Unit 3: Nurturing Nature

Hello, my dear students! Welcome to today's English lesson. I am so happy to see you all here, ready to learn something new and wonderful. Today, we are going to study a very interesting chapter called "Nurturing Nature" from your NCERT textbook. This chapter is divided into three beautiful parts - one about the amazing neem tree, one about a little bird's journey, and one about the healing powers of spices that we use in our kitchen every day. So students, let's begin our journey into the world of nature and discover how wonderful and generous our nature is!

Before we start reading the main story, let's do some activities that will help us understand the chapter better. Students, look at the first activity. It says that a tree is useful to us in many ways. Can you think about how trees help us every day? Let me help you. Trees give us oxygen to breathe, they give us shade when it's hot, they give us fruits to eat, their wood is used for furniture, and some parts of trees are used in preparing medicines. Now, in the picture given below, you need to write these uses. Since this is an activity for you to do in your notebook, I want you to draw a big tree and write all the uses of trees around it. You can think of more uses too - like trees prevent soil erosion, they give us paper, they provide homes for birds, and they make our environment beautiful.

Now, let's move to the second activity. Students, neem is a very common tree in our country, isn't it? You must have seen neem trees in your neighborhood, in parks, or near temples. Now, I want you to discuss in groups of four and fill in the table with what you know about the neem tree and what you want to know. In Column 1, write what you already know - for example, neem leaves are used for medicinal purposes, neem oil is used for skin problems, neem twigs are used for brushing teeth, and so on. In Column 2, write what you want to know - like how long does a neem tree live? Where did neem originate? What are all the medicinal properties of neem? This activity will help you understand what you already know and what you will learn from this chapter. So students, take a few minutes to discuss with your friends and fill in this table.

Now, let's read the main story called "Neem Baba". Students, this is a beautiful story written in the form of a dialogue between a young girl named Amber and the neem tree itself, who is called Neem Baba. As you read, notice how the tree speaks to Amber like a wise old person, sharing all its knowledge about itself.

Amber returned from school and sat down in the shade of the neem tree in her courtyard. She felt that the tree was whispering to her. She looked at the tree and spoke to the tree. Students, notice how Amber talks to the tree as if it were a person. This is called personification, and we will learn more about it later in the chapter.

Now, let's read what Amber and Neem Baba talk about. Amber says "Namaste! I am Amber. I would like to talk to you. May I?" And Neem Baba replies "Sure, dear Amber. I know you. You played in my shade in your childhood. You may call me 'Neem Baba'." Students, isn't it wonderful how the tree remembers Amber from her childhood? This shows how special and mindful neem trees are.

Amber says "I have seen you almost everywhere. Please tell me something more about yourself." And Neem Baba begins his story. He says "I am very old. I was born millions of years ago somewhere in North India or Myanmar. Soon, my family spread outside India." Students, can you imagine how old the neem tree is? It was born millions of years ago! And it originated in North India or Myanmar, which is a country in Southeast Asia. Now let's see where else neem can be found.

Amber asks "Outside India? Where else can neem be found?" And Neem Baba answers "My family can be found in many Asian and African countries and even in some parts of America." So students, neem trees are now grown in many countries around the world, not just in India. This shows how useful and important the neem tree is.

Now Amber asks "That's wonderful! Who gave you your name?" Students, this is a very interesting question. Let's see what Neem Baba says about his name.

Neem Baba says "The story of my name is very thought-provoking. I was born in India and given Sanskrit names such as Arishta (the one who cures diseases), Nimba and Nimbaca. The name 'Neem' is given by the Iranians." The word "thought-provoking" means something that makes you think deeply. So the story of how neem got its name is very interesting. It was given Sanskrit names like Arishta, which means "the one who cures diseases" - isn't that perfect for a medicinal tree? Nimba and Nimbaca are also Sanskrit names. And the name "Neem" that we commonly use was given by the Iranians, who are from Iran.

Amber says "Really?" showing her surprise. And Neem Baba continues "Yes, in Hindi, my name is Nimb. In India, I have other names—Nim, Leemba, Nimori, Nimbamond, Nimbe and Nimo." So students, neem has many names in different languages and dialects across India. This shows how widely used and loved this tree is.

Amber says "You are so well known! That is wonderful." And Neem Baba teaches her an important lesson. He says "Dear Amber, we become well known for what we do. People find us useful and that is why they know us." Students, this is such a wise saying! We become well known by doing good things and being useful to others. This is true for people too, not just trees.

