Thursday, January 14, 2016

THE PLANT FAIRY TEXT





In this lesson we are learning about different types of plants.

The girl who’s name is Didi. she is talking about her weekend field trip to his brothers and sisters. Last Sunday, we went to a garden in the
neighborhood. We played Hide and Seek and Antakshari.We had a lot of fun.

After sometime, Didi said- Let us play a new game today. We had played this game in the camp last year. I will become a ‘Plant fairy’.

 The ‘Plant fairy’ will call out a name of something and you all will have to touch it. The game began. Didi said -The ‘Plant fairy’ asks you to touch a plant. At once, all the children ran towards the plants.

Ammu held the marigold plant. Shabnam sat touching a jasmine plant.
Michael touched a mehendi bush. Dayaram  hold of a neem tree and stood there.

Didi said —Very good! Everyone has touched a plant. But have you noticed that all the plants are different from each other? Didi, you are also sitting on little plants, said by Shabnam. Didi said observed the plant. Let us tell me the difference?

They noticed some plants are very big, some are small. Some plants are climbing with the support. Some are creeping on the ground.

Creepers: creepers grow above the round. They have very week stem. They produce heavy weight fruits.
Example: tomato, watermelon.

Climbers: climbers are also have week stem but they take support to
climb up. Example: grapes, Money plant.

Herbs are leafy green plants. These plants are useful for food, medicines, flavoring and perfume. They produce flowers. Herbs are includes in roots, flowers, leaves and seeds.
Example: spinach, coriander, mint, grass, wheat etc.

Shrubs are small woody plants. plants have softy stem body. They are smaller then trees. They grow just above the ground. Shrubs have week stems. They cannot grow much more height like trees.

Example: rose and jasmine plant.

A tree is a tall plant with trunk and branches made of wood. Trees live for a long time. Trees are useful for shelter and food. They have thick and long trunk.
Example: Mango and Neem tree.

The children ran again to touch the trees with thick or thin trunks. The game started again. The ‘Plant fairy’ now said-Touch a tree which has either a thick or a thin trunk.

Stem gives shape and support to the palnt. Stem transport water from root to all parts of the palnt body. It also transport food from leaves to all parts of the plant body.stems have branches and leaves.some are stem thick and thin.

Michael found the game very interesting. He thought, how lucky the fairy was. She could order everyone around.

Now, I want to be the ‘Plant fairy’- said Michael. The children laughed aloud – A boy fairy ! They were now ready to take orders from the new ‘Plant fairy”. Michael said- Get me some leaves quickly.

But remember you are not to pluck the leaves from the plants
said Didi. The children ran to collect the leaves which were lying
on the ground.

Do all the leaves have similar colours, shapes and margins? 
Dayaram said- I did not know that there were so many types of leaves. Look, some are round, some are long and some are triangular.


Ammu said-They are of so many different colours as well. Some are light green and some are dark green leaves.  Some are even yellow, red and purple. There is one which is green but has white patches on it.

Look, even the margins of these leaves are different from each other. Some have straight margins and some uneven. Some of these margins even look like a saw

Shabnam observed. Leaves are called power house of the plant. They prepare food for the plant body.

They take carbon-di-oxide inside and release oxygen out side. They need water, chlorophyll and carbon-di-oxide in the presence of sun light to prepare food. This process is called photosynthesis.

Some leaves are green in color because the presence of chlorophyll it is a colour pigment. Some are even yellow leaves, because the presence of carotinoide. 

Ammu and Shabnam shouted together – We also want to be the ‘Plant fairy.’Didi said – Not today, may be next Sunday. It is time to go home now. Thank you

Poonam’s Day Out - ACTIVITY

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Class III-CBSE




Poonam’s Day Out TEXT



Ma, please let me go to school today, I have been at home for the past two days. 

I am getting bored – said by Poonam. But you still have fever. Go outside and lie down on the cot replied Ma.

Poonam fell asleep on the cot. Suddenly, something fell on her face. Poonam woke up at once and touched her cheek. Oh no, whose mischief is this? Is it the crow’s or the pigeon’s? It seems it’s the crow's.

Poonamlooked up. She saw many animals on the tree. Some animals are jumping from one branch other and playing  some animals are building their nests with leaves. some animals are sleeping on the branches.


Poonampicked up a leaf from the ground and wiped her cheek with it. But her cheek was still sticky. She thought  Let Me go and wash my face in the nearby pond.


While going to pond she saw some animals on the groud. Animals live in different places. Some animals live in the trees, some in water. Some live on land, some live under the ground and some fly in the sky. Some animals even live in our houses.


She saw some more animals in the pond she noticed that different animals move in different ways to go from one place to another.

Some animals walk. Example: dog cat, cow, tiger etc.


some move by  crawl. Example: snake, lizard, anaconda etc.

some can  fly  to move from place to another. Example: birds. some swimin the water to move from place to another .


