Class 5 Environmental Studies Chapter 1: Water — The Essence of Life
- ★ Free chapter
- 3 topics
- 45 MCQs
- 15 short answers
- 6 long answers
- 36 flashcards
- 15 games
- ~90 min read
- English
Water on Our Earth
Most of Earth's water is salty. Only a spoonful in a glass is fresh, and every living thing needs it. Water comes as a solid, a liquid and a vapour.
What you will be able to do
- I can tell salt water from freshwater and say why we cannot drink sea water.
- I can name at least five places where we find freshwater.
- I can name the three forms of water and give an example of each.
Key points
Water covers most of the Earth, but nearly all of it is salty sea water.
If all Earth's water filled a 200 ml glass, the freshwater would fill one 5 ml spoon.
People, animals, birds and plants all need freshwater to live.
Freshwater comes from rain, rivers, ponds, lakes, wells, snow and ice.
Water has three forms: solid ice, liquid water and water vapour. It can change from one to another.
Full explanation
Rain at the window
It is a rainy morning. Afreen and Jyoti stand at the window. Tiny drops race down the glass. Afreen has a big question. "Where does all this rain come from? And where does it go?" Let us find out with them. First, we will see how much water our Earth has.
A blue planet
Look at a globe. Most of it is coloured blue. The blue shows water. Water covers most of the Earth. Oceans and seas hold nearly all of it. But there is a problem. Ocean water tastes of salt.
Salt water and freshwater
Water with a lot of salt in it is called salt water. Seas and oceans are full of salt water. Water with very little salt is called freshwater. Rivers, ponds, lakes and wells give us freshwater. We cannot drink sea water. The salt would make us ill and even more thirsty.
A glass and a spoon
Imagine every drop of Earth's water poured into one glass. Say the glass holds 200 ml. Now take out only the freshwater. It fills just one small teaspoon of 5 ml! The rest of the glass is salty. 200 ml makes 40 spoons of 5 ml. So only 1 spoon out of 40 is fresh.
Everyone needs freshwater
People need freshwater. So do animals, birds and plants. We drink it every day. Farmers use it to grow our food. We cook, bathe and clean with it. Many fish, frogs and water plants live in it. No living thing can stay alive without water.
Sea water is still useful
We cannot drink sea water, but it helps us in other ways. In Gujarat, people spread sea water in wide, flat fields called salt pans. The Sun dries the water away. White salt stays behind. That is how much of our salt is made. Fish and many other animals live in the sea too.
Where is the freshwater?
Freshwater has many homes. Rain falls from clouds. Rivers and streams flow across the land. Ponds and lakes hold still water. Wells and handpumps bring up water from under the ground. High mountains keep water frozen as snow and ice. Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir is a very big freshwater lake.
Johads: saving rain long ago
People in Rajasthan get little rain. So they build johads. A johad is a small wall of earth. It stops rainwater from running away. The water collects behind it. Slowly it sinks into the ground. This fills up the water stored under the ground.
Water has three forms
Jyoti now wonders, "Is there water in the air? Is snow water too?" The answer is yes! Water has three forms. It can be a solid, like ice and snow. It can be a liquid, like rain and the water we drink. It can be a vapour, like steam. Vapour is water as a gas.
The cold glass puzzle
Put some ice cubes in a steel glass. Soon, tiny drops appear on the outside. How did they get there? They did not leak through the steel. The air around us has water vapour we cannot see. The cold glass cools this vapour. It turns back into liquid drops.
Water changes and comes back
Leave ice in a warm room. It melts into liquid water. Heat water on a stove with an adult. It boils and becomes steam. Keep a bowl of water in the sun for three days. The water slowly goes into the air. Cool the vapour, and it turns into water again.
Concepts and terms
Water with very little salt, found in rain, rivers, ponds, lakes, wells, snow and ice. It is only a tiny part of Earth's water.
Water with a lot of salt, found in seas and oceans. We cannot drink it, but it gives us salt.
Water can be a solid (ice), a liquid (rain) or a vapour (steam). Heating and cooling change one form into another.
Watch out!
Myth or fact?
