Sampler pdf 2 Mb

Transcription

Sampler pdf 2 Mb
© 2005
Production team
Tsering Angchuk (Education Department, Leh), Tultul Biswas (Eklavya), Tsering Chosphel (Education
Department, Leh), Alex M. George, Vinitha Nayer, Rebecca Norman (SECMOL), Anjali Noronha
(Eklavya), Sujatha Padmanabhan, Gautam Pandey (Eklavya), John Sheridan, Rae Sheridan, Shruti
(SECMOL), Sumathi Sudhakar, Choldan Tundup (Education Department, Leh)
Photographs
Sujatha Padmanabhan, Rinchen Wangchuk (International Snow Leopard Conservancy),
Lobzang Tandar, John Sheridan
Main illustrator
Phuntsog Namgial (Education Department, Leh)
Additional illustrators
Madhuwanti Anantharajan, Asmara Figue, Robert Cook, Jérôme Lantz, Debra Van Poolen
Layout
Rebecca Norman, Tsering Angmo, Rinchen Dolma
Assistance in production and layout
Ven. Konchok Phanday, Dechan Angmo, Leela Bano, Susannah Deane, Jon Mingle, Viraj Puri, Ninad
Sonawane, Disket Spaldon
Information and comments
Dr Dawa (Chief Medical Officer), Darla Hillard (International Snow Leopard Conservancy), Ashish
Kothari (Kalpavriksh), Dr. T. Lhadol, Dr. Gurmet Namgyal, Dr. Tsering Norboo (Physician), Pankaj
Sekhsaria (Kalpavriksh), Jayshree Ramdas (Homi Bhaba Centre for Science Education), Gabriele
Reifenberg, David Sonam (Moravian Mission School), Rinchen Wangchuk (International Snow
Leopard Conservancy)
Written and Produced by
The Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) for Ladakh Autonomous
Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh
Published by
J&K State Board of School Education
Foreword
Education is the number one priority of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council—Leh (LAHDC), and one of the first steps in this direction is to make available to the
students locally relevant textbooks which please as well as they teach.
Science is better understood by observation and more so when children can relate their own
surroundings and environment to what they read in their textbooks.
The science textbook for the 5th class is ready and I have gone through it. The book is simply
written, clear, comprehensive, interesting, and most of all it is Ladakh- appropriate. Each
chapter has been developed as a self-contained unit of study that may be used in any sequence
the instructor wishes. Numerous illustrations have been introduced wherever necessary. This
I feel will make students thoughtful viewers; at the same time it teaches them to be thoughtful readers.
The team of dedicated teachers from Education Department LAHDC, Leh and SECMOL have
developed this book in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School
Education. The Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh has actively supported
it from the very beginning.
I am sure this book will find an encouraging response from the children, parents, and teachers.
I would like to thank the teachers, SECMOL, J&K Board and all other people involved in
the development of this book.
Rigzin Spalbar
Chairman/CEC
Notes for the Teacher
Chapter 10: Air and Air Pollution
Why this chapter?
Air surrounds us and is essential for life on earth. It
cannot be seen, but children are made aware of its
presence and properties in this chapter, through various simple experiments. A brief recapitulation of the
uses of air is included.
The phenomenon of air pressure is dealt with in
relation to altitude and the low air pressure in Ladakh.
This dispels a common belief that the symptoms caused
by low oxygen at high altitudes is a result of herbs that
grow there.
The second section deals with some causes of air
pollution and some ways to reduce it. It deals with the
situation in Ladakh, particularly in the towns.
Global warming is also a form of air pollution. It
is mainly caused by burning any kind of fuel. Scientists report that the glaciers in the mountains all over
the world are already decreasing in size due to global
warming, which may result in serious water shortages.
Scientists also say that global warming may make
storms and droughts unpredictably worse in different
places.
The smoke and the gases emitted from any kind
of combustion, for example in vehicles, factories, etc.
goes up and accumulates in the atmosphere. This layer
of carbon dioxide acts like the polythene of a green
house and allows incoming radiation from the sun
but does not allow the resulting heat to escape from
the Earth. This leads to the rise in temperature called
global warming.
If we reduce the burning of fuel to heat our houses
and instead use greenhouses for heat, it can help reduce
global warming! So greenhouses help us against the
greenhouse effect.
If possible, invite a guest speaker knowledgable
about environmental issues, who could come and talk
to students about the pollution problems specific to
Ladakh. Often children are enthusiastic to start a cleanup campaign, and this should be encouraged.
Points for Discussion/ Clarification
The section on air is largely activity-based so that
the children have opportunities to explore everyday
phenomenon related to air. Hence, it is important that
every experiment be carried out in class.
After doing an experiment or demonstration,
encourage children to share their observations and
give reasons for what they see. This develops their
observation and analytical skills.
This chapter is only an introduction to the ways
in which human activities negatively affect the atmosphere. You can encourage discussion on the lifestyle
changes that are taking place in Ladakh due to various
reasons, and their influence on the environment.
Materials Needed
For the activities you will need:
- a pan of water
- a bottle with a narrow neck
- some thin paper
- a lump of soil from the fields
- a glass
- balloons.
Chapter 10
Air and air pollution
It’s everywhere and all around,
It’s inside us and underground.
Sometimes you can hear it,
Sometimes you can feel it,
And sometimes you can see it move things about.
Yet you can never hold it or see it.
You cannot live without it.
What is it?
Air!
Air is all around us. It is everywhere. Since air has no colour or smell, many
things may look “empty” or seem to have nothing in them. Let’s see if “empty”
things are really empty, or whether they contain something.
A) You will need a pan of water and a clear plastic bottle.
Step 1: Fill the
pan with water.
Push the bottle,
mouth down,
into the pan of
water. What do
you find?
Step 2: Now tilt
the bottle a little.
What happens?
Was the bottle
really empty?
Step 3: Push .
the bottle
down into
the water and
then squeeze
it. What happens?
Step 4: Push some dry
paper into the bottom of
a glass, so it won’t fall out.
Turn the glass upside-down
and push it straight down
under the water. Don’t let
it tilt! Then pull it straight
up out of the water. Is the
paper wet or not?
B) Take a lump of soil from a field and put it into a glass of water.
What comes out of the soil? What does this show?
In experiment A, step 1, air prevented water from entering the bottle. In step 2,
when you tilted the bottle some air escaped as bubbles and a little water entered
the bottle. In step 3 air was pushed out of the bottle when it was squeezed. When
the bottle returned to its original shape after the squeezing stopped, water entered
the bottle to replace the air that was squeezed out. In step 4, air filled the glass
so water could not enter.