For this, some animals use their feet, some use their wings. Some animals even take the help of their tail.
She observed that some animals make different kinds of sound .
Crow
Koel
Dog
Frog
Sheep
Etc
 

In the lesson  the word ‘animal’ is used for insects, birds, reptiles and mammals. Let us know the meaning of insects, birds, reptiles and mammals.

 
Insects- insects are a small invertebrate animals. Their body is covered with external skeleton segments. Some insects have two, three or six pairs of joined  legs .


Birds are a warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate animal. Birds have feathers, wings, a beak, and they are able to fly.


Reptiles a cold-blooded vertebrate animals. snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles, and tortoises are include in this class. They have  dry scaly skin, and they laying soft-shelled eggs on land. animals which lay eggs are called oviparous



Mammals are a warm-blooded vertebrate animals. of they have hair or fur on the body, females that secrete milk for the young ones , and they directly give birth to young ones.animals which give directly birth to young ones are called viviparous  



Wednesday, January 13, 2016

SPICY RIDDLES


Spices, like everything else, are made of chemicals. Spices give us health, colour and fragrance and most of all they keep life from getting monotonous. Spices hide in them our traditions and culture.
let’s study about some spices which we uses in our daily kitchen.

I can be powdered fine
To make food hot and spicy,
If too much of me is added
I make you gasp – shheee… shheee…
Your eyes and nose begin to water
And you cry!
Think and tell me who am I?
Tell me quickly, who am I- Red Chilly

Red Chili Powder is also known as lal mirch powder. This is one of the most powerful hot spice which can easily affect the ears, tongue and stomach. Indian food or Indian recipes are greatly influenced with this  chili powder. You can easily get red chili powder in the grocery stores.

Uses
Chilli powder is the base for making any flavored, hot and spicy food.
The Chilli powder is greatly used for various types of veg and non-veg  food materials. It is highly incorporated in various salads  and tomato based sauces.
The ethnic dishes are mostly imparted with the flavor and heat blend of the chilli powder.

Grind me and powder me –
To make your food look yellow,
I am mixed in oil by granny
And applied to wounds quickly,
I heal all wounds – big and small,
That is why I am loved by all!
Think and tell me who am I?
Tell me quickly, who am I?-  Turmeric (Haldi)

Turmeric powder is a bright yellow spice powder made from dried turmeric rhizomes. Turmeric or haldi is one ingredient in your kitchen that holds a remedy for almost all illness you are likely to encounter. A staple spice in almost all Indian households. t has been used by  Ayurvedic and Unani practitioners in India from time immemorial.

Turmeric is an indispensable spice, which imparts a musky flavour and yellow colour to curries. Almost all Indian vegetable dishes use turmeric either separately or as part of the masala (spice mixture). It is also used in recipes comprising rice, lentils and dry beans. A small pinch of turmeric powder would is enough to add a pleasant orange-yellow hue to salad dressings. 

Small and round like a pearl,
I am black when I am whole.
I can be powdered coarse or fine
A sharp and spicy taste is mine,
Whether it is salty or sweet
I am added as a special treat,
Think and tell me who am I?
Tell me quickly, who am I?- pepper-kali mirchi


Black pepper comes from the pepper plant, a smooth woody vine that can grow up to 33 feet in hot and humid tropical climates. They begin to bear small white clustered flowers after 3 to 4 years and develop into berries known as peppercorns. Ground peppercorns produce the spice we call pepper. 

Uses

Black pepper stimulates the taste buds in such a way that an alert is sent to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion. Hence, adding a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper to your foods not only adds to the flavour but improves digestion as well. 
It is also an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of iron and vitamin K, and a good source of dietary fibre.

I am a small and skinny chap
Sometimes I am brown and
sometime black,
Added to hot oil and ghee
I spread my fragrance all around me,
When I am roasted.
Curd and jaljeera are favorite to me.
Think and tell me who am I?
Tell me quickly, who am I?- zeera

Cumin seeds are also known as jeera, zeera, seeragam or comino. Cumin are oblong shaped, pale or usually dark brown seeds in color. Indian recipes are greatly flavored with these cumin seeds. Cumin seeds is the form of aromatic spice with the bitter taste and very warm flavor. Cumin seeds can be used as whole, crushed or grounded one.

Uses

Whole cumin seeds are mostly used for tempering the various dals and jeera rice. Cumin seeds are widely used for different preparations of gravies and curry recipes. The Salads and various vegetarian recipes can be flavored with the tempering cumin seeds. They are mostly used for making butter milk (chas), lassi, soups and stews. Whole cumin seeds are great to use along with the whole garam masala for bringing the natural flavor in veg and non-veg dishes. Cumin seeds are highly used as whole, fried, toasted, roasted or powdered. You can make delicious jeera rice by tempering few cumin seeds in the butter.

