Unit 1

Our Families and Communities

About the unit

We all come from different families that live close
to one another in supportive and cooperative
communities. Together, we cultivate a variety of
plants and care for different animals, contributing
to the well-being of our shared environment.
Through mutual aid and collective efforts, we
build vibrant and harmonious communities.
This unit explores the many facets of our
families and communities, highlighting our
collaborative work and mutual support. We
are dedicated to maintaining and respecting
our surroundings, protecting the plants and
animals that sustain us with food, clothing,
and more. Celebrations, such as melas
and festivals, bring us together
to play, sing, and dance,
while we also express
gratitude by respecting
the natural elements
including the sun,
moon, air, water,
and soil.

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 1 6/24/2024 2:26:15 PM

 Note to the Teacher
This book has four units. Each unit has three
chapters. The first unit is about ‘Our Families
and Communities’. The key concepts covered in
these chapters are listed below.
Chapter 1: Family and Friends shows • Collect relevant, local
the various members within a family, their and no cost learning
interconnected relationships, the mutual support teaching materials
they provide, and the inherent joy of coexisting (LTM) for activities.
harmoniously. Ask the children to
Chapter 2: Going to the Mela presents the bring photographs of
relationship between near and far families and their families prior to
their joyful activities. Families enjoy visiting commencing Chapter 1
the mela, where they explore various materials, for sharing and
encounter different people, engage in activities, discussion.
and enjoy the fun-filled atmosphere together. • Collect common traffic
They also find out how all families in a community signs, photographs of
help each other and stay happy. local food, dress, and
Chapter 3: Celebrating Festivals shows a toys etc., to show the
variety of food, dresses, and cultural practices children.
that people enjoy during festivals. People of all • Visits and Visitors:
ages take part in community festivals with great Plan visits to, gardens,
joy and celebrate the festivals together. fairs if any, traffic
parks, local police
stations, clinics,
markets, etc. Invite
resource persons,
e.g., police persons,
fire fighters, doctors,
parents with a pet,
grandparents, etc.,
in case visits are not
possible.

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 2 6/24/2024 2:26:16 PM

 Chapter
1

Family and Friends

Playing Together
Namaste! Welcome to my home!
My name is Bela. I have two brothers
— Banku Bhaiya and little Bishu. We
enjoy playing chhupan-chhupai outside
together. Do you know how to play
chhupan-chhupai (hide and seek)?

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 3 6/24/2024 2:26:23 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

At
home we
all love to play
peek-a-boo* with
Bishu. We play
in the open space outside
our house.
We have planted a garden
with several flowering plants.
Our relatives, friends
and neighbours also visit our
garden. They sit, talk, share
jokes and laugh together.
Sometimes, when my father
and mother are tired after a
hard day’s work, they sit and
relax here too. All of us enjoy
spending our evenings together.

*Peek-a-boo is a game played with a young child, which involves hiding and
suddenly reappearing, saying ‘peek-a-boo!’

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 4 6/24/2024 2:26:28 PM

 Family and Friends

Singing Together
On rainy days, we sit under a
small shelter we have created
in the garden. It is great fun to
sit outside when it rains. We
play games like antakshari and
snakes and ladders. My mother and grandmother,
whom we call Dadiji, make hot pakodas and tea
during the rains. All of us including our grandparents
sit together and enjoy the pakodas. Many times, my
Dadiji sings songs about the rain. She has taught
us a few of the songs, so we join in the singing too.

A Rain Song
Look at the dark clouds in the sky,
The rain will come by and by,
Oh, how we love to soak in the rain,
See raindrops on the window panes.

Paper boats we see in puddles,

Birds on trees together huddled,
Peacocks dance with feathers bright,
Oh, what a beautiful rainy sight.
— Inspired by a folk song

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 5 6/24/2024 2:26:32 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

• Who are the members in Bela’s family?

• What do and your family members do when it
rains?
• Can you think of a rain song and sing it with your
friends in the class?

Write the names of your family members in the table

below:

Name Relationship with You call them

you (you address them as)

Urmila Mother’s sister Mausi

Laughing Together

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 6 6/24/2024 2:26:33 PM

 Family and Friends

My Dadaji (grandfather) has

taught Banku and me games
that he used to play with his
friends when he was our age. He
joins us in some of our games
too! Shiru joins us and runs
around, barking and wagging
his tail with joy. Shiru has a
special place in our home. He
is a member of our family. Our
friends love to play with him too.
Banku and Bela never hurt
Shiru. They share their food
with Shiru.

Do you know what games your grandparents

used to play when they were young?

Types of Families
Families are big,
Families are small,
Families are different,
And we love them all.
There are parents in a family,
And children too,
And of course grandparents,
And others too, can you tell who?

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 7 6/24/2024 2:26:36 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Families are people,

Who care about you,
My family is special,
And yours is too!

Would you call Bela’s family a big or a small family?

A family can
have a few or
many members.
If you look
around in your
neighbourhood
you will find many
types of families.

• What games do you play with elders and other

members of your family?
• Which animals come to your home or your
neighbourhood?
• Have you ever shared food with the animals who
come to your home? Share your experience.
• Why do you think we should not hurt or tease
animals?

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 8 6/24/2024 2:26:38 PM

 Family and Friends

Our family members, friends,

neighbours and relatives love us,
care for us and support us. There
can be parents (mother and father),
grandparents (Dadiji and Dadaji),
brothers and sisters (like Banku and
Bela) and other elders in a family.
Everyone loves each other and takes
care of each other. Families also love
and care for animals, trees and plants.
Animals like cows, buffaloes, dogs,
parrots, cats and goats can also be part
of a family. We should be loving and
caring towards animals the way Bela
and Banku are towards their pet,
Shiru.

Helping Each Other

1
Tick and colour the activities that you see in your family.

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 9 6/24/2024 2:26:41 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

In our homes we do many activities together. I have

long hair. My Dadiji oils my hair and braids it in
the morning before I leave for school. She hums a
song while she is doing this. It makes me happy to
listen to her. I have learnt many songs from her.
My parents help each other in all the housework,
from cooking and cleaning to shopping for
groceries.
My Dadaji loves
gardening. Banku Bhaiya
and I help our parents
and grandparents
with some of their
work everyday.
Banku Bhaiya
helps in cleaning
and choppping
vegetables while
I help my Dadaji
in the garden.

10

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 10 6/24/2024 2:26:44 PM

 Family and Friends

One of our closest friends is Munni. She

and her mother, Kusum Mausi (mother’s
close friend who is like a sister), live near our
house. Kusum Mausi is an excellent cook.
She makes delicious sweets and special
dishes for us during festivals. She and Munni
join us in all the festivals at our
house.
Munni is very good at
making rangoli. She
uses colours made from
different dried flowers. On
some occasions, she uses
leaves and flowers too.
I love to help her.

You can draw some more pictures to show how your family
members help each other.

11

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 11 6/24/2024 2:26:48 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

We all learn many things from our family members and

neighbours.
• What all have you learnt from your family and
from whom?
• Has anyone learnt anything from you?

2
Collect some leaves and flowers that have fallen on the
ground and create a rangoli.

• How do you help your family?

• Some people in the family need special care and
support like grandparents, small children or
someone who is sick. How do you help them?

• Who is the oldest person in your family?

__________________________________________________________
• Who is the youngest person in your family?
__________________________________________________________
• Who is the tallest person in your family?
__________________________________________________________
• Do you have any members in your family who do
not live with you? Who are they and where do they
live? How often do you meet them?

Note to the Teacher

Explain to children that a rangoli can be made using a variety of
materials.
Activity 2 can be done on the classroom floor, under supervision.

12

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 12 6/24/2024 2:26:49 PM

 Family and Friends

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
• What are the names of your friends who play with
you at home or in your neighbourhood?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

3
Look at the pictures below and write down Bela’s relationship
with all the members of her family.

Bela

13

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 13 6/24/2024 2:26:50 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

4
Draw a picture of the members of your family and write
your relationships with them. You can look at the example
given on page 13.

14

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 14 6/24/2024 2:26:54 PM

 Family and Friends

Write down the names of relatives who visit your family.

How are they related to you?

Name of the How are you What do you call

relative related? them?

In a family, we take part in the day-to-day work of

the home just like Bela and Banku do. Our family
also includes relatives who may not live with us.
They are related to us through our parents (mother
or father).

• In Bela’s family everyone does some work.

• Who does what work in your family?
• Find out and fill in the table on page 16.

15

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 15 6/24/2024 2:26:55 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Work Who does it?

Cooking food
Watering plants
Mending things (repairing
household items, sewing
buttons, etc.)
Cleaning the house
Buying things from the market

You may add to the list other work that your family members do in your home.

Fun with Family and Friends

It was a holiday! We all went to the park with our
Dadaji. When we reached there many of
our friends were playing pitthoo. Niku,
Rinki, Rohit, Ronnie and Tara were calling
out to each other to run fast and place
the stones quickly.
We joined them and made two teams.
Dadaji brought a ball. He hit the stones
and scattered them all! We ran
to pile the stones as fast as
we could. Rohit, Niku and
Ronnie tried to hit us
with the ball to make us
lose.
It was fun. We
began to feel tired

16

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 16 6/24/2024 2:26:57 PM

 Family and Friends

after some time, so Dadaji asked us to rest for a

while. After about 20 minutes he bought us some
icecream. Soon it began to get dark and we went
home. We had a lot of fun playing, laughing and
eating together!

Let us reflect

A. Write
1. How do family members show their love and care
for each other?
2. What games do you play with your friends?

B. Draw
Draw some of the happy moments you enjoy together
with your family.

17

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 17 6/24/2024 2:26:57 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

C. Discuss
1. What do you learn from elders in your family?
2. How do we show our love and care for people in
our family?
3. We care for many others who are not in our family.
Who are they? How do we care for them?
D. Activity
Find and Circle
Circle five words related to games in the grid below.
One example is done for you.

P A D C F R Z

K L M J T O P

B A L L R C C

Q L U D O H T

N H B A T E O

E N N M C S Y

T E F L F S S

18

Ch 1 Staying together.indd 18 6/24/2024 2:26:57 PM

 Chapter
2

Going to the Mela

Preparing for the Mela

The mela has finally come to town. Nita
and Radha are getting ready to go to
the mela. There is a lot of excitement.
The mela is a little far from home; so
they need to take a bus.

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 19 6/24/2024 2:28:06 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

“What’s happening? You all seem to be very

busy?” asked Dadiji.
“We are going to the mela, Dadiji. Please come
with us!” requested Nita and Radha.
“Mela! Oh yes, your mother asked me to come
along, too. I would have loved to. But you know my
legs hurt,” said Dadiji.
Nita’s father joined the conversation.
“We have a lot of people with us.
Our neighbours, Sneha and
Rohit, as well as Mohan
Chacha (Paternal uncle)
and his family. They are
arriving by train today.
Don’t worry! We will
take care of you.”
Dadiji smiled
and answered,
“Alright, I will
come. Have
you filled up
your water
bottles?”

20

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 20 6/24/2024 2:28:08 PM

 Going to the Mela

“Oh yes, Dadiji! Our special

bag is ready too,” Nita replied.
The children jumped with joy.
Everybody was very happy that
Dadiji had agreed to come.
Nita’s father called out to
their neighbours asking them to
be ready on time.
In the meantime, Mohan
Chacha called them to say that they would meet
Nita and her family directly at the mela. They would
take a city bus and then an autorickshaw to reach
the mela ground.
“Wow! There are so many of us.
What fun we are going to have!” exclaimed Radha.

• What do you think was in the special bag that Nita

and Radha’s family carried?
• How do you prepare yourself for a trip?

21

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 21 6/24/2024 2:28:11 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

On the way to the Mela

Sneha and Rohit are not just Nita’s neighbours;

they are close friends too. They are also getting
ready to go to the mela.
“Sneha, get ready quickly. Nita’s family will be
arriving soon,” said their
mother.
“I am almost ready,
Ma. I am just making
sure that I have taken
everything I need with
me,” Sneha added.
“It’s time to leave.
Nita’s family is here,”
announced her father.
Soon after, they all
left for the mela. Nita held

22

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 22 6/24/2024 2:28:13 PM

 Going to the Mela

Dadiji’s hand and led her slowly to the bus stop.

They walked carefully on the road keeping an eye
on the vehicles moving in both directions.
Bus number 401 slowly came to a halt. The
conductor and Nita’s father helped Dadiji get on
the bus. There was a seat reserved for older people.
Dadiji sat comfortably in it.
Everyone boarded the bus and sat all around
Dadiji. Rohit’s father insisted on buying the tickets
for everyone. “Five full and four half tickets please,”
he said to the conductor. He told the children to
sit on their seats and not jump around. He also
asked them not to put their hands or head out of
the window for their safety. The bus went through
the city and finally reached the big ground where
the mela was being held.

23

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 23 6/24/2024 2:28:16 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

• What transport do you take to travel within your

city/town/village?
• Why should safety measures be followed when
travelling by bus, car or while riding a bicycle?

Describe briefly any trip that you have taken with your
friends, neighbours or family.

24

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 24 6/24/2024 2:28:19 PM

 Going to the Mela

At the Mela
Both the families reached the big parade ground
where the mela was being held. Mohan Chacha and
his family also got down from an autorickshaw.
At the entrance, there was a map of the mela
ground showing the various stalls and their
locations. An ambulance, police jeep and fire engine
were parked next to it. There was also a ‘Lost and
Found’ booth with volunteers. Mohan Chacha and
Rohit hurried to get a wheelchair for Dadiji.

25

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 25 6/24/2024 2:28:22 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

As they entered, they saw stalls with games,

toys, sweets and many interesting things. The
children were overjoyed. They visited the toy stall

26

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 26 6/24/2024 2:28:23 PM

 Going to the Mela

from where they bought spinning tops, puppets,

phirkis and dolls. The children then took a ride on
the merry-go-round and the giant wheel. Sneha
and Radha bought bangles and other trinkets.

27

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 27 6/24/2024 2:28:24 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

“Let us go and see the magic

show now,” said Nita. They also
then enjoyed the magic show!
Mohan Chacha called out
to the children, “You have had
a lot of fun; now let’s have
something to eat. But before
you eat you need to wash
your hands properly.” The children went to the
water point and washed their hands. They all ate
gol gappas, chaat, chhole kulche, hot jalebis with
rabri, kulfi and many other delicious things. After
eating, they made sure they put all the waste
in the dustbin.
As they were leaving the mela,
Dadiji exclaimed, “Look children!
Who is accompanying the police
officer?”
All the children answered
together, “Dadiji, it is a police dog!”

Kumbh Mela is the world’s biggest

festival. It is the largest gathering of
mankind and is held on the banks
of rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari
and Shipra. It is held once every
12 years in Haridwar, Prayagraj,
Nashik and Ujjain.

28

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 28 6/24/2024 2:28:26 PM

 Going to the Mela

• What is the purpose of the ‘Lost and Found’ booth?