Experiment B shows that air is even found in the spaces in the soil.
The above experiments show that air is everywhere around us.
Air is a mixture of gases including oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, etc. The
largest portion of air is nitrogen. Air also contains water vapour, dust particles
and pollutants.
This bunch of balloons shows the proportions of the different
gases in the atmosphere: blue balloons are nitrogen, the red
ones are oxygen, and the single white balloon is for all the
other gases.
All animals need oxygen to breathe. During the process of
respiration, they give out carbon dioxide. During photosynthesis
green plants use carbon dioxide and give out oxygen. In
this way the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere is maintained.
Did you know that even fire needs oxygen? When anything
burns, oxygen is used and carbon dioxide is given out.
Properties of air
Atmosphere
Earth
We have lear ned earlier that air
occupies space. Now, let’s learn about
another property of air.
Air exerts pressure
Air covers the earth like a blanket. It
extends above the earth’s surface for
many kilometers. This layer of air is
called the atmosphere.
Air and Air Pollution
All this air presses down on the earth’s surface.
In general air pressure is most at sea level. This is
called the atmospheric pressure at sea level. The
reason air has pressure is because air has weight.
This diagram shows how as we go upwards
from sea level, the air is thinner. Down at sea level
the air is pressed together so there is more of all
the gasses in a given volume of air at sea level
than at high altitude.
Air becomes thinner
Sea level
Air pressure at high places
Places that are high
in the mountains
h a v e t h i n n e r a i r.
This means that
there is less gas,
including oxygen,
in the same volume
of air. People who
live in high places
get used to this.
Changes happen in
our lungs and blood
so that our bodies
can get enough
oxygen. But when
people from lower
Thin air
More air
places like Delhi and Jammu travel to high places they may feel giddy, breathless,
or get a headache for the first few days. This is because there is suddenly thinner
air and less oxygen. They should rest for one or two days till their bodies get used
to breathing thinner air. A few people can even get seriously ill at high altitude.
If you have travelled to very high places like Khardong-la, you
may have felt such problems. This is because Khardong-la is 18,380
feet above sea level, much higher than Leh at 11,500 and Kargil at
8,750 feet above sea level. If you feel these symptoms, you should
rest. But if the symptoms become worse, you should move to a lower
altitude immediately.
People who climb very high mountains like Mt. Everest (29,028
feet) usually carry cylinders of oxygen. At such great heights there
is very little oxygen to breathe.
Air pollution
You have learned about water and land pollution. What is pollution?
Pollution is any change in our environment that harms living things. Human
activities are the major cause of pollution. When we burn fuels such as wood,
petrol, diesel, cow dung, coal, or rubbish, especially plastic, many substances
including gases, smoke and tiny bits of dust get into the air. Some of these things
can’t be seen. However they are harmful to living and some non-living things.
In humans, polluted air can irritate eyes and cause headaches, tiredness,
breathing problems, serious lung disease and cancer.
When any fuels is burnt, carbon dioxide is produced. The amount of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere has increased in the last 100 years and is causing
the earth to get warmer. This is called global warming. It is causing changes in
the weather in different parts of the world. For Ladakh the most dangerous effect may be that the glaciers are becoming smaller. Because global warming may
cause so many problems in the world, people are trying to find ways to reduce
the use of fuel.
Can you find five ways that air is being polluted in the picture below?
Air and Air Pollution
Oil rig
Fossil Fuels
Fossil fuels are formed from the
remains of plants and animals
that have been buried under the
ground or the sea for lakhs of
years. Examples of fossil fuels
are coal, petroleum oil, and natural gas. You may have seen coal
being used in bokharis. We get
kerosene, petrol, and diesel from
petroleum oil.
Sea
Digging coal from under the ground
Oil
Do you know how we use fossil fuels? Find out and fill the chart below. For each
fossil fuel fill in as many uses as you can find out.
Fossil fuel
How we use it
Coal
Kerosene
Diesel
Petrol
Natural Gas
As you can see, we use a lot of fossil fuels in our daily lives. These
pollute the air and add to global warming. Therefore we have to find ways
to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
How to reduce air pollution
The best way to reduce air pollution is to use other sources of energy
that do not pollute as much as fossil fuels. We can also reduce the use of
fossil fuels by following some simple methods in our daily activities.
Other sources of energy
There are other sources of energy that do not pollute as much as fossil fuels
do. These are the sun, water, and wind.
Sun
When we warm ourselves in the sun, we use the sun’s energy, which
is called solar energy. This energy can be used for cooking, heating, and
electricity. Solar panels change the energy of sunlight into electricity. Ladakh is a good place for solar energy because it’s a desert so most days are
sunny and it’s high altitude so the air is thin and clear.
Look at some of the uses of solar energy.
Solar lamp
Solar cooker
South facing solar-heated house
Water
Flowing water has energy which can be used. A water mill uses the energy
of flowing water to turn a heavy-stone to grind grain. In many places in
Ladakh prayer wheels are even turned by stream water.
Water mill
Air and Air Pollution
We can also generate electricity from flowing
water. This does not pollute the air. It is called hydroelectricity. The biggest hydel projects in Ladakh are at
Stakna and Kargil town. Do you know any hydel-project
in your area?
Wind
People can also get energy from the wind where
Wind-powered electricity
it is strong and blows continuously. In Ladakh wind
power is not used much because the wind does not
blow continuously and the air is thin here at high altitude.
Ways to reduce the use of fossil fuels
Look at the list of uses of fossil fuels that you made in the previous activity. Group
them into the four categories given below.
The best way to reduce air pollution is to reduce the use of fuels. A few
suggestions on how we can do this in the four categories are given below.
FUEL
COOKING
HEATING
TRANSPORT
Kerosene
Coal
Diesel
Petrol
Natural Gas
Cooking
1) If we cover cooking pots with a lid, the food cooks faster.
This is because it does not allow the steam to escape. A
pressure cooker also reduces fuel by cooking food faster.
2) Before cooking pulses, soak them in water overnight. This
makes them cook faster.
ELECTRICITY
Heating
As you learnt in class 4, the best way to reduce the use of fuel for heating in the
winter is to make buildings that remain warm in winter. Can you remember? What
are the main points in making a house warmer without burning fuel?
Transport
Which do you think pollutes more: forty people travelling together in one bus or
forty people driving forty separate cars? That’s why people who want to reduce
pollution take the bus, use bicycles, or walk.
Electricity
Do you ever see electricity being wasted?
Switch off lights, TV, radio, and other machines when
not in use.