Then Neem Baba tells Amber about the names that scientists have given him. He says "Scientists call us 'bitter grace of God', 'nature's gift to man', 'cleanliness-parting tree'. Some even call us 'magic tree' and 'the tree of the twentieth century'." Students, notice how these names describe the special qualities of neem. "Bitter grace of God" is because neem tastes very bitter but is very beneficial, like a blessing from God. "Nature's gift to man" shows how neem is a precious gift from nature to humans. "Cleanliness-parting tree" might mean that neem helps in keeping things clean. "Magic tree" and "the tree of the twentieth century" show how special and useful neem is considered to be.

Now, let's do the activity called "Let us discuss". Amber found many facts about the neem tree from Neem Baba. We need to fill up the fact sheet based on what Neem Baba told her. Let me help you fill this table.

The common name is Neem, given by the Iranians. The period of birth is millions of years ago. It was born in North India or Myanmar. It is found in many Asian and African countries and some parts of America. The common names in India are Nimba, Nimbaca, Nimb, Nim, Leemba, Nimori, Nimbamond, Nimbe, and Nimo. The names given by scientists are "bitter grace of God", "nature's gift to man", "cleanliness-parting tree", "magic tree", and "the tree of the twentieth century". Students, make sure you fill this fact sheet in your notebook.

Now, let's continue reading the story. Amber says "I know that people clean their teeth with your twigs and protect clothes with your leaves. Sometime back, when my brother had measles, the doctor told us to put neem leaves on his bed and make him lie down on them. Can you explain why?"

Students, here are two important words. "Twigs" means small thin branches. "Measles" is a disease with fever and red spots on the skin that causes itching. Let's see what Neem Baba explains.

Neem Baba says "The doctors know that neem leaves have chemical properties that destroy germs. Measles causes itching all over the body. Neem leaves give comfort and do not allow germs to breed. Neem leaves, bark, flowers, fruits and even roots can be used to make medicines to cure many diseases."

Students, this is so interesting! Neem leaves have special chemicals that can kill germs. When someone has measles, they feel very itchy, and neem leaves give them comfort. Also, neem leaves prevent germs from breeding or growing. And the best part is that not just the leaves, but the bark, flowers, fruits, and even roots of the neem tree can be used to make medicines! This is why neem is called the "magic tree".

Amber then shares her own experience. She says "Yes, I once had a cough and I could not breathe properly. My grandmother cured me with a medicine made from neem bark. And when my father had itching in the eyes, she prepared a kajal from neem flowers, which cured him."

Students, notice how Amber's grandmother used neem to treat different health problems. Neem bark for cough, and neem flowers for eye itching. But Neem Baba wisely reminds her "Remember, these remedies are to be used only by people who are well trained and have a lot of experience." This is very important, students! While neem has many medicinal properties, we should always consult a doctor or a trained person before using any home remedy. We should not try to treat ourselves without proper knowledge.

Amber agrees and asks "Tell me Neem Baba, is there any use of neem for the farmers?" This is a great question! Let's see what Neem Baba says.

Neem Baba says "Yes. If the powder of neem seeds is mixed in water and sprayed on plants and trees, then locusts don't eat them. If it is used in rice fields, where water remains standing, it stops mosquito breeding and helps to increase crop yield. It also saves the crop from termites, which eat roots of the crop, and it also stops breeding of other insects that eat crops."

Students, this is so useful for farmers! Neem seed powder is like a natural pesticide. It protects crops from locusts, which are flying insects that damage crops. It stops mosquitoes from breeding in standing water in rice fields, which helps prevent diseases like malaria. It also protects crops from termites and other harmful insects. And it even helps increase crop yield! This is truly amazing.

Amber is very happy to learn this. She says "That means, if we put the powder of neem seeds in stagnant water around our homes, mosquitoes won't breed in them! This must be a cost-effective method to stop mosquitoes from breeding. Please tell me other uses of neem in our daily life."

Students, "stagnant" means not flowing or standing still. So stagnant water is the still water that collects in puddles, tanks, or containers. And "cost-effective" means getting good results without spending too much money. So using neem seed powder to stop mosquitoes is a cheap and effective method!

Neem Baba continues "Of course. People save their stored grains from insects by adding neem seed powder to them. Neem oil is also used to make soaps and toothpaste. Furniture made from neem wood is not eaten by termites. Neem also purifies the air. There are many qualities yet to be discovered. Will you discover them when you grow up?"

Students, neem has so many uses! Neem seed powder protects stored grains from insects. Neem oil is used in soaps and toothpaste - you might have seen neem soap or neem toothpaste in shops. Neem wood furniture is safe from termites. And neem trees also purify the air around us! Neem Baba ends by saying that there are many more qualities to be discovered, and he asks Amber if she will discover them when she grows up. This is like a challenge for young students like you to learn more about nature and discover new things!