_____________________________________________________________
• What is the role of the police dog?
_____________________________________________________________
• Have you ever been to a mela? What are the things you
liked most in the mela?
_____________________________________________________________

Sharing Experience
Imagine yourself in place of Nita, Radha, Sneha and
Rohit. Share with the class   the interesting things
you would do in the mela.

• Talk to the elders in the family and find out how

melas were different when they were young.
• Why are fire engines and ambulances present in a
mela?

29

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 29 6/24/2024 2:28:29 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

1
Reading a Sketch

Study the sketch and answer.

• Find and circle Rohit and Sneha’s house on the
map.
• Find and circle Nita and Radha’s house on the map.
• Whose house is closer to the parade ground?
• If you have to go from the police station to the parade
ground, which places would you pass through?

30

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 30 6/24/2024 2:28:33 PM

 Going to the Mela

In the given space, sketch the route from home to school

that you follow everyday.

31

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 31 6/24/2024 2:28:35 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Let us reflect

A. Discuss in the class

1. How can we care for our elders?
2. What kinds of vehicles do we see around us?
3. How can we ensure safety during travel?
B. Match the pictures with the words
Pick a suitable word from the list, match it with a
picture, and write the word below the picture. One has
been done for you.

Firefighter
Volunteer

Halwai/Confectioner

Toy seller

Puppeteer

Bangle seller

Volunteer

Police officer

Medical attendant

Mehendi artist

32

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 32 6/24/2024 2:28:40 PM

 Going to the Mela

C. Draw in your notebook

Draw and label different vehicles that you see around

your school and home.
D. Role play: Organise a mock mela

With the help of your teacher, organise a mock mela

in your classroom. Discuss and plan the different
roles, stalls, and games that are part of a mela. Use
learning-teaching materials available locally, e.g., toys,
puppets, play money, miniatures, and clay models to
set up your stalls and role-play buyers and sellers.

33

Ch 2 Going to Mela.indd 33 6/24/2024 2:28:41 PM

 Chapter
3

Celebrating
Festivals

Festival of Flowers

My name is Rishi.
I am from Jammu. I am travelling to
the Himalayas with my parents. We are going
to visit my Mama (mother’s brother), Mami (Mama’s
wife) and my cousins, Chiya and Nonikaa. They
live in a small village near the mountains. We are
travelling by bus. I am enjoying the bus ride and
the view outside the window is beautiful. The roads
have hairpin turns and the hills are covered with
colourful flowers. Far off, I can also see a variety of
tall trees.

34

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 34 6/24/2024 2:31:46 PM

 Celebrating Festivals

• Have you ever travelled in a bus? If yes, share the

experience with your classmates.
• What types of trees and flowers did you see during
your trip?
• What safety measures should you take while
travelling?
• What safety measures should you take while riding
a bicycle and while walking on the road?

35

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 35 6/24/2024 2:31:48 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

1
Match the Column A signboards with their meanings in
Column B.
Column A Column B

No Parking

No Horn Please

Speed Breaker

No U-Turn

Men at Work

School Ahead

You would have observed many signboards on the road.

Draw and label any three road signboards that are not
listed above.

36

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 36 6/24/2024 2:31:51 PM

 Celebrating Festivals

After some time, we

reached the bus stop near
my Mama and Mami’s village.
We got down. Mamaji was there
to receive us. We started on a broad
concrete road which later led to a narrow mud
road closer to their house.
As we entered the main gate, I could see a row of
colourful flowers in their garden. I could recognise
and name a few of them like rose, marigold and
hibiscus. However, I was amazed by the beauty of
the flowers which was unlike anything I had seen
before.
“Please can you tell me the names of these
flowers?” I asked Nonikaa.

37

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 37 6/24/2024 2:31:54 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Pointing to a flower,
Nonikaa said, “This flower
is a tulip.”
Mami then called the
children in for lunch.
All of them had a Kashmiri
dish haakh (a kind of leafy
vegetable) with hot rice. It was
really tasty!
“Do you know we have a
Kashmir tulip festival at this
time of the year?” said Nonikaa
over lunch.
“We too have lovely red flowers that bloom
in spring at our place. They are called buransh
(Rhododendron)”, I said.
I told Chiya and Nonikaa about the spring
festival that we celebrate at our place. I
shared with them how we place mustard and
buransh flowers at the doorstep of each home
in our neighbourhood. The elders bless us and also
give us toffees and sweets.

38

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 38 6/24/2024 2:31:56 PM

 Celebrating Festivals

Chiya said excitedly,

“My friend Unni from
Kerala celebrates a festival
called Vishu at this time.
They use a lot of yellow
amaltas flowers, fruits
and vegetables to make
Vishu Kani*.”
Mami joined in and
said, “Spring is a celebration of nature. After the
harsh winters, the sun shines brightly and we see

flowers blooming around us, the grass growing and

the new leaves in the trees.”
I shared with Mami, Chiya and Nonikaa how
happy I feel when I see the beautiful and colourful
flowers around me.
We returned home after a few days. It was
a wonderful vacation and visit with family!
*Vishu Kani is an auspicious ritual observed on first day of the Malayali
new year. At sunrise the sighting of auspicious items is supposed to bring
fruitful and prosperous year ahead.

39

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 39 6/24/2024 2:31:58 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

2
Sing and enjoy!
Oh! Spring is in the air,
Happy children are everywhere,
New leaves appear on the trees,
As flowers sway in the breeze.

The sun shines bright in the sky,

Squirrels and birds share the joy,
Spring is here, let’s dance and sing,
Hope and cheer to all it will bring.

1. Ask your elders about the names of festivals celebrated

in your locality for each of the seasons given below.
2. Make a list of the special food prepared during these
festivals.

Seasons Festivals Special food prepared

Spring

Summer

Monsoon

Winter

40

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 40 6/24/2024 2:32:03 PM

 Celebrating Festivals

3. What special dresses do you wear during festivals?

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

3
Match the name of the food with the festival from the list
given below.

Bihu Chhath Puja Christmas Eid-ul-Fitr

Holi Onam Ugadi

Food prepared during festivals Name of the festivals

Thekua Chhath Puja

Pitha ______________________________

Plum Cake ______________________________

Gujiya ______________________________

Sadya ______________________________

Holige ______________________________

Seviyan ______________________________

41

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 41 6/24/2024 2:32:04 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

• Do you think everyone celebrates festivals with a

variety of special food and new clothes?
• Are there any mountains, rivers or streams close to
where you live? Have you ever visited relatives in a
far away place? How does it feel there?

Let us reflect

A. Discuss
1. What are the different modes of transport used
during travel?
2. How can one be safe during travels?
3. What special foods are prepared during festivals?
4. How do festivals and celebrations bring us together?
5. Do you feel happy spending time in nature? What
about nature makes you feel happy?
B. Write
1. Name any two relatives you have visited recently.
2. How do you spend time with your cousins and
relatives?
Fill in the blanks
1. Chiya and Nonikaa live in a small village near the
_________________.

2. The bus went along the _________________ roads where

the hills were covered with colourful flowers.
3. Rishi and his family walked to his Mama’s house
through a narrow _________________ road.
4. The red flowers that bloom in spring are called
_________________.

42

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 42 6/24/2024 2:32:04 PM

 Celebrating Festivals

5. _________________ is a kind of leafy vegetable eaten

with hot rice.
C. Draw
Take a chart paper and draw signboards for the
following. You can use any image and colour of your
choice for creating the sign boards. Explain what you
have created.
• School library
• Toilet
• Assembly
• Drinking water point
• Playground
• My classroom
• Stairs
Enjoy!

The most majestic mountains in the world lie

in the northern areas of India and are known
as the Himalayas (meaning ‘home of snow’).
The highest mountain peak in the world is Mount
Everest and it lies in our neighbouring country,
Nepal. The height of Mount Everest is about 8,848
metres!

43

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 43 6/24/2024 2:32:06 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Sarhul: A spring festival

The Sarhul festival is also celebrated in the spring season of
the year in Jharkhand. People wear their traditional clothes
and walk in a procession to the sakhua tree. They carry
freshly germinated grains and sakhua flowers. Offerings
are made to the Earth and the Sun with reverence and
gratitude. They celebrate Sarhul by singing and dancing
together to the tune of drums (dhol, nagada, etc.) and
other local musical instruments.

44

Ch 3 Celebrating festivals.indd 44 6/24/2024 2:32:10 PM

 Living Together

Unit 2
Life Around Us
About the Unit
In our localities we come across
many types of plants and
animals. We help each other and
enjoy observing the different
features and behaviours of the
plants and animals around us.
The more we watch them,
the more we learn about
their fascinating lives. This
curiosity drives us to explore
further, discovering new and
exciting things. Recognising
and respecting the well-being
of both plants and animals
is essential for maintaining
ecological balance and fostering
a more compassionate society.

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 45 6/24/2024 2:35:04 PM

 Note to the Teacher
This unit is about ‘Life Around Us’. The key
concepts covered in these chapters are listed
below.
Chapter 4: Getting to Know Plants • Have a display of animal
introduces us to the diverse range of plants that mobiles, masks hanging
thrive in our surroundings. Through observation, from the ceiling; create
individuals become familiar with their physical animals and green areas
features, importance, and diversity. They harness using miniatures of
their creativity by utilising their leaves, flowers, animals and potted plants.
fruits, and other parts of the plant. Additionally, • Prepare flash cards of
they explore the essential requirements for animals, birds, insects,
a plant’s survival and take proactive steps flowers, and plants.
to nurture them, ensuring they receive the
• Keep handy authentic
necessary care and sustenance.
and age-appropriate
Chapter 5: Plants and Animals Live short videos and films,
Together shows the relation between plants storybooks and poems
and animals, by exploring their innate ability related to the above
to support each other through observation. concepts.
Individuals explore the diverse range of animals • Visits and Visitors: Plan
in their surroundings, studying their habits and a visit to a nature park,
habitats. Emphasising harmony, they prioritise farm, animal shelter, or
nurturing the soil, animals, and plants, fostering plant nursery, or visit
a balanced coexistence within the shared professionals working
ecosystem. there who can talk to the
children.
Chapter 6: Living in Harmony shows us
that we are all deeply connected to plants and
animals. Some of these plants and animals
reside near our homes, while others dwell at a
distance. It is essential to extend kindness to all
living beings, nurturing and caring for them.
By fostering balance and harmony
in our interactions with nature,
we pave the way for collective
happiness and well-being.

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 46 6/24/2024 2:35:06 PM

 Chapter
4

Getting to Know Plants

So Many Kinds of Plants

Gopu, Simmi and Raj walk to school every day. On
the way they see beautiful flowers, mountains and
streams.
One day, Gopu exclaimed, “Isn’t nature just
amazing? There are so many kinds of plants, birds
and insects ... I wonder if they all have stories
to tell!”
Simmi agreed, “Yes, the plants come in so many
sizes and shapes: very tiny, small, large, bushy …”
Raj added, “Thin and curvy, straight and tall ...!”

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 47 6/24/2024 2:35:08 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Gopu said, “Some leaves are rough and some

smooth. I love to touch and smell them.”
Simmi said, “Look, this jamun tree has nice thick
and shiny leaves! Isn’t it your special tree, Raj?”
Raj agreed, “Yes, it is! You remember its tiny
white flowers? And remember the little green fruits,
which in a few days turned red and then purple?
We enjoyed plucking the ripe purple fruits from
the tree!”
Simmi smiled, “It’s such fun to walk under the
cool shade of these trees.”

Trees have a big trunk of wood and many

branches that spread out with leaves on them.
Trees have roots that go deep down into the soil.

Trees

Mango Coconut Khejri Jackfruit

Banyan Amaltas Peepal Chinar

48

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 48 6/24/2024 2:35:11 PM

 Getting to know plants

Write the names of trees that you can recognise. Try to

remember where you have seen these trees. Which of these
trees have you seen near your home or on your way to
school?

Shrubs
“All plants don’t grow tall like trees.
Look at this plant with pretty red
flowers. It doesn’t have a big trunk
like a tree,” said Gopu.
“Instead, it has many brown,
woody stems,” added Raj.
“These bushy-looking plants are called shrubs.
Our tulsi plant at home is a shrub,” informed Simmi.

Shrubs are medium-sized plants with several

woody stems and branches growing close to the
ground.

Hibiscus Rose Holy Basil (tulsi) Curry leaf

49

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 49 6/24/2024 2:35:14 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

The pulses (dal) we eat — toor (pigeon peas), masoor (red

lentils), moong (green gram) and urad (black gram) — are
all seeds of shrubs.

Toor Masoor Moong Urad

• Write the names of some shrubs. Have you seen

any of the shrubs shown in the pictures above?
• Do you know what they are called in your mother
tongue?

Herbs and Grasses

“We have mint and tomato plants at home. Their
stems are soft and green”, said Raj.
“My grandmother told me that
plants with tender stems that
do not become woody are called
herbs”, added Gopu.
Simmi pointed to the grass,
“Look at all these different
grasses. They too have soft,
green stems. Their leaves are
long, thin and flat.”

50

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 50 6/24/2024 2:35:17 PM

 Getting to know plants

“You’re right Simmi! Do you think grasses are

types of herbs too?” enquired Gopu.

Herbs are smaller plants with soft stems that do

not become woody. Grasses are types of herbs.

The leaves of grasses are thin and flat and their

stems are hollow. Watch for different kinds of
grasses around you. How many kinds do you
notice?

Herbs

Mint Tomato Coriander Mustard

Grasses

Wild Grasses

51

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 51 6/24/2024 2:35:18 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

The grains you eat — paddy (rice), wheat, bajra, jowar, ragi,
etc., are seeds of large grasses!

Paddy Wheat Bajra Ragi Jowar

Sugarcane and bamboo are

tall grasses. Bamboo is a
special kind of grass, which
stays alive longer than just
a year.

Sugarcane Bamboo

Write the names of some herbs that you have seen and
where you have seen them.

Climbers and Creepers

“Look! There is a vine winding up this tall tree!”
exclaimed Raj.
Gopu agreed, “Wow yes! My friend George has
a money plant in his house. I was surprised to see
how it spreads upwards. It looks like it is slowly
climbing the wall.”

52

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 52 6/24/2024 2:35:20 PM

 Getting to know plants

Simmi explained that the money plant

has a long and thin stem. It cannot stand
up by itself. If it finds nothing to climb on,
it just creeps and spreads on the ground.
“The pumpkin plant is also like a
creeper too. I saw it spreading its branches
on the ground,” said Raj.

Climbers and Creepers have thin and flexible

stems. The plants that grow by climbing on
other plants for support are climbers and the
plants that grow by creeping along the ground
are creepers. Some climbers even take their food
from the plant on which they climb.

Climbers

Money Plant Jasmine Bottle Gourd
Creepers

Watermelon Pumpkin

53

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 53 6/24/2024 2:35:22 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Guess
• Is this a creeper or a climber?
• What do you call it in your language?