Did you know that it takes much more electricity to
make heat than light? So the old style light-bulbs, which
get very hot, use much more energy than CFL bulbs, which A CFL bulb saves energy
don’t get so hot. Leh Hill Council has decided that only
CFL bulbs should be used, so that there will be enough electricity for everyone.
EXERCISES
I
Answer the following questions:
1. Describe a simple experiment to show that air is present, even though it cannot be
seen.
2. What is air made of?
3. Why is air important for living things? Which part of air is used by animals during
respiration?
4. What is atmospheric pressure? What happens to the air as we go upwards from
sea level?
5. What is air pollution? Mention the harmful effects it has on living things.
6. Mention three methods to reduce air pollution.
Air and Air Pollution
II
Choose the correct words and fill in the blanks:
1. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in the air is used by all animals to breathe. (oxygen, carbon dioxide)
2. During the process of photosynthesis, green plants use _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and give out _ _ _ _
_ _ _ . (oxygen, carbon dioxide)
3. As you go higher up a mountain, the atmospheric pressure _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
(increases, decreases)
4. We cannot _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the air. (see, feel)
5. When we burn things, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is used and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is given out. (oxygen, carbon dioxide)
III
Mark True or False. If false, write the correct statement:
1. Atmospheric pressure is high at sea level.
2. Use of fuels like wood, petrol, diesel, cow dung, and coal can reduce air pollution.
4. Watermills pollute the air.
5. There is more oxygen at high places.
IV
Give reasons why:
1. Bubbles come out when a lump of soil is put in water.
2. If a burning candle is covered by a glass, it soon goes out.
3. People who travel to high places often feel giddy or get headaches.
4. Cooking on kerosene causes more pollution than a solar cooker.
5. We should cover vessels while cooking.
Things to do:
A balloon rocket
All you need is a balloon. Blow up the balloon,
hold it high in the air, then let it go. What
happens?
When the compressed air inside the balloon
rushes out, it pushes the balloon in the opposite
direction.
This principle is used in jet planes.
Air and Air Pollution
VOCABULARY
to tilt
to wipe
a lump of soil
to squeeze
portion
vapour / steam
properties of air
to occupy space
to exert pressure
giddy
symptom
to irritate
fossil fuel
to grind
to escape
flame
rubbish
N´^-dXn! x(]-o*z-eor-dXn!
s#-dXn!
n-”(e-”(e-t#e
dg‹c-dXn!
we
wn-c√^rn! mrn! c√rn-a!
c√^r-a(z#-∑^[! c√^r-a(z#-∑[-y(n!
e]n-n-dqe-Nø*-x([-dXn!
b*[-eor-dXn!
fe(-x(r-zw(c-dXn!
][-Øen!
N‘r-d-fh°c-dt$e-dXn! dc-[(-dNø]-dXn!
n-z(e-xr-]-nz#-ex(e-]n-zd#r-dz#-N‘^f-c#en-[r-”(-n(v-n(en!
zpe-dXn!
zd#r-Nø*-b(c-dXn!
f*v-V¨d!
∑#f-n-ye-y(e
Chapter 8
GOVERNING OURSELVES
In Class 4, you studied about the Panchayat. You know that each Panchayat
acts like a government for a small group of villages. But to take care of the whole
district, we have a government called the Hill Council. Leh and Kargil Districts
each has its own Hill Council.
Each district is divided into 26 Hill Council constituencies with a few villages
in each. The people of each constituency elect a Councillor. The Councillors from
all the constituencies form the Hill Council of the district.
Which constituency do you belong to? How many villages do you have in your
constituency?
Electing a Hill Councillor
Electing the Hill Council
CEC
The Hill Council
Who can become a Hill Councillor? Not
everybody can. For example, people with
government jobs cannot become Councillors.
People who are more than 18 years
old can vote in elections. They vote for the
person they think will be the best councillor
for their constituency. The person who gets
the most votes becomes the Councillor for
that constituency. Elections are held in the
district every five years, so when a person is
elected, he or she will be Councillor for five
years.
Who is the Hill Councillor for your
constituency?
People of the district
When was the last Hill Council election
held? When do you think the next election
will be?
The Executive Council
The first time the Hill Councillors meet
after the elections, they elect a chair man from among themselves. The Chairman is the head of the Hill Council.
The Chairman is also called the Chief
Executive Councillor (CEC). The CEC
chooses four members from among the
26 councillors as Executive Councillors.
At least one Executive Councillor should
belong to the main minority community
in the region.
Who is the CEC of your district?
The work of the Hill Council
The Hill Council makes many regulations and decisions to develop the district. They
make their decisions by voting among themselves. Decisions are made when more than
half the councillors agree.
The Hill Council is in charge of many things like schools and education, government
hospitals, roads, irrigation, etc.
Why do we have a Hill Council?
Most districts in India don’t have Hill Councils. Although Ladakh is a part of Jammu
and Kashmir, there are many things in Ladakh that are different from other parts of
the state. For example, Ladakh is a high desert region, and the rest of J&K is not. For
these reasons, the people of Ladakh felt that they would be able to understand and solve
their own problems best. So the Government of India formed separate Hill Councils for
Leh and Kargil districts.
Other government bodies in India
State Government
We are in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Our state, like all others in India, has its own
state government. The people of the state elect the state government, just as the people
of the district elect the Hill Council. Each state is also divided into constituencies, which
are bigger than the constituencies of the Hill Council. From each constituency, people
elect a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). The MLAs from all over the state form
the Legislative Assembly and elect a Chief Minister. The Legislative Assembly meets in
the state’s capital city and makes laws for the whole state. Jammu and Kashmir is the
only state in India that has two capitals—Jammu in winter and Srinagar in summer.
Who is the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir?
Who is the MLA for your constituency?
Central Government
The Central Government rules India. When there are elections for the Central
Government, people all over the country vote for an MP (Member of Parliament)
from their constituency. Leh and Kargil together form one MP constituency, so
Ladakh has one MP. MPs from all over the country come together in Delhi to form
the Parliament of India, and make laws for the whole country. The MPs elect the
Prime Minister of India.
Do you know who the Prime Minister of India is?
Who is the MP from Ladakh?
Governing Ourselves
Exercises
I
Answer the following questions
1. Why were Hill Councils formed in Ladakh?
2. How are Hill Councillors elected?
3. Mention three duties of the Hill Council
4. How are Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers elected?
II
True or false? If false, give the correct statement.
1. All districts of India have Hill Councils.
2. The Chairman of the Hill Council is also called the Chief Executive Councillor.
3. There are 100 Hill Council constituencies in Ladakh.
4. The Hill Councils looks after the whole country.
5. The Hill Councils looks after schools in the District.
Things to do
1. Find out what village projects your Hill Council has started.
2. Discuss what you think the Hill Council can do for your village to make it better.
3. Look at the picture on page 66, and then in the pictures below fill in the blanks for
what each group of people stands for.
