• Project Work: Ask the students to draw the map on a chart paper.

They can mark the

relevant information as mentioned in the activity.
• Model making: Ask the students to complete the activity.
• Debate: Divide the class into two groups. Give them 5–10 minutes to prepare for the
debate. Conduct the debate in class.
• Chart Work: the students can collect relevant information and colourful pictures to
complete the activity.
• Project/Presentation/website: The students can search various websites to collect
information for the topic. They can display their work in the class.
• Peer and self-assessment: Use Distinguish between and the MCQs for peer and self-
assessment.

HOTS
The HOTS question can be discussed in class.

Life skills
Ask the students to find out the benefits of a multipurpose dam and a check dam. They can
then discuss the pros and cons of the dams in class.

Values that enrich

Ask the students to discuss the answers for the question.
Follow-up • Share at least 5 tips on how to conserve water in your home or at school.

Answer key for the exercises in the lesson

Exercises • Cultivable waste:
I. Distinguish between: {{ Land that is cultivable but has been
1. Private land and community land lying fallow for more than five years.
• Private land
3. Mulching and Contour bunding
{{ Belongs to an individual.
• Mulching:
{{ Individuals who own the land utilise it
{{ The bare ground between plants is
for their personal needs.
covered with a layer of organic matter
• Community land like straw or peat to prevent loss of
{{ Land owned by a group of people in a moisture from the soil. This process
an

community or the local government of conserving soil by retaining the

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{{ Used for collection of fodder, fruits, moisture in the soil is called mulching.
c
la

nuts or medicinal herbs needed by the

B

{{ Practised in arid areas

nt

community.
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• Contour bunding:
O

2. Arable land, Fallow land, Cultivable waste

{{ On hill sides, stones are used to build
• Arable land: barriers across the slope, following
{{ Land suitable for crop production contours or imaginary lines connecting
• Fallow land: places that lie at the same altitude.
{{ Land that can be cultivated but left {{ Trenches are made in front of the
unused for the season barriers to collect water. This way of

