🗓️ The Twelve Months

Chapter 5 · Story & Activities

❄️ Winter 🌸 Spring ☀️ Summer 👧 Marouckla 🔥 Great January

🌟 ⭐ 🌟 ⭐ 🌟

📖 Things to Do

Q1. Find the meaning of the following words.

Ans:

Word	Meaning
adorning	Making something more beautiful.
ranted	Talked loudly and angrily.
abused	Treated cruelly.
starlets	Small stars.
delicious	Very tasty and pleasant to eat.

Q2. Read the words. Write the words that combine to make each of them.
stepmother · footprint · snow white · springtime · gentle-hearted · anywhere
Now write other meaningful words that begin or end with the first or second word in each.

anytime
whereabouts

💬 Answer the Following Questions

(1) Why did Marouckla’s stepmother hate her?

Ans:

Marouckla’s stepmother hated her because she was prettier than her own daughter, Holena.

(2) In what season does the story take place?

Ans:

The story takes place in winter.

(3) Does Marouckla get any of the things she brings?

Ans:

No, Marouckla does not get any of the things she brought. Everything she brings is taken away by her stepmother and stepsister.

(4) Why do Holena and her mother go out in the snow themselves?

Ans:

Holena thinks that Marouckla ate some apples on her way home and would do so again if sent out once more. So Holena and her mother decide to go out in the snow themselves to find the place and shake down all the apples from the tree.

(5) Why is Great January annoyed with Holena and her mother? Does he help them?

Ans:

The twelve months were sitting around a big fire. Holena and her mother stepped up to the fire and stretched out their hands to warm themselves without asking permission or speaking even one polite word. When Great January asked them what they wanted, Holena rudely called him an old fool and asked why he wanted to know. Her mother told him that it was none of his business. Seeing their rude behaviour and speech, Great January was very annoyed with them. No, he does not help them.

🌍 Describe the Seasons

Q4. Describe the following with the help of the story.

Ans:

🌸 Springtime

During spring, the snow begins to melt, the trees begin to flower, and the ground is covered with grass. Small flowers like the violet begin to bloom, and it looks as if a colourful cloth has been spread on the ground.

☀️ Summer

By the time summer starts, the snow will have already melted. The ground is covered with grass and the trees are covered with leaves. The birds begin to sing. The forest is full of all kinds of flowers and fruits, like strawberries.

❄️ Winter

In winter, the sky is dark, snow falls, and strong winds blow. Sometimes, the snow falls in such huge masses that a person cannot even see one step ahead. It is bitterly cold and gloomy.

👥 Group Work

🗣️

(1) Form groups of 3. Read aloud the conversations in the story, each group presenting one piece of conversation.

Ans:

Students must form a group of three, choose a conversation from the story, and read it aloud in class. Each member should play a different character and use an expressive voice.

(2) Form groups of 5. Find at least two fairy tales or folk tales each and share them with other members in your group. Make a collection of 10 different stories in each group.

Ans:

Students must form a group of five and do this activity on their own. Some examples of fairy tales are: Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, and The Ugly Duckling. For Indian folk tales, students can look for stories from their region and share them with their group.

📝 Language Study – Nouns

Q6. Note the words that are highlighted.
Marouckla ran to the top of the mountain where the big fire was burning.
The highlighted words are all nouns. Find 5 other nouns from the story.

Ans:

coat shawls Marouckla word wind

🎤 Activity

📖

Q7. Hold a story-telling competition in which each one narrates a folk-tale or fairy-tale.

Ans:

Students must participate in the story-telling competition on their own. Choose a favourite folk tale or fairy tale, practise telling it clearly and confidently, and then narrate it to the class. Remember to use an expressive voice and proper actions to make your story interesting and enjoyable for everyone!