1 The Southern Plateaus

and the Islands

Lesson Plan
For additional content see the DVD and the App.

lesson OBJECTIVES
The students Plateau.
 define the terms such as plateau,  identify the occupations of the

waterfall, pharmaceutical and people living in the southern

bidri work. plateaus.
 differentiate between a plateau  locate and label the plateau region

and a hill, and between rivers in and the states that are part of the
the northern plains and in the southern plateaus.
southern plateaus.  evaluate the lifestyle of the people

 distinguish between the Central in each state.

Highlands and the Deccan  identify the two groups of islands.

Plateau.  identify the occupations of the

 recall the names of rivers people living in the islands.

that flow through the Central  locate and label the two groups

Highlands and the Deccan of islands.

Companion – a complete resource for teachers

Teaching aids
political and physical maps of India, a pointer

in the class
The teacher will begin the lesson by asking the students to do the activity under GET started!


The teacher will show the extent of the southern plateaus on the physical map of India.


The students will be told that

 lit is triangular in shape, surrounded by hill ranges.
lthe rivers here are short, swift and form waterfalls.
River Narmada divides the southern plateaus into two parts
l

– the Central Highlands in the north, and

– the Deccan Plateau in the south.
 About the Central Highlands, the teacher will state these facts.
lIt is surrounded by the Aravalli Hills in the north-west, the Vindhya Range in the south,
the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the east and the Rajmahal hills in the north-east.
lIn the centre lies the Malwa Plateau.
Rivers such as Chambal, Betwa and Son flow through this region.
l

 About the Chota Nagpur Plateau, the teacher will say that
lit covers the states of Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
lthe region is rich in coal and other mineral deposits.
 About the Deccan Plateau, the teacher will state these facts.
lIt extends from River Narmada to the southern tip of the Indian peninsula.
Anai Mudi is the highest peak in this region.
l

lIt is surrounded by the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats on its western and eastern
sides respectively. These ghats meet at the Nilgiri Hills.
Rivers Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri originate in the Western Ghats and flow eastwards.
l

lGodavari is the longest river here.

activity
A. Compare River Ganga and River Godavari. You can include the following.
 origin of the river
 states through which the river flows

 length of the river

 major tributaries of the river

Write the differences in your notebook.

LIFE IN THE REGION
 The teacher will use a political map of India to show the states that are part of the

southern plateaus.
 The teacher will tell the students that

these states are rich in minerals like coal, iron ore, copper and manganese.
l

mining and farming are the main occupations of the people living here.
l

 Madhya Pradesh Companion – a complete resource for teachers

Mat weaving is an important occupation.

l

Diamond mines are in Panna.

l

Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur are industrial cities.

l

The tigers are protected in the Kanha and the Bandhavgarh national parks.
l

Pachmarhi, Sanchi and Khajuraho are some places of tourist attraction.

l

 Chhattisgarh

Coal, iron ore, copper, manganese and tin are mined here.
l

Wood, tendu leaves, honey and lac are important forest products.
l
 l Bhilai is an industrial city.
l Saila is a popular folk dance.
 Jharkhand
l It is a mineral-rich state.
l Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Ranchi and Dhanbad are industrial cities.
l Litti-chokha and thekua are popular dishes.
l Chhau is a popular dance.
l Netarhat is a place of tourist attraction.
 Telangana
l Hyderabad is an industrial centre.
l The industries located here are information technology, automobiles and pharmaceuticals.
l Bidri work is very popular.
l Telugu is widely spoken.
l Kuchipudi is a popular dance.
 Karnataka
l Kolar gold mines are located here.
l Coffee and spices are grown here.
l Kannada is widely spoken.
l Yakshagana is a popular dance-drama.
l It is famous for sandalwood handicrafts.
l Bengaluru is the capital city and a major information technology centre.
 Maharashtra
l It is famous for cotton and oranges.
l Mumbai and Pune are industrial cities.
l Petroleum deposits are found in seabed near Mumbai, called Mumbai High.
l Marathi is widely spoken.
l Ganesh Chaturthi is a popular festival.
l Lavani is a popular folk dance.
activities
B. The teacher will ask the students to do the activity under CHECKPOINT.
C. Do you know what a brochure is? Find out its meaning. Then make a brochure for any
one of the states mentioned in this chapter. You may use half a sheet of coloured chart
paper and fold it according to your choice. Paste pictures and write interesting snippets
about them. Display your brochure in class. The teacher can give a week’s time for
Companion – a complete resource for teachers

this activity.
THE ISLANDS
 The teacher will use a political map of India to show the two groups of islands.
 The teacher will tell the students that there are many small islands along the coast. Away

from the coast, there are two big island groups. These are:
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
l

Lakshadweep
l

 Andaman and Nicobar Islands

It is located in the Bay of Bengal.

