal naturally?
________________________________________________________________________________
2. What would you do if hot milk spilt over your friend’s hand?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. What precautions should be taken to keep away from snakes?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Differentiate between a sprain and a fracture?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. Name five poisonous substances that can be present at home?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. What should we not do when our nose bleeds?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
• Make a list of things you would need to collect for emergency care.
• Compare your list with your classmates
• Collect all the articles with the help of an elder person and keep it ready for use.
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UNIT 5: LEARNING TO SOCIALISE
16 Festivity and Festivals

India is known to be a country of festivals. Each festival is special and unique and has a
significant story or history behind it. Celebrating festivals is one way to keep the traditions
of our rich cultural heritage alive. Festivals bring us together and teach us to respect each
other as well. Celebrations are joyous occasions which spread the message of brotherhood
and peace. We celebrate national, religious and seasonal festivals with great fervor.
National festivals
Independence day, Republic day and Gandhi Jayanti are celebrated with national spirit. The
entire nation participates in various official and cultural programs.
Independence Day
Independence Day is celebrated on 15th August. It
was on this date that after more than two hundred
years of British rule, India finally won back its
freedom in 1947. All schools, colleges and offices
across the nation hoist the national flag on roof
tops and buildings. It is declared a national holiday,
people only go to offices and schools to attend
the flag hoisting ceremony. Cultural programs are
organized and sweets are distributed.
The Prime Minister unfurls the national flag above the Lahore Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi
and then addresses the nation. It is a special moment for one and all.
Republic Day
Republic Day, 26th January 1950 is one of the most important days in Indian history. It
was on this day the constitution of India came into force and India became a Democratic
Republic. The country finally realized the dream of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our
nation and the numerous freedom fighters who fought and sacrificed their lives for the
independence of their country. Republic Day is celebrated with much enthusiasm all over
the country. A grand parade is held in the capital. From Rajghat along Vijaypath different
regiments of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, N.C.C. cadets and school children from
various schools march past in all their finery and official decorations. They spend many days
preparing for the event. The President takes the salute and awards medals of bravery. The
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parade is followed by a pageant of spectacular
displays from the different states of the country,
every part of the country is represented. Each
display brings out the diversity and richness of
the culture of India.
Parades and cultural programs are organized in
all schools and sweets are distributed.
The patriotic fervor of the people on this day
brings the whole country together; this makes
Republic Day the most popular of all the
national holidays of India.
Gandhi Jayanti
Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2nd October every year.
Mahatma Gandhi the father of our nation was born on this day
in 1869. He died on 30th January 1948 and was cremated at
the Raj Ghat. The President, Prime Minister and many other
Ministers visit his ‘samadhi’ on this day to pay their homage.
The whole nation pays homage to Gandhiji wherever his statues
are erected. Verses and prayers are read out from the holy
books of all the religions. Gandhiji’s favourite song, ‘Raghupati
Raghava’, and other devotional songs are sung to honour
the principles he stood up for; principles of non violence and peace for which he gave up
his life. It is a solemn occasion which spreads the message of peace, harmony and non
violence.
Harvest festivals
Harvest festivals are celebrated with great zeal in our country as we have an agricultural
economy. Harvest time is a time of great celebration when we thank God for providing us
with rain and sunshine for our crops. Harvest time is different in different parts of
the country as the climatic conditions are different. Let us learn more about these
harvest festivals.
Pongal and Makar Sankranti
Pongal is a four-days-long harvest festival celebrated
in Tamil Nadu which coincides with the festival Makar
Sankranthi celebrated throughout India as the winter
harvest. Makar Sankranti usually falls on January 13th,
Pongal celebrations continue till the 16th. On the first
day Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give
rains is worshipped. On the second day rice is boiled in
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milk outdoors in a earthenware pot and is then symbolically offered to the Sun-god. The
third day is known as Mattu Pongal, multi-colored beads, tinkling bells, sheaves of corn
and flower garlands are tied around the neck of the cattle, they are offered Pongal rice and
worshipped. It is a time of festivity for one and all.
Lohri
Lohri is one of the most celebrated harvest festivals
in Punjab which also falls on 13th January every year.
It is a time for people to offer thanks to God for his
benevolence and pray for a bountiful harvest in the
coming season. The Rabi crops are sown in October
and harvested in the month of March or April. Lohri
marks the rest period just before the cutting of the
crops. The festival is celebrated with immense gaiety
and pleasure. ‘Bhangra’ and ‘Gidda’ (folk dances of Punjab) are performed everywhere.
Bonfires, dancing, community dinners are a common sight during the celebration. Lighting
bonfires is symbolic of prayers offered to ‘Agni’ for bountiful crops and prosperity. The day is
marked with thorough merry making and joy among people.
Baisakhi
Baisakhi is another popular harvest festival celebrated on 13th April every year. It is a
celebration for harvesting of the rabi crop (winter wheat crop). It also marks the beginning
of the New Year. The festival is a time for thanksgiving, relaxation and feasts. Fairs are
organized and many cultural programs and dances are performed. Men and women buy
new clothes and jewellery.
Onam
Onam is one of the most popular and celebrated festivals of Kerala. It is a time for everyone
to reap the benefits of a good harvest after a year of hard work and labour. Onam festival
is celebrated in the memory of popular King Mahabali, who according to a popular belief
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visits his subjects on this day. The festival is a time
for thanksgiving. The famous ‘Snake boat’ race is
organised every year to mark the festival. It is a
season of dances, songs and worship among other
festivities. Women wear new sarees, they dress up
their children in colorful clothes. The traditional
‘Pookkalam’ a flower mat adorns the courtyard
of almost every house. Among the various dishes
cooked during the festival, ‘Payasam’ is most popular.
Bihu
Bihu is observed with immense joy and
gaiety in the state of Assam. Celebrated to
mark the change of season, it is celebrated
thrice a year. The history of Bihu celebrations
can be traced to 3500 B.C., when it is was
celebrated for around a month, in the
present times, it is however celebrated
for a week. The first of the three Bihus, is
celebrated in the month of April coinciding
with other harvest festivals.It is a time for rejoicing as well as praying for a bountiful
harvest. The entire state of Assam is in a festive mood during this time.
Religious festivals
There are many religious festivals which are celebrated all over India according to the faith
and customs of different communities. These festivals bring people close to each other as
the spirit of brotherhood is nurtured.
Christmas
Christmas is celebrated on 25th of December every year
to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The Christmas
season is marked with decorations of churches and
houses and singing of carols. A Christmas tree is
decorated in every house with gifts for everyone. It is
believed that Santa Claus brings gifts for children on
the eve of Christmas. People go to church to pray. They
visit each other, exchange gifts and enjoy good food,
especially the tasty Christmas cake!
Id
Id is celebrated to mark the end of Ramzan, which is the month of fasting observed by
Muslims. During this month Muslims keep a fast from early morning to sunset without
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taking even a drop of water. They spend most of
their time in prayers and in reading the holy Quran.
The new moon marks the end of this month. On
Id, people wear new clothes and go to the Mosque
or Idgah to offer ‘Namaz’. Then, they wish each
other ‘Id Mubarak’. Special dishes such as ‘Biryani’
and ‘Sewain’ are prepared. Alms are given to the
poor and together everyone rejoices over the
benevolence shown by Allah.
Dusshera and Deepawali
Dusshera and Deepawali are two important Hindu festivals
which celebrate the victory of Shri Rama over Ravan and
the return of Shri Rama to Ayodhya. Dusshera is celebrated
for ten days. Many people observe a fast for nine days .
The life story of Shri Rama, ‘Ram Lila’ is enacted in parts
during the nine days. There is an atmosphere of festivity all
around. On the tenth day an effigy of Ravana is burnt and
there is much rejoicing over the victory of good over evil.
In West Bengal, Dusshera is observed as Durga Puja. Goddess Durga is worshipped. People
perform the ‘Aarti’and ‘Dandia’ dance before the effigies of Goddess Durga. On the last day
these effigies are submerged in seas and rivers.
Deepawali, the festival of lights falls about 20 days after
Dusshera. It heralds the return of Shri Rama to Ayodhya.
People also worship Goddess Laxmi on this day. Houses
and shops are cleaned and decorated. Flickering lights and
lamps illuminate houses and streets. Everyone is in a joyous
mood. Delicious sweets are made and crackers are burst to
mark the occasion. However, as we have all learnt about the
dangers of pollution. We should say, “No” to crackers and
enjoy Deepawali without crackers.
Holi
Holi is another festival which rejoices over the
victory of good over evil. The story of Prahlad is
very interesting. They say Prahlad was to be burnt
alive because he was a devote of Lord Vishnu. He
was miraculously saved. People rejoice by putting
colour on each other. They also spray coloured
water on each other. Thus, Holi is a festival of
colour. It heralds the coming of the spring season
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so we can say it is a seasonal festival. Everyone enjoys Holi along with delicious sweets and
other delicacies which are made to mark the occasion.
Gurupurabs
The festivities in the Sikh religion revolve around the
anniversaries of the 10 Sikh Gurus. These Gurus were
responsible for shaping the beliefs of the Sikhs. Their
birthdays, known as Gurpurabs are occasions for
celebration and prayer among the Sikhs. Gurudwaras
are decorated on these occasions. People wear new
clothes and go to Gurudwaras to listen to hymns from
their holy book the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’. ‘Langar’ is made in the Gurudwara and freely
offered to everyone.
Mahavir Jayanti
Mahavir Jayanti, the birthday of Lord Mahavir is an
important day for the Jains who are his ardent devotees.
Mahavir Jayanti
Other festivals
There are many other festivals which are celebrated in our country namely Raksha
Bandhan, Janmashtami, Children’s day and Teacher’s day to name a few. Tribal communities
celebrate their own festivals. To conclude, India is a country of festivals and colours which
invites us to rejoice in each others joys and live in harmony and peace.
Teacher’s Day Children’s Day Janmashtami Raksha Bandhan
Fact File
Indian festivals are celebrated according to the lunar calendars. Consequently, dates & months may vary accordingly.
India is described as a land of many religions and innumerable languages, it might well be described as a land of
festivals as well. Indians love celebrating. Every little occasion from the harvesting of crops, welcoming the spring or
rain, to seeing the full moon lends itself to joyous celebrations splashed with colors, music, folk dances and songs.
Even the birthdays of divine beings are celebrated by connecting them with particular festivals.
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• Celebrating festivals is one way to keep the traditions of our rich cultural
heritage alive.
• Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti are natonal festivals.
• Christmas is a Christian festival.
• Pongal, Lohri, Baisakhi, Onam, Bihu are harvest festivals.
• Id is celebrated by Muslims after a month long fasting during Ramzan.
• Dusshera and Diwali are Hindu festivals which are celebrated to rejoice
over the victory of Shri Rama over Ravan.
• In West Bengal, Dusshera season is observed as Durga Puja.
• Holi is also a fesitival which marks the victory of good over evil.
• Gurupurabs celebrate the anniversaries of the ten Sikh Gurus.
• Mahavir Jayanti is observed by the Jain community.
• Many other festivals are celebrated in our country.
Activity Time
1. The constitution of India came to force on Independence Republic Day.
2. Pongal is celebrated in Kerala Tamil Nadu .
3. Bihu is a national harvest festival.
4. Holi is a festival of colours lights .
5. Boat races are conducted during Pongal Onam celebrations.
Activity 2: State whether True or False

