Lesson 7

NATURAL RESOURCES
AND THEIR IMPORTANCE

Our teacher comes from a farmer’s family. His family has built
a house in their own fields in the village. The whole family
lives there. His father and elder brother look after the farming.
Last Saturday, our teacher took all the students of our class
on a visit to his farm. All of us were veiy happy.

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 As soon as we reached there, we washed our hands and
faces with fresh water from the tubewell. The water from the
tubewell was veiy clean and cool.

Our teacher reminded us that water is very essential in our

lives. Water is an important natural resource.
What are the sources of water?

We should use water very carefully. We should never waste

it. Every one should also save it from getting polluted.

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 We saw that the water from the tubewell was flowing to the
adjoining field. We found that the field was filled with water. f
Some people were planting rice saplings there. K
The teacher told us that during
the planting of rice saplings, the
field should be filled with water. It
makes the soil soft. Fdce plants
f tgrow well in wet and soft soil. ^ -X J'
Harmeet asked - “Is the soil also a
natural resource like water ?”
The teacher patted him for
asking a good question. He told
that the soil is also a natural resource. We grow grains,
vegetables and other plants in it.

What are the other uses of soil?

Soil is the upper most layer on the earth’s surface. This

is formed by the friction and breaking up ofrocks. Strong
winds and river water cany and deposit it at different
places.

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 On finding that we were tired,
our teacher took us to a nearby
mango garden. There, most of the
trees were laden with ripe
mangoes. Our mouths started
watering on seeing the ripe
mangoes. The gardener brou^t
baskets full of mangoes for us.
Sitting on charpoys (cots) under
the trees we enjoyed eating the
mangoes.
The teacher told us
that plants are a gift
of nature. Some
plants are grown by
man according to his
needs. Some plants
grow on their own. A
thick growth of such
plants is called a
, forest. Some of the
plants are used to make medicines.
What are the other uses of forests?
1.

2..
3..
4. .
5.
6 .

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 Many wild animals
live in the forests. Some
animals eat the leaves,
branches and fruits of
plants. Some others live
on other animals.

Find out the names of the animals which live in the forest
and write them in your notebook.

Chamki said - “But many animals live in our houses too.”

The teacher said - “The animals that live in our houses are
called domestic animals.”
By this time we had
reached the shelter of
animals.
There were many
cows, buffaloes, oxen
and goats. At a -tv
distance, there was a
coop.
Some hens were
sitting inside the coop.
A dog was sitting
neair it.
There, were a camel and a horse also nearby.
Some of us took a camel ride too.
Our teacher told us that animals are very useful to us.
Therefore they are known as cattle wealth.
 Now it was noontime. We got a message that lunch was
ready. Wewere also feeling hungry. Crossing a gate, we reached
a big hall. Amattress was spread on the floor of the hall. The
walls of the hall were made of bricks and stones, whereas the
walls ofthe animal shed were made of mud. Doors and windows
of the hall were made of wood and iron.
At this moment, Manoj reminded us of the differences in a
Kachcha house and a Pucca house.

Meanwhile, the food was served in steel and brass utensils.

The food consisted of chcq)atis, vegetable, dal, curd and salad.
The taste of dal was different but it was very good. On asking,
we were told that it had been cooked in an earthen pot
on an AngithL
Along with the food we had buttermilk also. It was also
made from the curd set in an earthen pot.

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 T'
After the visit to the fields, our t\
teacher told us many more things ■T.
’i
that used in our daily life, like
utensils, scissors, needles, knives,
etc. are made of metal. Metals are
also natural resources. The raw
metals are dug out from the earth’s
surface.
They are purified with the help of
machines and used for making
different things.

Cooking gas, petrol and diesel

are obtained from petroleum.
Petroleum is obtained through
digging of the earth.

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V
 What we have leamt.
• The things which we get • Things made by man
directly from the nature from the natural
are known as Natural resources are known as
Resources. Soil, water, man-made things.
coal, gas, plants, metals, Table, cloth, house,
animals, are all natural utensils, etc. are
resources. man-made things.
• Our natural resources
are limited. They
should be used
judiciously.

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 W HAT HAVE W E LEA R N T?
Jr
Written Work

1. Match the column A and column B :

A B
Herbs, wild animals, wood Soil
Wheat, vegetables, fruits Mines
Zinc, gold, iron, coal Forest
2. Which of our household things are obtained from metals,
stones, trees and animals? Give two examples of each.
3. Fill in the blanks:
(i) Marble is obtained from________ . (mines/forests)
(ii) Gold, silver, iron and copper are known as________
(metals/mines)
(iii) Petrol and diesel are made by refining of________
(cooking oil/petroleum)
4. What is the difference between wild and domestic animals?
5. What are natural resources?
6. Name five man-made things.

-------------------- THINGS TO DO------------------------

Find out about the natural resources in your area.

Collect the pictures ofwild and pet animals. Paste them
in your notebook and write their names.