l
 l The Andaman islands are separated from the Nicobar islands by the Ten Degree Channel.
l These islands are hilly.
l Fishing and farming are the main occupations.
l It is famous for shell and wooden handicrafts
l Bangla is widely spoken.
l Beaches and the Cellular Jail are some places of tourist attraction.
 Lakshadweep
l It is located in the Arabian Sea.
l These islands are flat.
l Fishing and coir making are the main occupations.
l Malayalam is widely spoken.
l These islands are a major tourist attraction.
activities
D. G of DO AND LEARN will be done as class work.
E. What comes to your mind when you think of Bangla and Malayalam as the most
popular languages of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep respectively?
Discuss in class.
F. Fill in the blanks with words from the brackets.
1. The surface of the southern plateaus is (rocky / sandy)
and uneven.
2. River Krishna originates from the (Himalayas / Western Ghats).
3. (Chhattisgarh / Jharkhand) is rich in forest products.
4. (Dhanbad / Hyderabad) is an industrial city in Jharkhand.
5. (Bhilai / Bengaluru) has information technology industry.
6. (Walnut / Coconut) is grown in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
and Lakshadweep.

Companion – a complete resource for teachers

Answer
1. rocky
2. Western Ghats. 3. Chhattisgarh

4. Dhanbad 5. Bengaluru 6. Coconut
 13

2 Our Water Resources

Lesson Plan
For additional content see the DVD and the App.

lesson OBJECTIVES
The students of irrigation.
 recognize the important role that  correlate the different types

water plays in the life of all living of irrigation with different

beings. geographical regions.
 identify the different sources of  define terms such as well, tubewell,

water and distinguish between canal, tank, sprinkler and dam.

the sources of freshwater and  recall the names of the dams in

salty water. India and the rivers on which

 realize that Indian farmers depend they are built.
on rainwater for their crops.  understand the functioning of a

 recall the different sources dam and its various uses.

Teaching aids
a political map of India, photographs of a Persian wheel, Indira Gandhi Canal and Bhakra Dam
Companion – a complete resource for teachers

in the class
 The teacher will begin the lesson with a discussion on the use of water in our daily life.
It will be concluded that we use water for bathing, drinking, watering plants, and so on.
The teacher will then ask the students two ways to save water. The acceptable answers are
closing the tap while brushing, using bucket instead of shower, storing rainwater, and so on.
 Then the teacher will ask the students to do the activity under GET STARTED!

 After this, the teacher will use the board and write down the various sources of water.
l rain
l groundwater
 l ponds
l lakes
l rivers
l seas
l oceans
RAIN, GROUNDWATER, PONDs AND LAKEs
 About these, the teacher will tell the students the following.

Rain is the main source of freshwater. Farmers in India depend on rain for the cultivation
l

of crops.
Rainwater that seeps into the ground and collects there is called groundwater. It is drawn
l

up using wells and handpumps.

Rainwater also collects in ponds and lakes. A pond is an area of water surrounded by
l

land. A lake is bigger than a pond. Water in a pond dries up in summer while the water
of a lake does not dry up.
activity
A. Record the amount of water used in your house for a day. Write down the amount of
water used in the table. For measurement you can use a mug. At the end of the day see
how much water is consumed. Share your findings in class.
Type of work Mug/s of water used
brushing teeth

taking bath
washing clothes
washing vegetables
washing utensils
watering plants
any other

RIVERS, SEAS AND OCEANS

 The teacher will tell that rivers originate in mountains or plateaus. They join a lake, sea or an

ocean at the end of their journey.

Companion – a complete resource for teachers
 Most of the water on the Earth is in the seas and oceans. However, it is salty and cannot

be used.
MEANS OF IRRIGATION
 This part will be taught using a board, a political map of India, and pictures of a Persian

wheel, Indira Gandhi Canal and Bhakra Dam.

 It will be told that sufficient and timely water supply is essential to grow crops. This is

possible through irrigation.

 The different means of irrigation are:
l wells
l tubewells
 l canals
l tanks
l sprinklers
l dams
 Wells and tubewells are mostly used in villages to draw up groundwater. Such type of

irrigation is popular in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

 Canals are small channels that are dug to take water from the rivers to the fields. Such type

of irrigation is popular in the northern and coastal plains.

 The low-lying areas that get filled with water during the monsoon are called tanks. Such type

of irrigation is popular in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.
 Spraying of water on plants is called sprinkler irrigation. Such type of irrigation is popular in

Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Kerala.

 A dam is a strong wall built across a river to block the flow of water. This water is stored in

an artificial lake called reservoir, built behind a dam. Most rivers have dams built on them.
 The teacher will discuss the usefulness of dams.
l It generates hydroelectricity.
l It provides water for irrigation.
l It control floods.
activity
B. Using the Internet and the library books, gather information about the Aswan Dam in
Egypt. You can include the following.
 Height and length of the dam

 The river on which the dam was built

 When was it built

 Why was it built

Write the information in a notebook. Share the information in class.

