CHANGING FAMILIES- (TEXT)

CHANGING FAMILIES

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

 CBSE IV

Here are some pictures of families. These are the families of Nimmi, Tsering and Nazli. Let us look at these pictures, talk about what we see and discuss.

FAMIIES:

Family means any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, 

children, uncles, aunts, and cousins are called a family.

Families are two types they are: Traditional or Nuclear Family

                                       MEMBERS OF A FAMILY

Mother, Father and children

Relatives other than parents and children

Grandparents

Aunts & Uncles

Cousins

All  families change in some way or the other because of different reasons. A group of 2 or more people who live together and/or are related by blood or marriage.

Some changes bring happiness in the family. Function of a family, A place for love and belonging. Year after year the number of family members may increase due to the marriage of a member or the birth of a new baby.

Some changes bring sadness in the family. The members of a family may decrease by the transfer of anyone or by the demise of anyone.

Festivals are the time when we meet some members of our family who live at different places. occasions bring happiness in the family:

A New Arrival!

There is great excitement in Nimmi’s family. She has a new baby sister.  

Who were the members of Nimmi’s family before the arrival of her baby sister?Has a small brother or sister been born in your home or in any house in your neighbourhood?

New Place:

Tsering’s father received a letter from his office. The letter said that he was being promoted and would have to move to another city.

When Tsering’s father showed the letter to his family, how do you think the different members would have felt?

It’s a Wedding!

There is great joy in Nazli’s home today. Her elder cousin brother

is getting married. There are many girls who get married before they are 18 years old.

Many of them have to even leave school. There are many true stories of girls like Susheela of Ranga Reddy district who are going back to school. She also got the help of the Panchayat. The Panchayat said that young children should play and study and not be married off.

A group of people of Andhra Pradesh holds special camps to help married girls to go back to school. Jangamma and Chitti say, “We would like to study and stand on our own feet.”

THANKYOU,

NANDITHA

REACHING GRAND MOTHER'S HOME- TEXT

REACHING GRAND MOTHER'S HOME

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

CLASS IV – CBSE

After our long train journey we reached Kottayam in the night.  Valiyamma’s house was not far from the station and we had to take two auto-rickshaws to get there.

By then I was very sleepy and did not even wait to eat anything. I took a bath and slept. I thought, I had just fallen asleep when Amma woke me up again. We got ready, took our luggage and went to the bus stand. Valiyamma’s family also came with us. We were ten people, and had a lot of luggage too!

The bus conductor came and Appa bought tickets for all of us. We managed to get seats. As it went along, the bus got very crowded. People were sharing the seats. We also had to share our seats.

After a long ride, the bus reached the last stop, I was happy to get off. My legs were stiff. I could hardly stand. I thought that we had finally reached Ammumma’s village.

But no! Our travel had not ended yet. The bus had dropped us by the water side. “Look”, Amma pointed across the water. “That is where we have to go.” “But how will we get there?” I wondered.

Just then I saw a boat coming. “There is the ferry,” Amma said. Immediately a big crowd of people started getting off – school children, men, women, all with their own packets and luggage.

Amma explained that the ferry was used by people to cross the water and reach the other side. As soon as the ferry got empty, the big rush started from our side. Everyone had to pay the fare before getting on. Very soon the ferry was full. It started off again.

I managed to get a place to stand along the railing. I saw the rippling of the still water as the ferry moved. It was moving smoothly on the water. 

There were rows of coconut trees on the banks of the river. As we moved swiftly, I could see people, fishing, washing, bathing along the banks and working.

Just before the sun disappeared into the water, the ferry reached the island and stopped. It was time for us to get off. At last, we reached Ammumma’s place. What a long and interesting journey it has been!

A railway time-table gives details about the route of every train – the stations along the route, what time the train will reach and leave each station, the distance covered, etc. We can buy a railway time-table from a railway station.

 THANKYOU,

N.NANDITHA

FROM THE WINDOW -TEXT

FROM THE WINDOW-07

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

CLASS IV – CBSE

It morning now. Last night I went to sleep early. It was too dark to see

anything outside. When the train stopped early this morning, I woke up. It was Madgaon. That was written on the board at the platform. Appa said that we were going through the state of Goa.

We got off at the station and had some hot tea and filled our water bottles. The train started again. I find it difficult to describe the scene outside. It is so beautiful. It is green everywhere – fields with red soil, green crops and hills covered with trees.

Sometimes, I can see small ponds, and far away, behind the hills, more water. I can’t make out if it is a river or the sea. The air is cooler, and not so dry as in Ahmedabad.

The train passed a ‘level crossing’. People are waiting on both the sides of the crossing for the train to pass. There are buses full of people, cars, trucks, autorickshaws, cycles, motor cycles, scooters and even tongas and bullockcarts with people and goods in them.

Some people do not switch off the engines of their vehicle even while waiting. There is a lot of smoke and noise. I see some people going under the bars of the level crossing. How dangerous this is!

At times our train crosses another train. Unni and I tried to count the carriages in one such train, but both the trains were going so fast. We always got confused.

Ö What was the difference in the scene that Omana saw from Discuss Sometimes people cross the tracks even when the crossing is closed.

Later, I was sitting near the window with my eyes closed. Suddenly the

sound of the moving train changed – khud, khud, khud… I opened my eyes. Guess what I saw?

Our train was crossing a very big river, on a very long bridge! As it was crossing the bridge it sounded very different. The wheels rattled as there was no ground, only the tracks, and the water down below. When I first looked down, I felt giddy. It was really quite scary!

The river down below was full of water and had some boats. I could also see some fishermen on the banks.

 I waved at them, but I did not know if they could see me. Alongside our

bridge, there was another bridge for buses and cars.This was built differently from ours. I think going over our bridge was more adventurous!

The last few hours have been so exciting. After breakfast, I climbed on to the upper berth to read my comics. It was bright and sunny outside.

Suddenly everything became dark. It also felt a little cold inside. I was afraid. Then the lights in the train came on.

But outside, it was very dark. Somebody said, “We have entered a tunnel. This goes right through the mountain.” The tunnel seemed to go on and on. And then, just as suddenly, we were in daylight again. Outside it was sunny, bright and green. The train had crossed the tunnel.Appa explained that we were on the other side of the mountain. Since then, we have passed through four smaller tunnels. Now I am enjoying going through the tunnels.

Imagine, if on the way there had been no tunnels and bridges, how would Omana’s train have crossed the moutains and rivers?

Now it is afternoon. For lunch we had idli-vada that we bought from Udipi station. We also bought some bananas. These were very small and

very tasty. The scene outside has changed again.

Now we can see many coconut trees, and green fields everywhere. Amma says that these are paddy fields.  The houses and villages look very different.

People’s clothes are also different from what we see in Ahmedabad. Most people are wearing white or cream-coloured dhotis and sarees.

Many people who were with us from Ahmedabad have got off. People have also got on to the train from different stations.

Sunil’s family is getting off at Kozhikode, which comes at around 6 O’clock. We have exchanged addresses and plan to meet in Ahmedabad. You will also like Sunil and Ann.

On the way from Gujarat to Kerala Omana’s train went through several states of our country. Find out and list which states it crossed.

We have also started packing up. The train will reach Kottayam in about

three hours. That is where we have to get off.

Tonight we will go to Valiyamma’s house. Tomorrow, we will take the bus that will take us to Ammumma’s village. We all are quite tired.

After all, we have been on the train for two days. What a long journey it has been! We had a lot of fun. I will put my diary away now. I will write again after we reach Ammumma’s house.

THANKYOU,

N.NANDITHA