State Government
Central Government
VOCABULARY
decision
capital
MLA
Chief Minister
to rule
MP
Parliament
state
Legislative Assembly
Prime Minister
pe-dt[!
‰Xv-n!
‰Xv-we-el^r-e#-„#fn-d;(-h·en-az#-zp%n-f#!
D√(]-y*]!
[dr-nC^v-dXn!
‰Xv-wd-el^r-e#-„#fn-d;(-h·en-az#-zp%n-f#!
‰Xv-wd-el^r-e#-„#fn-d;(-h·en-a!
‰Xv-we
‰Xv-we-el^r-e#-„#fn-d;(-h·en-a!
nC#[-D√(]!
Chapter 9
SOME HISTORICAL MONUMENTS OF LADAKH
Rinchen had a dream one night in which a fairy came to her and said, “I have
written some clues about a few historical monuments of Ladakh and hidden
them in different places. If you find the clues and solve them, you will get a
secret gift. Here is the first clue:”
“Once a capital before Leh: a gonpa in a palace below the walls of a fort.”
Rinchen got up with a strange feeling and told her brother Norgay
about her dream. The children did not understand and were confused.
Suddenly a tiny old man with a long cap and a short stick appeared.
He said, “I’m Zbalu. I will help you find your secret gift. Let’s go!”
The children took his hands and flew up in the sky with him.
Shey Palace
Soon they reached Shey near the Indus River. At
Shey, they saw five big figures of the Buddha carved
on a rock. “These were carved before the palaces were
built,” explained Zbalu.
They flew up the hill. “Almost 1000 years ago, Ladakhi kings came to live here. From their fort high on the hill,
they could see a wide area,” explained Zbalu. “They could see enemies coming
from far away. Maybe that’s why they chose this place for their capital.”
“There’s nothing left of the older fort now except the broken walls!” exclaimed
Rinchen.
Zbalu explained, “Oh! that is because the old fort was built a long time ago,
during the times of Lhachen Spalgon. He
is one of the earliest kings of Ladakh. In
those days his palace was considered
one of the best. Sadly, over the years it
was destroyed. Then in the 1600s, King
Deldan Namgyal built this big palace
here. The gonpa outside the palace is
three storeys high and has a statue of
Buddha so big that you have to climb
upstairs to see the head!”
Shey Palace with the ruins of
the old fort in the background
Historical Monuments
“Oh! So these buildings at Shey were built by different kings.” said
Norgay.
The children looked around for their next clue. Norgay found a piece of
paper sticking out of a hole in the wall. He read out the next clue.
“Beside the Indus river, and not high on a mountain. Remember Rinchen Zangpo.”
“It could be Alchi!” exclaimed Rinchen. “My father said this was one of
the few gonpas not built on the top of a mountain.”
“Good! Let’s go,” said Zbalu, and they flew along the Indus River.
Alchi Gonpa
Soon they reached Alchi.
Rinchen said “This looks different
from other gonpas I’ve seen.”
Zbalu explained,“Yes it was
founded around 1000 years ago.
The King of Tibet wanted to revive
Buddhism there so he sent scholars to Kashmir. In those days most
people of Kashmir were Buddhist.
One of the scholars who went to
Kashmir was Lotsawa Rinchen
Zangpo. Afterwards he built most
of this gonpa. He brought artists from Kashmir to decorate it.”
Rinchen and Norgay stopped to look at the Buddha, lions, other animals
and plants carved on the wooden entrance and pillars. The children stood
in astonished silence. “This is so beautiful!” Norgay said.
When they went to another building, they found three statues of Buddha
standing inside, taller than the first floor. Zbalu showed them the historical
pictures painted on the clothing of the statues.
Norgay was looking at the walls. “The style of building and painting
here is different, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” said Zbalu, “That’s because the Kashmiri Buddhist style was different from the Tibetan Buddhist style that you see in most other gonpas.”
Norgay stepped closer and put his hand out to touch the painting.
Zbalu quickly reacted, “Don’t touch the paintings! They are very old, and
touching them will only wear the paint away. Then these beautiful paintings
would be spoiled forever! You wouldn’t want that to happen now, would
you?” asked Zbalu.
“No! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to harm the painting,” said Norgay.
“It’s alright, child. It’s important that you have realised your mistake.
I wish all the other visitors understood too!”
As they were walking under one of the chortens outside, Rinchen found
the next clue.
“By the side of the Leh to Srinagar road, he stands tall and alone.”
The children said, “It must be the statue at Mulbekh in Kargil district.”
Zoom! They set off and reached Mulbekh.
Mulbekh Statue
They landed near a big statue of the Buddha
carved on a huge rock.
Zbalu told them, “This statue was probably
carved more than 2000 years ago! In those days,
there were not many Buddhists in Ladakh, but
Kashmir and most of India was Buddhist. People
say the Indian King Kanishka sent monks to teach
people here about Buddhism. They carved this
statue.”
“It’s so huge!” Is this the Mulbekh Chamba?
cried Rinchen.
“Yes. People call it the
Mulbekh Chamba because
of its size. But scholars now believe it is a statue of
Chenrezig Avalokiteshwara, the Buddha of Compassion.” explained Zbalu. “This is probably the oldest
existing statue of the Buddha made in Ladakh.”
As the children looked around them, they found
their fourth clue near the feet of the statue.
“Pilgrimage place near Kargil, deep in a valley”
“That sounds like the tomb of Sayeed Mir Hashim
in Karpo Khar. Come along, we have to fly to the Suru
valley to get there.”
Historical Monuments
Tomb of Mir Hashim
“Uncle Zbalu, who was
Mir Hashim?” Norgay asked
as they flew over the mountains.
“Oh, Sayeed Mir Hashim
is a very famous man from
Kashmir! About 300 years
ago Queen Thi La Khatun of
Purig invited him to give religious education to her son,
Thi Mohammad Sultan. He
The tomb of Sayeed Mir Hashim
was very important to the spread of Islam in Purig.”
They soon reached the village of Karpo Khar. “It looks like an old house!
Where is the tomb?” Rinchen asked.
“His tomb is inside. Do you know how many people visit this site? Not
just Muslims, but also Buddhists and Hindus visit this place. Many people
believe that if you visit Mir Hashim’s tomb your wishes will come true.”
Norgay wanted to make a wish, but Rinchen was eager to find the next
clue. The children were hunting for their next clue, when suddenly Norgay
stumbled upon a big box full of beautiful and colourful toys hidden behind
a rock. “Oh, good! We have found the secret gift!” cried Rinchen happily.