Snake Gourd
•

• Write the names of some climbers or creepers that

you have seen and where you have seen them. Are
any of them in the pictures given on page 53? What
are they called in your language?
• Name these plants in your language. Say if they are
a tree, shrub, climber or creeper.

Marigold Neem Jujube or ber

(Banthi in Telugu) (Bevugida in Kannada) (Boroi in Manipuri)

__________________ __________________ __________________

__________________ __________________ __________________

1
• Stand, in groups of two to four, next to any tree or
shrub that is in or near your school.
• Now look around, as far as you can see. Remember
to look down near your feet as well!
• How many kinds of trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses,
climbers or creepers can you spot?
Note to the teacher
Use the local names of various locally available plants. The
difference between creepers and climbers may be demonstrated
by showing children the real plants. Remember that some plants
can behave either like climbers or creepers depending on the
structural support available to them.

54

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 54 6/24/2024 2:35:23 PM

 Getting to know plants

2
Make friends with a plant!
Choose one plant, preferably a shrub with a thick stem or
a tree that you want to make friends with. You can do this
by yourself or with a group of your classmates.
Name your plant, just like you might name a pet. Take
care of the plant by watering it each day. Also protect it as
your friend.
Now observe your plant friend closely. Here are a few
things to observe — its leaves, flowers and fruits. Are there
many, a few or no leaves, flowers and fruits? Record your
observations in the table on the next page.
Time and date of observation: ___________________________
Month: ___________________________________________________
Weather on the day you are recording this information:
____________________________________________
Visit your plant friend as often as you can and observe it
carefully.

55

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 55 6/24/2024 2:35:23 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Plant Many, a few Colour Shape Any other

parts or none (describe or observation
draw)

Leaves

Flowers

Fruits

3
• Do you find new leaves growing on the plant? Do the
colours of the leaves change as they grow larger?
• Do the old brown leaves fall to the ground?
• Do you find flowers appearing or notice any fruit?
• What are other observations you have?
Note down your observations.

Write about your plant in your notebook.

Leaves of different plants have different colours,

shapes and sizes.

Peepal Mango Lotus Khejri

Let us explore further.

56

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 56 6/24/2024 2:35:25 PM

 Getting to know plants

4
• Observe the leaves in your surroundings.
• Draw, colour and label them in your notebook.
• Describe their colour, shape, size, texture and smell
to your friend in the class.
• What statements can we make about leaves after
doing this activity?

“Leaves smell different from each

other. I have noticed that tulsi,
coriander, curry leaves, mint and
lemon grass all have wonderfully
different smells,” Raj told Simmi.
Simmi told Raj, “Have you
ever rubbed a mango leaf and
smelled it? I love the smell.”
Raj added, “This conversation
reminds me of the lovely smell of
mangoes! My brother is not able
to see but he can immediately smell any fruits
nearby, like mango, pineapple, jackfruit, guava or
jamun.”

5
Blindfold yourself while your friend gradually brings a fruit
close to you. From how far can you recognise the fruit with
your eyes closed? Now repeat the same experiment with
pieces of cut fruit. Was it easier to recognise cut fruit by
the smell rather than the whole (uncut) fruit? Which fruit
could you smell from farthest away? Try this experiment
at home too.

57

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 57 6/24/2024 2:35:25 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Parts of a Plant
While learning about plants we used the names
of many parts of plants, like roots, stems, leaves,
flowers, fruits and seeds. Let us now look at a
picture of a tomato plant and carefully observe the
different parts.

• What are the parts of a plant?

• Mark different parts of the plant and label them.

flower

leaf

stem fruit

roots

seed

Tomato plant

58

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 58 6/24/2024 2:35:27 PM

 Getting to know plants

6
Get to know Barks
Bark is the hard outer covering of a
tree trunk. Touch and look carefully
at the bark of a tree. Do you see any
animals, insects or plants on it?
Press a sheet of paper on the bark.
Gently move a crayon or a pencil
repeatedly on it. See what you have!
Write the name (or description)
of your tree on the reverse of the
paper. Now collect all the papers
of your friends and see if you can
guess the tree just by looking at its
bark pattern.

• Did you notice any other

animals, birds and insects on the plant?
• What were they doing?

• Sugar is produced from the sugar

cane stem.
• Bamboo is the tallest grass.
• Rafflesia seen in Mizoram is the
biggest flower and is as big as an
umbrella.
Rafflesia Flower

59

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 59 6/24/2024 2:35:30 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Let us reflect

A. Discuss
1. What would happen if there were no plants?
2. How does the root help a plant to grow?
3. What is the role of the stem?
B. Write
1. List the names of plants that you have seen in your
school, park or near your home. Identify what types
of plants they are — tree, shrub, herb, grass, climber
or creeper.
2. Which particular part of the plant helped you to
identify the type of the plant?
3. Describe your favourite plant. Why is it your
favourite?
C. Draw
Draw different types of leaves you have seen around
you.

60

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 60 6/24/2024 2:35:30 PM

 Getting to know plants

D. Make a rangoli
Collect leaves and flowers fallen on the ground. Arrange
them in patterns to make a rangoli. You may also create
different animal shapes using the collected leaves.

Source: Leaf Zoo by Arvind Gupta, http://arvindguptatoys.com

61

Ch 4 Getting to know palnts.indd 61 6/24/2024 2:35:31 PM

 Chapter
5

Plants and Animals

Live Together

In Chapter 4, we saw lots of plants. Have you noticed

that where there are plants, there are animals too?
Look carefully and you will find that there are lots
of animals living on, around and even underneath
the plants that you see!

62

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 62 6/24/2024 2:38:56 PM

 Plants and Animals Live Together

Here are some pictures of animals living

together with plants. Which of these animals do
you recognise from the pictures? Which of them
have you seen before? Which of these animals live
under the ground?

Elephants A moth A caterpillar Earthworms on

feeding on grass resting on a chewing a leaf leaves and soil
leaf

A tailorbird A woodpecker Ants building A colourful

singing on a tree their nest using stink bug on a
trunk leaves leaf

A frog resting on A butterfly Squirrels using A barbet using

a leaf perched on a tree hollows to a tree hollow for
leaf hide and rest nesting

63

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 63 6/24/2024 2:39:02 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Which of the animals shown on page 63, have you seen

before? Describe where and how you saw them. Use your
fingers, hands and arms to show how small or big these
animals are!

Why do these animals choose to live near plants?

Life in the Soil

Stand on the soil next to a plant. If you are
comfortable, remove your footwear.
What colour is the soil under your feet?

1
Pick up a little soil near your plant friend with your hands.
• How does it look and feel?
• Is it dry, damp, rough, smooth, hard or grainy?
• Did you find any leaves or insects in the soil?
• Now smell this soil and remember it.

My soil felt Rough Smooth Hard Grainy

My soil had Nothing Leaves Small stones Insects

64

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 64 6/24/2024 2:39:05 PM

 Plants and Animals Live Together

Repeat the above

activity a day after it
rains. Remember to
pick up the soil from the
same place. Did you find
any differences in the
look, feel and smell of
the soil?
Pick up a little soil
from another place, far
away from any plants. Is
it different from the soil that you collected earlier?
In what ways?
Examine the soil more carefully. What small
things do you notice in it?
Soil is the topmost layer of the Earth’s surface.
Soil is made from rocks that have broken up into
tiny pieces, as well as old leaves, roots, stems and
living and dead animals like insects.

Soil has many insects and other creatures living

in it! Some you can see, and some are too small to
see. On the top layer of soil and moving around
between the grass and leaves you might find insects
like ants, termites, small beetles and grasshoppers.

65

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 65 6/24/2024 2:39:06 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

When it rains and the soil is wet, other creatures

like earthworms and millipedes may appear too.
You may also find more grasses and other plants
growing in the soil.

In the monsoons, you may find many more plants and

animals around. Where did these new plants and animals
come from? Why could you not see them earlier?

2
Stand near your plant friend and look around. How many
different animals can you spot? Describe them in words
and fill in the table. You may use the given pictures if needed.

I saw ... (Describe) It was on ... What was it doing?

A small hopping insect The grass Jumping aound

A thin plant that curls Another plant nearby Nothing

A black bird

Red bugs Blue flying Ants on Butterfly Lizard on a

on a rotting insect leaves on Lantana rock
fruit flowers
Note to the teacher
Some insects wait for the rains to emerge from the soil. Seeds of
plants may remain in the soil for long periods and sprout when it
rains or they are watered.

66

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 66 6/24/2024 2:39:07 PM

 Plants and Animals Live Together

Animals, birds and insects use different parts of plants for

food, shelter and resting.

Camels eat Birds like owls use hollows

leaves of plants in the trees to bring up their
young ones

Squirrels and crows use twigs Monkeys love eating the fruits
from plants to build their nests of plants
and to bring up their young
ones

Sunbirds and butterflies drink Tailorbirds stitch leaves of

nectar from different flowers plants to build their nests

67

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 67 6/24/2024 2:39:11 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Bats and leopards use the Caterpillars munch on different

branches of trees to rest and for leaves of plants for food
shelter

How many of these animals have you seen? Watch out

for them!

3
Sounds of Birds
• Close your eyes and try to listen to the sounds of birds.
Do you hear any bird sounds?
Can you see which birds are making these sounds?
• Cup your ears with your hands as shown in the picture
and point your face towards the direction of the bird
sound. Can you hear the sound more clearly?

68

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 68 6/24/2024 2:39:14 PM

 Plants and Animals Live Together

Different birds, different sounds

• Recall the bird sounds you have listened to. Try to
produce the sounds that different birds make.
• Now try to write down in the following table the sound
of any birds you have heard.

Name of the bird Sound made

Pigeon Gutru Gu

• If you do not hear any sounds of birds, what do you

think is the reason?
• Do you hear more bird sounds—
In the early morning?
In the afternoon?
In the evening?

69

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 69 6/24/2024 2:39:16 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Let us reflect
A. Discuss
1. What was the colour and texture of the two soil
specimens that you collected during the previous
activity? In which month did you pick them up?
Did they smell different and can you describe the
smells?
2. During which month did fresh new leaves appear
on the plant that you were observing?
3. Which animals, birds and insects did you notice
around plants?
4. Recall and write about how animals, birds and
insects rely on plants. Which one was your
favourite example?
5. What is soil made up of?
B. Write

Names of two animals

that you observed
near or on plants.

Describe the shape,

size and colours of
these animals.

Guess why these

animals were staying
near these plants.

What other
interesting things
did you notice about
these animals?

70

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 70 6/24/2024 2:39:17 PM

 Plants and Animals Live Together

C. Draw
Remember you wrote about your plant friend. Now
try and draw your plant friend. Use different coloured
small dots in your drawing to show the places where
you spotted animals, birds or insects.

D. Put in order
One day Suma found a caterpillar on a tagar plant.
She found it interesting. She observed it for about 10
minutes. It was eating tender leaves continuously. Her
mother came close to her. She guided her to observe
the caterpillar each day. Suma became more curious.
Consult an elder person and organise the following
changes in order.
Now it was a butterfly.

The caterpillar formed a cocoon.

It flew away gently.

One day it stopped eating.

It came out of the cocoon.

71

Ch 5 Plants and animals live together.indd 71 6/24/2024 2:39:17 PM

 Chapter
6

Living in Harmony

72

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 72 6/24/2024 2:41:36 PM

 Living in Harmony

• Do any of these animals, birds, insects and plants

live with you in your house?
• Do you and your family take care of them?

•  re there any animals, birds and insects that you

A
have spotted that are not in the picture given on
page 72?
• Try to find out their names and write them in the table
given below. One example has been done for you.

Name of the animal Place where you have seen them

Monkey Tree

We bring some animals and plants into our homes. Some

may just have started living there. Sometimes we share
our home with them happily, but sometimes we do not
like them in our home.
• Discuss with elders in your family which animals
and plants they kept at home when they were young.
Ask them to share any story about these animals
and plants.

Note to the Teacher

Collect information from all the children, summarise the list and
encourage children to talk about it.

73

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 73 6/24/2024 2:41:37 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Discuss in Pairs
• Which are the uninvited animals, birds and insects
that visit your home?
• Why do you think they come to your homes?
• How do you feel about their presence in your home?
• Which of them do you like?
• What do you do when you do not like them?
We take care of some animals and plants in our homes by
giving them water, food and shelter.

Note to the Teacher

Emphasise on not hurting animals even if we do not like or are
scared of them. Animals generally do not hurt others unless they
feel threatened by us.

74

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 74 6/24/2024 2:41:41 PM

 Living in Harmony

The Mango Tree

One day Shambhu, a little boy,
was going through the forest with
his father. They sat under the
shade of a huge mango tree. The
mango tree was home to birds,
squirrels, monkeys and many
other animals. Shambhu saw
a monkey eating a mango and
throwing out the seed. He told his
father about it. His father said,
“Shambhu, do you know that a
new plant would emerge from this
seed? This is how animals and
plants help each other.”

75

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 75 6/24/2024 2:41:46 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Shambhu ran to pick up a mango that dropped

from the tree. He said, “Look! I too have got a mango.”
“Not only fruits, we get vegetables and many other
things from plants,” said Shambhu’s father.
“Oh yes, I now remember that you had told this
to me earlier. We get medicines, fibre for clothes
and wood for our houses from plants.”

Shade
Shelter for animals
Wood

Uses of
Medicine Plants

Fibre

Fruit Fresh air

76

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 76 6/24/2024 2:41:47 PM

 Living in Harmony

• How are we dependent on plants and animals?

• How do plants help animals?
• How do animals help plants?
• How do you look after plants and animals in your
surroundings?
• How do animals and plants depend on us?

Thousands of trees are accidentally planted by squirrels.

They bury nuts and then forget where they hid them.
Like this, many animals and plants maintain harmony
and balance in various ways.

We Need Each Other

Just as we provide care, protection, food and shelter to
animals and plants, we get lots of things from them too.
For example, from cows, buffaloes and goats,
we get milk and loving company. That is why we
respect these animals so much and we treat them
with kindness, care and compassion.
Animals and plants also depend on each other for
food and shelter. Animals help plants by dispersing
seeds and making the soil fertile through their
waste. This helps plants to grow and spread near
and far. We also depend on plants and animals for
food, shelter, clothing and companionship.

Note to the Teacher

After collecting all the points, consolidate, summarise, and
explain the terms ‘dispersing’ and ‘fertile’ in simple words.

77

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 77 6/24/2024 2:41:47 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

1
Get to Know an Animal
• Observe the animals around you.
• Choose any animal that you see often, such as
a goat, cow, dog, cat or bird like a crow, pigeon,
sparrow, parrot or duck.
• Observe it closely whenever you get a chance. You
can also keep a bowl of water and some grains for it.

Write a short description of the animal or bird—

• Name and describe the animal or bird that
you have chosen.
• When and where did you first see it?
• Was it there alone or with its friends?
• Describe its movement.
• What sounds did it make?
• Did you see it eating, sleeping,
talking to its friends or maybe
fighting sometimes?
• Did it do anything that surprised
you or made you laugh?
• Share your story with your
classmates.

