6th Science and Social in English Medium

GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU
STANDARD SIX
TERM - I
VOLUME - 3
SCIENCE
SOCIAL SCIENCE
A publication under Free Textbook Programme of Government of Tamil Nadu
Department Of School Education
TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 1 16-03-2018 20:16:29

Government of Tamil Nadu
First Edition - 2018
(Published under Uniform System

of School Education Scheme in
Trimester Pattern)
NOT FOR SALE
Content Creation
The wise
possess all
State Council of Educational

Research and Training
© SCERT 2018
Printing & Publishing
Tamil NaduTextbook and Educational

Services Corporation
www.textbooksonline.tn.nic.in
II

STANDARD SIX
TERM - I
VOLUME - 3
SCIENCE
III

The Science textbook for standard six has been prepared following
the guidelines given in the National Curriculum Framework
2005. The book is designed to maintain the
paradigm shift from the primary General
PREFACE Science to branches as Physics, Chemistry,
Botany and Zoology.
The book enables the reader to read the
text, comprehend and perform the learning experiences with the
help of teacher. The Students explore the concepts through activities
and by the teacher’s demonstration. Thus the book is learner centric with
simple activities that can be performed by the students under the supervision of
teachers.
The first term science Book for has

seven units. HOW
Two units planned for every month TO USE
in addition computer science chapter THE BOOK
has been introduced.
Each unit comprises of simple activities and experiments
that can be done by the teacher as demonstration if
necessary student’s can perform these activities.
Colourful infographics and infobits enhances the visual learning.
Glossary has been introduced to learned scientific terms.
The “Do you know?” box can be used to enrich the knowledge of general
science around the world.
ICT Corner and QR code has been introduced in each unit for the first time
to enhance digital science skills.
Lets use the QR code in the text books ! How ?

• Download the QR code scanner from the Google PlayStore/
Apple App Store into your smartphone
• Open the QR code scanner application
• Once the scanner button in the application is clicked, camera opens and then
bring it closer to the QR code in the text book.
• Once the camera detects the QR code, a URL appears in the screen.
Click the URL and go to the content page.
IV
IV

SCIENCE TERM - Ⅰ
Table of Contents
Unit 1 Measurements............................................................... 1
Unit 2 Force and Motion....................................................... 18
Unit 3 Matter Around Us...................................................... 39
Unit 4 The Living World of Plants................................. 64
Unit 5 Living World of Animals....................................... 79
Unit 6 Health and Hygiene................................................. 91
Unit 7 Computer-An Introduction............................... 108
E - book Assessment DIGI links

V

VI

Unit
1 Measurements
metre
Learning Objectives
• Able to understand the need for measurement in our life.

• Able to define length, mass, time and volume.
• Able to evaluate the values of some physical quantities in terms of their
units and sub units.
• Able to identify zero error and parallax error.
• Able to measure the volume of solids and liquids.
• Able to construct their own measuring tools (models)

Few Questions to start with: Introduction
&& Your cousin asks you what your We have already heard about the words
height is. How will you measure like weight, kilogram, litres, millilitres,
and inform him? kilometre, length, distance etc. In this
&& Your friends decide to play kabbadi. chapter let’s have a deeper look at
How will you measure and draw length, weight, volume and time and
the border lines? the necessity to measure them. To do
the tasks given above we need to know
&& Your father gives you a bag and
about measurement. The comparison of
asks you to get potatoes. How will
unknown quantities with some known
you ask the shopkeeper? A bag full
quantities is known as measurement.
of potatoes or how will you ask?
Measurement of a quantity has two parts:
&& Your mom daily gets milk from the a number and its unit.
milkman. How much does she get?
What are the measuring tools that you
A cup of milk or two tumblers of
know?
milk or how?
Which of these tools will you use to do
&& How long will it take to reach your
the tasks listed above and the similar ones?
school from your house?
&& How does the shopkeeper measure 1.1 Length
kerosene while selling it? What is length? The distance between
one end and the other desired end is
called as length. It may be the distance

Measuring Tools

between the edges of a book or a table or Measure the length of your pencil now.
the corners of a football ground or even For sure the lengths of all your pencils
from your home to school. are not the same.
The standard unit of length is 'Metre'. 1. Take the meter scale
It is represented by letter ‘m’. Very small 2. Check lines with marking 1,2,3,4 ...
lengths can be measured in mm and cm. till 15 (for smaller scales) or till 30
Still larger measures, say height of a (bigger scales). The distance between
building, a banner or a lamp post are all 1 and 2 is denotes a centimetre (it is
measured in metre. How to express still written as ‘cm’).
longer lengths? Say distance between 3. Notice, in between 1 and 2 there will
two cities or villages or distance between be smaller markings. If you count,
your school and home? It is expressed in there will be 9 such lines. The distance
kilometre (km). between any two consecutive smaller
Know the unit of length markings within a ‘cm’ denotes a
1 km (kilometre) = 1000 m (metre) millimetre (written as ‘mm’).
1 m (metre) = 100 cm Let us now understand more about the
(centimetre) three important quantities – Length, Mass
1 cm (centimetre) = 10 mm and Time.
(millimetre) From the activity:1 you see that your
Think: Can you convert 1 km in terms measurement is different from that of
of cm? your friends. Also different measuring
units are used in different countries.

Multiples and sub multiples of
Activity 1
SI Units
Form a group of 5 Prefixes used in SI Units. (Always remember
members. Select one the base unit is metre, litre, kilogram)
person and others measure
1.1.1 Corrective Measures for
her/his height individually
Measurement
using your hand span
Measurement has to be accurate and the
and cubit. Compare your
approach has to be correct always. In our
answers with others.
day to day life approximation may not have
Do you find any differences? Why?
much impact. But it has a large impact in
Now you all stand in front of a wall
scientific calculations. For example, if the
and mark your height on the wall.
curvature of key (lock and key) is changed
Measure your height with a scale.
by even 1 mm, the lock would not open.
What differences do you infer?
Let us look at some common mistakes
Why do we need SI Units? that occur while using a scale.
The sake of uniformity, scientists all over To measure the length of a pin
the world have adopted a common set using a scale
of units to express measurements. This
system is called as the International
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
cm
System of Units or SI Units.

• The head of the pin has to coincide
SI unit for length is Metre
with ‘0’ of the scale.
SI Unit for mass is Kilogram
• Count the number of centimetre and
SI Unit for time is Second
from there count the number of finer
Area of Surface = m2 divisions. The count of the division
Volume of Solid = m3 is ‘mm’
• In the above example the length of
pin is 2 cm and 6 mm.
Prefix Abbreviation Submultiple/ Multiple For Metre

Deci d Submultiple: 1/10 10 decimetre = 1 metre
Centi c Submultiple: 1/100 100 centimetre = 1 metre
Milli m Submultiple: 1/1000 1000 millimetre = 1 metre
Nano n Submultiple: 1000000000 nano metre
1/1000000000 = 1 metre
Kilo k Multiple: 1000 1000 metres = 1 Kilometre

In the given activity, measure the quantities using suitable measuring units and express
them with suitable multiple and submultiples.
Measuring Unit Multiple /

Picture Activity
m/kg/s Submultiple
Length of tip metre millimetre

of pencil.
Length of the
pen
Distance
between two
cities
Mass of dry
fruits in tablets
Mass of
jewellery
Time taken to
finish 100 m
race

• Take care to write the correct Methods of measuring Length of a
submultiple curved line:
Activity 2
• Always keep the object in parallel to
the scale Aim: To find the length of a curved
line using a string.
• Start the measurement from ‘0’ of the
scale. Materials needed: A meter scale,
a measuring tape, a string and
1.1.3 Parallax Error a sketch pen
Parallax is a displacement or difference Method:
in the apparent position of an object
• Draw a curved line AB on a piece
viewed along two different lines of
of paper
sight.
• Place a string along the curved
A B C line. Make sure that the string
covers every bit of the curved line.
• Mark the points where the curved
line begins and ends on the string.
• Now, stretch the string along
the length of a meter scale and
measure the distance between
the two markings of the string.
Note it.
Correct position of the eye is also • This will give you the length of a
important for taking measurement. curved line.
Your eye must be exactly in front of
vertically above the point where the
measurement has to be taken. In the
above representation, to avoid parallax
error, reading will be correct. From Find the length of a banana.
positions ‘A’ and ‘C’, the readings will be
different and erroneous.

other quantities. Using length, we can
Activity 3
find out other measurements like Area
Measuring the length of a curved line and Volume. Area is obtained by using two
using a divider lengths. So, Area = Length × Breadth.
Now, you can guess how to measure the
area of your text book, your classroom or
your playground.
Draw a curved line AB on a piece of Volume is also a derived quantity and

paper it can be measured from measuring
Separate the legs of the divider by lengths. Let us calculate volume of a
0.5 cm or 1 cm using a ruler. box. To know the volume of a box we
need to know the length (l), breadth (b)
Place it on the curved line starting
and height (h). With a measuring scale
from one end. Mark the position of
measure the three parameters in cm. The
the other end. Move it along the line
volume of the box = l × b × h. Unit of
again and again cutting the line into
volume would be obviously cm × cm ×
number of segments of equal lengths.
cm = cubic cm or cm3. What do you infer
The remaining parts of the line can
from this? Assume the volume of cubical
be measured using a scale.
box is 1000 cubic cm. It means 1000
Count the number of segments
cubes each with dimensions 1cm × 1cm
Therefore, the length of the line = × 1cm can be placed inside the box. Try
(number of segments × length of each to express this quantity in suitable unit.
segment) + length of the left over part.
1.2.2 Volume of Liquid
Measuring the volume of a liquid is
1.2 Volume
quite easy. Liquids take the shape of the
1.2.1 Volume of Solids
container in which they are kept. A liquid
Length is a fundamental quantity. That whose volume is to be found can simply
means, it connot be expressed in any
8

be poured into a graduated container. by an object. We can use this property
Graduated cylinders, beakers, pipettes to measure the volume of an object with
and burettes are available for measuring irregular shape, for example a stone.
exact volumes. The volume of liquid is Let us try to find volume of a small piece
usually measured in litres. of stone.
75 ml
Conical Flask
Irregular
Shaped
Object
Fill a graduated measuring cylinder

with water to certain level, say 50 ml.
Tie the stone with a piece of fine thread.
Immerse the stone completely into water.
As the stone is immersed, we can
observe that water level increases. Why?
We would have often heard the word litre
The stone displaces the water to occupy
in our daily life. For an example 1 litre
the space inside the measuring cylinder.
milk packet, 20 litres water can.
How much water would be displaced? It
Do you know the would be equal to the space taken up by
quantity of blood in a stone. So the amount of water displaced
human body? will be the volume of the stone. This
method is called as water displacement
method.
Measuring the volume of o
bjects
Suppose initially the water level was
with irregular shape
50 ml. After you immerse a stone the
Suppose you want to measure the water level rises to 75 ml. What is the
volume of an object which has irregular volume water displaced? Volume of the
shape. How will you do this? There is water displaced is 75 ml – 50 ml = 25ml
no mathematical formula to measure
1ml = 1 cubic cm
this but there are many ways to do.
25ml = 25 cm3. the volume of
Remember, volume is the space occupied
stone = 25cm3

1.2.3 Volume of gas 1.3 Mass
We can also measure the volume of 1.3.1 Mass and Weight
gases. Gases expand to fill the container Mass is the measure of the amount of matter
into which they are placed. When you in an object. Weight is the gravitational pull
compress, a gas you can make the experienced by the mass.
same gas to occupy lesser space. (as Hold a sheet of paper in one hand and a book
in LPG gas cylinder). Therefore it is in another. Which hand feels the heavyness?
not easy to talk about the volume of The mass of the book is more than that of
gas in the same way as a volume of a single sheet of paper. Therefore the pull
a stone or a liquid. It is essential to on the book is more than that of the paper.
take into account the pressure at which Hence our hand has to give more force to
the gases are kept. We will learn about hold a book than a paper. This force is what
these later. we experience as ‘heaviness’.
SI unit for Volume of solid is cubic
metre. Liquids and gases are usually More to Know
measured in litres. But also can be The weight is directly proportional to
measured in m3 or cubic metre. Similar to the mass on earths surface. On moon
the length, where the gravitational force is lesser
1 m3 = 1 kilolitre (kl or kL) than earth, the weight will reduce
but the mass will remain same. The
1cm3 = 1 millilitre (ml or mL)
moon’s gravitational pull is one sixth
1mm3 = 1 microlitre (µl or µL)
of the earth’s pull. Thus objects weigh
six times lighter on the Moon than on
Activity 4
the Earth.
Take three vessels filled with water.
The SI unit of mass is kilogram. It is
By looking at the amount of water
represented by the ‘kg’.
guess which vessel has more volume
Now a question, what is your mass?
of water. How will you check this
If you measure it grams that would be a
experimentally?
huge number is it not? So it is expressed
How to measure the volume of
in kilogram. Bigger weights are measured
the given vessel?
in tonne or Metric Tonne.
1000 milligram = 1 gram
1000 gram = 1 kilogram
1000 kilogram = 1 tonne
1.3.2 Beam Balance

We use beam balances to measure mass.
A beam balance works by comparing the
10

mass of an object to that of known mass balances may also be used to weigh food,
(called a standard mass) other grocery items, as well as jewellery.
Activity 5
Construct your own beam balance

using two scrapped coconut shells, 1.4 Time
strings or twines thick cardboard as
Day changes into night and night in to
frame and a little sharpened pencil as
day. Seasons also change. We know time
index needle.
passes. How do we measure the passage
What can you achieve? of time? Clocks are used to measure
1. Find which object is heavier time. You know how to read a clock face
2. Find approximate weight of lighter and note the time. You can also use your
things (leaves, piece of papers, etc) pulse to measure ‘rough’ time. Count
the number of pulses. That can tell you
the time elapsed. In your normal speed
of speaking, say “one little second”;
“two little second” to count the passage
of time.
Activity 6
Ask four or five of your friends to run

a race from one end of the school to
1.3.3 Electronic Balance another. Mark the starting point and
An electronic balance is a device used to the ending point. Using your pulse (or
find accurate measurements of weight. It counting by saying ‘one little second’
is used very commonly in laboratories for etc) count the time taken for each
weighing chemicals to ensure a precise of them to complete the race. Check
measurement of those chemicals for who is faster?
use in various experiments. Electronic
11

In earlier days people Fast Facts
used sand clock and An odometer is a device used for
sundial to measure indicating distance travelled by an
the passage of time automobile.
during the day. The shadow cast The metric system or standard set of
by a stick can be used to estimate units was created by the French in
time. One can also use a vessel 1790.
with a small hole for computing A ruler or scale, used now a days to
time. Take a vessel or bottle with a measure length was invented by a
small hole in it and fill it with water. William Bedwell in 16th century.
The time taken for water to drain
A standard metre rod made of an alloy
can also be used as a measuring
of platinum and iridium is placed at
device.
the Bureau of weights and measures
These are rough methods for in Paris. National Physical Laboratory
counting passage of time. We can in Delhi has a copy of this metre rod.
use electronic clock, stopwatch and
One kilogram is equal to the mass of
other instruments to count even
a certain bar of platinum-iridium alloy
smaller durations of time.
that has been kept since 1889 at the
International Bureau of Weights and
Measures in Sèvres, France.
Numerical Problems
• Look at a meter scale carefully and
answer the following:
• How many mm are there in a cm?
• How many cm are there in a m?
• Complete the following:
¾¾ 7875 cm = m cm
¾¾ 1195 m = km m
¾¾ 15 cm 10 mm = mm
¾¾ 45 km 33 m = m.
A Quick Look
• The comparison of an unknown
Sand Clock quantity with some known quantity is
known as measurement.
12

• All physical quantities have standard • Give other options if it is not a big
units for the sake of uniformity. campus.
• Length, mass and time are some of • Is the distance in the sea also
the fundamental physical quantities. calculated in kilometres? How is it
• The SI units for possible to calculate the distance in
sea water? Explore!
Length - metre
• We know that the distance between
Mass - kilogram
celestial bodies is calculated in terms
Time - second
of light year. (Ah! Unit of distance in
Volume - litre (or) cm3 terms of year???) Yes, it’s the distance
• While using ruler, the accurate travelled by light in one year. Now
measurement can be arrived by without calculator find how many
avoiding three types of possible errors. kilometres light would have travelled
• Volume of solids, liquids and regular in a year. (No Calculator). Get the
objects is measured by direct speed of light from your class teacher.
measurement. • We see that the distances between
• Volume of irregular objects can be Chennai and Madurai is ‘462’ kms.
measured by water displacement But from which point to which point
method. is this distance calculated?. As we are
• Electronic balance is an instrument science students we need to know it
to provide accurate measurement of with the precision. Is it between the
mass correct up to milligram. two bus stands? Or between the two
railway stations? Discuss and figure
Some open ended questions it out. Check your answers with your
• The school authority planned to class teacher.
conduct a mini marathon race within • A person needs to drink two litres of
the school campus. They decided water a day. Note down how much
that the running distance to be 2 water you drink each day? Make a
kilometres. Is it possible to have a rough calculation and check if you
school campus with circumference of are drinking the required amount
2km? Discuss with your friends of how of water.
big the campus should be?
13

ICT CORNER
AREA & PERIMETER
Lets play with

Area N Perimeter
Steps:
• Access the application by typing Area N Perimeter or install with the
help of the link given below or the given QR code
• Open the Application and click START button.
• You can see the field whose area is to be measured. Drag and put the tiles
on field.
• Use the (+) and (-) to find out the area of the given field.
• Click the CHECK button to check your answer.
• You can view your whole results by clicking the RESULT button.
Step1 Step2 Step3 Step4
URL:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bodhaguru.
AreaNPerimeter
Pictures are indicative only
14

Evaluation 2. Length of one’s chest can be measured
by using metre scale.
3. Ten millimetres makes one centimetre.
4. A hand span is a reliable measure of
I. Choose the correct answer length.
1. The girth of a tree can be measured by 5. The SI system of units is accepted
everywhere in the world.
a) Metre scale c) plastic ruler
b) Metre rod d) measuring tape III. Fill up the blanks

1. SI Unit of length is symbolically
2. The conversion of 7 m into cm gives
represented as .
a) 70 cm c) 700 cm
2. 500 gm = kilogram
b) 7 cm d) 7000 cm 3. Distance between Delhi and Chennai
3. Quantity that can be measured is can be measured in .
called 4. 1 m = cm
a) Physical quantity c) unit 5. 5 km = m.
b) Measurement d) motion IV. Analogy

4. Choose the correct one 1. Sugar: Beam balance; Lime juice?
a) km > mm > cm > m 2. Height of a person: cm; length of your

sharpened pencil lead?
b) km> mm > cm > km
3. Milk: volume; vegetables?
c) km > m > cm > mm
V. Match the following
d) km > cm > m > mm
Column A Column B
5. While measuring length using a ruler,
the position of your eye should be 1. Length of the fore Metre
arm
a) Left side of the point.
2. SI unit of length Second
b) Vertically above the point where
3. Nano 103
the measurement is to be taken.
4. SI Unit of time 10–9
c) Right side of the point
5. Kilo Cubit
d) Any where according to one’s
VI. Complete the given table
convenience.
Volume Kg
II. True or False
Length of your little Km
1. 126 kg is the correct way of expressing finger
mass.
15

VII. Arrange in increasing order of 7. is a fundamental
unit quantity
1 Metre, 1 centimetre, 1 kilometre, and 8. shows the distance

1 millimetre. covered by an automobile
9. A tailor use to take

VIII. Find the answer for the
measurements to stitch a cloth
following questions within the grid
10. Liquids are measured with this
1. 10-3 is one
physical quantity
2. SI Unit of time
IX. Answer in a word or two.
3. Cross view of reading for a
measurement leads to 1. What is the full form of SI system?
2. Name any one instrument used for
4. is the one what a clock
measuring mass.
reads
3. Find the odd one out
5. is the amount of

K ilogram, Millimetre, Centimetre,
substance present in an object
Nanometre
6. can be taken to get
4. What is the SI Unit of mass?
the final reading of the recordings
5. What are the two parts present in a
of different of students for a single
measurement
measurement.
A P L R K
C O E O S
M K N R I
P R G R T
R H E S T E D L L I T R E D A
L T H D H P
O E O N K E
A M S O R V
V I E C T O
E L K E S S
R L I S T K H
A I T I V P
G M X M N U
E Z D E S K P G I W M F
Z T D K H O D O M E T E R
16

X. Answer in a sentence or two. XI. Solve the following
1. Define measurement. 1. The distance between your school and
2. Define mass. your house is 2250 m. Express this
3. The distance between two places distance in kilometre.
is 43.65 km. Convert it into metre 2. While measuring the length of a
and cm. sharpened pencil, reading of the scale
4. How will you measure the volume of at one end is 2.0 cm and at the other
irregular objects? end is 12.1 cm. What is the length of
5. What are the rules to be followed to the pencil?
make accurate measurement with
XII. Write in detail
scale?
1. Explain two methods those you can use
to measure the length of a curved line.
2. How will you measure the volume of
irregular objects?
3. Fill up the following chart.
Property Definition Basic Unit Instrument used

for measuring
Length
Mass
Volume
Time
17

Unit
2 Forces and Motion
Learning Outcomes
• Identify push or pull or both is involved when there is a motion

• Understand that some forces act on contact and some are non-contact
forces
• When a force is applied, it can make things move, change direction or
change its shape and size
• Distinguish rest and motion and understand that they are relative
• Infer motion is caused by application of force
• Classify the different types of motion
• Deduce the definition of average speed
• Use and understand the unit of speed
• Distinguish uniform and non-uniform motion
• Compute time, distance and speed
18

Introduction 2.1 Motion and Rest
We had studied in our earlier classes that 2.1.1 What is rest? What is motion?
push or pull results in some motion of the
Suppose there is a book on your table
object. When we open the door, kick a
right in the middle. Is the book moving?
football, lift our school bag, all involve
You will say “it is not moving; it is at
motion and there is some push or pull.
rest”. If you push the book to one side
of the table to clear space for keeping
your notebook, then you will say the book
is moving.
When the book

was at the same
place with respect
to the table, you
say the book was
at rest; but when
it was pushed
from one place
on the table to
another place, you say it was moving.
Activity 1
Can you identify whether it is push or pull that results in motion in the following
cases?
Push / Pull Push / Pull Push / Pull
Push / Pull Push / Pull Push / Pull
19

When there is a change of position of an object with respect to time, then it is called
motion, if it remains stationary it is called rest.
2.1.2 Is Mohan in motion?

Observe the following pictures and say whether Mohan is in motion or at rest
Hey Babu! would

you say that Mohan
is in motion?
Yes,
of course.
Anitha and Babu are standing under a

tree at the bus stand waiting for a bus How can you say that?
to Madurai. Two more of their friends, I can see he’s just sitting
Reka and Mohan, get into a bus to go in the bus!
to Thanjavur. The bus starts.
Reka, do you think

mohan is moving?
Yes, but
the bus
is moving
isn’t it?
You never No, Mohan is not. He is

So what? believe me. just sitting in one place!
Ask Reka.
But I am also in the bus! To me it does

not look as if Mohan is moving. He isn’t
moving towards me or away from me.
Hi! Am I moving
or at rest
Can’t you see
Anitha tells this to that the bus has
Babu. He snatches moved away from
the phone from the tree? Mohan is
her and says in the bus hence
irritably to Reka, Mohan moving
along with the bus.
20

Discuss: Who is correct? Is Mohan Event 3: Nisha
really in motion? is going to her
grandmother's
house by bicycle.
The girl on
the bicycle is
with respect to the road.

She is
with respect to the bicycle.
Take the case of a book on a table at
rest. Is it really without any motion? We
We can readily observe that both Reka and
know that Earth is rotating on its axis;
Babu are correct. From the point of view
therefore the table along with the book
of Babu, Mohan along with the bus is in
must be rotating. Is it not? We are also
motion; but for Reka who is sitting beside
moving along with the earth. Therefore,
him, he is at one place; therefore stationary.
from the point of view of ground on which
So, according to Babu, Mohan is in motion;
we stand, the book is at ‘rest’. Similarly,
Mohan is at rest from Reka's observation.
Can you think any other examples? while travelling in a speeding bus, we feel
that the poles and trees seem to move
Hi! Please answer honey by observing
backwards, and the things inside the bus
the situation in the picture
are stationary.
Am I in rest
or in motion?
Event 1: The man in the boat is moving

with respect to the bank of river. He is at
rest with respect to the boat.
Event 2:
The girl on the An object may appear to be stationary
swing is for one observer and appear to be
with respect to the moving for another. An object is at rest
seat of the swing. in relation to a certain set of objects
She is with and moving in relation to another set
respect to the of objects. This implies that rest and
garden. motion are relative.
21

2.1.3 How things move?
Activity 2
When we kick a ball it moves. When we
Moon or Cloud? push the book on the table, it moves.
Observe the moon on a windy night When a bullock pulls the cart moves.
with a fair bit of cloud cover in the sky. Motion occurs when the object is pulled
As a cloud passes in front of the moon or pushed by an agency.
you sometimes think it is the moon
which is moving behind the cloud. Why don’t we
What would you think if you were to try any inanimate
observe a tree at the same time? agency?
In daily life, we pulled out water from

the well, with bucket or “the animal pulls
a bullock cart”. It is a person or animal,
that is an animate agency that does the
pushing or pulling.
Sometimes we see a tall grass in the
meadow dancing in the wind, a piece
Aryabatta, an ancient of wood is moving down a stream.
Indian astronomer, What pushes or pulls them? We know
said that like the that blowing wind and flowing water
banks of the river is the cause. Sometimes the push
appear to move or pull can be due to the inanimate
back to a person agency.
in a boat floating
gently in a river, Forces are push or pull by an animate
the night sky or inanimate agency.
studded with
stars appear to Contact, Non-Contact Forces
move from east In all the above cases, the force is
to west while Earth rotates from executed by touching the body. so, these
west to east. Learn more by asking type of force is called Contact Force.
others and reading up on your own.
22

Mysteriously ripen coconut falls to the
Animate Inanimate
ground. What pulls it to the ground? We Factors Factors
would have heard of the ‘force of gravity’
Agencies
of Earth. Gravity pulls the ripen coconut
from the tree to the ground.
Force
Types on the
basis of Contact
Contact Non-Contact
Forces Forces
Hey! who is 2.1.4 What happens when we apply

pulling me? a force on an object?
What happens when you apply a force
on an object? Say you push a book on
the table. The book moves. Application of
force in an object results in motion from
a state of rest.
What happens when a batsman hit a
Bring a magnet near the small iron ball? The ball is already in motion, but with
nail. Suddenly the nail jumps into the air the strike, the speed of
and sticks with the magnet. Observe that the ball increases.
the magnet and the nail did not touch Moreover the direction
each other. Still, there was a pulling force of the ball changes.
that made the nail to jump towards the Application of force on
magnet. In these two examples, the force object results in a
is applied without touching the object. change in its speed and
Such forces are known as "non-contact change in its direction.
forces" Crush a balloon,
Forces can be classified into two major apply force on roti
types; contact and non-contact forces. dough, pull a rubber
Wind is making a flag flutter, a cart band. In these
pulled by a bullock are contact forces. cases the shape of
Magnetism, gravity are some examples of the object change
non-contact forces. on application of
force. Application
of force in object results in expansion or
contraction.
23

break in a speeding bicycle.
In a nutshell, the applied force is an
interaction of one object on another that
causes the second object to move from
rest, or speed up, slow down, stop the
motion, change the direction, compress
or expand.
Look at this picture. The person is
applying force to stop the cart from Forces can
moving. When the force is applied against 1. Change the states of body from
the direction of the motion, the speed can rest to motion or motion to rest.
be reduced, or even the motion stopped 2. Either change the speed or
completely. direction or both of the body.
Discuss what happens when you apply 3. Change the shape of the body.
Activity 3
Fill in the empty spaces
move from rest
FORCE
can
compress or expand
Change the Speed
Can you give example for contact and non-contact forces?
FORCES
CONTACT FORCES NON-CONTACT FORCES
Examples Examples
Kick a football Magnet attracts nails
24

2.1.5 Types of motion
Activity 4
Play with pencil

Please do what Shanthi did...
(i) Shanthi took a pencil and sharpened it with a sharpener. (ii) Then she drew a
circle using the pencil and a compass. (iii) Later she took her ruler (scale) and drew
a straight line in another paper. (iv) Then she kept the pencil between her finger
and moved it back and forth.
Now, look at the motion of the pencil in all these four cases. How was it?
(i) In the first case, the pencil rotated in its axis.
(ii) In the second case, it went in a circle.
(iii) In the third case, the pencil travelled in a straight line.
(iv) Fourth case, the pencil tip moved back and forth, that is it oscillated like a
swing.
That is its motion was ‘rotational’ and 2.1.6 Periodic and non-periodic
then ‘circular’ ‘straight line or linear’ and motions
later ‘oscillatory’. A fly buzzing around the room is a
Throw paper aeroplanes or paper dart. combination of all these and flight path
Watch its flight path when you throw it at is zigzag.
an angle. The path curves i.e the paper
flight is moving ahead but direction is
changing while moving such paths are
called curvilinear.
25

You can classify the motion according f. Zigzag (irregular)- like the motion
to the path taken by the object. of a bee or people walking in a
a. Linear- moving in a straight crowded street.
line, like a person walking on a
straight path, free fall.
Oscillations at
b. Curvilinear - moving ahead
Greater Speed
but changing direction, like a
Ask your friend to
throwing ball.
hold the two ends of
c. Circular -moving in a circle,
a stretched rubber band. Strike it in
swirling stone tied to the rope.
the middle. Do you see it oscillates
d. Rotatory -The movement of a
very very fast? When the oscillation
body about its own axis, like a
is very swift, it is called as vibration.
rotating top.
e. Oscillatory -coming back to the Fast oscillations are referred to
same position after a fixed time as vibrations.
interval, like a pendulum.
Activity 5
Hi! Friends! Tell me what type of motion.