“Thank you Uncle Zbalu for helping us and for showing us all these wonderful places with their interesting histories.”
Zbalu only laughed. “No problem. Now let’s go home,” and off they flew
once again over the mountains.
Exercises
I
Answer the following:
1. Are there other palaces in Ladakh other than Shey Palace? If there are, name some
of them.
2. Who invited Sayeed Mir Hashim to Ladakh and why?
3. Who visits Sayeed Mir Hashim’s tomb?
4. What is probably the oldest existing statue in Ladakh?
5. Trace the route taken by Zbalu, Rinchen, and Norgay on the map of Ladakh.
II
Fill in the blanks with the words given below:
Suru
Indus
Sayeed Mir Hashim
Kargil
Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo
1. Shey lies close to the_ _ _ _ _ _ _ River.
2. Alchi Gonpa was built by_ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
3. Mulbekh Chamba is in _ _ _ _ _ _ _ District.
4. The tomb of_ _ _ _ _ _ _ is located in the village of Karpo Khar.
5. The village of Karpo Khar is in the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ valley.
III
Choose the right answer and cross out the wrong ones.
1. Sengge Namgyal/Deldan Namgyal/Thi Namgyal built the palace at Shey.
2. Rinchen Zangpo was sent to India by the King of India/the King of Western Tibet/the
King of Purig.
3. Sayeed Hashim/Rinchen Zangpo/the Prophet Mohammed came to Ladakh to spread
Islam.
IV
Match the place with its age and write complete sentences.
1. Deldan Namgyal’s Shey Palace
2. Mulbekh Chamba
more than 2000 years old.
about 400 years old.
3. Mir Hashim’s tomb
about 1000 years old.
4. Alchi gonpa
around 300 years old.
Historical Monuments
Things to do
Your village or nearby area might have an old structure — a fort, monument, gonpa, mosque,
palace, or an old house that has an interesting past. Visit these places as a class trip.
These places are an important way to learn about history. Many places in Ladakh
have stones carved hundreds or thousands of years ago. These have pictures and writing
on them, and we can still discover new information about history from them.
Find out the history of a gonpa or mosque you have visited. Your history must have
the following information: when it was built, who built it, and why. Are there any statues
there, and whose? Is there a festival celebrated there? Are there important visitors or
special features?
Are monuments and other historical things in your area being damaged over time?
Discuss in class, and think of ways in which you and your village can help protect and preserve these places.
VOCABULARY
[}]-Ø*]!
Vµ-Q√^-N∂-v$-n(en!
fairy
h·[-dXn-W#-s#z-d”-eor-dXn!
clue
fp(r-dXn!
to appear
enr-dz#! N∂n-o*! N“(e-fw]!
secret
b#r-[r-”(-d-n(en-d¤(-dXn!
to carve
[dX#dn!
figure
[eC-d(!
enemy
[*-f]-a! [*-f-eo(en!
except
q^-t(-eor-Nø*-;*c-dXn!
to exclaim
p(e-h[!
storey
wr-e(e-fwc-e(e-e(e-a(!
ruins
g-a#e-s#-v(e-e-zd#r-Nø*!
sticking out
ifn-en(n-dX(-dXn!
to revive
fwn-a!
scholar
N´(! l^en-n!
entrance
m-vn-o*!
astonished
to wear something away ;#]-dXn! ;[-dXn!
Nœ≈(]-N√*d-dt$e-dXn!
to spoil
nz#-q-ddn-bn!
to land
e]n-fuv!
pilgrimage
Nå^c-wr-!
tomb
w[-‰Xd-dXn! ee-‰Xd-dXn!
to stumble
monument
Environmental Studies Part 1
for Class IV
A Textbook of Science for Children of Ladakh
Published by
J&K State Board of School Education
for
Operation New Hope
© 2003 JK Bose/SECMOL
Production team: Vinitha Nayer, Sujatha Padmanabhan, Chosdan
Tondup, Tsering Angchuk, Sumathi Sudhakar, Tsering Chosphel,
Anjali Noronha (Eklavya), Gautam Pandey (Eklavya), Tultul
Biswas (Eklavya), Chetan Angchuk, Alex M. George.
Shruti (Assistant Project Coordinator), Rebecca Norman (Project
Coordinator)
Photographs: International Snow Leopard Conservancy, O.P.
Chaurasia (FRL), Pankaj Chandan (WWF-India), Stanzin Dorjai
Gya (Secmol), Sujatha Padmanabhan.
Main illustrator: Phuntsog Namgial
Additional illustrations: Centre for Environment Education;
Daniela Antlova; Robert Cook; Tsering Norphel; WWF-India and
Wildlife Department, Leh.
Layout: Tsering Angmo, Rebecca Norman.
Published by
Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education
in collaboration with
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh
and
SECMOL
P.O. Box 4
Leh, Ladakh 194 101
India
Foreword
From the beginning children are curious about the people, animals, plants and materials around them.
They learn about their environment through their own first-hand experiences, from their parents,
through the media and from a variety of other sources. Schools have a definite role in helping their
pupils make sense of these experiences and in developing their knowledge and understanding of the
physical and human processes which interact to shape the environment. This is why Environmental
Education is one of the most important areas and a compulsory part of our school curriculum. This
subject should generate and promote among learners:
• A scientific mindset characterised by the spirit of enquiry and problem-solving;
• An understanding of the environment in its totality, both natural and social, and its interactive
processes, the environmental problems and the ways and means to preserve the environment;
and
• An understanding of the diversity in lands and people living in different parts of the State’s
composite cultural heritage.
This textbook of Environmental Studies part 1 (Science) has been developed to realise these objectives. It has been prepared by SECMOL for Class V children of Ladakh and is based on the physical
and social environment that surrounds them. The efforts of SECMOL in preparing the book are laudable. It is hoped that the book will help us to develop among children awareness of the environment
and build on and reinforce their curiosity about the natural and man-made environment. Awareness
and curiosity take different forms like recognition of beauty in a stretch of countryside, the appreciation of animals and the relationships and balance among them, etc. The essential element common to
all this is the desire to understand why things are as they are and what is needed to maintain or, where
necessary, to change them.
The Board is indeed happy to produce this book for Operation New Hope for children of Ladakh
region.
I take this opportunity to appreciate the efforts of Sh. Sonam Wangchuk and his team of dedicated
colleagues at SECMOL, Leh for preparing this book. I also place on record my profound appreciation
of Mr B.A. Dar Director Academic of the Board for his contribution in editing the book. Efforts of the
staff of Academic Division (Curriculum Development and Research Wing and Academic Section) in
getting the book processed are equally recognised and appreciated.