1. The Prime Minister takes the salute of the Republic Day parade. _______________
2. Bihu is a harvest festival of Punjab. _______________
3. The cattle are worshipped during Pongal. _______________
4. Durga Puja is celebrated for ten days. _______________
5. People fast during the month of Ramzan. _______________
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1. Republic Day (a) 14th January
2. Pongal (b) Langar
3. Lohri (c) 26th January
4. Santa Claus (d) 13th April
5. Gurupurabs (e) Christmas
1. Describe the significance of Republic Day.
____________________________________________________________________
2. Why are harvest festivals celebrated?
____________________________________________________________________
3. How is Pongal celebrated?
____________________________________________________________________
4. Describe how Gurupurabs are celebrated.
____________________________________________________________________
5. Describe the Republic Day Parade.
____________________________________________________________________
6. Describe how Independence Day is celebrated in Delhi.
____________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Find out when and why Children’s Day and Teacher’s Day are celebrated and display your information
on the class bulletin board.
1I. We need to be aware of our environment while we celebrate functions. Discuss with your class mates
what we should be careful about.Make posters to promote environment consciousness.
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Community
17 Service
Community service can be defined as a service that is performed for the benefit of the
public. Community service is not only a responsibility, it is a commitment. Basically,
community service is a way a person can contribute towards the betterment of the
community in which they live. But before we can give back let us learn to appreciate the
many facilities that are available to us.
Schools
Teachers at school serve the community by imparting
education. Education is something which can never be
lost. It is the most powerful weapon that can be used to
change the world. So, we should respect our teachers
and learn to serve others from them. There are many
under privileged children in our country who do not have
an opportunity to go to good schools. At the same time
there are many selfless teachers who reach out to teach them. All of us should be ready to
share our knowledge. This will help make the place we live in a better place.
Police stations
The Police Force is at our service all the time. The police
maintain law and order and protect us from ruffians and
criminals. The traffic police make sure that vehicles move
smoothly and everyone is following the traffic rules. Very often
we see traffic police standing in the hot sun or in pouring rain
to make sure the traffic moves safely. All of us should follow
traffic rules and learn to become responsible citizens.
The fire brigade

The Fire Brigade has personnel ready round the clock.
They move out in case of fire; in their big red van to
put out the fire. As the van moves it tolls a bell telling
everyone that there is a fire in the locality.
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Hospitals
In hospitals doctors and nurses look after sick people.
There are many hospitals where medical services
are provided at bare minimum cost; some hospitals
even provide free medical aid. The expenses for these
hospitals are met by donations of those people who
want to serve the community. If we visit these hospitals
we can find out how we can help. The help we offer to
those who are not as privileged as us is called Social Service.
Indian Red Cross Society
The Indian Red Cross is a voluntary organization having a
network of over 700 branches throughout the country. It
provides relief in times of disasters and emergencies. The
mission of the Indian Red Cross inspires and encourages all
forms of humanitarian activities so that human suffering
can be reduced and even prevented. It contributes
towards creating a happier place for everyone.
The Red Cross Society offers hospital services, blood banks, homes for disabled, Vocational
training centers, child and family welfare centres, etc. They are prepared to prevent
spread of communicable & infectious diseases and to provide relief in fire, train & other
accidents.
Non Government Organizations
Many Non Government Organizations also
contribute towards Community Services.
N.G.O.’s in India play a vital role in helping
people in a variety of ways. By looking after
the helpless, distressed and deprived people,
they have helped and contributed to the
development of the Indian society. Where
government outreach programs are hard to
reach, for instance people in the tribal belts,
these organizations try to bring welfare
programs to people. Welfare programs
of these NGO’s vary like serving various segments of the society, for example, the slum
children in Mumbai, welfare programs for the upliftment of women, special programs in the
face of natural disasters.
Gram panchayat
The government reaches out to the people of villages in the form of Village Panchayats. A
Village Panchayat works for the needs of its area. It maintains public places, takes care of
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sanitation and drains. Provides wells, water pumps,
ponds and tanks for the supply of drinking water
and maintains washing and bathing ghats, public
gardens and playgrounds. The Gram Panchayat also
has the power to settle small disputes among the
people of the village.
There is evidence of self-governing bodies called
‘sabhas’ in India way back in History as early as
the time of the Rig veda (1700 B.C.) With the
passage of time, these bodies became panchayats
(council of five persons) This form of governance did suffer a setback for some time but
the importance of self-governance was soon realized again. Today at the village level Gram
Panchayats function to bring about development.
A Gram Panchyat consists of between 7 and 17 members called ‘panch’ selected by the
people of the villages; with one-eighth of seats reserved for female candidates.
To establish a Grampanchyat in a village, the population of the village should be at least 500
people of voting age.
The Sarpanch or Pradhan is in charge of directing the required services. The Sarpanch has
the responsibilities of
1. Maintaining street lights, construction and repair work
of roads in villages and also the village markets, fairs,
festivals and celebrations.
2. Keeping a record of births, deaths and marriages in
the village.
3. Looking after public health and hygiene by providing facilities for sanitation and
drinking water.
4. Providing free education.
Municipality
In bigger cities Municipal Corporations or
Mahanagar Palika or Mahanagar Nigam
provide necessary community services like
health care, educational institutions, housing,
transport, etc.
Each Municipal Corporation has a committee
consisting of a Mayor with Councillors. The
number of councillors depend upon the area
and population of the city.
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The Mayor is the head of the Municipal Corporation. The Municipal Commissioner is
the official in charge of this organization. Executive Officers monitor the implementation
of all the programs related to planning and development of the corporation with the
coordination of Mayor and Councillors.
Thus, there are many people who work for the community. It is our collective responsibility
to work towards the betterment of our society by contributing in our own little ways.
Fact File
Young People Volunteer More Than Adults
Young people volunteer at twice the rate of adults.
Volunteering Helps Young People to Succeed
Youth who volunteer are more likely to feel connected to their communities, and tend to do better in school.
Youth who volunteer do so out of altruism, strongly agreeing with statements such as “I would like to help
make the world a better place,” and “It’s important to do things for others.”
• Community service is a service performed for the benefit of the public.

• Teachers serve the community by imparting education.
• Many underprivileged children do not go to good schools.
• The help we offer to those in need is called Social Service.
• The Police Force serves the community in many ways.
• The Red Cross Society is committed to work for those who are in need.
• Many Non Government Organizations also contribute to serve the community.
• The Gram Panchayat is a democratic set up meant to look after the needs
of villages.
• The Municipality or Nagar Nigam is also a democratic set up to look after the
needs of those who live in cities.
Activity Time
Activity 1: Strike out the wrong word/ words to form the correct statement.
1. The Municipality Gram Panchayat looks after the needs of a village.
2. The Mayor Pradhan is the head of the Municipality.
3. Traffic is controlled by the teacher police .
4. The Red Cross Society is a voluntary government organization.
5. Councillors are government non government personnel.
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Activity 2: Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
municipal commissioner fire brigade panch power Pradhan

1. The members of a panchayat are also known as ______________________ .
2. The Gram Panchayat has the _____________________ to settle small disputes.
3. The Sarpanch is also known as the _____________________ .
4. The _____________________ is ready for service all the time.
5. The __________________________ is the official in charge of the Municipality.

1. 500 people above 18 years of age (a) N.G.O.
2. 700 branches (b) Municipality
3. Imparts education (c) Gram Panchayat
4. Waste management (d) Red Cross Society
5. Slum Children (e) Teacher
1. Describe how teachers and doctors serve the community.

________________________________________________________________________________
2. What kind of work does the Red Cross Society undertake?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. How many members does the Gram Panchayat have?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. What kind of work does the Sarpanch supervise?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the difference between the Municipality and the Gram Panchayat?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. How do police officials serve the community?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Identify at least three people who serve the community in your locality and describe the work they do.
2. Share your work with your class mates and discuss how you could contribute towards community
service.
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Our Contributions
18 to Service
India is a beautiful country with the majestic Himalayas in the North, dry deserts, dancing
rivers, sparkling oceans, enticing lagoons and magical backwaters strewn around the
country. People come from far and wide to see the wonders of nature in our country.
However, this beauty has been spoilt by pollution. Most such sites have become the
dumping grounds of garbage and waste. Why blame anybody though we ourselves set a
bad example.
All of us know how to take care of our own private belongings but when we are using
public property we become careless. Public property belongs to everyone, example, school
property, public means of transport like buses trains, etc., movie theatres, parks, beaches
and the like. At school we behave in a disciplined manner because our teachers do not
allow us to behave otherwise but when we go for outings we forget to be responsible.
On Children’s Day all the classes of ‘Vatika’ school in Mysore were taken for a picnic.
Class IV went to the ‘Vrindavan’ gardens. They had taken packed lunch.
When the bus came everyone clambered in with great excitement. As soon as the bus
started everyone started singing songs. Then the teacher allowed them to share their
snacks with each other. Many students had brought chips, some had brought sweets.
Everyone enjoyed their snacks but it was a sorry sight to see them throw the empty packets
and sweet wrappers out of the bus. They wiped their dirty hands on the seats of the bus
and some children started scribbling their names on the back of the seats.
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Their teacher was a kind and gentle person, she was trying to explain that this was wrong
but no one was in a mood to listen to her.
Everyone had a good time in the garden and then they selected a park where they were to
have their lunch. But the swings and slides were so tempting that all the children wanted
to have some fun. The teacher allowed them to play to their hearts content. By the time
everyone settled for lunch it was quite late. The children had become so hungry that they
peeled open their lunch packets, started gobbling up their food and threw the lunch packets
helter skelter all around. It was time to board the bus to start the journey back to school.
The clean park was left littered.
This is how we litter the beauty of our surroundings and blame the government for not
keeping public places clean.
Travel by trains and buses