Real world: the Kulkarni water diary
Scenario:
Meera Kulkarni lives in Pune with her parents and grandmother. Her teacher asks every child to keep a water diary for one day. Meera counts buckets. Each bucket holds 15 litres. The family uses 4 buckets for bathing and 3 for washing clothes. They use 2 for washing utensils and 1 for mopping the floor. Cooking and drinking take 1 bucket. Meera adds it all up. She is surprised. Grandmother says, "In my village, we carried every bucket from the well. So we never wasted a drop."
Analysis:
Counting water turns a big idea into numbers we can see. It shows where most water goes and where we can save.
Activity:
Keep your own water diary for one day. Count buckets or mugs, then find the total.
Try it at home
Title:
Drops from nowhere
Safety:
Wipe up any water on the floor so nobody slips.
What You Notice:
Tiny drops cover the outside of the glass. They came from water vapour in the air. The cold glass turned the vapour into liquid.
Did you know
The salt pans of Gujarat are one of the biggest salt-making areas in India.
Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir soaks up extra river water. This helps to stop floods.
Memory tricks
Three forms of water — ICE, SIP, SKY — ICE is solid. What you SIP is liquid. Vapour floats up to the SKY.
How little water is fresh — One spoon in forty — Of 40 spoons of Earth's water, only 1 spoon is fresh.
Practice MCQs with answers (15)
- A The Arabian Sea
- B The Bay of Bengal
- C A village pond
- D The Indian Ocean
Show answer
Why:
Seas and oceans are salty. A pond holds freshwater.
- A Ice is water in its solid form.
- B Steam is a kind of solid.
- C Snow is not a form of water.
- D Rain is water in its vapour form.
Show answer
Why:
Ice is solid water. Steam is vapour, snow is solid water and rain is liquid water.
- A 1-liquid, 2-solid, 3-vapour
- B 1-vapour, 2-liquid, 3-solid
- C 1-solid, 2-vapour, 3-liquid
- D 1-solid, 2-liquid, 3-vapour
Show answer
Why:
An ice cube is solid, rain is liquid and steam is vapour.
- A From a hole in the glass
- B From water vapour in the air
- C From the steel itself
- D From the ice leaking through
Show answer
Why:
The cold glass cools the vapour in the air, and it turns into liquid drops.
- A They will melt into water.
- B They will turn into salt.
- C They will grow bigger.
- D They will stay hard for ever.
Show answer
Why:
Warmth melts solid ice into liquid water.
- A ice
- B salt
- C steam
- D snow
Show answer
Why:
Boiling water turns into steam, which is water vapour.
- A store drinking water for a village
- B dry sea water and collect salt
- C grow rice in the fields
- D keep fish in shallow water
Show answer
Why:
Sea water is spread in flat fields; the Sun dries it and salt is left behind.
- A Freshwater is always safe to drink.
- B Most of Earth's water is freshwater.
- C Freshwater is found only in the sea.
- D Freshwater has very little salt.
Show answer
Why:
Freshwater is not salty, but it may still hold germs. It is only a tiny part of Earth's water.
- A Freshwater costs more money than gold in every market in the world.
- B Freshwater is found only in shops, so every drop has to be bought.
- C Freshwater never falls as rain, so what we use can never come back.
- D Only a tiny part of Earth's water is fresh, and all life needs it.
Show answer
Why:
There is very little freshwater, and every living thing depends on it.
- A 1-frozen water, 2-salt water, 3-fresh water from deep underground
- B 1-salt water, 2-water from underground, 3-frozen freshwater
- C 1-underground water, 2-frozen water, 3-salt sea water
- D 1-salt water, 2-frozen water, 3-deep underground water
Show answer
Why:
Oceans hold salt water, wells bring up groundwater and glaciers are frozen freshwater.
- A I and II only
- B II and III only
- C I and III only
- D I, II and III
Show answer
Why:
I and III are correct. II is not: the freshwater would fill one 5 ml spoon out of that 200 ml glass.
- A To hold rainwater so it can sink into the ground
- B To stop people from crossing over a ploughed field
- C To keep the Sun off the standing crops
- D To make the salty sea water sweet
Show answer
Why:
The held rainwater sinks slowly and fills up the water under the ground.
- A Both true, and the reason explains the assertion
- B Both true, but the reason does not explain it
- C The assertion is true and the reason is false
- D The assertion is false and the reason is true
Show answer
Why:
Both are true, and the reason is the whole difficulty. Water is everywhere and still scarce.
- A Yes, water that looks clear is always safe to drink straight away.