78

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 78 6/24/2024 2:41:48 PM

 Living in Harmony

2
Busy, Busy, Busy and Clever Ants!
You may do this activity near your plant friend,
in your classroom or at home. Bring small
amounts of three types of food from your kitchen:
• Sweet like sugar or jaggery;
• Fried like a papad or murukku;
• Boiled or cooked like bread, chapati,
idli, rice or ragi.
Keep these three types of food on the floor
in a straight line with one foot distance
between them.
Make a Guess
• Who will come for the food?
• Which will be their favourite food?
• Will any ants come to your food?
• Where would they come from?
• Will all the ants look the same?
• What food item will they go to first?
• How many ants will come to the food?
• What will they do with the food?

Visiting your plant friend

When you are feeling sad, upset or angry you can
go to your plant friend and talk to it about how you
are feeling.

Note to the Teacher

Young children should be encouraged to make friends with a
tree. It is a very powerful and effective method for developing
empathy. For young children who are more reserved and quiet,
this activity can help them share their feelings.

79

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 79 6/24/2024 2:41:50 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

You can also talk to

your plant when you are
happy!
How did you feel after
sharing your feelings with
the plant?
Plants also need our
care and support. So do
animals. We can all help
each other.

3
Guess Who I Am ?
 it in pairs. One of you will think of the name of an
S
animal, bird, insect or tree and whisper it in the ear
of your partner. Make sure you don’t say it too loud!
Your partner will have to act and move like the animal,
bird or insect and the class will have to guess it! You
can switch roles after this.
For example:
• G opa’s friend Ali whispered ‘Frog’ into his ear. What
do you think Gopa did?
• Sukhiya’s friend Surya whispered ‘Peepal tree’ into
her ear. What do you think Sukhiya did?

80

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 80 6/24/2024 2:41:50 PM

 Living in Harmony

Let us reflect

A. Discuss
1. How are we dependent on plants and animals?
2. How should we care for plants and animals in our
environment?
3. How do plants and animals depend on us?
B. Write
1. Complete these sentences with the names of
plants, birds, animals or insects:
a.  I like looking at _____________ because _________
_____________________________________________
b.  ________ make me laugh because ____________
______________________________________________
c.  My friend _________________ likes ______________
because _____________________________________
d. I would like to take care of _______________
because ____________________________________
2. a. Which is your favourite animal, bird, insect or
plant among those you have named above?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
b. Why do you like it?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
c. Write down the names of all the animals, birds,
insects that you have seen or learned about
from the smallest to the largest.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

81

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 81 6/24/2024 2:41:51 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

C. Draw
1. Name and draw animals, birds and insects that
have:
a. Two legs b. Four legs
c. Six legs d. Eight legs

82

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 82 6/24/2024 2:41:52 PM

 Living in Harmony

A True Story!
This is a story of a small town
called Valparai in Tamil Nadu.
Throughout the school year
the children and teachers in
different schools in Valparai
look for and record birds that
come to their town.
Just after the rains and
in the winter months they
plan a special welcome for
these birds, Grey Wagtails!
These birds commonly
known as Vaalatti kuruvi in
Tamil. During the cold winter
months the Grey Wagtails
arrive all the way from the
mountains to the warmer
parts of India and stay there
for a few months.
When the first Grey Wagtails arrive in Valparai, the
children and teachers celebrate their arrival by putting up
welcome posters for the birds and they distribute sweets
to everyone!
• Do you know why these birds are called Wagtails?
Find out!
• Do you want to give a title to the story?

83

Ch 6 Living in Harmony.indd 83 6/24/2024 2:41:54 PM

 Living Together

Unit 3
Gifts of Nature
About the unit
Other than animals and plants, we
come across many things in nature
such as water and food. They
are precious resources for our
healthy living.
This unit explores water and
food. We must aim to eat healthy
meals and drink clean water. Staying
clean and exercising helps us feel
good and stay healthy. We
must also learn to conserve
our Earth’s resources for
the future.

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 84 6/24/2024 2:52:50 PM

 Note to the Teacher
This unit is about ‘Gifts of Nature’. The key
concepts covered in these chapters are described
below.
• Plan a ‘Food Mela’ in
Chapter 7: Water — A Precious Gift highlights
the class; try to display
how rainfall provides us with the precious gift of a variety of food items,
water, which is then stored in different ways. We e.g., grains, spices, fruits,
ensure the cleanliness of this water and distribute vegetables, etc.
it to households. Each household stores water for • Organise an exhibition
daily use, employing it in numerous ways. However, on a variety of containers
challenges arise regarding both the quality and and vessels used to store
water; you can display
quantity of water. To address these issues, we pictures too.
implement various measures aimed at conserving
• Keep handy authentic
water resources. and age–appropriate
Chapter 8: Food We Eat helps us understand short videos and films,
the vital role of food in maintaining our health. We storybooks and poems
related to food, water,
consume a diverse range of foods obtained from cleanliness and healthy
various sources. Each food item provides essential habits.
nutrients that benefit our bodies in unique ways. • Visits or Visitors: Plan
Our various cultures possess valuable knowledge a visit to different
about the nutritional value of different foods and sources of water in your
offer guidance on making healthy dietary choices. neighbourhood with
safety. Invite a yoga
Chapter 9: Staying Healthy and Happy instructor to demonstrate
emphasises the importance of maintaining yogasanas for good
cleanliness and good health. We acquire essential health; invite a health
principles of hygiene and cleanliness, ensuring practitioner to talk
to the children about
tidiness in our homes and surroundings. Regular maintaining cleanliness
exercise becomes a part of our routine, promoting and hygiene; invite
both physical fitness and emotional well-being. By parents and community
understanding and following the established rules members to share and
talk about their traditional
and regulations of our environment, we protect
cuisines during the food
ourselves from potential harm. mela.

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 85 6/24/2024 2:52:51 PM

 Chapter
7

Water – A Precious Gift

Rain, rain, come again!

86

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 86 6/24/2024 2:52:53 PM

 Water — A Precious Gift

What comes down,

But never goes up?
Watch the sky every day for a week. Will it rain? Your guess
may be right on some days, and on some days it may be
wrong.
Are there any clues that help you guess if it will rain?
Ask an elder about how they guess. Write down the clues.

I think it will rain today because …

(write at least 2 clues)
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

I think it will not rain today because …

(write at least 2 clues)
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________

Here comes the rain!

Note to the Teacher

The first part of this chapter can be done whenever it rains in
your area. Children may freely observe, question, make guesses,
discuss, draw and record their observations.

87

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 87 6/24/2024 2:52:55 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

1
Ask yourself as many questions as you can about the rain.
• Is it a heavy rain or a light one?
• Are the raindrops big or small?
• Do they come down fast or slow?
• Is the rain so heavy that you do not see the water
drops, but only lines or sheets of water?
• Is the rain falling straight down? Is it slanting or
changing its direction? Guess why.
• Collect the rainwater in a vessel. Does it look clean
or dirty?

• Draw a picture of the rain that you observed.

88

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 88 6/24/2024 2:52:59 PM

 Water — A Precious Gift

• Do you think it will rain again today? Or tomorrow?

Why do you think so?
• Did it rain only in your area or in other nearby places
as well? Make a guess, then ask and find out.
• Find some songs about the rain or make up one, in
your language or any other. Sing some songs about
the rain.
• Did the rain make you happy? Did it make everyone
happy?

What happened to the rainwater?

When it rained, a lot of water fell to the ground.
Where did all this water go?
Here is the rain falling on different
surfaces. Imagine what happens to the
rainwater on different surfaces.
Does the rainwater get absorbed into the
soil, collect in puddles or flow away? Have
you ever wondered whether it joins a small
stream or a river?
What happens after the rain stops and
the sun comes out? What happens to all
this water? Make your own guesses.
When rainwater gets soaked into the soil,
it may slowly flow under the soil to join a stream
or a pond. Some of the water gets stored
under the ground between the rocks and the
soil. The water in our wells comes from this
underground water.
Water flowing in a stream later joins rivers.
Some of the water gathers in puddles, ponds and
lakes and also in the seas and oceans.

89

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 89 6/24/2024 2:53:00 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

• Is there a stream, river, pond or lake near your village

or city? Find out its name and some information
about it. Visit it and draw its picture. Draw any
trees, birds or animals that you see around it.
• Find a poem about a river and sing it in the class.

Water is a precious gift!

Water is a gift that falls from the
sky. This gift reaches our homes in
special ways.
How do we care for this gift? How
do we store it? What do we do with
it? Let us go indoors and find out.
On most days, Surya and
Barkha get water from the taps at
home. At school too, they get water
from taps.
All these taps get water through
pipes. From where does the water
come into these pipes? Surya and
Barkha followed the pipes and
found that there was a tank on the
roof. Now they are puzzled with how
the water came into the tank in the
first place.

Note to the Teacher

The water cycle will be introduced only in Class 4. For now, let
children notice that water remaining on hard surfaces gets dried
up in the sun. Rainwater that sinks in the soil is most important,
as it recharges our sources of water and helps plants grow.

90

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 90 6/24/2024 2:53:01 PM

 Water — A Precious Gift

Where do you get water from?

Do you get water from a tap? If yes, ask the elders
in your home from where the water comes into
the tap. They may tell you about a tank high up
on the terrace or some distance away.
Did you find out about any tanks
where the water is stored? How did
water reach those tanks? Are there some bigger
pipes which bring the water to this tank? Where
do these pipes come from?
Do you get water from a well
or a borewell? Observe how water
is drawn from the well. It could be using a
pulley or a hand pump or an electric pump.
Guess again where the water in
the well comes from.
Does someone bring the water to your
home from a tap or a well or from a
river or lake some distance away? Who
carries this water? How do they bring
it? Say a big ‘thank you’ to the people
who bring you the water!

• Do you get water delivered in a tanker? If yes,

find out where the tankers bring water from. Does
your water come from a well, river or lake near your
village or city?
• Do you know anyone who faces difficulty in getting
water every day?

91

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 91 6/24/2024 2:53:04 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Water in Our Daily Lives

• List all the activities you can think of for which we

need water.
• How many mugs of water do you need to brush your
teeth? How much water do you use to take a shower?

Have you ever faced a situation when you did not get
any water? What did you do then?
One day it happened to Surya and Barkha too.
Do you know what they did?
Storing water
No water
today!

We have
Oh no! stored two
buckets of
water.

The society
pipeline
Storing Water burst today.

92

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 92 6/24/2024 2:53:07 PM

 Water — A Precious Gift

Ask your grandparents or any elder:

• How did they get water? Did they use water in the
same way as you do?
• How did they store water?
• Write a short story about what you found out.

When we know that we do not

get water all the time then
we store it. In some places,
people do not get running Clay pot Clay surahi
water through taps and
pipes in their homes. They
have to bring the water from
a river or well. Sometimes it
is delivered through water
Copper vessel Brass pot
tankers and stored at home.
Many years ago, there
were no pipes or taps
anywhere in the world. So
people learned to make
containers or vessels to store Steel pot Aluminium pot
water. Here are some vessels
that we use now-a-days
for storing water at home.
They are made of different
materials.

Glass Plastic Plastic

bottle bottle bucket

93

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 93 6/24/2024 2:53:09 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

3
Put up an exhibition
• Identify different vessels used
to keep water in your home.
• Ask the elders in your family
what types of vessels they
stored water in.
• Were they different from what
we use now?
• Did the vessels have different
names?
• On a separate sheet of paper
draw a picture of any vessel
that you find interesting
and write its name in your
language.
• Put up an exhibition of these
pictures in your classroom
with the help of your teacher.
• Walk around and observe the
drawings by your classmates.
• How many different kinds of
vessels have been drawn?
• Did you find any patterns on
the vessels?

94

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 94 6/24/2024 2:53:10 PM

 Water — A Precious Gift

Stop for a moment and think!

• Water comes down

to earth as rain.

• It slowly fills up our

many sources—
streams, rivers,
ponds, lakes, wells,
groundwater, etc.

• From these sources

we bring water to our
homes in many ways.

• We store it in many
ways.

• We use it in many
ways.

• What happens to
water after we use it?

Water helps us in keeping things clean. This is very

important for our health. But after we use it, the
water becomes dirty. We cannot use dirty water for
drinking or cooking. But we can reuse the waste
water for watering our plants or for flushing toilets.
Let us strive to reduce our use of water and
reuse water whenever possible.
We should not add too much soap and other
such chemicals in water. Let us take care of this
precious gift from the sky!

95

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 95 6/24/2024 2:53:12 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Every drop counts

Water is considered sacred because it is absolutely
essential for our survival. We cannot live more than
3 days without drinking water. This is the reason
we first offer water to people who come to our home.
In some places, where it rains very little and
there are no big water bodies, people have to walk
for long distances to get water.
Don’t you think everyone must get clean drinking
water anywhere, anytime?
Take action

Offer clean drinking water to

whoever comes to your door. It
could be people who provide us
postal or sanitation services. In
many places, there is a tradition
of keeping pots of water outside
homes so that anybody feeling
thirsty can have water. This Free drinking water for
is particularly so in the hot people
summer months.

Drinking water for animals A birdbath

in a tank

96

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 96 6/24/2024 2:53:14 PM

 Water — A Precious Gift

4
Prepare a birdbath — offer water to birds in the hot summer
months.
A birdbath contains water in a shallow plate for birds to
drink and cool down.
• Take a shallow and wide container
(an old big bowl or a base of an old
pot or a bucket, less than 10 cm
deep)
• Keep some stones in it for birds
to perch. You may make the sides
sloping by adding some smaller
pebbles. Smaller pebbles also help
insects to use this water.
• Add fresh water and keep the bowl
in your yard, balcony or terrace.
• Change the water frequently.
• Clean the birdbath with a scrubber
twice a week. Do not use this
scrubber for kitchen utensils;
reserve it for the garden.

97

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 97 6/24/2024 2:53:16 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Let us reflect

A. Write

1. You waited for rain and watched how raindrops fell

to the ground. You collected rainwater and observed
if it was clean or dirty. You saw what happened to
the rainwater that fell in different places. Now write
a few lines on your observations of the rain.
2. You found out the name and some information
about a stream, river, well, pond or lake near your
place. Write it in a few lines: Is this water used for
drinking? If yes, how is this water carried to your
home? If it is not used, why not? Was it used in the
past?
B. Draw
 raw a picture of your birdbath. Write the names of
D
the birds and insects that come to drink water from
your birdbath.

98

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 98 6/24/2024 2:53:16 PM

 Water — A Precious Gift

C. Discuss
Water is very precious. We should be cautious about
how we use it. We should not waste even a drop of
water. Discuss among yourselves and list the activities
in your house or outside, due to which water gets
polluted or wasted. How can we avoid wastage of
water? Think of three solutions with your group and
write them in your notebook.

99

Ch 7 Gift of water.indd 99 6/24/2024 2:53:20 PM

 Chapter
8

Food We Eat

My favourite food

 raw pictures of your favourite homemade food dishes

D
and name them.