I am watching the path of my motion.
Linear Motion
26

Activity 6
Classify the following according to the path it takes.
Linear ,Curvilinear, Circular,Rotatory,Oscillatory, Zigzag (irregular)
• A sprinter running a 100 m race
• A coconut falling from a tree
• striking a coin in a carom board game
• Motion of flies and mosquitoes
• Beating of heart
• Children playing in a swing
• The tip of hands of a clock
• Flapping of elephant’s ears
• A stone thrown into the air at an angle
• Movement of people in a bazaar
• Athlete running around a track
• Revolution of the moon around the earth
• The movement of a ball kicked in a football match
• Motion of a spinning top
• Revolution of the earth around the sun
• Swinging of a pendulum
• Children skidding on a sliding board
• Skidding down a playground slide
• Wagging tail of a dog
• Flapping of a flag in wind
• A car driving around a curve
• Woodcutter cutting with a saw
• Motion of water wave
• Motion of piston inside a syringe
• Bouncing ball
[add five motions you observe to this list]
27

2.1.7 Speed Vs Slow ? Look at the tall tree. When the wind is
Take the case of the hour- gentle, its branches are dancing slowly;
hand of a clock. In one day but if the gentle wind becomes strong,
it makes two rounds. Look at the branches shake violently, and if the
a bouncing ball. It bounces a speed increases further, the branch may
certain number of times for a even break and fall. That is the motion
given time interval or period. can be slow or fast.
Look at the water waves, in Can we say a motion is slow or fast
a given period that is a time
without comparing anything?
interval; a fixed number of waves hit the
shore.
Motion repeated in equal intervals of
time is called as periodic motion.
Let us take the example of sabing
swing in wind. This motion is not in
uniform interval. Such Motions are called
Compared to walking, cycling is fast,
non-periodic motion.
but a bus is faster than a cycle.
Can you notice an interesting fact? The aeroplane is much faster than
Do you notice that all oscillatory a bus.
motions are periodic, but not all So, slow or fast is a relative concept
periodic are oscillatory? which depends upon the motions we are
comparing.
Revolution of the moon around the
Then how to we say a body moves in
earth is periodic but not oscillatory.
a particular Speed?
However, the children playing in a swing
is both periodic and oscillatory.
Average Speed.
I have travelled 160 km in
Two Hours.
I have travelled 200 km in Four Hours.
Taxi Driver
I have travelled 300 km in Five Hours.
Can you say who travelled with

highest speed? Bus Driver
Truck Driver
28

How do we say? Let us calculate how long bus takes three hours to cover this
they travelled in One Hour? distance of 180 kilometres. Then its
Distance travelled by the Car in average speed is
One Hour = 80 Km (160/2) Average speed (s)
Distance travelled by the Bus in =d
istance travelled (d) /
One Hour = Km time taken (t)
Distance travelled by the Truck in = 180 kilometre/ 3 hour
One Hour = Km = 60 kilometre / hour
Have you found out? say now. Please note that metre/second or
kilometre/hour comes next to our answer
Fastest , Slowest
for average speed. What is it?
Have you noticed that saying who
Observe the formula for average
is fast and slow? is easy when we
speed. If we denote the distance in metre
calculate the distance they travelled
and time by seconds then the unit of
in one hour.
average speed is metre/second.
The distance travelled by an object
in unit time is called average speed
of the object.
If an object travelled a distance (d) in
time (t) then its
Average speed (s) is = distance
travelled / time taken = d/t. If we denote the distance in kilometre
and time in hour then the unit of average
In other words, you divide the distance speed is kilometre/hour.
travelled by the time taken to get the Some times we use units like
speed. centimetre/second.
Suppose a car travels 300 km in one In science we generally use SI units.
hour. Then we say the speed of the car is In SI units the unit of distance is metre
‘300 kmph’ (we read it as ‘three hundred and the unit of time is second. So, the SI
kilometres per hour’). unit of average speed is metre/second.
If an object travelled 10 metre in
Let us Calculate
2 seconds, then
1. A
cat travelled 150 metres in 10
Average speed (s)
seconds, what is its average speed?
=d
istance travelled (d) /
2. P
riya ride her bicycle 40 km in two
time taken (t)
hours. what is her average speed?
= 10 metre/ 2 second
= 5 metre / second
29

Our Speed...
Let us play a small game. Go to the playground with your friends. Mark 100 metre
distance for a race. Conduct a friendly running race and calculate the time they taken to
complete the distance by stopwatch. Now fill up the following table.
average speed
Name of the Time taken average
S. No distance = distance travelled/
student (in seconds) speed (m/s)
time taken
1 Murugesan 100 m 12 sec 100 metre / 12 sec 8.3 m/s
2 100 m
3 100 m
4 100 m
5 100 m
If a ship travelled at a speed of 50 kmph

and it sailed for five hours, how much
distance it had travelled.
s = 50 kmph; t = 5 therefore
s × t = 50 kmph × 5 h = 250 km
If we know the speed and distance
travelled we can compute the time taken.
Usain Bolt crossed 100metre in 9.58 s = d/t that is t = d/s
seconds and made a world record. If time taken = distance travelled / speed
you have the hope to run in a speed Suppose a bus travels at a speed of 50
above that speed. Then Olympic Gold kmph and has to cover a distance of 300
Medal is waiting for you. km. How much time will it take?
t = d/s that is 300 km/50 kmph = 6 h.
If you know the speed Compute the following Numerical
and the time taken by Problems.
the object travelled,
1. If you travel 10 kilometres in 2 hours,
then we can compute
your speed is km per hour.
how much distance it had travelled?
2. If you travel 15 kilometres in 1/2 hour,
Speed = distance travelled / time taken you would travel km in one hour,
(s = d/t) and your speed is km per hour.
s = d/t or st = d 3. If you run fast at 20 kilometres per hour

for 2 hours, you will cover km
therefore the distance travelled is
speed × time.
30

in an uniform speed? First, the train was
FACT FILE stationary. When the train left the station,
the motion was slow and only after it left
some distance that it gathered speed.
A Cheetah is the fastest land animal
After that it slowed down while crossing
running with an average speed of
bridges and stop at intermediate stations
112 km/h
for passengers. Finally, as the train
approached Madurai, again, it slowed and
2.1.8 Uniform and
finally came to a halt. That is the speed
non-uniform motion
was not same all through the journey time.
Suppose a train leaves Thiruchirapalli and That is the speed was non-uniform. This
arrives at Madurai. Is the train travelled motion is said to be non-uniform motion.
In a nutshell, we can classify the motion in terms a) path b) if it is periodic or not

c) if the speed is uniform or not. However, in real life, the motions are combinations
many types.
MOTION
Based on Based on Based on

PATH DURATION SPEED
PERIODIC UNIFORM
LINEAR MOTION MOTION MOTION
NON UNIFORM
CURVILINEAR NON-PERIODIC
MOTION
MOTION MOTION
CIRCULAR
MOTION
ROTATORY
MOTION
OSCILLATORY My machine has

MOTION many of the motions
in the above chart.
ZIGZAG Can you list them?
(IRREGULAR)
MOTION
31

However, in between the journey,
there may have a stretch where in Multiple Motion in a Sewing
the train might have been going at a Machine
constant speed. During that interval
the train was moving at uniform
speed, that is uniform motion.
If an object covers uniform distances

in uniform intervals then the motion
of the object is called Uniform Motion.
Otherwise the Motion is called Non-
Uniform Motion. • Motion of the needle
Many motions we see in our day to day

•
life are non-uniform. We will learn more • Motion of the wheel
about uniform and non-uniform motion in •
later classes.
• Motion of footrest
Multiple Motion •
Look at the bicycle. What type of
motion does the wheel perform? What 2.2 Science Today - Robot
type of motion does the cycle in total
perform?
Rotational Motion
Linear Motion
A bipedal
The tyres rotate and make a rotatory humanoid robot.
motion, but the cycle as such moves
forward in a linear path. Robots are automatic machines. Some
robots can perform mechanical and
repetitive jobs faster, more accurately than
people. Robots can also handle dangerous
32

materials and explore distant planets. The Can Robots Think?
term comes from a czech word, ‘robota’
meaning ‘forced labour’. Robotics is the
science and study of robots.
What Can Robots Do?
Robots can sense and respond to their
surroundings. They can handle delicate
objects or apply great force-for example, Articulated welding robots
to perform eye operations guided by a (industrial)
human surgeon, or to assemble a car. With
artificial intelligence, robots will also be Robots can think. They can play complex
able to make decisions for themselves. games, such as chess, better than human
beings. But will a robot ever know that
How Do Robots Sense?
it is thinking? Humans are conscious-we
know we are thinking-but we don’t know
how consciousness works. We don’t know
if Robots can ever be conscious.
Nanorobotics
The quadrupedal
military robot
Electronic sensors are a robot’s eyes and

ears. Twin video cameras give the robot a
Future of Nanorobotics
3-D view of the world. Microphones detect
sounds. Pressure sensors give the robot a Nano-robots or nanobots are robots scaled
sense of touch, to judge how hard to grip down to microscopic size in order to put them
an egg. Heavy luggage built-in computers into very small spaces to perform a function.
send and receive information with radio Future nanobots could be placed in the blood
waves. stream to perform surgical procedures that
Artificial Intelligence are too delicate or too difficult for standard
surgery. Imagine if a nanobot could target
Artificial intelligence attempts to create
cancer cells and destroy them without
computer programs that think like
touching healthy cells nearby.
human brains. Current research has not
achieved this, but some computers can be
programmed to recognize faces in a crowd.
33

Summary change in direction, and distortion of
the shape.
• Motion and rest are relative.
• Some forces act only in contact; there
• All things that are at rest can be seen
are some which can even effect at a
as in motion from a different point of
distance.
view, and all motion can be seen as
• Average speed = distance travelled /
rest from a different perspective.
time taken (s= d/t)
• Application of forces is implemented by
• The motion can be classified according
a push or pull. Forces can be applied by
to the path, periodic or non-periodic as
animate as well as inanimate agency. well as if the speed is uniform or non-
• Application of forces result in motion uniform.
from rest, increase or decrease in speed, • Unit of speed is m/s.
Activity 7
Simple Spinner
Let us enjoy by making a simple spinner. Make it
by the following instruction.
Cut a 2cm long piece from an old ball-pen refill
and make a hole in its center with a divider point
(Fig 1).
Take a thin wire of length 9cm and fold it into a
U-shape (Fig 2).
Weave the refill spinner in the U-shaped wire (Fig 3).
Wrap the two ends of the wire on the plastic refill,
leaving enough clearance for the spinner to rotate
(Fig 4).
On blowing through the refill, the spinner rotates (Fig 5).
For obtaining maximum speed adjust the wires so that air is directed towards
the ends of the spinner.
Have you enjoyed with simple spinner. Do you observe the motions in the toy. Can
you answer the following question?
1. Motion of the air in tube is motion.
2. Motion of the refill stick motion.
3. The toy converts motion into motion.
34

Think You will enjoy this activity also. This
will let you to understand how steam
In simple spinner linear motion is
engine works.
converted in to rotatory motion. Can
you make a toy which converts rotatory
motion into linear motion.
ICT CORNER
Force and motion
Play with force

and motion.
Steps:
• Lets learn force and motion on PhET in Google browser. Download and install.
• Drag any one side and place him in the knot portion of the rope. Now click go.
• If placed on the right side then the load will move in that direction. The place of
the man and the number of man can be changed. The direction of force and the
unit of force will display on the screen.
• If we place equal number of men on both the sides the load will not move.
• By changing the number of men the strength of force can be changed.
Step1 Step2 Step3
URL:
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/forces-and-motion-
basics
35

II . Find whether the following
Evaluation statements are true or false.
- if false give the correct answer
I. Choose the correct answer
1. To and fro motion is called oscill
1. Unit of speed is
tory motion.
a. m b. s c. kg d. m/s
2. Oscillatory motion among the 2. Vibratory motion and rotatory
following is motion are periodic motions.
a. Rotation of the earth about 3. Vehicles moving with varying

its axis speeds are said to be in uniform
motion.
b. Revolution of the moon about the
earth 4. Robots will replace human in
future.
c. To and fro movement of a
vibrating string III. Fill in the blanks
d. All of these. 1. A bike moving on a straight
3. The correct relation among the road is an example of
following is motion.
a. Speed = distance × time 2. Gravitational force is a force.
b. Speed = distance / time. 3. Motion of a potter’s wheel is an
c. Speed = time / distance example of motion.
d. Speed = 1 / (distance × time) 4. When an object covers equal
4. Gita rides with her father’s bike to her distances in equal interval of time,
uncle’s house which is 40 km away it is said to be in motion.
from her home. She takes 40 minutes IV. Match the following
to reach there.
Statement 1 : She travels with a
speed of 1 km / minute. 1. a. Circular motion
Statement 2 : She travels with a

speed of 1 km/hour
a. Statement 1 alone is correct.
2. b. oscillatory
b. Statement 2 alone is correct. motion
c. Both statement 1 and 2 are
correct.
d. Neither statement 1 nor
statement 2 is correct. 3. c. linear motion
36

VIII Give one word for the
following statements
4. d. rotatory motion 1. The force which acts on an object

without Physical contact with it.

2. A change in the position of an
5. e. linear and
object with time.
rotatory motion

3. The motion which repeats itself
V. Analogy after a fixed interval of time.

1. kicking a ball : contact force ::
falling of leaf : ? 4. The motion of an object travels
equal distances in equal intervals of
2. Distance : metre :: speed : ?
time.
3. circulatory motion :: a spinning top
5. A machine capable of carrying
:: oscillatory motion : ?
out a complex series of actions
VI Given below is the distance-trav- automatically.
elled by an elephant across a
IX Answer the following in a sen-
forest with uniform speed. Com-
tence or two
plete the data of the table given
below with the idea of uniform 1. Define force.
speed. 2. Name different types of motion
based on the path.
Distance (m) 0 4 12 20
3. If you are sitting in a moving car,
Time (s) 0 2 4 8 10 will you be at rest or motion with
respect ur friend sitting next to you?
VII Complete the web chart 4. Rotation of the earth is a periodic
motion. Justify.
Non- periodic
5. Differentiate between rotational and
curvilinear motion
Movement repeated
after a fixed interval
of time
Movement around
own axis or a
fixed centre
37

X. Calculate XII. Fill with examples
1. A vehicle covers a distance of
Linear motion
400km in 5 hour. Calculate its
average speed. Curvilinear motion
XI. Answer in detail:

Motion of wheel
Self rotatory motion
1. What is motion? Classify different in a cart
types of motion with examples.

Circular motion
Oscillatory motion
Irregular motion
38

Unit
3 Matter Around Us
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson you will be able to

• Define matter and develop an understanding of the particulate nature of
matter
• Sort the objects on the basis of certain properties
• Differentiate between solids, liquids and gases based on the arrangement
of their particles.
• Differentiate between pure substances and mixtures
• Identify the need for separation of mixtures
• Suggest suitable methods for separating given samples of mixture
• Acquire an awareness on food adulteration and its harmful effects
39

Introduction standard microscope. A standard sheet
of paper is about millions atoms thick.
Matter is all around us. The air you are
Science has come up with a technology
breathing is also a matter. Matter is
to identify structure of atoms Scanning
defined as anything that has mass and
Electron Microscope (SEM) and Tunnelling
takes up space. Matter is found in three
Electron Microscope (TEM) which uses
major states; solid, liquid and gas. So
electricity to map atoms. There is more
what is matter made of? All matter is
about atoms in the later, but first let's
made of atoms. Atoms are the smallest
learn about the three states of matter.
particle of matter.
Silicon atoms on a surface via Scanning
They are so small that you cannot see
Tunneling Microscopy, (STM).
them with your eyes or even with a
Activity - 1
Take a few crystals of sugar. Observe them carefully with the help of a magnifying
lens.

A B C D E F
Which of the shapes given above resembles a sugar crystal?
A B C D E F
Now place a few sugar crystals in a teaspoon full of water.
What happens to the sugar crystals?
Like everything else a sugar crystal is also made up of molecules. When sugar
dissolves in water, the sugar crystals break down and the molecules of sugar get
distributed in the water. This makes the water taste sweet. The sugar molecules
are extremely small, that is why we are not able to see them. A small amount of
any matter will have many million molecules. (1 million = 1000000)
Besides solids, Liquid and gases there are two more states plasma
and Bose – Einstein condensates.
Plasma is not a common state of matter on Earth, but may be the
most common state of matter in the universe. For example, stars
including sun are covered in plasma.
Bose – Einstein condensate is a gas – like state of matter that exists at extremely
cold temperatures. It was predicted around 1925 and confirmed in 1995, This is
used in the field of cryogenics.
40

Physical Nature of Matter water is made up of tiny water particles.
These tiny particles present in all matter
Matter occupies space and has mass. But
are called as atoms or molecules.
what is its nature? Ancient philosophers
pondered over such questions. In India a The particles in matter are extremely
philosopher named Kanada and in Greece small and cannot be seen even with a
a philosopher named Democritus came to powerful microscope. What we can see is
somewhat similar idea. only group of particles.
Imagine you have a piece of thread.

You cut it into two with the same piece. Do you know? that a drop
Take again one of the piece and cut it of water contains about
again into two. Repeat the above process 1021 water particles? One
for many times. At some point piece of dot that you make with your pen has
the thread will be so small to see, or we more than two lakh molecules.
may not have sharp enough knife to cut
further. But this is imaginary ‘thought Characteristics of the particles of
experiment’. Therefore these are not matter
possible practically. Particles of matter have a lot of space
Imagine if you can cut as fine as in between them. In different forms of
possible and are able to see even the matter this spacing will be different.
very small things. Can we cut the rope Let us add a spoon full of sugar to a
into two without an end? glass of water.
Kanada and Democritus said, No; we Stir well. Sugar disappears completely.
cannot go on endlessly. There will be a Where has it gone? Will the glass of water
point at which we will not be able to cut be now sweet?
the thread further. That is the point when
we will reach molecules or atoms.
We will read more about molecules
and atoms later. Suffice to say that all
matter is made up of very small particles.
Gold is made up of tiny gold particles and
Atom Molecule Molecule

Atom structure
Neutron
Nucleus
Proton
Electron
41

1. Water particles have • A solid does not need a container; it
space between them and stays where it is because its particles are
sugar particles are now tightly packed into a definite shape that,
occupying those spaces. ordinarily, does not change. If you take
the stone from the ground place it on the
2. Particles of matter attract each other. It table or shelf its shape and volume do
is this attraction which keeps the particles not change.
together. This attractive force will be
different for different forms of matter.
Activity 2
Sit together in groups of three. Look

at the following objects. All these are
familiar to you. Are they all the same
or different? Can you pick out a few
which you think are similar and group
them? On what basis did you group
them? Is there only one way of doing
it or more ways? Discuss with your
group members and note it down.
You can group them according to
Grouping of Matter on the basis of their uses, the materials with which
Physical states they are made of or some other
properties and also as living and non-
You already know what grouping is all
living things.
about.
Matter can be grouped into Solids,
For example, pencil and books are used
Liquids and Gases based on the above
for studying, The bucket and the comb
characteristics. These are called the
are made of plastic while the table and
physical states of matter.
ladle are made of wood. The scrub brush
and broom are rough but the toy bear is
3.1 Mass, Shape and Volume
soft. Light can pass through the glass of
of Solids, Liquids and Gases water and the spectacles but not through
Let us first take any solid say a stone: the apple or iron box. The cow and the
Answer the following questions: bird are living things while the rest are
• Do you need a container to know the not. Water in the glass is a liquid but
shape of a stone ? Yes / No air in the balloon is a gas and the rest
• If you move the stone from the ground are solids. The feather and the paper
to a table or place it on the shelf does its cup can float but not the apple or the
shape change? Yes / No piece of stone. The rubber band can be
42

stretched but not the comb. Thus we can
MAT TER AROUND US
see similarities and differences between Anything which occupies space
LPG and has mass is called matter
things and group and sort them in many Air
different ways.
Try to fill in the following table

Oil
Things that float Things that sink
1. Iron
OIL
2.
3. Water
Try to make more such tables based

on the properties discussed above. Wood
How many tables could you make?

But one thing is common to all the
above. They are all MATTER.
43

3.2.Diffusion
Activity 3
Let us place a book on a table. Let it not
Work in a group of two. Malar was be disturbed. Observe for five minutes.
asked to group some items based on Now take a glass of water and add
their physical states. This was the table just a drop of ink carefully at the centre.
she made. Do you agree with her? Do not shake or stir.
Re do the table if you do not agree and
Now light an incense stick and keep in
submit it to your teacher.
one corner of the room.
Chalk piece Wind Steam
Let us answer the following questions.
Water Rain Lemon
Air in a Stone Lemon juice Did the book move?
balloon Did the ink particles move and spread
River Air Smoke itself in the water? How long did it take
Brick Table Door
for complete mixing?
How did you classify the items of the Did you get the smell of the incense
above list as solids , liquids and gases? stick from where you are standing?
You should have done it based on some How fast did you get the smell? How
properties- items like brick and door did the smell reach you?
which are hard comes under solids, things We may conclude that the particles
that flow comes under liquids and others of gases and liquids can move and that
which are very light and can flow more among gases more easily. We call this
freely comes under gases. Well, you are movement as diffusion. Diffusion is
right. Take a look at the figure given the tendency of particles to spread out in
below. What do you observe? order to occupy the available space.
Particles in a Solid Particles in a Liquid Particles in a Gas
In solid, the particles are Particles in liquids are The particles in the gases
tightly packed with very arranged in a random or are arranged far apart.
little space between them. irregular way and the space They move freely.
Eg. stone between the particles is Eg. Air
greater than that in solids
Eg. water
44

Fact file
1. Liquid atoms are packed more loosely

which allows things to be able to pass
through it
2. Liquid is effected by gravity more than
anything
3. Liquids are always moving due to gravity
around it
1. A gas atoms are spread out so far, you can

walk through it without any restriction
2. Gas is not affected by gravity
3. The gas's atoms never stop moving and it
never stays in place
Movement of particles is restricted in Test Yourself

solids and they do not diffuse like liquids Name an object which is brittle and
or gases. In fluids the particles are under transparent.
motion and hence can push ink or smoke Name an object which can be stretched.
particles here and there.
Name two objects which can be bent.
Activity 4
Lift an uninflated cycle tube. Inflate it

and lift it again. Is there a change in
the weight? Can we see that air has
mass?
So we can say that air is also matter
though we cannot see.
Let us try to know more about matter.
We saw that matter can have different
properties.
45

Activity 5
Think to learn
Let us take two sachets of juice. In Solid Liquid Gas
both the sachets, it is written 100ml. “Liquefaction of gases” is the process
Let us empty two sachets and pour by which substances in their gaseous
the juice into the following glasses. state are converted to the liquid state.
When pressure on a gas in increased, its
molecules comes closer together, and its
temperature is reduced, which removes
enough energy to make it change from
the gaseous to the liquid state.
Does its shape also change?

Yes / No
3.3. Compressible as compared
Does its volume change? when it
is poured into a big glass or a small
to liquids and solids
one? Yes / No
How will you find out whether the
volume has changed or not?
A liquid needs a container and
takes the shape of a container because
• Let us take three identical syringes.
the particles slide past one another
Close the nozzles tightly with a cork.
and keep moving. The amount of
juice is the same in both glasses. The • After removing the plunger first let us
volume of a liquid remains the same fill it with fine chalk powder. Now put the
whether it is kept in a large container plunger back and try to press it down.
or a small one but its shape changes. What do you observe?
Try to draw the shape of the liquid

containers alone in your note book.
What do you observe?
46

• Now let us fill the second one with
water. Try pressing the plunger down.
What do you observe?
• Let us now draw the piston back to

suck air into the third one. Press the
plunger down. What do we observe? Is it
easy or hard to press?
• Record your observations and share

among the group members.
• You would have observed that the

plunger moved freely when air was
present and in the case of water and
chalk powder it was difficult to press and
the piston hardly moved.
We conclude that gases are highly

compressible as compared to liquids and
solids.
To sum up...
S.no. Solid State Liquid state Gaseous state
1. Definite shape and No definite shape, liquids Gases have neither a
volume attain the shape of the vessel definite shape nor a
in which they are kept. definite volume.
2. Incompressible Compressible to a small Highly compressible
extent.
3. There is little These particles have a greater The space between gas
space between the space between them. particles is the greatest.
particles of solid
4. These particles The force of attraction The force of attraction is
attract the each between liquid particles is less least between gaseous
other very strongly than solid particles. particles.
5. Particles of solid These particles move freely. Gaseous particles are in
cannot move a continuous, random
freely. motion.
47

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PL[WXUH PL[WXUH
contain any cheap or harmful additives.

Are these really pure substances as they
claim to be?
For a Chemist the word ‘pure’ means
something else!
• A pure substance is made up of
only one kind of particles.
• Pure substances may be elements
or compounds.
• An atom is the smallest particle
3.4.Pure Substances And
that an element is made up of same kind
Mixtures of atoms. Molecule is the combination
In shops, we find products which are sold of two or more atom. Compound in
as 100% pure! For common people pure the substance formed by the chemical
means unadulterated- that which does not combination of two or more element.
48

Is matter around us pure?
Fast facts
Separating clear
supermatant without
disturbing sediment Separating
Settling down of
suspended, insoluble insoluble
heavy solid solid from
a liquid
ion
ion
at
Filtrat
ant
S
ed
c
im
De
Separating dissolved
en
solid from a liquid To remove

ta
tio
harmful
n
Separation of impurities
solid-liquid mixture
Ch
urn
ing
U RE CES To extract
P AN a component
B ST Why do from other
SU MIXTURES
we components
Separating distinctly separate
different solid
MA mixtures?
TT
g ER
in
d pick
Han To obtain a
component in
Separation
i ng highly pure
ev of solids form
Si
Separating
ing
solids of
n
ratio
different
g
ow
T h r e s h in
sizes
nn
pa
Wi
ic se
Separating lighter
t
Removing
e
solids from heavier

n
grains
Mag
ones from
stalks
Separating the
magnetic
substance
non-magnetic
substance
49

Explore
Purity of gold is
Can we always see the different
expressed in terms components of the mixture with our
of ‘carat’. 24 carat naked eyes?
gold is considered Let us see the two pictures given
to be gold in its purest form. below:
Fig:1
Let us consider the following examples:
Fig:2
We have had the snack. Can you

identify and mention a few things that
are present in snacks like - Mixture or
fruit mixture? You are able to identify the
In fig: we can see and physically
ingredients in them from their colours,
separate the components of vegetable
appearance or taste.
salad, where as in fig: we can neither see
We mix rice, dal salt, chillies, pepper, nor physically separate the components
ghee and other ingredients to make of an aerated drink- soda water.
Pongal. Pongal is also a mixture.
Try it yourself: Try to identify from
Why do we call these as mixtures- the list what you think may be classified
because they are made up of more two as mixture. Write yes if it is a mixture,
or more ingredients or components that then write No, if it is not a mixture. You
are physically separable? may also write “I do not know” and later
discuss with your teacher.
50

Mixture Yes / No carbon-di-oxide, water, sweetening and
Borewell water colouring agents,
Copper wire c)
an element and compound.
Sugar cube Example : Tincture of iodine which is
Salt Solution composed of Iodine in alcohol.
Air is a mixture because it contains 3.5. Separation Of Mixtures

Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon dioxide, water
Are all mixtures used as they are? or is
vapour, noble gases etc.
there a need for separating components?
Milk is also a mixture of water, fat,
Materials we use in our day-to-day life
protein etc.
are got from different sources and are very
Lemon juice is a mixture. Some of
often combined with other substances.
us like it less sweet i.e. with less sugar;
Mixtures like coffee and ice cream
while some others like it very sweet
are taken as such. There is no need for
so they prefer to add more sugar.
separation in these cases. Metals occur in
But either way, it is still lemon juice-
the form of ores under the earth’s crust. But
prepared from lemon extract, water
if we want to use a pure metal, we need to
and sugar and is a mixture though the
adopt a laborious process of extraction to
amount of sugar added is different.
separate the useful metal from the ore.
Same way even if we add extra water
or lemons extract it will still be a So what is meant by separation ?
mixture. A mixture need not have a The process by which the components
fixed proportion of components. of mixture are isolated and removed from
each other to get pure substance is called
• A Mixture is an impure substance separation.
and contains more than one kind To get the original properties and uses
of particles. of substance we need separation
• In the mixture the components When and why do we need to separate
are mixed in any proportion. mixtures?
• when we need to remove impurities
When elements chemically combine or harmful components from the mixtures
they form compounds; whereas a mixture (eg: stones from rice)
can be a physical combination of
• when the useful component has
a) two or more elements. Example: to be separated from other components
22 carat gold which is composed of gold (eg: petrol from petroleum)
and copper / gold and cadmium,
• when a substance has to be
b) two or more compounds. Example: obtained in highly pure form (eg: gold
aerated drink which is composed of from gold mines)
51

Let us visit Selvi’s Family Let us explore the different separating
It is 7 am and Selvi’s family is busy. At methods involved in the above activities
home, in the kitchen, Selvi’s mother and also learn about a few other methods.
is making tea for the family and her The choice of method of separation
grandmother is separating butter from depends upon the properties of the
curds. Her father and uncle are out in the components of the mixture. The
fields collecting paddy after harvesting. separation method may be based on the
Selvi is helping her mother in preparing particle’s size, shape or physical state –
to cook rice and is separating stones they may be solids, liquids or gases.
from the rice. Selvi’s little brother Balu Selvi’s mother used a strainer to
is fascinated by a piece of magnet that remove the tea leaves to get the clear
he was given by his friend and is playing liquid. Larger sized particles of tea leaves
outside in the sand with it. will be retained by the strainer while
Can you list out in your note book, the the clear liquid will pass through. This is
different activities that Selvi’s family is called filtering.
engaged in? Will you discard the tea leaves after
straining? Can you suggest a good way of
using them?
A sieve is similar to a strainer.
Sieving is used when we have to
separate solid particles of different sizes.
Eg: bran from flour, sand from gravel etc.
Activity 6
Think and find out!: Is it a good idea

to separate bran from flour? Write
your answer in your notebook
Mixture
Separated
52

Threshing
We pluck flowers from a plant? When we
pluck flowers from plants, we are
separating the flowers from their stalks.
Can we do the same for food grains like
rice and wheat which also grow on plant
stalks? That would not be possible
because the grains are small in size and
also the quantity is very large. Farmers
separate grains from their stalks by
beating them so hard that the grains are
Wire mesh as a strainer sieve is used separated from their stalks. This is called
to separate gravel from sand at a Threshing.
construction site.
When very fine insoluble solids have
to be separated from a liquid as in butter
from curds, Churning is performed. The
mixture is churned vigorously when solid
butter will be collected on the sides of
the vessel. Both butter and buttermilk are
obtained after churning are useful and
can be consumed.
In washing
machines this Activity-7
principle is used to
Have you seen how some farmers
squeeze out dirt from
spread the dried grain stalks in the
clothes and the method is called
middle of the road? Heavy vehicles
centrifugation.
pass on them and the grains get
separated from the stalks. Write
down two merits and demerits of this
practice.
Winnowing
Rice, wheat and other food grains are
covered in husk which cannot be eaten by
us. Husk is very light and gets easily blown
away by a breeze or wind. This property
53

is made use of in winnowing. This is
done by dropping the mixture slowly from
a height in the presence of wind. Lighter
solids i.e. husks will be carried by wind and
will be collected in a separate heap while
heavier solids i.e. grains will fall closer and
form a separate heap.
Magnetic Separation
In a mixture containing iron, the magnetic
property of iron can be used to separate
it from non- magnetic substances
by using a magnet. Substances that
are attracted to a magnet are called
Winnowing magnetic. Separating solids using a
magnet is called magnetic separation.
Rice husks are
the hard protecting
coverings of grains
of rice. In addition to
protecting rice during the growing
season, husks can be used as building
material, fertilizer, insulation material
and fuel
If the rice that we cook has stones in

it we have to pick the stones out. Sedimentation
Handpicking Rice and pulses are often mixed with very
How do we identify a stone from a grain fine straw, husk or dust particles which
of rice? If the stones are visibly very have to be removed before cooking. Are
different from the grain, they can be easily you familiar with the way this is done at
picked and separated by hand. This is home? The rice or pulses are washed in
handpicking. But if the stones look very water. The lighter impurities float while
similar to the rice grains it is difficult to heavier rice grains sink to the bottom.
separate. This is called sedimentation. The water
with the impurities is carefully poured
away leaving clean rice at the bottom.
This is called decantation.
54

SEPARATING MUD FROM MUDDY completely free from fine soil particles.
WATER: (can be demonstrated by How can we remove this? By the process
the teacher) of filtration. Do you think a strainer or a
Muddy water is a mixture of very fine cloth can filter theses very fine particles?
particles of soil in water. What will happen Do it and see for yourself.
to a beaker of muddy water if it is left
undisturbed for some time? Mud being
heavy will settle down at the bottom of
the beaker and will form the sediment.
Water will form the top layer and is called Glass Rod
Sediment (sand)
the supernatant liquid.
The settling down of heavier
component of a mixture when allowed Water
Clear Water
to remain undisturbed for some time is Sand
called sedimentation.
Decantation : This process is done after
Filtration
sedimentation. The supernatant liquid
We will use filter papers to remove
is slowly poured out from the container
the finer impurities. A filter paper has
without disturbing the sediment. The
very fine pores much smaller than soil
part that has settled down is called
particles. Let us see how to use the filter
sediment. The water that is obtained
paper.
after decantation is called the decant
ate. Take a piece of filter paper. Fold it to
make a cone (see figure)
The process of removal of water above
the sediment is called decantation. But Slowly pour the muddy water over
even after decantation the water is not the filter paper. On filtration clear water
55

(filtrate) flows down the funnel and mud Activity 8
settles as residue on the filter paper.
The method of separating insoluble Group Activity – Students are divided
component (sand, mud etc.) from a mixture into 4 groups
using a filter paper is called filtration. Each group should suggest a method
The liquid which passes through the to separate mixtures and also give reasons
filter and comes down is called filtrate why they used a particular method and
and the insoluble component left behind what property of the components forms
on the filter is called residue. the basis for separation. Examples
should be drawn from day-to-day
More to know: life. After the group presents its method
Combination of methods are used to the rest of the class, the whole class
sometimes for complete separation. will discuss and analyse if the suggested
If the mixture of sand and salt in method will work and then make a note
water has to be separated several of it in the form given below:
steps will be involved: Sedimentation,
Separation Basis For
decantation, filtration, evaporation Example
Method Separation
and condensation.
56

3.7. Food Adulteration Activity 9
Sometimes, things that we buy in the
market are mixed with harmful and Collect and share information
unwanted substances. This process is on common adulterants and their
called adulteration. detection in food stuff in the class.
Watch the youtube video: 10 simple
In most houses people tricks to find adulterated food.
use commercial water https://www.youtube.com/watch?
filter to remove not v=_XLi WunnudY
only the impurities
but also to kill the harmful germs in
water using UV rays. KEYWORDS
RO – a process of removing impurities Matter Particles
from water to make it potable. Volume Mass
Compressibility Diffusion
Food can also get adulterated due to
carelessness or lack of proper handling. Fluids Mixture
Handpicking Threshing
Winnowing Sieving
Magnetic
separation Sedimentation
Decantation Filtration
Adulteration
FAST FACTS
We must be careful about the common • Matter is anything that has mass and
adulterants in our consumable goods occupies space.
especially in food. •
All matter is made up of extremely
Consumption of any adulterated food small particles.
will be harmful and can be a health •
Matter is classified into solids,
hazard. liquids and gases on the basis of two
An adulterated substance will not important factors .
indicate the true properties of the original a. The way the particles are arranged
substance. For example: Used tea leaves b. T
he way the particles attract each
are sometimes used as adulterants in tea. other.
Turmeric powder is adulterated with a •
Difference between the properties
bright yellow chemical which is poisonous of solids, liquids and gases is due to
to our health.
57

the difference in the arrangement of •
Winnowing – Adopted to separate
the particles and the nature of the lighter solids from heavier ones
attractive forces between them. •
Magnetic separation – Used to
• A pure substance can be an element separate magnetic substance from
or a compound and is made up of only non-magnetic substance
one kind of particles. •
Sedimentation – Settling down of
•
A mixture is an impure substance suspended, insoluble and heavy solid
containing two or more components particles (used to separate solid –
physically mixed in any proportion. liquid mixtures)
• Separation of mixtures is done •
Decantation- Process of pouring out
1) to remove harmful components the clear supernatant liquid without
disturbing the sediment
2) to obtain the useful component
•
Filtration –Process of separating
3) t o obtain a substance in a highly pure
insoluble solid particles (residue) from
form
a liquid (filtrate) by using a filter paper.
•
Separation method to be adopted
•
Adulteration – make impure by the
depends on the properties of the
addition of a foreign or inferior
components.
substance.
• Handpicking – For smaller quantities
containing particles reasonably large
in size to be recognised can be picked
by hand
58

