Let us do these activities before we read.
- Read the questions given below. Share your answers with your classmates and the teacher.
- What comes to mind when you think about ‘paper boats’? Answer: When I think about paper boats, I think about rainy days, playing outside, my childhood, and the fun of watching a small boat float away on the water.
- What do you think someone might hope for when they send a paper boat down a stream? Answer: Someone might hope that their boat travels to a new and magical place, that another child finds it, or simply that it doesn’t sink and has a long journey.
- Read the title of the poem ‘Paper Boats’ and predict what the poem might be about. Answer: The poem ‘Paper Boats’ might be about a child who makes paper boats and sails them in a stream. It could be about the child’s dreams and imagination related to where the boats go.
- Read the given paragraph and match the highlighted words with their meanings given in the box below.
Answer:
- running: speedily flowing
- skipping: bouncing
- bulging: swelling
- lading: loading
- burying: putting
Let us discuss (Page 3)
- Choose the correct words from the brackets to complete the summary of the poem given below.
Answer: The poet sends paper boats down a 1. stream each day, writing his name and the name of his 2. village on them. He hopes that someone in a 3. strange land will find them and know who he is. The poet fills his boats with 4. shiuli flowers from his garden, hoping they will be safely carried to another land at 5. night. As he launches his boats, he imagines that the 6. clouds in the sky are like friends, racing with his boats. At night, he dreams that his paper boats continue to 7. float under the midnight stars, with the fairies of sleep sailing in them, their baskets full of 8. dreams.
- Choose the correct option for the following. The theme of the poem is
Answer: (iv) 1, 2, 4 and 5
III. Identify whether the following statement (The question in the book is incomplete.)
The setting of the poem is Answer: The setting of the poem is a place with a running stream, likely in a village with a garden.
- Complete the following sentence by choosing the correct word given within the brackets.
Answer: The tone is gentle and wishful and the mood is thoughtful.
- Identify the examples of alliteration from the poem.
Answer:
- Day by day
- big black
- blooms… be
- bulgind… boats
- Fill in the blanks with suitable words from the poem.
- The repetition of words Day by day and one by one emphasises the passage of time.
- The poet uses imagery like little clouds setting the white bulging sails and fairies of sleep are sailing in them to create a clear picture in the minds of the readers.
VII. Match the descriptions in Column 1 with what they symbolise in Column 2.
Answer:
- the child’s innocence, dreams, hopes, and messages sent out into the world – (ii) paper boats
- purity, beauty, and the start of a new day – (iii) shiuli flowers
- the vast universe and the child’s dreams continuing through the night – (i) midnight stars
Let us think and reflect (Page 4-5)
- Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
- When night comes I bury my face in my arms and dream…
(i) Select the option that is most likely to be the speaker as per the extract. Answer: B. (The picture of a young child)
(ii) What can be inferred about the speaker’s feelings when night comes? Answer: The speaker feels hopeful and imaginative when night comes, as he dreams that his paper boats continue their journey.
(iii) What kind of beings are the ‘fairies of sleep’ imagined as? Answer: B. gentle
(iv) The phrase ‘lading is their baskets full of dreams’ suggests that the speaker imagines the fairies of sleep carefully ______________ (carrying his dreams/collecting his wishes) in their baskets. Answer: carrying his dreams
- Answer the following questions.
- Why do you think the poet writes his personal details on the paper boats?
Answer: The poet writes his name and village on the boats because he hopes someone in a faraway, strange land will find them and know who he is. It’s his way of sending a message about himself to the world.
- The poet talks about the imagination of a child. Support this view with examples from the poem. Answer: The poem is full of a child’s imagination.
- He imagines that the clouds in the sky are setting their own “white bulging sails” to race with his boats.
- He dreams that “fairies of sleep” are sailing in his boats at night.
- He imagines their cargo is “baskets full of dreams”.
- How does the poet bring together imagination and reality to make the poem more interesting? Answer: The poet makes the poem interesting by starting with a real activity and then adding his imagination to it.
- Reality: Floating paper boats in a stream is a real activity.
- Imagination: The poet imagines that these simple paper boats are racing with clouds and are sailed by fairies at night.
This mix of a real game with magical thoughts makes the poem very beautiful.