Amber says "Yes, Neem Baba. I will. Thank you for your time today!" And Neem Baba blesses her "Bless you, my child!"

Now students, let's do the discussion questions. First, "How is neem useful to farmers?" From what we learned, neem seed powder protects crops from locusts, termites, and other insects that eat crops. It also stops mosquitoes from breeding in rice fields and helps increase crop yield. Second, "Mention some of the uses of the neem tree." Students, can you list the uses? Neem twigs are used for cleaning teeth, neem leaves are used for treating measles and other diseases, neem bark is used for cough, neem flowers are used for eye problems, neem seed powder protects crops and stops mosquitoes from breeding, neem oil is used for making soap and toothpaste, neem wood is used for furniture, and neem purifies the air. There are many more uses!

Now let's do "Let us think and reflect". First question: "You just read about the neem tree. Write any two facts that surprised you the most." Students, think about what surprised you. Maybe it was that neem was born millions of years ago, or that all parts of the neem tree can be used for medicine, or that neem seed powder can stop mosquitoes from breeding. Write any two facts that surprised you.

Second question: Complete the following sentences. Let me help you. "Amber played in the shade of the neem tree." "Neem seed powder protects crops from locusts, termites, and other insects." "Putting neem seed powder in stagnant water is a cost-effective method to stop mosquitoes from breeding." And "One reason why doctors advise us to use neem leaves for someone suffering from measles is that neem leaves have chemical properties that destroy germs and give comfort to the patient."

Third question: "Which parts of the neem tree are used to make medicines?" The answer is leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, and roots - all parts of the neem tree can be used to make medicines!

Fourth question: "Why is the story of neem tree thought-provoking?" The story is thought-provoking because it makes us think about how a tree can have so many uses and how it got its name from different cultures. It makes us appreciate the wisdom and generosity of nature.

Now students, let's learn about compound words. In the text, we have words like "something", "well known", "childhood", "neem oil", "grandmother", "well trained", "cleanliness-parting", "seed powder", and "thought-provoking". These are all compound words. A compound word is made by joining two or more words together.

There are three types of compound words. First, "open compound words" have spaces between the words, like "ice cream", "high school", or "well known". Second, "closed compound words" have no spaces between the words, like "notebook", "sunflower", or "childhood". Third, "hyphenated compound words" have hyphens between the words, like "mother-in-law", "cost-effective", or "cleanliness-parting".

Now, let's put the words from the text into their trees. "Something" is a closed compound word. "Well known" is an open compound word. "Childhood" is a closed compound word. "Neem oil" is an open compound word. "Grandmother" is a closed compound word. "Well trained" is an open compound word. "Cleanliness-parting" is a hyphenated compound word. "Seed powder" is an open compound word. "Thought-provoking" is a hyphenated compound word.

Now, I want you to add some more words to each category. For open compound words, you can write "ice cream", "bus stop", "birthday cake". For closed compound words, you can write "rainbow", "bedroom", "football". For hyphenated compound words, you can write "four-wheeled", "long-term", "well-being".

Now let's learn about verbs. Words that tell us what a person is doing are called verbs. In the table, we need to match the verbs in the present form with their past form. Let me help you.

"become" - "became" - This is the correct match. So we write "became" in the answer column. The sentence is "I want to become a teacher when I grow up."

"find" - "found" - So the answer is (v).

"make" - "made" - So the answer is (i).

"discover" - "discovered" - So the answer is (vi).

"tell" - "told" - So the answer is (iii).

"give" - "gave" - So the answer is (ii).

Now, let's make sentences with any one form of the verb. For example, with "find" in present: "I find my book under the bed." And with "find" in past: "I found my book under the bed yesterday."

Now, let's learn about personification. Amber speaks to Neem Baba as if speaking to a person. This figure of speech is called personification. Personification means giving human qualities to non-living things or animals. Let me give you some more examples from the text. "The leaves whispered in the wind." Leaves cannot whisper, but we say they do because it sounds poetic. "The flowers danced merrily in the breeze." Flowers cannot dance, but we describe them as dancing because they move beautifully in the wind. Discuss this with your classmates and teacher to understand better.

Now, there's a "Let us listen" activity where you will listen to a boy speaking to his mother about Peepal Baba. The transcript is given in your book. Let me read it for you.