- B Clear water can still have germs, so boil or filter it first.
- C Germs live only in muddy water, so clear streams are always clean.
- D Only sea water carries germs, so a flowing stream is always safe.
Show answer
Why:
Germs are too small to see. Water should be cleaned before drinking.
- A Boiling adds more germs to the water than it had before.
- B Water that has cooled down cannot be drunk by people.
- C Boiling kills germs, but the salt stays in the water.
- D Boiling turns sea water into ice as soon as it cools.
Show answer
Why:
Boiling does not remove salt, so the water is still salty.
Important short questions (5)
Most of it is in seas and oceans. It is too salty to drink.
Solid, like ice. Liquid, like rain. Vapour, like steam.
They slowly melt. The solid ice turns into liquid water.
Sea water is spread in flat fields. The Sun dries the water, and salt is left behind.
We need it to drink and to grow crops. Many fish and plants also live in it.
Long answer questions (2)
I would say that Earth does have a lot of water. But nearly all of it is salty sea water. We cannot drink it or use it on farms. If all the water filled a glass, the freshwater would fill one teaspoon. People, animals and plants all need that small part. So we must never waste it.
Water from the fridge freezer becomes hard ice. That is the solid form. When ice sits on a plate, it melts into liquid water. When Mummy boils water for tea, steam rises from the pot. That steam is water vapour. If the steam touches a cold lid, it turns back into drops. So water changes form and can change back.
Flashcards (12)
Play this topic
- Salt or fresh?
- Form finder
- Fact or myth?
- Water sprint
- Word match
Water on the Move
Water keeps moving. The Sun lifts it as vapour, clouds send it down, rain soaks into the ground, and rivers carry it downhill to the sea.
What you will be able to do
- I can explain the water cycle in four steps.
- I can say how rain becomes groundwater and why concrete stops it.
- I can say why rivers flow downhill and name where some Indian rivers go.
Key points
The Sun heats water in seas, rivers and lakes and turns it into vapour.
Vapour cools high up and forms clouds, which send water down as rain, snow or hail.
This endless round trip of water is called the water cycle.
Rain that sinks through soil and rocks is stored as groundwater, which we reach with wells and handpumps.
Rivers flow from high land to low land; the Ganga goes to the Bay of Bengal, the Narmada to the Arabian Sea.
Full explanation
Where did the puddle go?
The rain has stopped and the sun is out. Afreen points at a puddle in the school yard. By lunch, it has almost gone. "Did the water just vanish?" she asks. Jyoti smiles. "Let us make a tiny sky in a bag and find out."
A water cycle in a bag
Take a clear plastic bag that can be sealed. Draw a sun, clouds, trees and arrows on it with a marker. Pour in some water coloured with blue paint. Fill the bag only one-third. Seal it tightly. Tape it to a sunny window. Look at it again after a few hours.
What the bag shows
The sun warms the water in the bag. Some of it turns into vapour. The vapour rises to the top, where it is cooler. There it turns into tiny drops. The drops grow bigger and slide back down. The water went up and came down again.
The same thing happens outside
The Sun heats water in seas, rivers and lakes. The water turns into vapour and rises. High in the sky, the air is cool. The vapour cools and makes clouds. Clouds send the water down again as rain, snow or hail. It flows back into rivers, lakes and seas.
The water cycle
This journey never stops. Water goes up as vapour. It comes down as rain, snow or hail. Then it goes up once more. This round-and-round journey of water is called the water cycle. So the puddle did not vanish. It joined the water cycle!
Where does rain go?
Fill a clear glass halfway with soil. Pour water on it slowly, one spoon at a time. The water disappears into the soil. Rain does the same thing. Some rain soaks into the ground. It sinks down through soil and rocks. The rest runs off into drains, ponds and rivers.
Groundwater
Some rainwater sinks very deep. It is stored under the ground. This is called groundwater. We cannot see it, but it is there. We reach it by digging wells, borewells and tube wells. A handpump pulls it up too. Many homes and farms depend on it.
Why some cities go thirsty
Rain cannot soak through a concrete road or a paved yard. It runs off into drains. In cities full of cement, the groundwater does not fill up again. Open ground, grass and soil let rain seep in. Soak pits, ponds, lakes and trees help too.
Rivers run downhill
Rivers, ponds and lakes hold water on top of the land. We call it surface water. A river often starts high up in the mountains. It flows down across the land. Water always moves from high ground to low ground. It bends around hills and fills up low places.
