Class 6 › English › Poorvi Chapter 3: Nurturing NatureClass 6 English — summary, notes, extra questions & NCERT solutions Tap a card to open it full-screen — swipe through like a story.
In 'Neem Baba', who talks to the wise old neem tree?
A A sage B A farmer C A girl named Amber D A boy named Vikram
Unit 3 of Poorvi celebrates nature and its gifts through three readings. The prose piece 'Neem Baba', adapted from S. I. Farooqi, is a conversation between a girl named Amber and a wise old neem tree she calls Neem Baba. The tree explains its ancient origins, its many names in different languages, and its countless uses: neem twigs clean teeth, neem leaves soothe measles and destroy germs, neem seed powder protects crops from pests and stops mosquitoes from breeding, and neem oil and wood are used for soaps, toothpaste and furniture. The poem 'What a Bird Thought', an anonymous verse, follows a baby bird whose idea of the world grows as it grows: first it thinks the world is a small blue shell, then a nest of straw, then a place made of leaves, and finally, flying beyond the tree, it realises the world is far larger than it ever imagined. The third reading, 'Spices that Heal Us', is a letter from a grandmother (Daadi) sharing home remedies using common kitchen spices, such as turmeric for energy and pain, fenugreek for sugar control, ginger for cough and cold, and fennel for digestion, while reminding readers to consult an elder before using them. Together the unit teaches respect for trees, curiosity about the world, and the traditional wisdom of natural remedies. Refer to the illustration in the NCERT textbook.
1 Amber sits under a neem tree and begins talking to it as Neem Baba. 2 Neem Baba tells Amber about neem’s old origin, many names, and where it is found. 3 He explains that people value neem because it cures diseases and is useful in many ways. 4 Amber and Neem Baba talk about neem leaves, bark, flowers, fruits, and roots being used in medicines. 5 Neem Baba tells how neem seed powder helps farmers by protecting crops and stopping mosquitoes and insects. 6 He also shares daily uses of neem, and Amber thanks him and promises to learn more. N Neem Baba The wise old neem tree that talks to Amber, explaining its origins and many uses.
P Personification A figure of speech giving human qualities to non-human things, as when the neem tree speaks and leaves 'whisper'.
A Azadirachta indica The scientific (Latin) name of the neem tree, derived from the name Persians gave it.
' 'What a Bird Thought' An anonymous poem showing how a baby bird's view of the world grows wider as it grows up.
H Home remedies Natural cures using kitchen spices, shared in the letter 'Spices that Heal Us'.
M Modal verbs Helping verbs such as may, should, can, must, need to and used to, taught through the spices letter.
whispering
speaking very softly
thought-provoking
interesting and makes us think
measles
disease with fever and red spots
itching
feeling the need to scratch
locusts
flying insects that damage crops
termites
insects that damage wood
cost-effective
good result with less cost
purifies
removes harmful particles
Q1 Who is Neem Baba and who talks to him? Answer Q2 Give two uses of the neem tree mentioned in 'Neem Baba'. Answer Q3 How is neem useful to farmers? Answer Q4 Why is the story of the neem tree called thought-provoking? Answer Q5 How does the baby bird's idea of the world change in 'What a Bird Thought'? Answer Q6 Why did the bird think the world was made of straw? Answer Q7 What did the bird realise when it flew beyond the tree? Answer Q8 In 'Spices that Heal Us', why does Daadi share natural cures? Answer Q9 Name two spices and one use each from Daadi's letter. Answer Q10 What warning does Daadi give about using natural cures? Answer Q1 I A tree is useful to us in many ways. Mention some of these uses. Write them in the picture given below. Answer Q2 II Neem is a common tree in our country. Discuss in groups of four and fill Columns 1 and 2 with what you know about the neem tree and what you want to know. Column 1. What do you know? Column 2. What do you want to know? Answer Q1 Amber found many facts about the neem tree from Neem Baba. Fill up the fact sheet based on what Neem Baba told her. LET US KNOW OUR NEEM Common name: Given by: Period of birth: Born at: Found in: Common names: Names given by scientists: 1. 2. Names given by others: 1. 2. Answer Q1 1. How is neem useful to farmers? Answer Q2 2. Mention some of the uses of the neem tree. Answer Q1 I You just read about the neem tree. Write any two facts that surprised you the most. Answer Q2 II Complete the following sentences. 1. Amber played in the shade of ______________________. Answer Q3 II Complete the following sentences. 2. Neem seed powder protects crops from ______________________. Answer Q4 II Complete the following sentences. 3. ______________________ is a cost-effective method to stop mosquitoes from breeding in stagnant water. Answer Q5 II Complete the following sentences. 