The Railways in India represent the largest rail
network in Asia. With nearly 11,000 trains running
every day including 7,000 passenger trains, it
requires a large task force to maintain the cleanliness
of these trains.
Public means of transport should be used by more
people as it saves fuel, reduces traffic on the roads
and is economical too.
When we travel by trains it becomes our duty to make sure we keep them clean. We
complain that the compartment we were in was very dirty and that the toilets attached
smelled bad. If we all use the facilities provided in a hygienic manner this would never
happen. There is a lot to learn and a lot to teach as we progress towards a new tomorrow
where our India will truly be incredible.
The story of travelling by buses is almost the same. Railway stations and bus stations are a
sorry sight. Not only are they littered with used disposable glasses and plates, half eaten
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food, etc., but they smell foul. Many people spit and
urinate whereever they find a place to do so. Who is
to blame? It is difficult to change other people but
we can change ourselves and set an example. Actions
speak louder than words. To make a beginning we
should ensure that we use public facilities with care
and never litter public places.
Keeping hospitals clean
Government hospitals provide medical facilities at very
nominal prices for the citizens of our country. It is crucial
that these hospitals are kept clean because sick people
catch infections very fast. A visit to such a hospital will
help us to understand the need to maintain clean, healthy
surroundings in a hospital. Many citizens who go to
these hospitals are from the weaker sections of society.
What we can easily do is to spread awareness about the need to use the facilities that are
provided by our Government in a hygienic manner instead of spoiling and soiling
the surroundings.
Keeping our school campus clean
A school is a temple of learning. A training ground for future
citizens. Would you enjoy taking classes at the city dump?
Would you like to eat lunch in dirty unhealthy surroundings?
Would you damage school furniture? Certainly trash is not
something we can be proud of nor would we be proud of
broken furniture? Yet we are proud of our school are we not?
So, what should be done to make sure our campus remains clean? The only answer is to
make sure we do not litter the place, damage the walls by scribbling on them, use the
toilets hygienically and pick up our own garbage.
Not only that we should not damage any school property, it belongs to everyone, to us
and to those who will come after we have gone. Remember the educated differ from the
uneducated in behavior, in attitude and in mannerisms. Let us prove that we are educated
by our actions. Fact File
Social work pioneer Jane Addams was one of the first
women to receive a Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded
in 1931. Known best for establishing settlement houses in
Chicago for immigrants in the early 1900s, Addams was a
dedicated community organizer and peace activist.
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• The beauty of our surroundings is spoilt by pollution.
• Very often we ourselves are responsible for soiling our surroundings.
• The Indian Railways runs 11000 trains with 7000 passenger trains every day.
• The passengers of trains should behave in a responsible manner.
• We can bring about a change by setting an example.
• We should begin by keeping our school campus clean.
• Public property should never be damaged or destroyed.
Activity Time
1. The Himalayas are in the North South of India.
2. ‘Vrindavan’ gardens are in Mysore Bangalore .
3. We can change ourselves others .
4. School property belongs to one all the students.
5. The Indian Railways runs a few many trains.
temple spit dustbins damage economical
1. Waste material should be disposed into ___________________.
2. We should not ___________________ the seats of buses and trains.
3. It is a bad habit to ___________________ on the roads.
4. It is ___________________ to travel by public means of transport.
5. School is a ___________________ of learning.
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1. Public transport (a) Clean and green
2. Hospitals (b) Incredible
3. Waste material (c) Economical
4. School furniture (d) Hygienic
5. Parks (e) Dustbin
6. India (f) Do not damage
1. In what manner did the students who went to visit Vrindavan gardens behave?
________________________________________________________________________________
2. How can we make sure that our surroundings are clean?

________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why is it important to keep hospital surroundings clean?

________________________________________________________________________________
4. What do you understand by the statement ‘actions speak louder than words’?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. In what manner do people spoil the surroundings while travelling?

________________________________________________________________________________
6. Why should people use public means of transport?

________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Make a poster to promote the sense of belonging towards public property.
2. Caption the poster with slogans which carry a message.
3. Display this in your class bulletin board.
4. Discuss in class what contributions your class could make to sensitize the other students. You could
plan a skit for the school assembly.
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UNIT 6: MY PRECIOUS ENVIRONMENT
19 The Universe
Have you ever looked up at the sky at night and tried to count the stars. Try to do so and
you will find it impossible to count them. Counting the stars in the sky is like trying to
count the number of sand grains on a beach. Stars are gathered together into vast groups
known as galaxies. The Sun belongs to a galaxy called the Milky Way. There are about 100
thousand million stars in the Milky Way galaxy alone. Outside that, there are millions upon
millions of other galaxies also! All these together form the Universe which is made up of
everything that exists namely stars, planets, asteroids, comets and all forms of matter and
energy distributed among the innumerable galaxies. The study of objects in space is called
Astronomy.
It is not easy to unfold the
mysteries of the universe
because it is so vast. However,
one step at a time always
takes us forward. Let us learn
about our own Solar System
which is part of the galaxy
known as the Milky Way. A Galaxy The Milky Way
The Solar System

The Sun, its planets and all the objects moving around them is called the Solar System. The
Solar System is part of a galaxy known as the ‘Milky Way galaxy’. The Sun’s gravitational pull
holds the Earth and other planets. These planets revolve around the Sun. The solar system
looks up to the Sun for light. There are eight planets which revolve around the Sun.
The Sun is a star because it has light of its own. Actually the Sun is a ball of hot burning
gases. It provides all the energy required by the Earth to sustain life on it. We have already
learnt that plants are able to trap the energy of the Sun to make food by the process of
photosynthesis. During this process Oxygen gas is released. Without Oxygen there would be
no life on Earth.
Planets are heavenly bodies which revolve around the Sun in orbits. They do so because of
the gravitational attraction of the Sun. Planets have no light of their own; they reflect the
light of the Sun.
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Mercury
Mercury is closest to the Sun; it is the smallest planet, so it exerts the least gravitational
pull. This why there is no atmosphere there. Mercury takes 88 days to revolve around the
Sun and has the shortest year.
Venus is the next planet; it is the hottest planet and shines brightly just before sunrise and
after sunset. It is also called the Morning or Evening Star. Remember Venus is not a star
because it has no light of its own. Venus takes 225 days to revolve around the Sun. All the
planets rotate about their own axis. Do you know Venus rotates so slowly that it takes 244
Earth days to complete one rotation? One day in Venus lasts for 244 earth days!
Earth is the third planet, it is also known as the blue planet. This is
because the atmosphere of the Earth scatters blue light. The Earth
takes 365 and 1/4 days to revolve around the Sun. This is why one
year on Earth has 365 days; 366 in the leap year. The Earth rotates
on its own axis in 24 hours, so one day on Earth is
24 hours long. Earth is the only planet which has life.
Rotation of
Earth
Earth revolving around the Sun

The Moon is Earth’s only satellite. We have all seen the moon shining brightly in the sky.
The Moon is not a planet because it does not revolve around the Sun. The Moon revolves
around the Earth. Those heavenly bodies which revolve around a planet are called satellites.
Not all planets have satellites; some planets have more than on satellite. There is no
atmosphere on the Moon because the gravity in Moon is 6 times less than it is on Earth.
Niel Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon.
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Mars is the fourth planet, it is approximately half the diameter of the Earth. The gravity on
Mars is half of that on Earth. The atmosphere of Mars contains 95% Carbon dioxide, 3%
Nitrogen and 1.6% Argon. It also has some Oxygen and water. This is why scientists hope
to find some kind of living organisms on Mars. The surface of the planet has Iron Oxide
which gives it a red colour, so it is often described as the red planet. Mars has two satellites
revolving around it. Moon
Jupiter the fifth planet is the largest planet of the
solar system. It is so big that all the other planets
could fit inside it. The gravitational pull is 2.4 times
that on Earth. Jupiter rotates very fast around its Jupiter
axis and completes one rotation in only ten hours, Mars
so it has the shortest day. It has 16 satellites and is
described as the giant planet.
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is the second largest planet in the solar system.
It has 22 satellites revolving around it. Saturn can be seen without the help of a telescope.
The rings around Saturn help in spotting it. These rings are made of rocks and ice. Saturn
takes 29 and a half years to revolve around the Sun, so one year on Saturn is 29 and half
years long.
Uranus the seventh planet is very far away from the Sun, it is a very cold planet described as
the ice giant. Uranus receives 370 times less light than the Earth. It is the only planet which
rotates on its axis from east to west. The tilt of a planet as it rotates around the Sun gives
rise to seasons. Uranus is tilted on its axis to such a large extent that it appears to lie on its
side; this is the reason why every season on the planet lasts for 20 years!
Neptune the eighth planet from the Sun is also a very cold planet. As it is very far from the
Sun it takes a long time to complete one orbit, as long as 164.79 years! That is how long one
year on Neptune would be. Neptune has 8 satellites.
Pluto is no longer considered to be a planet because of its small size and because its orbit
around the Sun crosses the orbit of Neptune.
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The Solar System

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Constellations
A constellation is a group of stars that form pictures in the sky, pictures of animals and
people. It is interesting to gaze at the stars at night and find pictures in the sky. The ancient
Greeks were the first people to describe these constellations. Each constellation has an
interesting story behind it. In ancient times people located directions by identifying these
constellations in the sky. All the Zodiac signs originate from these constellations.
Fact File
Most astronomers believe the Universe began in a Big Bang
about 14 billion years ago. At that time, the entire Universe
was inside a bubble that was thousands of times smaller
than a pinhead. It was hotter and denser than anything we
can imagine.
Then it suddenly exploded. The Universe that we know was
born. Time, space and matter all began with the Big Bang.
In a fraction of a second, the Universe grew from smaller
than a single atom to bigger than a galaxy. And it kept on
growing at a fantastic rate. It is still expanding today.
Constellations
• The Universe is made up of stars, planets, asteroids, comets and all kinds
of matter and energy distributed among the innumerable galaxies.
• Our Solar System forms part of the galaxy known as the Milky Way.
• Stars have light of their own.
• Planets revolve around the Sun.
• Satellites revolve around planets.
• Some planets have more than one satellite, some have none.
• The satellite of the Earth is the Moon.
• The Solar System has 8 planets.
• Pluto is no longer classified as a planet because of its small size and
because its orbit around the Sun crosses that of Neptune.
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Activity Time
1. The biggest planet of the Solar System is Mars Jupiter .
2. Satellites revolve around the Sun planets .
3. The Solar System has eight nine planets.
4. Uranus and Neptune are cold hot planets .
5. Venus is a star planet .
1. Pluto is the ninth planet of the Solar System. _____________
2. Planets move around the Sun in one day. _____________
3. The Solar System is a galaxy. _____________
4. All planets have one satellite. _____________
5. The gravity of the Sun controls the movement of planets around it. _____________
1. Mercury (a) Rings
2. Jupiter (b) Morning Star
3. Neptune (c) Closest to the Sun
4. Venus (d) Largest planet
5. Saturn (e) Cold planet
1. What is the Universe made up of?
________________________________________________________________________________
2. Explain why Earth is the only planet where there is life.
________________________________________________________________________________
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3. On which other planet do scientists expect to find life and why?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why has Pluto lost the status of being called a planet?