The mustard seed test
Crumple a sheet of newspaper. Spread a second sheet over it and press gently. Now pour mustard seeds slowly on the highest point. The seeds roll down the slopes. They split up, curve and collect in hollows. Water moves the same way. Flowing water can slowly change the shape of the land too.
Rivers of India
Look at a map of India. The Ganga and the Godavari flow east into the Bay of Bengal. The Narmada flows west into the Arabian Sea. The slope of the land decides the way. The Luni river of Rajasthan is special. It reaches no sea at all. It ends in the marshy Rann of Kutch in Gujarat.
A village that saves water
Hiware Bazar is a village in Maharashtra. Its people worked together to catch rainwater. They helped the rain soak into the ground. Now it is called a water-positive village. It puts more water back into the ground than it takes out.
Concepts and terms
The Sun turns water into vapour. The vapour cools into clouds. Water falls as rain, snow or hail and flows back. Then it all happens again.
Rainwater that sinks through soil and rocks and is stored deep under the ground. Wells, borewells and handpumps bring it up.
Water on top of the land, like rivers, ponds and lakes. It flows from high land to low land and follows the shape of the land.
Watch out!
Myth or fact?
Case Study
Scenario:
A class leaves a bowl of water in the sun and marks the level each day. By the fourth day the level has dropped. Ravi says somebody has been drinking it. His teacher asks the class to test that. They put a second bowl beside it with a lid on top. After four days the covered bowl has barely changed. Only the lid was different. So the water from the open bowl went up into the air. Nita then asks where it goes next. The class watches a cold glass on the same day. Drops appear on its outside, and the water has come back down.
Analysis:
The lid turns a guess into an answer. One bowl loses water and the covered one does not, so the water left through the open top.
Activity:
Put two bowls of water in the sun, one covered. Mark the level each day for four days and write what the lid changed.
Try it at home
Title:
A water cycle in a bag
Safety:
Ask an adult before you tape anything to a window. Do not climb to reach a high window.
What You Notice:
Tiny drops form near the top of the bag. They slide down into the water. The sun made vapour, and the vapour cooled into drops.
Did you know
The Luni river starts in the Aravalli hills of Rajasthan. It is the only big Indian river that does not reach a sea.
India's first water museum, the Jal Shakti Museum, is in New Delhi. It shows how India has cared for water.
Memory tricks
Steps of the water cycle — Heat, Rise, Cool, Fall — The Sun heats water, vapour rises, it cools into clouds, and water falls back down.
Where rain goes — Soft ground drinks, hard ground drains — Soil and grass soak rain up. Concrete sends it away to drains.
Practice MCQs with answers (15)
- A Rivers
- B Salt
- C Wells
- D Clouds
Show answer
Why:
Cool vapour turns into tiny drops that make clouds.
- A R, S, P, Q
- B P, Q, R, S
- C Q, R, P, S
- D S, R, Q, P
Show answer
Why:
Heat first, then vapour rises, then clouds form, then rain falls.
- A The water cycle stops altogether during the winter.
- B Clouds are made of smoke and dust.
- C Water that dries up is lost for ever and ever.
- D Water can fall from clouds as rain, snow or hail.
Show answer
Why:
Clouds give back water as rain, snow or hail, all year round.
- A sea water
- B groundwater
- C vapour
- D hail
Show answer
Why:
Water stored deep under the ground is groundwater.
- A A concrete road
- B A paved yard
- C A green lawn
- D A tar road
Show answer
Why:
Grass and soil let rainwater seep in. Hard surfaces send it to drains.
- A Cement somehow makes the falling rain turn rather salty indeed.
- B Rain runs off into drains instead of soaking into the ground.
- C Cities get no rain at all in the year.
- D Wells in cities are always rather shallow.
Show answer
Why:
Hard surfaces stop rain from refilling the groundwater.
- A 1-runs straight off, 2-soaks in, 3-turns slowly into salt
- B 1-turns to ice, 2-soaks in, 3-runs straight off
- C 1-soaks in, 2-runs off, 3-is held and seeps down
- D 1-runs off, 2-is held, 3-soaks slowly in
Show answer
Why:
Soil soaks rain up, concrete sends it away, and a pond holds it so it can sink slowly.