Let us learn (Page 5-6)
- The poet has used phrases like ‘blooms of the dawn’… Write as many phrases as possible in Column 3.
Answer:
- wings of the birds
- waves of the ocean
- dreams of the children
- songs of the birds
- glimmers of the stars
- cries of the children
- tears of the rain
- roars of the thunder
- shadows of the evening
- The poet uses words like ‘dawn’, ‘night’ and ‘midnight’… Write the words in the appropriate columns.
Answer:
- Morning: dawn, sunrise, daybreak, sunup, forenoon
- Afternoon: noon, noontime, noonday, midday
- Evening: dusk, twilight, nightfall, sunset, sundown
- Night: night, midnight, night-time
III. Match the words from the text given in Column 1 with their opposites in Column 2.
Answer:
- strange – (v) ordinary
- dawn – (iv) dusk
- launch – (i) halt
- bulging – (vi) shrinking
- float – (iii) sink
- lading – (ii) emptying
Let us listen (Page 6-7)
You will listen to a conversation between a girl and her father about the art of paper folding called origami. As you listen, select the true statements from 1-7.
Answer:
- Sai was trying to make an origami boat.
False (She was trying to make an origami crane ).
- Sai’s father used to do origami as a child.
True
- Paper was very expensive so it was used only for special occasions.
True
- People have been making paper cranes for thousands of years.
False (Hundreds of years, since the seventeenth century ).
- There is a belief that if you make a thousand paper cranes, your wish will come true.
True
- The art of origami is about enjoying the process.
True
- Sai’s father suggests making a paper bookmark next time.
False (He suggests making a paper boat ).
Let us speak (Page 7)
Create any craft item using eco-friendly materials. Make a presentation in front of your classmates and teacher…
Answer: This is a speaking activity. You should make a simple craft item, like a bird from dry leaves or a pen stand from an old newspaper roll. Then, use the sentences provided in the book to prepare a short speech about it.
- Example: “Today, I’m going to show you a flower vase I made. This vase is made of an old plastic bottle and jute rope…”
Let us write (Page 8)
Now, write a diary entry expressing your joy experiencing a rainy day.
Answer:
Friday, 15 July 2025 6:30 p.m.
Dear Diary,
It was quite humid today. On my journey back from school, I wished that it would rain. And it did!
As soon as I reached home, big drops started to fall. The smell of the first rain on the dry earth was so lovely! I quickly changed my clothes and ran out to the garden with my friends. We danced in the rain and splashed in the puddles. We also made small paper boats and sailed them in the running water. Everything looked so fresh and green. It was the best evening ever! I feel so happy and refreshed.
(Your Name)
Let us explore (Page 8-9)
- Find out names of some more trees or plants in your locality which have fragrant flowers.
Answer: Some plants with fragrant (sweet-smelling) flowers are:
- Jasmine (Chameli)
- Rose (Gulab)
- Tuberose (Rajnigandha)
- Mogra
- Solve the riddles given below.
- I have water that you cannot drink… Answer: An Ocean / A Sea
- I sit in stillness, but move with the wind… Answer: A Pond / A Lake
- I gently travel through valleys deep… Answer: A Stream
- I have a bed, but I do not sleep… Answer: A River
NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST
Let us do these activities before we read.
- Which State or Union Territory of India do you live in? Write the following details about it.
Answer: (Here is an example for Maharashtra)
- Part of the country: West
- Its capital: Mumbai
- Language: Marathi
- River(s): Godavari, Krishna
- Tourist attraction: Gateway of India, Ajanta and Ellora Caves
- Food: Vada Pav, Puran Poli
III. Work in pairs. Recall the names of the states of our country which have ‘Pradesh’ in their names.
Answer:
| First Part of the Name | Second Part of the Name | Part of the Country | Special Feature |
| 1. Arunachal | Pradesh | Northeast | Land of the rising sun; famous for monasteries. |
| 2. Uttar | Pradesh | North | Has the Taj Mahal; most populous state. |
| 3. Madhya | Pradesh | Centre | Known as the “Heart of India”; has many tiger reserves. |
| 4. Andhra | Pradesh | South | Famous for Tirupati temple; a major rice producer. |
| 5. Himachal | Pradesh | North | Famous for mountains, snow, and tourism. |
Let us discuss (Page 17)
Complete the table given below based on Shaana’s postcards.