100

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 100 6/24/2024 2:56:07 PM

 Food We Eat

1
Chhappan bhog is
Share your reasons for why special food prepared on
you like the food items you festivals and auspicious
have drawn. occasions in honour
We all like to eat and drink of guests, friends, and
different things. Some of these family. It contains
food items are sweet, some are 56 varieties of food
sour, some are spicy and some items representing a
are bitter. We eat fruits, we eat harmonious blend of six
vegetables and we eat rice, dal tastes: sweet (meetha),
or roti. We drink milk, lassi or spicy (teekha), astringent
juice. Have you wondered why (kasaila), sour (khatta),
we eat and drink? salty (namkeen) and
bitter (karva).

Talk to the elders in your family and discuss in the

class: Why do we need to eat and drink?

Story of Shirin — the Runner

Shirin was in class 3. She used to run very fast.
She ran faster than everyone in the class. One day,
during a sports event in the school, Shirin met a
runner who was a champion and had won many
medals. Shirin asked the champion, “How can I
run like you and win medals?”
Note to the Teacher
Ask children about their favourite food items. Write the names
of these food items on the board and encourage the children to
speak about them.

101

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 101 6/24/2024 2:56:09 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

The champion told Shirin that she

could also become a champion if she
practised a lot and ate healthy food.
Shirin said, “I practise a lot, but I often
fall sick.” The champion asked, “What
do you eat?” Shirin said,
“I like only rice and potatoes.”
The champion laughed and said,
“Shirin, it is good that you eat rice
and potatoes, but you must eat a
lot of other things as well, to have
a strong and healthy body.”
“Eat different kinds of vegetables and fruits.
Eat things made from different kinds of grains, like
rice, ragi, jowar, wheat, bajra and many others. Eat
pulses (dal) and nuts. It is always good to eat food
cooked at home.”

Shirin followed the champion’s advice. She

practised harder and started eating a variety of
food items cooked at home. She understood the

102

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 102 6/24/2024 2:56:12 PM

 Food We Eat

value of a balanced diet. After a few months, she

could run faster than before. She felt energetic and
healthy. Recently, she won a medal for her school
in a running event.

Why do we need to eat healthy food?

2
Tick the food items you eat regularly from the pictures
given below.

Vegetables Salads Fruits

Sweets Rice Dal Roti

Milk Snacks Lassi Juice Paneer

Which foods above do you think should be part of a balanced diet?

103

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 103 6/24/2024 2:56:15 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

We eat different things

Elders in our family cook different foods during
summer and winter. When it is hot, we love to
eat kulfi or ice-cream and drink tender coconut
water. In winter, we eat warm food, soups and stew
and enjoy hot drinks. We get different fruits and
vegetables in different seasons. We get mangoes
and melons in the summer and plenty of apples in
the winter.

Make a list of fruits and vegetables available

and special food items that are prepared in the
summer and in the winter.

Summer Winter

In different parts of our country, people eat a

variety of delicious foods. Are there some dishes
that you have heard about but have not tasted yet?
You, your friends or family members may have
travelled to different places and found different
types of foods eaten there. Someone you know may
be staying in another part of the country and eating
some food items different from what you eat. Find
out the names of these foods and discuss them with
your friends.
104

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 104 6/24/2024 2:56:15 PM

 Food We Eat

Name these drinks in your language.

Tender Coconut Mango Juice

Water

Aam Panna Orange Juice Lime Water

During the summer, the weather is hot. We

sweat a lot. When we sweat, we lose water from our
body. That is why, in the summer we drink more
water, buttermilk, nimbu pani (lime water), aam
panna, sugarcane juice or tender coconut water.
We also sweat when we play or do any physical
activity. We should drink water frequently.
How often do you drink water?
Our body needs a lot of water. We cannot live
without water. That is why we often say, ‘water
is life’.
Where does food come from?

• Do you know which foods are grown in the fields?

Write a few names of such crops.
• Discuss and write down in what form some of these
foods are cooked.

105

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 105 6/24/2024 2:56:17 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

We eat different parts of plants. Some examples are

given below. Put a tick () against the items that you eat.

Leaves

Spinach Fenugreek Coriander

(Methi) Cabbage Mustard
(Palak) (Dhaniya)

Fruits

Guava Sapota Apple Mango

Roots

Carrot Radish Beetroot

106

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 106 6/24/2024 2:56:19 PM

 Food We Eat

Stems

Potatoes Bamboo shoots Ginger Onion

seeds

Grains Pulses Dry fruits

Some people also eat things that are taken from

animals, such as milk, curd, ghee, cheese, paneer, honey,
eggs and meat.

Puzzle time
Two of our most commonly used ingredients are neither
obtained from plants nor from animals. Name at least one
of these ingredients.
Would you share your food with your friend if your
friend does not bring lunch?

107

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 107 6/24/2024 2:56:22 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Let us reflect

A. Discuss
1. Why do we need different kinds of food?
2. Why do we eat seasonal foods?
3. How can you tell if a food is healthy or unhealthy?
4. Why is it important to avoid wasting food? Can you
think of some ways to reduce food waste at home?
B. Write
1. List the fruits and vegetables eaten in your family.
2. Write the recipe of your favourite dish.
3. W
 rite a name of a food item that includes both
plant and animal based ingredients. For example,
lassi includes yogurt/curd which is prepared from
milk (animal based ingredient) and sugar which is
prepared from sugarcane (a plant based ingredient).
C. Draw
 raw three plates or thalis with various food items
1. D
in your notebook.
2. In these plates draw and label food items that you
eat in the morning, afternoon and at night.
D. Eating together
 ring any fruit to the class. Prepare a fruit chaat or
B
salad with the help of your teacher. Share it with your
friends.
E. Think
I magine you suddenly have a guest visiting your home.
What kind of food would you serve them and why?

108

Ch 8 Food we eat.indd 108 6/24/2024 2:56:23 PM

 Chapter
9

Staying Healthy
and Happy

We know that we must

be healthy so that our
bodies and minds can
work properly. Here are
some simple habits to
keep our bodies clean
and free from diseases.
These habits keep
our bodies and minds
healthy and happy.

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 109 6/24/2024 2:58:22 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Clean and bright

Ask yourself these questions.
• Did I brush my teeth today?
• Did I take a shower?
• Did I comb my hair?
• Did I wash my hands with soap?
• Are my nails trimmed and clean?

Daily routine

Write down the activities that you do every day, from the
time you wake up, till you go to sleep. Your list should
include the activities below. Remember that you do some
of these things more than once in the day:
• Take a shower
• Wash your hands with soap
• Brush your teeth
• Drink 6 – 8 glasses of water
• Eat food
• Sleep well for at least 8 hours total
• Play outside
Check your list for these activities
• Do you brush your teeth twice in the
day — once after waking up and once
before going to bed?
• Do you rinse your mouth every time after eating
food?
• Do you wash your hands with soap after using the
toilet and after coming home from outdoors?
• If your answer to any of these questions is “No”,
think and discuss how you can make it a habit.
Is there anything that makes it difficult for you to
follow these routines?

110

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 110 6/24/2024 2:58:24 PM

 S taying Healthy and Happy

How do we brush our Teeth?

Moyna’s Dadu (grandfather) uses twigs from a neem
or babool tree to clean his teeth. “Dadu! How come
you don’t use a toothbrush
like us?” asked Moyna.
Dadu laughed
and said, “Well,
every day I get
a fresh twig
from the trees
nearby. I chew
it to make a
brush and
remove food
particles stuck
between my
teeth. It gives
my gums a good
massage too. You
should try it sometime!”
Moyna found the neem twig to be too bitter, but
the babool twig tasted better. “I might start using
babool twigs, Dadu!” exclaimed Moyna.

Ask your grandparents or any elderly person in your

neighbourhood — What did they use to wash their
hair, body and clothes and clean their teeth when
they were young? Can these things be found now?

111

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 111 6/24/2024 2:58:26 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

The modern idea of brushing teeth came from the Indian

hygiene tradition of datun — using twigs of certain plants
including neem, karanj, babool, etc., to clean our teeth.

1
Making a home-cleaner using orange and lemon peels
We use many cleaning agents at home to remove dirt and
germs from surfaces like kitchen slabs, furniture and
bathrooms. Find out what home-cleaners are used in your
home. You can also make your own eco-friendly cleaner!
Here is what you need:
• Peels of 8 –12 oranges or lemons,
enough to fill a half-litre transparent
container.
• Ten whole cloves (laung) or 2–3 bay
leaves (tejpatta) (optional)
• Two cups of white vinegar, enough
to cover the peels or spices.
Now put all these ingredients in a half litre transparent
container and close the lid. Keep the container in a sunny
area for about two weeks, occasionally shaking the mixture.
Strain the liquid after two weeks and your all purpose cleaner
is ready! You can mix a cup of
the liquid in one bucket of water
to clean floors and bathrooms.

Note to the Teacher

You can discuss that routines may vary based on where we live
and access to resources like water.
We have some traditional methods for cleaning. This includes
natural cleaning alternatives such as, Reetha or Shikakai for the
hair and some safe and effective recipes for household cleaning.

112

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 112 6/24/2024 2:58:27 PM

 S taying Healthy and Happy

Animals like to keep themselves clean too!

Have you ever seen monkeys sitting and grooming each

other? This is a way in which they keep their bodies
free from insects. You may have also seen birds using
their beaks to clean their feathers. Next time do observe
different ways in which animals and insects around
you might be cleaning themselves.

Playing outdoors and indoors too

Have you noticed that, after running fast to catch
your friends in a game, you are breathing faster and
deeper? Maybe your cheeks are a little red and you
are feeling a little warm and start sweating. This
is because exercise makes our heart work harder
and better. Exercise is good for the body. There are
many ways to exercise and keep ourselves fit.

113

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 113 6/24/2024 2:58:30 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

2
Hop, skip, jump!
Try the following moves:
• Walk like a duck.
• Jump like a frog.
• Run like a cat.
Which moves did you enjoy the most?
Take a skipping rope and count as you jump. Do this with
your friends and see who can jump the maximum number
of times.
Then, invite a friend to start jumping after you skip
10 times or after you say a short poem as you skip. For
example:

I like roti,

I like ghee.

I want _______________________,
(name of a friend)

To jump with me!

 hat other games do you play with a skipping rope?

W
Teach and learn from your friends.

Note to the Teacher

The body requires mainly three types of exercises — strengthening
the cardio-respiratory system; adding strength to the muscles
and bones; and maintaining or enhancing body flexibility.

114

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 114 6/24/2024 2:58:31 PM

 S taying Healthy and Happy
Harpreet’s grandmother cannot move much
because of the pain
in her knees. But she
still walks around the
house a little and loves
to play chess with
Harpreet. She says
that both the mind
and body should be
active.
Name the Game!

What types of games do you like to play outside your home?

• Can you identify the games shown here?

• Have you played them before?

115

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 115 6/24/2024 2:58:33 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

I Spy!

Can you find the names of all the games hidden

here? Are any of these your favourites? One has
been done for you.

B I U A F Y L S T B S L

J A T U E R G X E A C L

K A D K E G N M N S I A

V H C M Z X O I N K T B

S O O Y I C I C I E S Y

H G J K L N R D S T A E

W R N Q H I T V I B N L

C V G N C O F O Z A M L

Y W Z K X V P A N L Y O

H V E D S I H W Q L G V

D T R T L L A B T O O F

L X K A B A D D I P H P

116

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 116 6/24/2024 2:58:33 PM

 S taying Healthy and Happy

Playing safely
It is important to be safe while having fun. Which
of the following places is considered a safe area to
play? Why or why not?

A busy road
Safe
Unsafe

A park
Safe
Unsafe

A schoolground
Safe
Unsafe

A roof without railings

Safe
Unsafe

A construction site
Safe
Unsafe

117

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 117 6/24/2024 2:58:35 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

In public spaces, there may be strangers. Do not interact

with strangers unless you are with your parents or any other
adult you trust.
No,
Come here.
thank you.
Have some
We don’t want
sweets.
sweets.

Your mother
asked me to pick No,
you up from I don’t know
school. you.

Let me No, I
drop you home. know my way
Get in the back home.
car.

We should pay attention to our surroundings when playing.

Note to the Teacher

You may encourage children to be careful when they come across
new people. Parents may use a pre-decided password if they need
to send a new person to pick-up their children.

118

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 118 6/24/2024 2:58:38 PM

 S taying Healthy and Happy

Let us reflect
A. Write

Make your weekly health table.

What makes you feel sleepy, hungry or tired? Feelings
are the body’s way of telling us that something is amiss.
We all have different needs. We should each know what
is good for our body and mind. For this, track your
activities for a week and observe how you feel.

Did I Did I use Did I How What How How How did
brush the toilet take much did I long did long it make
my in the shower? time did have for I watch did I me feel?
Day
teeth morning? I sleep? break- TV or play (Good,
twice? fast? play out- okay, not
on the doors? so good,
phone? bad)

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Note to the Teacher

Youmayencourage children to find patterns and make connections
between good sleep, diet and exercise and feeling good. Also
discuss whether children find any of the healthy activities difficult
to follow regularly. Completing the table is a form of assessment
for the chapter.

119

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 119 6/24/2024 2:58:38 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

B. Draw
Draw a big circle in your notebook and divide it into
24 slices. Imagine that each slice is one hour of the
day. Now colour these slices differently based on the
number of hours you spend doing different activities
in one entire day of 24 hours.
For example, Moyna spends 8 hours sleeping,
2 hours eating, 6 hours in school or studying at
home, 2 hours playing outside, 2 hours helping her
parents at home, 1 hour watching TV or playing on
the phone, 1 hour in the toilet and 2 hours on other
activities. This is what Moyna’s circle looked like.

Sleeping
Eating
Studying
Playing
Helping parents
Watching TV
Using the toilet
Other activities

C. Discuss
Think of one activity you would like to do at least twice
a week to improve your stamina. It could be running,
jumping, climbing stairs or anything else. Discuss it
with your friends and try doing such activities together.

Note to the Teacher

One simple way to divide a circle into 24 parts by hand

(approximately, without using a protractor) is to first divide it into
four quarters, then divide each quarter into 3 equal parts. At this
point, there would be 12 equal sections. To make 24 sections,
divide each section into two equal parts. This intuitive drawing
exercise would also later connect with fractions and proportions,
as well as drawing a clock and the Ashok Chakra on a flag.

Answers to the ‘I Spy’ puzzle (Page 116) — badminton, basketball, cricket, football, gymnastics, hockey,
kabaddi, khokho, tennis, volleyball (Reference: https://www.puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com).

120

Ch 9 Staying healthy and happy.indd 120 6/24/2024 2:58:39 PM

 Unit 4
Things Around Us

About the unit

In this unit, we will explore the many things that we make
and use to live comfortably. We will observe these items,
learn what they are made of, and discover where they come
from. We will delve into the natural resources that provide
us with these materials.
We will also explore various materials and learn how
they are used in different ways. Additionally, we
will observe the waste materials around
us and learn how to manage them
to keep our surroundings clean
and healthy. This journey
will help us understand
and appreciate the
resources that we
use every day.