Prof. J.P. Singh
(Chairman, J&K Board)
Section 1
Our Bodies and Health
Hints for the Teacher
Why this section
This unit includes the chapters Food for Health, Internal Organs and the Skeletal System, What Happens to
the Food We Eat, and Sources of Water.
It is important for children to know their bodies,
the various organs, and their functions. This will enable them to take care of their bodies and themselves.
To stay healthy, children should be aware of the relationship between their health and the food and water
they take.
“Food for Health” discusses different kinds of
food and their importance in a person’s daily diet. It
introduces the concept of a balanced diet, and also
stresses the need for adequate safe drinking water.
The chapter on “Internal Organs and the Skeletal System” is divided into two parts. The first part
introduces some of the vital organs in our body. It
gives children the opportunity to voice their existing
knowledge about some of these organs, and then builds
on that knowledge. We expect children to develop a
familiarity with various internal organs before the
details of their functions are taken up in following
chapters and future classes.
The section on the Skeletal System uses the human body as a live working model to describe its functions. Try to make each child do all the simple activities
given in the chapter. By the end of the chapter children
should have an impression of how all the bones in our
body work together as a functional system.
“What Happens to the Food We Eat” describes
the main organs of the digestive system, and how they
work. Some simple experiments have been included to
make children understand the processes taking place
during digestion of food. Moving one step ahead from
the previous chapter, this one deals with some processes taking place in our internal organs, in addition to
their functions. Keeping in mind the grade level, some
organs like liver, pancreas, etc. with complex functions
have not been included.
“Sources of Water” familiarises children with
different sources of water we use and the causes and
prevention of water pollution.
Materials Needed
Food for Health
Snakes and Ladders game: dice, some counters.
What Happens to the Food We Eat
Food-pipe activity: One-foot-long flexible pipe,
some left over food.
Stomach activity: Plastic bag, left-over food.
Absorption of Food: A shirt or kameez sleeve,
small stones or pebbles.
Points For Discussion/Clarification
Food For health
Sprouted peas and dal are a good source of fresh
vitamins in winter. To make a sprout salad in class,
soak a few peas in warm water 2 to 3 days before the
class so that you have the sprouts ready for the class.
What Happens to the Food We Eat
The incident with Dr. Beaumont and the soldier
happened in France.
If a flexible pipe is not available for the food pipe
activity, you can make one with a plastic sheet. Take a
one-foot-long and six-inch-wide piece of plastic. Roll
it into a hollow tube and either sew the edge or seal
it by burning. This will serve well as the food pipe.
Some students can do this activity as a demonstration.
All the other activities can and should be done by all
students for themselves.
Chapter 1
FOOD FOR HEALTH
Why do we have to eat food every day?
Food is important for us. We all need food to work, play and study. We
need food to stay healthy. We need food to grow and fight diseases.
Make a list of all the kinds of food that you ate yesterday.
As you have learnt in Class 3, different foods have different nutrients.
Different nutrients help our bodies in different ways. How they do so?
Some nutrients give us energy. They are called carbohydrates and fats.
People doing more work or sports need more energy foods. Other nutrients
help to build our bodies and are called proteins and minerals. Then there
are nutrients that protect us from getting ill and help us fight diseases.
They are called protective nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals.
wheat
Carbohydrates
rice
barley
sugar
Fats
nuts
butter
Proteins
meat
milk
eggs
pulses
banana
Vitamins and
Minerals
potato
tomato
seabuckthorn
spinach
apple
apricot
carrot
Balanced Diet
The food we eat is called our diet. If we eat only one type of food, we will
become weak or ill. Therefore, we should eat enough of all kinds of nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals). This good mix
of food to meet all the needs of the body is called a balanced diet.
Healthy Diet Pyramid
sugar
Eat least
oil
butter
Eat moderately
meat
eggs
milk
fish
dal
cheese
nuts
curd
Eat most
chicken
vegetables
cereals
bread
fruit
a. Look at the list of foods that you ate yesterday. Make a chart like
the one below. What kind of nutrients does each food contain? Tick
mark the nutrients as shown in the table below.
List of Foods
khambir
thukpa
Carbohydrate
Fats
Proteins and
Minerals
Vitamins
ü
ü
ü
ü
Do you have at least one tick in each column? If so, you ate
a balanced diet yesterday.
b. Students are divided into teams of two or three. Each team plans
a balanced diet for a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and then
shares its menu with the class. Discuss whether it is balanced, or
what is missing to make it a balanced diet.
Staying Healthy
Most of the food we eat is cooked. Cooking helps to kill any germs that may
be in the food. It also makes it soft, tasty and easy to digest.
However, cooking destroys some of the vitamins in the food. So, along
with cooked food, we should eat some raw foods like turnips, radish, carrots and tomatoes every day.
Sprouts for Winter
Here is something you can do, especially in winter when there are not
many fresh vegetables: take some local peas and soak them overnight.
Use slightly warm water in winter. You will find the seeds become big
as they absorb water. Rinse them in warm water daily but do not leave
them soaking. Keep them in a thin, wet cloth until you see that the root
has developed. These are called “sprouts” and are very good for you. In
order to sprout, the seeds need to be moist and warm. They will die if
they freeze, get too hot, soak and rot, or dry out.
You can also sprout green moong dal and channa. Any sprouts mixed
with other raw vegetables make a very healthy salad!
water
sprouts
swollen peas
peas
peas
peas tied in a
cloth
mixed salad
Are all foods good for health? Play the game of snakes and ladders,
shown on the back cover, to find out.
Food for Health
Don’t forget water!
Besides food, safe water is also very important. What will happen if you do
not drink enough water? Your food will not be digested well. You will get
dehydrated, and you won’t have energy to work or play.
More than half of your body is made up of water. So
never forget to drink water. At least 6 to 8 glasses
every day!
What is safe water?
A few ways to keep your water safe
for drinking and cooking:
1. Boil the water well to kill germs.
(In cities, chlorine is added to the
water to keep it germ free.)
2. Store clean and boiled water in
a clean container with a lid. Put
the lid back on every time after
use.
3. Always use a long-handled
dipper to take water out of the
container.
EXERCISES
Oral/Written Work
1. Choosing from the food items given below, give some sources for each kind of nutrient.
Seabuckthorn, eggs, rice, wheat, pulses, apples, meat, sugar, carrot, milk, potato, green
leafy vegetables, apricots, fish, butter, curd, radish, turnips, tomatoes, oil.