- A Roll down the slopes and collect in hollows
- B Stay in one heap at the top
- C Roll uphill towards the highest folds
- D Move in a straight line across the paper
Show answer
Why:
Like water, the seeds follow the slopes and gather in low places.
- A I and II only
- B II and III only
- C I and III only
- D I, II and III
Show answer
Why:
I and III are correct. II is not: the vapour COOLS high up, and that is what makes clouds.
- A Both true, and the reason explains the assertion
- B Both true, but the reason does not explain it
- C The assertion is true and the reason is false
- D The assertion is false and the reason is true
Show answer
Why:
Both are true, and the reason is why it is called a cycle. The same water comes back again.
- A The Ganga flows into the Arabian Sea.
- B The Luni flows into the Bay of Bengal.
- C The Narmada flows into the Bay of Bengal.
- D The Godavari flows into the Bay of Bengal.
Show answer
Why:
The Godavari and the Ganga go east to the Bay of Bengal. The Narmada goes west. The Luni reaches no sea.
- A they are always salty to the taste
- B the water is on top of the land
- C they are frozen over
- D they are far under the ground
Show answer
Why:
Surface water is the water we see on the land.
- A It gets plenty of rain on every single day of the year.
- B It puts back more water into the ground than it takes.
- C It has no wells at all anywhere.
- D It buys its water from other villages nearby.
Show answer
Why:
By catching rain and letting it soak in, the village refills more than it uses.
- A Yes, rain caught in any clean bucket is always perfectly pure.
- B Rain is rather salty, so it can never be drunk.
- C Rain can carry dust and dirt, so clean it before drinking.
- D Rain turns into groundwater inside the bucket.
Show answer
Why:
Rain picks up dust from the air and dirt from roofs.
- A Make soak pits and plant more trees
- B Cover every open field and yard with cement
- C Build houses over the old ponds
- D Cut the trees near the wells
Show answer
Why:
Soak pits and trees help rain sink in and refill the groundwater.
Important short questions (5)
The Sun heats water in seas, rivers and lakes. The water turns into vapour and rises.
Rain soaks into the soil. It sinks through soil and rocks and is stored deep under the ground.
Rain cannot soak through concrete. It runs off into drains instead of going into the ground.
Water follows the slopes of the land. It flows down, bends and collects in low places.
The Godavari flows into the Bay of Bengal. The Narmada flows into the Arabian Sea.
Long answer questions (2)
In a forest, the ground is soft and open. Leaves and roots slow the rain down. So much of it soaks into the soil. It fills up the groundwater. In a city, roads and yards are covered with cement. Rain cannot soak in. It rushes into drains. So the groundwater under a city does not fill up well.
I am a drop of water in a lake. One hot day, the Sun warms me. I turn into vapour and float up. High in the sky, I cool down. I join other drops and we make a cloud. The cloud grows heavy. I fall as rain on a hill. I flow down a stream into a river. Then I am back in water, ready to rise again.
Flashcards (12)
Play this topic
- Build the water cycle
- Soak in or run off?
- Where does the river go?
- True or false?
- Fill the gap
Life in and Around Water
Ponds and rivers are busy homes. Fish, frogs, herons and insects have bodies suited to water, water plants grow in different ways, and all are linked by food chains.
What you will be able to do
- I can name animals that live in or near water and say how their bodies help them.
- I can sort water plants into free-floating, rooted, edge and underwater plants.
- I can make a simple river food chain and say what happens if one link is lost.
Key points
Fish have fins to swim and can breathe under water; land animals cannot.
The pond heron stands still on long legs and catches fish with its pointed beak.
Water hyacinth floats freely; lotus and water lily are rooted; reeds grow at the edge.
A waxy coat on many leaves keeps out too much water.
In a food chain, each living thing is food for the next; losing one link hurts the rest.
Full explanation
A pond full of surprises
After the rain, the pond near the school is full again. Afreen calls out, "Jyoti, come and look!" Tiny fish dart about in the water. A small frog sits on a lotus leaf. The girls wonder how these living things manage in water all day.
Made for water
Animals that live in water have special body parts. A fish has fins. It moves them to swim and to turn. We cannot breathe under water, but fish can. Each water animal has a body that suits life in water.
Birds with long legs
Some birds find their food in water. The pond heron has long, thin legs. It can stand in shallow water and keep its body dry. It stays very still. When a fish comes close, its long, pointed beak snaps it up.