________________________________________________________________________________
5. Why do planets revolve around the Sun?

________________________________________________________________________________
6. Why is the Moon not called a planet?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Go out to see the sky at night. Try to find a shape of your choice.
2. Repeat your visit every week to see if your shape is changing places.
3. Keep a record of your observations.
4. Try to find the names of the planets in the Solar System in the given grid.
A B J Y T Q G W S F B K O L J H G Q
K Z U T B N H G F D W S T O P M P N
N H G D E W S A Q Z L Y O R W Q Z X
Q W R A L Z M E R C U R Y L T Y U P
U B Q Z X L A O T Y U E W Q A Z V B
T Y D S X U R A N U S Z U I B C D W
A W Q Z K L S R E A R T H W X V M L
T Y X Z A K L E P O W N M S W A L A
Q C X S K R S A T U R N Q A B N L M
M B X Z S J R W U I O V F S A M Z C
N M V E N U S R N W P Q Z S B X S L
B C E S A P W X E V B M K I Z Q D W
Y I E W W I S A Q A Z K I P Q W M H
E R A S Z T X Q O E W B N M K S D U
U S W Z X E W U O P K F G R T D C B
Q H J K C R M O C X W Z M J D S A Q
P R E W M N H G F D S L I U Y T V C
C Y T R W Q P O I U Y H M N B C V C
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Revision Exercise 3
A. Draw lines to match correctly.

1. (a) Fracture
2. (b) Service
3. (c) Satellite
4. (d) Diwali
5. (e) Planet
B. Look at the pictures and tick (3) the ones which we should do and cross (7) out the ones we should
not do.
C. Identify the following festivals and arrange them in the order in which they occur in a calendar year,
name the month.

A. __________________________ B. _________________________ C. _____________________
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118

D. __________________________ E. _________________________ F. _____________________

1. _________________________________ 2. _________________________________

3. _________________________________ 4. _________________________________

5. _________________________________ 6. _________________________________
D. Complete the crossword with the help of the clues.
Clues

Across→ Down↓
1. Running cold water 1. Nurse
2. Broken 2. Kerala
3. Temple of learning 3. Society
4. Assam
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Natural
20 Phenomenon
Nature controls the occurrence of night and day, the coming and going of seasons on Earth,
the phases of the Moon, etc. Such phenomena are called natural phenomenon. So, those
occurrences which are controlled by nature are called natural phenomenon.
Occurrence of night and day
Have you ever enjoyed a ride on a merry
go round, if you have not do go and enjoy
yourself. At the same time look out at the
people standing on the ground. You will
notice that it will appear as if they are
moving, but in actual fact, you’re the one
who is moving. In a similar manner though
we see the Sun and the Moon moving across the sky, it is the Earth which is actually moving.
Earlier people thought that the Earth was the centre of the universe because they thought
that the Sun, the Moon and all the heavenly bodies moved around the Earth. In 1632
Galileo published a book in which he openly stated that the Earth was moving around the
Sun. He was put in prison for saying so. But Galileo was able to prove he was right because
his approach was a scientific approach. It was Galileo who invented the telescope. With the
help of the telescope he could see the heavenly objects better and his observations and
conclusions proved to be correct.
Actually the Earth rotates on an axis. As the Earth rotates,
half of it is exposed to the Sun and half is not. Light from
the Sun falls on one half of the spinning Earth, this half has
day. The other half has night. As the Earth spins, we move
through the light, into the darkness, and back again. This
makes day and night. Half of the Earth is always in the light
and half of the Earth is always in the dark. The Earth is
always spinning and so, the occurrence of night and day continues. One complete rotation
of the Earth takes 24 hours so, one day also has 24 hours.
Seasons
Occurrence of seasons is due to the movement of the Earth around the Sun. As the Earth
spins on its axis, producing night and day, it also moves about the Sun in an elliptical
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(elongated circle) orbit that requires about 365 1/4 days to complete. The Earth’s spin axis
is tilted with respect to its orbital plane. This is what causes the seasons. When the Earth’s
axis points towards the Sun, it is summer for that hemisphere. When the Earth’s axis points
away it is winter. In between we have autumn and spring.
Spring Winter
Summer Autumn
The monsoon season, falling of snow, formation of the rainbow, etc., are all natural
phenomenon, the wonders of nature.
Sunrise Sunset Snowfall A Rainbow
Many poets have admired the beauties nature offers and have written lovely poems. Artists
and now photographers have captured its beauty in pictures. Surely nature is gentle and
kind; it supports the existence of life on earth. However, some natural occurrences like
volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, avalanche and
tsunami, etc., can cause a lot of damage
Composition of the earth

crust
It may seem like the Earth is made up of
one big solid rock, but it’s really made up of mantle
a number of layers like an onion which are
constantly moving! solid inner core
Look at the picture below to see the four main
liquid outer core
layers of the Earth— the crust, mantle, outer
core, and inner core.
Crust
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Tectonic plates
The tectonic plates are a combination of the crust and the outer mantle, also called
the lithosphere. These plates move very slowly, around a couple of inches a year. The
place where the plates touch each other is called a fault. When the plates move and the
boundaries bump up against each other an earthquake occurs.
The inner core is the hottest part of the Earth, at over 5,000°C, it is about as hot as the
surface of the Sun.
Volcanoes
A volcano is an opening on the planet’s
surface that allows hot magma, volcanic ash
and gases to escape from below the surface.
It is a land-form (usually a mountain) where
molten rock erupts through the surface of
the planet.
Just underneath the Earth’s crust is a layer
Volcano
called the mantle, this is made of up plates
that are always moving. Sometimes when the plates separate heat is generated and causes
the mantle to melt into magma. The magma comes up through the crack between the
plates. It spreads out, cools down, and becomes rock again. The solid magma stays beneath
the Earth’s surface.
Sometimes under a volcano the plates collide. When that happens, one plate can slide
under the other. This also causes the mantle underneath to melt. The magma pushes
upward, melting more rock. The hot magma collects under the surface of the Earth. If the
pressure is high enough or a crack opens in the crust, the magma flows out as lava. This is
how a volcano erupts.
Earthquakes
An earthquake is what happens when two blocks
of the Earth suddenly slip past one another.
The surface where they slip is called the fault
or fault plane. The location below the Earth’s
surface where the earthquake starts is called the
hypocenter, and the location directly above it on
the surface of the Earth is called the epicenter. Damage cause by an earthquake
Earthquakes are recorded by instruments called seismographs
The magnitude is measured on the Richter Scale, invented by Charles F. Richter. The
magnitude is calculated from the amplitude (size) of the largest seismic wave.
Earthquakes with a magnitude of 5 and above on the Richter Scale can cause damage.
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Tsunami
A tsunami is a huge wave in the ocean that develops as
a result of an earthquake on the surface of the ocean.
It can reach a height of 100 feet (30 meters). A tsunami
can travel even faster than a commercial jet. This
powerful wall of water reaches the coast and can cause
a lot of damage.
This happens when the plates underneath the Earth’s
surface move so that one slips under another. From
Tsunami
deep in the ocean the energy of the earthquake causes
the water level to rise above sea level. Gravity causes the water to spread into a wave that
travels at an incredible speed and with amazing power. A tsunami gets bigger as it gets
closer to the shore.
Thunderstorms, Hurricanes and Tornadoes

A thunderstorm is a storm with lightning and thunder.
A hurricane is a huge storm! It can be up to 1000 kilometer across and have strong winds
spiraling inward and upward at speeds of 120 to 320 kmph. Each hurricane usually lasts for
over a week, moving 15 to 30 kilometers per hour over the open ocean. Hurricanes gather
heat and energy through contact with warm ocean waters. Evaporation from the seawater
increases their power. Hurricanes rotate in a counterclockwise direction around an “eye”
in the Northern Hemisphere and in a clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. The
center of the storm or “eye” is the calmest part. It has only light winds and fair weather.
When they come onto land, heavy rain, strong winds and large waves occur which can
damage buildings, trees and cars.
Hurricane Thunderstorm Tornado
A tornado is a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground.
The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of
up to 450 kmph. They can destroy large buildings, uproot trees and hurl vehicles hundreds
of meters away.
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Avalanche
An avalanche occurs when a large mass of ice and snow breaks away from the side of a
mountain and surges down the mountain slope with tremendous speed and force.
Fact File
The Earth moves very fast. It spins (rotates) at a speed of about 1,000
miles (1670 kilometers) per hour and orbits around the Sun at a speed
of about 68,000 miles (108,000 kilometers) per hour. We do not feel
any of this motion because these speeds are constant. The spinning
and orbital speeds of Earth stay the same so we do not feel any
acceleration or deceleration.
You can only feel motion if your speed changes.
For example, if you are in a car which is moving at a constant speed on
a smooth surface, you will not feel much motion. However, when the
An avalanche
car accelerates or when the brakes are applied, you do feel motion.
• Occurrences controlled by nature are natural phenomenon.