Answer:
| Places Visited | Interesting Descriptions and Activities | |
| 1. Thajiwas glacier, Kashmir | white and blue glaciers; wearing four layers of clothes; throwing snowballs. | |
| 2. Himachal Pradesh | seeing many mountains from the cabin; colourful birds chirping. | |
| 3. Arunachal Pradesh | walking through a thick forest to reach the treehouse; hope to see red pandas. | |
| 4. Gujarat | a desert which is hot and dry; like a beach without the sea; pretty and colourful clothes. | |
| 5. The Narmada river | went rafting, which was wild and scary. | |
| 6. Chennai | learned to surf on the beach; waves are rougher and water is browner. | |
| 7. Olaikaadu beach | floating and looking at the fish; Appa and Amma went for a dive; found pebbles on the beach. |
Let us think and reflect (Page 18-19)
- Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
- Amma tells me that places like the Sundarbans are called wetlands…
(i) What feeling does Shaana most likely experience when she says, “I never knew such a place existed…”? Answer: D. wonder
(ii) Complete the following sentence with a suitable reason. Amma is sad about the frequent flooding in Sundarbans because it is a sign of environmental problems like climate change, which harms the unique ecosystem and the people living there.
(iii) Select the evidence from the text that reflects a feeling of the speaker’s slight nervousness.
Answer: “We also saw crocodiles and a lonely snake while boating. I hope they don’t follow us home.”
(iv) Select the option that applies to both the Assertion and the Reason. Answer: A. Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason correctly explains the assertion.
- Amma and Appa are fast asleep, and I should be sleeping too…
(i) Complete the sentence with a suitable reason. The speaker chooses to stay awake because
she loves looking out of the window at the beautiful scenery.
(ii) What does the speaker mean by saying, ‘You won’t believe how nice the plateaus look’? Answer: She means that the plateaus are extremely beautiful, so much so that it is hard to describe in words.
(iii) What has been the change in the speaker’s attitude towards tunnels? Answer: A. from fear to comfort
(iv) Fill in the blanks with the correct option from those given in the brackets. The speaker’s wish to share the experience of touring the plateaus with others indicates her sense of connection as well as the value she places on shared experiences with her peers.
- Answer the following questions.
- Shaana mentions that she used to be afraid of tunnels. What could have been the most likely reason for her to be scared of tunnels? Answer: The most likely reason for her to be scared was probably the darkness and the loud noise the train makes inside a tunnel. It can feel like being trapped for a few moments.
- Do you think Shaana’s Appa and Amma enjoyed themselves, just like children do? Support your answer with evidence from the text. Answer: Yes, they enjoyed themselves like children.
- In Kashmir, they liked “throwing snowballs at each other”.
- In Chennai, they “splashed water on each other and behaved like children”.
- Shaana mentions less snow in the glaciers and more flooding in the Sundarbans. Explain what these observations indicate. Answer: These observations indicate the effects of climate change and global warming. Less snow in glaciers shows that they are melting faster due to rising temperatures. More flooding in coastal areas like the Sundarbans is also a result of rising sea levels caused by melting glaciers.
- Shaana’s visits to different parts of the country highlight the diversity of India’s geography. Support this statement with evidence from the text. Answer: Shaana’s visits show India’s diverse geography. She visited:
- Snow-covered glaciers in Kashmir in the north.
- Thick forests and treehouses in Arunachal Pradesh in the east.
- Hot, dry deserts in Gujarat in the west.
- Wetlands with mangrove trees in the Sundarbans.
- Plateaus and beaches in Goa in the southwest.
- How does Shaana use language to convey her excitement, curiosity, and sometimes her fears about the places she visits? Answer: Shaana uses simple and direct language.
- Excitement: She uses phrases like “You won’t believe where I am!” and “Today was the best day ever!”.
- Curiosity: She shows curiosity when she is surprised that mangroves can grow in seawater or that all ‘Pradesh’ states are not next to each other.
- Fear: She expresses her fear by saying, “I hope they don’t follow us home” after seeing crocodiles and a snake.