ICT CORNER
Types of matter
Lets play with

Science kids
Steps:
• To learn more about the matter around us type Science Kids in the Google
browser and select games Go inside and select matter. Now the following
logo can you drag will appear on the screen. Then click ok.
• Three divided columns will appear on the screen. The first section is for
solid and the second section is for liquid and the third one is for gas. Now
when we press this symbol, at the bottom items will appear at the bottom.
We have to drag them to their respective column.
Step1 Step2 Step3
URL:
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/gases.html
59

c. liquid-liquid d. liquid-gas
Evaluation 7. From the following is not
a mixture
a. Coffee with milk
b. lemon juice
c. water
1. is not made of matter
d. ice cream embedded with nuts.
a. gold ring b. iron nail
c. light ray d. oil drop II. State whether the following
statements are True or False. If
2. 200 ml of water is poured into a bowl
false give the correct statement
of 400ml capacity. The volume of
water now will be a. Air is not compressible.
a. 400 ml b. Liquids have no fixed volume but

b. 600 ml have fixed shape.
c. 200ml c. Particles in solids are free to move.
d. 800ml d. When pulses are washed with

water before cooking, the water is
3. Seeds from water-melon can be
separated from them by the pro-
removed by method.
cess of filtration
a. hand-picking
e. Strainer is a kind of sieve which is
b. filtration
used to separate a liquid from solid
c. magnetic separation
f. Grain and husk can be separated by
d. decantation
winnowing
4. Lighter impurities like dust when mixed
g. Air is a pure substance
with rice or pulses can be removed by
h. Butter from curds is separated by
sedimentation.
a. filtration
b. sedimentation III. a) Match the following
c. decantation Property Example
d. winnowing Breaks easily ( brittle) Metal pan
5. of is essential to perform
Bends readily Rubber band
winnowing activity
Can be stretched easily Cotton wool
a. Rain b. Soil
c. Water d. Air Gets compressed easily Mud pot
6. Filtration method is effective in Gets heated readily Plastic wire

separating mixture
a. solid-solid b. solid-liquid
60

b)
A B C
i Separation of visible undesirable water mixed with Magnetic Separation
components chalk powder
ii Separating of heavier and lighter sand and water Decantation
components
iii Separation of insoluble impurities iron impurities Filtration
iv Separation of magnetic component rice and stone Hand-picking
from non- magnetic components
v Separation of solids from liquids husk and paddy Winnowing
IV) Fill in the blanks 5. Murukku from hot oil: :

1. Matter is made up of coffee powder residue from decoction
2.
In solids, the space between the 6. Iron – sulphur mixture : ____________:
particles is less than in , Mustard seeds from Urad-dhal: rolling
3.
Grains can be separated from their VI. Very Short answer
stalks by 1. Define the term matter.
4. Chillies are removed from ‘upma’ by 2. How can husk or fine dust particles be
separated from rice before cooking?
method.
3. Why do we separate mixtures?
5. The method employed to separate
4. Give an example for mixture and
clay particles from water is
justify your answer with reason.
6. Among the following items: safety
5. Define Sedimentation.
pins, pencil and rubber band,
6. Give the main difference between a pure
will get attracted to a magnet.
substance and an impure substance.
7. Water obtained from tube wells is
usually water VII. Short answer
1.
A rubber ball changes its shape on
V. Complete the given analogy
pressing. Can it be called a solid?
1. Solid: rigidity:: gas:
2. Why do gases not have fixed shape?
2. Large Inter-particle space: gas::
3.
What method will you employ to
:solid
separate cheese (paneer) from milk?
3. Fluidity: Fixed volume:: :
Explain.
.
4.
Look at the picture given below and
4.
Husk-grains: winnowing:: Sawdust-
explain the method of separation
Chalk piece: _____________
illustrated.
61

Watch you tube video in the given
link
h tt p s : / / w w w. yo u t u b e . c o m / wa t c h ?
v=9Djc5ZVUyUw
h tt p s : / / w w w. yo u t u b e . c o m / wa t c h ?
v=DJGRJ4qL4-A
XI. Sequence Type:

Write the sequence of steps you would
use for making tea.
Use the words : mixture, dissolve,
5.
How can you separate a mixture of
filtrate and residue.
a large quantity of tiny bits of paper
mixed with pulses / dal? XII. Topic enrichment –Project
6. What is meant by food adulteration? Make a fruit or vegetable salad. Give
7.
Mr. Raghu returns home on a hot reasons why you think it is a mixture.
summer day and wants to have Connect with Environment
buttermilk. Mrs. Raghu has only curds. We learnt about different objects and their
What can she do to get buttermilk? properties. Can you tell why it is better to
Explain use plates made of paper or dry leaves
VIII. Answer in detail better than the ones made of plastics?
Discuss in small groups and share with
1. Distinguish between properties of Solid,
the class.
liquid, gas. Draw suitable diagram
Connect with Biology
2.
Using suitable apparatus from your
laboratory separate the mixture of Blood constitutes about 7-8% of human
chalk powder, mustard oil, water and body weight. Blood has the important
coins. Draw a flow chart to show the function of transporting oxygen and
separation process. nutrients to our cells and getting rid of
carbon dioxide, ammonia, and other
IX. Life Skills-Debate waste products, in immunity and also in
Debate on “Food adulteration and regulating our body temperature. Blood
detection” is composed of
more than 4,000
X. Field Trip
different kinds
Visit a nearby paddy field and rice mill
of components.
and note down the different separating
Four of the most
techniques used there. Is technology
important ones are
replacing some traditional practices?
red cells, white
OR cells, platelets, and
62

plasma. Plasma is the liquid in which the HOTS
red cells, white cells and platelets are
1. Malar’s mother was preparing to
present.
cook dinner. She accidentally mixed
Blood is not a pure substance but a ground nuts with urad-dhal. Suggest
mixture. a suitable method to separate the two
Find out details of separating its substances so that Malar can have
components. ground nuts to eat.
Connect with sports 2. In a glass containing some water,
Air is not a pure substance. It helps us tamarind juice and sugar is added and
in many ways from breathing to playing. stirred well. Is this a mixture- can you
Balloon sports are a very popular sport. tell why? Will this solution be sweet? or
The basis of how the balloon works is sour? or both sweet and sour?
that, hot air is lighter than cool air. which 3. Justify your answer.
makes balloon rise up Find out more Arrangement of particles in three different
about Hot Air balloons. phases of matter is shown above.
a) Which state is represented by fig. I?
b) In which will be the inter particle
attraction maximum?
c) Which one of them cannot be
contained in an open vessel?
d) Which one can take the shape of
its container?
FIG 1 FIG 2 FIG 3
63

Unit
4 The Living World of Plants
Learning Objectives
• To know there are many varieties of plant.

• To know all parts of the plants and their functions.
• To know the different forms of leaves.
• To understand the food manufactured by plants is consumed by animals and
human.
• To know the different types of habitats.
• To understand, plants exhibit adaptations and modifications based on the
habitat
• To know life forms depend on each other.
64

Introduction
Time to Learn
Biology is a natural science concerned
Rani and Ravi went to vegetable
with the study of life and living organisms,
market with their mother. They saw
including their structure and functions.
variety of fresh green vegetables in
The living world comprises of plants and
attractive colours. Mother bought
animals. Plants can prepare food itself,
cauliflower, cabbage and raddish.
grow in size, and reproduce. Various parts
Ravi asked his mother “Mom, do all
of the plants are used as food, medicine,
the vegetables grow under the soil?”
wood, and shelter.
Mother answered, n o Ravi, we get
some vegetable, from stem, some
4.1 Plant forms and functions:
from roots. Even some flowers are
used for cooking. Rani and Ravi were
Our body is made up of many organs.
surprised to know that vegetables
Similarly the plant body is also made up
are from different parts of a plant.
of several organs such as root, stem
After returning home they sorted
leaves and flowers. Plants are of many
out all vegetable, from the bag and
forms and many colours, yet they are
discussed which vegetable is from
alike in some manner. That is, they all
stem, root and flower. Mother collected
have stems and leaves above the ground
keezhanelli, curry leaves, coriander
which we can see easily and roots below
leaves from the garden and said that
the ground.
the purpose for using these leaves in
cooking is to add medicinal value and As shown in the picture, a flowering
aroma. Discuss plant consists of two main parts. They are,
the picture of 1. Root system.
vegetables are 2. Shoot system
given below with
Let us learn about these in detail.
your teacher.
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1.Root system
Root
The underground part of the main axis of
a plant is known as root. It lies below the
surface of the soil. Root has no nodes and
internodes. It has a root cap at the tip. A
Fibrous Root of Grass
tuft of root hairs is found just above the root
tip. Roots are positively geotropic in nature. • Stores food in some plants like
Plants root system is classified into two types. Carrot and beet root.
1. Tap root system Think it

2. Fibrous root system
Ginger
1. Tap root system
Is it a Root or stem?
Activity 1
It consists of a single root, called taproot,
Water absorption by Root
which grows straight down into the ground.
Aim:- To observe absorption of water
Smaller roots, called lateral roots arise from
by root
the taproot. They are seen in dicotyledonous
plants. What you need? A carrot, a glass of
water and blue ink.
Example: Bean, Mango, Neem.
What to do? Place a carrot in a glass
2. Fibrous root system
of water with a few drops of blue
It consists of a cluster of roots arising from ink. Leave the carrot in water for two
the base of the stem. They are thin and to three days. Then cut the carrot
uniform in size. into half length wise and observe.
It is generally seen in monocotyledonous What do you learn? Blue colour
plants. Example: Grass, Paddy, Maize. appears in carrot which indicates
Functions of the Root water moves up wards in the carrot
• Fixes the plant to the soil. showing that root conducts water.
• Absorbs water and minerals from
the soil.
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2. Shoot system • transports water and minerals from
roots to upper aerial plant parts.
Stem
• transports the prepared food from
The aerial part of the plant body above the
leaves to other parts through stem.
ground is known as the shoot system. Main
axis of the shoot system is called the stem. • stores food as in the case of
The shoot system consists of stem, leaves, sugarcane.
flowers and fruits. Stem grows above the soil,
and it grows towards the sunlight. It has nodes Structure of a leaf
and internodes. Nodes are the parts of stem,
The leaf is a green, flat expanded structure
where leaf arises. The part of the stem between
borne on the stem at the node.
two successive nodes is called internode.
The bud at the
tip of the stem is
known as apical
or terminal bud,
and the buds at
the axils of the
leaves are called A leaf has a stalk called petiole. The
auxiliary buds. flat portion of the leaf is called leaf lamina
or leaf blade. On the lamina, there is a
Activity 2 main vein called midrib. Other veins are
branchout from mid rib. The portion of the
Conduction of water leaf connected in the nodal region of the
Aim:-To observe conduction of water stem is known as the leaf base. Leaves
by stem. of some plants possess a pair of lateral
What you need? A small twig of outgrowth on the base, on either side of
balsam plant, a glass of water and a auxiliary bud. These are called stipules.
few drops of red ink The green colour of the leaf is due to
What to do? Place the small twig in the presence of green coloured pigment
the water with red ink. called chlorophyll. On the lower side of the
What do you see? The stem be- leaf there are tiny pores or openings known
comes reddish. as stomata.
What do you learn? This is because
red coloured water is being taken by Functions of the leaf
the stem upwards. The green leaves
• Prepare food by the process of
photosynthesis.
Functions of the stem
• Helps in respiration.
The stem,
• Carry out transpiration.
• supports the branches, leaves,
flowers and fruits.
67

Victoria amazonica, Activity 3
the leaves of this plant
The teacher will divide students into
grow up to 3 metres
four groups. Each group leader will
across. A mature
pull a plant part from a “hat” (roots,
Victoria leaf can support an evenly
stems, leaves, and flower). The
distributed Load of 45 Kilograms or
teacher will take students around
apparently young person.
campus to search for their assigned
plant parts. They have to locate
different types of plants discussed in
the class room. The learner will return
to the class, follow a process sheet
given to create a poster with their
group and identify correctly each
type of root, stem, or leaf observed.
The flower group will create a poster
4.2. Habitat by identifying correctly each part
of the flower. Each group will share
Think to learn their posters within the class.
How do we classify the plants?
1. Based on flower: Plants can be Activity 4
classified into two main groups.
Flowering plants and Non-flowering Read the following story along
plants. with your friend
Once, I was a happy monkey. I
lived in a beautiful thick forest with
my mother and two brothers. We
ran and played in the lush grass. On
Sun Flower - Riccia-Non- one hot day, I fell fast asleep in the
Flowering plant flowering plant cool shade of a tree. Suddenly the
2. Based on position of sead: Plants bright sun woke me up. I opened
can be divided into two groups. my eyes and could not believe what
Angiosperms. and Gymnosperms I saw everything has changed.
Everything had been destroyed. I stood
Mango-Angiosperm Cycas-Gymnosperm
68

and looked at the stumps that used to
be trees. Nothing was left apart from
hard dry ground and only streets and
building
I saw a deer that looked very sad,
“where have all the trees gone and
where are all the other animals?” I
asked her. She explained how humans
had chopped down all the trees, but
had not planted new ones to replace
them. After a while, I said good bye
to deer. My home had gone. I didn’t
know where my family was, and I was
starting to feel hungry and thirsty, day
and night. I walked in search for water,
food and safe place to sleep. Whenever
I stopped, to rest humans drove me
away with sticks and angry voices. I
could feel my body getting weak and
tired. One day when I had almost given
all the hope, I came across a cool and 4.2.1 Types of Habitat
dark forest. As I walked through it, I Let us study the two major types of
found plenty of food and water. The habitat with the help of following:
forest felt safe for me. There were no
signs of human visiting it.
• Why did the monkey feel sad?
• Who chopped the trees?
• Which is the safest place for
monkey to live?
• What is a habitat?
Each and every organism needs a place

to live and reproduce. Such a dwelling I. Aquatic habitat:- When we visit a
place is called habitat. From the depths pond, we see some plants appear to
of the ocean to the top of the highest float on water. One of the common
mountain, habitats are places where plants plants is the lotus plant. Its leaves
and animals live. float on the water. There is a small
frog sitting on a leaf. It is ready to
69

Types of habitat
Areas permanantly
covered by water
Desert
Marine
Fresh water
Rivers
Driest places on earth
Grasslands
Lakes
Areas where vegetation

is dominated by grasses
Mountains Pools Ponds
Large land form that

stretches above the s
urrounding land
70

catch the insects flying/fluttering
Air spaces in stems
around the flowers. The stem of the
and petioles of lotus
plant is seen to be inside (submerged)
are useful for floating
the water. Its roots are found within
in water
the muddy floor of the pond. As this
plant grows in water, shall we call it
an aquatic plant?
Aquatic habitat includes areas
that are permanently covered by
water and surrounding areas that are
occasionally covered by water. There
are two types namely Fresh water
habitat and Marine water habitat. b. Marine water habitat:- From outer
space earth looks like an awesome blue
•
Nile is the longest marble, That’s because most of earth’s
river in the world. It surface, more than 70% is covered by
is 6650 Km long. The oceans. Oceans also support the growth
Longest river in India of plants. Marine plants perform about
is Ganges River. It is 40% of all photosynthesis that occurs on
2525 Km long. the planet.
Example: Marine Algae, Sea grasses,
I. a. Fresh water Habitat :- Marsh grass, Phytoplanktons.
II. Terrestrial habitat: T e r r e s t r i a l

Rivers, lakes, ponds and pools are the
habitats are the ones that are found
fresh water habitat. Water hyacinth, water
on land like forest, grassland and
lily and lotus are seen in the fresh water
desert. It also includes man-made
habitat. In these plants roots are very much
habitats like farms, towns and cities.
reduced in size. Stem and leaves have air
They can be as big as a continent or
chambers that allow aquatic plants to float
as small as an island. They make up
in water.
about 28% of the entire world habitat.
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Types: (i) Hot dry deserts, (ii) Semi
arid deserts, (iii) Coastal deserts,
(iv) Cold deserts. Example: Cactus,
Agave, Aloe, Bryophyllum
Fact file
Thar Desert, also called Great Indian
Example : Rubber tree, teak tree and Desert, is an arid region of rolling
Neem tree. sand hills on the Indian subcontinent.
It is located partly in Rajasthan state,
The first land plants
north-western India, and partly in
appeared around 470
million years ago. Punjab and Sindh (Sind) provinces,
They were mosses eastern Pakistan.
and liverworts.
b. Grassland habitat
The Amazon Rain Forest in South
Grassland is an area where the
America produces half of the world’s
Vegetation is dominated by grasses.
oxygen supply.
Grasses ranges from short to tall. eg.
Savanna Grassland
Terrestrial habitat is classified into three
types such as
a. Desert b. Grassland c. Forest
a
. Desert habitat
A habitat without much water is called
deserts. Deserts are the driest place
on earth, They get fewer than 25cm of
rainfall annually. Deserts cover atleast
20% of the earth. The plants which c. Forest habitat
grows in this habitat have thick leaves Forest is a large area dominated by trees.
that store water and minerals. The plants There are three types of forests and
like cactus store water in their stem and are:- tropical forests, temperate forests

the leaves are reduced to spines. They and mountain forest. Annual rain fall ranges
have long roots that go very deep in the from 25-200 cm.
soil in the search of water.
72

Activity 5
Visit a nearby nursery. Choose any

ten varieties of plants and place them
under the appropriate habitats.
World habitat day

Lathyrus
is observed on 1st
Monday of October. Bamboo is one of
the fast growing
plants, during active
4.2.2. Plant Adaptations and
growth phase.
Modifications.
Adaptations are special features in
plants which help them to survive in the
habitats they live in over a long period.
Plants in a specific environment have
developed special features which help
them to grow and live in that particular
habitat. In this chapter, Let us study
some adaptations like tendril, twiners
2. Twiners:- Some plants have weak
and thorns. These adaptations are seen
stems. They cannot stand straight on
in plants which live in terrestrial and
their own. They must climb on any
desert habitat.
support to survive.
1. Tendril Climber:- Tendril is a
Example: Clitoria and Jasmine
twining climbing organ of some weak
stemmed plants like peas and bitter
gourd. Tendril coils round a support
and help the plant to climb. Example:
1. Sweet Peas
Leaflets are
modified into
tendrils.
2. Bitter Gourd Axillary buds
are modified
into tendril Clitoria
which helps
the plant to
climb.
73

3. Thorns:- Leaves of some plants
HOTS
become wholly or partially modified into
sharp pointed structures called “thorns Cactus plant is green in colour and
or spines” for defensive purpose. performs photosynthesis. Which part
of the plant does photosynthesis?
Example:
1. Agave - the leaf apex and margins
are modified into thorns
2. Opuntia - the leaves are modified KEYWORDS
into spines. • Tap root: A primary root that
3. bougainvillea – the stem has sharp grows vertically downward and
thorns. gives off small lateral roots.
• Fibrous root: Cluster of roots.
• Habitat – The area where a
particular organism actually
lives.
• Aquatic – Plants whose natural
habitat is water.
1. Agave • Terrestrial – Plants whose
natural habitat is land.
• Adaptation – Changes in the
structure or behaviour of an
organism that helps the plants
to survive in a particular
habitat.
2. Opuntia • Modification – a change
Activity 6 in organism caused by
environmental factors.
Field Investigation • Tendril climber: A slender organ
Name of the student of a modification of stem
Date • Twiner: Plants which climb up
trees and other objects.
Location
• Thorn: A sharp and stiff part of
Plant types to be observed
a modification of stem
1. A tendril climber
2. A twiner
3. A plant with thorn
Tabulate the modification that you
have observed in these plants
74

Points to Remember • The surroundings where plant live is
called their habitat
• The plant body of flowering plant
• The two major habitats.
consists of two main parts. They are
1. Aquatic habitat
1. Root system
2. Terrestrial habitat
2. Shoot system
• Adaptations are special features in
• Root fix the plants to the soil. Roots
plants which help them to survive in
absorb water and minerals from the soil
their habitat.
• Stem is the ascending part of the plant
• Tendril is a climbing organ of some
axis. It has nodes and internodes. weak stemmed plants
• Leaves perform three major functions • Twiner have weak stem and they can’t
such as stand straight on their own
1. Photosynthesis.
2. Respiration.
3. Transpiration
75

ICT CORNER
Life cycle of plants
Lets learn parts of the flower.
Steps:
• To learn more about the parts of the flower type science kids in the google /
browser and select games. Then select life cycle of plants in the screen a flower
with its part appear drag one of the flower’s stamen into labelled box. Now drag
the part of the flower and place it in the labelled box. It’s a trial
• Instructions will appear on the screen. When click ok next step will appear. Then
we have to drag each and every part of the flower into the relevant box.
• When we click the magnifying glass symbol, uses of the floral parts will
appear. Then click ok button. Next an image of flower with its parts appears. It’s an
evolutionary exercise.
Step1 Step2 Step3
URL:
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/lifecycles.html
76

2. The driest places on earth
Evaluation are .
3. Fixation and absorption are the
main functions of .
4. Primary organs of photosynthesis
I. Multiple Choice Questions are .
1. Pond is an example of . 5. Tap root system present in
a) Marine b) Freshwater plants.
Habitat habitat IV.Match the following
c) Deserts d) Mountain 1. Mountain - Monocot
2. The important function of stomata is 2. Desert - Branches
. 3. Stem - Dry place
a) Conduction b) Transpiration 4. Photosynthesis - Himalayas

5. Fibrous Root - Leaves
c) Photosynthesis d) Absorption
V. Arrange in correct sequence
3. Organs of absorption
1. Leaf – Stem – Root – Flower
a) Root b) Stem
2. Transpiration – Conduction -
c) Leaf d) Flower Absorption – Fixation
4. The habitat of water hyacinth
VI. Very short answer
a) Aquatic b) Terrestrial 1. Classify the plants on the basis of
c) Desert d) Mountain their habitat.
2. Identify the desert plants from the
II. True or False – If False give the
following - Cactus, Hydrilla, Mango
correct answer
and Rose.
1. Plants can live without water. 3. Define the term habitat.
2. All plants have chlorophyll. 4. Relate the terms leaves and
3. Plants have three parts: the root, photosynthesis.
the stem and leaves. VII. Short Answer
4. Mountain is an example for 1. Why do you call jasmine plants,
freshwater habitat. a twiner ?
5. Root is modified into spines. 2. Compare the tap root and fibrous
root systems.
6. Green plants need sunlight.
3. Distinguish between terrestrial and
III. Fill in the Blanks aquatic habitats.
1. Earth's surface is covered by 4. List out the plants present in your
% of water. school garden.
77

VIII. Answer in detail
1. Make a list of the functions of root and stem.
2. Study the given concept map. Connect them correcting by drawing arrow
marks. Complete the map by filling in the blanks.
Habitat
Aquatic Terrestrial
Fresh Water Marine Grass land
River
78

Unit
5 Living World of Animals
Learning Objectives
• To know there are many kinds of animals.

• Diversity is seen both in animals and plants.
• Living organisms may be unicellular and multicellular.
• Based on the habitat where they live there are variations in forms.
• Based on the habitat animals exhibit adaptations.
• Life form depends on each other.
79

Animals Bio Diversity
Multi
Cellular
Paramecium Amoeba
Tiger
Uni
Cellular
Euglena
Man
CAMEL
Long Eyelashes Hump
Monkey
Thick skin
Does not sweat
Can store large amount of water
Flat padded feet
LIZARD BIRDS
Scaly skin
Wings Eartworm
and Snail
Adaptations
Strong chest muscles
Movable Eyelids Hollow light bones
Frog
FISH
Streamlined Body
Fins Gills
Fish and
pigeon
80

Introduction living creatures, including humans, form
a community interacting with one another
The National School, Nallur, organised
and with other animals, plants, air, water
a field trip to a nearby village called
and soil around them. The living things
Anaikkadu. The Students were so happy
form biotic community and non-living
to see a village with ponds, streams,
things form abiotic community.
green fields and coconut trees. With
the help of the teacher students were 5.1.1 Habitat
allowed to go around. One of them saw Fishes and crabs grow only in water while
two birds building a nest. Where do the many animals like elephants, tigers and
birds build a nest and why? camels live on land. The geographical
Children saw a number of butterflies features and environmental conditions
fluttering near the flowers. The air on earth differ from one place to another.
was so fresh, so calm, so quiet and so Though camel can live anywhere it is able
relaxing. They came across a pond in the
distance. It had some water. Floating on Activity 1
the water were dark green lotus leaves.
Collect the pictures of various
A green frog was leaping from one lotus
ecosystems like lake, pond, forest,
leaf to another making a croaking sound.
desert, mountains, and Polar regions
A girl spotted a rabbit with a short tail.
and prepare a chart of animals in
Can you make a list of the animals seen
these places.
by the children? Were they all similar? In
what way they were similar?
to live in deserts more comfortably. Polar
5.1 Biodiversity Bear and Penguins dwell in cold regions.
Living in such harsh conditions requires
In the living world, a lot of diversity is
special features in these animals which
seen both in animals and plants. Every
help these organisms to live, breed and
plant and animal is unique. The term
excel well in that particular place. Living
biodiversity refers to the totality of
or dwelling place of an organism is known
species, populations, communities and
as habitat.
ecosystems, both wild and domestic. It
may also be defined as the variety and
variability among living organisms and
the habitats in which they live.
Biodiversity includes a variety of
ecosystems such as those that occur in
deserts, forests, mountains, lakes, rivers
and agricultural fields. In each ecosystem,
81

Some organisms are made up of a single
Activity 2
cell and these are called unicellular
Look at the below picture and organisms, whereas, the organisms
prepare a chart for the following that are made of many cells are called
interpretation. multicellular organisms.
¾¾ How does the climate differ Amoeba, Paramecium and Euglena
in these habitats? are unicellular while, fish, frog, lizard,
¾¾ Name some animals that bird and man are multicellular.
exist in these habitats. Unicellular organism
¾¾ Can an animal survive if it is Unicellular organisms are small, usually
shifted from one habitat to microscopic, cannot be seen with naked
another contrasting habitat? eye. They are aquatic, simplest and most
primitive of all animals. They perform all
In Jurong Birds Park, their physiological activities by the special
Singapore, Penguins structures present inside the body called
are kept in a big glass organelles.
case with ice bergs We know Amoeba is an unicellular
and temperature is maintained at organism It does all the activities like
0° C and below. digestion, locomotion, respiration and
reproduction.
It swallows food from the water and
the food is digested in the food vacuole.
Contractile vacuoles help in excretion.
Respiration is by simple diffusion through
the body surface. They have finger-like
structures called Pseudopodia, (false foot)
which help in movement or locomotion.
Amoeba
Penguin
5.2 Unicellular and

Multicellular Organisms
Living things are made of small units called
cells. All the functions and processes in
the body of living things are brought about
with the help of these microscopic cells.
82

Paramecium is also a unicellular organism Euglena
which lives in water and move with the
help of cilia.
Paramecium
Multicellular organisms:
Majority of organisms we see around us,
including animals are multicellular. In
such organisms, different functions are
Euglena is an unicellular animal which
moves with a flagellum.
Table 2.2 The Differences between Unicellular and Multicellular Organisms.
Unicellular Organisms Multicellular Organisms
• They are made up of single cell. • They are organisms are made up of
• The single cell of the organism can many cells.
perform all the functions of life. • Division of labour exists among cells.
• These organisms are generally very Different cells are specialized to
small (microscopic) in size. perform different functions.
• They lack tissues, organs and organ • They are mostly large in size.
systems. • They are composed of tissues, organs
• Growth occurs by an increase in the and organ systems.
size of the cell. • Growth occurs by an increase in the
eg. Amoeba, Paramecium and number of cells by cell division.
Euglena. eg. Earthworms, Fish, Frogs, Lizard
and human beings.
83

carried out by different groups of cells or Fish
organs in their body. E.g. Jelly fish, Earth 1. The head, trunk and tail of a fish
worm, snails, fish, frog, snakes, pigeon, merge to form a streamlined shape.
tiger, monkey and man. The streamlined body shape helps the
fish to move through the water easily.
2. The fish has special organs called
“Gills” which is a respiratory organ
helps to absorb oxygen dissolved in
water for breathing. It is adapted
to breathe in water.
3. Most of the fishes have slippery
scales all over the body which
protect the body.
4. The fish has fins for swimming.
5. The fish has strong tail which acts
as rudder to change direction and
keep its body balance in water.
5.3 Adatptation in Animals
Animals vary in size, shape and

behaviour
A Living thing can survive in a particular Lizard
habitat if its body is adapted to the 1. Lizards are scaly-skinned reptiles that
conditions of that habitat. Plants and are usually distinguished from snakes
animals develop special characteristics or by the possession of legs, movable
features in their body in order to survive eyelids, and external ear openings.
in their habitat (the surroundings). The
2.
They mostly inhabit warm regions.
presence of specific body features for
Most lizards are quadripedal (walk with
certain habits which enable a plant or an
four legs) and have a powerful limb.
animal to live in a particular habitat is
3.
Some lizards have the capacity to
called adaptation.
rotate the head around the head joint.
The fish lives in either freshwater or
4.
T hey breathe through lungs. Some
marine water. Let us analyse the adaptations
lizards are able to run bipedally with
seen in a fish for its aquatic life.
two legs. In this the tail is held out
84

backward and upward and acts as a 8. They have strong chest muscles
counterweight. which help them withstand the
5 Most lizards eat a variety of insects pressure of the air while flapping
like mosquitoes and Cockroaches with their wings during flight.
sharp, tricuspid, teeth adapted for
9. At a time, birds can see one object
grabbing and holding
with one eye and another object with
6 Some lizards (Dinosaurs) have web in
the other eye. (Binocular vision)
the toes, and few lizards are able to
glide or parachute the air and make soft
landings.
When an animal moves

its location as the
Birds season changes it is
1. They have streamlined body covered said to be Migration.
In Tamil Nadu Bird Sanctuaries are
with feathers.
2 This body shape provides minimum
resistance to air.
3 They have beak instead of mouth.
4. They breathe through lungs. They
have a pair of wings that are modified
forelimbs.
5. They have hollow and light bones. located at Vedanthangal, Kodiyakkarai
6. Usually we see birds fly, however and Koondhankulam. There are
they can also hop, move, run, etc., many birds from foreign countries
like Siberia and Russia migrate to
on the ground and they perch well
our Vedanthaangal. Likewise during
on the branches of tree with the
summer and drought conditions birds
help of a pair of clawed feet.
from our country migrate to foreign
7. The tail of the bird helps it to control countries. These birds are called
the direction of the movements. Migratory Birds.
85

Adaptation in Camel:
Camel lives in hot desert where water
is scarce. The body structure of a camel
helps it to survive in desert because of its
following special features which are listed
below:
1. The camel has long legs which help
it to keep its body away from the
hot sand in the desert.
2. A camel can drink large amount
of water (when it is available) and
store it in the body. can break down stored fat for
3. A camel’s body is adapted to save nourshment.
water in the dry desert as follows: 5. A camel has large and flat padded
A Camel passes small amount of feet which help it to walk easily on
urine; its dung is dry and it does soft sand. Thus it is called “The ship
not sweat. Since a camel loses of the desert”.
very little water from its body, it 6. Camel has long eye lashes and
can live for many days without hairs to protect its eyes and ears
drinking water. from the blowing dust.
4. A camel’s hump has fat stored in 7. It can keep its nostrils closed to
it. In case of emergency a camel avoid dust.
Info Bits
))Spending winters in a dormant condition is called Hibernation. eg. Turtle

))On the other hand, spending the hot and dry period in an inactive state is known
as Aestivation. eg. Snail

86

Kangaroo rat does not
drink water at all.
Whatever food it eats
and oxygen it gets from
air combine together to form water
inside the body.
Table: 2 Adaptive Features of A

nimals from different Habitats
Sl.No. Name of the Animal Habitat Adaptive features
1. Polar Bear Polar region Thick skin for protection, white fur
2. Penguin Polar region Paddle to swim, walk with two legs
3. Mountain Goat Mountains Strong hooves for running, long hair
to protect from cold
4. Lion Forest Strong and fast runner has sharp
claws to catch prey.
Polar Bear Mountain Goat
Lion Penguins
The mountain goat namely Nilgri Tahr can find small spaces on rock
to climb with ease and keep its balance as it feeds.
87

ICT CORNER
Bio diversity
Lets play animal quiz
Steps:
• Go to Google / browser and type “animal quiz” to know more about the types of
animals and their habitation.
• When you get the app, press install button for installing. Then click open and
start your game.
• Many options will be displayed on the screen. From that, you select the option
of your choice.
• When the choice is selected and the game is started for each animal four options
will come. When the correct answer is given it will automatically go to next
animal. When the whole episode is over you can go to the starting phase and
start the next play.
URL:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.asmolgam.
animals
88

6. Choose the set that represents
Evaluation only biotic components of a habitat
a. Tiger, Deer, Grass, Soil
I Choose the correct answers b. Rocks, Soil, Plants, Air
1. The study of living things or c. Sand, Turtle, Crab, Rocks
organisms is called
d. Aquatic plant, Fish, Frog, Insects
a. Psychology
7. Which of the following cannot be
b. Biology
called as a habitat?
c. Zoology
a. A desert with camels
d. Botany
b. A pond with fish and snails
2. Which of the following are
c. Cultivated land with grazing
characteristics of living beings? cattle
(i) Respiration d. A jungle with wild animals
(ii) Reproduction
8. Birds fly in the air with the help of
(iii) Adaptation
a. heavy and strong Bones
(iv) Excretion
b. Soft and thick Bones
Choose the correct sequence c. Hollow and light Bones
a. (i), (ii), and iv only d. Flat and thick Bones
b. (i), (ii) only
9. Paramecium moves from one place
c. (ii) and (iv)only to other with the help of
d. (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) a. Pseudopodia
3. Lizards breathe through their b. Flagella
a. Skin b. Gills c. Foot
c. Lungs d. Trachea d. Cilia
4. All animals need 10. Kangaroo rat lives in
a. Food and water only a. Aquatic habitat
b. Water only b. Desert habitat
c. Air, food and water c. Grass land habitat
d. Food only d. Mountain habitat
5. Which animal has the special II. Multiple choice questions

organs of breathing called gills
Complete the following with
a. Earthworm b. Fox appropriate word(s).
c. Fish d. frog 1. Aquatic, deserts, mountains are
called .
89

2. Based on the number of cells 2. Where can we see Camels in
present animals are classified into India?
and 3. Name the locomotory organ of
an Amoeba.
3. Tail of a bird acts as a rudder which 4. What are the body parts of a
helps to . snake?
4. Amoeba moves with the help of 5. Which structure helps the bird to
. change its direction while flying
III. True or False, If False give the in air?
correct answer. VI. Short answer type questions.
1. Habitat is a living or dwelling place 1. Differentiate between Unicellular
of organism. and Multicellular organisms.
2. The geographical features and 2. Write the adaptive features of
environmental conditions on earth Polar bear and Penguin.
remain same from one place to
3. Mention the feature that help a
other.
bird to fly is the air?
3. Amoeba is a unicellular organism
4. What are the different types of
and moves with pseudopodia.
invertebrates?
4. Birds can see only one object at a
VII. Answer in detail
time.
1. Describe the various features
5. Paramoecium is a multicelluar
which help Camel dwell well in
organism.
the desert.
IV. Complete the following
1. Tropical rain forests, grasslands
and desserts are known as
.
2. Some living things are made
of a single cell, they are called
organism.
3. The breathing organ of a fish is
known as
4. The lizard on the ground
with its claw on its feet.
5. Camel stores in its hump.
V. Very short answer questions.