• Day and night is caused due to the rotation of the Earth on its axis.
• Seasons are caused because the Earth revolves around the Sun on an axis
which is tilted.
• The four major layers of the Earth are: crust, mantle, outer core and
inner core.
• The tectonic plates are a combination of the crust and the outer mantle.
• When tectonic plates separate or collide with each other heat is generated
• This heat causes the mantle to melt, when the pressure is high enough a
volcano erupts.
• When two blocks of Earth slip past one another an earthquake occurs.
• Earthquakes are measured on the Richter Scale. An earthquake of magnitude
more than 5 on the Richer Scale can cause damage.
• Tsunami occurs due to an under the ocean earthquake.
• Thunderstorms, hurricanes and tornadoes also cause destruction.
• An avalanche occurs when a large mass of ice breaks away and slides down a
mountain slope.
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Activity Time
1. Man does not have has the power to control natural phenomenon.
2. Earthquakes of magnitude more less than 5 on the Richter Scale can cause damage.
3. When the pressure of molten magma inside the Earth is high low a volcano erupts.
4. A Tsunami occurs due to an earthquake on a mountain an ocean bed .
5. An avalanche is a land slide snow slide .
1. Man can prevent the occurrence of an Earthquake. _____________
2. When tectonic plates slide or collide with each other heat is generated. _____________
3. Night and day occur due to the revolution of the Earth around the Sun. _____________
4. The Earth rotates on an axis which has a tilt. _____________
5. The innermost part of the Earth is called its mantle. _____________
1. Earthquake (a) Wind moving at 300 mph
2. Volcano (b) Telescope
3. Hurricane (c) Richter Scale
4. Tornado (d) Huge storm
5. Galileo (e) Magma
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1. What is a natural phenomenon?

________________________________________________________________________________
2. How and when does an earthquake occur?

________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why do volcanoes erupt?

________________________________________________________________________________
4. When does a tsunami occur?

________________________________________________________________________________
5. Describe a tornado.
________________________________________________________________________________
6. How do seasons occur?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Observe anything about nature that you like.
2. Record your observations.
3. Do you think human beings could replace what nature provides for us?
4. Discuss your reasons with your classmates.
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21 Natural Resources
A natural resource is anything people can use which comes from nature. People do not
make natural resources, but gather them from the earth. Examples of natural resources are
air, water, copper, wood, oil, wind , iron, other metals and coal. Refined oil is not a natural
resource because people make it.
Renewable and nonrenewable resources
A renewable resource grows again, we can say it is
regenerated. For example, soil, sunlight, water and
wood are renewable resources.
A nonrenewable resource is a resource that does not
grow and come back, or a resource that would take
a very long time to come back. For example, coal is a
nonrenewable resource. When we use coal, there is less
coal left for later use. One day, there will be no more Non-renewable resource
of it. It is important to conserve (save) nonrenewable
resources, because if we use them too quickly there will not be enough in the years to
come.
Water
Water a natural resource and is essential
for life. Humans, plants and animals all
require water for various biological functions
and other needs. Although water is a
renewable resource, it can become scarce
in landlocked areas. Desserts are the most
common areas subjected to water scarcity
but there are many other places which have
Renewable natural resource
water shortage. Two common causes of
water shortage are wasteful water consumption and seasons of unusually less rain. Water
is important for economic reasons, farmers require water for their crops and livestock.
Without water, their livelihood ceases. Society also relies on water for sanitation and
personal hygiene. Electricity is generated by harnessing the power of running water.
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Flora— Plants
Plants are another natural resource. They purify the air by
taking in carbon dioxide and giving out oxygen. Apart from
filtering the air, many plants are food sources for humans
and animals. These plants are renewable, but their
supply depends on a number of factors namely available
farmland, climate and fertile soil. These factors impact
what, when, where and how crops are grown. Trees have
another important use, as timber. Wood is a common
building material, and is used to make many products. Flora
Fauna— Animals
Just like plants, animals are a natural resource. Meat
is an important part of many people’s diets. Dairy
farmers rely on animals as a source of income. Seafood
is important too. Numerous villages depend on fish
for nutrition and as a source of income. Without
a renewable supply of fish and seafood, these
villages would become bankrupt, and eventually be
Fauna abandoned.
Animals also help with work which requires labour. Bullock carts are a common sight in
India. Bullocks are still used to plough the fields in villages. Horses and mules provide
extra power and stamina for farmers who lack mechanical equipment. Police dogs play an
important role in identifying criminals and smelling out hidden drugs.
Fossil Fuels— Oil, Natural Gas and Coal

Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of plants and animals buried deep under the Earth
and the oceans. It takes hundreds of millions of years for this to happen. These fossil fuels
are nonrenewable resources.
Three of the most important fossil fuels are oil, natural gas and coal.
Oil
Oil is drilled out from pockets in the Earth’s crust. After
refinement, that oil plays a very important role in society. Oil
is the basis for the fuels used to drive vehicles. Oil is also used
in making plastics. Society has a dependency on plastic, as a
large number of products contain plastic. Everyday items like
toothbrushes, kitchen utensils and pens are made of plastic.
Even metal pens often have plastic ink refills. Many items are
encased in plastic, such as DVDs and video game discs.
Oil field
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Natural Gas
Natural gas is another important fossil fuel. It is a common fuel
source for many household appliances, including stoves, dryers,
furnaces and hot water heaters.
Petroleum
Coal
Coal is the third most important fossil fuel. It is used in the
generation of electricity.
Coal mine
Metals
Metals are an extremely important resource. Numerous metals are
required in everyday life. From construction material to jewelry, people
use metals on a daily basis. Doors and door handles, building structures,
Copper wire
automobiles, street signs, electric wiring and electric components, all
contain metal. All these things are an important part of everyday life.
Metals are mined and are nonrenewable.
Iron wheel
Renewable sources of energy
Sunlight and wind are both renewable sources of energy. As nonrenewable sources are
decreasing by the day these sources of energy have become very important.
Plants need sunlight for photosynthesis. Humans rely on the Sun for vitamin D. Nowadays
solar energy is being used in the form of solar cookers, solar heaters and even solar bulbs.
Sunlight Solar panels Wind mills

Wind also provides natural cooling in warm weather, and aids in plant reproduction by
carrying seeds across long distances.
Wind is being increasingly used to generate electricity using wind mills.
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With the increasing number of vehicles in
the world, growing number of buildings,
and increasing number of appliances
which are being used all over the world,
fossil fuels are very soon going to become
scarce. The time has come for all of us
to collectively conserve all our natural
resources. Using public conveyance is a
better option. Better still is to begin using
bicycles for commuting to places close by.
Not only will we be reducing air pollution,
we will be conserving fuel and getting our Children going to school on bicycles
share of exercise, a healthier option for all
concerned!
Fact File
Wind farms currently produce enough electricity to meet the needs of more than 600,000 families in
the United States of America.
The largest wind turbine in the world, located in Hawaii, stands 20 stories tall and has blades the
length of a football field.
An average wind speed of 22 kilometers per hour is needed to convert wind energy into electricity.
One wind turbine can produce enough electricity to power up to 300 homes.
• A natural resource is anything people can use which comes from nature.
• Renewable resources are those resources which can be regenerated.
• Nonrenewable resources are those resources which cannot be replaced or
take a very long time to be regenerated.
• Water is a renewable resource but it can get scarce in deserts and also when
there is scarce rainfall.
• Petroleum, natural gas and coal are fossil fuels
• Plants and animals are also natural resources as they provide many useful
things for us.
• Metals are nonrenewable resources which are used widely; they can
be recycled.
• Wind and sunlight are renewable sources of energy.
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Activity Time
Activity 1: Cross out the word/words to form the correct statement.
1. Petroleum, natural gas and metals coal are fossil fuels.
2. Wind is a renewable nonrenewable source of energy.
3. Used metal products can cannot be recycled.
4. Fossil fuels are nonrenewable because it takes many few years for them to form.
5. Refined oil is not a natural man-made resource.
biological electricity criminals animals remains
1. Dogs help to identify ______________ .
2. Meat and dairy farms rely on ______________ .
3. Coal is used for the generation of ______________ .
4. Fossil fuels are formed from the ______________ of plants and animals.
5. Plants and animals require water for ______________ functions.
1. Hydroelectricity (a) Metals
2. Nonrenewable (b) Oxygen
3. Plants (c) Pollination
4. Wind (d) Electric wire
5. Metal (e) Water
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1. How do plants purify the air?

________________________________________________________________________________
2. Water is a renewable resource then why do we suffer from scarcity of water?

________________________________________________________________________________
3. For what purposes is water used?

________________________________________________________________________________
4. How has the usage of metals helped us?

________________________________________________________________________________
5. How can we conserve non renewable resources?