4. One reason why doctors advise us to use neem leaves for someone suffering from measles is ______________________. Answer Q6 III Which parts of the neem tree are used to make medicines? Answer Q7 IV Why is the story of neem tree thought-provoking? Answer Q1 I Study these words from the text. • something • neem oil • cleanliness-parting • well known • grandmother • seed powder • childhood • well trained • thought-provoking Put the compound words given above in their trees. These words are known as compound words. There are three types of compound words, based on how the words are separated. • Open compound words: spaces between the words. • Closed compound words: no spaces between the words. • Hyphenated compound words: hyphens between the words. Open compound words _____________________ Closed compound words _____________________ Hyphenated compound words _____________________ Answer Q2 II Words that tell us what a person is doing are called verbs. In the table given below, match the verbs in the first column showing action in the present to verbs in the second column showing action in the past. Make a sentence with any one form of the verb. One has been done for you. Present Past Answer Sentence 1. become (i) made 1. (iv) I want to become a teacher when I grow up. 2. find (ii) gave 3. make (iii) told 4. discover (iv) became 5. tell (v) found 6. give (vi) discovered Answer Q3 III Amber speaks to Neem Baba as if speaking to a person. This figure of speech is called personification. Let us look at some more examples. • The leaves whispered in the wind. • The flowers danced merrily in the breeze. Now, discuss it with your classmates and teacher. Answer Q1 You will now listen to a boy speaking to his mother. As you listen, select the correct statements. (refer to page 101 for transcript) 1. The mother was surprised to know that Peepal Baba had planted trees all over the country. Answer Q2 You will now listen to a boy speaking to his mother. As you listen, select the correct statements. 2. The mother disliked the work being done by Peepal Baba. Answer Q3 You will now listen to a boy speaking to his mother. As you listen, select the correct statements. 3. The mother wanted to know more about Peepal Baba. Answer Q4 You will now listen to a boy speaking to his mother. As you listen, select the correct statements. 4. The boy decided to take care of trees by listening to Peepal Baba’s journey. Answer Q5 You will now listen to a boy speaking to his mother. As you listen, select the correct statements. 5. The boy was worried about what his teacher had told him. Answer Q1 Collect dry leaves of four different trees and plants around you. 1. 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/plant the leaf is taken from and one of its uses. Answer Q2 2. Now, speak about the whole process of making the card in front of the class. Answer Q3 3. 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. Answer Q1 You have read about Neem Baba and learnt many things about the neem tree. Look at the trees in your neighbourhood and write a paragraph about any one tree that you like. • Where it is (roadside/park, etc.) • How it looks (height, tree trunk, leaves, flowers, etc.) • Why you like it (shade, medicinal properties, shelter, beauty, etc.) • Give a title to your paragraph. Answer Q1 When people from Persia came to India and saw that a common tree of their country was freely growing here, they started calling the tree Azad Darakhte Hindi. So, the scientific name of Neem in Latin became Azadirachta indica. Neem has different names in the Indian languages. Discuss with your teacher and find out which Indian languages these names belong to. Name Nimb Nim Leemba Nimori Nimbamond Nimbe Nimo Indian Answer Q1 I 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? Also, discuss in groups. Answer Q2 II Where do you see birds? What do you see the birds doing? Answer Q3 III Do you want to fly like a bird? Why? Answer Q4 IV What does a baby bird think about its world? Answer Q5 V Read the sentences and replace the underlined words with their correct meanings. S.No. Sentences Meanings 1. The colour of the feather was not dark but pale. 2. The butterfly moved lightly and quickly on to the flower. 3. Finally, I finished my bird painting after trying many times. 4. The pretty flowers were the prize for the gardener’s hard work. at last light labour fluttered Answer Q1 I Read the poem again. Identify the main idea of each stanza. There are two extra sentences are given. 1. The bird steps out into the world. 2. The bird lived happily in a small world. 3. The bird becomes blind due to leaves. 4. The bird flies away as an adult. 5. The bird is unhappy with the straw nest. 6. The bird lived in a cosy nest with its mother. Answer Q2 II Look at the pictures 1–4 and write the matching line from the poem for each. 1. 2. 3. 4. Answer Q3 III Answer the following with a word from the poem and check the answers with your partner. 1. What was the shape of the bird’s first house? _ O _ _ _ Answer Q4 III Answer the following with a word from the poem and check the answers with your partner. 2. What was the bird’s second nest made of? _ _ R _ _ Answer Q5 III Answer the following with a word from the poem and check the answers with your partner. 3. What did the bird see when it came out of its nest? L _ _ _ E _ Answer Q6 III Answer the following with a word from the poem and check the answers with your partner. 4. What did the bird do at the end? _ _ _ W Answer Q7 IV Now, recite the poem aloud along with your teacher and classmates. Answer Q1 I Write whether the following sentences are True or False. 1. The bird changed its house two times. Answer Q2 I Write whether the following sentences are True or False. 2. The neighbours tell the bird about the world. Answer Q3 II Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below. 