Summary of the Lesson
Meanings (Glossary)
Warming Up!
1. Find the hidden word in each set
Set 1: Understanding / Adaptable / Tolerant / Neat / Encouraging / Resourceful
Ans: Nature
Set 2: Selfless / Inspiring
Ans: Selfless
Set 3: Youthful / Modest
Ans: My
Set 4: Affectionate / Compassionate / Empathetic / Earnest / Honest / Reliable / Trustworthy
Ans: Teacher
The full message is: _____ _____ _____ _____
Ans: Nature is my Teacher.
2. Special features of each aspect of nature
| Aspect | Special Features |
|---|---|
| Land | Topography, fertility, location |
| Water | Salinity, temperature, taste |
| Trees | Size, foliage, shape |
| Animals | Appearance, food habits, habitat |
| Insects | Appearance, life cycle, physical structure |
3. Living creatures in alphabetical order
In Between The Lesson
Q1. How does the hibiscus flower make the most of its short life span?
Ans: The hibiscus flower smiles with the sun and dances with the wind, and by the next evening it dries up and falls off. Even though it lives for only a day, it spreads beauty and joy fully. This is how it makes the most of its short life.
Q2. What role does nature play in our lives?
Ans: Nature relaxes us and improves our wellbeing. It soothes us, nurtures us, fulfils us, and motivates us. It also whispers to us gently and sometimes commands us.
Q3. Guess the meaning of: splendour
Ans: Splendour means a magnificent and beautiful appearance.
Q4. Who is stronger — water or rocks? Justify your answer.
Ans: Water is stronger than rocks. By flowing over the rocks patiently every day, water is able to carve, sculpt, and shape the rocks the way it wants.
Q5. What teaches us that hard times do not last forever? How?
Ans: A tree that loses all its leaves in the cold winter months becomes full of leaves, fruits, and flowers again when spring arrives. This teaches us that hard times do not last forever.
English Workshop
1. What things in nature teach us these lessons?
| Lesson | Ans: Taught by |
|---|---|
| (a) Nothing is impossible to achieve | Small blades of grass peeping through cracks in a concrete pavement |
| (b) Problems are not permanent | A tree that loses all its leaves in winter but grows new leaves in spring |
| (c) Be humble and adjust | Water |
| (d) Make the best use of time and opportunity | Hibiscus flower |
| (e) Be persistent | Water sculpting the rock |
| (f) Many hands make work light | Ants |
| (g) Delicate structures are not a sign of weakness | Spider’s web |
2. What do these questions from the lesson imply?
(a) Are you listening?
Ans: It means we should listen carefully to the message that nature gives us through even the smallest things.
(b) What if we too lived our lives, however short, to its fullest?
Ans: It means we should live our lives fully, no matter how short they are. We would be happier if we lived this way.
(c) What if we too are consistent, organised, focused?
Ans: If we are consistent, organised, and focused, nothing will seem impossible to us. Even a very hard task will become easy for us.
3. Flow-chart: Life of the Hibiscus Flower
4. Web: What does Nature do for human beings?
5. Contrasting features of Water and Rock
| Water | Rock |
|---|---|
| 1. Gentle | 1. Hard |
| 2. Commanding | 2. Gives in |
| 3. Majestic | 3. Carved, sculpted, and shaped |
| 4. Pertinent | 4. Indomitable |
6. Special features of different parts of nature
| Part of Nature | Special Feature | Value Learnt |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Rainbow | Colours the sky | Spread beauty |
| 2. Caterpillar | Turns into a butterfly | Don’t give up |
| 3. Water | Changes its form | Change with changing time |
| 4. Bare tree | Bears leaves again in spring | Difficult times pass |
| 5. Small bits of grass | Peep through concrete pavements | Nothing is impossible |
| 6. Spider’s web | Looks delicate | Delicate structures are not a sign of weakness |
| 7. Ants | Carry a fly ten times their size | Value of teamwork |
7. Think and answer in your own words
(a) How should you deal with difficulties and problems?
Ans: We should face difficulties and problems with courage and determination. We should never give up, and we should always stay positive, remembering that every problem passes with time.
(b) ‘An oyster turns a grain of sand into a pearl.’ What can we learn from this example?
Ans: This example teaches us that our response to a problem is what matters most. Just as the oyster turns an unwanted grain of sand into a valuable pearl, we too can turn our challenges into opportunities to learn and grow.
(c) How does nature succeed in its ‘Alchemy’? What can it turn a small person into?
Ans: Nature teaches us valuable lessons through the smallest things. When we learn from these lessons, we become great individuals who are ready to live life fully. This is how nature succeeds in bringing a positive change in us.