________________________________________________________________________________
6. Describe in what ways we depend on animals.
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Find out the names of things which you use at home and classify them as renewable or nonrenewable
resources.
S. No Name Renewable or nonrenewable

1.
2. Make a list of ways by which you can conserve nonrenewable resources and discuss your ideas with
your classmates.
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UNIT 7: MAN-MADE CHANGES
Scientists and
22 Inventions
The world today is very different from what it was in the past. Science and Technology has
taken us forward with new inventions being added every day. Can we imagine a life without
cell phones, computers, wireless, Internet and spaceships? To begin with, life on Earth was
not so easy. Let us learn about some of the very early inventions of man. Given below is a
list of some of the earliest inventions made by man.
Knife
Do you know, to begin with, man did not even have a knife to cut
vegetables with? The earliest knives were made from volcanic rocks. Later,
similar tools were made from wood and bones. Metals were discovered
just 5,000 years ago, only thereafter knives were made out of copper,
bronze, iron and eventually steel.
Fire Knife
No one will ever know for certain when man learnt about
fire. This is because prehistoric people did not know how
to write, and so did not leave written records. The earliest
evidences of the use of fire were charred remains of wood
which were recovered from a site dated 790,000 years ago.
Fire was first probably started by natural factors such as
lightning. Early Man must have used flintstones to light fire
through their sparks. In any case, the control of fire by early Fire
humans was a turning point in the history of human evolution. It introduced the concept of
light, allowed humans to cook food, obtain warmth and protection, conquer the darkness of
night and provided protection from predators and insects.
Clothes
According to archaeologists and anthropologists, the
earliest clothing probably consisted of fur, leather,
leaves or grass, draped, wrapped or tied about the body.
Archeologists have identified very early sewing needles of
bone and ivory from about 30,000 BC.
Clothing (500,000 BC – 100,000 BC)
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Housing
Man’s journey from life in a cave to life in an air conditioned
house has been a long and arduous (difficult) one. The spirit
of adventure unfolded in the making of weapons, oars, boats
and finally the wheel.
The earliest weapons The earliest boat Earliest wheels

From learning how to make a rope to weaving fine silk, man took long strides forward.
From ropes to silk

Artists found colour in pigments and musicians started to make music with the flute.
Pigments (400,000 BC) Musical instruments

A flute made from the bones of birds.
(50,000 B.C.)
It was a slow journey to begin with, but the spirit of discovery and innovation survived
through centuries of existence. From formulating the alphabet to creating languages, by
observing and drawing conclusions, mankind mastered the laws of Physics put forward
theories and defined laws which govern the patterns of life on Earth. The 20th century was
the turning point when progress began to spiral upwards.
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The aeroplane
The first working airplane was invented, designed, made,
and flown by the Wright brothers, Wilbur Wright and Orville
Wright. Their “Wright Flyer” was a fabric-covered biplane
with a wooden frame. The brothers’ first glider, tested in
1900, failed to fly but they succeeded the second time. Then
they improved the design and during the next few years
developed more sophisticated planes. They later formed the Wright brothers — aeroplane
Wright Company, which built and sold their airplanes. Wilbur Wright died in 1912 of typhoid
fever; Orville died in 1948.
The telephone
The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell who was a scientist, engineer and
inventor. Bell’s mother and wife were both deaf. He studied the human voice, worked
with various schools for the deaf and was always
experimenting with sound. Working with devices
such as a ‘harmonic telegraph’ (used to send
multiple messages over a single wire) and a
‘phonautograph’ (used to record sound), he finally
succeeded in getting his telephone to work.
Bell’s first words with the working telephone
Alexander Graham Bell and his telephone
were spoken to his assistant Watson and were,
“Mr Watson, come here. I want to see you.” He improved on the design and by 1886 more
than 150,000 people owned telephones in the United States of America.
Alexander Graham Bell believed that, preparation is the key to success and that a man is
what he makes himself to be. His prophetic words, “The day will come when the man at the
telephone will be able to see the distant person to whom he is speaking,” have come true.
Today, we can see the person we are talking to on Skype and ‘Face time’ with friends and
family on I-phones. Truly the spirit of invention possesses the mind of those who invent.
Television
The idea of the television started long before Logie Baird invented it in 1920. Important
discoveries had been made before his time. Henri Becquerel had found that light could be
changed into electricity and Ferdinand Braun had invented the
cathode ray tube which is the screen of a television set. By the
1920’s there were 50 serious attempts to invent the television
from Russia, America, Germany, Britain and Japan.
John Logie Baird was born in 1888 near Glasgow. He had
made money selling socks and soap. He sold off this buisness
to follow his dream of inventing a television. By 1925, he was
ready to give the first public display of a working television.
Logie Baird and his television
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Computers
The first “computing machine” was
created by Charles Babbage in 1822. His
idea was not really to create computers
as we know them today. He wanted to
create a machine that would compute
math problems because he was tired
of human errors, he wanted to create a Charles Babbage
Math machine but ended up giving us our
The Babbage machine
first computer. His machine, the Babbage
Machine, was a fully automatic calculating machine.
The list of inventions is a long one, the desire to invent drives
the mind. Has our journey towards the galaxies begun?
Rakesh Sharma Kalpana Chawla Sunita Williams Man has reached the moon
Our Indian astronauts
Fact File
Scientists have discovered a way to make people regenerate lost parts of the body.
Henry Markram, director of the Blue Brain Project, claims that scientists will
most likely perfect the artificial human brain in the next decade. They’ve already
got the first elements of an artificial rat ready!
• The earliest invention of mankind was the knife, it was made of volcanic rock.
• Weapons were also made of rocks. Simple tools like sewing needles were
made of bones.
• The earliest instrument made was the flute which was made from the bones
of bird.
• Metals were discovered only 5,000 years ago.
• The spirit of adventure resulted in the making of boats and finally the wheel.
• Artists used pigments for colour.
136
• The aeroplane was invented by the Wright brothers.
• Alexander Graham bell invented the telephone.
• The contributions of Henri Becquerel and Ferdinand Braun helped Logie
Baird to invent the Television.
• The first computing machine was invented by Charles Babbage.
Activity Time
1. The earliest knife was made out of metal volcanic rock .
2. Charles Babbage wanted to invent a computer math machine .
3. Very clever people also sometimes never fail.
4. When man began using fire is unknown because early man could could not write.
5. A ‘phonautograph’ records produces sound.

1. Early man knew how to read and write. _____________
2. The earliest knife was made of iron. _____________
3. Early man used boats to travel across the water ways. _____________
4. Logie Baird invented the computer. _____________
5. The Wright brothers sold aeroplanes. _____________
1. Wright Company (a) Bones of birds
2. Henri Bequerel (b) Cathode ray tube
3. Ferdinand Braun (c) Sale of aeroplanes
4. Babbage Machine (d) Television
5. Logie Baird (e) Computer
137
1. Why is there no evidence of when man began using fire?

________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why did early man not make weapons from metals?

________________________________________________________________________________
3. What did Early Man use for clothing?

________________________________________________________________________________
4. What did Charles Babbage want to invent and why?

________________________________________________________________________________
5. Which inventions helped Logie Baird to make the Television?

________________________________________________________________________________
6. Which prediction of Alexander Graham Bell has come true?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
Let us try to make a roller rotate with the help of a balloon.
Materials
1. An empty cylindrical soda can.
2. An inflated balloon.
Planning the Procedure
1. Place the can on a smooth horizontal table or floor and hold the can such that the can stays still.
2. Rub the balloon on your hair or take any woolen cloth and rub the balloon on it vigorously.
3. Next take the balloon and hold it about an inch away from the can. We will see the can will slowly start
to roll.
4. Then make the balloon move by maintaining the distance and we will see that the can also starts to
move along with the balloon.
5. If we bring the can to the other side we will see that the can will follow the balloon.
• What conclusions can you draw from this experiment.
• Discuss your conclusions with your classmates
138
Means of
23 Transport
Ever since man inhabited Earth he wanted to move,
naturally because man could walk. So, he walked in search
of food, water and shelter so that he could survive. Later,
he learnt to domesticate animals and ride them for hunting
and to move from one place to another.
It was only in 3500 B.C. that the wheel was invented. The
invention of the wheel was a turning point in the history of
the transport system. Combining the horse and the wheel
the chariot took shape.
The spirit of adventure made man want to cross rivers and streams as well. Early Man made
a hollow in old tree trunks and transformed it into a boat. This was the first step towards
the making of the ship.
Science and technology have brought rapid changes in the modes of transport. Every new
invention is a faster, smoother and a more comfortable mode of travel. We can travel by
land, water or air.
Land transport
In India, where villages are not modernized people still use bullock carts and horse
carts or ‘tonga’ to travel by road. Camels are used in Rajasthan. The rickshaw which is
wheeled along by men, is another common mode of transport. All these are slow moving,
cumbersome and old fashioned means of transport considering the great innovations which
have come about. However, these methods of transport do not add to pollution.
Old fashioned means of land transport

139
The cycle, which is also not a motored vehicle, however, has
become increasingly popular among the younger generation. This
is a good sign because though motored vehicles are faster, we are
slowly consuming all our nonrenewable resources are we not?
Scooters, motorcycles, cars, buses and trucks are motored
vehicles which take us faster from one place to another. They require either petrol or diesel
to run, and of course add to air pollution as they move along. The introduction of C.N.G.
as a motor fuel has helped to decrease pollution because C.N.G. as a fuel does not release
smoke or poisonous gases.
Trains are better means of land transport because they can take many passengers at a
time. The Metro Rails are a proof that they serve the purpose of transport more efficiently.
Railways are not a modern invention, in olden days railway wagons were pulled by horses.
Later, steam engines were used. Now we have trains running on electricity. These trains are
much cleaner and run very fast.
Water transport
We have already learnt that early man used boats. The design and structure of boats have
improved over the years. Boats are still used to cross canals and rivers. Boat races have
become a sport which people enjoy. Single manned boats called canoes are also still
widely used.
140
The boats improved slowly to yachts with sails. Then the yachts
became bigger and the first ships with sails took shape. These
ships made use of wind energy to sail. The sailors had to be very
skilled to take advantage of the wind, it was not an easy task.
The invention of the steam engine by James Watt led to the
construction of steamers and ferries. Today, there are big ships
running on powerful diesel engines which travel with great speed
in big seas and oceans. This mode of transport has helped in trade between countries
across the oceans. Ships can transport large amounts of material which air
planes cannot.
Air transport
Before the invention of the first air plane people used hot air balloons to
take them up in the air. The movement of these balloons depended on
the direction of the wind and one could not go very far.
Over the years the shape and size of air planes has improved. Air
transport is the fastest means of transport. The helicopter, jet plane and
rockets are among the various kinds of air transport. Travelling by air is
expensive but worth the experience.
Fact File
The fastest steam train in the world was The Mallard. This locomotive travelled up and down the east
coast of England between London and York, and in 1938 reached speeds of up to 202 km/h.
Quite a few countries now use high speed trains. The famous Bullet Train in Japan and the TGV in
France can both carry passengers at speeds of over 300 km/h. Journey times are now much shorter, and
trains can travel on some unusual routes; up hills, through mountains, even under the sea. Euro-tunnel
was opened in 1994 connecting Britain to France through a railway line that goes under the sea.
141
• At first man had to walk to reach a destination.
• Later he used animals to ride upon.
• The wheel invented in 3500 B.C. was a turning point in the history of the
modes of transport.
• Science and technology brought rapid changes in the means of transport.
• People still use bullock carts, horse carts and rickshaws.
• The cycle is a popular and convenient mode of transport which does not
require any kind of fuel.
• Scooters, motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks and trains are among some of the
other means of land transport.
• Boats designed by early man are still used with improved designs. Sail ships,
motor boats, ferries and diesel run ships are other means of water transport.
• Helicopters, aero planes, jet planes and rockets are modes of air transport.
Activity Time
1. Science and technology have brought rapid slow changes in the modes of transport.
2. The bullock cart is an old a new fashioned mode of transport.
3. The cycle is is not a motored vehicle.
4. Introduction of C.N.G. as a fuel has increased decreased pollution.
5. Trains are a good means of transport as they can take many few passengers.