Rahul says "Maa, have you heard about Peepal Baba? Our teacher told us about him today." The mother says "I have not heard about him. Who is he and what does he do?" Rahul says "He plants trees along with his team. He also started a movement to plant and save trees." The mother says "That's wonderful. Where did he get this idea from?" Rahul says "When he was studying in a school in Pune, his English teacher gave him the idea to plant trees. He was just 11 years old." The mother says "How did he plant so many trees all over the country as a child?" Rahul says "He was born to an army officer's family in Chandigarh and whenever they were moved to a new city, he planted more trees." The mother says "But how did he come to be known as Peepal Baba?" Rahul says "He used to plant Peepal and Neem trees as they have many uses for us and told others to do so. So, in the beginning, people made fun of him by calling him Peepal Baba but he was not bothered and continued to do his work. Now everyone calls him by that name lovingly." The mother says "He is really doing great work. We should learn from him and plant more trees." Rahul says "Yes, Maa. We must tell others to do the same."

Now, based on this listening, we need to select the correct statements. Let me help you. Statement 1: "The mother was surprised to know that Peepal Baba had planted trees all over the country." This is not exactly correct - she was surprised to learn about him, but the statement says she was surprised about him planting trees all over the country. Statement 2: "The mother disliked the work being done by Peepal Baba." This is false - she liked his work. Statement 3: "The mother wanted to know more about Peepal Baba." This is true - she asked questions about him. Statement 4: "The boy decided to take care of trees by listening to Peepal Baba's journey." This is true - Rahul decided to plant trees and tell others to do the same. Statement 5: "The boy was worried about what his teacher had told him." This is false - he was not worried, he was inspired.

Now, there's a "Let us speak" activity. You need to collect dry leaves of four different trees and plants around you. Make one card as given below. On the top, draw the shape of the leaf looking at the dry leaf and colour it. Inside the card, write the name of the tree or plant the leaf is taken from and one of its uses. Then, speak about the whole process of making the card in front of the class. Ask your classmates to identify the leaf and tell them one of its uses. After they answer, open the card, and share what you have written. This is a fun activity that will help you learn about different trees and their uses!

Now students, let's move to the second part of the chapter - the poem "What a Bird Thought". Before we read the poem, let's do some activities.

First, look at the picture and discuss what you see in the picture with your teacher and classmates. Think of a time when you worked hard. What did you do then? How did it help you? How did it make you feel? Discuss in groups.

Second, where do you see birds? What do you see the birds doing? You might see birds sitting on trees, flying in the sky, building nests, or searching for food.

Third, do you want to fly like a bird? Why? Maybe because it looks fun, or because you want to see the world from above, or because you want to be free.

Fourth, what does a baby bird think about its world? A baby bird probably thinks its world is small and limited to its nest, just like how a baby thinks its world is limited to its home.

Fifth, read the sentences and replace the underlined words with their correct meanings. Let me help you. Sentence 1: "The colour of the feather was not dark but pale." The meaning of "pale" is "light" or "not dark". Sentence 2: "The butterfly moved lightly and quickly on to the flower." The meaning of "lightly" is "lightly" - wait, this seems to be a different word. Let me check again. Actually, the table seems to have some errors. Let me help you with the correct meanings. For sentence 2, "lightly" means "lightly" - that's the same word. For sentence 3, "Finally, I finished my bird painting after trying many times." The meaning of "finally" is "at last". For sentence 4, "The pretty flowers were the prize for the gardener's hard work." The meaning of "hard work" is "labour". And for the word "fluttered" in the context, it means "moved lightly and quickly".

Now, let's read the poem. It's a beautiful poem about a bird's perception of the world as it grows up.

The first stanza says: "I lived first in a little house, And lived there very well, I thought the world was small and round, And made of pale, blue shell."

Students, the bird says it first lived in a little house, which is probably an egg! The bird thought the world was small and round and made of a pale, blue shell - this is like the inside of an egg, which is pale and blue-ish. This is the bird's first perception of the world when it was inside the egg.

The second stanza says: "I lived next in a little nest, Nor needed any other, I thought the world was made of straw, And nestled by my mother."

Now the bird has hatched and lives in a nest. The nest is made of straw, and the bird feels safe and comfortable with its mother. The bird thinks the whole world is made of straw because that's all it can see from its nest.

The third stanza says: "One day, I fluttered from my nest, To see what I could find, I said the world is made of leaves, I have been very blind."

One day, the bird flutters or moves lightly from its nest to explore. It sees leaves all around and thinks the world is made of leaves. It realizes it has been "very blind" - meaning it couldn't see beyond its nest before.

The fourth stanza says: "At length I flew beyond the tree, Quite fit for grown-up labours, I don't know how the world is made, And neither do my neighbours."