Carbohydrates: 1______, 2______, 3______, 4________
Fats: 1______, 2______
Vitamins and Minerals:
(1______, 2______, 3______, 4______, 5______,
6______, 7______, 8______, 9________
Proteins: 1______, 2______, 3______, 4______, 5______
2. Which of these things are good for you and which are bad?
a. eating a lot of fried food
b. drinking lots of butter tea
c. eating lots of vegetables and fruit
d. drinking only two glasses of water or other liquid everyday
e. eating sprouts, especially in winter
3. Match the following:
Carbohydrates
Protective nutrients
Fats
Body-building nutrients
Proteins
Energy giving nutrients
Vitamins and minerals
Energy giving nutrients
4. Fill in the blanks using the following words: diet, germs, balanced, carbohydrates, digest.
a. The foods which we must eat the most of every day are ________ .
b. Boiling water kills the ___________ in it.
c. Water in the body helps the food __________ well.
Food for Health
d. A good mix of food meeting all the needs of the body is called a _____diet.
e. The food that we eat is called our ________ .
5. Name two of your favourite foods that contain carbohydrates.
6. Name any three foods that you like to eat raw.
7. What is the importance of vitamins and minerals in our diet?
8. Which foods help to build the body?
9. What is a balanced diet?
10. Here are a few common meals. Are they balanced or not?
a. kholak with curd
b. skyu with potato and meat
c. phemar and butter tea
d. thukpa with dried cheese, peas, and vegetables
e. paba and tangthur
f. rice with sugar
g. rice with dal and vegetables
If the meal is not balanced, what could you add to make it balanced?
GLOSSARY
Chapter 6
WILD ANIMALS OF LADAKH
Which animals can you recognise on the previous pages? Make a list.
a. Which of these animals fly?
b. Which animals have hair on their bodies?
c. Which of the animals lay eggs?
d. Name the animals you see near your village or town.
e. Which of these animals eat insects?
f. Do any of these animals have four wings?
As you can see, animals are different from each other. Some fly and some
cannot; some lay eggs and some do not, and so on. Based on these differences, the world of animals is divided into different groups. We will now
study some of these groups.
MAMMALS
Mammals are animals that give birth to live babies and feed them on their
own milk. People, cows, cats and wolves are all mammals. Most mammals
have hair on their bodies. Some have a lot of hair like the yak, and some
have little hair like us! Mammals do not lay eggs.
Here are some mammals found in Ladakh.
Snow Leopard (Schan)
The snow leopard lives in very steep and rocky mountains.
People interested in animals live for many months in tents
to learn about the snow leopard. This is not easy as the
animal is very difficult to see. It has a light grey coat with
black markings. This sometimes makes it look like a rock
on the mountainside until it moves!
The snow leopard has a long and bushy
tail. In winter the leopard curls its tail around
itself like a blanket. It usually eats wild sheep
and goats such as the blue sheep and the
ibex. It also eats other smaller animals such
as marmots.
Wild Animals
Otter (Chusram)
Otters are playful animals that live along the Indus, the
Shayok and the Siachan Rivers. Otters are good swimmers. They can be seen diving into the water and chasing
one another. Their main food is fish.
Marmot (Phiya)
Could you sleep through the whole winter?
No? Well, a small animal called the Marmot
does that! Marmots sleep through the winter
in underground holes called burrows.
In summer when there is plenty of
grass, they come out of their burrows and
spend most of their day eating! By autumn
they are very fat and are ready to pass the winter months
without any food.
Marmots can be found in many places, including Changla and Khardong-la. Have you heard marmots scream? When they feel
that they are in danger, they stand up and let out a sharp whistle to warn
other marmots. In seconds, they all run for safety into their burrows and
disappear.
Wild Goats and Sheep (Ridaks) Urial (Shapo)
Argali (Nyan)
Blue Sheep (Napo)
Ibex (Skyin)
Look at these pictures of some male wild goats and sheep found in Ladakh.
Earlier there were large numbers of these animals, but nowadays we find
very few of them. In fact, there are only about 200 argali and about 1500
urial left.
You may have seen the horns of one of these animals in the gonpa, or at
the base of a chorten. The females are smaller than the males and have
smaller horns. Many people in Ladakh call all wild goats and sheep ridaks.
However, as you can see there are different kinds of ridaks.
Describe the horns of each male and show how each one is different
from the other. For example, the horns of the blue sheep look like a
motorcycle handlebar!
Tibetan Antelope (Tsos)
This antelope is found in the very high mountains
of Changthang. It can be recognised by its long,
thin, pointed horns.
People have killed this antelope for its fine wool.
The wool was used to make very expensive tsoskul
shawls and scarves, called shahtoosh. As there are less
than 500 antelopes left in Ladakh, the government has
banned the killing of the animal and the selling of tsoskul shawls.
Talk to the elders in your village. Ask them about the mammals they
have seen. Make a large chart for your class as shown:
Name of mammal Where was it seen?
Is it seen nowadays?
What does it eat?
Wild Animals
BIRDS
Birds are the only animals that have feathers. What are some other characteristics of birds?
Do you know that there are more than 340 different kinds of birds in
Ladakh? Let’s see how many of them you know.
Beaks and How They Are Used
Birds have special mouths called beaks. The shape and size of the beak
suits what the bird feeds on. Look at the different beaks below.
The black necked crane (cha
trhung trhung) searches for roots,
insects, and fish in wet muddy
soil. Its beak is long and pointed.
It is our state bird.
The golden eagle (laknak) cuts
and tears the flesh of animals.
It has a beak that is sharp and
curved.
The rosefinch (ichu marpo or
idmar) eats seeds and berries. Its
beak is short and heavy.
Magpie
(kasrang-butit or cha trhawo)
Chakor
(srakpa)
Bar-headed goose
(ngangpa)
Himalayan griffon
(thangkar)
Here are a few birds in Ladakh. Look at their pictures carefully. Then answer the following questions.
1. Which of these birds is a water bird?
2. Look at the magpie’s illustration carefully. How many colours does this
bird have? Name them.
3. Which bird is sand coloured and calls out “Tokorok-tokorok-tokorok”?
4.What markings do you see on the head of the bar-headed goose?
5. What kind of beak does the griffon have?
a. a long, straight beak
b. a thin, sharp beak
c. a curved, sharp beak
6. What do you think the griffon eats?
a. seeds
b. meat
c. insects
7. This bird is the size of a hen. You can see it walking and running on the
ground looking for seeds. Which one is it?
Wild Animals
(b)
(c)
(a)
(d)
8. Match each bird to one of the nests shown above: chakor, bar-headed
goose, griffon and magpie.
REPTILES
Reptiles are animals with scaly skins. They lay eggs. They are cold blooded,
which means that when it is hot outside their body temperature gets warmer
and when it is cold outside their body temperature gets colder. Ladakh has
a few species of lizards and snakes.