 Then the teacher will tell about some multi-purpose projects in India.
l Bhakra-Nangal dams – River Satluj
l Damodar Valley Project – River Damodar and its tributaries
l Sardar Sarovar Dam – River Narmada
l Mettur Dam – River Kaveri
activity
C. Using an atlas, find out the names of states in which the multi-purpose projects
Companion – a complete resource for teachers

mentioned in the Main Coursebook are built. Mark and label the states on a
political map of India.
 14

3 Our Mineral Resources

Lesson Plan
For additional content see the DVD and the App.

lesson OBJECTIVES
The students bauxite and gold are mined.
 define and understand the  recall the names of places where
meanings of mineral and ore. non-metallic minerals such as
 realize the difficulty involved limestone, coal, petroleum and
in mining. natural gas are mined.
 distinguish between metallic and  discuss why fossil fuels should

non-metallic minerals. be wisely used.

 recall the names of places  locate and label the mining

where metallic minerals such as centres on a political map

iron ore, copper, manganese, of India.

Teaching aids
a political map of India, a pointer
Companion – a complete resource for teachers
in the class
 The teacher will begin the lesson by asking the students to do the activity under GET STARTED!
 With that, the teacher will define the terms mineral and ore.
 The students will be told that
l the natural substances that make up rocks are called minerals.
l a rock that contains a large amount of a particular mineral is called the ore of that mineral.
 Then the terms mining and mines will be defined. The students will be told that
l mining is a process through which ores of different minerals are dug out from deep within
the earth.
l the deep holes that are dug into the earth to take out ores are called mines.
 TYPES OF MINERALS
 The teacher will then tell the students that minerals are of two types.

metallic minerals
l

non-metallic minerals
l

 The differences between these two types of minerals will be given in a tabular form

with examples.

Metallic minerals Non-metallic minerals

a. Minerals from which we get metals. a. Minerals from which we do not get metals.

b. Iron, copper, manganese, bauxite and b. Limestone, precious stones, salt, coal and
gold are examples. petroleum are examples.
c. The ores are melted in big factories c. Non-metallic minerals such as petroleum are
to produce pure metal. refined in oil refineries to get petrol, diesel,
kerosene and cooking gas.
 The teacher will show the important mining centres in India given in Map 3.1 on page 164
in the Main Coursebook to the students.
 After that the uses of each of the metallic minerals will be discussed.
l iron ore – to make tools, utensils, machines, bridges, railway engines
l copper – to make tools, utensils, electric wires
l manganese – to make steel, various alloys
l bauxite – to make aeroplanes, utensils, other household items
l gold – to make jewellery
activity
A. In a scrapbook, paste pictures of these metallic ores – iron, copper, manganese,
bauxite and gold. Below each picture write the name of the mineral, two places
in India where it is mined, and what is it used for.
COAL, PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
 About these non-metallic minerals, the teacher will tell the students that
lthey are non-renewable resources.
lthey are used as fuel. Hence they are also called mineral fuels or fossil fuels.
 The teacher will use Map 3.1 from the Main Coursebook to show the coal- and
Companion – a complete resource for teachers

petroleum-mining centres in India.

 After that the uses of each of these minerals will be discussed.
lcoal – fuel
lpetroleum – fuel
lnatural gas – fuel
 With that, the teacher will ask the students to study Table 2.1 in the Main Coursebook and

find out the three mineral-rich states.

activity
B. Read the book Hard Times written by Charles Dickens. Discuss in class how industries
and smoke affect the living conditions of the people.
 17

4 Our Rich Culture

Lesson Plan
For additional content see the DVD and the App.

lesson OBJECTIVES

The students music, and some famous singers.

 understand the diversity of India  recall the names of some ancient

in terms of its languages, dresses, and modern monuments, and

dances, music, monuments, some monuments built by the
paintings, handicrafts and Mughal rulers, the Portuguese
festivals. and the British.
 recall the 22 languages recognized  understand the meaning of cave

by the Constitution of India and painting and recall the names of

the official languages. places where cave paintings are
 learn about the popular dresses found.
worn by Indian women and men.  recall the names of some famous

 understand the difference painters.

between classical and folk dances  define handicrafts and recall

and recall the names of some the names of some handicrafts

Companion – a complete resource for teachers
famous dancers. and the places where they
 understand the difference between are made.
Hindustani and Carnatic music,  recall the different types of

and recall the names of some folk festivals.

Teaching aids
photographs of popular dancers, singers, painters and monuments mentioned in the
Main Coursebook
 in the class
 The teacher will begin the lesson by singing the song by Iqbal, Saare jahan se achha,
Hindustan hamara. The students will be asked to join.
 Then the teacher will ask the students to do the activity under GET STARTED! The answers

will be written on the board.