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 121 6/24/2024 3:02:24 PM

 Note to the Teacher
This unit is about ‘Things Around Us’. The key
concepts covered in these chapters are described
below.
Chapter 10: The World of Things helps us to • Collect and display a
variety of things made
explore the things around us, observe things closely of different materials
to see what they’re made of and where they come (metal, wood, glass,
from and learning which things come from nature plastic, clay, etc.).
and which are made by people. Moreover, we explore • Visits and visitors:
Organise a visit to
the diverse properties of various materials.
a porter, local toy
Chapter 11: Making Things helps us to learn maker, etc., or invite
about different materials and how they are used. We them to the school to
talk to the children.
discover how houses are constructed using natural
• Organise an activity
resources and how people introduce new designs
for the children to
and styles. Moreover, we discuss the importance of make a dustbin (each
always adhering to safety rules. for dry and wet waste)
in the class from
Chapter 12: Taking Charge of Waste emphasises waste materials.
the importance of putting trash in designated areas
• Demonstrate the
and sorting it correctly. We also describe the value of segregation of waste
reusing and recycling. Furthermore, we explore into dry and wet (e.g.,
ways to maintain cleanliness and safety in our after lunch). Ensure
children wear gloves
homes and neighbourhoods. and masks.
The use of newspapers or old cloth
for gift wrapping is an eco-friendly
practice that reduces waste
and conserves resources.
By creatively utilising
such items, we
not only reduce
our waste but
also add a
personalised
touch to our
gifts.

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 122 6/24/2024 3:02:28 PM

 Chapter
10

This World of Things

Let’s take a look Around us!

Khushi reached school early. Sunlight shone
through the windows and the classroom looked
bright and beautiful. Khushi wanted to capture
this scene in a picture. Here is what she drew.
Can you name the things that Khushi has drawn?
Write in the boxes given.

Do you see the window glass? Why or why not?

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 123 6/24/2024 3:02:31 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

1
Understand your Classroom

Draw a picture of your classroom in your notebook. Label

the things that you have drawn.

Khushi is curious, “Where have all these things

come from? Who has made them? What are they
all made of ?” she thought.
Let us help Khushi find out.
The table and chair are made of wood. Where
do we get wood from?
The hinges, nails and latches of the door are
made of some metals.

Metals are carefully

extracted from certain
rock and sediment
(called ‘ore’) dug up
from inside the Earth.

Note to the Teacher

Show the children some common metals around you such as
iron, copper, aluminium, gold, silver, mercury in a thermometer
or alloys such as steel, brass and bronze. Alloys are mixtures of
metals.

124

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 124 6/24/2024 3:02:34 PM

 This World of Things

2
Spot the metals
Find as many things or parts of things, that are made of
metals. Which metals do you recognise around you? If you
do not know the name of the metal, ask your friends or an
elder. Make a list of these metals in your notebook.

What are other things in the classroom, such as,

mats, bulbs and electric switches, made of?

See-through materials!
Khushi was sitting at her desk. She could see a
tree laden with beautiful flowers. She reached out
to touch them. Her hand
touched the glass pane.
At first, Khushi did not
notice the windowpanes.
They were made of glass and
she realised that she had
been able to see the flowers
and trees through the glass.
Glass is like that!
• Does your window have
a glass pane?
• Can you see through it?
• What do you see?

125

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 125 6/24/2024 3:02:36 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

3
Seeing through things
Collect a few small objects of different
materials from your surroundings like
bottles, papers, cloth and utensils, etc.
Look at a light bulb or a candle flame
through them. You can see through some
objects very clearly, you can partially see
through some others, while you cannot
see through some objects at all. Order
these objects from those you can see
through very clearly, to those you cannot
see through at all.

See through See through Cannot see

clearly partially through at all

Take care!
Never look at the sun continuously — through any object
or directly. It will harm your eyes.

Things that you can see through

are called transparent. Most
kinds of glass are transparent.
Name one more material that is
transparent.

126

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 126 6/24/2024 3:02:36 PM

 This World of Things

You can see through glass, but you cannot

see through wood. Materials that you cannot
see through are called opaque.

Glass is transparent but wood is opaque.

Some things are in between — that is, you

can see through them only partially. They
are called translucent. Find some materials
that are translucent.

4
Let us colour the world!
Collect two or three see
through bags, bottles
or thin cloth of different
colours. Look at a sheet of
white paper through them.
• Does the colour of
the paper appear to
change?
• Does white paper appear different when you look at
it through thin blue plastic or glass? Or, thin yellow
plastic or glass?
• Do the colours of different objects appear to change?
How did a blue object look through thin yellow
plastic?
• Have you earlier experienced looking through
coloured transparent objects? Try to recall such
experiences.

127

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 127 6/24/2024 3:02:37 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

What is it made of ?
Let us return to Khushi’s classroom.

Chain game
• In the table below, Khushi has grouped objects
according to the materials that they are made of. Her
list of objects is in the first column of the table. The
names of the materials are in the second column.
• The third column of the table is for you to complete.
Here write the names of some objects you have seen
that are made from that material. Some objects
around you may be made from materials not in this
list, e.g., clay and rubber are missing in Khushi’s
list. Use one of these to add an additional row in
the table.

Khushi’s list Name of the Objects made of this

material material which are in
your classroom or home

Table, chair, door Wood For example, pencil

Door hinges, nails, Metal
Windowpanes, light Glass
bulb
Electric switches Plastic

Where do all these materials come from? Can you locate

their source?
For example, Wood — Tree
Metals — ___________________ Glass is mostly made
of sand!
Cloth — ____________________

128

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 128 6/24/2024 3:02:38 PM

 This World of Things

Talk to your Grandparents

• In their childhood, were these things made of the
same materials?
• Are there new materials now that they might not
have seen before?
• Are there any materials that they saw in their
childhood that are not in use now? Why?

Different materials may look different. Are they also

different in other ways? Would you be able to recognise
some material even with your eyes closed?

• What material is your spoon made of?

• Is it made of metal, wood or some other material? Can
you guess?
• Which of these words or phrases describes the spoon?
Smooth Rough Dull Shiny
Feels cold to the touch

129

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 129 6/24/2024 3:02:39 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

5
Knock on it and it will speak to you!
Orchestra
Take a metal spoon and at least five objects made up of
different materials — wood, metal, plastic, cloth and glass.
Gently tap the spoon on each of them. Listen to the sound
that each of them makes. Make your own words to describe
all these different sounds.
Try to capture those sounds in words, like ting-ting,
dhum-dhum, dub-dub, …
Now compose your own beats.

Ting, Ting, Thak, Thak

Ting, Thak, Ting, Thak!

Does it bend?
Khushi’s table is made of wood. What else is used to
make tables? Can we use fabric or rubber to make
a table? Why or why not?
Wood is hard and rigid while fabric is soft and
flexible. The flexibility of fabric makes it more
suitable to make clothes and curtains. Imagine if
clothes were made of wood!

Odd Pairs
List five objects and pair them with a material that is not
suitable for it! Explain why these materials will not work to
make these objects. One example is done for you.

130

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 130 6/24/2024 3:02:40 PM

 This World of Things

S. No. Objects Material Reasons

1. Umbrella Paper Paper will tear if it gets wet

in the rain

2.
3.
4.

Does it flow?
In her ‘Odd Pairs’, Khushi playfully wrote, “Walls —
can’t be made of water.”
We don’t make walls of water because they will
fall. What else could happen to water walls? We
need ‘solid’ things such as stones, bricks or wood to
make walls. Things that do not change their shape
are called ‘solid’.
Water does not keep its shape — it flows. Air
flows too, but in a different way. If you pour water
into a cup it stays there. Water is a ‘liquid’. Air does
not stay in a cup, it just floats in and out. That is
because air is a gas.
So objects can be classified as solids, liquids
and gases.

Solid Liquid Gas

131

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 131 6/24/2024 3:02:40 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

6
Let’s group them another way!
Here are the names of some objects: ink, a stone,
smoke, ice, steam, a spoon, honey, a bottle, a bag, water.
If it is a solid, write its name on the tray; if it is a
liquid, write its name in the bottle; if it is a gas, write its
name in the balloon.

Add some of your own objects in the tray, bottle and

balloon.
Some objects could be confusing, such as sand or a
sponge or clay. Identify more such objects and write names
of at least three of them.

Note to the Teacher

 aterials like rubber, fibre and wax could be naturally
M
produced by plants and animals, but similar materials
are also made artificially. For example, bees produce
wax for their honeycomb, but very similar wax can be
made from petroleum. Petroleum is a liquid found deep
underground. Petrol, rockel, diesel, etc., are extracted
from petroleum. Petroleum-based materials, such as
petrol, plastic, rubber or paraffin wax, create ‘non-
biodegradable’ waste. This concept is just touched upon
in Class 3, and details are left to later classes.

132

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 132 6/24/2024 3:02:42 PM

 This World of Things

Natural — Artificial
Khushi drew a picture
of a mango tree with a
mango growing on it and
a bird sitting on it. The
tree, mango and bird are
not made by humans but
occur naturally in nature.
Things that exist naturally
are called ‘natural’. Natural
things may be alive, like
plants and animals, or
not alive, like rocks, water
and air.
Things that are made by people are called
‘artificial’ like clothes, shoes, tables, etc.
List out five things in each group.
• Natural: ________________________________
• Artificial: _______________________________
In the next chapter we will further explore how
things are made.

Have you seen trees around you that bear flowers

and fruits at special times of the year? If you have
ever eaten a ripe mango or seen mangoes in the
market or watched a mango tree through the year,
try to guess— at what time of the year did Khushi
draw her picture? Could it be around January or
around June?

133

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 133 6/24/2024 3:02:44 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Let us reflect

A. Write
hings around us are made of different types of
T
materials. Write down the names of three materials we
commonly see around us.
______________________________________________
B. Discuss
 uppose you find a shining spoon. You don’t know if
S
it is made of metal or whether it is made of some other
material and then painted with shiny paint. How would
you find out?
C. Draw
Draw three natural and three artificial things.

D. Do it
Match the pairs
Transparent A lamp shade made of paper

Translucent A plate

Opaque A glass used in spectacles

134

Ch 10 This world of things.indd 134 6/24/2024 3:02:45 PM

 Chapter
11

Making Things

You must have seen or used a pot for storing water.

You have also seen a gullak piggy bank), birdbath,
cup (kulhad ) and so many such things at home and
around you.
Have you ever wondered?

• What are these things made of?

• Who has made them and how?

135

Ch 11 Making things.indd 135 6/24/2024 3:04:16 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

A potter’s family
In a town by the seaside, Mini watched her
Appooppan (grandfather) making a pot. He would
take the clay and make it wet. He would add enough
water to make the consistency he needed. Then
he pounded it well. He made sure that the clay
was neither too watery nor too dry. He kneaded
the clay like dough. Finally, he put the clay
on a stone wheel and shaped it by
spinning it.

When the pots were

dried, Ammu (mother)
moved them into a very
hot fire burning inside
a big oven. The potter’s
oven is called a ‘kiln’. This
fire would bake the pot.
Then the pot was ready for

136

Ch 11 Making things.indd 136 6/24/2024 3:04:18 PM

 Making Things

use. Appooppan, Ammu and other family members

made some patterns on some of the pots to make
the pots look even more beautiful.

• What are pots used for?

• What other kinds of things do potters make?
• Why is the pot baked in a kiln?

• Visit a potter in your neighbourhood with your

parents or elders in the family.
• Observe how the potter works on the stone wheel or
the potter’s wheel.
• Have you wondered how clay takes a beautiful
shape on a spinning wheel?
• Which of the products made by a potter do you use
at home?
• Draw some of the products that you have seen at
the potter’s place in the box given below.

137

Ch 11 Making things.indd 137 6/24/2024 3:04:21 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Mini was too young

to use the potter’s
wheel. But she helped
her grandfather make
patterns on the pots
and colour them. Her
favourite clay item was
her piggy bank. She
loved creating beautiful
patterns on it. She then
used it to save money.
In what ways do you help your parents and
grandparents?

2
Make your own clay
(Do this activity with the help of elders)
• Collect soil from wet or muddy places.
• Remove any big pebbles or stones, sand, leaves or
parts of plants from it using a net or sieve.
• Put this soil in a flat vessel filled with water.
• After a few days, throw away the water that stays on
top.
• Now make dough that you can shape into a ball.

Make any two

things you like with
the clay that you have
made. Put it out in the
sun to dry.

138

Ch 11 Making things.indd 138 6/24/2024 3:04:23 PM

 Making Things

3
Arrange the images in the correct order by numbering
them from 1 to 5.

Patterns in Nature
Patterns can be found
everywhere in nature, be it
spots on a leopard or stripes
on a squirrel. Many artists who
paint on pots get ideas for their
art from nature. Patterns can
be formed using shapes and
colours from nature.
You must have seen
patterns on plants and animals
around you. For example, if
you observe the leaves on the
branches of a tree like the
neem, you will find a pattern.
Similarly, patterns can also be
seen on some animals like the
peacock, cat, tiger, butterfly,
fish, etc.

139

Ch 11 Making things.indd 139 6/24/2024 3:04:26 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

4
The following are some patterns with repeating shapes and
lines.

Look around for patterns on plants.

Draw any pattern of a leaf in the given
box. Give an example of your own.

Look around for patterns on animals.

Draw an animal which has patterns
in the given box.

Look around for patterns on things.

Draw a pattern in the box.

140

Ch 11 Making things.indd 140 6/24/2024 3:04:27 PM

 Making Things

Decorate the given objects with patterns.

Patterns in Indian Pottery

These are some beautiful forms of pottery from
different parts of India.
Tick the ones that have patterns on them.

141

Ch 11 Making things.indd 141 6/24/2024 3:04:28 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

By now, you are familiar with pots made of clay. Let

us read about bricks.

Brick by Brick

• Where have you seen bricks?

• Have you ever seen how bricks are made?
Bricks are also made of mud just like the pots
prepared by Appooppan.
You must have seen idli, cake, dhokla or kulfi
moulds. Similarly, bricks are also prepared in
‘moulds’ to give them their shape. A brick becomes
hard after it is baked in the kiln. Bricks are used for
construction of buildings such as houses, schools,
and hospitals.

142

Ch 11 Making things.indd 142 6/24/2024 3:04:30 PM

 Making Things

Rohan and his father live in Jaipur. Rohan loves

to see houses being built. He is amazed at how his
father and his co-workers can construct such tall
and beautiful buildings.
Rohan’s favourite pastime is watching brick
walls getting built. He had been watching one
particular wall being built.

With each passing day, Rohan could see that

brick by brick the wall was completed. After
a few months, Rohan saw that it had
become a big building.

143

Ch 11 Making things.indd 143 6/24/2024 3:04:35 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

• Are all houses made of bricks?