Pond neighbours
Many animals share a pond. The dragonfly is a quick flier, and it lays its eggs close to water. It eats mosquitoes. The water scorpion is an insect with pincers. It lives under water and breathes through a tube at its tail. A soft-shelled turtle swims in ponds and rivers. The water snake eats fish and frogs. It is harmless, but we watch it from far away.
Plants that float
Some plants float freely on the water. The water hyacinth is one of them. It grows very fast and can cover a whole pond. The lotus and the water lily are different. Their roots hold on to the mud at the bottom. Their leaves and flowers float on top.
Plants at the edge and below
Reeds grow along the edges of ponds. They are tall and look like grass. Some other plants grow fully under the water. So a pond has plants on top, plants below and plants all around it.
The waxy leaf secret
Put a drop of water on plain paper. It soaks in. Now colour the paper with a wax crayon. Add another drop. This time the drop stays round and rolls away. Many leaves have a waxy coat just like this. It keeps out too much water, so the plant stays healthy.
Who eats whom?
Living things in a river need each other for food. Small fish eat tiny water plants. Big fish eat small fish. Otters, crocodiles and some birds eat fish. This link is called a food chain. What if all the fish were gone? The animals that eat them would go hungry.
Special animals of India
The fishing cat lives in India's wetlands. Its paws are partly webbed. It swims very well and dives to catch fish. In Manipur, there is a national park that floats! Keibul Lamjao rests on floating islands called phumdis. The rare Sangai deer lives there.
Why life gathers near water
Look around any pond, lake or river. You will find many plants and animals. They all need water to drink. Many find their food there. Some live in the water all the time. That is why so much life gathers near water.
If the rain stopped
Imagine no rain in your area for two years. Ponds and wells would dry up. Fish and frogs would die. Birds would fly away to find water. Farmers could not grow crops. Freshwater is limited, and all living things share it. So we must use it wisely and keep it clean.
Concepts and terms
Water animals and plants have special parts, like fins, long legs, floating leaves and waxy coats, that help them live in or near water.
Some float freely, like water hyacinth. Some are rooted with floating leaves, like lotus. Some grow at the edge, like reeds. Some grow fully under water.
A line that shows who eats whom. In a river: tiny plants, small fish, big fish, otter. If one link is lost, others go hungry.
Watch out!
Myth or fact?
Real world: the pond count
Scenario:
Class 5 of a school in Bhopal visits a pond with their teacher, Mr Qureshi. Everyone stays together and keeps away from the edge. The children must not touch any plant or animal. They only look and count. Kabir keeps a tally. He counts 12 lotus flowers and 5 frogs. He counts 8 dragonflies and 3 pond herons. Back in class, the children draw a picture graph. One picture stands for one living thing. Anjali asks, "Why are there so many living things here?"
Analysis:
Counting living things turns a nature walk into data. A picture graph shows at once which is most common.
Activity:
With an adult, count the birds or insects you see in a park for ten minutes. Make a tally and a picture graph.
Try it at home
Title:
The waxy leaf test
What You Notice:
The drop soaks into the plain paper. On the waxy paper, it stays round and rolls off. Waxy leaves stay dry in the same way.
Did you know
Manipur's Keibul Lamjao is the world's one and only national park that floats.
The fishing cat of India's wetlands can dive under water to catch fish.
Memory tricks
Kinds of water plants — Float, Root, Edge, Below — Water hyacinth floats, lotus roots, reeds stand at the edge, and some plants grow below the water.
Practice MCQs with answers (15)
- A Water scorpion
- B Dragonfly
- C Butterfly
- D Honeybee
Show answer
Why:
The water scorpion uses a tail tube to breathe.
- A It makes honey.
- B It eats mosquitoes.
- C It cleans the water.
- D It keeps snakes away.
Show answer
Why:
Dragonflies eat mosquitoes, which can spread illness.
- A 1-at the edge, 2-floats freely, 3-rooted with floating leaves
- B 1-rooted with floating leaves, 2-at the edge, 3-floats freely
- C 1-floats freely, 2-rooted with floating leaves, 3-at the edge
- D 1-floats freely, 2-at the edge, 3-rooted with floating leaves
Show answer
Why:
Hyacinth floats freely, lotus roots in the mud with floating leaves, reeds grow at the edge.