1. I thought the world was made of straw, And nestled by my mother. (i) Who lived in the nest along with the baby bird? Answer Q4 II Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below. 1. I thought the world was made of straw, And nestled by my mother. (ii) Complete the following by choosing the correct option. The bird thought the world was made of straw because __________. A. it lived in a straw hut B. its nest was made of straw C. its mother fed straw to it D. there was straw all around Answer Q5 II Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below. 1. I thought the world was made of straw, And nestled by my mother. (iii) Which word tells us that the baby bird was warm and comfortable? Answer Q6 II Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below. 2. I said the world is made of leaves, I have been very blind. (i) Why did the bird think the world was made of leaves? Answer Q7 II Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below. 2. I said the world is made of leaves, I have been very blind. (ii) What does the set of words ‘I said’ mean? A. flew B. shouted C. spoke D. cried Answer Q8 II Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below. 2. I said the world is made of leaves, I have been very blind. (iii) Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence. The bird felt that it had been very blind because it could not __ __ __ the leaves from __ n __ __ __ e the nest. Answer Q9 III Why did the baby bird think that its first world was small, round and blue? Answer Q10 IV Where did the bird go when it fluttered from its straw nest? Answer Q11 V What quality did the bird say it had, when it flew away? Answer Q12 VI Who do you think were the bird’s neighbours? Why do you think so? Discuss. Answer Q1 I Let us write some rhyming words. One has been done for you. Words from the poem Stanza 1 Stanza 2 Stanza 3 Stanza 4 well shell New rhyming words fell Now, complete a new stanza with rhyming words at the end of each line. I fly high and I fly low, But one thing I surely k __ __ __, Whenever I wish to rest, My little nest is the __ __ __\(t\). Answer Q2 II The poet uses words like ‘pale’, ‘blue’, ‘round’, ‘straw’ and ‘little’ to describe the bird’s nest. Read a few more describing words. pointed green thin brown small wooden hanging round Now, use the describing words given in the box to create six sentences based on the given picture. 1. …………………………………… 2. …………………………………… 3. …………………………………… 4. …………………………………… 5. …………………………………… 6. …………………………………… Answer Q1 You will listen to a short poem. As you listen, fill in the missing words. You can listen to the poem more than once. (refer to page 102 for transcript) I’m a parrot, my name is Paro, My feathers are __ __ __ g __ __ and they glow. In the morning, I spread my wings, ___ ___ ___ around and see wonderful things. Come with me through the skies so ___ l ___ ___, To places old and places new. Among the ___ ___ e ___ ___, where the breeze is light, Many new s t __ __ __ ___ s, oh, what a sight! Answer Q1 Speak about which bird you would like to be. Include the following points. • Which bird are you? [I am ….......…….] • What do you look like? [I am ….......……. in colour. I am a big/small bird. I have ….......…….] • Where do you live? [I live in ….......……. It is (where) ….......…….] • What do you do during the day? [ I ….......……. I also ….......…….] • Do you have any message for humans? [ I want to tell the humans ….......…….] Answer Q1 I Read how the bird perceived its world. My world was small, round and light blue at first. After that my world was warm and comfortable. It was made of straw. In this world I could only see leaves whenever I stepped out. In the end, my world became big. It had the sky and the earth as a part of it. Answer Q2 II Now, discuss with your teacher and classmates how you think the world would look to the following. 1. a baby 2. a fish Answer Q3 III Now, write five sentences each, for both 1 and 2, in your notebooks. You can take help from the example given in I. Answer Q1 I 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. • Why do you think our homes are not made of straw? • If you had to own a home of your choice, what would it look like and what materials would you like to use? • How is a home different from a house? Discuss with your classmates and teacher. Answer Q2 II Look at the different kinds of nests and homes the birds make. Have you seen any? Discuss these type of nests with your teacher and classmates. • Look at the list of some workers who build houses. Find out the work they do and write, as shown in the example. You can think of other workers and add them too. Workers Their work Example: mason lays bricks and stones 1. painter 2. electrician 3. plumber 4. carpenter 5. architect 6. 7. Answer Q1 I 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. Write them below and share your answers with your teacher. 1. _______________ 2. _______________ 3. _______________ Answer Q2 II 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. Share your answers with your teacher. S.No. Spice Name in your language Name in English 1. Turmeric 2. Fenugreek 3. Cumin seeds 4. Asafoetida 5. Cinnamon 6. Clove 7. Ginger 8. Black pepper 9. Fennel seeds 10. Cardamom Answer Q3 III Do you know if these spices can be used for something else other than cooking? Let us find out by reading the letter given below. Answer Q1 I Read the given lines and answer the following 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.’ 