• What do you think are other materials used to build
houses?

In some warm areas of our country, people make

traditional mud houses to keep them cool inside.
People use natural materials like grass and wood.
Instead of cement, many people use cow dung to
make smooth walls and floors. Cow dung keeps the
heat out and stops insects from entering the house.

1. Why do you think mud houses are better for the

environment?
_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

2. Look around at the houses in your neighbourhood.

What are the houses made of?
_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

144

Ch 11 Making things.indd 144 6/24/2024 3:04:36 PM

 Making Things

5
Look at the pictures below. Guess the name of each type of
house. Fill it in the given table below.

Pictures of houses What is this type What are these

of a house called? houses made of?

145

Ch 11 Making things.indd 145 6/24/2024 3:04:38 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

6
Make a Wall
Make some bricks using
a matchbox mould, small
paper boxes, clay or atta
(dough). Stack them in
these two arrangements
shown in the drawing.

• Which one is sturdier ?

• Which one falls more easily when pushed?

Safety First
Rohan’s father follows all the important safety
rules while working. For example, he always wears
a helmet with a strap, a safety vest and sturdy
footwear.

• Are there any safety rules at home?

• Do you have any safety rules at school?

146

Ch 11 Making things.indd 146 6/24/2024 3:04:39 PM

 Making Things

Let us reflect

A. Write
1. What is the process of pot making?
2. How do artists get ideas for their arts?
3. What is a kiln?
4. What are houses made of?
5. You may also try to find videos on YouTube that
show the process of things being made. Write down
the steps in as much detail as possible.
B. Draw and colour any three different kinds of houses.

C. Discuss
1. Why do we have different kinds of houses?
2. Why do people wear helmets at construction sites?
3. W
 hat would happen if there were no patterns
in nature?
D. Interview
1. I nterview someone who makes crafts or toys in your
locality. Share the information in the class.
 ind out how some commonly used objects like
2. F
pencils, erasers, pens and notebooks are made. Ask
your elders.

147

Ch 11 Making things.indd 147 6/24/2024 3:04:40 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Have you seen any statues in your town or city?

Do you know if these statues are also made of the same

clay that is used to make pots and bricks?

148

Ch 11 Making things.indd 148 6/24/2024 3:04:43 PM

 Chapter
12

Taking Charge of Waste

National Cleanliness Day

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 149 6/24/2024 3:06:18 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

• What are the children and the teacher doing in the

picture?
• Why are they cleaning the park?
• Have you ever seen piles of waste lying around your
home or school?
• Have you ever thought about how this waste is created?

1
• Recall different activities that you and your elders do
during the day. How do these activities create waste?
Finally, what do we do with the waste?
• Share your findings with your classmates.

Note to the Teacher

Remind children of some examples of common waste-producing
activities, e.g., packaged products, take-away food, plastic and
decorations.

150

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 150 6/24/2024 3:06:22 PM

 Taking Charge of Waste

How is waste created?

In our everyday
activities, we create a
lot of waste. We dispose
of old clothes, tins,
bottles, paper, peels of
vegetables and fruits,
plastic wrappers, pencil
shavings, old batteries
and so many other
things.
We try to throw
the waste away but
sometimes we see that
it ends up in garbage
piles. These are the
piles of waste that
you see around your
home, school or in the
neighbourhood.
How do you feel about it?
Do you think we can do something about it?

Managing waste
We need to learn to manage waste. Managing waste
is in our own hands. Each one of us has to learn
to manage waste. We can learn from people and
places that are managing their waste well.
Let us see what they do and how they do it!

151

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 151 6/24/2024 3:06:25 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Ways to manage waste

Very often, you will find trash on
the roadside, near houses and
yards. Cows and other animals
can die by eating plastic mixed
with food. Some people burn
plastic which releases harmful
gases.
People start falling ill
because of all the garbage
around them. Puddles and
wastewater can be seen flowing
through the roads. This leads
to an increase in mosquitoes.
This can cause diseases
through their bites. The
wastewater may carry germs
that cause other diseases.
But in some places, people have worked very
hard to clean their houses and surroundings. We
will learn how they do this in the following sections.

2
Observe your surroundings.

• How clean are the surroundings of your school?

• Do you find waste lying in or outside your classrooms
or on the school grounds?

152

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 152 6/24/2024 3:06:27 PM

 Taking Charge of Waste

Draw or paste a picture of a locality. Identify the places

where there is garbage or wastewater or smoke by circling
them in red. Try to find out how the waste gets there.

If you belong to a place that manages its waste

well, ask the elders how it is done. Share your
findings in the class.
Now let us talk about those people who manage
waste well.

Reduce
Many people avoid food and
drinks packed in wrappers or
plastic bottles and use cloth
bags in place of plastic bags to
reduce waste.
Have you ever tried doing this?
REDUCE the amount of waste you create is the first
rule they follow.

3
How can you help in reducing waste?

153

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 153 6/24/2024 3:06:28 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Be a part of the Cleanliness Drive by sharing

your old toys and books with those who need them
but cannot afford to buy them.
In what other ways can you help?
The more things we buy, the more
things we throw away and the more
waste gets created. We should try to
buy things that we need and use them
until they are not usable anymore.
We can try to create as little waste
as possible.

Reuse
The second thing many people do is that they
REUSE things instead of throwing them away. Our
grandparents did not throw away old clothes. They
made quilts from old sarees and bags from old
clothes. Sometimes, they also give old clothes to
those who are in need of clothes.
The use of newspapers or old cloth for gift
wrapping is an eco-friendly practice that reduces
waste and conserves resources. By creatively

154

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 154 6/24/2024 3:06:30 PM

 Taking Charge of Waste

utilising these items, we not only reduce our waste

but also add a personalised touch to our gifts.

4
How can you REUSE things to reduce waste?
You can reuse paper that has been used on one side for
rough work. Instead of buying water bottle, reuse a bottle
made of a safe material like steel or copper by refilling it.
You can make toys or decorative things using old
newspapers, old calendars, bottles, boxes, etc . Here is one
such idea. All you need is some newspaper. No scissors!
No Glue! Just paper!

Steps to make a paper bag

Note to the Teacher

You can make a number of things using newspapers and other
waste material. Refer to http://arvindguptatoys.com/ for ideas.

155

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 155 6/24/2024 3:06:31 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

5
Create an item using waste material that you can give as
a gift to someone.

Show your gratitude!

You can give this to the person who helps to keep the
locality or home clean. Tell them that you have made
this so that you can reduce waste and their workload.
Do not forget to say a big ‘Thank You’ to them.

A Place of Pride
Many of the villages and cities mentioned below
had garbage littered all around them. But now
they are perhaps the cleanest areas in the country.
How did the people of these places change their
surroundings?

156

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 156 6/24/2024 3:06:33 PM

 Taking Charge of Waste

Today, let’s take a tour of a

village called Silluk in Arunachal
Pradesh. As we enter the village,
we notice clean roads. There is
no trash lying on the roadsides
or in corners or open spaces.
The streets, lined with trees, feel
as if we are walking in a garden!
This village has received an
award for managing its waste
in the best possible way. It is
called a ‘zero waste village’.
Like Silluk there are
many more villages in our
country that are a model for
waste management practices.
Chhota Narena was one of
the first villages to become
waste-free.
Several other towns and
cities, such as Indore and
Mysuru, stand out for being
clean cities.

• Ask your elders, if there is any village, town or

city that they know about, which is known for its
cleanliness. You can share the information you
learn from your elders in your class.
• Find out from your parents or teachers about the
Swachh Bharat Mission.

157

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 157 6/24/2024 3:06:35 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

Separate different types of waste

If you look around, you will notice
dustbins of two colours. These
could be placed in your school, local
market, park or at a bus stand,
railway platform or at a mela. Why
are these two kinds of dustbins
used? Let us read on to learn what we put in these
dustbins.
The green dustbin is used
for things like dried leaves or
branches, fruit peels, vegetable
waste or egg shells. These materials
rot easily and mix with the soil.
Waste in the green dustbin can be
added to soil where it gets converted
into compost food for plants and
for tiny animals that live in the soil.
The blue dustbin is used for
things made of metal, glass, plastic
and paper. New objects can be made
from materials like metal, glass,
plastic or paper that have been
thrown away. This is called recycling.
Some villages have bins for each of
these materials separately so that it is
easier to send them to different places
for recycling. Villages and towns that

158

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 158 6/24/2024 3:06:38 PM

 Taking Charge of Waste

separate and recycle their waste are able to keep

their surroundings clean. They manage waste
effectively.

6
Separate Your Waste
Two dustbins are drawn below. Write the names of the
waste material which will go into each of them.

 lastic bottles, leaves, onion peels, light bulbs, rotten

P
fruit, paper, eggshells, used plastic milk packets, cloth.

Each one of us can help to keep our home, neighbourhood,

school, city and country clean.

Note to the Teacher

You can use this activity to additionally explain that sharp or
potentially harmful things like broken glass, needles, etc., should
be wrapped in cloth and paper so that sanitation workers are not
harmed while handling them.

159

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 159 6/24/2024 3:06:39 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

• List the things that you can do to keep your home

and classroom clean?
I can keep my room tidy.
__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________
• Make a list of tools you have seen being used in
your school or neighbourhood for cleaning.
• Have you ever observed the tools that are used in
your home for cleaning? Make a list of these tools.

Draw pictures of these tools in the box given below.

Keeping our surroundings clean

When you celebrate National Cleanliness Day
(30 January) take a pledge to always keep yourself
and your surroundings clean. Remember not to
create too much waste, manage your waste and
dispose off waste properly to build a cleaner and
greener world.
Our aim needs to be Want not, Waste not.

160

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 160 6/25/2024 11:18:49 AM

 Taking Charge of Waste

Let us reflect

A. Discuss
1. How is waste created?
2. How can we manage waste?
B. Write
1. To avoid use of plastic bags and bottles, look at your
home and school closely. List all the items of plastic
material and write how these could be replaced by
other safe materials.
2. Name three things in your school and home that
you would put in the green dustbin and three things
that you would put in the blue dustbin.
C. Draw in your notebook
1. Make a poster to show a village or town that is
managing its waste well. Give your poster a suitable
title.

161

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 161 6/24/2024 3:06:42 PM

 Our Wondrous World | Class 3

D. Enact in pairs
 ou can be a clean town and your partner a dirty
Y
town. Engage in a short conversation talking about
how you feel about being the way you are.
E. Think, Reflect and Share
1. Imagine you are having a birthday party at your
home. What are some of the ways in which you can
try to have a zero-waste birthday party? For this,
first think about what kind of waste may be created
in the birthday party and how you can avoid or
reduce it.
2. Have you seen waste in nature? What do you think
happens to the waste of animals, dried leaves and
so on in a forest?

162

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 162 6/24/2024 3:06:43 PM

 • Notes

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 163 6/24/2024 3:06:43 PM

 • Notes

Ch 12 Taking charge of waste.indd 164 6/24/2024 3:06:43 PM

 Our
Wondrous
World
Textbook for Class 3

The World Around Us

Prelims.indd 1 6/25/2024 12:15:29 PM

 0335 – Our Wondrous World — Textbook for Class 3
ISBN 978-93-5292-863-7
The World Around Us

First Edition ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

June 2024 Jyeshtha 1946  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise
without the prior permission of the publisher.
PD 1000T SU  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by
way of trade, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise disposed
of without the publisher’s consent, in any form of binding or
© National Council of Educational cover other than that in which it is published.
Research and Training, 2024  The correct price of this publication is the price printed on
this page, Any revised price indicated by a rubber stamp or
by a sticker or by any other means is incorrect and should
be unacceptable.

OFFICES OF THE PUBLICATION

Division, NCERT

NCERT Campus
Sri Aurobindo Marg
New Delhi 110 016 Phone : 011-26562708
108, 100 Feet Road
Hosdakere Halli Extension
Banashankari III Stage
Bengaluru 560 085 Phone : 080-26725740
Navjivan Trust Building
P.O. Navjivan
Ahmedabad 380 014 Phone : 079-27541446
CWC Campus
Opp. Dhankal Bus Stop
Panihati
65.00 Kolkata 700 114 Phone : 033-25530454
CWC Complex
Maligaon
Guwahati 781 021 Phone : 0361-2674869

Publication Team
Head, Publication : Anup Kumar Rajput
Division

Chief Editor : Shveta Uppal

Chief Production Officer : Arun Chitkara

Chief Business Manager : Amitabh Kumar

Printed on 80 GSM paper with NCERT
Production Officer : Jahan Lal
watermark
Cover, Design and Artwork
Published at the Publication Division
by the Secretary, National Council Joel Gill
of Educational Research and
Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, Illustration
New Delhi 110 016 and printed at Silja Bansriyar, Susnata Paul,
Nageen Prakashan Pvt. Ltd., Village Palak Sharma and Nanit BS
Salarpur, Post Rajpura, Mawana —Azim Premji Foundation, Bengaluru
Road, Meerut-250 001 (U.P.)

Prelims.indd 2 6/25/2024 12:15:29 PM

 Foreword

The Foundational Stage in school education, as envisaged by the

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, serves as the cornerstone
for the holistic development of children. It enables them not only
to imbibe the invaluable samskaras rooted in our country’s ethos
and constitutional framework, but also to acquire basic literacy and
numeracy. This foundation equips them to transition seamlessly
into the more challenging Preparatory Stage.
The Preparatory Stage acts as a bridge between the Foundational
and the Middle stages, spanning three years from Class 3 to Class 5.
The education provided during this stage builds upon the pedagogical
approaches of the Foundational Stage. While the play-way and
discovery, plus the activity-based learning methods continue,
children are also introduced to textbooks and formal classroom
settings. This introduction aims not to overwhelm but to establish
a foundation across curricular areas, promoting holistic learning
and self-exploration through reading, writing, speaking, drawing,
singing, and playing. This comprehensive approach encompasses
physical education, art education, environmental education,
languages, mathematics, basic science, and social sciences. This
comprehensive approach ensures children are well-prepared both
at the cognitive-sensitive and physical-pranic (emotional) levels to
effortlessly transition to the Middle Stage.
Adhering to the recommendations of the National Curriculum
Framework for School Education (NCF-SE), brought out, as a follow-
up to the NEP 2020, a new subject area called ‘The World Around Us’
at the Preparatory Stage. This subject aims to provide environmental
education through an experiential learning approach, connecting
children’s experiences with the basic concepts of different subject
areas which they will study at the Middle Stage.
Our Wondrous World, the textbook for The World Around Us,
has been designed to help children connect their day-to-day
learning about their world to the basic concepts of various subject
areas— science, social sciences and environmental education. It aims
to enhance their sensitivity towards their environment, develop skills
to work with the community, and foster a positive attitude towards
various professions.