Now the bird has grown up and can fly beyond the tree. It is ready for adult tasks or "grown-up labours". The bird admits that it doesn't know how the world is made, and neither do its neighbours - meaning other birds or other creatures don't know either. This shows that the world is vast and mysterious, and there's always more to learn!

Now, let's do the "Let us discuss" activities. First, read the poem again and identify the main idea of each stanza. There are two extra sentences given. Let me help you. Stanza 1: The bird lived happily in a small world. This is the main idea - the bird thought its world was small and round like an egg. Stanza 2: The bird lived in a cosy nest with its mother. This is the main idea - the bird felt safe and comfortable in its straw nest. Stanza 3: The bird steps out into the world. This is the main idea - the bird leaves its nest and discovers new things. Stanza 4: The bird flies away as an adult. This is the main idea - the bird grows up and flies beyond the tree. The extra sentences are "The bird becomes blind due to leaves" and "The bird is unhappy with the straw nest" - these are not the main ideas.

Second, look at the pictures and write the matching line from the poem for each. Since I cannot see the pictures, I will tell you what each picture might show. Picture 1 might show an egg - the line could be "I thought the world was small and round, And made of pale, blue shell." Picture 2 might show a nest - the line could be "I thought the world was made of straw, And nestled by my mother." Picture 3 might show leaves - the line could be "I said the world is made of leaves." Picture 4 might show a bird flying - the line could be "At length I flew beyond the tree."

Third, answer the following with a word from the poem. Question 1: What was the shape of the bird's first house? The answer is "round" - the bird thought the world was small and round. Question 2: What was the bird's second nest made of? The answer is "straw" - the bird thought the world was made of straw. Question 3: What did the bird see when it came out of its nest? The answer is "leaves" - the bird said the world is made of leaves. Question 4: What did the bird do at the end? The answer is "flew" - at length, the bird flew beyond the tree.

Now, let's do "Let us think and reflect". First, write whether the following sentences are True or False. Sentence 1: "The bird changed its house two times." This is true - first it lived in an egg (shell), then in a nest, and then it flew away. Sentence 2: "The neighbours tell the bird about the world." This is false - the bird says "And neither do my neighbours" meaning they also don't know how the world is made.

Second, read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions. First, "I thought the world was made of straw, And nestled by my mother." Question (i): Who lived in the nest along with the baby bird? The answer is the mother bird. Question (ii): Complete the following by choosing the correct option. The bird thought the world was made of straw because _______. The correct answer is B - its nest was made of straw. Question (iii): Which word tells us that the baby bird was warm and comfortable? The word is "nestled" - it means the bird was held close and safe by its mother.

Second, "I said the world is made of leaves, I have been very blind." Question (i): Why did the bird think the world was made of leaves? Because when it came out of its nest, all it could see were leaves around it. Question (ii): What does the set of words 'I said' mean? The correct answer is C - spoke. Question (iii): Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence. The bird felt that it had been very blind because it could not see the leaves from inside the nest.

Third question: Why did the baby bird think that its first world was small, round and blue? Because it was inside an egg, which is small, round, and has a pale blue color inside.

Fourth question: Where did the bird go when it fluttered from its straw nest? It went to explore the world beyond the nest and saw leaves.

Fifth question: What quality did the bird say it had, when it flew away? The bird said it was "quite fit for grown-up labours" - meaning it was ready for adult tasks. It also admitted that it didn't know how the world was made, which shows honesty and willingness to learn.

Sixth question: Who do you think were the bird's neighbours? Why do you think so? The bird's neighbours could be other birds, squirrels, or other animals living in the same tree or nearby. They are called neighbours because they live near each other, just like how we have neighbours in our society.

Now, let's do "Let us learn". First, let's write some rhyming words. The poem has rhyming words at the end of each line. In stanza 1, "well" rhymes with "shell". In stanza 2, "other" rhymes with "mother". In stanza 3, "find" rhymes with "blind". In stanza 4, "labours" rhymes with "neighbours". Now, let's find new rhyming words. For example, "fell", "smell", "tell", "sell" all rhyme with "well" and "shell". Now, let's complete a new stanza with rhyming words at the end of each line. The hint is "know" and "best". So the stanza could be: "I fly high and I fly low, But one thing I surely know, Whenever I wish to rest, My little nest is the best."

Second, the poet uses words like 'pale', 'blue', 'round', 'straw' and 'little' to describe the bird's nest. These are describing words or adjectives. Now, use the describing words given in the box to create six sentences based on the given picture. The words are "pointed", "green", "thin", "brown", "small", "wooden", "hanging", "round". You need to look at the picture and create sentences using these words. For example, "The tree has green leaves." "The nest is round." "The branch is thin." "The trunk is brown." "The nest is small." "The nest is hanging from a branch." "The leaves are pointed." "The tree is wooden." Make six sentences in your notebook.