(d) Which two aspects of nature teach us to accept change and adjust to situations?
Ans: Water and clouds teach us to accept change and adjust to situations. Water changes its shape according to the wind and the sun, and clouds change their shape every moment, teaching us to accept change.
(e) Why does the writer begin by quoting lines from William Blake’s poem?
Ans: The writer begins with William Blake’s lines to set the mood of the lesson. She wants to show that we can find deep meaning even in the smallest things in nature, if we are willing to learn from them.
8. (A) Nouns from the lesson
| Concrete Nouns | Abstract Nouns |
|---|---|
| Rocks, plant, flower, grass, leaves, birds, ant, water, butterfly, caterpillar | Eternity, imagination, passion, perseverance, alchemy, moment, majesty, awe, wellbeing, conviction |
8. (B) Transitive and Intransitive verbs
(1) One can witness and experience the beauty of Heaven.
Ans: can witness — transitive; can experience — transitive
(2) It leaves me in complete awe.
Ans: leaves — transitive
(3) Nature soothes and nurtures.
Ans: soothes — intransitive; nurtures — intransitive (Note: these are usually transitive verbs, but here they have no object, so they are used intransitively.)
(4) It withers completely.
Ans: withers — intransitive
(5) The flower comes to life only for a day.
Ans: comes — intransitive
(6) A rainbow colours the entire sky.
Ans: colours — transitive
(7) It smiles and dances.
Ans: smiles — intransitive; dances — intransitive
9. (A) Imaginary dialogue: Bird, Tree, and Fruit on environmental changes
Mango Tree: Welcome, pretty Parrot! It’s been long, you haven’t visited.
Parrot: Good morning, Mr. Mango Tree. These sudden environmental changes are confusing us. Seasons seem to be changing too fast these days.
Mango Tree: I am surprised too. Winter has just set in, but I am already flowering.
Parrot: Not just flowering — you already have fruits! I see a mango on the top branch.
Mango (fruit): The real reason for these changes is man. He wants the juiciest fruits but has no patience.
Mango Tree: You are right, my child. Then they complain and find faults with us.
Parrot: The use of pesticides has changed the taste too. I remember the mangoes my mother used to bring when I was young.
Mango Tree: Vehicles have increased, and pollution is rising. The rise in carbon dioxide has caused global warming, so my fruits ripen before their time.
Mango (fruit): Not just that! Some of my siblings die young because of untimely rains.
Parrot: You are right, and there is very little we can do about it.
Mango Tree: We are as much a part of nature as humans are. All we can do is wait and watch, but I hope man realises his mistake soon.
Parrot: Don’t worry! Organic farming is becoming popular again. Bye, thank you for your hospitality!
9. (B) Fact File: Coconut Tree
| Scientific name | Cocos nucifera |
| Region and climate | Tropical region, with warm rainy winters and hot, humid rainy summers |
| Features | Long, feather-shaped leaves; separate male and female flowers; fruits grow in clusters |
| Growth | Grows up to 30 metres tall |
| Size, shape, colour | Leaves are 13–20 inches long, lance-shaped, green and turn brown when dry |
| Uses | Roots for dyes and medicine; leaves for roofing and brooms; trunk for timber; coir for ropes and mats; husk and shell as fuel; coconut for food and oil |
| Special feature | A coconut tree can survive up to 100 years in the wild |
10. ‘Impossible’ itself says ‘I M possible’. Do you agree? Give an example.
Ans: Yes, I fully agree that ‘impossible’ says ‘I am possible’. In the lesson, small blades of grass grow through a hard concrete pavement. Similarly, Jyoti Maggu, who lost her eyesight at the age of ten and was expelled from school, never gave up hope. With courage and determination, she joined a mainstream school and later became a sportswoman who won an international championship.
11. Interview with an environmentalist for Environment Protection Week
Ans: Sample interview questions: What made you become an environmentalist? What are the most shocking facts about environmental damage today? Why is environmental conservation important right now? What can schools do to protect the environment? How can students help save the environment? What changes in lifestyle can make the biggest difference? What is your message to the youth?
12. News Report on ‘Environment Day’ celebrated in school
Ans: Children Go Green! — The students of St. John High School celebrated Environment Day on 5th June. The Nature Club performed a street play on “Ban Plastic” and held a slogan-writing competition on “Save Water, Save Life”. They also inaugurated a compost pit and taught students about waste segregation. An environmentalist gave a talk on saving water and land. Students collected old newspapers and e-waste for recycling and took part in a fancy dress competition dressed as elements of nature. The winners received saplings to take home. The event left everyone a little wiser, reminding them that saving nature should be a daily habit, not just a once-a-year event.