Prelims.indd 3 6/25/2024 12:15:30 PM

 Our Wondrous World emphasises conceptual understanding,
critical thinking, creativity, and the values and dispositions essential
for this developmental stage. It incorporates cross-cutting themes
such as inclusion, multilingualism, gender equality, and cultural
rootedness, integrating appropriate ICT tools and school-based
assessments.
Children’s innate curiosity at this stage needs to be nurtured by
addressing their questions and designing activities based on core
learning principles. While the play-way method continues, the nature
of toys and games used for teaching evolves to enhance engagement
rather than mere attraction.
While this textbook is valuable, children also need to explore
additional resources on the subject. School libraries should facilitate
this extended learning, and parents and teachers should support
their endeavours.
An effective learning environment motivates children, keeping
them engaged and fostering curiosity and wonder, vital for learning.
I recommend this textbook with confidence to all children and
teachers at the Preparatory Stage. I extend my gratitude to everyone
involved in its development, hopeful that it will meet the expectations.
As NCERT remains committed to systemic reforms and improving
publication quality, we welcome feedback to refine the textbook
content.

Dinesh Prasad Saklani

Director
New Delhi National Council of Educational
25 May 2024 Research and Training

iv

Prelims.indd 4 6/25/2024 12:15:31 PM

 About the Textbook

The National Curriculum Framework for School Education

(NCF-SE) 2023 has identified The World Around Us (TWAU) as a
core curricular area at the Preparatory Stage of School Education
for Classes 3–5. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the
NCF-SE 2023 emphasise the need for integrating a holistic and
multidisciplinary approach to learning in this subject area. Thus,
the nature of this subject area has been recommended as integrated
and interdisciplinary. Both the above policy documents advocate
experiential learning, exploration and discovery as an essential
component of the Preparatory Stage curriculum.
Based on the above policy perspective, a textbook titled Our
Wondrous World for Class 3 has been designed and developed.
Our Wondrous World, as the title suggests, evokes curiosity and
promotes experiential learning, exploration, investigation, discovery,
and critical thinking through hands-on activities and open-ended
inquiries. This subject integrates science, social sciences and
environmental education. The book emphasises real life experiences
to deepen understanding and foster problem solving and critical
thinking skills as children explore their surroundings with joy
and curiosity. The design of the chapters for each unit provides
opportunities for the young minds to think independently, reflect on
their observations and answer open-ended questions. This provides
opportunities to children to do away with rote memorisation and
encourages children to actively engage with their surroundings,
fostering a sense of curiosity and inquiry. This approach follows
a progression from known to unknown, local to global, simple to
complex, concrete to abstract and familiar to unfamiliar in the
development of concepts and skills.
This textbook has three broad components. The first component
is the selection of content and skills for expected learning. The
second component is the presentation of content in a manner
that is interactive for children. It assists teachers in transacting
concepts and skills. The presentation of the text includes various
age-appropriate pedagogical approaches such as play-based, theme-
based, toy-based and inquiry-based to make the transactional
processes child-centric and enjoyable.

Prelims.indd 5 6/25/2024 12:15:32 PM

 The third component is the selection of assessment processes
and tracking the progress of children’s learning. We all know
that children also learn through picture reading, discussion,
experimentation, solving puzzles and riddles, sharing experiences,
and expressing thoughts and ideas through drawing and writing. To
lighten the burden of assessment, instructions have been given to
assess learning through such activities. For effective and meaningful
assessment, class-wise learning outcomes and competencies have
been identified in each subject, and teachers should assess learning
accordingly.
All the three components related to the approach of this textbook
can be understood by this example — in the chapter ‘Food We Eat’,
children learn about traditional cuisines like haakh (a kind of green
saag which is popular in Srinagar). This instance arouses curiosity
about the variety of foods in their own region and the different regions
of our country. This exploration integrates various subjects as we
try to understand the ingredients used to cook the particular food
item, learn about the regions where these foods originated from and
their cultural practices. Children examine how food reflects cultural
practices across India. Such an interdisciplinary approach deepens
children’s understanding, and helps them make rich connections
across subjects, themes, and concepts.
Our Wondrous World is structured in four units concerning
themes involving the world around children. The structure of each
unit follows a coherent format designed to engage children effectively.
Each chapter of the units feature an interactive-cum-dialogue
or story-cum-narrative approach to the concepts and skills being
taught. For instance, in Unit 2, the theme ‘Getting to Know Plants’
presents an interactive dialogue between children who are exploring
a garden and discovering different types of plants, parts of a plant,
and the need to take care of the plants for balanced and harmonious
living.
The presentation of the content in each chapter is child
friendly, and encourages active participation of the children in
the learning process. The self-explanatory illustrations aim in
developing   observation and critical-thinking skills of the children.
An effort has been made that the level of language and concepts
in the book are age-appropriate and relate to different regions of
our  country.

vi

Prelims.indd 6 6/25/2024 12:15:32 PM

 At the beginning of each unit, a concept scheme for each chapter
is given that will help to target the desired competencies and expected
learning outcomes.
The language used in the book is simple and clear, ensuring that
children can easily grasp the concepts given in all the four units.
However, the book also incorporates some new vocabulary to offer
a gentle challenge and expand children’s language skills, e.g., by
introducing terms like ‘transparent’, ‘opaque’ and ‘translucent’
within the context of learning about materials and their properties.
It has been explained through illustrations and descriptions to help
children understand these words in relation to real-world objects.
Furthermore, each chapter has an inbuilt assessment idea that
helps in tracking the progress of children and tailoring learning-
teaching strategies accordingly. These assessment ideas include
activities like drawing a sketch from home to school, creating a rangoli
using materials from nature, discussion points, matching traffic
signs, labelling certain pictures, conducting simple experiments to
observe plant growth, or answering open-ended questions about the
functions of different parts of a plant.
‘Let us reflect’ is a section in which children get an opportunity to
summarise the learning from the chapter.
The activities given in the book are suggestive in nature. Teachers
are free to create additional activities besides what is given in the
book, without putting any kind of pressure on the children, and
see that they connect the children with their local environment.
Through Our Wondrous World, we have endeavoured to offer our
children dynamic and engaging learning experiences.
We hope that this book will open doors to understanding the
wonders of nature and lead to better learning-teaching of this
important interdisciplinary subject.

vii

Prelims.indd 7 6/25/2024 12:15:32 PM

Prelims.indd 8 6/25/2024 12:15:32 PM
 National Syllabus and Teaching
Learning Material Committee (NSTC)
1. M. C. Pant, Chancellor, National Institute of Educational
Planning and Administration (NIEPA) (Chairperson)
2. Manjul Bhargava, Professor, Princeton University
(Co-Chairperson)
3. Sudha Murty, Acclaimed Writer and Educationist
4. Bibek Debroy, Chairperson, Economic Advisory Council
–Prime Minister (EAC–PM)
5. Shekhar Mande, Former DG, CSIR, Distinguished
Professor, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
6. Sujatha Ramdorai, Professor, University of British
Columbia, Canada
7. Shankar Mahadevan, Music Maestro, Mumbai
8. U. Vimal Kumar, Director, Prakash Padukone
Badminton Academy, Bengaluru
9. Michel Danino, Visiting Professor, IIT–Gandhinagar
10. Surina Rajan, IAS (Retd.), Haryana, Former DG, HIPA
11. Chamu Krishna Shastri, Chairperson, Bhartiya Bhasha
Samiti, Ministry of Education
12. Sanjeev Sanyal, Member, Economic Advisory Council–
Prime Minister (EAC–PM)
13. M. D. Srinivas, Chairperson, Centre for Policy Studies,
Chennai
14. Gajanan Londhe, Head, NSTC Programme Office
15. Rabin Chhetri, Director, SCERT, Sikkim
16. Pratyusha Kumar Mandal, Professor, Department of
Education in Social Sciences, NCERT, New Delhi
17. Dinesh Kumar, Professor and Head, Planning and
Monitoring Division, NCERT, New Delhi
18. Kirti Kapur, Professor, Department of Education in
Languages, NCERT, New Delhi
19. Ranjana Arora, Professor and Head, Department of
Curriculum Studies and Development, NCERT, New Delhi
(Member-Secretary)

Prelims.indd 9 6/25/2024 12:15:32 PM

Prelims.indd 10 6/25/2024 12:15:32 PM
 Textbook Development Team

Guidance
Mahesh Chandra Pant, Chairperson, NSTC and Member, Coordination
Committee, Curricular Area Group (CAG): Preparatory Stage
Manjul Bhargava, Co-Chairperson, NSTC and Member, Coordination
Committee, CAG: Preparatory Stage
Suniti Sanwal, Professor and Head, Department of Elementary
Education, NCERT, New Delhi and Member-Convenor, Coordination
Committee, Curricular Area Group: Preparatory Stage

Chairperson, Sub-Group (TWAU)

Rabin Chhetri, Director, SCERT, Sikkim

Contributors
Anita Bhatnagar, Former IAS and Author of children’s books
Archana Panicker, Programme Director, Center for Environment
Education (CEE), Ahmedabad
Binay Pattanayak, Chief Consultant, NSTC Programme Office,
NCERT, New Delhi
Chong Shimray, Associate Professor, Department of Elementary
Education, NCERT, New Delhi
Deborah Dutta, Research and Documentation Consultant, Institute
of Rural Management, Anand
Dhanya Krishna, Associate Professor, Department of Elementary
Education, NCERT
Dikila Lepcha, Assistant Professor, SCERT, Sikkim
Gayatri Dave, Programme Coordinator, Center for Environment
Education (CEE), Ahmedabad
Jayashree Ramadas, Retired Professor of Science Education, HBCSE
and TIFR Hyderabad
Mahendrakumar Arjan Chotalia, Former Dean, Faculty of Education
and Head, Post Graduate Department of Education, Sardar Patel
University, Gujarat
Matrika Sharma, PGT (History), Government Sr. Secondary School,
Dikling, Sikkim
Patel Rakesh Kumar Chandrakant, Head Teacher, Nava Nadisar
Primary School, Panchamahal, Gujarat

Prelims.indd 11 6/25/2024 12:15:32 PM

 Rama Jayasundar, Head, Department of NMR, All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
Romila Bhatnagar, Associate Professor, Department of Elementary
Education, NCERT, New Delhi
Sandeep Kumar, Assistant Professor, Department of Elementary
Education, NCERT, New Delhi
Shamin Padalkar, Assistant Professor, Tata Institute of Social
Sciences, Mumbai
Sridevi K. V., Associate Professor, Regional Institute of Education,
Ajmer
Swati Shelar, Senior project associate, Center for Creative Learning,
IIT Gandhinagar
Tarun Choubisa, Director, Pedagogy and Innovations (science)
Seed2Sapling Education Foundation, Bengaluru
Tulika Dey, Associate Professor, North-Eastern Regional Institute of
Education, Shillong.
Vena Kapoor, Nature Education Consultant, Nature Classrooms,
Bengaluru
Vijay Datta, Principal, Modern School, Barakhamba road, New Delhi
V. Ramanathan, Assistant Professor, Tata Institute of Social Sciences
(TISS), Mumbai

Reviewers
Manjul Bhargava, Co-Chairperson, NSTC and Member, Coordination
Committee, CAG: Preparatory Stage
Anurag Behar, Member, National Oversight Committee (NOC)
Ranjana Arora, Professor and Head, Department of Curriculum
Studies and Development, NCERT, New Delhi
Gajanan Londhe, Head, NSTC Programme Office

Member-coordinators, Sub-Group (TWAU)

Romila Bhatnagar, Associate Professor, Department of Elementary
Education, NCERT, New Delhi
Kavita Sharma, Professor, Department of Elementary Education,
NCERT, New Delhi
Sarla Verma, Associate Professor (Co-Cordinator), Department of
Teacher Education, NCERT, New Delhi

xii

Prelims.indd 12 6/25/2024 12:15:33 PM

 Acknowledgements

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

acknowledges the guidance and support of esteemed Chairperson
and members of the National Curriculum Frameworks Oversight
Committee, Chairperson and members of Curricular Area Group
(CAG): Preparatory Stage and also of other concerned CAGs for their
guidelines on cross-cutting themes in developing this textbook.
The NCERT acknowledges the support of Varada Nikalje,
Professor, Department of Elementary Education; Kirti Kapur,
Professor, Department of Languages; Indrani Bhaduri, Professor
and Head, Educational Survey Division, NCERT; Mona Yadav,
Professor, Department of Gender Studies, NCERT; Vinay Singh,
Professor and Head, Department of Education of Groups with
Special Needs, NCERT; Milli Roy, Professor and Head, Department
of Gender Studies, NCERT; and Jyotsna Tiwari, Professor and
Head, Department of Education in Arts and Aesthetics, NCERT; for
reviewing the cross-cutting themes such as integration of gender,
inclusion, art education, etc., in this textbook.
Special thanks are due to Gajanan Londhe, Head and Binay
Pattanayak, Chief Consultant, NSTC Programme Office, NCERT who
played a significant role in coordinating for the content finalisation
and designing aspects of this textbook.
The support from Aparna Joshi, Gargi College and Smriti Sharma,
LSR from Delhi University in content editing is appreciated. Sushmita
Malik, former Consultant, NCERT and writer; Manju Jain, former
Professor, DEE, NCERT; Baljeet Kaur, Principal and Coordinator PEC
Samagra Shiksha, Delhi; Sangeeta Arora, retired Teacher, Kendriya
Vidyalaya Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi and Suparna Diwakar also
assisted in editing and translation of content. Acknowledgements are
also due to Vikas Chandra Roy, Tirang Luikang Rangsanamei, Arun
Naik and Ronita Sharma from Azim Premji University, Bangalore
for their academic contribution towards improvising content in the
book.

Prelims.indd 13 6/25/2024 12:15:33 PM

 Efforts of Sangeeta Mathur, Hargun Kaur, Rinky, Chanchal
Dahiya, Tarandeep Kaur, Mamta and Manish are appreciated for
providing technical support in formatting of the textbook.
The Council acknowledges the contribution of Pawan Kumar
Barriar, In-charge, DTP Cell, Publication Division, NCERT; Ilma
Nasir, Editor (Contractual), Vipan Kumar Sharma, Vivek Rajpoot
and Bittu Kumar Mahato, DTP Operators (Contractual), Publication
Division, NCERT for giving this document a final shape.

xiv

Prelims.indd 14 6/25/2024 12:15:34 PM

 Contents

Foreword iii
About the Textbook v

Unit 1: Our Families and Communities

Chapter 1: Family and Friends   3
Chapter 2: Going to the Mela 19
Chapter 3: Celebrating Festivals 34

Unit 2: Life Around Us

Chapter 4: Getting to Know Plants 47
Chapter 5: Plants and Animals Live Together 62
Chapter 6: Living in Harmony 72

Unit 3: Gifts of Nature

Chapter 7: Water— A Precious Gift 86
Chapter 8: Food We Eat 100
Chapter 9: Staying Healthy and Happy 109

Unit 4: Things Around Us

Chapter 10: This World of Things 123
Chapter 11: Making Things 135
Chapter 12: Taking Charge of Waste 149

Prelims.indd 15 6/25/2024 12:15:38 PM

Prelims.indd 16 6/25/2024 12:15:38 PM