NGASS 8 TM fin.indd 131 15-Sep-17 3:06:47 PM

 preventing soil erosion is called contour
barrier or contour bunding.
{{ Practised on hilly stretches.
4. Surface Water and ground Water
• Surface water
{{ Water that is found on the surface of
the land.
{{ Two thirds of the Earth’s surface water
is found in the oceans and it is saline.
{{ Freshwater sources on the surface of
the Earth include rivers, canals, lakes
and ponds.
{{ Surface water pollution is relatively
easier to treat.
• Ground water
{{ Refers to the underground streams.
{{ Springs, wells and tube wells are some
sources of underground water.
{{ Underground water pollution is difficult
to treat.
5. Alluvial soil and laterite soil
• Alluvial soil
{{ Rich and fertile soil formed by the
depositional action of the rivers.
{{ Rivers transport eroded material from
their higher reaches and deposit this on
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their banks as they reach the plains.
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{{ Supports cultivation of crops and
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enables abundant growth of staple
O
food crops.
{{ In India – rich deposits found in the
vast Indo-Gangetic Plains and deltaic
regions of the peninsular belt
• Laterite soil
{{ Formed due to intense leaching (i.e.
when water washes out soil nutrients)
in regions with heavy rainfall.
{{ Not naturally fertile as the top soil
along with the humus is washed away
by heavy rainfall.
{{ To make this soil cultivable it has to be
treated with fertilizers.
{{ Used for growing jute, millets, fodder
crops, etc. Also used for brick making.
{{ In India it is found in coastal
Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal
NGASS 8 TM fin.indd 132
and Meghalaya, Karnataka, Kerala,
Odisha
6. Arid and peaty soil
• Arid Soil
{{ Found in the dry regions.
{{ The colour varies from dark shades of
reddish brown to pastel brown.
{{ Has very low moisture and humus
content as it is found in the dry deserts.
With sufficient irrigation the soil can be
made cultivatable.
{{ In India it is found in Western Rajasthan.
• Peaty Soil
{{ Found in the regions where there is
dense vegetation
{{ Rich in humus as the organic matter
that accumulates in the forests,
decomposes to provide the same.
{{ In India found in the forests of
Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttaranchal and in
the evergreen forests of the Western
Ghats.
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II. Give reasons.
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1. Humans occupy just a fraction of the surface
area of the Earth.
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• Land makes up only 30 percent of the
surface of the Earth.
• Of this land, only a fraction is habitable by
humans, the rest is made of vast deserts,
dense forests and rugged mountains.
• In fact, 90 percent of the world’s
population lives on just 30 percent of land
area.
2. We should conserve soil.
• Soil is a vital resource which is responsible
for the very sustenance of all plants,
animals and human beings.
• The removal of top soil is called soil
erosion and if unchecked it will lead to
depletion of soil.
• A layer of soil forms very slowly – the time
can range from 200 to several thousand
years.
3. Cotton is grown in Maharashtra.
• Deep, clayey, black soil is ideal for growth
of cotton.
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 • This soil is wide spread in Maharashtra so
cotton is grown here.
III. Answer the following questions.
1. What are the factors which influence land
use?
The land use pattern of a country is
influenced by:
• Physical factors: Include the type of relief
or topography, the type of soil, climate,
minerals and availability of water.
• Human factors: Includes the population
density, ability to plan, ability to invest
(capital), skill and competency, and
technological development
2. What are the different ways in which land
can be classified?
Land can be classified:
• on the basis of relief—plateau, plains and
mountains
• on the basis fertility—fertile and barren land
• on the basis of development of that
area—rural and urban land.
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• on basis of ownership of the land—
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Private land—belongs to an individual.
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Community land—owned by a group of
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people in a community for common uses
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like collection of fodder, fruits, nuts or
medicinal herbs.
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• On the basis of the use we put it to—
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Arable land, pasture land, forests, fallow,
O
cultivable waste and non-agricultural
land.
3. What is land degradation?
Land degradation:
• refers to the decline in productivity of
cultivated land or forest land.
• results from unsuitable and unscientific
land use.
4. Mention the reasons for land degradation.
Factors responsible for land degradation
include:
• Excessive exploitation of land,
• Deforestation,
• Clearing fertile land for settlements,
• Slashing and burning the trees for
agriculture (Jhum),
NGASS 8 TM fin.indd 133
• Abandoned mining sites and surface
mining,
• Toxicity in landfill,
• Untreated industrial effluents,
• Concretisation
5. Define soil. What are the different types
of soil found in India and where are they
found?
• Soil is the unconsolidated (or loose)
covering of fine rock particles that covers
the surface of the Earth.
• Soil varies in colour, texture, fertility and
content.
• The different types of soils found in India
are:
{{ Alluvial soil: Found in the vast Indo-
Gangetic Plains and the deltaic regions
of the peninsular belt.
{{ Black soil: Found in the basaltic Deccan
Plateau (in states of Maharashtra, Madhya
Pradesh, parts of Gujarat and Karnataka,
Telengana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan).
{{ Red soil: Found in the periphery of
the black soil regions in the states of
Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Kerala
{{ Laterite soil: Found in coastal
Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. It
is also found in Odisha, Tamil nadu and
West Bengal.
{{ Arid soil: Found in Western Rajasthan
{{ Peaty soils and forest soil: Found in the
forests of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttaranchal
and in the evergreen forests of the
Western Ghats.
6. What is the other name for regur soil?
Cotton soil or black soil.
7. Explain the uses of water. What is water
pollution?
Uses:
• Seventy percent of the human body
consists of water.
• Water is primarily used for drinking and
washing.
• It is also used for productive purposes
like irrigation of fields, generation of
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 hydro-electricity, using waters stored in
reservoirs and dams
• Industrial needs
• Recreational needs
Water pollution:
• Deals with the problem of contamination
in water, which makes it unfit for use.
• The major contaminants that pollute
water with bacteria, parasites, viruses and
toxic chemicals like pesticides are:
{{ partially treated or untreated sewage.
{{ chemical fertilisers used in the
agricultural sector.
{{ untreated industrial effluents
discharged into water bodies.
8. Briefly explain the ways to conserve water.
Ways to conserve water:
• Water pollution has to be brought under
control. For this it is essential to treat
effluents suitably before discharging them
into water bodies.
• Afforestation will not only help reduce
runoff but, also replenish underground
water by enabling percolation.
• Rainwater harvesting (by constructing
tanks and percolation pits) helps by saving
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surface runoff.
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• Scientific and regulated irrigational
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methods will prevent wastage of water.
O
• Mulching and plugging gullies helps
conservation of water.
• In dry regions with high rates of
evaporation, drip (or trickle) irrigation and
sprinklers should be adopted.
9. Write a note on the water resources of
India.
• India has abundant water resources yet
large parts of the country suffer from
severe water scarcity.
• Water resources are unequally distributed
in India, both seasonally and spatially.
NGASS 8 TM fin.indd 134
• India has several mighty rivers like Ganga,
Brahmaputra, Godavari, Krishna, and
Narmada.
• The rivers that flow from the Himalayas,
like the Ganga and its tributaries, and the
Brahmaputra, are snow fed and therefore
perennial or flow throughout the year.
• These rivers experience flood during
the summer months when snow starts
melting in the mountains.
• The rivers in the peninsular India depend
on the monsoons for their water.
• They go dry in the summer.
• To control the annual summer floods of
the northern rivers and to put its waters
to better use, multi-purpose projects were
started by the Indian government.
• Dams were built on the rivers which help:
{{ in flood control.
{{ providing water for irrigation.
{{ generating hydroelectricity.
{{ providing drinking water.
an {{ recreation.
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• Some of the major multi-purpose projects
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in India include the Bhakra-Nangal Project,
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the Damodar Valley Project, the Hirakud
Project, the Nagarjunasagar Project and
the Narmada Valley Project.
• India also has considerable underground
water sources like wells, tube-wells and
springs which support agriculture.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. c 2. a 3. d 4. c 5. c 6. d
7. b 8. b 9. a 10. d
Values that enrich
• Innovative—willing to experiment with new
practices in order to help others
• Resourceful—being open to new ideas and
having the conviction to change old practices
• Persevering and hardworking
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