Now, there's a "Let us listen" activity where you will listen to a short poem. The transcript is given. Let me read it for you.

"I'm a parrot, my name is Paro, My feathers are bright and they glow. In the morning, I spread my wings, Fly around and see wonderful things. Come with me through the skies so blue, To places old and places new. Among the trees, where the breeze is light, Many new stories, oh, what a sight!"

Now, as you listen, fill in the missing words. The missing words are: "bright" for the first blank - "bright and they glow", "fly" for the second blank - "fly around", "blue" for the third blank - "skies so blue", "trees" for the fourth blank - "among the trees", and "stories" for the fifth blank - "many new stories".

Now, there's a "Let us speak" activity. Speak about which bird you would like to be. Include the following points: Which bird are you? What do you look like? Where do you live? What do you do during the day? Do you have any message for humans? Prepare a short speech about your chosen bird and present it in front of the class.

Now, there's a "Let us write" activity. First, read how the bird perceived its world. Then, discuss with your teacher and classmates how you think the world would look to a baby and a fish. Then, write five sentences each for both a baby and a fish, describing how they perceive the world. For example, for a baby, the world might look like faces, hands, milk, warmth, and soft things. For a fish, the world might look like water, bubbles, seaweed, other fish, and the ocean floor.

Now, there's a "Let us explore" activity. First, the bird's first home was made of a shell. Later its home was among leaves and made of straw. Look at your home carefully and make a list of all the materials it is made of. Your home might be made of bricks, cement, wood, glass, iron, and so on. Why do you think our homes are not made of straw? Because straw is not strong enough to protect us from weather, animals, or other dangers. If you had to own a home of your choice, what would it look like and what materials would you like to use? You can be creative! How is a home different from a house? A house is just a building, but a home is a place where we feel loved and safe.

Second, look at the list of some workers who build houses. Find out the work they do. A painter paints the walls, an electrician fixes electrical wires and switches, a plumber fixes water pipes and drains, a carpenter makes and repairs wooden furniture, an architect designs the building, and you can think of other workers like an engineer, a decorator, and so on.

Now students, let's move to the third part of the chapter - "Spices that Heal Us". This is a letter from a grandmother to her grandchildren about the healing properties of spices.

First, let's do the pre-reading activities. A spice is any seed, fruit, root, bark, leaf, or any other part of a plant used to give taste and colour to our food. Try to recall the names of three spices that are used for cooking in your home. Some common spices are turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chili, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and so on.

Second, given below are pictures of some spices. Work in pairs and write what you call them in your language. Their names in English are given in the last column. The spices are turmeric, fenugreek, cumin seeds, asafoetida, cinnamon, clove, ginger, black pepper, fennel seeds, and cardamom. In Hindi, turmeric is haldi, fenugreek is methi, cumin seeds are jeera, asafoetida is heeng, cinnamon is dalchini, clove is laung, ginger is adrak, black pepper is kali mirch, fennel seeds are saunf, and cardamom is elaichi.

Third, do you know if these spices can be used for something else other than cooking? Let's find out by reading the letter given below.

The letter is from a grandmother addressed to Vikram and Vaibhavi. She says "Namaste! I just got your message that you are better now. I am happy that the natural cures that I had shared, helped you. You should try to remember these cures and may share them with your friends. When I was a child, I learnt them from my grandmother. She used to find home remedies for most of the weather-related common illnesses. Let me share some of the benefits of the spices that most of us have in our kitchen."

Now, let's learn about each spice. First, haldi or turmeric. It helps in improving our energy level and digestion. It helps in reducing body pain too. Second, methi or fenugreek. It helps in keeping sugar level and body weight in control. You need to soak the methi seeds overnight and drink the water in the morning. Third, jeera or cumin seeds. Soaked in water overnight, they can improve digestion and help cure sleeplessness. Fourth, heeng or asafoetida. When the grandchildren were babies and had gas in their tummy, the grandmother used to put heeng water on their tummy to give them relief. Heeng can also help in controlling cough and cold. Fifth, dalchini or cinnamon and laung or clove. They give relief when we have toothache till we can consult a dentist. Sixth, adrak or ginger. It helps when we have cough and cold and gives relief from pain. Ginger has been used in cooking for more than 4000 years! Seventh, kali mirch or black pepper. It is helpful in digestion and can give relief from body pain. Eighth, saunf or fennel seeds and ajwain or carom seeds. They are served at the end of a meal because they help in digestion. Ninth, elaichi or cardamom. It helps with digestion and respiratory troubles in addition to curing bad breath.

