Small Science Class 4 Acknowledgements Chapter 5 Fun with Water!
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Main Index UNIT 1 SKY AND WEATHER ...................................... 23 A series in Chapter 1 Sun, Wind, Clouds and Rain ..................................................... 27 primary science Chapter 2 Day sky, night sky .................................................................... 64 Teacher’s Book Class 4 UNIT 2 AIR ................................................................ 79 Chapter 3 Fun with air! ............................................................................. 83 Chapter 4 What's in the air? .................................................................... 120 Credits & Copyright General Preface UNIT 3 WATER........................................................ 153 Preface to Small Science Class 4 Acknowledgements Chapter 5 Fun with water! ....................................................................... 157 Contents Introduction Chapter 6 Water and life ......................................................................... 192 Using the Workbook Chapter 7 Water and us ........................................................................... 220 Further Readings Index Outline of Small Science UNIT 4 FOOD ......................................................... 247 Chapter 8 Where our food comes from.................................................... 252 Chapter 9 Food in our bodies .................................................................. 291 Chapter 10 What is thrown out ................................................................. 314 Developed by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education A series in primary science Teacher's Book Class 4 Developed by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education A series in primary science Teacher’s Book Class 4 Jayashree Ramadas Author and primary science co-ordinator Team for Small Science Class 4 General co-ordinator Research assistance Arvind Kumar Suchitra Varde Design and illustrations Digital version of Teacher's Book Karen Haydock Manoj Nair © Main Index YMCA Library Building, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi 110001 Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto With offices in Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries. Published in India by Oxford University Press © Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education 1998, 2007 The moral rights of the author/s have been asserted. Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published 2001 Second edition 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above. You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer. ISBN-13: 978-0-19-568745-3 ISBN-10: 0-19-568745-0 The cover juxtaposes two views of a rice field, one in the night and the other in the day. A young girl, Mini, is engrossed in observation and measurement. The print version of this book can be obtained from the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education © Main Index iii General preface he Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) has been active in research Tand field work since 1974. Interdisciplinary scholarship at the Centre has been developed around a doctoral programme in Science Education. Textbooks, workbooks and teacher’s books in primary science brought out by HBCSE are one outcome of this research and field work. These books have received warm and appreciative response from all quarters - teachers, students, parents, professionals and also government agencies. When these books were first published, several ideas in them appeared radical and unconventional. Today these ideas have become part of the discourse on education in our country. We are therefore very happy that Oxford University Press is publishing these books for wider dissemination to schools across India. The National Curriculum Framework 2005 has laid down five guiding principles for curriculum development: connecting knowledge to life outside the school; ensuring that learning shifts away from rote methods; enriching the curriculum so that it goes beyond textbooks; making examinations more flexible and integrating them with classroom life; and nurturing an overriding identity informed by caring concerns within the democratic polity of the country. Often, however, there remains a gap between the generally agreed objectives of the curriculum, and their translation into textbooks and teaching practices. The books authored by HBCSE reflect an attempt to close this gap as much as possible. We hope the attempt has been successful, and is a step towards imparting quality elementary education in Indian schools. Arvind Kumar Centre Director Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education Tata Institute of Fundamental Research © Main Index iv Preface to Small Science: Class 4 he Small Science books have emerged out of a process of research, field-work and Tclassroom trials. Their activity-based approach is based on the idea that first-hand concrete experiences at an early age gradually strengthen the child’s capacity to construct abstract formulations. Curriculum units are therefore developed around simple, cognitively and contextually appropriate, activities and exercises that help children explore and understand the world around them. Small Science discourages memorisation of text, focusing instead on acquisition of tools of learning: namely, observation, design drawing and construction, along with basic scholastic skills of speaking, reading, writing and calculating. The books interweave a story about two curious children, Mini and Apu, who learn many things by observing, doing, inquiring and reflecting on their experiences. Questions stimulate students to observe and think beyond the book, while stories and poems enliven their reading. The WorkBook lays out a format for recording results of the activities and exercises. The same format enables continuous assessment of the student’s work. The Teacher’s Book provides conceptual guidance and practical hints. Much effort has gone into providing the teacher with background information relevant to the Indian socio-cultural, geographical and natural-historical context. Results of classroom trials too are conveyed through first-person accounts in the Teacher’s Book. © Main Index v The books for classes 3-5 are supplemented by a Teacher’s Book in Environmental Studies for Classes 1 and 2, which is available from the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai. Do write and tell us if you liked the books; and please send us your ideas for improving them. Jayashree Ramadas Teacher support: [email protected] © Main Index vi Acknowledgements I would like to thank: Arvind Kumar who initiated the Homi Bhabha Curriculum and gave constant encouragement and guidance Suchitra Varde who conscientiously tested the activities and exercises The principals, staff and students of the Children’s Aid Society, Nutan Vidya Mandir and the Atomic Energy Central Schools, Mumbai, and Vivek High School, Chandigarh, who enthusiasti- cally participated in the trials Karen Haydock who did the design and illustrations, contributed many good ideas and gave interesting feedback from the classroom Children of Village Titaram, Kaithal Dist., Haryana, the Atomic Energy Central Schools, Mumbai, and Vivek High School, Chandigarh, who contributed some wonderful pictures Members of HBCSE who clarified my doubts: Anand Ghaisas, Tukaram Kadam, Ashwini Kanhere, R. S. Korgaonkar, Rekha Vartak, Sandhya Thulasidas, Savita Ladage, V. G. Gambhir and V. N. Purohit; and those who also gave valuable suggestions on the draft versions: Bakhtavar Mahajan, Chitra Natarajan, G. Nagarjuna, Jyotsna Vijapurkar, K. Subramaniam, Poornima Burte and Sugra Chunawala P. R. Fadnavis, C. S. Pawar and others who provided administrative support N. S. Thigale and G. Mestry who helped in producing the drafts M. M. Johri and K. S. Krishnan of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), B. Shyamala of the Colaba Observatory, S. K. Dash of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, © Main Index vii V. Abraham, formerly of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, I. Kehimkar of the Bombay Natural History Society and G. V. Joshi of New English School, Murbad, who gave expert advice The School of Mathematics, TIFR, who allowed use of their computer facilities My daughter Rohini, son Harishchandra and many good friends, who were so supportive during some difficult times. Jayashree Ramadas © Main Index Contents General Preface ........................................................................................ iii Preface to Small Science Class IV ............................................................... v Acknowledgements