Look Around – Class 4 Arts Chapter 8 Notes & NCERT PDF

Introduction

Ideas and inspiration are all around us. We can start with the people around us and the variety of their situations and characters. Next come animals, whose behaviour children already tried out in Chapter 5. Beyond humans and animals there is beautiful nature: trees, rivers, mountains and blowing winds. This chapter uses all three to create theatre, and then looks at Indian art forms inspired by animals.

What's in this Chapter

Do You Know? The book says that in olden days, more than 2600 years back, before auditoriums were built, plays were performed in the open air, amid trees and mountains. It asks whether you would like watching a play among trees or in an air-conditioned auditorium.

Nature theatre activity. In teams of four or five, children make a story on a nature theme given by the teacher, such as a thunderstorm, an oasis, a drought or a river. Characters can be birds, fish, insects or animals. The book's example for a thunderstorm: it has rained heavily for days and a small puppy is stuck in the rain. Three young children brave the rain, save the puppy and bring it home. The team creates the sound effects of heavy rain and wind using tables, chairs or the body percussion learnt in music class. They also change their voices to speak like the puppy; this is called voice modulation. Vidushaka adds that this setting is perfect for a Panchatantra story and that "the great Pandit Vishnu Sharma will bless you with happiness".

Feedback points: Is the theme the central idea of the story? Was each character important, or were some just standing there? Were sound effects and props used creatively? Were entries, exits and the flow of the story neat?

Look around the country. Two animal-based art forms are described:

Theatre trivia: art in the Olympics. From 1912 to 1948, artists took part in the Olympics in architecture, literature, music, painting and sculpture. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics, felt that art inspired by sport should be included, and over 150 medals were awarded. Should it be brought back?

Summative theatre assessment ideas: individually, pick an animal, build a story and act as that animal. In a group, present a scene with a given object and situation at its core. Vidushaka ends the year with "We shall meet again next year, little star, Namaste!"

Key Ideas

Words to Learn

Tips for Parents & Teachers

Common Mistakes