1. Railways are a modern mode of transport. __________
2. Before the invention of the air plane man used hot air balloons to go up in the air. __________
3. A bullock cart is also known as a ‘tonga’. __________
4. Man moved from place because he was bored of the same place. __________
5. The cycle is a useful means of transport. __________

1. Chariot (a) James Watt
2. Ships with sails (b) Boat
3. Wheel (c) Horses
4. Hollow tree trunk (d) Wind energy
5. Steam engine (e) 3500 B.C.
142
1. Why did man domesticate animals?

________________________________________________________________________________
2. Which invention helped in bringing about quick changes in means of land transport and why?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why are ships important as a means of transport?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Name the means of transport which do not require fuel.
________________________________________________________________________________
5. How was the first boat made?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. Why are trains better than other means of transport?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
Bernoulli’s principle says that “when velocity of a fluid increases, the pressure exerted by that fluid
decreases”.
It explains how the aircrafts are able to get a lift, as they move. The wings of the plane cause the velocity of
air above the aircraft to increase. This makes pressure above the aircraft much lower than pressure below.
Thus, the aircraft feels a net upward force and thus, is able to get lift.
Let us try a simple experiment to see if this principle works.
Materials required Blow hard
1. A funnel
2. A ping pong ball (table tennis ball) Ping pong
3. A table. ball rises
Method:
• Place the ball on the table.
• Place the mouth of the funnel over the ball
• Now blow hard over the ball through the stem of the funnel.
• You will see it will rise up to fill the mouth of the funnel and will not fall.
• The harder you blow the more will the ball stick to the mouth.
• Can you explain why the windows suddenly open when strong wind blow outside?
• Discuss your explanation with your class mates.
143
Mediums of
24 Communication
All of us feel the need to communicate with each other,
babies often cry because they need to tell us that they want
something. It is because babies cannot talk that they cry. As we
grow up we go to school and learn how to talk, read and write.
Verbal communication
We converse with each other and share our thoughts most of the time. This is called verbal
communication. Can you imagine how we would
manage to express our needs without being able
to talk? At first we could only talk to a person if
that person was close by. With the invention of
the telephone we can talk to people far away too;
this is called telecommunication. By mobile By telephone
Written communication
We can write letters to each other, this is called written communication.
Do you know that there was a time when man had trained pigeons to
carry letters to people living far away? Now, this must not have been an
easy task. How would you explain to a pigeon where to take the letter?
Could you have done that?
Postal system
With increasing improvement in the means of transport, it became easier to send letters
too. The Postal Department soon took shape and people began to write letters and post
them in a post box.
The postman collects the letters from the letter box and takes
them to the Post Office where they are stamped with the postal
seal and then sent to their destinations. Special postal vans are
used to transport the letters to the Railway department, if they
are to go inland or to airports, if they are to go abroad.
Letters can be written in inland letters, postcards or sealed in
envelopes. Letters which are sent abroad are sent in aerograms.
Postage
144
All letters sent in envelopes have to have stamps. Different countries have different kinds of
stamps which are made official. Collecting stamps is an interesting hobby.
Official material required to send letters is
known as postage and is sold in Post offices.
Each letter has to have an address written on
the front, the sender is required to write the
personal address at the back. The postman
delivers these letters. There was a time when
everyone ran to greet the postman because he
brought news from distant places.
We still write letters and send them to our
friends and relatives by post but not so Letter box Postman
frequently because we can talk to friends and relatives on the phone. However, we should
know the address where our friends and relatives live otherwise we will not be able to send
letters, cards and parcels.
Courier services
In addition to postal services, nowadays courier services
also provide the facility to send documents, packages
and other items. Courier services provide faster delivery.
They offer door to door pickup and delivery facility, so
are a more convenient mode of communication. These
services help people especially businessmen to transport
important documents, packages, and other items that
help in running of their businesses. Courier office
Telegrams
There was a time when urgent messages were sent via
the telegram. Telegrams reached faster than letters. This
was before the time of the telephone. The person who
developed the telegraph system was Samuel Morse. He
sent electric current through wires in the form of long
and short pulses, each pulse represented a letter of the
alphabet. It was a code language known as the Morse
Code which the telegraph authorities decoded. Sending Telegram machine
145
telegrams was very expensive, each alphabet cost money. So, telegrams were sent only in
the case of emergencies. The telephone soon took over from the telegraph. Today no one
feels the need to send telegrams and the telegraph offices have closed down.
The postal system and telephones give us news about people we know or like. They are
known as means of personal communication.
Mass communication
Newspapers, magazines, the radio and television bring the news about the whole world to
many people. So, they are known as mediums of mass communication. Before television
was invented, people would crowd around the radio to hear the news. Though television
has become more popular than the radio, people still listen to the radio. It broadcasts news,
songs and interesting anecdotes. All of us are interested in what is going on around the
world are we not? Surely, life has changed in many ways over the last few years. The world
has become a happening place for everyone.
LCD television Newspapers Radio

Fax
The electronic media has brought rapid and amazing changes in
the field of communication. Earlier, even though communication
had become much easier, people depended on letters and
telegrams. Later people started to use courier services to send
important documents. With the invention of the Facsimile
machine, better known as the Fax machine, a person could
send documents within minutes. The Fax machine first converts Fax machine
the image of the document into dots (code image), this is transmitted and the receiving
machine decodes the dots and reprints the document.
E-mail
Today, we can communicate electronically on the computer. This is possible because of the
facility of the Internet which is a global network
Fact File
connecting millions of computers. More than
The Internet is the fastest-growing communications
100 countries are linked to exchange data, tool ever. It took radio broadcasters 38 years to
news and opinions. Within seconds our mail reach an audience of 50 million, television 13 years,
reaches its destination. With these modern and the Internet just 4 years.
methods of communication we can connect
with anyone in the world at any time.
146
• We can communicate with people either verbally or by writing.
• Before the invention of the telephone it was not possible to verbally
communicate with people in distant places.
• When there was no means of transport, pigeons were used to carry letters.
• The postal system made it possible to communicate through letters.
• Urgent messages were sent through telegrams.
• Telegraph services have closed down with the advent of electronic media.
• Electronic media has brought amazing changes in the means of
communication.
Activity Time
1. Courier services are faster slower than Postal services.
2. Postage is sold in Post offices the market .
3. Sending telegrams was very expensive cheap .
4. News papers and magazines are means of mass personal communication.
5. The radio broadcasts telecasts news.

1. Babies do not know how to communicate properly. __________
2. Pigeons were never used to carry letters. __________
3. The e-mail is the slowest means of communication. __________
4. Telegraph offices have closed down. __________
5. Television is a means of mass communication. __________

1. Morse code (a) E-mail
2. Envelope (b) Facsimile
3. Courier (c) Telegram
4. Fax (d) Postage
5. Computer (e) Convenient
147
1. Why do people not need to send telegrams anymore?

________________________________________________________________________________
2. Which is the fastest means of communication and why?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. What do people need to do to send letters through the postal department?

________________________________________________________________________________
4. Why is communication so important?

________________________________________________________________________________
5. What do you understand by mass communication?

________________________________________________________________________________
6. Describe the role of Courier Services.
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
1. Let us make a code language with numbers.
2. Give each alphabet a number.
3. Share these number names with your friend.
4. Now write a message to your friend using these numbers.
5. Ask your friend to decode what you have written.
6. You can use other symbols as well, and have a secret code of your own.
5 14 10 15 25
148
25 Safety Rules
Accidents can occur at any time, no one is to blame but
very often the damage caused is serious. We can keep
away from accidents if we learn to live safely. Very
often when we run around and play we fall and hurt
ourselves. This does not mean that we should not play.
It means that we should play safely. If we run around
the class in between desks with sharp objects in our
hands, surely we may hurt someone or ourselves too.
So, the classroom is not the right place to play. We
should play outside on the open ground or better still
in the playground.
A staircase can prove to a dangerous place. We should all be careful
never to allow small children to play alone in a place where there is
a staircase and when we move up and down we ourselves should be
careful. This is because it is easy to slip and fall and hurt ourselves badly.
Actually, if we learn to follow safety rules we can easily keep away from
accidents.
Road rules
Should we be skipping a rope in the middle of a road? Roads are meant for the movement
of traffic. Special sidewalks or footpaths are made for pedestrians. We should use the
footpath when we walk on the road and always remember to keep to the left.
149
Whenever we want to cross the road we
should always do so at the zebra crossing.
Zebra crossings are marked with white
stripes like the stripes of a zebra so that
they can be easily seen even at night.
Traffic keeps moving till the red light of a
signal tells the traffic to stop. Nowadays,
next to the traffic light there is a glowing
symbol of a man. When the symbol of the Zebra crossing
man glows green it indicates that a person can safely cross the road.
There are many traffic rules which we need to learn before we get a license to drive. Let us
find out about these rules because all of us will need to drive when we grow up. Road signs
are put up so that we do not make mistakes. The traffic is expected to drive slowly in areas
where there are schools and hospitals and stop when there are people at work. Many other
signs guide the movement of vehicles. Try to become familiar with these signs so that you
know what they mean

When the signal lights turns green, vehicles begin to move
forward. If you want to cross the road you should wait for
the walk signal to turn green.
The yellow lights on the signal indicate that the vehicles

on one side should prepare to stop and on the opposite
side prepare to move forward. It is a warning that the
colour will soon change.
When the signal light turns red, vehicles stop. If the light
is red in your direction, you should not walk across the
street as cars will begin to come from the other side. Wait
for the walk signal to turn green.
150
The WALK signal is found at busy intersections. It means
that it is okay for you to cross the street. BUT you should
always look both ways, left, right and left again to make
sure no cars are coming or turning into the area where
you are going to cross the street.
This signal is the same as the WALK sign. It has a picture of

a person walking instead of using the word “WALK”.
This sign shows that the road is a one way street, car
drivers must drive in the direction of the arrow. This is also
a rule for bikers and in-line skaters.
This sign means that you are coming to an intersection

and should use caution.
This sign means you are near a school.