The grandmother ends the letter by saying "Now, go into the kitchen and try to identify these herbs and spices. And remember, you must consult an elder before you use them. My love and aashirwaad to both of you!"

Now, let's do "Let us think and reflect". First, read the given lines and answer the questions. "When I was a child, I learnt them from my grandmother. She used to find cures for most of the weather-related common illnesses in the kitchen." Question 1: Where exactly in the kitchen did her grandmother find the cures? She found cures in the spices and herbs stored in the kitchen. Question 2: Give one example of weather-related common illnesses. Common illnesses related to weather are cough, cold, fever, and stomach problems. Question 3: What kind of relationship did the speaker have with her grandmother? The speaker had a loving and close relationship with her grandmother, learning traditional remedies from her.

Second, fill in the blanks. Daadi soaked methi seeds overnight and drank the water in the morning to manage sugar level and body weight.

Third, circle the spice that is not useful for body pain according to Daadi's letter. The options are turmeric, fennel seeds, ginger, and black pepper. Fennel seeds are not mentioned for body pain, so circle fennel seeds.

Fourth, why did Daadi ask Vikram and Vaibhavi to share the natural cures with their friends? Because she wanted them to spread the knowledge of natural remedies so that more people could benefit from them.

Fifth, what was Daadi's final advice to Vikram and Vaibhavi? She advised them to consult an elder before using any home remedies.

Sixth, how do we know that natural cures are passed from one generation to another? Because Daadi learned them from her grandmother, and now she is sharing them with her grandchildren. This shows that traditional knowledge is passed down through generations.

Seventh, why do you think we should know about the healing properties of spices? Because spices are easily available in our kitchen, they are natural and have fewer side effects compared to medicines, and they have been used for thousands of years to treat common illnesses.

Now, let's do "Let us learn". First, you have read the uses of spices in the letter. Complete the following table with the help of your teacher. You need to fill in the part of the plant, colour, texture, and taste for each spice. Let me help you with some information. Turmeric is a root, it is yellow or orange in colour, it has a rough texture, and it has a bitter taste. Fenugreek seeds are from the plant, they are brownish in colour, they have a rough texture, and they have a bitter taste. Cinnamon is bark, it is brown in colour, it has a rough and flaky texture, and it has a sweet and spicy taste. Clove is flower buds, they are dark brown in colour, they have a smooth texture, and they have a strong, spicy taste. Black pepper is fruit, it is black in colour, it has a rough texture, and it has a spicy and hot taste. Cardamom is fruit or seeds, they are green in colour, they have a rough texture, and they have a sweet and aromatic taste.

Second, read the sentences given below. The underlined words are known as helping verbs. These are called modal verbs or modals. Each modal verb has a different function. Let's match the helping verbs with their functions. "may" is used for possibility or permission. "should" is used for advice. "can" is used for ability. "must" is used for compulsion or necessity. "need to" is used for necessity. "used to" is used for past habit.

Now, complete the following dialogues with any four modals from the table given above. Ajay says "Anand had fever last week. He (i) should take good rest." Suman says "Yes, he must or he will fall ill again." Ajay says "He could take grandmother's natural cures." Suman says "Yes, we should remember how effective they are."

Now, there's a "Let us listen" activity about Tulsi or Holy Basil. Let me read the transcript for you.

"Tulsi is a shrub in the basil family. It is said that it was first found in north central India and now grows almost everywhere in India. It is known as 'the Queen of Herbs' and has many medicinal uses. Studies show that it helps to decrease glucose and cholesterol levels and improve blood pressure. It is commonly used to treat breathing and digestion disorders. As it has anti-bacterial properties, it is used in herbal hand sanitisers. It is used as a base for making herbal mouth wash and toothpaste for treating bad breath, gum disease and mouth ulcers. Tulsi leaves can be washed and eaten raw. We can also add Tulsi leaves when we make tea. Tulsi tea helps in dealing with stress as it calms our mind. Tulsi protects us from a vast range of pollutants around us."

Now, complete the fact sheet. The name is Tulsi, the family is basil, first found in north central India, now found everywhere in India, known as the Queen of herbs, can decrease levels of glucose and cholesterol, used to treat disorders of breathing and digestion, is used to make mouth wash and toothpaste, and we can have Tulsi leaves by eating them raw or adding them while making tea.