1. How do the birds catch their prey?
90

Unit
6 Health and Hygiene
91

Learning Objectives
• To Classify the different components of Food.
• To Evaluate the importance of nutrients present in our food.
• To Enrich the knowledge about Balanced diet.
• To List out the deficiency diseases.
• To Describe on personal hygiene.
• To Differentiate the diseases caused by Bacteria and Virus.
Introduction Deepa’s family was preparing their

The word "health" refers to a state of monthly provision list
complete emotional and physical well- When Deepa saw the list, she had some
being. Healthcare exists to help people questions to ask her parents, Why do
maintain this optimal state of health.
As defined by World Health Provision List
Organization (WHO), it is a "State of
Raw rice...............................25 Kg
complete physical, mental, and social
Wheat................................... 5 Kg
well being, and not merely the absence of
pigeon pea............................. 2 Kg
disease or infirmity." Health is a dynamic
Green gram............................ 1 Kg
condition resulting from a body's constant
Black gram............................. 2 Kg
adjustment and adaptation in response to
Cooking oil............................... 2 lt
stresses and changes in the environment
for maintaining an inner equilibrium Ghee................................. 500 gm
called homeostasis.
we eat, comparatively more amount of
Hygiene is a science of the
rice and wheat? Why do we consume
establishment and maintenance of health
less amount of oil and ghee? Discuss the
conditions or practices (as of cleanliness)
given list with your teacher.
conducive to health has poor personal
hygiene. Brushing your teeth regularly is
an important part of good oral hygiene.
Hygiene is the practice of keeping yourself
and your surroundings clean, especially
in order to prevent illness or the spread
of diseases.
92

Activity 1
Read the following food items and Classify the following table
Brinjal Chocolate Lady’s finger French fries
Grains Orange Guava Spinach
Moringa Leaves Goose berry Burger Pearl millet
Food which I like to Food which I don’t like to Food which I have never
eat eat seen before
1.
2.
1. Do your favorite foods make you healthy?
2. Do you choose your food by taste or by its nutritive value?
6.1.1. Carbohydrates
6.1. Components of Food
Carbohydrates are energy giving
The Chemical constituents of food which component of the food.
give us energy, help to build our body
Table 1
and protect us from diseases are called
S.No. Form of Sources
Nutrients.
Carbohydrates
1. Carbohydrate 2. Proteins 1 Sugar Fruits, Honey,
3. Fats 4. Vitamins Cane Sugar,
5. Minerals 6. Water. Sugar Beet
2 Starch Rice, Wheat,
Maize, Potato,
Activity 2 etc.
3 Dietary fibre Whole grain,
Collect as many food items as you nuts,etc.
can and classify them according
We can obtain carbohydrates in the form
to the major nutrient content in it.
of Sugar, starch and dietary fibres
93

NUTRIENTS
Chicken
Soya Beans
Nuts,
Grams
Fruits Drinking
Juices
water
Vegetables
Grains Meat PROTEINS
VITAMINS WATER
MINERALS FATS
Spinach Fish
Egg yolk
CARBO-
Egg
g Fruits
Milk HYDRATES Ghee
Milk
Meat
Fish
Maize Lentils
ils
Nuts
F it
Fruits Rice
94

WHOLE GRAINS
Activity 3
Aim:
To test the presence of Carbohydrate
as Starch in the given food item.
What do you need?
Boiled potato, dropper and dilute
Iodine solution
How to do:
Smash the boiled potato. Activity 4
Add two or three drops of dilute Aim:
Iodine solution on the Sample To test the presence of Fat in the
What do you see? given food item.
The potato turns blue-black in colour. What do you need?
What do you learn? Coconut Oil, groundnut oil, and any
Iodine reacts with Starch to form Paper.
Starch-Iodine complex which is blue- How to do:
black in colour. Thus, the appearance Pour few drops of oil onto the paper
of blue-black colour confirms the and rub it gently with your finger.
presence of Starch in the food item In case of ground nut, crush the
groundnut and place it on a paper
6.1.2. Fats
Now rub the groundnut on the paper
Fat is also an energy-giving food and
What do you see?
provides more energy than Carbohydrates.
Some important sources of fats are The paper turns translucent and
butter, ghee, milk, cheese, paneer, nuts, becomes greasy .
meat, fish, egg yolk etc. Apart from What do you learn?
giving energy, they insulate our body and The given food sample contains fat
protect the cells.
95

6.1.3. PROTEIN
Activity 5
Body Building Foods
Proteins are necessary for our growth and Aim:
repair, as well as for regulating various To test the presence of Protein in
body functions such as digestion. The the given food item.
sources of proteins are pulses, eggs, fish, What do you need?
milk, chicken, soya bean, nut, grams etc, egg white, Copper sulphate solution,
Proteins are body building foods.
Sodium hydroxide , Test tube and
Bunsen burner.
How to do:
Take a small amount of the food
sample (egg white) and put in the
test tube.
Add some water to the test tube and
shake it.
Next, heat the test tube for about
one minute. After the test tube has
cooled down, and two drops each of
Copper sulphate solution and Sodium
hydroxide to it.
What do you see?
The food sample turns purple or
violet.
What do you learn?
Change in colour of the given food
sample turns purple or violet confirms
the presence of Protein.
6.1.4. Vitamins
Vitamins are required for carrying out
various biochemical reactions in our body.
Fruits, vegetables, grains, meat products
are good sources of vitamins. Vitamins
Soyabean is the are called as protective food. There are six
highly rich source of major vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K. Vitamins
protein. B and Vitamins C are water soluble, Vitamins
A, D, E and K are fat soluble.
96

VITAMINS
Types, Functions and deficiency diseases
Vitamin
Vitamin
A K
Vitamin Vitamin
Healthy
vision and
B Vitamin Vitamin E Clotting of
blood
skin
C D Found
Found Healthy abundantly in
abundantly in nervous
system Fertility green
Fish oil formation vegetables
of RBC Protects Calcium
gums helps absorbtion
Found immune and strong Found
egg , milk, system bones abundantly in
abundantly in
Vegetable oil,
Whole grain Found Found Whole wheat tomato
abundantly in abundantly in
ghee, carrot,
Oranges Fish oil
Unpolished
rice cabbage
corn,
yellow fruits, egg , milk,
green
milk, fish gooseberry
vegetables,
greens eggs
greens
It is also made
in our skin
peas, lentils using sunlight
green chilli,
Disesase we tomato apple, mango milk products
get if deficiency
in this
green vegetables
Disesase we
get if deficiency
in this Disesase we
Night Disesase we get if deficiency
get if deficiency in this
blindness Disesase we Disesase we
in this
get if deficiency get if deficiency
in this in this
nervous
weakness, weakness
Rickets dimming of of the bones,
Beri Beri Scurvy eyesight teeth etc.
97

Table 2
Vitamin Found abundantly in Disease we get if Symptoms
deficient in this
Vitamin A Fish oil, egg, milk, ghee, Night blindness Poor vision, difficulty
carrot, corn, yellow fruits, in seeing in dim light
greens
Vitamin B Whole grain, unpolished rice, Beriberi Nervous weakness,
milk, fish, meat, peas, lentils fatigue.
Green vegetables
Vitamin C Oranges, Gooseberry, Scurvy Bleeding gums
Greenchilly, Tomato
Vitamin D Fish oil, milk and eggs. It is Rickets Weak, flexible bones
also made in our skin using
sunlight
Vitamin E Vegetable oils, Green Nervous weakness, Childlessness, lack of
vegetables, whole wheat, dimming of eyesight resistance power to
Mango, apple, greens illnesses
Vitamin K Green vegetables, Tomato, Weakness of the Even a small cut
cabbage, eggs, milk products. bones, teeth etc. bleeds profusely.
Just Think Activity 6

A medical camp was conducted in
Make your food little healthier.
School. Most of the children were
What do you need?
healthy. Some of the students had
A small cup of green gram seeds,
some health issues
Water and thin cloth.
Priya had bleeding gums.
How to do:
Raja could not see clearly in dim light.
Soak the green gram seeds in water over.
Arun had bent legs .
Takeout the seeds and strain the water.
Can you guess what could be the
Wrap the seeds in wet thin cloth.
reasons?
Keep it for a day or two.
Sprinkle some water whenever it is dry.
Fact File What do you see?
Sun screen lotion reduces your skin's You can see white sprouts coming
ability to produce Vitamin D by up to out of the seeds.
95% which may lead to Vitamin D What do you learn?
deficiency. green gram sprouts are low in
calories, have fibre and Vitamin B.
It has comparatively high amount of
vitamin C and vitamin K
98

Gooseberries Fact File
contains nearly 20 Moringa leaves are rich in
times the vitamin
Vitamin A,
C than Orange.
Vitamin C,
6.1.5 Minerals Potassium,
Minerals are required for growth as Calcium,
well as for the regulation of normal body Iron and
function.Green leafy vegetables like Protein.
spinach, pulses, eggs, milk, fish and fruits
It also contains
are important sources of minerals in our
Powerful anti oxidants
diet. Minerals are also a protective foods.
Table 3
Minerals Functions
Calcium Strong bones and teeth,
clotting of blood
Phosphorus Strong bones and teeth
Iodine Synthesis of thyroid hor-
mone
Iron Formation of haemoglobin 6.1.6. Water
and brain development
Our body needs an adequate supply of
water is order to maintain good health. Any
80% of the world
human being should take minimum eight
production of Moringa
tumblers ( 2 Litres) of water every day.
Leaves is in India. The
Major countries which
import Moringa Leaves are China, US,
Germany, Canada, South Korea and
European countries.
Complete the following Table 4

S.No. Nutrients Sources Functions
1 Carbohydrates Rice,Wheat,Potato
2 Fats Give us energy
3 Proteins
4 Vitamins Fruits, Vegetables, Grains,
Meat and dairy products
5 Minerals Regulation of growth and normal
body function
99

6.2. Health and Nutrients
Look at the pictures Given below
Mark  for healthy persons and mark  for unhealthy persons.
6.2.1. Health • An increased capacity to work

Health is a state of complete physical, • Good physical and mental health
mental and social well-being and not merely • Increased capacity to resist diseases.
absence of diseases. Eating a healthy diet • Help in proper growth of the body.
keeps you physically and mentally fit.
When you are physically healthy, you feel A balanced diet contains sufficient
confident you are more outgoing and have amount of various nutrients to ensure
a greater capacity for enjoying life. good health. Food should also provide
Unhealthy food choices lead to the appropriate amount of energy and
obesity and illness, preventing you from adequate amount of water.
socializing with friends and family. So
choose your diet carefully. Activity 7
6.2.2 Balanced Diet WHY DO WE NEED A BALANCED
A diet should contain adequate amount DIET ?
of all the necessary nutrients required for Prepare a diet chart to provide
healthy growth and activity. balanced diet to a 12 year old child.
The diet chart should include food
item which are not expensive and are
commonly available in your area.
6.2.3. Malnutrition
When your diet is not a balanced, what
would be the consequences?
Observe the below picture carefully
Do these children look normal?
Guess what would be the reason?
Food Pyramid
100

Activity 8
Visit a nearby Anganwadi centre and

find the steps taken by the government
to overcome malnutrition and ensure
health in the age group 0-5 years
Table 5 Protein And Mineral

Deficiency Diseases
Protein Symptoms
Diseases
Kwashiorkar Stunted growth,
Swelling of face and
limbs, Diarrhoea.
Marasmus Skinny appearance,
Slow body growth.
Mineral Deficiency Disease
Calcium Rickets.
The children are in this condition due Phosphorus Osteomalatia
to malnutrition. Iodine Cretinism (in Child)
Malnutrition: Malnutrition occurs when Goitre (in adult)
all the nutrients that the body needs are Iron Anaemia
not obtained in the proper proportions 6.2.4. P
hysical Exercise and Rest
from the diet. The word malnutrition
refers to the condition that results when Playing Exercise
a person does not take a balanced diet. games
Malnutrition leads to deficiency disease.
The diseases that are caused due to Physical
Sport Activity Dance
lack of Nutrients in the diet are called
Deficiency Diseases.
Active
Yoga Living
India has the second Physical exercise is any bodily activity
highest number of that enhances or maintains physical
obese children in the fitness and overall health and wellness. It
world after China, is performed for various reasons, including
according to a study that has found
• increase in growth and development,
that 14.4 million children in the
• strengthening muscles and the
country have excess weight.
cardiovascular system,
101

• developing athletic skills, weight loss Personal hygiene involves those
or maintenance, and enjoyment. practices performed by an individual
Physical exercise may help to decrease to care for one’s bodily health and well
some of the effects of childhood and being, through cleanliness. It includes
adult obesity. such personal habit choices as how
frequently to bathe, wash hands, trim
Deep sleep seems to fingernails, and change clothing. It also
be one of the most includes attention to keep surfaces in the
critical time for body home and workplace, including bathroom
repair. facilities, clean and pathogen-free.
REST
Proper amount of rest is essential for
physical and mental health. Rest is as
important as nutrition and physical Activity 9
activity for growth and development and
One day Rahim, a class six boy
good health. vomited three times. He was looking
tired and dehydrated. His mother who
was a nurse prepared a solution and
gave it to him drink. He felt better
after sometime and asked his mother
what the solution was. His mother
said it was Oral Rehydration Solution
– ORS. Shall we see what an ORS is?
Vomiting or loose motions result
Discuss with Friends in loss of water and cause salt
“ Early to bed and early to rise make imbalance in the body. Loss of water
(dehydration) can lead to serious
a man healthy, wealthy and wise”
problems. This can be prevented by
Benjamin Franklin consuming ORS at short intervals.
Follow the steps to make ORS at
6.2.5. Personal Cleanliness home:
Hygiene is a set of practices performed • Take a litre of boiled water. Cool
to preserve health. According to the World it.
Health Organization • Add half a teaspoon of salt and
(WHO), “Hygiene refers to six teaspoons of sugar to it.
conditions and practices • You can also add a few drops of
lemon juice to it. Stir it and give it to
that help to maintain
the person suffering from vomiting,
health and prevent the
loose motions or dehydration.
spread of diseases.”
102

Table 6
Components Recommended frequency of cleaning
Eye hygiene Daily every morning and whenever the face is dirty
Hair hygiene weekly twice preferably once every other day
Body hygiene Once or twice a day
Oral hygiene Brushing twice a day; rinsing after each meal
Feet hygiene Every day
Hand hygiene Every time after touching contaminated surfaces; every time
before eating and touching clean surfaces
Clothes hygiene Once or twice a day
6.3. Introduction of Microbes • Bacteria
When you neglect personal hygiene, you • Virus

are increasing the risk of falling sick. • Protozoa
Let us name some of the diseases or • fungi
conditions caused by microorganism due
6.3.1.Bacteria
to the negligence of personal hygiene.
Bacteria are very small prokaryotic
1. Diarrhoea
microorganisms.
2. Tooth decay
Bacterial cells do not have nucleus
3. Athlete’s foot( Madurai’s foot) and do not usually have membrane bound
4. Dandruff. organelles.
Do you believe that there are some • Bacteria can exist either as independent
organisms which you cannot see with organisms or as parasites
your naked eye? • They invade tissues
Yes. microbes can not be seen without • They produce pus or harmful wastes
the help of a microscope.
Most of the microbes belong to four
major groups:
Table 7 Bacterial Diseases

Bacterial
S.No Mode of transmission
diseases
1 Cholera contaminated water
2 Pneumonia inhalation of airborne droplets from a sneeze or cough.
3 Tetanus contamination of wounds with the bacteria
4 Tuberculosis inhalation of airborne droplets from a sneeze or cough.
5 Typhoid contaminated food or water
103

Disease Microscopes help
Disease is a definite to study the
pathological process structure of the
having a characteristic microorganisms
set of signs and symptoms.
Disorder
Disorder is a derangement or
abnormality of function.
Points to remember
6.3.2. Virus • There are six major nutrients
Virus is an acellular agent that replicates only – Carbohydrate
inside the cells of other living organisms. – Fats
Virus can infect all types of life forms – Protein
plant, animals and microorganisms. They
– Vitamins
invade living normal cells and use their cell
– Minerals
machinery to multiply. They can kill damage
or change the cells and make you sick. – Water
• Kwashiorkor and Marasmus are
protein deficiency diseases.
• Night blindness, scurvy, Rickets
and Beriberi are vitamin deficiency
diseases.
• Bacteria is a Prokaryotic
microorganism.
• Cholera, Typhoid and Pneumonia
are bacterial diseases
Diseases Caused By Virus
• Influenza, common cold and
1. Common cold 2. Influenza
chicken pox are viral diseases.
3. Hepatitis 4. Polio
5. Smallpox 6. Chicken pox
7. Measles
Suggested project
Get a Vaccination schedule from a
nearby doctor or a hospital. From the
Discuss in your class room list, identify the bacterial diseases
“Is virus a living thing or non living and the viral diseases for which
thing?” vaccination is given
104

ICT CORNER
Balanced food
Play with pyramid game
Steps:
• To learn and know more about balanced food, Go to google or browser
and type ninindia nutrition games
• When the homepage opens click pyramid game
• drag and drop the each foodmitem in the pyramid.
URL:
http://ninindia.org/Amulya%20Nutrition%20Games/index.html
105

9. Iron helps in the formation of
Evaluation haemoglobin.
10. Virus can grow and multiply outside
host.
III Fill in the Blanks
I Choose the correct answer 11. Malnutrition leads to _________
1. Our body needs ______ for muscle- 12. Iodine deficiency leads to ______ in
building adults.
a) carbohydrate b) fat 13. Vitamin D deficiency causes _______.
c) Protein d) Water 14. Typhoid is transmitted due to
2. Scurvy is caused due to the deficiency contamination of _____ and water.
of________. 15. Influenza is a ___________ disease.
a) Vitamin A b) Vitamin B IV. Complete the Analogy
c) Vitamin C d) Vitamin D 16. Rice: Carbohydrate :: Pulses:_____.
3. Calcium is an example of a 17. Vitamin D : Rickets :: Vitamin C:
a) carbohydrate b) fat _____.
c) Protein d) minerals 18. Iodine: Goitre :: Iron:_____.
4. We should include fruits and vegetables 19. Cholera: Bacteria :: Smallpox:_____
in our diet, because_______. V Match the Following
a) They are the best source of 20. Vitamin A Rickets
Carbohydrates
21. Vitamin B Night blindness
b) They are the best source of Proteins
22. Vitamin C Sterility
c) They are rich in minerals and
23. Vitamin D Beri beri
Vitamins
24. Vitamin E Scurvy
d) They have high water content
VI Complete the Diagram
5. Bacteria are very small _______
Carbohydrate Protein
microorganism.
a) Prokaryotic b) Eukaryotic Nutrients
c) Protozoa d) Acellular Water
II True or False Vitamin
6. There are three main nutrients VII. Write Short Answer

present in food.
25. Write two examples for each of the
7. Fats are used as an energy store by following .
our body
a) Food items rich in fat.
8. All bacteria have flagella.
b) Vitamin deficiency diseases.
106

26. Differentiate between carbohydrate
and protein
27. Define the term “ Balanced diet”.
28. Why should the fruits and vegetables
not to be washed after cutting?
29. Write any two viral diseases
30. What is the main feature of a
microorganism?
VIII. Long Answer
31. Tabulate the vitamins and their
corresponding deficiency diseases.
107

Unit
7 Computer-An Introduction
Learning Outcomes
• To know about the computer.

• To know the history of computer.
• To understand the growth and development of computer.
• To understand the generations of computer.
• To understand the types of computer.
• To apply the knowledge of computer in various fields in our day today life.
108

(Boys and girls of standard VI were Salim: Nancy,
playing in the playground). we usually think
Siva: Hey Salim, I saw your dad coming that computer
with a big parcel yesterday. I guess you should be like
could have bought a new television, Am a big TV and
I right? a box attached
with it, But computers are available in
Salim: It’s not a TV Siva. We bought a
different shapes. The works which are done
new computer.
with a computer can also be done using a
Malar: Oh, I see. computer! I had seen
smart phone. There may be difference in
it in Textile shop used for billing.
their speed, but their operations remain the
same. The big computers are shrunk into
small smart phones nowadays because of
the technological development. Most of us
think that smart phones are only to make
calls because of its’ handy look But it isn’t
so.
Selvi: What about laptops and tablets?
Are they same like the computers we
usually think of?
Salim: Yes, They are all the same. These
are different types of computers. But
Selvi: Malar, not only in textile shops,
their performance vary according to their
but also it’s used in Railway stations,
capacity.
Banks, ATM’s and in many places. It is
Siva: That’s ok Salim, why do you need
used even in our local post offices.
a computer in your home? What will you
Nancy: Hey! I had seen it in my school.
do in that?
Salim: Is it only in your school? Nancy,
Salim: I can use it to draw, paint, play
I think your father is also having a
games and I can learn and develop my
computer.
general knowledge.
Nancy: Is my father having a computer?!
Selvi: Salim, you know more about
Without my knowledge? I’m sure that my
computers!
father doesn’t have computer. He has
Salim: I know very less about computers.
only a mobile phone.
As my dad uses computer in his office, he
Salim: That’s what I say your father’s
knows much about it. I shared very little
mobile phone is also like a computer.
of what I have learnt from my dad.
Nancy: Oh no Salim? What do you mean?
(All the children stood up when the
How can a mobile phone compared with
teacher came and stood near them)
a computer?
109

Teacher: What is going on? Later, they started using a device called
Children: We are discussing about the calculator for calculation.
computer sir. Selvi: Wow! It’s really interesting sir,
Teacher: Oh, I see, that’s nice. I will then when did computers come into use
explain you in detail. Firstly I will explain Sir?
you about what is a computer? Computer Teacher: Good question Selvi. Computer
is an electronic device that process the didn’t come directly from abacus. The
data and Information according to our computers that we use today belongs to
needs. We can save the data and convert fifth generation.
it into information. Computers are used in Nancy: Oh! was there four more
many ways. generations previous to this?
Malar: We are eager to know who has Teacher: Yes, Nancy you are correct.
invented the computer? Siva: Sir! Can you explain us about the
Teacher: In the beginning of 19 century,
th
five generations?
Charles Babbage, a professor in Mathematics Teacher: In First generation computers,
has designed an analogue computer. He is they used Vacuum tube
known as the father of computer.
The basic structure designed by him is being In Second generation computer, they
used in all computers. Similarly, Augusta Ada used Transistor
Lovelace is admired as the first programmer In Third generation computer, they used
as she developed essential commands for Integrated Circuit
the mathematical operations. In Fourth generation computer, they used
Nancy: Sir, can you tell us which device Micro processor
was used before the invention of In Fifth generation computer - Now they
computer? use Artificial Intelligence
Teacher: In the early Selvi: Sir, we are eager to know more
stage, there was no about the present computers which we
computer. Initially the use sir?
people used a tool called Teacher: Data and information are the
abacus for calculations. two important elements in computers.
110

Malar: Sir, What is meant by data? Siva: Then, what is application software?
Generations of Computer
1 2 3
4 5
1940-1956 Vacuum tubes 1956-1963 Transistor 1964-1971 Integrated Circuit 1971-2k cial
Micro Processor Intelligence
Teacher: Data is the information that Teacher: Application software is a

has to be processed. It cannot be used software that is used to run a particular
directly by us. Generally, they are in the program. For example, the software used
form of numbers, alphabet and images. for painting, playing games in computer.
Siva: Sir… then what is information? Nancy: Oh! I have learnt much
information about computers today sir!.
ENIAC (Electronic Malar: Ok Sir, then what is hardware?
Numerical Integrator Teacher: The parts that are available in
and Computer) was the computer that helps the software to
the first Computer works is a hardware.
introduced in the year 1946. This is
Salim: Sir, please tell us more about it
the first General purpose computer.
Teacher: Yes, sure I will. Whatever
we want to send to a computer is sent
Teacher: Information is a form of
through a device called input device. For
processed data.
example, the keyboard, mouse and other
Siva: What is software and hardware, Sir? input devices.
Teacher: The commands or programs The data or information that has been
that are used in computer are called sent to the computer are displayed out or
Software. This software can be divided reproduced through some devices these
into two types. are called as output devices. For example,
1. Operating software printer, monitor and so on.
Nancy: Ok Sir, then what is CPU?
2. Application software.
Teacher: It is the central processing
Nancy: What is Operating Software?
unit. You will learn and understand more
Teacher: Software that is used to about CPU in your higher classes.
operate the computer is called operating
All Children together: Thank you so
software. I think you are familiar with
much, Sir. Today we have learnt and
Windows and Linux
understood more information about
111

computers.
1. Abacus (அபாகஸ்) - மணிச் சட்டம்
2. Computer (கம்ப்யூட்டர்) - கணினி
3. Architecture - கட்டமைப்பு, வடிவமைப்பு
4. Command - கட்டளை
5. Calculator - கணிப்பான், கணக்கிடும் கருவி

Cell Phone, Mobile
6. - கைபேசி, அலைபேசி
(செல்போன்)
7. Tablet (டேப்லட்) - கைக்கணினி, வரைப்பட்டிகை
8. Data - தரவு, முறைப்படுத்தபட வேண்டிய விவரங்கள்
9. Information - தகவல், முறைப்படுத்தப்பட்ட விவரங்கள்
மின்னணுஇயந்திரம், மின்சாரத்தால்
10. Electronic Machine -
இயங்கும் இயந்திரம்
Analog Computer குறியீட்டுஎண்களைப் பயன்படுத்தி

11. -
(அனலாக் கம்ப்யூட்டர்) கணக்கிடும் கருவி
12. Smart Phone (ஸ்மார்ட் ப�ோன்) - திறன் பேசி
13. Post Office - தபால் நிலையம்

Automated Teller Machine
14. - தானியங்கி பண எந்திரம்
(ATM)
15. keyboard - விசைப்பலகை
16. Software - மென்பொருள்
17. Hardware - வன்பொருள்
18. Printer - அச்சுப் ப�ொறி
19. Mouse - சுட்டி
20. Program - நிரல்
21. Programmer - நிரலர்
112

3. Information is data.
Evaluation 4. Fifth generation computer has
intelligence
I. Choose the Correct answer: 5. is the device that
1. Who is the father of computer? uses Index number.
a. Martin Luther King III. State True or False:

b. Graham Bell 1. Computer is an Electronic device.
c. Charlie Chaplin 2. Sir Isaac Newton invented Computer.
d. Charles Babbage 3. Computer can do calculations fast.
2. Which of the following is another form
IV. Match the following:
of computer?
First generation Artificial
a. Blackboard b. Mobile -
Computer Intelligence
c. Radio d. Book Second generation Integrated
-
3. When was the first computer Computer Circuit
introduced? Third generation
- Vacuum tubes
a. 1980 b. 1947 c. 1946 d. 1985 Computer
4. Who is the computer’s first Fourth generation
- Transistor
programmer? Computer
Fifth generation
a. Lady Wellington - Micro processor
computer
b. Augusta ado Lovelace
V. Answer the following:
c. Mary Curie
1. What is a Computer?
d. Mary Comb
2. Who are the pioneers/ forerunners of
5. Pick out the odd one.
computer?
a. Calculator b. Abacus
3. Write a short note on Data.
c. Flash card d. Laptop
4. Name any four input devices.
II. Fill in the blanks: 5. Differentiate Hardware and Software.
1. Data is information.
VI. Answer in detail:
2. World’s first general purpose computer
1. Explain in detail the Applications of
is
computer.
113

Scientific Terms
Measuring Tape - அளவு நாடா Strainer -

வடிகட்டி
Stop clock - நிறுத்துக் கடிகாரம் Churning -
கடைதல்
Measuring Jar - அளவுசாடி Threshing -
கதிரடித்தல்
Unit - அலகு Winnowing - தூற்றுதல்
Parallax Error - இடமாறு Sedimentation -
படியவைத்தல்
த�ோற்றப்பிழை
Decantation -
தெளியவைத்து
Mass - நிறை இறுத்தல்
Weight - எடை Filtrate - வடிநீர்
Animate Factors - உயிருள்ள காரணி Reaction - மீள் வினை
Inanimate Factors - உயிரற்ற காரணி Non-Reaction - மீளா வினை
Contact Forces - த�ொடு விசைகள் Dissolution - கரைத்தல்
Non-Contact Forces - த�ொடா விசைகள் Sublimation -
பதங்கமாதல்
Linear Motion - நேர்கோட்டு இயக்கம் Melting -
உருகுதல்
Curvilinear Motion - வளைவுப்பாதை Vaporization -
ஆவியாக்குதல்
இயக்கம்
Condensation -
ஆவி சுருங்கல்
Circular Motion - வட்டப்பாதை இயக்கம்
Freezing -
உறைதல்
Rotatory Motion - சுழற்சி இயக்கம்
Terminal bud - நுனி ம�ொட்டு
Oscillatory Motion - அலைவு இயக்கம்
Auxiliary buds - க�ோண ம�ொட்டு
Zigzag (Irregular)
Nodes -
இலைக் கணு
Motion -
ஒழுங்கற்ற இயக்கம்
Tendril - க�ொடிகளின்தளிரிழை,
Average Speed - சராசரி வேகம் பற்றுக்கம்பி
Periodic Motion - கால ஒழுங்கு இயக்கம் Twiners -
தழுவுக�ொடி
Non-Periodic Motion - கால ஒழுங்கற்ற Thorns -
முள்
இயக்கம்
Adaptation -
தகவமைப்பு
Uniform Motion - சீரான இயக்கம்
Bio diversity - பல்லுயிர்மை
Non-Uniform Motion - சீரற்ற இயக்கம்
Eco system -
சூழியல் மண்டலம்
Artificial Intelligence - செயற்கை
Migration - இடப்பெயர்வு
நுண்ணறிவு
Abiotic community - உயிருள்ள சமூகம்
Nano robotics - நான�ோஎந்திரனியல்
Biotic community - உயிரைச்
Diffusion - விரவுதல், பரவுதல்
சார்ந்தசமூகம்
Liquefaction -
நீர்ம்மாக்கல்
Malnutrition -
ஊட்டச்சத்து குறைவு
Compressible -
அழுத்தப்படக்கூடிய
Deficiency diseases - குறைப்பாட்டு
Unadulterated -
கலப்படம் அற்ற ந�ோய்கள்
Components -
பகுதிப்பொருட்கள் Hygiene -
சுகாதாரம்
Proportion - விகிதம் Personal Hygiene - தன் சுத்தம்
Extraction -
பிரித்தெடுத்தல்
114

SCIENCE – Class VI
List of Authors and Reviewers
Advisory Committee Authors
Dr. T.V. Venkateswaran M.N. Thanuja
Scientist, DST, Vigyanaprasar, New Delhi. BT Asst. GHSS, Devarsholai, The Nilgiris.
Reviewers R. Raman
BT Asst, GHS, vaiyavoor, Kanchipuram.
P .N. Sundari
Prinicipal, Kola Saraswathy Vaishnav Sr. Sec. School, D. Perumal Raj
Kilpauk, Chennai. BT .Asst, PUMS, Manickamangalam, Thiruvarur.
N. Kaveri Padmanabhan G. Vasantha Mary
Principal, VanavaniMHSS, IIT Campus, Chennai. BT Asst, AVRMV, GGHSS, Ambasamudram, Tirunelveli.
Dr. N. Radhakrishnan K.A. Sharmila
Professor , Centre for advanced studies in Botany, BT Asst, Lady Sivaswami Ayyar, GHSS, Mylapore, Chennai-4.
University of Madras, Chennai.
N. Balusamy
Dr. S. Dinakar HM (Retd), Corporation Hr. Sec. School, Peelamedu, Coimbatore.
Associate Professor, Madura College of Arts and Science
College, Madurai. M. Ananthkumar
PGT, GHSS,Agaram, Krishnagiri.
Domain Experts
M. Ananthan
Dr.Vanitha Danial
BT Asst, GHS, Servaikaranpatti, Dindigul.
Deputy Director SCERT, Chennai.
P. Kalaiselvan
D.Prabakaran
Thiruvalluvar HSS, Gudiyatam, Vellore.
Assistant Professor, SCERT, Chennai.
Dr. Vidhyageetha
S.Rajesh
Lecturer - DIET, Aduthurai, Thanjavur.
B.T. Asst. GHSS, Vanganoor, Thiruvallur.
DR.A. Selvaraj
Content Readers HM, CSI Andrew’s HSS, Manaparai, Trichy.
N. Thamaraikannan
PGT Physics, Jaigopal Garodia National Hr.Sec.School, Dr.N. Sathyamoorthy
Tambaram, Chennai. AHM, PGT, ERHSS, Trichy.
Dr. S. Ravi Kasi Venkataraman N. Tamilarasi

PGT Physics, Govt.Hr.Sec. School, Semmancherry, Chennai. PGT (Retd), St. Joseph GHSS, VadugarpetLalgudi, Trichy.
T. Subbiah S. Arasu
PGT Physics, Govt. (Girls) Hr.Sec.School, PGT-Chemistry, ST. Patrick Anglo Indian HSS, Chennai.
Acharapakkam, Kanchipuram. R. Ramyadevi
K. Ramesh BT Asst, GHSS, Medavakkam, Kanchipuram.
B.T Asst. (Science), Govt.High School, Esur, Kanchipuram. N. Manikandan
BT Asst, GHS, Rasingapuram, Theni.
Mrs. Helen Edward
Lecturer, DIET, Kumulur, Trichy.
S. Mohan Babu
BT Asst, GHSS, Veerapandi, Salem.
Art and Design Team Domain Experts (ICT)

Chief Co-ordinator Dr. R. Asir Julius
and Creative Head Assistant Professor, SCERT, Chennai.
SrinivasanNatarajan G. Dhavamani Maheshwari
Senior Lecturer, DIET, Tiruvallur.
Illustration
Gopu Rasuvel, Dharma, Madhavan, ICT Coordinator
Prabha and Gowtham P.Ruby Packiam
V. Srinivasan B.T.Asst.PUMS, K.K.Nagar, Tiruttani.
Artist, Valasaravakkam,Chennai.
Art Teachers, Government of Tamil Nadu.
Students, Government College of Fine Arts,
Chennai & Kumbakonam.
In House QC
QC - Karthik Kalaiarasu
- Ragu
Co-ordination
Ramesh Munisamy
Typing
M. Sathya
115

116
TN_GOVT_HISTORY_VI_CH01.indd 116 16-03-2018 20:12:45

STANDARD SIX
TERM - I
VOLUME - 3
HISTORY
117

HOW TO USE
THE BOOK
Case study emphazises

It ensures that the
the particular part of the
student will attain the
content in a brief and
learning skills.
crisp manner.
Activity
“Do you Know”, “Infobits” and
Activity helps to “Amazing Facts” drive to the
experience the content effective and interesting
effectively. teaching learning process.
Textbook
This textbook is a tiny spark
of informations that make
Exercises burst a mighty flame of HOTS
knowledge into the children.
Exercises are made feasible HOTS enable the analytical
to students of all levels. and critical skills.
Maps
Summary/Recap/Wrap-up
gives an opportunity to Maps are made for
recall the content which better knowledge of places
already learnt. and position.
QR Code
Given to make content
more interesting and
dynamic in nature to
enhance the thinking skills.