- What might Shaana have learnt from her travels across India? How would it impact her understanding of the country? Answer: From her travels, Shaana would have learnt about India’s amazing diversity in landscapes, cultures, languages, and people. It would impact her understanding by showing her that India is not just one kind of place but a vast country with many different and beautiful parts. This would make her more knowledgeable and appreciative of her country.
- What could be the author’s purpose of presenting the text in the form of postcards? Answer: The author’s purpose is to present the travel experience from a child’s personal and friendly point of view. Postcards make the story feel more real and intimate, as if Shaana is talking directly to the reader. It is a creative way to describe a journey through different places.
Let us learn (Page 20-23)
- Read the words from the text given in Column 1 and match them with suitable pictures in Column 2.
Answer:
- glaciers matches with picture (vi) which shows a large mass of ice.
- treehouse matches with picture (i) which shows a house built in a tree.
- wetlands matches with picture (ii) which shows a marshy area with trees in water.
- desert matches with picture (iv) which shows a sandy area.
- pebbles matches with picture (v) which shows small, smooth stones.
- rafting matches with picture (iii) which shows people in a rubber boat on a river.
- Read the situations given in Column 1. Choose the associated words from the text…
Answer:
- …He felt so afraid that he couldn’t sleep. – scary
- There used to be a bookstore near my house… – existed
- The flashes of light from the car made her suddenly close and open her eyes several times. – blink
- The children jumped into the pool and threw water at each other with loud noises. – splashed
- My grandmother’s place is so beautiful… – amazing
- …the clouds were not staying at one place. – floating
III. The following word grid has six words related to ‘travel’ used in the lesson. Circle the words…
Answer: The six words are:
- BOAT (horizontal)
- DROVE (horizontal)
- TRAIN (horizontal)
- WALKED (horizontal)
- TRAVEL (vertical)
- TOUR (vertical)
- Read the following sentences from the text and underline the subject and the verb.
- Amma and Appa (subject) are (verb) fast asleep.
- It’s (subject + verb) hot, dry, and there is (verb) sand (subject) everywhere.
- There are (verb) so many hills (subject) here, and beaches (subject) too.
- Choose the correct option from the words given in the brackets.
- A pair of sunglasses is..
- Either the tour guide or the tourists have to arrive first…
- The information on travel expenses is..
- Neither the flight crew nor the pilot was aware of the delay.
- The news about the heavy rains makes many people…
- A pair of binoculars is useful for spotting wildlife…
- The hill stations in India remain a popular travel destination…
- Keeping accounts is important for spending money…
- Either the ticket or the bus passes need to be used…
- Neither the passengers nor the taxi driver was aware of the best route…
Let us listen (Page 23-24)
You will listen to a girl speak about the story of how Agartala got its name… choose the correct option…
Answer:
- What does the word ‘Agartala’ mean? (i) under the agar tree
- Which of these is another name for agarwood trees? (i) gharuwood
- What kind of smell does agarwood have? (ii) woody and flowery
- How is agarwood formed? (iii) when the tree gets infected
- What is agarwood used to make? (ii) perfumes and wood carvings
Let us write (Page 25)
Write an application to the Principal of your school, requesting leave of absence.
Answer:
12-B, Sunshine Apartments Mumbai Maharashtra
11 September 2025
The Principal City Public School Mumbai Maharashtra
Subject: Request for leave for 4 days
Dear Madam,
I am writing to request 4 days leave with effect from 15 September 2025 to 18 September 2025 in order to attend my cousin’s wedding in my hometown, Nagpur.
I would like to assure you that I would collect all the notes from my classmates and complete all my pending homework as soon as I return.
I would be grateful if you could grant me the leave.
Yours sincerely, (Your Name) (Class, Section, Roll Number)
Let us explore (Page 26)
- Solve the crossword puzzle by identifying the States and Union Territories of India…
Answer:
- Across:
- LADAKH
- RAJASTHAN
- KARNATAKA
- TELANGANA
- SIKKIM
- GUJARAT
- BIHAR
- Down:
- MIZORAM
- ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR
- MEGHALAYA
- GOA
- UTTARAKHAND
- ODISHA
- JHARKHAND
- HARYANA