Nature Trail – Class 4 The World Around Us Chapter 3 Notes & NCERT PDF

Chapter 3: Nature Trail

Introduction

Chapter 3 opens Unit 2, Life Around Us. Students go with their teacher on a nature trail at Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh. Their guide is Abha Didi, a nature scientist who studies plants and animals. Travelling by jeep, they see animals, birds, insects and leaves, and learn that every living thing is connected in a "web of life".

What's in this Chapter

Safety rules – Before entering the forest, children list rules and compare them with the book's DOs and DON'Ts: be careful in a new place; do not tease or feed animals; do not damage trees and flowers; do not bring pets, firearms, weapons or polythene bags; do not damage public utilities; and do not throw garbage in the forest.

Animals in the forest – Children sort animals into land animals and birds, and note one feature of each: an elephant has a long trunk to take food and water; a sparrow has a short, strong beak to crack seeds. They meet the Indian Giant Squirrel, a big red-coloured squirrel found in Pachmarhi, and learn that the Spectacled Monkey is the state animal of Tripura, with white patches around its eyes.

At the pond – They see gaur, which look like buffaloes but are stronger, with shorter horns. Footprints in the mud show which animals came to drink.

Birds and their beaks – A hornbill has a headgear on its forehead like a horn. Peacocks are colourful, and owls see well at night. In an activity, children pick up grains, berries and nuts with a spoon, toothpick or sticks, just as birds use beaks. An eagle has a sharp, curved beak and sharp claws to catch prey; a sunbird has a long beak to drink nectar. By looking at beaks and claws, we can guess what a bird eats.

Animals in and around water – Fish have fins to swim; the gharial has a long, narrow, pointed snout to catch fish; turtles have strong shells and webbed feet; frogs live both on land and in water.

Tiny animals – A grasshopper is an insect. Insects have three pairs of legs and one pair of antennae, and some, like flies and grasshoppers, have two pairs of wings. Ants, beetles, bees, butterflies and praying mantises are insects too.

Leaves – Leaves differ in colour, shape and texture. The lines on a leaf are called veins, and they can be arranged in different ways. A leaf autograph is made by rubbing a crayon over paper placed on a leaf.

Web of Life game – Each player is a plant, animal or natural element. A ball of yarn is passed along connections, like a tree giving food to a bird. When one player is removed, the web weakens, showing that everything in nature is connected.

Key Ideas

Activities from the Book

Words to Learn

Tips for Parents & Teachers

Common Mistakes