CONTENTS
History
Unit PageNo.
1. What is History? 121

2. Human Evolution 131
3. Indus Civilisation 144
4. Ancient Cities of Tamilagam 161
Geography
1. The Universe and Solar System 173
2. Land and Oceans 189
Civics
1. Understanding Diversity 206
2. Achieving Equality 217
E - Book Assessment Digi - links

120

Unit 1
What is
History?
Learning Objectives
• To know what history is all about.
• To understand the importance of history.
• To learn about the lifestyle of the pre-historic man.
• To know how paintings portray the daily activities of the pre-historic man.
• To understand the importance of history and historical researches.
Tamilini enters her house from school. Mother: Tamilini, what subject did you
Her mother, who was reading a book, study today?
greets Tamilini with a hug. She collects Tamilini: History, ma.
her school bag and asks Tamilini to Mother: Oh nice! Did you properly
refresh herself. She gives Tamilini some understand what history is?
snacks to eat. She then asks Tamilini Tamilini: Yeah! I understood something
about the school activities of that day. about history. Can you please tell me
more about history?
Info Bits
Telling the Time in History

Time in history is calculated in years using BCE/CE, which stands for Before Common
Era/ Common Era.
2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
BCE CE
121

Mother: Yes, Your great grandpa’s name is
History is the study
Mr. Ramasamy. OK.
of past events in
Often your father shows proudly a
chronological order.
very old wooden pen and used to tell
us that it was his grandpa’s pen. Do you
Mother: What is your name? remember it?
Tamilini: Tamilini. Tamilini: Yes, amma! Normally he keeps
Mother: Tell me your mother’s name. it in a beautiful wooden case on his table.
Tamilini: Mrs. Sumathi. Is that the one?
Mother: Father’s name? Mother: You are right, Tamilini. We cannot

write with that pen now. But, father has kept
Tamilini: Mr. Adhiyaman.
it as a treasure. If you ask your father about
Mother: Tell me the name of your father’s
that, he will show you the diary written by
father?
your great grandpa with that old pen. From
Tamilini: You mean grandpa? that diary, we come to know that your great
Mr. Chidambaram. grandpa was a literate, while most of his
Mother: Do you know the name of great villagers were illiterates. Further, we can
grandpa. understand the lifestyle of that period and
Mr. Chidambaram’s father? also about activities from his diary writings.
Tamilini: Grandma always used to tell Tamilini: Can this small diary record so
me about one ‘great grandpa’. much of news, amma?
You want that great grandpa’s name, Mother: Yes, Tamilini. We understand the
amma? mmm… period and lifestyles of people of Old Stone
Age from used stone
Info Bits tools, like what you
understand about your
The term history has been derived
grandpa and his time
from the Greek word “Istoria” which
from his diary writing.
means ‘learning by enquiry’.
In ancient period, the people lived in caves, used to draw paintings in rocks called Rock
Painting. They might have wished to record their activities through these paintings.
122

Tamilini: What are the other sources Mother: Some would have stayed back,
that help us understand the lifestyles of without joining the hunting team. So for
Stone Age people? their benefit, these pictures could have
Mother: We came to know their hunting been drawn. They might have done it as
style through their paintings on the rocks a part of their passtime.
and the walls of the caves. Tamilini: Certainly amma. That’s how we
Tamilini: Rock paintings? It sounds really identify their lifestyles. Isn’t it, amma?
surprising. Why did they draw these paintings?
Mother: Well said, Tamilini. The period
between the use of first stone tools and
Info Bits
the invention of writing systems is pre-
history. Stone tools, excavated materials
Numismatics – The study of Coins
and rock paintings are the major sources
Epigraphy- The study of inscription
of pre-history.
123

124

A Mighty E
mperor Ashoka
The most famous ruler of ancient India was Emperor Ashoka. It
was during his period that Buddhism spread to different parts of
Asia. Ashoka gave up war after seeing many people grieving death after the Kalinga
war. He embraced Buddhism and then devoted his life to spread the message of peace
and dharma. His service for the cause of public good was exemplary. He was the first
ruler to give up war after victory. He was the first to build hospitals for animals. He
was the first to lay roads. Dharma Chakra with 24 spokes in our national flag was
taken from the Saranath Pillar of Ashoka.
Even though Emperor Ashoka was great, his greatness
had been unknown until 20th century.The material evidence
provided by William Jones, James Prinsep and Alexander
Cunningham revealed the greatness of Emperor Ashoka.
Based on these accounts, Charles Allen wrote a book
titled The Search for the India’s Lost Emperor, which
provided a comprehensive account of Ashoka. Many
researches made thereafter brought Ashoka’s glorious
rule to light. These inscriptions were
observed on the rocks, Sanchi Stupa and
Saranath Pillar and helped to understand
the greatness of Ashoka to the world. Saranath Pillar
Sanchi Stupa
125

Now one can understand the Tamilini: Now, I completely understand
importance of historical research. But for what history is, amma.
the efforts of scholars, the greatness of
Emperor Ashoka would not have come to Thank you, amma.
light.
Mother: Do you know what proto history is?

'Dhamma' is the prakrit
Tamilini: That is the period between pre word for the sanskrit
history and history. term 'dharma', which
means religious duty.
Mother: Exactly. The period for which
records in writing are available but not
yet deciphered is called proto history.
Summary
Today, we are leading a safe life with all
modern equipment. But our ancestors did  The life styles of pre historic people
not live in such a safe environment. There can be understood from the stone
might have been chances of wild animals tools, rock paintings, fossils and other
excavated materials.
entering their caves. But, they realised
that dogs could help them prevent the  Proto history is the period between
pre-history and history.
entry of such dangerous animals by
its sniffing skill. Hence they started  Early humans domesticated dogs for
domesticating dogs for their protection their protection and hunting activities.
and hunting activities.  Mighty Emperor Ashoka followed the
path of peace and dharma.
From this, we also know how inscriptions,
 Dharma Chakra with 24 spokes in our
monuments, copper plates, accounts of national flag was taken from Saranath
foreigners or foreign travellers and folk Pillar of Ashoka.
tales play a vital role in constructing and
reconstructing history.
126

1. Sources - a place, person, text b. Statement and reason are correct.
or object from which c. Statement is wrong, and reason is
some data can be correct.
obtained d. Both statements and reasons are
2. Ancestor - a person related to you wrong.
who lived a long time ago
3. Dharma - righteousness 2. Statement: The objects used by the
4. Monument - a statue, building or early man are excavated. They are
other structure built by
preserved to know the lifestyle of the
a notable person
people.
5. Inscription - written records
engraved on stones, Find out which of the following is
pillars, clay or copper related to the statement:
tablets, caves and
walls of temples. a. Museum b. Burial materials
6. Historian - A person who studies c. Stone tools d. Bones
or writes history
Exercises 3. Find out the wrong pair:

a. Old stone age - Stone tools
1. What was the step taken by the early
man to collect his food?
b. Rock
a. Trade b. Hunting - Walls of the caves
paintings
c. Painting d. Rearing of animals
c. Copper plates - A source of history
II. Match the statement with
the Reason. Tick the appropriate d. Cats - First domesticated
answer:
1. Statement: Pre historic man went 4. Find the odd one:

along with the dog
for hunting. a. Paintings were drawn on rocks and
caves.
Reason: Dogs with b. There were paintings depicting
its sniffing power hunting scenes.
would find out other
animals. c. It was drawn to show his family
members about hunting.
a. Statement is true, but reason is d. The paintings were painted by using
wrong. many colours.
127

III. Fill in the blanks VII. Answer the following :
1. What is history?
1. The Old Stone Age man lived mostly
in . 2. What do you know about the pre
historic period?
2. is the father of history.
3. What are the sources available to
3. was the first animal know about the pre-historic period?
tamed by Old Stone Age man. 4. Mention the places from where we got
4. Inscriptions are sources pre-historic tools.
5. Dharma Chakra has spokes. 5. What are the benefits of a museum?
6. Name some tools used by early man
IV. State True or False to hunt animals.
7. Why were paintings drawn on rocks?
1.
Stone tools belonging to Old 8. Name any two artefacts?
Stone Age have been excavated at
Athtirampakkam near Chennai. VIII. HOTS:
1. How dogs were useful to pre historic
2. The materials used by the ancient
men?
people are preserved in the museums
2. Compare the lifestyle of Old Stone
by the Archaeological Department.
Age man with present day lifestyle.
3. During the period of Ashoka, Buddhism
spread across the country. IX. Student Activity
1. Write down the important events of
V. Match the following:
your family with years. Draw a timeline
a. Rock paintings - copper plates with the help of your teacher or with
your classmates.
b. Written - the most famous
2. Early man used stones as a weapon.
records king
Make an album showing the various
c. Ashoka - Devaram uses of stone.
d. Religious - to understand the 3. Identify the category of the following
Literature lifestyle sources of history.
a. Urns excavated from Adhichanallur.

VI. Answer in one word :
b. Copper plates of Velvikudi.
1. Can you say any two advantages of
writing diary? c. Mahabharatha.
d. Sanchi Stupa.
2. How do we know the people’s lifestyle
of the Old Stone Age? e. Pattinappaalai.
3. Is inscription a written record? f. The earthernwares from Keezhadi.
g. Toys of Indus Civilisation.
4. What is proto history?
5. Name an epic? h. Big Temple of Thanjavur.
128

X. Life Skill
1. Make some weapon models used by

the Old Stone Age man using clay.
2. Discuss with your grandpa, grandma,
neighbours and teachers and collect
information about your street, village,
town or school. With that collected
data, try to write its history titling
your writing as “I Am a Historian”.
XI. Answer Grid
Early men scribbled and Name any two archaeologi- Name the types of liter-
painted on me…Today they cal sources? ary sources?
used me to build houses
Ans: Ans:
and lay roads. who am I?
Ans:
Expand BCE. what is the meaning of the Expand CE.
Ans: Greek word “Istoria” ? Ans:
Ans:
is the study inscrip- is the study of I can help you to talk,
tion. coins. see, hear, write and
read. There is no world
Ans: Ans:
without me. Who am I?
Ans:
XII. Map work

Mark the following places in the Internet Resources
political map of India. 1. What is History? www.community.dur.
a. Delhi ac.uk
b. Chennai 2. Helping Your Child Learn History.
c. Tamil Nadu www.ed.gov
d. Andhra Pradesh
e. Kerala
f. Karnataka
129

ICT CORNER
What Is History?
History in your hand,

create a timeline.
Steps:
• Open the Browser and copy and paste the link given below (or) type the
URL given (or) Scan the QR Code.
• Timeline page will open. Type your name and the project name in the
corresponding boxes.
• Click on the empty timeline. A menu box will appear with Label,
Description and Choose image boxes. Enter the details, choose the image
and click the tick mark.
• After entering all the details in chronological order click “Finish” and
“Save Final” to save your project.
Timeline Project’s URL::

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/
timeline_2/
130

Unit 2
Human
Evolution
Learning Objectives
• To know the origins of humans. • To understand the use of fire and
• To learn about the different stages wheel.
of human evolution from nomadic • To know the significance of rock
hunting-gathering to a settled life. paintings of the ancient humans.
• To know about the stone implements
of the pre historic humans.
131
TN_GOVT_HISTORY_VI_Ch02.indd 131 16-03-2018 20:13:53

Tamilini, a school student of Class VI, to get a picture of life
visited a Science Centre accompanied by 18,000 years ago. She
her grandmother. There they saw a time saw the humans living in
machine. The operator of the time machine caves. They were using
explained the working of the machine. tools made of stones
Operator: If you press different buttons and bones for hunting.
Tamilini was frightened by the hunting
in the machine, it would take you to the
scene and pushed the button forward to
chosen period of time. Why don’t you
return to the present.
enjoy the experience of watching different
periods of time using this machine?
(After listening to the operator, both
Tamilini and her grandmother were excited
and decided to have the experience of
the time machine.)
Tamilini: Can we go forward and see
how 2200 CE would be, grandma?
Grandma: What is so interesting about
our future, Tamil? Let’s go backward and
Grandma: Are you afraid, Tamil?
see how our past was like.
Grandma urged Tamilini to go further
The story of human backward to see the ancient humans who
evolution can be lived with the apes. But Tamilini was not
scientifically studied inclined. So both of them left the spot.
with the help of Tamilini: Grandma, will you tell me the
archaeology and anthropology. story of evolution of humans?
Grandma: Yes, certainly.
Tamilini: Y
ou sound right, grandma. Grandma: Anthropologists have
Grandma pushed the button to unearthed the footprints of humans
1950 CE. They saw mostly people walking, in a country called Tanzania, which is
a few riding bicycles and buses appearing in eastern Africa. They were found in
rarely on the roads. Slowly they moved rock beds submerged under the sand.
back to 1850. There were no buses or
cycles. Carts pulled by mules and bullocks Info Bits
were seen on the roads. Horse-drawn Archaeology is the study of pre
cart was a rare occurrence. historic humans remained materials
Tamilini then turned the button to 8,000 used by pre historic humans. Excavated
years back. People were engaged in raising material remains are the main source
crops and livestock. She pushed the button for archaeological studies.
132

133

Info Bits
People and their
Anthropology is the study of
Habitat
humans and evolutionary history.
The word anthropology is derived Australopithecus - East Africa
from two Greek words: anthropos Homohabilis - South Africa
meaning "man" or "human";
Homoerectus - Africa and Asia
and logos, meaning "thought" or
Neanderthal - Eurasia
"reason." Anthropologists attempt,
(Europe and
by investigating the whole range of
Asia)
human development and behavior, to
achieve a total description of cultural Cro-Magnons - France
and social phenomena. Peking - China
Homo sapiens - Africa
Radio carbon dating was used to ascertain Heidelbergs - London

the period. It was found out that the foot
prints of humans they had discovered
were about 3.5 millions years old. When Info Bits
there is sudden change in nature, the
Cromagnons learned to live in caves.
living beings adapt themselves to the
changes and survive. Humans have thus Lascaus caves in France is the evidence
evolved over millions of years adapting for cave living of Cromagnons. They
themselves to the changing times. habitude to bury the dead.
Migration of Homo sapiens from east Africa to other parts of the world.
Not to Scale
134

Tamilini: Grandma, will
HOTS
you explain it in detail?
Why did humans become hunter-
Grandma: Human
gatherers? Did the landscape play
evolution means the
any role?
process through which
the humankind changes
procreation resulted in an increase in the
and develops towards an advanced stage
population.
of life. See how the modern human has
evolved. Tamilini: Grandma, it’s fantastic.
1. Humans in erect position and walking Grandma: Yes, it is. I shall now explain
on two legs happened much later. to you in detail how the Homo sapiens
2. Changes in thumb so that they can engaged in hunting and gathering.
hold things tightly.
3. Development of brain. Hunting and Food Gathering
`Homo sapiens who migrated out of Tamil, you will be surprised to know that
eastern Africa settled in different parts of millions of years ago, our ancestors led a
the world. Their lifestyle also evolved and nomadic life. They lived in groups in a cave
they made it suitable to the environs in or a mountain range. Each group consisted
of 30 to 40 people. They kept on moving
which they lived. So humans in different
in search of food. They hunted pig, deer,
places adopted different forms of lifestyle.
bison, rhino, elephant and bear for food.
Based on the weather, climate and nature
They also scavenged the animals killed by
of the living place, their physique and
other wild animals like tiger. They learnt the
complexion also differed. This resulted in
art of fishing. They collected honey from
the formation of different races. Human
Hunting Methods
1. Go as a group and hunt the prey. 2. Dig a pit and trap the animals and hunt.
135

Art of Flaking
Keeping
a stone in the bottom and To make a stone tool, two stones were
sharpening it with another stone. taken.One was used as a hammer to
sharpen the other for removing flakes.
beehives, plucked fruits from the trees and

HOTS
dug out tubers from the ground. They also
Are there hunters in your area?
collected grains from the forest. Once the
food resource got exhausted in one area, Why is hunting banned now?
they moved to another place in search of
food. They wore hides of animals and barks Grandma: Hunting was the main
of trees and leaves for protecting their bodies occupation of humans in the past. It was
during winter. So humans began hunting to difficult for humans to kill a big animal
satisfy their need for food. with a stick or a stone. So they decided
to use sharpened weapons.
Grandma: Tamilini, do you know the
weapons that the early humans used for The best stone for the making weapons
hunting? was chikki – mukki kal (flint). It is known
for its strength and durability. Humans
Tamilini: I have no idea, grandma. Can
spent many hours in search of a flint stone.
you tell me about hunting practices?
They made sharp weapons and tools with
Stone Tools and Weapons the help of the stones and fitted them with
wood to grip them. Humans created tools
like axes with big stones.
Tamilini: Why were axes made,

grandma?
Grandma: The axes
were made to cut trees,
remove barks, dig pits,
hunt animals and remove
the skin of animals.
136

Grandma: Tamil, do you know what the Tamilini: What next, grandma?
next stage was after making stone tools? Grandma: You will be surprised to
Tamilini: I don’t know grandma. What know that the next human invention was
would it be? the wheel. This was the first scientific
Grandma: Humans discovered the use invention of humans using their brain and
of fire. cognitive skills.
Invention of the Wheel
The invention of wheel by humans is

considered to be the foremost invention.
Even today in the When humans saw the stones rolling down
villages of Nilgiris from the mountains, probably they would
district in Tamil Nadu, have got the idea of making the wheel.
people have the habit
Pot Making
of making fire without use of match box.
At first, humans were afraid of fire

and lightning. Probably fire caused by
lightning had killed many wild animals.
Humans tasted the flesh of the killed
animals, which was soft and tasty. This
made humans aware of the effect of fire.
They used flint stone to make fire and
used it to protect them from predators,
for cooking food and for creating light Humans learned to make pot with clay.
during night. Thus fire became important The invention of wheel made pot making
for man in olden times. easier, and the pots made were burnt to
make it stronger. They decorated pots
HOTS with lot of colours. The colour dyes were
Is there any object that can bring heat made from the extracts of roots, leaves
and fire other than a match box? or barks. These natural dyes were used
in rock paintings.
137

Grandma: Can you identify what is in forests, many animals became extinct.
this picture? Non availability of meat forced the humans
to look for fruits and vegetables for food.
Tamilini: Now they would have thought

of producing food for themselves. Is it
not grandma?
From Nomadic to Settled Life : The

Hunting scene in which men and World’s Earliest Farmers
women are taking part
Grandma: Very well said, Tamil. The
Tamilini: Yeah. Some blurred tweaks are seed of fruits and the nuts they ate were
seen. Someone has drawn. thrown into the soil. During rains, the soil
Grandma: No, this is our ancestor’s gave it life. Some days later, the saplings
handwork. In fact, it is the first art of sprouted from the soil. By observation
humanity. Before the use of language, and logic, they learn that:
humans expressed their feelings through a. a plant grows from a single seed and
actions and also recorded it in rock paintings. yields lots of fruits and vegetables.
Ancient Rock Paintings b. seeds that fall in the river beds sprout
easily.
In India, we can see many paintings
in rocks and caves. The rock paintings c. plants grow faster in water fed areas.
give some information about the past. d. alluvial soil is more suitable for plant
Approximately there are 750 caves, in growth than any other.
which 500 caves have paintings. There ith the above knowledge they gained,
W
are many more undiscovered caves. The they realised that with proper sowing
rock paintings depict hunting pictures of and nurturing, they could increase the
the male and the female, dancing pictures number of plants more than the ones
and pictures of children playing. that grew naturally. Thus agriculture
Tamilini: Oh! We are able to gain some and farming came into existence. They
knowledge about the past lifestyle through domesticated the animals and used them
these paintings. Isn’t it, Grandma? in their farming.
Grandma: You said it rightly, Tamil.
These rock and cave paintings tell us
many stories about our ancestors.
Tamilini: Okay, grandma! Now tell me
how humans reached the next stage.
Grandma: There were many dangers
involved in hunting. Due to large-scale
hunting in the mountain areas and in the
138

During the pre historic period, humans lived in caves and depicted their daily events
in drawings. Mostly pictures of animals were drawn.
Pre-Historic Rock Art of Tamilnadu
Keelvalai -Villupuram Usilampatti - Madurai
Kumuthipathi - Coimbatore Mavadaippu - Coimbatore
Porivarai cave-karikaiyur Nilgris
Breeding of animals now became an settlement came the problem of utensils

important part of their life. Oxen were and vessels for cooking and storage.
used for ploughing. Oxen made the The potter’s wheel and fire solved this
practice of agriculture easier. Life was problem.
becoming organised than it was, when
The invention of plough helped the
they were hunting. It enabled them
farming practices. Farming started
to settle down in a place. Now with
with the clearing of land and burning
139

the left-over shrubs. They ploughed Tamilini: Thank you, grandma. The
the land, sowed seeds in them and information you have shared with me is
harvested the produce. Once the fertility very helpful, and I would share it with
of the soil decreased, they moved to a my friends at school tomorrow.
new place. Initially agriculture was done Grandma: Very good. Congratulations
for immediate food requirement. Later Tamilini!
when they found out ways to increase
production, they started storing the
Summary
produce. The food products stored were ))Evolution means the process in which
used during the lean harvest periods. By humankind changes and develops into
their experience, they understood that an advanced stage.
land close to the river side was suitable ))Homo sapiens migrated out of eastern
for farming. So they decided to stay there Africa and settled in different parts of
permanently. the world.
Tamilini: How about domestication of ))Humans with the help of the Chikki
animals, grandma? mukki – kal (flint) made sharp weapons
Grandma: Humans thought of ways and tools.
to better their skills at hunting. They ))Fire was used by early human to protect
found out that the dogs could sniff him from predators, for cooking food
other animals and chase them away. So and for the light during night.
humans found them useful for hunting. ))The invention of wheel is considered
Thus dogs became the first animal to be to be the foremost invention. It made
domesticated by humans. Following the pot making easier.
dogs, they started domesticating hen,
))We get knowledge about the past
goat and cow.
lifestyle through rock paintings.
Tamilini: What next?
Grandma: Humans stayed on the plains
for a long time. During this period, they
have not only learnt agriculture, but slowly
developed skills of handicraft. Permanent • Time - a machine capable
machine of taking a person
settlement in a place increased the yield
backward or forward
of crops. Now they had grains in excess in time
of what they consumed. The surplus • Evolution - gradual change
grains were exchanged with other leading to a
groups for the other things they were in more advanced
need of. This is called the barter system. development
• Predator - animal that hunts
Thus trade and commerce developed and
and kills other living
towns and cities emerged. things for food
140

• Footprints - the impression of the c. Statement and Reason is correct.
foot of a person or d. Statement and Reason is wrong.
an animal
• Hides - tanned skin of an III. Find out the Wrong pair:
animal a. Australopithecus - Walked on both
• Million - 1,000,000 (10 lakhs) legs
• Nomadic - Herdsmen without b. Homo habilis - Upright man
any fixed home c. Homo erectus - Wise man
moving about in d. Homo sapiens - Less protruding
search of pastures face
for their cattle.
• Barter - Exchange of goods IV. Fill in the blanks :
without involving 1. unearthed the
money footprints of humans in Tanzania.
• Prey - An animal that is 2. Millions of years ago, our ancestors
hunted and killed by
led a life.
another for food
3. The main occupations of the ancient
Exercises humans were and
.
I. Choose the correct 4. The invention of made
answer : farming easier.
1. The process of 5. Rock paintings are found at in
evolution is Nilgiris.
.
V. State True or False :
a. direct b. indirect
c. gradual d. fast 1. Anthropology is the study of coins.
2. Tanzania is situated in the continent 2. Homo erectus (Java man) had the
knowledge of fire.
of .
3. The first scientific invention of humans
a. Asia b. Africa was wheel.
c. America d. Europe 4. Goat was the first animal to be
domesticated by humans.
II. Match the statement with VI. Answer in one word :
the Reason. Tick the appropriate
answer: 1. What method is used to find out the
age of the excavated materials?
1. Statement: Migration of man of
2. What did early humans wear?
different Parts of the world resulted in
changes of physic and colour 3. Where did early humans live?
Reason: climatic changes. 4. Which animal was used for ploughing?
a. Statement is correct. 5. When did humans settle in one place?

b. Reason is wrong.
141

VII. Answer the following : 6. How would you define archaeology?
7. What do you know about anthropology?
1. What is evolution?
VIII. HOTS
2. Write any two characteristics of Homo
sapiens? 1. Importance of invention of wheel
3. Why did humans move from place to from the ancient period to the modern
place? period.
4. Describe the ancient methods of IX. Student Activity
hunting?
Prepare an album collecting the pictures
5. Why were axes made?
of ancient humans of different ages.
X. Answer Grid:
The invention of Barter system Name any two weapons

made pot means . used by early human for
making easier. Ans: hunting.
Ans: Ans:
Which is the best stone for Towns and cities emerged Which was the first
making weapons? because of scientific invention of
Ans: and . humans?
Ans: Ans:
Identify the pictures in rock Which was the main What do cave paintings
paintings. occupation of early tell us?
Ans: humans? Ans:
Ans:
Where did the early is related Name any two animals
humans live? to the field of archaeology. domesticated by early
Ans: Ans: human.
Ans:
XI. Life Skill 1. Adichanallur 3. Bhimbetka

2. Attirampakkam 4. Hunasagi Valley
1. Make pots and tools by using clay.
5. Lothal
2. Collect different types of moving dolls
and tell them to change the wheels
with different shapes like square,
triangle etc., and find out how it Internet Resources
moves.
1. www.humanorgins.sid.edu
XII. Map Work 2. www.yourgenome.org
On the outline map of India, mark the
following places:
142

ICT CORNER
Human Evolution
Lets do this activity to create a

Human Timeline.
Steps:
• Type the given URL in the browser.
• “Human Evolution Timeline Interactive” page will open. In the pictograph horizontal
bottom blue line indicates “Major Milestone in Human Evolution” and pink colour
indicates “Species”. Interact with the pictograph by clicking any object on the graph.
• Click the Milestones to know the achivement of human during that period. The
purple colour on the top of the pictograph indicates the climate fluctuation that
shaped the evolution.
• Click the brushed reddish colour to identify the Species name, and its brief history
on duration and geographical range. The Species range from “Sahelanthropus
Tchadensis” to “Homo Sapiens”. Use “Magnifier” button to enlarge a particular
space on the timeline.
Timeline Project’s URL:

http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-evolution-
timeline-interactive
143

Unit 3
Indus Civilisation
Learning Objectives
• To learn how Indus Civilisation is related to other contemporary civilisations.
• To understand the urban nature of the Indus Civilisation.
• To know the lifestyle of the people of this civilisation.
• To identify and study the major sites of Indus Civilisation.
• To mark their geographical location in maps.
Time line Ancient World Civilisations
3500 Chinese
1700 to 1122 BCE
3300
3100
2600
Mesopotamia
2000 3500 TO 2000 BCE
1900
1700
1400
1122
1100
Egyptian
Indus valley
3100 TO 1100 BCE
3300 TO 1900 BCE
All these civilisations were established only in places near the rivers, most commonly
along their banks.
144

across some mysterious brick mounds. He
Time line wrote that he saw a “ruined brick castle with
very high walls and towers built on a hill”.
This was the earliest historical record of the
3500
existence of Harappa.
3300 In 1856
when engineers
3100 Mesopotamian
3500 TO 2000 BCE laid a railway
2600 Indus civilisation
line connecting
3300 TO 1900 BCE
Lahore to Karachi,
2000 they discovered
1900 more burnt
1700 Egyptian
3100 TO 1100 BCE
bricks. Without
understanding
1400 Chinese
1700 to 1122 BCE their significance, Sir John Marshal
1200
they used the
1100
bricks for laying the rail road.
In the 1920s archaeologists began to
excavate the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-
Initially, people lived in groups. Then they Daro. They unearthed the remains of these
formed communities out of these groups. long-forgotten cities. In 1924 the Director
Then evolved the societies which in due General of ASI, Sir John Marshall, found
course become civilisations. many common features between Harappa
Why did people settle near rivers? and Mohenjo-Daro. He concluded that they
were part of a large civilisation.
People preferred to settle near the rivers for
the reasons given below. Some slight differences are found
¾¾ The soil is fertile. in the earthenwares of Harappa and
¾¾ Fresh water is available for drinking, Mohenjo-Daro. This made the researchers
watering livestock and irrigation. conclude that Harappa was older than
¾¾ Easy movement of people and goods is Mohenjo-Daro.
possible.
The Archaeological
Discovery of a lost city – Survey of India (ASI)
Harappa was started in 1861 with
The ruins of Harappa were first described Alexander Cunningham
by the British East India Company soldier as Surveyor. Its
headquarters is located in
and explorer Charles Masson in his book.
New Delhi.
When he visited the North-West Frontier
Province which is now in Pakistan, he came
145

How do archaeologists explore a lost city?
 Archaeologists study the physical objects such as bricks,
stones or bits of broken pottery (sherds) to ascertain
the location of the city and time that it belong to.
 They search the ancient literary sources for references
about the place.
 They look at aerial photographs of the excavation sites
or cities to understand the topography.
 To see under the ground, they may use a magnetic scanner
 The presence and absence of archeological remains can be detected by RADAR
and Remote Sensing Methods.
Sites in Indian borders

Archaeologists found major Harappan sites within Indian borders.
MANDA
Harappan civilization
RAKHIGARHI
HARAPPA
MITATHAI
KALIBANGAN
GANVERIWALA
MOHENJO - DARO
KOT DIJI
AMRI
INDIA
DHOLAVIRA
LOTHAL
146

Observe the picture and fill the tabular column.
Name of the place Name of the state Important finds
Time Span of Indus Civilisation
Geographical range: South Asia ¾¾ Well-conceived town planning

Period: Bronze Age ¾¾ Astonishing masonry and architecture
Time: 3300 to1900 ¾¾ Priority for hygiene and public health
BCE (determined using ¾¾ Standardised weights and measures
the radiocarbon dating ¾¾ Solid agricultural and artisanal base
method)
Area: 13 lakh sq.km Unique Features of Harappan
Cities: 6 big cities Civilisation
Villages: More than 200 Town planning is a unique feature of the
Indus Civilisation. The Harappan city had
Urban Civilisation
two planned areas.
Harappan civilisation is said to be urban
because of the following reasons.
Two planned areas of
Harappa
Upper town Lower town
The part of the city to It was used Great Bath The part of the It was inhabited
the west was higher and by the and Granaries city to the east was lower by common people
ititwas
was called citadel
called citadel administrators are located but larger
Mehergarh – the Precursor to Indus Civilisation

Mehergarh is a Neolithic site. It is located near the Bolan Basin of Balochistan in
Pakistan. It is one of the earliest sites known. It shows evidence of farming and
herding done by man in very early times. Archaeological evidence suggests that
Neolithic culture existed in Mehergarh as early as 7000 BCE.
147

Streets and Houses
¾¾ The streets are observed to have

a grid pattern. They were straight Info Bits
running from north to south and east
Bronze Age
to west and intersected each other at
right angles. It is a historical period characterised
by the use of articles made of bronze.
¾¾ The roads were wide with rounded
corners. Drainage System
¾¾ Houses were built on both sides of the
¾¾ Many of these cities had covered
street. The houses were either one or
drains. The drains were covered with
two storeys.
slabs or bricks.
¾¾ Most of the houses had many rooms,
¾¾ Each drain had a gentle slope so that
a courtyard and a well. Each house
water could flow.
had toilets and bathrooms.
¾¾ Holes were provided at regular
¾ ¾ The houses were built using baked
intervals to clear the drains.
bricks and mortar. Sun-dried
bricks were also used. Most of the
bricks were of uniform size. Roofs
were flat.
¾¾ There is no conclusive evidence of

the presense of palaces or places of
worship.
why burnt bricks are

used in construction?
They are strong, hard, durable,
resistant to fire and will not dissolve
in water or rain.
148

¾¾ House drains passed below many
lanes before finally emptying into the
main drains.
¾¾ Every house had its own soak pit,
which collected all the sediments and
allowed only the water to flow into the
street drain.
The Great Bath ¾¾ Granaries were used to store food grain.