- A mud
- B air
- C leaves
- D sand of the beach
Show answer
Why:
Water lily roots hold on to the pond bed.
- A Water hyacinth grows only in the very driest of deserts.
- B Reeds float freely in the middle of a pond.
- C A lotus has no roots at all.
- D Water hyacinth grows fast and spreads across a pond.
Show answer
Why:
Water hyacinth is a fast-growing, free-floating plant.
- A Soak into the paper at once
- B Turn the paper blue
- C Stay round and roll off
- D Turn into ice
Show answer
Why:
Wax does not let water soak in, so the drop stays round.
- A water
- B sunlight
- C air
- D soil
Show answer
Why:
The wax makes the leaf waterproof, so the plant stays healthy.
- A Small fish eat otters.
- B Otters eat water plants only.
- C Plants eat small fish.
- D Big fish eat small fish.
Show answer
Why:
In a river food chain, bigger animals eat smaller ones.
- A I and II only
- B II and III only
- C I and III only
- D I, II and III
Show answer
Why:
I and III are correct. II is not: lotus and water lily are ROOTED. It is the water hyacinth that floats freely.
- A R, P, S, Q
- B Q, S, P, R
- C S, Q, R, P
- D P, S, Q, R
Show answer
Why:
Tiny plants, then small fish, then big fish, then the otter.
- A is under the sea
- B floats on water
- C is on a mountain top
- D has no animals
Show answer
Why:
The park rests on floating islands called phumdis.
- A Both true, and the reason explains the assertion
- B Both true, but the reason does not explain it
- C The assertion is true and the reason is false
- D The assertion is false and the reason is true
Show answer
Why:
Both are true, and the reason is what the coat does. Too much water is as much a problem as too little.
- A Pick the lotus flowers and carry them all the way home
- B Throw stones in to see the fish jump
- C Watch and count, without touching plants or animals
- D Walk alone over to the deep end
Show answer
Why:
We observe quietly, stay with adults and do not disturb living things.
- A Yes, only fish are able to live in pond water for their whole life.
- B Frogs, turtles and water scorpions live in ponds but are not fish.
- C Frogs are simply small fish that have grown legs for jumping.
- D Turtles are a kind of fish that carry a hard shell on top.
Show answer
Why:
Many kinds of animals live in water. Only fish are fish.
- A The ponds slowly become bigger and deeper than before.
- B Many more fish are born because the water lies still.
- C The groundwater rises until it reaches the surface.
- D Ponds and wells dry up, and plants and animals suffer.
Show answer
Why:
Without rain, water sources are not refilled, so living things suffer.
Important short questions (5)
It has fins to swim and turn. It can breathe under water.
It stands still in shallow water on its long legs. It snaps up fish with its long, pointed beak.
A lotus has roots in the pond bed and floating leaves. A water hyacinth floats freely.
It makes the leaf waterproof. It keeps out too much water, so the plant stays healthy.
Tiny water plants, then small fish, then big fish, then an otter.
Long answer questions (2)
All living beings need water to drink. A pond or river gives it to them every day. Many animals also find food there. Herons catch fish and dragonflies catch insects. Fish, frogs and turtles live in the water itself. Plants like lotus and reeds grow in or beside it. So water bodies are full of life.
My school would catch rain from its roof in a big tank. It would have a soak pit so extra rain sinks into the ground. The playground would have grass and trees, not only cement. Taps would close by themselves. Water from washing hands would water the garden. A small pond would give a home to frogs and birds.
Flashcards (12)
Play this topic
- Who has what?
- Build a food chain
- Pond facts
- Pond sprint
- Pond words
Class 5 Environmental Studies Chapter 1 — frequently asked questions
Most of it is in seas and oceans. It is too salty to drink.
Solid, like ice. Liquid, like rain. Vapour, like steam.
They slowly melt. The solid ice turns into liquid water.
The Sun heats water in seas, rivers and lakes. The water turns into vapour and rises.
Rain soaks into the soil. It sinks through soil and rocks and is stored deep under the ground.
Rain cannot soak through concrete. It runs off into drains instead of going into the ground.
It has fins to swim and turn. It can breathe under water.
It stands still in shallow water on its long legs. It snaps up fish with its long, pointed beak.
A lotus has roots in the pond bed and floating leaves. A water hyacinth floats freely.
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