Himalayan Rock Laudakia (Sgalchik or Ltsangspa)
Have you seen a lizard sitting on a rock enjoying the
warmth of the sun? Sometimes you can see it move its
head up and down. If it sees you, it will disappear under
a rock! This is the Himalayan Rock Laudakia.
The female Himalayan Rock
Laudakia has orange on the
sides of the neck, so some
Ladakhis call it the lama sgal- Male rock laudakia lizard
chik. The male is larger than the female, with
dark marks on its back and a long tail.
Some people fear lizards but actually all the lizards found in Ladakh are harmless to people.
Female rock laudakia lizard
What do lizards eat? Watch one to find out.
INSECTS
Insects are animals with six legs. Some have wings and some do not.
Look at the common insects below.
1. Practise saying their names till you know them.
2. Match each of the sentences below with one of the insects.
3. How many of them are on your chart?
a. My legs are very long. I skate on water like you skate on ice.
b. I am black and have a hard covering.
dragonfly
c. We work together and help each other carry food. You can easily
water skater
see us walking in a line in the fields.
d. I am small and round. I have a red body with black spots.
e. I sit on your food and could make you ill.
f. I look like a butterfly but come out at night.
moth
caddis-fly
beetle
g. My back legs are long like oars and they help me swim. I eat insects
and fish.
h. You call me “helicopter.” I live near ponds and eat mosquitoes and
other small insects.
i. I am green. I love to eat leaves. When you disturb me, I hop and
jump away.
j. When I am fully grown, I will have wings. Before that I looked like
ladybird
caddis-fly a worm and lived in water, and covered myself in a case made of leaves
larva
or sand and small stones.
water boatman
grasshopper
house fly
ant
Wild Animals
EXERCISES
Oral/Written work
1. Name one mammal that
a. sleeps through the winter
b. usually eats wild sheep and goats
c. was killed for its fine wool
d. swims very well
2. Name three wild goats or sheep found in Ladakh.
3. Solve the riddles: What am I?
a. I am a bird. I call out “Tokorok, tokorok.” I eat seeds.
b. I am a protected wild mammal. My wool was used to make shawls and scarves.
c. I am an insect. I walk on water.
4. Who eats what? Draw a line to show who eats what.
Snow Leopard Grass
Lizard
Ibex
Chakor
Flies
Otter
Grain
Marmot
Fish
Walk around your school in pairs and look for insects with your
notebook and pencil. How many different kinds of insects can you
find? Be careful not to harm them. Try to find out their names (or
make up your own names for them!). The names that you give them
could be based on some of their special characteristics. Make a
common chart for the class like this one:
Name of the insect
Ant
Drawing
Features: colour, size, etc.
Black. I found it on alfalfa
5. Name any two differences between:
a. Snow leopard and Rosefinch
b. Himalayan Rock Laudakia lizard and grasshopper
6. In the word square below, find the names of two mammals, one bird, and three insects.
They appear from left to right or top to bottom.
D
R
A
G
O
N
F
L
Y
P
U
C
O
T
T
E
R
Z
E
R
A
C
T
Y
U
R
W
K
I
N
B
E
E
T
L
E
L
A
T
T
R
X
O
H
Y
S
L
M
R
E
A
G
L
E
Now that you have found the names of the animals, write two sentences about each.
Things to Do
Make thumb print animals. Dip your thumb into paint or ink and make a thumbprint on
paper. Add a few lines to make it into any animal. Here are a few examples. Have fun!
Wild Animals
GLOSSARY
Environmental Studies Part II
for Class IV
A Textbook of Social Science for Children of Ladakh
Published by
J&K State Board of School Education
for
Operation New Hope
Section1
Map Reading
Hints for the Teacher
Why this section?
In social studies, children will have to read
maps again and again. But without a simple foundation, many students don’t properly understand how
maps relate to reality. Maps can also be useful in our
daily lives if we know how to get information from
them. Thus this chapter introduces map reading from
a very basic level. First the directions are taught and
reinforced in relation to pictures and to the immediate
surroundings. Then children learn how to read maps
with symbols, and how to relate them to real places.
In chapter 2, most of the exercises ask the students
to complete an unfinished map or key. This kind of involvement will give them a very strong understanding
of mapping concepts.
Mention that maps are a great source of information if we know how to use them. When we go to a new
place, a map helps us find our way around and helps us
find the places we need. Maps also help us understand
what kinds of things exist in a state or country, etc.
Children will have to use many maps in school, and
maps will also be helpful in our lives.
What is your role?
In both chapters, teachers should start each new
map or picture activity by asking the children to tell
what they see in the picture, what is to the north or
south, etc. After some discussion like this, the students
should be able to do the exercises themselves easily.
They will enjoy drawing in the extra items as instructed
in the exercises.
Here is an example of a village map made by a teacher.
Children will also enjoy making such maps, and will learn map
reading skills very thoroughly in the process.
Chapter 1
The Directions
Do you remember the directions you learnt in class three? Point to the
north from your school. Point to the east, then to the south, and then to
the west. Where does the sun rise? Where does it set?
In the picture below you can see hills. There is a stream down the middle, and a road. You can also see houses, trees, a mosque, a gonpa and a
school. The top part of the picture is north. The bottom of the picture is
south. The right-hand side is east and the left-hand side is west.
Fill in the blanks with names of directions: north, east, south or west.
1.
___________ is to the top of the map.
2.
The gonpa is located to the _________ of the village.
3.
The school is on the ____________ of the road.
4.
The trees are to the ____________ of the stream.
5.
The stream flows from ____________ to ___________.
Answer the following questions:
1.
What things can you see east of the stream?
2.
What things can you see north of the road?
3. What is directly north of the school?
4.
What is north of the road and west of the stream?
Draw the following things on the picture:
1.
A stupa to the east of the trees.
2.
A shop to the west of the school.
3.
A flag east of the gonpa and north of the road.
4.
A house north of the road and east of the stream.
5.
A community hall east of the mosque and north of the road.
This is a map of another village. There are apple orchards, houses, fields,
and a pond.
Field edges
Wall
Road
House
Shop
School
Apple tree
Pond
Volleyball court
Flag
Normally on maps, north is at the top of the page. Draw an arrow on the map pointing
north and write a capital N near it.
Look at this photo­graph. You will have to choose which of these three maps
could be a map of this place.
Look carefully before you decide
which map matches the photo. What
is in the photo? Where are the road,
the houses, the chortens and the
fields in relation to each other?
Road
Stream
Building
Tree
Stupa (chorten)