¾¾ The remains of wheat, barley, millets,
sesame and pulses have been found
there.
A granary with walls made of mud

bricks, which are still in a good
condition, has been discovered in
Rakhigarhi, a village in Haryana,
¾¾ The great bath was a large, rectangular
belonging to Mature Harappan
tank in a courtyard. It may be the
Phase.
earliest example of a water-proof
structure.
The Assembly Hall
¾¾ The bath was lined with bricks, coated
The Assembly Hall was another huge
with plaster and made water-tight
public building at Mohenjo-Daro. It was a
using layers of natural bitumen.
multi-pillared hall (20 pillars in 4 rows to
support the roof).
¾¾ There were steps on
the north and south
leading into the
tank. There were
rooms on three
sides.
¾¾ Water was drawn from the well
located in the courtyard and drained
out after use. Trade and Transport
¾¾ Harappans were great traders.
The Great Granary ¾¾ Standardised weights and measures
¾¾ The granary was a massive building were used by them. They used sticks
with a solid brick foundation. with marks to measure length.
149

Leader in Mohenjo-Daro
¾¾ A sculpture of a
seated male has
been unearthed
in a building,
with a head band
on the forehead
¾¾ They used carts with spokeless solid and a smaller
wheels. ornament on the
¾¾ There is evidence for extensive right upper arm.
maritime trade with Mesopotamia. ¾¾ His hair is carefully combed, and beard
Indus Seals have been found as far finely trimmed.
as Mesopotamia (Sumer) which are ¾¾ Two holes beneath the ears suggest
modern-day Iraq, Kuwait and parts of that the head ornament might have
Syria. been attached till the ear.
¾¾ King Naram-Sin of Akkadian Empire ¾¾ The left shoulder is covered with a
(Sumerian) has written about buying shawl-like garment decorated with
jewellery from the land of Melukha designs of flowers and rings.
(a region of the Indus Valley).
¾¾ This shawl pattern is used by people
¾¾ Cylindrical seals similar to those found even today in those areas.
in Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia have
Technology
also been found in the Indus area.
This shows the trade links between ¾¾ Indus people had developed a system
these two areas. of standardised weights and measures.
A naval dockyard has been discovered in ¾¾ Ivory scale found in Lothal in Gujarat
Lothal in Gujarat. It shows the maritime is 1704mm (the smallest division
activities of the Indus people. ever recorded on a scale of other
contemporary civilisations).
Dockyard at Lothal
Lothal is situated on the banks of a
tributary of Sabarmati river in Gujarat.
Info Bits
The word ‘civilisation’ comes from

the ancient Latin word civis, which
means ‘city’.
150

This little statue was found at Mohenjo-Daro.
When Sir John Marshall saw the statuette
known as the dancing girl, he said, “When I
first saw them I found it difficult to believe that
they were pre-historic modeling. Such as this was unknown in
the ancient worlds up to the age of Greece. I thought that
these figures had found their way into levels some 3000 years
old to which they properly belonged”.
KVT Complex (Korkai-Vanji-Thondi) spread over Afghanistan and

Pakistan has many places, names of those were mentioned in sangam
literature.
Korkai, Vanji, Tondi, Matrai, Urai and Kudalgarh are the names of places
in Pakistan.
Gurkay and Pumpuhar in Afghanistan are related to the cities and ports mentioned in the
Sangam Age. The names of the rivers Kawri and Poruns in Afghanistan and the rivers
Kaweri Wala and Phornai in Pakistan also occur in the Sangam literature.
151

Do you know The hidden treasures of the Indus civilisation
Inscriptions (written in a script of those times) can provide
us information about customs, practices and other aspects
of any place or time. So far, the Indus script has not been
deciphered. Therefore, we must look for other clues to know
about the Indus people and their lifestyle.
Apparel
Cotton fabrics were in common use.
Clay spindles unearthed suggest that yarn was spun.
Wool was also used.
Love and peace

Settlements were built on giant platforms and elevated
grounds.
The Indus Civilisation seems to have been a peaceful one.
Few weapons were found and there is no evidence of an army.
They displayed their status with garments and precious
jewellery.
They had an advanced civic sense.
Ornaments
Ornaments were popular among men and women.
They adorned themselves with necklaces, armlets, bangles,

finger rings, ear studs and anklets.
The ornaments were made of gold, silver, ivory, shell, copper,

terracotta and precious stones.
Iron was unknown to people of Indus.

Indus people used the
red quartz stone called
Carnelian to design
jewellery.
Info Bits
Copper was the first metal discovered

and used by humans.
152

Who Governed them?
Historians believe that there existed a central authority
that controlled planning of towns and overseas trade,
maintenance of drainage and peace in the city.
Occupation
The main occupation of the Indus Civilisation people is
not known. However, agriculture, handicrafts, pottery
making, jewellery making, weaving, carpentry and
trading were practiced.
There were merchants, traders and artisans.
Rearing of cattle was another occupation.
People of those times knew how to use the potter’s
wheel.
They reared domesticated animals.
Pottery
Pottery was practiced using the potter’s wheel. It was
well fired. Potteries were red in colour with beautiful
designs in black.
The broken pieces of pottery have animal figures and
geometric designs on it.
Religious Belief
We don’t have any evidence pointing to specific deities or their
religious practices. There might have been worship of Mother
Goddess (which symbolized fertility), which is concluded based
upon the excavation of several female figurines.
153

Toy Culture
Toys like carts, cows with movable heads and limbs, clay balls, tiny doll, a small clay
monkey, terracotta squirrels eating a nut, clay dogs and male dancer have been found.
They made various types of toys using terracotta, which show that they enjoyed
playing.
Info Bits
The earliest form of writing was

developed by Sumerians.
What happened to Harappans? Radiocarbon

Dating Method:
By 1900 BCE, the Harappan culture had A Standard
started declining. It is assumed that the Tool for
civilisation met with Archaeologists
¾ repeated floods Also known as C14 method, the
¾ ecological changes radiocarbon method uses the
radioactive isotope of carbon called
¾ invasions
carbon14 to determine the age of
¾ natural calamity
an object.
¾ climatic changes
¾ deforestation
¾ an epidemic
General Facts about Indus

Archaeological site
Civilisation
at Mohenjo-Daro has
been declared as a ¾ It is among the oldest in the world.
World Heritage Site ¾ It is also the largest among four
by UNESCO. ancient civilisations.
154

¾¾ The world’s first planned cities are Urbanisation _ population shift
found in this civilisation.
from rural areas
¾¾ The Indus also had advanced to urban areas
sanitation and drainage system.
Pictograph _ a record
¾¾ There was a high sense of awareness consisting of
on public health. pictorial symbols
Steatite _ a soft variety of
Summary talc stone
))When man began to live in a settled Spindles _ a device used to
life, it marked the dawn of civilisation. spin clothes
))River valleys were responsible for the Bitumen _ water-proof tar
growth of civilisation.
Artefact _ an object shaped
))Harappan culture was mainly urban in by human craft of
nature.
historical interest
))Cities were well planned with covered Dockyard _ an enclosed area
drainage and straight wide roads,
of water in a
cutting each other at right angles.
port for loading,
))The people of that time had great unloading and
engineering skills. repair of ships.
))The Great Bath is one of the earliest Seal _ an embossed
public tank. emblem, figure
))The civilisation extended from: or symbol
Makran coast of Baluchistan in west
Ghaggar-Hakra river valley in east
Elsewhere in the World
Afghanistan in the north east
Maharashtra in the south
Archaeologist _ one who studies

the remains
of the past by
excavations and
explorartion The Great Pyramid of Giza built by king
Khufu in 2500 BCE, built with lime stone
Excavate _ to uncover by
(15 tons each)
digging away
155

Mesopotamia (Sumerian period) Ur Abu Simbel Site of two temples built by
Ziggurat built by king Ur Nammu in Egyptian king Ramises II
Honour of the Moon God Sin
Exercises
eason: It has well
R
I. Choose the correct answer: planned cities with
1. What metals were known to the people advanced drainage
of Indus Civilization? system.
a. Copper, bronze, silver, gold, but a. Statement and
not iron reason are correct.
b. Copper, silver, iron, but not bronze b. Statement is wrong.
c. Copper, gold, iron, but not silver c. Statement is true, but the reason
d. Copper, silver, iron, but not gold is wrong.
2. Indus Civilisation belonged to d. Both statement and reason are

wrong.
a. old Stone age
2.
Statement: Harappan civilization
b. Medieval stone age
belongs to Bronze Age.
c. New stone age
eason: Harappans did not know the
R
d. Metal age
use of iron.
3. River valleys are said to be the cradle
a. Statement and reason are correct.
of civilisation because
b. Statement is wrong.
a. Soil is very fertile.
c. Statement is correct, but the
b. They experience good climate. reason is wrong.
c. They are useful for transportation. d. Both statement and reason are
d. Many civilisations flourished on wrong.
river valleys. 3.
Statement: The engineering skill of
II. Match the Statement with the Harappans was remarkable.
Reason. Tick the appropriate answer : eason: Building of docks after a
R
1. Statement: Harappan civilization is careful study of tides, waves and
said to be an urban civilization. currents.
156

a. Statement and reason are correct. 3. were used to store
b. Statement is wrong. grains.
c. Statement is correct, but the 4. Group of people form

reason is wrong. IV. State True or False :
d. Both statement and reason are 1. Mehergarh is a Neolithic site.
wrong. 2. Archaeological survey of India is
4.
Which of the following statements responsible for preservation of cultural
about Mohenjo-Daro is correct? monuments in the country.
a. Gold ornaments were unknown. 3. Granaries were used to store grains

4. The earliest form of writings was
b. Houses were made of burnt bricks.
developed by Chinese.
c. Implements were made of iron.
V. Match the following :
d. Great Bath was made water tight
Mohenjo-Daro - raised platform
with the layers of natural bitumen
Bronze - red quartz stone
5. Consider the following statements.
1.
Uniformity in layout of town, Citadel - alloy
streets, and brick sizes Carnelian - mound of dead
2.
An elaborate and well laid out
drainage system VI. Answer in one or two s
entences:
3. Granaries constituted an important 1. What are the uses of metal?
part of Harappan Cities 2. Make a list of baked and raw foods
hich of the above statements are
W that we eat.
correct? 3. Do we have the practice of worshipping
animals and trees?
a. 1&2 b. 1&3
4. River valleys are cradles of civilisation.
c. 2&3 d. all the three
Why?
6. Circle the odd one
5. Just because a toy moves doesn’t
Oxen, sheep, buffaloes, pigs, horses mean its modern. What did they use
7. Find out the wrong pair instead of batteries?
a. ASI – John Marshall 6. Dog was the first animal to be tamed.
b. Citadel – Granaries Why?
c. Lothal – dockyard 7. If you were an archaeologist, what

will you do?
d. Harappan – River Cauvery
civilisation 8. Name any two Indus sites located in
the Indian border?
III. Fill in the Blanks 9. In Indus civilisation,which feature
1. is the oldest civilisation. you like the most? Why?
2. Archaeological Survey of India was 10. What instrument is used nowadays to
founded by weigh things?
157

VII. Answer the following : objects collected from Mohenjo-Daro
1. What method is used to explore buried and Harappa.)
buildings nowadays? 2. You are a young archaeologist working
2. Why Indus Civilisation is called Bronze at a site that was once an Indus city.
Age civilisation? What will you collect?
3. Indus Civilisation is called urban 3. Make flash cards.

civilisation. Give reasons. ( Take square cards and stick picture in
4. Can you point out the special features one card and the information for the
of their drainage system? same picture in another card. Circulate
among the groups and tell them to
5. What do you know about the Great
match the picture with information.)
Bath?
4. Draw your imaginary town planning in
6. How do you know that Indus people
a chart.
traded with other countries?
5. Make a model of any one structure of
VIII. HOTS: Indus Civilisation using clay, broken
1. Observe the following features of pieces of bangles, matchsticks,
Indus Civilisation and compare that woollen thread and ice cream sticks.
with the present day. 6. Can you imagine how toys have
a. Lamp post changed through the ages? Collect
b. Burnt bricks toys made of
c. Underground drainage system lay -> stone -> wood -> metal
C
d. Weights and measurement -> plastic -> fur -> electric ->
electronic ->???
e. Dockyard
7. Crossword puzzle.
2. Agriculture was one of their
occupations. How can you prove this? 1
(with the findings) 8 2 3
3. Many pottery and its pieces have been
5
discovered from Indus sites. What do
you know from that? 10 7
4. A naval dockyard has been discovered 4

in Lothal. What does it convey? 9
5. Can you guess what happened to the
Harappans?
6
IX. Student Activity
1. Prepare a scrap book. Top to Bottom
(Containing more information about
1. Director General of ASI
158

2. is older than Mohenjo-Daro 2. Which was the first Indus city
3. This is age civilisation discovered?
4. Each house had a 3. Where was Indus Civilisation?
Left to Right 4. Which animal was used to pull carts?
5. Place used to store grains 5. Which metal was unknown to Indus
people?
6. A dockyard has been found
6. What was used to make pots?
7. is unknown to Indus people
7. Which is considered the largest
8. It is used to make water tight.
civilisation among four ancient
Right to Left
civilisations of the world?
9.
From this we can get lot of
information X. Life skill
10. This is responsible for research 1. Making an animal or a pot out of clay.
2. Making terracotta toy with movable
Rapid Fire Quiz (Do it in groups)
limbs.
1. Which crop did Indus people use to
3. Pot painting (with geometric pattern).
make clothes?
4. Make informational charts and
posters.
INDIA RIVERS
XI. Map Work

1. Mark any four Indus sites
located within the Indian
border.
2. On the river map of India,
colour the places where
Indus civilisation spread.
3. Mark the following places in
the given India map:
a. Mohenjo-Daro
b. Chanhudaro
c. Harappa
d. Mehergarh
e. Lothal
Not to Scale
159

XII. Answer Grid
What did Charles Masson List three things people What else has been found?
see? used which we use today? Ans:
Ans: Ans:
Can you say three things Which metal was Which is the oldest
unknown to Indus people? unknown to Indus civilisation in the world?
Ans: people? Ans:
Ans:
Why dog was the first Who were the first people Which institution
animal to be tamed? to grow cotton? is responsible for
Ans: Ans: archaeological research?
Ans:
Was there any river Name any two Harappan Can we say the Indus cities
valley civilisation found in sites which were found in as cities of children?
TamilNadu? Indian border? Ans:
Ans: Ans:
Internet Resources
1. http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/india/harappa.html
2. http://www.archaeologyonline.net/artifact/harappa-mohenjodaro.html
3. http://en.m.wikipedia.org
4. www.harappa.com
160

Unit 4
Ancient
Cities of
Tamilagam
Learning Objectives
• To learn about the greatness of the towns of ancient Tamilagam.
• To know about Poompuhar, Madurai and Kanchi.
• To understand the ancient kingdoms of Tamilagam.
• To gain knowledge about the crafts, markets, manufactures, maritime trade,
education and water management in ancient Tamilagam.
[It is a Government Higher Secondary

School. Reciprocating the greetings
of the students of VI Std, the Social
Science Teacher signals them to get
seated]
Teacher: Wow! You look pretty in
your new dress, Tamilini.
Students: Ma’m, today is her
birthday.
Teacher: Wish you a happy birthday
Tamilini. Many more happy returns of
the day.
Tamilini: Thank you, ma’m.
Teacher: Ok children. Shall we start
today's class from Tamilini’s birthday.
Students: How come ma’m? What
is the connection between Tamilini’s
Not to scale
birthday and today’s class?
161

Teacher: There is. I shall come to that Teacher: Like Harappa and Mohenjo-
later. Let us stand up and wish her first. Daro in ancient India, there were famous
Students: Happy birthday, Tamil. towns in ancient Tamilagam too. Madurai,
Kanchi and Poompuhar are prominent
Tamilini: Thank you all.
among them.
Teacher: Tamil, Is Chennai your
Tamil literature, accounts of foreign
home town?
travellers and archaeological finds provide
Tamilini: No ma’m. My home town is
us information about the ancient towns of
Kadavur near Karur.
Tamilagam.
Teacher: Good. Do you have the habit
of visiting your home town? Poompuhar
Tamilini: Yes ma’m. Every summer I Poompuhar is one of the oldest towns in
visit my home town. ancient Tamilagam. This is the place where
Teacher: Excellent! Can you tell me well known characters of Silapathikaram,
the difference between Kadavur and Kovalan and Kannagi lived. It was also a port
Chennai? town along the Bay of Bengal. The ports
were established for facilitating maritime
Tamilini: Kadavur is a village. Chennai
trade. Even in times past, countries began
is a city.
to export their surplus products and import
Teacher: Excellent! the scarce commodities by sea. Poompuhar
Teacher: Can you tell what were the is one such historic port that emerged in
earliest planned cities of ancient India? the wake of increasing maritime trade.
Students: Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, It is a coastal town near the present-day
ma’m. Mayiladuthurai and is located where the
Teacher: Yes. Very good children. Today river Cauvery drains into the sea.
we are going to study about the ancient Poompuhar Port
towns of Tamilagam. They are Poompuhar,
Madurai, Kanchi. Shall we start? Poompuhar was also known by names
such as Puhar and Kaveripoompattinam.
Students: Ok ma’m.
It served as the port of the early Chola
Teacher: See we have started today’s
kingdom. One of the popular Sangam
lesson with Tamilini’s birthday. Literature. Pattinappaalai and Tamil epics,
Students: Yes mam. Silappathikaram and Manimegalai, have
references to the brisk sea-borne trade
that took place in the port city, Puhar.
Mesopotamian
Silappathikaram, in
civilisation is the
particular, speaks about
earliest civilisation in
the greatness of
the world. It is 6500
Poompuhar. The lead
years old.
female character of
162

Silappathikaram is Kannagi. Her father
goods at legitimate prices. Pattinappaalai
is Maanaigan. Sea traders are known states that “selling any commodity at a
by the name Maanaigan. The male higher price was considered bad”.
character Kovalan’s father is Maasathuvan.
Massathuvan means a big trader. It is clear The author of Pattinappaalai, Kadiyalur
from the text that Poompuhar was a place Uruttirangannanar, belonged to 2 century
nd
where big traders and sea traders had BCE. This is indicative of Puhar’s antiquity.
settled down. Horses were imported by sea. Pepper was
procured through the land route. Gold
Numerous merchants from foreign
that came from Vadamalai was polished
countries such as Greece and Rome
and exported to the overseas countries.
landed at Poompuhar. Due to busy and
Sandal from Western Ghats, pearls from
continuous trade, many of them stayed
southern sea, corals from eastern sea and
on indefinitely in Poompuhar. There are
food items from Eelam were imported.
evidences of foreigner settlements in the
town. People speaking many languages Poompuhar had been built differently
inhabited Poompuhar in its glorious days. from other towns. Each social group had
As loading and unloading of ships took a separate settlement. Streets were broad
some months, the foreign traders began to and straight, dotted with well-designed
interact with the local people during that houses. There was also a dockyard.
period. This enabled the natives to learn We can learn about the life of the
foreign languages for communication. people of Puhar by reading Pattinappaalai
Similarly, the foreigners also learnt Tamil to and “Puhar Kandam” of Silappathikaram.
communicate with the natives. This contact Puhar was a busy port upto 200 CE. It
facilitated not only exchange of goods might have been either washed away by
but also languages and ideas resulting in sea or destroyed by big shore waves. The
cultural blending. remains of that destruction can still be
The traders of Poompuhar were known seen in the present Poompuhar town.
for their honesty and integrity. They sold
163

Madurai
Madurai has been one of the oldest cities in
India. Its antiquity can be understood from
the sobriquet “Sangam Valartha Nagaram”
it has earned.
Pandyas, the Cholas and later the
Kalabras ruled Madurai in the ancient
period. During medieval times, later
Cholas and later Pandyas followed by
the Nayaks ruled this historic town. This
has resulted in cultural blending. Trade last Sangam. Ahil, fragrant wood, was
flourished and evidence for this has been brought from Port Thondi to Madurai.
unearthed in archaeological excavation King Solomon of ancient Israel imported
done in Keezhadi near Madurai. pearls from Uvari near the Pandyan port,
Madurai is proudly associated with Korkai.
tamil sangam (academies), which worked A mint of Roman coins was present
for the promotion of Tamil language. at Madurai. The coins of other countries
Forty-nine poets were associated with the were also minted at Madurai, which is a
proof for the glory of Madurai.
Thoonga Nagaram
The fame of Madurai is attested by
the accounts of the Greek historian
Megasthanese. Chanakya, Chandragupta’s
minister, makes a mention of Madurai in
his book, Arthasastra.
In the moat around the town, tunnels
had been constructed in such a way that
even elephants could comfortably enter.
Madurai had Naalangadi and
Allangadi. Kanchi
Naalangadi – Day Market. A place of learning is called school. Several
Allangadi – Evening Market. schools were established in great numbers
Madurai is known as Thoonga for the first time in Kancheepuram. Jains
Nagaram (the city that never studied in Jainapalli, and Buddhists
sleeps). Madurai was a safe studied in Viharas.
place where women purchased The greatness of Kanchi as an
things from Allangadi without educational centre can be understood
any fear. from the fact that the Chinese traveller
Hieun Tsang who studied at Nalanda
164

Hieun Tsang
University visited Kanchi of those times. Hundreds of lakes were

‘Kadigai’ to pursue his created for storing water around the
further studies. town of Kanchi. These lakes were well
Poet Kalidasa says, connected with canals. During the later
“Kanchi is the best of the period, Kanchi came to be known as the
towns”. Tamil poet saint Thirunavukarasar district of lakes. Water management skills
praises Kanchi as “Kalviyil Karaiillatha of the ancient Tamils can be understood
Kanchi”. from the construction of Kallanai in the
Chola country and the lakes and canals in
Hieun Tsang remarked that Kanchi
Kanchi.
can be counted as one among the
Apart from Poompuhar, Madurai
seven sacred places like Budh Gaya
and Kanchi, there were other towns
and Sanchi. Kanchi is the oldest
too in ancient Tamilagam. Korkai,
town in Thondai Nadu. Scholars like
Vanchi, Thondi, Uraiyur, Musiri, Karuvur,
Dharmabalar, Jothibalar, Sumathi and
Mamallapuram, Thanjai, Thagadoor and
Bodhi Dharmar were born in Kanchi.
Kaayal are some of them. By conducting
Kanchi is also known as the temple town.
archaeological research, more information
The famous temple of great architectural
can be gathered about these places.
beauty, Kailasanathar temple, was built
Thank you students. With this, we
by later Pallava king Rajasimha at Kanchi.
shall complete this lesson now.
During the Pallava period, a large number
of cave temples were built. The Buddhist
monk Manimegalai spent the last part of
her life at Kanchi speaks highly of that Poompuhar was a port.
town. Madurai was a trading town.
Water management played an Kanchi was an educational centre.
important role in the agrarian society
165

Tamil sayings represent the uniqueness of each ancient Tamil kingdom
Chola Nadu - sorudaithu (rice in abundance).

Pandya Nadu - muthudaithu (pearls in abundance).
Chera Nadu - vezhamudaithu (elephants in abundance).
Thondai Nadu - Saandrorudaithu (scholars in abundance)
Chera Nadu - Comprised Malayalam-speaking regions and Tamil districts of

Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Karur, Kanniyakumari and Some parts of present Kerala.
Chola Nadu - Present-day Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagai, Trichy and Pudukkottai
districts.
Pandya Nadu - Erstwhile composite Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai,
Thuthukkudi and Tirunelveli districts
Thondai Nadu - Present-day Kancheepuram, Dharmapuri, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai,
Vellore and northern parts of Villupuram districts.
Summary
))Madurai, Kanchi and Poompuhar are • Foreigner - a person who
famous towns in ancient Tamilagam. comes from
))We know about the life of the another country
people of Poompuhar by reading • Blending - the mixings
Silappathikaram and Pattinappaalai.
• Integrity - the quality of being
))Madurai is associated with three
honest
sangams.
• Legitimate - reasonable prices
))Kanchi was an educational centre.
prices
Many great scholars were associated
• Antiquity - a long time ago
with it.
))Kanchi known as a city of temples, was • Sobriquet - nick name

also known for water management.
• Mint - A place where
coins are made
• Moat - a deep and wide
trench filled with
water surrounding
• Maritime - trade by sea
a palace
Trade
166

Exercises 6. Which city is related to Keezhadi
excavation?
I. Choose the correct
a. Madurai
answer
b. Kancheepuram
1. Which of the following
c. Poompuhar
region has a city more
d. Harappa
than 6500 years old?
a. Iraq II. Tick the appropriate a
nswer.
Match the Statement with the
b. Indus Valley
Reason:
c. Tamilagam
1. Statement: Goods were imported and
d. Thondaimandalam
exported from the city Poompuhar.
2. Which one of the following is a
Reason: Bay of Bengal was suitable for
Tamil city?
trading with neighbouring countries.
a. Iraq a. S tatement is correct, but reason is
b. Harappa wrong.
c. Mohenjo-Daro b. Statement and its reason are
correct.
d. Kancheepuram
c. Statement is wrong, but reason is
3. Which city is not related to the correct.
Bay of Bengal?
d. Both are wrong.
a. Poompuhar 2. a. Thirunavukkarasar said “kalviyil
b. Madurai karaiillatha”. This statement refers
c. Korkai to the city Kancheepuram.
d. Kancheepuram b. H
ieun Tsang said, “Kancheepuram
is one among the seven-sacred
4. Water management system of Tamils
places of India”.
are known from
c. K
alidasa said, “Kancheepuram is
a. Kallanai
the best city among the cities”
b. Tanks in Kancheepuram
a. only a is correct
c. Prakirama Pandyan Tank b. only b is correct
d. River Cauvery c. only c is correct
. is correct b. is correct
a d. All are correct
c. is correct d. a and b are correct 3. Find out the correct statement
5. Which is not the oldest city among the a. Naalangadi - Night shop
following ones? b. Allangdi - Day-time shop
a. Madurai c.
Ancient Roman coin factory was
found at Poompuhar.
b. Kancheepuram
d.
Pearls were exported from Uvari
c. Poompuhar
near Korkai.
d. Chennai
167

4. Find out the wrong statement. V. Answer in one word:
a. M
egasthanese has mentioned 1. What do you know about the term
Madurai in his account. ‘export’?
b. H
ien Tsang came to the Tamil city 2. Mention the epic and the sangam
of Kancheepuram. poem you read in this lesson.
c. K
ovalan and Kannagi lived in 3. Which is the oldest city in
Kancheepuram. Thondai Nadu?
d. Iraq is mentioned in Pattinapalai. 4. Point out any one difference between
5. Find out the correct pair a village and a city.
5. Which civilisation is associated with
a. Koodal Nagar - Poompuhar
the city Lothal?
b. Thoonga Nagaram - Harappa
6. Name the oldest civilization of the
c. City of Education - Madurai
world
d. City of Temples -Kancheepuram
VI. Answer the following:
6. Find out the wrong pair
1. Write a brief note on ancient cities of
a. Vadamalai - Gold India.
b. Western Ghats - Sandal 2. Mention the ancient cities of
c. Southern Sea - Pearls Tamil Nadu.
d. Eastern Sea - Ahil 3. Discuss the sources available to know
about Tamil cities.
III. Fill in the blanks: 4. Write about the kings who ruled
1. Kanchi Kailasanathar temple was built Madurai.
by . 5. Mention the other names of Madurai.
2. is known as 6. What is the difference between

Naalangadi and Allangadi.
the city of temples.
7. Name the scholars who were born at
3. Masathuvan means . Kancheepuram.
IV. State True or False: 8. Which is known as city of lakes? Why?
1. Cultural relationship with the outside VII. HOTS:

world developed in Poompuhar 1. Write a short note on Iraq.
because of its trade relationship 2. Write a paragraph about the city
with it. Poompuhar with special reference to
trade.
2. Women also purchased from Allangadi
3. Write about the accounts given by
of Madurai without fear.
scholars about Kanchi.
3. Many rock cut temples were made 4. Temple city. Give short notes.
during the Pallava period.
5. Kancheepuram was famous for
4. Bodhi Dharmar belonged to education. Prove this statement.
Kancheepuram.
168

VIII. Student Activity:
1. Make an album about Keezhadi 4. Prepare a booklet describing the
excavations. famous lakes of Tamil Nadu.
2. Poompuhar was famous for trading 5. Make a booklet about the famous
activities. Discuss. cities of Tamil Nadu.
3. Collect the pictures of Pallava temple 6. Go to library and find out the places of
architecture. importance in your district.
IX. Answer Grid:
Poompuhar was located Name the ancient city Name a Sangam literary
on which river bank? which had Tamil Sangam. work.
Ans: Ans: Ans:
Which Greek historian To which Tamil kingdom Name the Chinese

gave accounts about the did the southern districts traveller who stayed
Pandya kingdom? of Tamil Nadu belong to and studied in Nalanda
Ans: during the Sangam Age? University.
Ans: Ans:
Thirunavukarasar What is the name of Name the temple built by

mentioned Kanchi as evening market during Pallava king Rajasimha at
. the Sangam Age? Kanchi.
Ans: Ans: Ans:
Which district is known as What is trade? Name a port located

the district of lakes? Ans: on the shore of Bay of
Ans: Bengal.
Ans:
X. Life Skill
1. Make a handout that shows the importance of the place where you live.
XI. Map Work

Mark the following places in a South India map.
a. Chennai e. Arabian Sea

b. Madurai f. Bay of Bengal
c. Kancheepuram g. Indian Ocean
d. Poompuhar
169

HISTORY – Class VI
Domain Expert Authors

Dr. Manikumar KA Gomathi Manickam S
Professor (Rtd), Dept. of History, B.T. Asst., GHSS., Old Perungalathur, Chennai.
Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Thirunelveli Dt.
Devarajan N
B.T. Asst., GHSS., Nanjanad, The Nilgirist & Dt.
Reviewers
Edwin R
Dr. Sundar G Head Master, Sri Mariamman HSS, Samayapuram, Trichy Dt.
Director, Raja Muthiah Research Library, Chennai.
Shajahan J
Dr. Selvakumar V PUMS, Katrampatti, Madurai Dt.
Associate Professor,
Dept. of Maritime History & Maritime Archeology, Sivagurunathan M
Tamil University, Tanjore Dt. B.T. Asst., GHSS.,, Kattur, Thiruvarur Dt..
Sankaran K R Appanasamy M
Associate Professor of History, Advisor, Text Book Society, TNTB & ESC,
A.V.C. College (Autonomous),Mannampandal Nungampakkam, Chennai.
Gunasekaran V (Kamalalayan) Senthilkumar P
B-210, Mahaveer Springs, 17th Cross of 18th Main Raod, B.T. Asst., GHSS.,, Thirukazhukundram, Kanchepuram Dt.
J.P.Nangar – 5th Stage, Bangalore.
Marylin Gracey,
Assistant Professor, Dept. of History, Madras Christian College,
Tambaram (E),Chennai.
Academic Co-ordinator
Anitha Ponmalar
Hemalatha V B.T. Asst., GHSS.,, Salem & Dt.
Deputy Director, SCERT, Chennai.
Rita B
Assistant Professor, NKT College of Education, Chennai
ICT Coordinator
Srinivasan B
Punitha S B.T. Asst., GHS.,, Krishnagiri & Dt.
B.T. Asst., GHSS, Pattukottai, Thanjavur Dt.
Image Courtesy
List of Institutions
Department of Archacology, Government of Tamilnadu.
Archacological Survey of India.
Government Musium, Chennai.
Government College of Fine arts, Chennai.
Tamil University, Thanjavur.
Tamil Virtual Academy, Chennai.
Art and Design Team

Chief Co-ordinator
and Creative Head
SrinivasanNatarajan
Illustration
K.T. Gandhirajan, Chennai.
Tamil Virtual Academy.
Co-ordination
Ramesh Munisamy
In House QC
QC - Gopu Rasvel
- Karthik Kalaiarasu
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GEOGRAPHY
171
TN_GOVT_GEOGRAPHY_VI_Std_Ch1.indd 171 16-03-2018 20:08:58

172

Unit 1
The Universe
and Solar System
Learning Objectives
• To know about the formation of the universe.
• To differentiate between the members of the Solar System.
• To understand the motions of the Earth and its effects.
• To learn about the different spheres of the Earth and their interaction with each other.
Pathway:
This lesson focuses on the universe and the members of the solar system.
It also deals with the motions of the Earth and their resultant effects. It also
talks about the four spheres of the Earth.
Teacher : Students, do you all know where

you reside?
Students : Yes, teacher.
Teacher : (Points out a student) Iniya, do

you know your address? Can you tell me your
full address?
Iniya : Yes teacher. My address is

Iniya, 24, Bharathiar street, Thirunagar,
Madurai - 625 006.
Teacher : Good. Iniya, where is Thirunagar?
Iniya : Thirunagar is in Madurai.
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Teacher : Children, tell me where Madurai is? Numerous stars and celestial bodies
came into existence by a massive
Students : It is in Tamil Nadu.
explosion called Big Bang. These celestial
Teacher : Good. Where is Tamil Nadu? bodies together are called The Universe.
Students : In India ...teacher. It is also referred to as the Cosmos. The
stars that you see are so far away that
Teacher : Now tell me where India is?
they appear to be small, but they are
Students : India is in the continent of Asia, really huge in size.
teacher.
Teacher : Excellent! Can anyone tell me The study of the

where is the continent of Asia? Universe is called
Cosmology. The
Students: Yes teacher. It is on the Earth.
term Cosmos is
Teacher : Ok children, tell me where the derived from the Greek word
Earth is located. ‘Kosmos’.
Students : ( Remain silent and after
sometime they reply in chorus) No. We don't
1. Universe
know.
The Universe is a vast
Teacher : Now, let me explain. The Earth expanse of space. Most
is the third planet in the Solar System. The astronomers believe that
solar system is in the galaxy. It is named as the Universe came into
the Milkyway Galaxy. There are millions of existence after the Big
such galaxies in the Universe. Bang explosion that took
Iniya : Teacher, shall I say the address of place about 15 billion years ago. The
our Earth? universe consists of billions of galaxies,
stars, planets, comets, asteroids,
Teacher: Address of our Earth? It's
meteoroids and natural satellites. These
interesting Iniya. Tell us the address.
are collectively called as celestial bodies,
Iniya: M
iss. Earth, which are located far away from each
No.3. Solar System, other. A Light year is the unit used
Milkyway Galaxy, to measure the distance between the
Universe. celestial bodies.
(Everyone clapped and the teacher
Galaxy
appreciates Iniya.)
It is a huge cluster of stars which are
Teacher : That was very good Iniya. held together by gravitational force.
Now let us know about the solar system, Most of the galaxies are scattered in
galaxy, the Universe and all other bodies in space, but some remain in groups.
detail in this lesson.
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galaxy is the nearest to the Earth apart
A light-year is the
from the ‘Magellanic Clouds’ galaxy
distance traversed
by light in a year at a 2. The Solar System
velocity of 300,000 km
The word ‘solar’ is derived from the
per second. Sound travels at a speed of
Roman word ‘sol’, which means ‘Sun
330 m per second.
God’. The solar system is believed to have
formed about 4.5 billion years ago. The
The Milky Way Galaxy was formed
solar system is a gravitationally bound
about 5 billion years after the Big Bang
system which comprises of the Sun, the
explosion. Our solar system is a part
eight planets, dwarf planets, satellites,
of the Milky Way galaxy. Andromeda
comets, asteroids and meteoroids.
Galaxy
Activity:
Watch a show in the nearest
planetarium. a) Share your experience
in the class room. b) Make an album
of interesting facts about the solar
system.
175