LANGUAGES
 The teacher will tell that

there are 22 languages recognized by the Constitution of India.

l

Hindi and English are the official languages of India.

l

most languages are written from left to right, except Urdu, Kashmiri and Sindhi which
l

are written from right to left.

DRESS
 The teacher will tell that

saree, salwar-kameez, jeans, shirts, skirts and gowns are worn by Indian women.
l

jeans, trousers, shirts and T-shirts are worn by Indian men.

l

in some states, men also wear kurta-pyjama and kurta-dhoti.

l

some men also wear turbans.

l

DANCES
 Indian dances will taught using a T-diagram on the board.

Indian dances

Folk dances Classical dances

Dances performed on marriage, Dances that began in temples

birth of a child, festivals, change of and later encouraged by
seasons, and sowing and harvesting the kings are called
of crops are called folk dances. classical dances.
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Bhangra, Ghoomar, Lavani, Bihu dance Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Kathak

and Yakshagana are examples of and Kuchipudi are examples of
folk dances. classical dances.

 The teacher will we read out the names of some famous classical dancers such as
Pandit Birju Maharaj, Sharmila Biswas, Mallika Sarabhai and Sonal Mansingh and show
their photographs.

MUSIC
 The teacher will show the classification of Indian music using a T-diagram.
 Indian music

Folk music Classical music

Hindustani Carnatic
(developed in north India) (developed in south India)
 The teacher will tell that Bihugeet, Pandavani, Bhavageethe and Baul sangeet are
some examples of folk music.
 The teacher will tell the names of some famous Hindustani singers such as

Anand Bhate, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Ustad Rashid Khan and Subha Mudgal
and show their photographs.
 Similarly, names of some famous Carnatic singers such as Ranjani, Gayatri,

D Karthika Anagha and Shankar Mahadevan will be told and their photographs
will be shown.
activity
A. Find out the languages spoken in these countries.
a. Russia
b. Bolivia

c. Australia
d. France
e. Mexico

MONUMENTS
 Monuments are divided into the following categories.

Early period – Sanchi Stupa, temples at Mahabalipuram

l

(The teacher will show photographs of these monuments.)

Mughal period – Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid and Red Fort
l

(The teacher will show photographs of these monuments.)

Monuments built by the Portuguese and the British – Monuments in Goa were built by
l

the Portuguese. The Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Parliament House and the Victoria Memorial
were built by the British.
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(The teacher will show photographs of these monuments.)
Modern period – The Akshardham Temple, the Vidhana Soudha and the Assembly
l

building in Mumbai
(The teacher will show photographs of these monuments.)
activity
B. The teacher will ask the students to do the activity under CHECKPOINT.

PAINTINGS
 The teacher will tell the students what is a cave painting. The paintings done on the walls

of caves by early humans are called cave paintings.

  Then the teacher will tell that paintings found in Bhimbetka caves in Madhya Pradesh are
examples of the earliest cave paintings in India. These paintings show early humans dancing
and hunting animals.
 About Ajanta cave paintings the teacher will tell the students that they are not as ancient as

the Bhimbetka cave paintings. These paintings show scenes from the life of Lord Buddha.
 The teacher will then tell the names of some famous modern painters such as Paresh Maity,

Anjolie Ela Menon and Baiju Parthan and show their photographs.
HANDICRAFTS
 The teacher will tell that handmade decorative items are called handicrafts.

 Then the teacher will give examples of some famous handicrafts from different states/UTs

in India.
lterracotta horses – West Bengal
lcane and bamboo crafts – Tripura, Assam
lpuppets – Rajasthan
lKanchipuram sarees – Tamil Nadu
lpapier mache – Jammu & Kashmir
lstone carving – Madhya Pradesh
lWarli painting – Maharashtra
lscrewpine craft – Kerala
FESTIVALS
 The teacher will tell that there are four types of festivals.

National festivals – Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti

l

Religious festivals – Diwali, Christmas, Eid, Gurupurab, Buddha Purnima, Mahavir Jayanti
l

Harvest festivals – These festivals are celebrated after the harvest of crops. Some such
l

festivals are Baisakhi (Punjab), Bihu (Assam), Pongal (Tamil Nadu) and Onam (Kerala).
Special festivals – These festivals are organized by the governments. Some such festivals
l

are the Tulip Festival (Jammu & Kashmir), the Desert Festival (Rajasthan),
the Konark Festival (Odisha), the Taj Mahotsav (Uttar Pradesh), the Rann Utsav (Gujarat)
and the Hornbill Festival (Nagaland).
activity
C. Of all the special festivals mentioned in this lesson, which one would you like to
attend and why? Also paste a picture of it in your notebook.
Companion – a complete resource for teachers