Now, there's a "Let us speak" activity. Daadi told Vikram and Vaibhavi about many spices. Choose one spice and introduce yourself as that spice to the class. Before you speak, make a spicy headband for the spice you chose. Follow the steps given below. Cut out strips of paper 2 inches wide. Join two ends to make a band that can fit your head. Make a small card with a picture of a spice. Colour it. Attach the card on your headband. Then, speak about the spice, mentioning your name, colour, taste, part of the plant, texture, and benefits.

Now, there's a "Let us write" activity. First, Vikram's grandmother shared two natural cures to cure his cough in her earlier letter. It was kept outside and a few drops of rain fell on it. Some of the words got washed away by the rain. Help Vikram complete the natural cures. Use the phrases given in the box below. There are two phrases that you do not need.

The phrases are: some leaves of basil, for cough, amount of honey, the mixture, for high fever, a piece of fresh ginger, you can have it, grind to get, home remedy.

For the first natural cure: "To prepare this home remedy, you just need ginger and honey. First, take a piece of fresh ginger, grate it and take the juice from it. Take about two teaspoons of this juice and add about two and half teaspoons of honey to it. Mix it properly. Warm the mixture slightly on very low heat for a minute. Then you can have it about three to four times a day to get relief from cough. Have patience to see the effect as natural cures with ginger and honey might take some time to show results."

For the second natural cure: "To prepare the second home remedy for cough, take about 10 grams of each— long pepper, dried ginger and basil leaves. Add four to six small cardamoms and grind to get a fine powder. If you take this powder with an equal amount of honey, it will give you relief from cough."

Second, now write a short paragraph on Tulsi based on the completed fact sheet. Write about 5-6 sentences describing the uses and benefits of Tulsi.

Now, there's a "Let us explore" activity. First, now that you have read about many spices, can you guess the spices based on the riddles given below?

Riddle 1: "When your tummy felt funny I was used by your granny I made you fit and fine And brought back your smile. Who am I?" The answer is asafoetida or heeng, because it is used for stomach problems.

Riddle 2: "I come from under the ground Thousands of years, I've been around. For cooking you use me daily From cold I can cure you surely. Who am I?" The answer is ginger or adrak, because it comes from the root or underground stem and is used for cough and cold.

Second, fill in the blanks to complete the riddle below. "Brownish-brown in colour, and bitter to taste, I help everyone, to reduce their weight. Who am I?" The answer is Fenugreek or methi.

Then, write another riddle of your own and ask your family members to guess the spice.

Third, close your eyes and learn about spices by smelling and feeling them. The teacher may also provide a few different spices to try. This is a fun activity to learn about spices through our senses!

Now students, we have covered the entire chapter "Nurturing Nature". Let me give you a complete summary of everything we learned today.

In the first part about Neem Baba, we learned that the neem tree is a very special and useful tree that originated in North India or Myanmar millions of years ago. It is now found in many countries around the world. Neem has many names in different Indian languages, and scientists have given it beautiful names like "bitter grace of God" and "nature's gift to man". We learned that all parts of the neem tree - leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, and roots - can be used to make medicines. Neem is useful for farmers because neem seed powder protects crops from insects and mosquitoes. It is also used in our daily life for cleaning teeth, making soap and toothpaste, and making furniture. We also learned about compound words, verbs and their past forms, and personification.

In the second part about the poem "What a Bird Thought", we learned about how a bird's perception of the world changes as it grows. First, the bird thought the world was small and round like an egg. Then, it thought the world was made of straw because it lived in a nest made of straw. When it came out of the nest, it thought the world was made of leaves. Finally, when it grew up and flew beyond the tree, it realized that the world is vast and mysterious, and there's always more to learn. We also learned about rhyming words and describing words.

In the third part about "Spices that Heal Us", we learned about the medicinal properties of common kitchen spices like turmeric, fenugreek, cumin, asafoetida, cinnamon, clove, ginger, black pepper, fennel, and cardamom. We learned that these spices can help with digestion, cough, cold, body pain, sugar control, weight management, and many other health problems. We also learned about modal verbs like may, should, can, must, need to, and used to, and their functions. We learned about Tulsi or Holy Basil, which is known as the Queen of Herbs and has many medicinal uses.

We also learned about the importance of preserving traditional knowledge and passing it from one generation to another. We learned about the inspiring story of Peepal Baba, who started planting trees at the age of 11 and inspired many people to do the same.

Students, I hope you enjoyed this lesson and learned a lot about the wonderful world of nature. Remember, nature has provided us with so many gifts - trees like neem, spices like turmeric and ginger, and herbs like Tulsi. We should respect and nurture nature, and learn from the wisdom of our ancestors. Thank you for listening attentively. Do revise this chapter and practice all the activities. See you in the next lesson!