The Sun Uranus and Neptune. All the planets rotate
The Sun is at the anti-clockwise (from west to east) on their
centre of the solar own axes except Venus and Uranus. The
system. Each member elliptical path in which the planets move
of the solar system around the Sun is known as orbit. The
revolves around the eight planets revolve in their respective
Sun
Sun. The Sun is so orbits because of the gravitational pull of
huge that it accounts for 99.8 percent of the Sun. They do not move out of their
the entire mass of the solar system. The paths or away from the solar system.
Sun is made up of extremely hot gases like The four planets nearer to the Sun
Hydrogen and Helium. are called Inner or Terrestrial Planets
The Sun is a star. It is self-luminous (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars). The inner
so it gives light on its own. The surface planets are comparatively smaller in size
temperature of the Sun is about and are composed of rocks. The surface of
6,000° C. It is the source of light and inner planets has mountains, volcanoes and
heat energy to the entire solar system. craters. The last four planets are called as
Sunlight takes about 8.3 minutes to Outer Planets or Jovian Planets (Jupiter,
reach the Earth. Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). They are also
called Gaseous Giants. An asteroid belt is
1.3 million Earths fit found between Mars and Jupiter.
inside the Sun. Imagine
how big the Sun is. Mnemonic to remember the order
of planets: My Very Educated Mother
Planets Just Showed Us Neptune.
The word planet means
wanderer. There are Mercury (The Nearest Planet)
eight planets in the
Mercury is the
solar system. They are
smallest and closest
Mercury, Venus, Earth,
planet to the Sun.
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,
It is named after
the Roman deity
GEO CONNECT: The ancient Tamils
‘Mercury’, the
knew that the planets went around
messenger to the
the Sun. For example, in Tamil Mercury
Gods. It is an airless
literature Sirupanatruppadai, the
and waterless planet.
line ’வாள் நிற விசும்பின் க�ோள் மீன்
It does not have an atmosphere and so
சூழ்ந்த இளங்கதிர் ஞாயிறு’ mentions
experiences extremes of temperature. It has
that the Sun is surrounded by
no natural satellites. Mercury can be viewed
planets.
in the morning and evening with naked eye.
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Venus (The Hottest Planet) diameter of the Earth is 12, 714 km and
Venus is the second the equatorial diameter is 12, 756 km.
planet from the Sun. The Earth revolves around the Sun at
It is called Earth’s a speed of about 30 km per second.
twin, as it is almost Life is possible on Earth because of the
the same size as presence of land, air and water. The
the Earth. It has only natural satellite of the Earth is the
the longest rotation Moon.
Venus
period (243 days)
among the planets in the Solar system. It The distance between
rotates in the opposite direction to all other the Sun and the Earth
planets except Uranus. It has no natural is about 150 million
satellites like Mercury. It is named after kilometre. A flight flying at a speed of
the Roman goddess of love and beauty. 800 km per hour from the Earth would
It is often visible in the mornings and the take 21 years to reach the Sun.
evenings and so it is frequently called as the
Morning Star and the Evening Star. After
the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in Mars (The Red Planet)
the night sky. Mars is the fourth
planet from the
HOTS: Even though Mercury is the Sun and the second
nearest planet to the Sun, Venus is smallest planet in the
the hottest one. Guess why? solar system, after
Mercury. It is named
after the Roman God Mars
Earth (The Living Planet)
of war. It appears red in colour due to the
The Earth is the presence of iron oxide on its surface. So, it
third planet from is often described as The Red Planet. It
the Sun and has a thin atmosphere. It also has polar ice
the fifth largest
planet in the On 24th September, 2014 Mangalyan
solar system. It (Mars Orbiter Mission - MOM),
is called ‘blue launched by the Indian Space
planet’ or ‘watery Earth Research Organization (ISRO),
planet’ because reached the orbit of Mars to analyze
three-fourth of the Earth is covered by its atmosphere and topography. ISRO
water. The Earth is the only planet in the has now become the fourth space
solar system which is not named after agency to reach Mars after the Soviet
Space programme, NASA and the
any Greek or Roman deity. It is the only
European Space Agency.
planet known to support life. The polar
177

caps like the Earth. Mars has two natural only satellite in the solar system that has
satellites namely Phobos and Deimos. clouds and dense atmosphere composed of
Many orbiters and rovers have been nitrogen and methane. The specific gravity
launched to explore this planet. of Saturn is less than that of water.
Jupiter (the Largest Planet)

Jupiter is the fifth HOTS: If you could put Saturn in a
planet from the large enough ocean it would float.
Sun and the largest Guess why?
planet in the solar
system. It is named
after the king of the Uranus (The Somersaulting planet)
Roman gods. It is the Jupiter Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun.
third brightest object It was the first to
in the night sky, after moon and Venus. It be discovered with
is the fastest spinning planet in the solar a telescope by the
system. It is called a gas giant planet. Its astronomer William
atmosphere is made up of mostly Hydrogen Herschel in 1781. It
and Helium like the Sun. It has the largest appears green due
number of natural satellites. Io, Europa, to the presence
Uranus
Ganymede and Callisto are a few large of methane. It is
satellites of Jupiter. named after the Greek god of the sky.
It rotates on its axis from east to west
Saturn (The Ringed planet)
like Venus. Its axis is tilted so much that,
it appears to orbit the Sun on its sides
like a rolling ball. Uranus has 27 natural
satellites, of which Titania is the largest.
Neptune (The coldest Planet)

Neptune is the eighth and the farthest
planet from the Sun. There are strong
Saturn
winds in this
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and planet. It is
the second largest planet in the solar system, named after the
after Jupiter. It is named after the Roman god Roman god of sea.
of agriculture. Saturn has many rings around Neptune has 14
it. These rings are huge and are mostly made natural satellites,
up of ice, rocks and dust particles. the largest being
Saturn has 62 natural satellites around Triton. Because of Neptune
it. Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, is the its distance from the Sun, Neptune is one
178

179

of the coldest planets in the solar system. km. The size of the moon is one-quarter of
The striking blue and white features the Earth. The Moon is the only celestial body
of Neptune help to distinguish it from where humans have landed.
Uranus.
Asteroids
The Dwarf Planets Asteroids are small solid objects that move
HOTS: Imagine you were on a space Fact:

craft travelling at the speed of light
from Earth, how long would it take to ISRO launched India’s first ever Moon
reach the Sun? mission, Chandrayaan - 1 in 2008.
Dwarf planets are small celestial bodies

found beyond the planet Neptune. They around the Sun. They are found as a belt
are extremely cold and dark. They are between Mars and Jupiter. They are too
almost spherical in shape, but unlike small to be called as planets. They are also
planets they can share their orbit with known as Planetoids or Minor Planets.
other dwarf planets. The five dwarf
Comets
planets of the solar system are Pluto,
Ceres, Eris, Makemake and Haumea. A comet is a celestial
object made up
The Moon - Earth’s Satellite of a head and a
Satellites are celestial objects, which revolve tail. The head of a
around the planets. The moon is the Earth’s comet consists of
only satellite. It revolves around the Earth once solid particles held
Comets
in every 27 days and together by ice and
8 hours. It takes the tail is made of gases. Halley’s Comet is
about the same time the most famous comet which comes close
for it to complete to the Earth every 76 years. It last appeared
one rotation around in 1986 and will next appear in 2061.
its axis. It has no
Meteors and Meteorites
atmosphere. The
Moon A meteor is a stone like or metallic
surface of the moon
body. When entering into the Earth’s
is characterized by craters created by the
atmosphere, most of them burn. As they
impact of meteors. The distance between
often appear as streaks of light in the sky,
the moon and the Earth is about 3, 84,400
they are also known as Shooting Stars.
Meteors which strike the Earth’s surface
HOTS: We see only one side of the are called meteorites.
Moon always. Why?
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3. Motions of the Earth Rotation
Have you noticed the Sun in the morning, It is the spinning
afternoon or evening? Is it in the same movement of the
place throughout the day? No. It is seen Earth on its axis. The
in the east in the morning, overhead in the Earth rotates from
afternoon and in the west in the evening. west to east (anti-
Have you ever thought of the reason behind clockwise) and takes
it? This is because of the constant moving 23 hours 56 minutes
of the Earth around the Sun. It seems that and 4.09 seconds to
the Sun is moving, but it is not so. This is complete one rotation. The time taken by
similar to what you experience when you the Earth to complete one rotation is called
are travelling in a bus or train. When you a day. The rotation of the Earth causes
look out of the window, the trees, lamp day and night. As the Earth is spherical in
posts and other objects seem to be moving,
but actually it is you who are moving. To Fact:
understand the motions of the Earth better,
you need to be familiar with the shape and
inclination of the Earth. The Midnight Sun is a natural
phenomenon that occurs in the
Shape and Inclination of the summer months in places north of the
Earth Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic
The Earth is spherical in shape. It rotates Circle, when the Sun remains overhead
on its axis, which is an imaginary line that 24 hours a day.
runs from the North Pole to the South
Pole passing through the centre of the
Earth. The Earth’s axis is always tilted or shape, only one half of it is illuminated by
inclined from the vertical by an angle of the Sun at a time. The other half remains
23½°. It makes an angle of 66½° with dark. The illuminated portion of the Earth
the plane of the Earth’s orbit. experiences day, whereas the darkened
part of the Earth experiences night. The
line which divides the surface of the Earth
Fact:
into a lighted half and a dark half is called
the Terminator Line.
The velocity of the Earth’s rotation Revolution

varies from 1670 km per hour at the
It is the movement of the Earth around
equator to 845 km per hour at 60° N
the Sun on its elliptical path. The Earth
and S latitudes and zero at the poles.
takes 365 ¼ days for it to complete one
revolution. It revolves around the Sun at a
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moving north and south of the equator.
The equator faces the Sun directly on 21
March and 23 September. These two days
are called Equinoxes, during which the day
and night are equal throughout the Earth.
Perihelion is the
Earth’s closest position
to the Sun. Aphelion is
speed of 30 km per second. For the sake the farthest position of
of convenience, we take it as 365 days and the Earth from the Sun.
call it a year. The remaining quarter day
is added once in every four years in the On 21st June, the Tropic of Cancer
month of February. That is why February faces the Sun. This is known as Summer
has 29 days once in four years. It is called Solstice. It is the longest day in the
a Leap Year. The inclination of the Earth Northern Hemisphere and longest night
on its axis and its revolution around the (shortest day) in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sun cause different seasons. On 22nd December, the Tropic of Capricorn
faces the Sun. It is called as Winter
Solstice. It is the longest day in the
Activity:
Southern Hemisphere and longest night
Circle the leap years: 2000, 2005,
(shortest day) in the Northern Hemisphere.
2012, 2014, 2017, and 2020
The Northern Hemisphere is inclined

HOTS: If the Earth is not inclined at
towards the Sun for six months from o
23 angle, what would happen to the
21st March to 23rd September while the
Earth?
Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from
the Sun.
From Sep 23rd to March 21st the southern 4. Spheres of the Earth
hemisphere is inclined towards the Sun
The Earth is the most suitable planet to
and the northern hemisphere faces away
support life. It has three major components
from the Sun. The changing position of the
that we call as the realms of the Earth-
Earth in its orbit during revolution gives
lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
the impression that the Sun is continuously
The three components along with suitable
climate make life possible on Earth. All
HOTS: Priya is 12 years old. How
living things exist in a narrow zone called
many times she would have revolved
the biosphere. Now let us have a close
around the Sun?
look at each of the spheres.
182

Lithosphere Wrap Up
The word lithosphere is derived from the • The Universe was formed 15 billion
Greek word Lithos, which means rocky. years after the Big Bang explosion
The Lithosphere is the land on which we
• Many galaxies are found in the
live. It is the solid outer layer of the Earth
Universe.
consisting of rocks and soils.
• Our solar system is a part of the Milky
Hydrosphere Way Galaxy.
The word Hydro means water in Greek. • The Sun is so huge that it accounts for
The hydrosphere consists of water bodies 99.8 percent of the entire mass of the
such as oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, ice solar system.
caps on mountains and water vapour in • All planets rotate anti-clockwise on
the atmosphere. their own axes except Venus and
Atmosphere Uranus.
The word Atmo means air in Greek. • Asteroids are found as a belt between
Atmosphere is the envelope of air that Mars and Jupiter.
surrounds the Earth. Different types of • The rotation of the Earth causes day
gases make up the atmosphere. The and night.
major gases are Nitrogen (78%) and • The revolution of the Earth causes
Oxygen (21%). The other gases like seasons.
Carbon dioxide, Hydrogen, Helium, • Summer solstice is the longest day in
Argon, and Ozone are present in meager the Northern Hemisphere.
amounts.
• The presence of land, water and air
Biosphere along with suitable climate makes life
possible on Earth.
The narrow belt of interaction among
the lithosphere, the hydrosphere and
the atmosphere, where life exists is
known as Biosphere. Bio means life
in Greek. It consists of distinct zones. 1. Galaxy - The cluster of stars
Each zone has its own climate, plant
2. Asteroids - Irregular shaped rocks
and animal life. These zones are known
between Mars and Jupiter
as ecosystems.
3. Meteors - Space particles left behind
The Gulf of Mannar by comets or asteroids
Biosphere Reserve in 4. Comets - Frozen lumps of rocks, dust
the Indian Ocean covers and gas.
an area of 10,500 sq.km 5. Satellites - Celestial bodies that move
in the ocean. around the planets.
183

6. Orbit - The path in which the planets 7. Earth is inclined by degrees.
move around the Sun. 8. The Equator faces the Sun directly
7. Earth's axis - An imaginary line on and .
passing through the centre of the 9. At the time of Perihelion, the Earth
Earth from the North Pole to the is to the Sun.
South Pole. 10. The line which divides day and night
8. Rotation - Spinning movement of the on the Earth’s surface is .
planets on their axes.
9. Revolution - The movement of the
planets around the Sun in their orbit. B. Choose the best answer.
10. Equinox - The day on which day and 1. The movement of the Earth on its axis
night are of equal length. is called
11. Solstice - An occurrence when the a. Revolution b. Seasons

Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn c. Rotation d. Circulation
faces the Sun vertically. 2. The Tropic of Capricorn faces the Sun
12. Rover - A space exploration vehicle directly on
which moves across the surface of a a. March 21 b. June 21
celestial body c. September 23 d. December 22
13. Orbiter - A spacecraft which orbits a 3. The galaxy in which our solar system
celestial body without landing on its is found is
surface.
a. Andromeda b. Magellanic clouds
c. Milky Way d. Starburst
Exercises
4. The only celestial body where man
A. Fill in the blanks.
has successfully landed
1. The Universe was
a. Mars b. Moon
formed after
c. Mercury d. Venus
explosion.
5. Which of the following planets can
2. is the unit used to
float on water?
measure the distance between two
celestial bodies. a. Jupiter b. Saturn
3. is the centre of the c. Uranus d. Neptune

solar system.
4. The word planet means . C. Circle the odd one out
5. planet has many 1. Venus, Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn
natural satellites. 2. Sirius, Andromeda, Milky way,
6. India’s first ever mission to the moon Magellanic clouds
is .
184

3. Pluto, Eris, Ceres, Io b. I is wrong; II is true
4. Comet, Asteroids, Meteorites, Dwarf c. Both the statements are true
planets d. Statements I and II are wrong.
5. Rover, Orbiter, Aeroplane, Space
shuttle F. Name the following
1. Cluster of stars.
2. The nearest galaxy to the solar system.
D. Match the following
3. The brightest planet.
1. Hottest Planet - a. Mars
4. The living sphere.
2. Ringed Planet - b. Neptune 5. The year which has 366 days.
3. Red Planet - c. Venus G. Answer in a sentence or two.

1. Name the inner planets.
4. Somersaulting Planet - d. Saturn
2. Pluto is no longer a planet. Reason out.
5. Coldest Planet - e. Uranus 3. What is perihelion?
4. How many times in a year would you
find the Sun overhead if you lived on
E. i) Consider the following 20°N Latitude?
statements. 5. Which celestial body shares its orbit
1. Venus rotates from east to west. with others? Give an example.
2. The Tropic of Cancer faces the Sun on H. Give reasons.

June 21. 1. Why is Uranus called as the
3. Mars has rings around it. somersaulting planet?
Choose the correct answer using the 2. The surface of the moon has many
codes given below. craters.
a. 1 and 2 b. 2 and 3 3. The velocity of Earth’s rotation is zero
c. 1, 2 and 3 d. 2 only at poles.
ii) C
onsider the following
statements. I. Answer in detail.
Statement I: Earth is called a watery 1. Distinguish between inner and outer

planet. planets.
Statement II: The rotation of the Earth 2. What are the effects of rotation and
causes seasons. revolution?
Which of the statement(s) is/are true? 3. Explain the characteristics of the

various spheres of the Earth.
a. I is true; II is wrong
185

J. Picture Study
1. Study the picture and answer the given questions.
a. Which is the closest planet to the Sun?
b. Which is the largest planet?
c. Which is the farthest planet from the Sun?
d. Which is the second smallest planet?
SUN
2. Look at the picture and answer the questions given below.
a) Identify the planet
------------------------------
b) What is the colour of the planet?
---------------------------------
c) Why is it of this colour?
-----------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
186

STUDENT ACTIVITY
K. Solve the puzzle.

Across 1 2
2 A dwarf planet.
3 Equal days and nights.
3
7 I am a gas found in the Sun.
8 I appear once in 76 years.
4
Down
5
1 I am the morning star.
6 7
2 India’s first moon mission.
4 I have two natural satellites.
5 I am the farthest planet.
6 An imaginary line passing through
the centre of the Earth. 8
References
Internet Resources
1. John Widdowson (1999), Earthworks
1. www.nationalgeographic.org/
2, 11-14 Geography Project, Hodder
encylopedia/seasons
Education
2. www.slideshare.net
2. James F. Petersen, Dorothy
3. www.britannica.com
Sack, Robert E. Gabler, (2011),
Fundamentals of Physical Geography, 4. www.geography4kids.com
Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning 5. https://sangamtamilliterature.
3. H.J.Blij, Peter O Muller, Richard wordpress.com/thd_,ay;
S. Williams, Jr., Physical Geography -
The Global Environment, III Edition,
Oxford University Press
187

ICT CORNER
Explore the Solar System!
Travel to the planets and stars and enjoy the adventure!
Lets explore universe on

Stellarium
Step 1:
Download and install the ‘Stellarium’ app from the given link. Double click and open
the “Stellarium” app
Step 2:
Click the “Location window” or F6. Then select your location using drop down boxes
and view the placements of celestial bodies in the sky.
Step 3:
Click the “Date/Time window” or F5. Then set the date and time zone of your
location.
Step 4:
Use the “Search window” or F3 and type any name of the solar system to explore
them.Select and zoom in on the Earth and play with increase or decrease speed
buttons to view its rotation.
Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4
URL to download Stellarium app:

http://stellarium.org/
188

Unit 2
Land and
Oceans
Learning Objectives
• To understand the continents and oceans.
• T
o learn about the characteristic features of different landforms
and oceans.
• To know about the classification of landforms.
• To understand the oceans and its features.
Pathway
This lesson focuses on land and oceans found on the Earth. It deals with the
classification of landforms - first, second and third order landforms.
The teacher enters the classroom with

giant-sized envelopes. The students are
enthusiastic to know the content of the
envelopes. Teacher asks the children to sit
in groups and explains the activity. Each
group is given an envelope which contains
seven jig-saws and a chart paper. The
teacher asks them to paste the jig-saws
(continents) close to each other leaving no
gap between them. Teacher asks them to
colour the remaining places in blue.
A group pastes the continents and comes
first with the chart without any gaps in
189

between the continents. The teacher 1. First order landforms
then puts the chart on the board and the
Continents and oceans are grouped as first
children applaud.
order landforms. The vast land masses on
"What kind of picture is this? Once I have
Earth are called Continents and huge
seen one like this in the atlas, " says Yazhini.
water bodies are called Oceans. There are
"You are right. This is Pangea, the seven continents. They are Asia, Africa,
Super Continent, and the Sea around is North America, South America,
Panthalasa. It was 200 million years ago, Antarctica, Europe and Australia. Asia
when these landmasses moved away is the largest continent, whereas Australia
from each other to gain the present is the smallest one.
position as continents and oceans."
says the teacher.
GEO CONNECT:
"What makes it to move madam?" asks
Land classification - Sangam period
Nila.
1. Kurinji - Mountain and its
"Nothing other than the internal heat of
environs
the Earth," says the teacher and continues,
“this lesson deals about the continents and 2. Mullai - Forest and its
oceans in detail” surroundings
The Earth is covered by water which 3. Marutham - Agricultural land and
occupies 71 percent and land that its adjoining areas.
occupies 29 percent of the Earth’s 4. Neithal - Sea and its environs
surface. The surface of the Earth is not 5. Palai - Desert region
even, because it has lofty mountains,
Which of the above land form
deep oceans and other landforms. These
category do you belong to?
landforms can be classified as
Classification of landforms
190

Apart from continents, there are five 2. Second order landforms
oceans located on the Earth’s surface.
The second order landforms are
They are the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian,
categorised as mountains, plateaus and
Southern and Arctic Ocean. Among
plains.
these oceans, the Pacific Ocean is the
largest and the Arctic Ocean is the smallest.
Activity:
Required materials Plateau
Plain
• A round plate Valley

Hill
Cave River
Stream
• 7 slices of one carrot Lake
Island
• A glass of water Pond
Procedure Ocean
Beach
Write the abbreviations As, Af, NA,

Second order Landforms:
SA, An, Eu and Au on each slice in
Mountains, Plateaus and Plains
descending order of its size.
The teacher hangs a wall map of the
world. 2.1 Mountains
The students have the expansion of A landform that rises
each abbreviation written on the board. 600 metre above its
surroundings and has
Students now try to place the slices
steep slopes is called a
on the plate matching the position of
mountain. Mountains
the continents in the map.
are found in isolation
They pour some water.
or in groups. If the mountains extend
The teacher shows the oceans. for a larger area continuously, it is
Accordingly the students put their called a mountain range. These ranges
fingers in the respective places stretch for hundreds or thousands of
and repeat the names of the ocean kilometre. The Himalayas of Asia, the
stirring the water. Rocky Mountains of North America and
The students learn the position,
comparative size of the continent
and the position of oceans. HOTS:
December 11 International
Isthumus : A narrow strip Mountain Day
of land which connects Prepare slogans, posters and
two large landmasses or placards to celebrate International
separates two large waterbodies. Mountain Day.
191

Activity: 2.2 Plateaus
Complete the given table with the help of an atlas. Plateaus are the elevated portions of the
Follow the example. Earth that have flat surfaces bounded by
S.No. Mountain Peaks Continents Elevation steep slopes. The elevation of plateaus
Ranges (m)
may be a few hundred metre or several
1. The Everest Asia 8,848
thousand metre. Tibetan Plateau is the
imalayas
H
2. The highest plateau in the world. So, it is called
Rockies as the ‘Roof of the world’. The flat topped
3. The part of the plateau is called Tableland.
Andes The plateaus are generally rich in minerals.
4. The Alps
The Chotanagpur Plateau is one of the
5. The
mineral rich plateaus in India. Therefore,
Eastern
Ghats mining is one of the major activities of the
people living here. The Deccan Plateau in
peninsular India is of volcanic origin.
the Andes of South America are such
examples. The Andes mountain in South
America is the longest mountain range Dharmapuri Plateau,
(7,000 km) in the world. The highest Coimbatore Plateau and
point of a mountain is known as peak. Madurai Plateau are found
Mt. Everest is the highest peak (8,848 m) in Tamil Nadu.
in the world. Which country is Mt. Everest
located in? 2.3 Plains
Plains are a flat and relatively low-lying
lands. Plains are usually less than 200
HOTS: You know the importance of metre above sea level. Sometimes they
conservation of forests. Do you think may be rolling or undulating. Most plains
conservation of mountains is also are formed by rivers and their tributaries
equally important? and distributaries. These plains are used
extensively for agriculture due to the
availability of water and fertile soil. They
Mountains are the sources of rivers.
They provide shelter to flora and fauna.
The plains have been
Here, tourism is an important activity.
the cradle of civilisations
During summer, people go to mountain
from the earliest times.
regions to enjoy the pleasing cool
For example: the Indus in India, the
weather. Udhagamandalam, Kodaikanal,
Nile valley in Egypt are some of the
Kolli hills, Yercaud and Yelagiri are some
early civilisations which developed
of the hill stations found in Tamil Nadu.
and flourished.
192

are most suitable for human inhabitation. beaches and sand dunes are some examples
Hence, they are the highly populated of third order landforms.
regions of the world. The oldest civilisations
like the Mesopotamian and the Indus
civilisations developed in river plains. The
Valley
Indo-Gangetic plain in North India is one
of the largest plains in the world. The
plains formed by river Cauvery and Vaigai
are important plains found in Tamil Nadu.
Coastal plains are the low lying lands
adjacent to oceans and seas.
Activity:
Complete the given table with the help of an atlas. Beach
Follow the example.
S.No. Continents Plateaus Plains
1. Asia Tibetan Yangtze Plain
Plateau
2. North
America
3. South
America
4. Australia
Sand
5. Europe
Dune
6. Africa
Activity:
•M
ake a model of different
landforms.
Erosion is the process of removal
•P
repare an album of people’s
of surface material from the Earth's
activities in different landforms.
crust. The eroded materials are
transported and deposited on the low
lying areas. This process is called as
3. Third order landforms
Deposition.
Third order landforms are formed on
mountains, plateaus and plains mainly
HOTS: When you are walking on the
by erosional and depositional activities of
Marina beach in Chennai, which order
rivers, glaciers, winds and waves. Valleys,
of landform are you on?
193

4. Oceans spreads for about 168.72 million sq.km.
It is bounded by Asia and Australia in
The Earth looks blue when we see it from
its west and North America and South
space. This is because, two-thirds of it
America in its east. It stretches from the
is covered by water. The water is found
Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern
in oceans and seas. Oceans are vast
Ocean in the south.
expanse of water. Seas are water bodies
partially or fully enclosed by land. As you
have studied previously, there are five If Mount Everest,
main oceans in the world. which is the highest
point (8,848 metres)
was plugged into the
Pacific Ocean
Mariana Trench, still there would
Atlantic Ocean
be 2,146 metres of water left.
Indian Ocean
Southern Ocean The depth in meters from mean sea
Arctic Ocean level is denoted as m-
Area of Oceans (%)

This ocean’s shape is roughly
triangular with its apex in the north at
4.1 The Pacific Ocean
the Bering Strait which connects the
The Pacific Ocean is the
Pacific Ocean with the Arctic Ocean. The
largest and deepest
Bering Sea, the China Sea, the Sea of
ocean on the Earth. It
Japan, Tasman Sea and the Philippine
covers about one-third of
Sea are some of the marginal seas of the
the Earth’s total area and
Pacific Ocean. Indonesia, Philippines,
Japan, Hawaii, New Zealand are some
of the islands located in this Ocean.
The deepest point Mariana Trench is
10,994 m - and is located in the Pacific
Ocean. A chain of volcanoes is located
around the Pacific Ocean called the
Pacific Ring of Fire.
The Spanish navigator

Ferdinand Magellan
named the ocean
Pacific, meaning calm
or tranquil.
Pacific Ocean and its Marginal Seas
194

TN_GOVT_GEOGRAPHY_VI_Std_Ch2.indd 195
• Smallest Ocean
• It is the largest continent in
• It remains frozen for most of the year.
size.
• Eurasian basin is the deepest point.
• It ranks first in total • Surrounds the continents of Antartica.
population of the world. • It is bourdered by southern parts of
• The second largest ocean. Pacific
• Shape of the ocean resembles the letter ‘S’. Atlantic and the Indian Oceans.
• The largest and deepest ocean. • it is the busiest shipping route between the • It is the second smallest • Deepest point-South Sandwich trench.
• The deepest point-Mariana Trench Eastern and Western hemispheres. continent in size.
(10.994m). • It ranks third in total
• Chain of volcanoes-”Ring of fire’ present population of the world. • It is the named after India.
• Third Largest Ocean
• Triangle in shape
195
• It is the third largest
continent in size.
• It ranks fourth in total
population of the
world.
• It is the second largest

continent in size.
• It ranks second in
total population of the
• It is the fourth largest world. • It is the smallest
continent in size. continent in size.
• It ranks fifth in total • It ranks sixth in total
population of the world. population of the
• It is the fifth largest world.
continent in size.
• No permenant residents.
• Researchers around
4000 people stay here.
Not to Scale
16-03-2018 20:10:39
4.2 The Atlantic Ocean Mediterranean Sea are important marginal
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest seas of the Atlantic Ocean. St. Helena,
ocean on the Earth. It covers one sixth Newfoundland, Iceland and Falkland are
of the Earth’s total area and spreads for some of the islands found in this ocean.
about 85.13 million sq.km . It is bounded
4.3 The Indian Ocean
by North America and South America in
The Indian Ocean is the third largest ocean
the west and Europe and Africa in the
on the Earth’s surface. It covers an area of
east. Like the Pacific, it stretches from
about 70.56 million sq.km. It is named after
the Arctic Ocean in the north to the
India. It is triangular in shape and bounded
Southern Ocean in the south. The shape
by Africa in the west, Asia in the north and
of the Atlantic Ocean resembles the letter
Australia in the east. The Andaman and
‘S’. The Strait of Gibraltar connects the
Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Maldives,
Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the Reunion Islands
are some of the islands located in the Indian
Ocean. Malacca strait connects the Indian
Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
Palk Strait connects the Bay of

Bengal and Palk Bay.
The Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, the

Persian Gulf and the Red Sea are some of
the important marginal seas of the Indian
Ocean. The Java trench (7,725 m-) is the
deepest point in the Indian Ocean.
Atlantic Ocean and its Marginal Seas
Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean

Sea. The Atlantic Ocean is the busiest
shipping route between the Eastern and
Western hemispheres. The deepest point
is the Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto
Rica Trench. It has a depth of about 8600
m-. The Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico,
the North Sea, the Gulf of Guinea and the
HOTS: Why are the Red Sea, Dead

Sea and Black Sea named so?
Indian Ocean and its Marginal Seas
196

this ocean is very cold. Much of it is covered
• 6° Channel
by sea ice. The deepest point in this ocean
separates Indira
is South Sandwich Trench with a depth
Point and Indonesia
of 7,235 m-.
• 8° Channel separates Maldives
and Minicoy islands
HOTS: When you travel from Japan to
• 9° Channel separates
California, which ocean would you travel
Lakshadweep Islands and Minicoy
across?
islands
• 10° Channel separates Andaman
and Nicobar Islands
4.5 The Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean.
4.4 The Southern Ocean It covers an area of 15.56 million sq.km.
The Southern Ocean surrounds the continent It lies within the Arctic Circle. It remains
of Antarctica and is enclosed by the 60°S frozen for most of the year. The Norwegian
latitude. It covers an area of 21.96 million Sea, the Greenland Sea, the East Siberian
sq.km. It is bordered by the southern parts Sea and the Barents Sea are some of the
of the Pacific, the Atlantic and the Indian marginal seas of this ocean. Greenland,
Oceans. The Ross Sea, the Weddell Sea New Siberian Island and Novaya Zemlya
Southern Ocean and its Marginal Seas

Arctic Ocean and its Marginal Seas
and the Davis Sea are the marginal seas Island are some of the islands located
of this Ocean. Farewell Island, Bowman in the Arctic Ocean. The North Pole is
Island and Hearst Island are some of the situated in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.
islands located in this ocean. The water in The Eurasian Basin is the deepest
197

point in the Arctic Ocean, which is about • Valleys, beaches and sand dunes are
5,449 m- in depth. the third order landforms.
• Many islands and marginal seas are
Activity: found in the oceans.
Complete the given table with the help of an atlas.
Follow the example.
Sl.No. Name Area Trenches Depth
of the (million (m)
Ocean sq.km)
• Island - A land surrounded by water
1. Pacific 168.72 Mariana 10,994
Ocean on all sides.
2. Atlantic • Bay - A broad inlet of the sea where
Ocean
the land curves inwards.
3. Indian
Ocean • Strait - A narrow stretch of water
4. Southern linking two large water bodies.
Ocean
5. Arctic
• Trench - The deepest part of the
Ocean ocean.
• Peninsula - The land surrounded by
water on three sides.
HOTS: When you arrange the
continents in ascending order according Exercises
to their size, which ranks third?
A. Choose the correct answer
1. Which of the following is the
smallest ocean on Earth?
Wrap-up
a. The Pacific Ocean
• The surface of the Earth is covered by
b. The Indian Ocean
71 percent of water and 29 percent of
c. The Atlantic Ocean
land.
d. The Arctic Ocean
• The landforms are classified as first
order, second order and third order 2. The Malacca Strait connects
landforms. a. The Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
• Continents and oceans are the first b. The Pacific and Southern Oceans
order landforms. c. The Pacific and Indian Oceans
• There are seven continents and five d. The Pacific and
oceans on the Earth’s surface. Arctic Oceans
• Mountains, plateaus and plains are
the second order landforms.
198

3. Which of the following oceans is D. Match the following
the busiest ocean?
A B
a. The Pacific Ocean
1. T
he South a) T
he Atlantic
b. The Atlantic Ocean -
Sandwich Trench Ocean
c. The Indian Ocean 2. T
he Milwaukee b) T
he Southern
-
Trench Ocean
d. The Arctic Ocean
3. T
he Mariana c) The Indian Ocean
4. The frozen continent is -
Trench
a. North America b. Australia 4. T
he Eurasian basin - d) T he Pacific Ocean
c. Antarctica d. Asia 5. T
he Java Trench - e) The Arctic Ocean
5. A narrow strip of water that
connects two large water bodies E. i) Consider the following
statements.
a. A Strait b. An Isthmus
1. Plains are formed by rivers.
c. An Island d. A Trench
2.
The ‘South Sandwich Trench’ is
found in the Indian Ocean.
B. Fill in the blanks. 3. Plateaus have steep slopes.
1. The world’s largest continent is Choose the correct answer using
2. is the mineral rich plateau the codes given below.
in India a. 1 and 3 b. 2 and 3
3. The largest ocean is c. 1, 2 and 3 d. 2 only
4. Deltas are order landforms.
ii) Consider the following
5. The Island continent is
statements.
C. Circle the odd one out.