I look like Zeera though green am I,
To make your stomach
healthy I always try,
Eat me always after your meal
I refresh your mouth, you
surely feel,
Think and tell me who am I?
Tell me quickly, who am I?- fennel seed

Fennelseed it has been traditionally used as an aid to digestion and it has many health benefits. Fennel Seeds  are very effective for digestive problems. In India, these are routinely chewed upon after meals to aid in digestion after a rich meal while acting as a herbal mouth freshener.
Uses
Fennel tea is a mild diuretic and can help flush excess water and toxins out of the body.Drinking this herbal tea can help ease a sore throat, reduce a fever and loosen phlegm from your respiratory system.

I look like a nail but a bud am I,
Chocolate brown colour and a
strong smell have I.
When your toothache
makes you shout,
I soothe the pain in your mouth.
Think and tell me who am I?
Tell me quickly, who am I?-  clove (laung)

cloves is derived from the Latin word ‘nail ‘means clavus. Cloves are normally 12-16 mm long just like nails with a tapered stem. Cloves is a flower bud of huge tropical tree. It is pink in color when is fresh and after dried it turns into rust brown color. Cloves can be used as whole, crushed or powdered one.

uses
Cloves can be roasted and then crushed to make a fine powder with the help of grinder and can be highly used for making various types of stews, soups and marinades. Cloves is a basic part of whole garam masala, which is one of the most important reason to bring the flavor and aroma in several rice recipes, pulaos and biryanis.

 Let us see some of the Other Commonly Used Spices  in the Kitchen

It is used in cooking to add a specific flavour to food. It also has some medicinal properties. . Fresh or dried bay leaves are used in cooking for their distinctive flavor and fragrance. The leaves are not meant to be eaten, although it is safe to do so.

Cinnamon is the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree. Cinnamon is harvested as strips of bark rolled one inside another. It is used for mainly for seasoning food and preparing masalas It has medicinal uses too. This can be prepared by roasting whole cinnamon and then crushing it into fine powder. And it supports natural production of insulin and reduces blood cholesterol in human body.

The hard brown seed from the nutmeg tree has a warm, spicy sweet flavor. It is used in powdered form for garnishing and also for masala preparation. It is used in soaps, perfumes and shampoos. It can also be used for medicinal purpose. It is beneficial for the treatments of asthma, heart disorder and bad breath.

Ginger is the underground rhizome of the ginger plant with a firm, striated texture. The flesh of the ginger rhizome can be yellow, white or red in color, depending upon the variety. It is covered with a brownish skin that may either be thick or thin, depending upon whether the plant was harvested when it was mature or young. It is used for giving a specific flavour to food and has many medicinal uses.Helps to avoid digestive problems. It is beneficial for coping with cough and cold.

Garlic is a wonderful seasoning to add aroma, taste, and added nutrition to your dishes. We often recommend using raw chopped or pressed garlic in many of our dishes to take advantage of the benefits derived from garlic. It is used for cooking as well as for the medicinal purpose. It is useful for coping with cough and cold. It also has antibiotic properties.

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the "saffron crocus". Saffron crocus grows to 20–30 cm and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are the distal end of a carpel. It is used for cooking as well as in beauty products. It is mainly used in sweet dishes. It has good medicinal properties. It helps to cope with skin diseases. It is a good remedy for cough, cold and asthma.

staranise is the unusual fruit of a small oriental tree. It is, as the name suggests, star shaped, radiating between five and ten pointed boat-shaped sections, about eight on average. It is used in cooking and for medicinal purpose Staranise oil is helpful for digestion and avoiding bad breath

Elaichi or cardamom is one of the most common spices seen in an Indian household. It is used in most of the Indian and other sweet dishes to give a good flavour and smell. It is also used widely in pharmaceutical sector. It Helps to control bad breath and digestive disorder. A whole cardamom chewed is good for coping with diabetes.

Coriandumsativum or coriander, also known as Chinese parsley, dhania, or cilantro, is grown extensively in southern Europe, northern Africa, and Asia. Coriander leaves as well as coriander seeds are used in cooking. It also has some medicinal uses. It can be used externally on aching joints and rheumatism. It is also good for coping with soar throat, allergies, digestion problems, hay fever etc.

Its leaves are used in many dishes in India and neighbouring countries. 
It is used as a main ingredient for seasoning in some countries. It has many medicinal uses. These leaves are beneficial for reducing blood sugar. Each part of the plant provides some benefit or the other. The dried leaves are extensively used in herbal medicines.

The Indian state known as the Spice Garden is Kerala. Kerala is a small state full of hills and hillocks with stunning green sceneries. There are many spices growing naturally in abundance in the state. Now try and make your own riddles about two other spices. Ask those riddles in your class. Draw pictures of the two spices in your notebook and write their names