• When school is opening in the morning and closing
in the afternoon, the school is a very busy and
crowded area.
• There are children being dropped off or picked up by
both school buses and parents.
• All vehicles have to give way to children and drive very
very slowly
• If you are walking, be very careful. Do not walk through
parked traffic, stop and look carefully before stepping
out from vehicles.
• Remember the danger areas close to school buses
where the driver can’t see you.
• Don’t run to catch up with your friends or run between
parked cars and buses.
151
This sign means you are coming to a railroad crossing.
• Railroad tracks are uneven. You should not try to
bicycle or in-line skate over them.
• Many railroad crossings have a gate with a bell
and blinking lights that closes when a train is
approaching.
• NEVER go around a closed railroad gate.
• Trains are very large and heavy, and take a long time
to stop.
When people are working on the roads, parts of the road
or sidewalk are often dug up or rough. This sign shows
that people are working on the road.
• Use caution when walking, bicycling or skating.
• Uneven, rough roads could make you fall off your bike
or in-line skates.
• If you must move into the road, go around the work
area.
This sign shows that there is a bike path or bike route

available. If there is a bike path, you must use it.
This sign shows that no one can park their vehicles here.
If they do so they have to pay a fine or the vehicle is
towed away.
This sign shows that vehicles can be safely parked here.
This sign shows that no vehicle is allowed entry here
152
This sign warns that there is a U-turn in front.
This sign shows that there is a zig zag bend ahead
Vehicles are not given permission to take a left turn here.
Vehicles are not allowed to take a right turn here.
Vehicles are warned that it is a hospital area, generally

vehicles shoud not blow horns here and add to
noise pollution.
Safety at home
We need to learn how to be safe even when we are at home. It has well been said, “Better
to be safe than sorry.”
When we are playing at home we should remember never

to play with fire. We can easily burn ourselves or even burn
the whole house down.
153
Do not touch electric switches. Electricity can keep us warm or cool
and it can cook our food but it can also kill us.
Do not play with scissors and knives you can hurt yourself.
Do not touch medicines or try to taste them, you can get

poisoned.
Do not try to work with gas cylinders, if the gas leaks it will
catch fire.
Do not scatter toys especially rolling toys, you might slip over and fall.
Grow up to become responsible and do take very good care of yourself. Always BE SAFE.
Fact File
A recent study found that safety signs which inform you of danger can
reduce accident rates in the workplace by up to 80%. It probably explains
why safety signs should be placed on every blind corner and place of
potential hazard possible. It works if we know what the sign means.
• Accidents can occur at any time however we can avoid accidents if we

are careful.
• We should always use the foot path when we walk on the roads and keep
to the left.
• We should always cross at a Zebra crossing when the walk signal is green.
• Traffic signs guide the public.
• Everyone should know what the meaning of road signs are.
• We should observe safety rules at home as well.
154
Activity Time
1. We should always walk on the middle side of the road.
2. We should cross the road when the walk signal is red green .
3. We should not play play with electric equipment.
4. We should always never run down the stairs.
5. Everyone no one should follow traffic rules.
1. Crossing a road is never safe. __________
2. Traffic should slow down in an area where there is a school. __________
3. We can park our car where ever we find a suitable place. __________
4. It is always safe to cross a road at the Zebra crossing. __________
5. A Zebra crossing has green stripes. __________
1. White stripes (a) Traffic signs
2. Walking on the road (b) Vehicles begin to move
3. Guide people (c) Vehicles prepare to stop.
4. Green signal (d) Footpath
5. Yellow signal (e) Zebra crossing
155
1. What should we remember when we cross the road?
________________________________________________________________________________
2. How do traffic signals stop and move the traffic?
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Which things should we not play with at home?
________________________________________________________________________________
4. What should we not do in a class room when the teacher is not there?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. When the signal turns yellow what does it indicate?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. What will happen if we park a vehicle in a ‘No Parking’ area?
________________________________________________________________________________
Things To Do
Make a poster to illustrate Safety Rules.
Add slogans to promote the rules.
Display in your class bulletin board.
Discuss with your classmates why, ‘It is better to be safe than sorry.’
156
Revision Exercise 4
A. Draw lines to match correctly.

1. (a) Cross now
2. (b) Natural phenomenon
3. (c) Natural resource
4. (d) Gram Panchayat
5. (e) Pollution free
B. Identify the following.
S _ _ K _ B _ T _ _ _ L _ _ N _ N _ _ U _ _ L
P_ _ _ _M_N_ _
G _ L _ X _ _ S N_ R_ _ _T T_ _ N S_ _P
157
157
C. Put a Cross (X) on the activities which you should not do.

A. ______________________ B. ______________________ C. _____________________

D. ______________________ E. ______________________ F. _____________________
D. Complete the crossword with the help of the clues.
Clues

Across: Down:
1. Earthquake. 1.
Fossil fuel.
2. First computer. 2. Under ocean earthquake.
3. First invention 3. Pollution free fuel
158
158
Test Paper 2
A. Tick the correct answer.

1. ______________________ is a harvest festival.
(a) Bihu (b) Holi (c) Dusshera
2. The fire brigade is ready _______________________ .

(a) all the time (b) early in the morning (c) at night
3. Councillors are members of _________________________ .

(a) Gram panchayat (b) Municipality (c) Red Cross society
4. Celestial objects which have light of their own are called _______________________ .
(a) stars (b) planets (c) satellites
5. Refined oil is a _______________________ .

(a) natural resource (b) renewable resource (c) man-made product.
6. The inner core is the _______________________ part of the earth

(a) hottest (b) coldest (c) movable
7. The Red Cross is a _______________________ organization which offers Social Service.

(a) Government (b) Non Government (c) Voluntary
8. The _______________________ is the fastest means of transport.

(a) aeroplane (b) train (c) chariot
10. The _______________________ offices have now closed down
(a) telephone (b) telegraph (c) post
B. State whether True or False.

1. First Aid can help to save a person’s life.
2. Only grownups can serve the community.
3. Satellites revolve around the Sun.
4. ‘Holi’ is a seasonal festival.
5. A sprain can take longer than a fracture to heal.
6. Water and Oxygen have been found on Mars.
159
159
7. Venus is closest to the Earth.
8. The Municipality looks after the needs of a village.
9. All harvest festivals are celebrated at the same time.
10. We should cross the road when the traffic has stopped moving.
C. Match the following.

1. Steam engine (a) Telegram
2. E-mail (b) Stars
3. Bone (c) Transport
4. Hospital (d) Planet
5. Horse (e) Mass communication
6. Snow (f) James Watt
7. Constellation (g) Internet
8. Satellite (h) Fracture
9. Television (i) Service
10. Morse Code (j) Avalanche
D. Answer the following questions.

1. In what ways does the Gram Panchayat look after the needs of the village?
____________________________________________________________________________
2. What First Aid should be given to a person with insect bites?

____________________________________________________________________________
3. In what ways can school children serve the community?

____________________________________________________________________________
4. Why have the telegraphic offices closed down?

____________________________________________________________________________
5. What rules should you remember to cross a road?

____________________________________________________________________________
6. Which invention helped in the rapid progress of means of transport?

____________________________________________________________________________
160
160

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Ms Meena Rawat

M.A., M.Sc., M.Ed.

First Edition: 2014

© Good Luck Publishers Limited

All rights reserved with the publisher. No part of this

We are committed to serve students to the best of our knowledge and

· Main parts of the

4. Sources of food. · Food from plants. · Knowledge about · Formation of correct

5. Sources of water · Introduction. · Understanding the · Formation of correct

6. Air and Us · Weather patterns. · To understand the · Formation of correct

8. Types of Houses · Introduction. · Knowledge about · Formation of correct

Revision Exercise 1 T o assess knowledge

9. All about clothing material · Introduction. · To be able to · Formation of correct

· Wearing clean clothes. · To understand the need · Formation of correct

UNIT 5 : LEARNING TO SOCIALISE

17. Community Services · Introduction. · To understand the · Formation of correct

18. Our Contributions · Introduction. · To grasp the meaning of · Formation of correct

Revision Exercise 3 To assess knowledge

21. Natural Resources · Introduction. · To differentiate between · Formation of correct

UNIT 7 : MAN MADE CHANGES

24. Mediums of · Verbal Communication. · To differentiatebetween · Formation of correct

25. Saftey Rules · Road Rules. · To understand why it · Formation of correct

Revision Exercise 4 To assess knowledge from

Test Paper 2 To evaluate knowledge

Organs that together form the Respiratory System

Organs that work together to form the Circulatory System

The organs which together form the Excretory System

• A part of the body which is specialized to perform some particular

1. The upper part of the trunk is called the abdomen thorax .

2. The heart brain is an important organ of the circulatory system.

3. The kidneys lungs remove urine from the body.

inhalation arteries upper transport

1. The arms are attached to the _________________ part of the trunk.

3. The circulatory system is like a _________________ system.

4. Oxygen enters the lungs by the process of _________________ .

Activity 3: Match the following correctly.

Activity 4: Answer the following questions.

1. Can you suggest why the long intestine is so long?

What about plants? Plants

Puppies grow to become dogs;

Characteristics of nonliving things

• Living things show certain characteristics.

1. Plants animals can cannot move from one place to another.

2. Animals which eat plants are known as herbivores carnivores .

3. Removal of toxins from the body is known as excretion egestion .

4. Food in the stomach becomes acidic alkaline .

5. Arteries veins carry blood away from the heart.

1. Animals can prepare their own food. _____________

2. Plants also have sense organs. _____________

3. Plants grow throughout their lives. _____________

4. We can make nonliving things move. _____________

5. All animals reproduce by laying eggs _____________

sunlight year limbs oxygen stomata light

1. Snakes crawl because they do not have ________________ .

2. Plants breathe through tiny holes, called ________________ .

3. The trunk of a tree becomes thicker every ________________ .

4. Living things breathe because they need ________________ .

5. Plants move towards ________________ .

6. Food is prepared by plants in the presence of ________________ .

Activity 4: Answer the following questions.

1. Explain why a car moves yet it is said to be nonliving.

2. Why do living things need to reproduce?

3. Illustrate how plants move without changing their positions.

2. Poultry farms are raised to provide _ and _ .