Statement I: Mountains are second
order landforms.
1. Africa, Europe, Australia, Sri Lanka
2. The Arctic Ocean, the Mediterranean Statement II: The Mariana Trench

Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic is the deepest trench in the world.
Ocean
Which of the statement(s) is/are
3. Plateau, Valley, Plain, Mountain true?
4. The Bay of Bengal, the Bering Sea, a. I is true; II is wrong
the China Sea, the Tasman Sea. b. I is wrong; II is true
5. The Andes, the Rockies, the Everest, c. Both the statements are true
the Himalayas d. Statements I and II are wrong.
199

F. Answer in a word
1. Which is the highest plateau in the
world?
2. Name a second order landform.
3. Which ocean is named after a country?
4. Name the island located in the Arabian
Sea.
5. What is the deepest part of the ocean 3. Which activity of river is this landform
called as? formed by?
G. Answer in brief. K. i) Activity

1. What is a continent? 1. Trip to the nearby area to appreciate
2. Name the continents which surround the physical features of any kind of
the Atlantic Ocean. landform.
3. What are oceans? 2. Conduct a quiz on landforms and

oceans.
4. List out the names of continents
according to their size ii) Activity
5. Name the oceans which surround 1. Give examples for the following using
North America and South America. an Atlas.
H. Distinguish between a. Bay: , ,
1. A Mountain and a Plateau b. Gulf: , ,
2. An ocean and a sea c. Island: , ,

d. Straits: , ,
I. Answer the following questions in
2. Map reading (with the help of atlas)
detail
a. A sea in the east of India
1. Write down the classification of land
forms. b. Continents in the west of Atlantic Ocean
2. Write a note on plateaus. c. Continents in the south of Arctic Ocean
3. Plains are highly populated. Give d. A strait between India and Sri Lanka
reasons f. Oceans which surround Australia
4. Give the important features of the g. Find out the Isthumusses
Pacific Ocean. (Create more questions)
5. Write down the importance of oceans. 3. On the given outline map of the world,
label the continents and mountain
J. Picture Study
ranges.
1. Name the landform.
4. On the given outline map of the world,
2. What order of a landform is this?
label oceans, seas, isthumus and straits.
200

Map Activity
Not to Scale
Not to Scale
201

Internet Resources
1. www.nationalgeographic.com 3. http://mocomi.com/landforms
2. www.nationalgeographic.org/ 4. www.britannica.com
encyclopedia/landform
ICT CORNER
Travel around the world!
Travel to the planets and stars and enjoy the adventure!
Lets explore the land forms

on Google Earth app.
Step 1: Step 3:
Use the given link to land on Google Press ‘+’ and ‘-’ buttons on screen
Earth. or use mouse’s scroll button to zoom
in and zoom out the landscapes and
Step 2: oceans.
Use search button on the left top
corner to locate the places on the Step 4:
globe. For example: Delhi, Chennai, Scan and locate the Plateaus to
Keezhadi etc understand the landscape structure.
Scan and locate the plains and valley.

URL to launch Google Earth:
https://earth.google.com/web/
202

GEOGRAPHY – Class VI

Jegankumar R Anjukam A
AAssociate Professor, Dept. of Geography, B.T. Asst(Geo)., GGHSS., Thuraiyur, Trichy Dt.
Bharathidasan University, Trichy Dt.
Rajabarathi N,
BRTE, Block Resource Centre Uthiramerur, Kancheepuram Dt.
Reviewers Muthu R
Mr. Senthilvelan B.T. Asst(Geo)., GHSS., Kannigaipair, Thiruvallur Dt.
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Geography,
Grena Janet M
Govt. Arts College, (Autonomous) Kumbakonam
B.T. Asst(Geo)., R.C. Govt, GHSS, Ondipudur,Coimbatore Dt.
Yasodharan Suresh,
Rajeswari N
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Geography,
PG Asst.(Geo), T.E.M, GGHSS., Sholingar, Vellore Dt.
Madras Christian College, Tambaram (E), Chennai.
Helen J
Academic Co-ordinator B.T.Asst.(Geo), PKGGHSS., Ambattur, Tiruvallur Dt.
Sujatha M
Senior lecturer, DIET, Chennai.
ICT Coordinator
A.Melvin
SGT
DDV Primary School,
Ramanathapuram
Art and Design Team

Chief Co-ordinator
and Creative Head
SrinivasanNatarajan
Illustration
Anuranjith A
Computer Teacher, Kamalavathi HSS (CBSE),
Sahupuram, Tuticorin Dt.

Co-ordination
Ramesh Munisamy
In House QC
QC - Gopu rasvel
- Karthik Kalaiarasu
203

204
TN_Govt_VI_Std_Ch 01.indd 204 3/16/2018 7:38:08 PM

CIVICS
205

Unit 1
Understanding
Diversity
Learning Objectives
• Know the meaning of diversity
• Understand the existence of diversity in India
• Develop a healthy attitude towards others around you
• Understand the differences in the belief systems of people
• Know to accept and respect the unity in diversity
1. Understanding diversity From the below table, we understand

Take a look around your class. Do you see that the three students are different from
any of your classmates who look similar? one another. This shows that people
Look at the table. speak different languages, eat different
kinds of food, celebrate their own
festivals and practice a culture different
from one another. Similarly, people who
live in different parts of our country differ
in their ways of life. These differences
make us unique as Indians. We come
from different backgrounds, belong to
different cultures, worship in different
Student 1 Student 2 Student 3

Mother tongue Tamil Malayalam Hindi
Food Rice Puttu Chappathi
Festival Pongal Onam Holi
206

ways, yet we live together. This is known land forms and lifestyles diversity, social
as diversity. diversity, religious diversity, linguistic
diversity and cultural diversity.
2. Diversity in India
India is a home to a civilisation that is 5,000 2.1 L
and Forms and Lifestyle
years old. Different groups of people from Diversity
different parts of the world were attracted A continent is a very large area of land
towards India over the years because of with various physical features such as
its wealth. Some came for trade with the mountains, plateaus, plains, rivers and
local people and others were keen on seas and various types of weather patterns.
invading its territory. So diverse races of India has all of them. India is known as
people migrated into India by land and a sub-continent. These features have an
sea routes over time. Thus the Dravidians, underlying influence upon the people who
Negroids, Aryans, Alpines and Mongoloids live in different landforms of the country.
became part of the modern Indian race.
Physical and climatic features
Then, the people who migrated to India
determine the economic activities of a
also moved to other parts of the country.
region. People living in the plains thrive
This movement and migration of people is
on agriculture, while people in the coastal
the reason for India’s rich diversity.
areas take to fishing for their livelihood. In
We will now study the diversity in mountainous regions, rearing of animals is
India under the following broad headings: undertaken. Hilly landscapes are supported
UNITY IN DIVERSITY
207

Landforms
The surface of Earth is covered with a variety of
different types of landforms.
VALLEY MOUNTAINS PLAIN
ISLAND DESERT COASTLINE
by favourable climatic conditions for the 2.2 Social Diversity

cultivation of coffee and tea. 2.2.1 Interdependence and
Diversity in landforms also impacts the Co-existence
flora and fauna of a region. The plant and A community is a place where people
animal wealth of a place depends upon live together with a common interest or
the natural habitat and the climate that heritage. Our community is made up of
prevails in that region. Food, clothing, peasants, labourers, artisans, parents,
occupation and livelihood of the people teachers, students and many others. For
is closely connected with the region’s a comfortable livelihood, communities
natural surroundings and climate. depend on each other.
• Mawsynram located in Megalaya, is the land of highest rainfall.

• Jaisalmer located in Rajasthan, is the land of lowest rainfall.
Mawsynram Jaisalmer
208

2.2.2 Family and Society place of many religions and has become
Families constitute the fundamental unit of the home of many others. Hinduism, Islam,
a society. There are two types of families: Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism
joint families and nuclear families. Families and Zoroastrianism flourish in India.
live in a harmonious neighbourhood. India is a land of festivals, where people
Hundreds of neighbourhoods collectively from different religions engage in many
form a village and thousands of them group colourful celebrations in different parts
together in a city. The needs of people and of the country and co-exist harmoniously.
the interdependence of communities for The wide variety of festivals celebrated
amenities such as water, food, electricity, in India is a true manifestation of its
education, housing and so on bring us rich culture and traditions. Festivals like
together to live in harmony. Though we Pongal, Deepavali, Holi, Vijayadhasami,
are diverse in our cultural practices, we AyudhaPuja, Navaratri, Durga Puja,
are united and interdependent socially. Dussehra, Ganesh Chaturthi, Bihu,
Kumbamela, Onam, Miladi Nabi,
2.3 Religious Diversity Ramzan, Christmas, Buddha Poornima,
Our Constitution declares India to be a Mahavir Jayanthi, Guru Nanak Jayanthi
secular nation in which all religions are and Rakshabandhan are some of the
treated equally. The freedom of religion is festivals that denote the cultural diversity
our fundamental right. India is the birth of India.
Toda tribal people.
209

Pongal Deepavali Onam Miladi Nabi
Christmas Buddha
Poornima
2.4 Linguistic Diversity ruled over the entire country for over three
According to census of India 2001, India hundred years before independence in 1947,
has 122 major languages and 1599 other the English language gained prominence in
languages. Four major Indian language India. In due course, English has emerged
families are Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, as an important language and a medium
Austroasiatic and Sino Tibetian. Tamil is of instruction in schools and colleges. It is
the oldest Dravidian language. widely used in official communication and
Historically, the Portuguese, the Dutch, daily life.
the British, the Danish and the French came
to India for trade and their occupation of Top Five languages spoken in
India or some parts of it has left behind India (as per 2001 Census)
a certain impact upon the culture and Percentage of total
Language
language of the people. Because the British population
Hindi 41.03 %
The Constitution Bengali 8.10 %
of India recognises Telugu 7.19 %
twenty-two languages
Marathi 6.99 %
as official languages.
Tamil 5.91 %
The Government of India has declared
Tamil as the first classical language
2.5 Cultural Diversity
in 2004. Apart from Tamil, five other
The term ‘culture’ refers to customs and
Indian languages have been declared
practices of people, their language, their
as the classical languages, by the
dress code, cuisine, religion, social habits,
Goverment of India.
music, art and architecture.
210

Brihadisvara Temple St.Thomas Tajmahal
Cathedral Basilica, Chennai
Sanchi Kandariya Mahadeo Konark Sun Temple The Dilwara

Stupa Temple JainTemple
The culture of a group of people is community. Each of the 29 states and 7

reflected in their social behaviour and Union territories of India has rich traditions
interactions. The group identity fostered and unique ways of artistic expression.
by social patterns is unique to a group.
2.5.1 Popular Dances of India
Art and architecture are an integral
In ancient times, dance was considered as
part of every community. It develops
a way to celebrate, worship and also as a
as a part of culture and tradition of a
gesture of thanks giving and joy. Dances
of India reflect its cultural richness.
About 60 percent of
Music and dance go hand in hand.
the total epigraphical
There are several styles of music practiced
inscriptions found by
in India. The Hindustani music, Karnatic
the Archaeological
music, Classical Tamil Music, Folk Music,
Survey of India (ASI) are from Tamil
Lavani, Ghazl are some of them. There are
Nadu, and most of these are in the
songs from various languages composed
Tamil script.
by blending these different forms of music.
211

Sattriya
Kathak
North India
Assam
Manipur
Odisha Manipuri
Yakshagana Andhra pradesh

Karnataka Odissi
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Kathakali Bharatanatyam Kuchipudi
Not to Scale
Folk dances of India

State Popular dance
Tamil Nadu Karagattam, Oyillattam, Kummi, Therukoothu,
Bommalattam, Puliattam, Kolattam, Thappattam
Kerala Theyyam and Mohiniattam
Punjab Bhangra
Jammu and Kashmir Dumhal
Gujarat Garba and Dandia
Rajasthan Kalbelia and Ghoomer
Uttar Pradesh Raaslila and Chholiya
Assam Bihu
212

Activity:
You have read about the diversity that exists in our country. Compare and contrast
two states in this table.
Tamil Nadu Uttar Pradesh
Dance
Crops
Food
Language
Architecture
3. Unity in Diversity
V.A. Smith called India
Though diversity is visible in every aspect
as an ‘Ethnological
of life in India, we are united by the spirit
museum’, as a great
of patriotism. Symbols such as the National
variety of racial
Flag and National Anthem remind us of
types exist.
our great nation and the need to stay
united. Celebration of landmark events
such as Independence Day, Republic Day
and Gandhi Jayanthi every year brings us
together and keeps the spirit of one nation
India is the land of unity in diversity.
alive within us.
Diversity is a state of being different
India is known for from each other.
‘unity in diversity’. This Landforms and climate have an impact
phrase was coined by on diversity.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the Physical features and climatic
first Prime Minister of independent conditions determine the economic
India, in his book Discovery of India. activities of a region.
Diversity in landforms also impacts
India has a multi-cultural society.
the flora and fauna of a region.
India evolved as a single nation through
Linguistic, religious, social and cultural
common beliefs, customs and cultural
diversity exists in India.
practices. The freedom struggle and the
drafting of our Constitution stands as India is a sub-continent with all the
ample evidence to the spirit of unity of physical features of a continent.
India. According to census of India 2001,
India has 122 major languages and
1599 other languages.
213

Culture refers to social behaviour and (a) Manipur (b) Sikkim
practices of a particular society. (c) Nagaland (d) Meghalaya
Classical and folk dances of India 4. W
hich one of the following religion is
exhibit the rich cultural diversity in not practised in India
India. (a) Sikhism (b) Islam
(c) Zoarastrianism (d) Confucianism
5. R
ecognised official languages of India,
as per VIIIth Schedule of Indian
Constitution
1. Diversity - a range of different (a) 25 (b) 23 (c) 22 (d) 26
people or things. 6. Onam festival celebrated in
2. Inter- - the dependence of (a) Kerala (b) Tamil Nadu

(c) Punjab (d) Karnataka
dependence two or more people
or things on 7. Mohiniyattam is a classical dance of
(a) Kerala (b) Tamil Nadu
3. Co–existence - living in harmony
and peace (c) Manipur (d) Karnataka
8. ‘Discovery of India’ – a book was
4. Linguistics - Scientific study of
written by
language, analysis
(a) Rajaji (b) V.O.C
of language form,
(c) Nethaji (d) Jawaharlal Nehru
language meaning
and language in 9. T
he phrase ‘ Unity in Diversity’ was
context. coined by
(a) Jawaharlal Nehru (b) Ambedkar
(c) Mahathma Gandhi (d) Rajaji
EXERCISES
10. V.A. Smith called India as _________
I. Choose the correct
(a) Great Democracy
answer:
(b) Unique land of diversities
1. I ndia consists of____
States and _____ Union (c) Ethnological museum
territories. (d) Secular nation
(a) 27,9 (b) 29, 7 (c) 28,7(d) 28,9
II. Fill in the blanks:
2. India is known as a
1. G
eographical features and climatic
(a) Continent (b) Sub continent
conditions determine the __________
(c) Island (d) None of these
activities of a region.
3. M
awsynram, the land of highest rainfall
is located in
214

2. J aisalmer, the land of lowest rainfall is 3. C
ollect the pictures to show the art
located in _________ and architecture of Tamil Nadu.
3. T
amil was declared as classical language VII. HOTS:
in the year _______
List out the various festivals celebrated in
4. Bihu festival is celebrated in__________ different states.
III. Match the following: VIII. Life Skill:
1. Negroids - Religion Suggest measures to bring unity in your
2. Coastal areas - India school.
3. Zoroastrianism - Fishery
4. Unity in diversity - Indian race IX. Internet Resources:
1. Wikipedia.org/wiki/unity_in_diversity
IV. Answer the following questions:
2. http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com
1. Define diversity.
3. www.readmeindia.com
2. What are the types of diversity?
4. http://www.indiaculture.nic.in
3. Why is India called a sub continent?
4. W
rite the names of three major festivals
celebrated in India.
5. L ist out some of the classical dances
of India.
6.Why is India called the land of unity in
diversity?
V. Answer the following in detail:

1. E
xplain : Linguistic diversity and
cultural diversity.
2. “ India is a land of diversity, yet we are
all united”. Discuss.
VI. Projects and Activities:

1. “ The occupation of people depends on
the landform of a place”. Give some
examples.
2. R
ead about a state of your choice and
make an album to show the culture
and tradition of people who live in that
state.
215

ICT CORNER
UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY
Lets do this activity to

explore the India’s culture,
art, tradition and land
forms.
Step 1:
Type the URL link given below in the browser OR scan the QR code. You can also
download the “Google Arts & Culture” mobile app from the given app URL.
Step 2:
Click the search button from the right top corner and type any Indian state name to
explore their tradition and heritage.
Step 3:
Scroll down the page and view the famous architectures in 360⸰ view using “Explore
in 360⸰” option.
Step 4:
Search for any important landforms of India and explore them.
URL for Google Arts & Culture:

https://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/beta/
URL for Google Arts & Culture mobile app:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.
apps.cultural&hl=en
216
TN_Govt_VI_Std_Ch 01.indd 216 17-03-2018 16:16:06

Unit 2
Achieving
Equality
Learning Objectives
• Know the meanings of prejudice and stereotypes
• Understand discrimination and inequality
• Become aware of the negative consequences of discrimination
The society that we live in comprises people knowing much about them. It happens
from various social groups who are different when people have false belief and ideas.
in many ways. Since we believe in ‘Unity
in Diversity’, we should have been living Prejudice Pre 1 Judge
peacefully with one another irrespective
The word ‘prejudice’ refers to
of those differences. Often, we see that
prejudgement. Prejudices can be based on
diversity is not accepted, and people
many things like people’s religious beliefs,
harbour attitudes of hostility towards those
the region they come from, the colour of
who are ‘different’ from them. They form
their skin, their accent or the clothes they
opinions about the other groups and this
wear. The types of prejudice are gender
often leads to tension in the society. Such
prejudice, racial prejudice, class prejudice,
‘opinions’ are often ‘prejudiced’.
disability prejudice and so on.
1. Prejudice For example, urban people are more
Prejudice means to judge other people civilised than rural people in attitudes
in a negative or inferior manner, without and behaviour, is one such prejudice.
217

1.1 Causes for Prejudice dishwashers and others show a woman
Some common social factors that as the main lead or user of that product.
contributes to the rise of prejudice are On the other hand, all the stunts shown
1. Socialization in a bike advertisement is performed by
2. Conforming behaviours ferocious looking men.
3. Economic benefits
3. Inequality and Discrimination
4. Authoritarian personality
Inequality means difference in treatment.
5. Ethno–centrism
The different forms of inequalities such
6. Group closure
as caste inequality, religious inequality,
7. Conflicts
race inequality or gender inequality give
2. Stereotypes rise to discrimination.
When prejudice gets Discrimination can be defined as
stronger, it develops into negative actions towards people.
a stereotype. Stereotype is a false view Discrimination can happen on the basis
or idea about something. For example, of colour, class, religion, gender etc.
girls are not good at sports. Stereotype is Treating dark-skinned people differently
learned at a very early age, and children from fair-skinned people, giving more
grow to have very strong ideas or opinions importance to people of higher than to
about things, groups or ideologies. As those of lower caste and thinking boys
children grow up, the lines of like and are smarter than girls are all thoughts of
hate for other things, people, cultures, discrimination.
beliefs, languages become sharper.
Article 15(1) of the Constitution states
Example that the State shall not to discriminate
Ragu was hit in his eye against any citizen on grounds only of
with a soft ball and to religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or
everyone’s surprise, he any of them.
started to cry. The others
started to laugh at him; Mani felt sad for End of Apartheid
him but started laughing along with others.
After 27 years in prison,
Now we understand that when we former South African
fix people in our image, we create a President, Nelson Mandela, was freed
stereotype. In the above example, we
in 1990 and succesfully achieved the
have a general opinion that girls cry and
end of apartheid in South
boys don’t cry. When Ragu cried out of
Africa, bringing peace to
pain, others laughed at him.
a racially divided country
Gender-based stereotypes are often
and leading the fight for
portrayed in films, advertisements and
human rights around the
TV serials. Almost all the advertisements
world.
related to detergents, washing machines,
218

Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar
• He is popularly known as Baba Saheb.
• He was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and
social reformer.
• He earned his M.A. in 1915 and then obtained a D.Sc at the
London School of Economics before being awarded Ph.D by
Columbia University in 1927.
• He served as the chairman of drafting committee of the
constituent assembly and hence regarded as the father of Indian
Constitution.
• He was independent India’s first Law Minister.
• He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1990.
3.1 Caste Discrimination dresses while boys in such families often

Caste system is the most dominant wear modern dresses.
reason for inequality and discrimination 3.3 Religious Discrimination
in India. In the beginning, the society
Religious discrimination is unequal
was divided into different groups on the
treatment of an individual or group based
basis of occupation, known as Varnas.
on their beliefs. Religious discrimination
Many people in India have fought against has been around for a long time. There
caste oppression. The most prominent have been problems between people of
among them was Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He different religions for thousands of years.
belonged to a such depressed family and Some people are not allowed to enter
suffered discrimination throughout his in public places; especially the places of
childhood. He fought actively for equality worship because they belong to another
among the citizens of India. religion. Some religious people often end
3.2 Gender Discrimination up in conflict with each other because of
their rituals and way of life.
Gender discrimination refers to health,
education, economic and political 3.4 Socio-Economic Inequality
inequalities between men and women in In the socio-economic field, the benefits
India. For example, A girl is not allowed to of growth have not been spread evenly.
go to college after finishing her schooling. However, the income inequality is much
Similarly, most of the girls are not allowed higher than the inequality in human
to select a career of their choice rather they development. The low-income districts
are forced into marriage. In some families, are associated with low industrial
girls are not allowed to wear modern development, low agricultural productivity
219

Literacy rate – 2011 Census
High Low
S.No. District Name Percentage S.No. District Name Percentage
1 Kanyakumari 91.75% 1 Dharmapuri 68.54%
2 Chennai 90.18% 2 Ariyalur 71.34%
3 Thoothukkudi 86.16% 3 Krishnagiri 71.46%
4 The Nilgiris 85.20% 4 Villupuram 71.88%
Source: Censusindia.gov.in
Sex Ratio – 2011 Census

Number of females per 1,000 males
High Low
S.No. District Name Sex Ratio S.No. District Name Sex Ratio
1 The Nilgiris 1041 1 Dharmapuri 946
2 Thanjavur 1031 2 Salem 954
3 Nagapattinam 1025 3 Krishnagiri 956
4 Thoothukkudi 1024 4 Ramanathapuram 977
Source: Censusindia.gov.in
and low human development. Similarly, 4.

Be open to learning about other

the Districts with literacy rate are found religions.
to be with lower sex ratio.. 5. P
romoting community dining in the
classroom may help the students to
3.5 R
emedial Measures for
sit together without any bias of caste,
Abolishing Inequality and
religion or gender.
Discrimination
6. S
ocialise with people of all types
The remedial measures for abolishing
outside home.
inequality and discrimination in Indian
society are as follows. 7. Effective implementation of laws.
1. W
ider access to quality basic services 3.6 C
onstitution of India and
like healthcare and education for all. Equality
2. Be aware of current gender bias. A Constitution is a set of rules and
3. M
ake women more visible in public regulations guiding the administration of
life and institution to eradicate gender a country. Article 14 of the constitution
disparity. of India provides equality before the law
220

ACHIEVERS
Dr. APJ ABDUL KALAM Mr.VISWANATHAN ANAND
(1931-2015)
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was Viswanathan Anand was born in Chennai in a middle class
born in a Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram. family. His mother was a big fan of chess and taught him to
He was the 11th President of India and who is fondly play the game when he was just five years old. She encouraged
remembered as People’s President. and motivated him a lot and this laid the foundation for
his future career as a chess player.
He completed his schooling at Ramnad, graduation
from St. Joseph’s College, Trichy, and went on to Anand has won the world chess
study aerospace engineering at the Madras Institute championships five times
of Technology (MIT) after he joined the Defence (2000, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012).
Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
Kalam’s family had

Kalam has written many books. He won the World
become poor at his early
Among them, very famous books Junior Chess Championship
age; he sold newspapers to He was the first recipient of the
are India 2020, Wings of Fire, at the age of 14.
supplement his family Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
income. Ignited Minds, The Luminous in 1991-92, India’s highest
Sparks and Mission India.. sporting honour.
He became India’s first
He was a recipient of several
grandmaster in 1988. He received the nation’s second
prestigious awards, including
the Bharat Ratna, India’s His outstanding work highest civilian award
highest civilian honour in earned him the title of the Padma Vibushan in 2007.
1997. ‘Missile Man of India’.
Ms. S. ILAVAZHAGI Mr. MARIYAPPAN THANGAVELU
S. Ilavazhagi came from a poor family at Mariyappan was born at Salem in Tamil Nadu. His
Vyasarpadi, Chennai. His father is a daily mother raised her children as a single mother, carrying
wage-earning auto-rickshaw driver. bricks as a labourer until becoming a vegetable seller,
earning about Rs.100 per day.
She participated in the 2008 He suffered permanent disability in his right leg.
World Carrom Championship When he was young despite this setback,
at Palais Des Festivals, Cannes, he completed secondary
She participated and won
France, and bagged her schooling. He says, “I didn't see
the Indian National Carrom In 2016, At the Rio
maiden women’s title. myself as different from
Championship in the same Paralympics, he won the
able-bodied kids.”
year after beating the former gold medal in the men’s
World Champion high jump T-42 event,
Reshmi Kumari. with a leap of 1.89 m.
From the above examples, you will clearly understand that people from diverse backgrounds facing
adverse conditions were still able to achieve greater success in their lives.
221

• Prejudice means to judge other people
in a negative or inferior manner,
without knowing much about them.
• Stereotype is a false view or idea
about something.
• Discrimination can be defined as
negative actions towards people.
Discrimination can happen the basis
of colour, class, religion and gender.
• Caste system is the most dominant
reason for inequality and discrimination.
or equal protection within the territory • Gender discrimination refers to health,
of India and prohibits the unreasonable education, economic and political
discrimination between persons.
inequalities between men and women.
Our Constitution says ours is a land
• Religious discrimination is unequal
of diversity; therefore, equality has
treatment of an individual or group
to be ensured for all. Two significant
based on their beliefs.
parameters to ensure equality in society
are respecting diversity and ensuring
freedom. The different kinds of freedom
are freedom to follow their religion, speak
their language, celebrate their festivals • Prejudice: Negatively judging other
and express their views freely. people or seeing other people as inferior
The Constitution is a legal framework • Stereotype: Creating a standard image
of rules and regulations by which a
• Discrimination: When people are not
nation would function. Equality is where
treated equally on the basis of caste,
untouchability is seen as a crime. In
colour, religion, sex etc.,
India, as per the Article 17 of the Indian
Constitution, untouchability is totally • Inequality: Lacking equality, either
abolished and it's any form is forbidden. economic or social or both
Even today, different types of • Constitution: A constitution is a set of

discrimination are reported across the fundamental principles or established
country. Women, peasants, tribes and precedents according to which a state or
people from lower social classes are still other organisation is governed.
striving for equality in India.
222

EXERCISES (a) 14(1) (b) 15(1)
(c) 16(1) (d) 17(1)
I. Choose the correct answer:
9. B.R. Ambedkar was
1. Which one of the following is not the
conferred Bharat
reason for Prejudice?
Ratna in the year
(a) Socialization
(a) 1990 (b) 1989 (c) 1988 (d) 1987
(b) Economic Benefits
10. As per the 2011 Census the highest
(c) Authoritarian personality
literate district in Tamil Nadu
(d) Geography
(a) Namakkal (b) Salem
2. Discrimination done on the basis of
(c) Kanyakumari (d) Sivagangai
gender is referred to as
(a) gender discrimination II. Fill in the blanks:
(b) caste discrimination 1.People have false belief and ideas on
(c) religious discrimination others is called ____________.
(d) inequality 2. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was born in_______
3. Gender-based stereotypes are often 3. ______ was the first recipient of Rajiv
portrayed in Gandhi Khel Ratna award, India’s
(a) films (b) advertisements highest Sport honour
(c) TV serials (d) All of these 4. __________ was the independent
4. Name the book/s written by A.P.J. India’s first Law Minister
Abdul Kalam 5. As per the 2011 Census the lowest Sex
(a) India 2020 (b) Wings of Fire ratio was in _____________
(c) Ignited Minds (d) All of these
III. Match the following:
5. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was conferred
1. Prejudice - abolition of untouchability
Bharat Ratna in the year
2. Stereotype - t reating someone less
(a) 1997 (b) 1996 (c) 1995 (d) 1994
fairly than others
6. Viswanathan Anand became India’s
3. Discrimination - equality before law
first grandmaster in the year.
4. Article 14 -
false view or idea about
(a) 1985 (b) 1986 (c) 1987 (d) 1988
something
7. In which sport Ilavazhagi excels
5. Article 17 - judge other people
(a) Chess (b) Wrestling
negatively
(c) Carrom (d) Tennis
8. Which article of the Constitution says IV. Answer the following questions:
discrimination against any citizen on 1. What is Prejudice?
grounds only of religion, race, caste, 2. What is stereotype?
sex, place of birth or any of them is 3. What is discrimination?
not permitted?
223

4. What are the articles that are discussing
the equality in the Indian Constitution?
V. Answer the following in detail:

1. What are the causes of Prejudice?
2. Write any two types of discrimination?
3. Explain the solution to the removal of
inequality and discrimination in Indian
society?
VI. Projects and Activities:

1. Split the class into small groups, discuss
with your peer group on discrimination
and write a report on it.
2. Collect information about any two
famous personalities who faced
prejudice and discrimination.
VII. HOTS:
1. Various discrimination in India. Discuss.
VIII. Life Skill:

1. How can you fight against prejudice
and discrimination in your village?
IX. Internet Resources:

1. http://www.ncsc.nic.in/
(The National Commission for
Scheduled Castes)
2. http://ncst.nic.in/
Scheduled Tribes)
3. http://www.ncw.nic.in/
Women)
4. Censusindia.gov.in
224

CIVICS – Class VI

Dr. D. Devanathan Meera Bai Gopi
Associate professor and Head, Headmistress - Primary,
Dept. of Political Sciences and Public administration, T I Matriculation Higher Secondary school,
Annamalai University, Chidambaram Ambattur, Chennai.
Latha Ramachandran
Kendriya Vidyalaya, CLRI, Adyar, Chennai.
Reviewers
N. Shanthi
Dr. K. Kottai Rajan
Govt. Hr. School, Palavedu, Thiruvallur.
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Political Science,
Periyar Govt. Arts College, Cuddalore
Academic Co-ordinator
P. Suresh
P.G.Assistant, G.G.H.S.School, Attur, Salem.
ICT Coordinator
S. Punitha
B.T.Assistant, GHSS, Anathagopalapuram,
Pattukottai, Thanjavur.
Art and Design Team

Chief Co-ordinator
and Creative Head This book has been printed on 80 G.S.M.
SrinivasanNatarajan Elegant Maplitho paper.
Printed by offset at:
Illustration
Co-ordination
Ramesh Munisamy
In House QC
QC - Karthik Kalaiarasu
225

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GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU

A publication under Free Textbook Programme of Government of Tamil Nadu

Department Of School Education

TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 1 16-03-2018 20:16:29

First Edition - 2018

(Published under Uniform System

NOT FOR SALE

State Council of Educational

Printing & Publishing

Tamil NaduTextbook and Educational

TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 2 16-03-2018 20:16:29

TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 3 16-03-2018 20:16:29

The first term science Book for has

Lets use the QR code in the text books ! How ?

TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 4 16-03-2018 20:16:29

E - book Assessment DIGI links

TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 5 16-03-2018 20:16:30

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• Able to understand the need for measurement in our life.

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System of Units or SI Units.

Preﬁx Abbreviation Submultiple/ Multiple For Metre

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Measuring Unit Multiple /

Length of tip metre millimetre

TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 6 16-03-2018 20:16:34

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Draw a curved line AB on a piece of Volume is also a derived quantity and

TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 8 16-03-2018 20:16:34

Fill a graduated measuring cylinder

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1.3.2 Beam Balance

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Construct your own beam balance

Ask four or five of your friends to run

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TN_GOVT_VI_SCIENCE_Ch01.indd 12 16-03-2018 20:16:38

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Lets play with

Step1 Step2 Step3 Step4

Pictures are indicative only

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b) Metre rod d) measuring tape III. Fill up the blanks

b) Measurement d) motion IV. Analogy

a) km > mm > cm > m 2. Height of a person: cm; length of your

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1 Metre, 1 centimetre, 1 kilometre, and 8. shows the distance

9. A tailor use to take

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Property Definition Basic Unit Instrument used

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• Identify push or pull or both is involved when there is a motion

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When the book

Push / Pull Push / Pull Push / Pull

Push / Pull Push / Pull Push / Pull

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1. Liquid atoms are packed more loosely

1. A gas atoms are spread out so far, you can