1. Where exactly in the kitchen did her grandmother find the cures? Answer Q2 I Read the given lines and answer the following 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.’ 2. Give one example of weather-related common illnesses. Answer Q3 I Read the given lines and answer the following 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.’ 3. What kind of relationship did the speaker have with her grandmother? Answer Q4 II Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence. Daadi soaked methi seeds overnight and drank the water in the morning to manage _____________________ and _____________________. Answer Q5 III Circle the spice that is not useful for body pain according to Daadi’s letter. 1. Turmeric 2. Fennel seeds 3. Ginger 4. Black pepper Answer Q6 IV Why did Daadi ask Vikram and Vaibhavi to share the natural cures with their friends? Answer Q7 V What was Daadi’s final advice to Vikram and Vaibhavi? Answer Q8 VI How do we know that natural cures are passed from one generation to another? Answer Q9 VII Why do you think we should know about the healing properties of spices? Answer Q1 I You have read the uses of spices in the letter. Complete the following table with the help of your teacher. You may use the words from the box given below. Part of the plant: root/bark/leaves/flower buds/fruit/seeds Texture: rough/soft/silky Taste: bitter/sweet/sour/salty/spicy Spice Name Part of the plant Colour Texture Taste Turmeric Fenugreek Cinnamon Clove Black pepper Cardamom Answer Q2 II Read the sentences given below. • You may share them with your friends. • You should try to remember these cures. • It can help control cough and cold. • You must consult an elder before you use them. • I need to soak the methi seeds overnight. • I used to put heeng water on your tummy. The underlined words are known as helping verbs. These are called modal verbs or modals. Each modal verb has a different function. Column A Helping verbs Column B Functions (i) may a. past habit (ii) should b. suggestion (iii) can c. compulsion (iv) must d. advice (v) need to e. ability (vi) used to f. necessity 1. The words given in Column A are helping verbs. Match the helping verbs in Column A with their functions in Column B. Answer Q3 II Read the sentences given below. 2. Complete the following dialogues with any four modals from the table given above. (Use a modal only once.) Ajay : Anand had fever last week. He (i) _____________ take good rest. Suman : Yes, he (ii) _____________ or he will fall ill again. Ajay : He (iii) _____________ take grandmother’s natural cures. Suman : Yes, we (iv) _____________ remember how effective they are. Answer Q1 You will listen to the benefits of Tulsi (Holy Basil), a common herb. As you listen, complete the fact sheet given below. (refer to page 102 for transcript) THE WONDER HERB 1. Name Tulsi Family: _____________ 2. First found in _____________ 3. Now found everywhere in India 4. Known as The _____________ of herbs 5. Can decrease levels of _____________ and cholesterol 6. Used to treat disorders of breathing and _____________ 7. Is used to make mouth wash and _____________ 8. We can have Tulsi leaves by eating them _____________ or adding them while making _____________ Answer Q1 1. Daadi told Vikram and Vaibhavi about many spices. Choose one spice and introduce yourself as that spice to the class. 2. Before you speak, make a spicy headband for the spice you chose. Follow the steps given below. Cut out strips of a 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. Use the headband while introducing yourself as the spice. 3. Mention the following while speaking. • your name • part of the plant • colour • texture • taste • benefits Answer Q1 I 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. 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 Natural Cures for Cough 1. To prepare this home remedy, you just need ginger and honey. First, take ____________________, 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 ____________________ slightly on very low heat for a minute. Then ____________________ 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. 2. To prepare the second ____________________ for cough, take about 10 grams of each— long pepper, dried ginger and basil leaves. Add four to six small cardamoms and ____________________ a fine powder. If you take this powder with an equal ____________________, it will give you relief from cough. Answer Q2 II Now, write a short paragraph on Tulsi based on the completed fact sheet in ‘Let us listen’. Answer Q1 I Now that you have read about many spices, can you guess the spices based on the riddles given below? 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? ________________________ 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? ________________________ Answer Q2 II Fill in the blanks to complete the riddle below. Write another riddle of your own and ask your family members to guess the spice. 1. Brownish- _________ in colour, and _________ to taste, I help everyone, to _________ their weight. Who am I? Ans: Fenugreek (methi) 2. ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ Answer Q3 III Close your eyes and learn about spices by smelling and feeling them. The teacher may also provide a few different spices to try. Answer Key-term flashcards
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The wise old neem tree that talks to Amber, explaining its origins and many uses.
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