Nurturing Nature

Part 1 — Neem Baba

(Adapted from S. I. Farooqi)

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Pre-Reading / Warm-up

Q1. Have you seen a neem tree? What is special about it?
Yes, neem trees are common. They are special because their leaves, bark, and oil are used as medicine and for keeping away insects.

Q2. Do you think trees can talk?
No, trees cannot speak like humans, but they communicate through their presence, shade, and usefulness. In stories, writers often imagine trees talking to teach lessons.

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Comprehension Check

Q1. Who is Amber?
Amber is a young child who talks with the neem tree in the story.

Q2. What does Amber ask the neem tree?
Amber asks why people call the tree “Neem Baba” and why they respect it so much.

Q3. What reply does the Neem Baba give?
Neem Baba explains that he gives shade, cures diseases, and protects people from insects and germs.

Q4. How does the neem tree protect villagers from diseases?
Its leaves and twigs are used as medicine, and its smoke keeps away mosquitoes and germs.

Q5. Why do people call the tree “Neem Baba”?
Because the neem tree has served people for generations like a wise elder and protector, they respect it by calling it “Baba.”

Think & Answer

Q1. What lesson do we learn from Neem Baba?
We learn that trees are selfless. They serve humans, animals, and birds without expecting anything in return.

Q2. How should we treat trees?
We should respect, protect, and plant more trees because they give us life and health.

Vocabulary & Grammar

Q1. Opposites from the story:

• Young × Old

• Disease × Health

• Enemy × Friend

• Respect × Disrespect

Q2. Sentences:

1. Neem leaves are bitter but very healthy.

2. The old man gave me good advice.

3. Clean water keeps us free from disease.

4. We should always show respect to elders and nature.

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Extra Questions

Short Answer

1. Why do people use neem twigs to brush teeth?
   Because they are good for gums and keep the mouth healthy.

2. How does Neem Baba describe himself?
   As a humble servant of nature who heals, protects, and provides shade.

3. What does the story teach us about nature?
   That nature gives generously, and we must take care of it.

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Long Answer

Q. How is the neem tree a symbol of selfless service?
The neem tree, called Neem Baba, serves as a symbol of generosity and selflessness. It provides shade in the hot sun, its leaves and bark cure many illnesses, and its smoke keeps away mosquitoes. People also use its twigs as toothbrushes for healthy gums. All of this it gives without asking anything in return. The tree does not choose who benefits from it — rich or poor, young or old, all enjoy its gifts. That is why people respect it like a wise elder and call it Baba. The story reminds us to respect trees, plant more of them, and live in harmony with nature.

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Summary of Neem Baba

The story Neem Baba is an imaginative conversation between a child, Amber, and a neem tree. It highlights the neem tree’s importance and the lessons it teaches us.

Amber asks the tree why people call it Neem Baba and why they show so much respect. The tree replies that it has served people for centuries. It explains that it provides shade to travellers and villagers, helps cure many diseases, and protects people from mosquitoes and germs. Its leaves, bark, and oil are used in home remedies. Its twigs are used to clean teeth and keep gums healthy.

The neem tree tells Amber that it expects nothing in return. It gives its services freely to everyone, whether rich or poor. This selfless service is why people respect it as Baba, meaning a wise and kind elder.

Through this conversation, Amber learns that nature silently helps humans in many ways. Trees provide oxygen, medicines, shade, fruits, and shelter for birds and animals. The neem tree teaches that humans must care for nature in return.

The story ends with the strong message that we should never cut down trees carelessly. Instead, we should plant more trees and respect them. The neem tree stands as a guardian of health and a symbol of kindness.

Thus, Neem Baba reminds us that nature is our greatest teacher and that we must live in harmony with it.

Biography — S. I. Farooqi

Syed Iqbal Farooqi (often written as S. I. Farooqi) is a well-known Indian science writer and environmentalist. He is admired for writing about plants, animals, and the environment in a way that children can easily understand.

He has published many books and articles on medicinal plants, environmental science, and the importance of biodiversity. His works often highlight how nature, especially trees and plants, play a vital role in human life. By writing in simple language, he makes young readers curious about science and respectful towards nature.

One of his contributions has been spreading knowledge about India’s traditional herbal medicines. He explains how common plants like neem, tulsi, and turmeric are powerful in healing and protecting health. His writings connect modern science with traditional wisdom.

Farooqi also contributed to children’s literature by adapting folk tales and stories about nature into forms suitable for school textbooks. Neem Baba is one such adaptation, where a neem tree speaks to a child and explains its usefulness.

Through his work, Farooqi has encouraged readers to conserve the environment and respect natural resources. His life and writings show his deep love for nature and his mission to make everyone, especially children, aware of its value.

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Part 2 — What a Bird Thought

Poem by Anonymous

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Pre-Reading / Warm-up

Q1. Have you seen birds in their nests? What do they do there?
Yes, I have seen birds in their nests. They rest, feed their chicks, and stay safe from danger.

Q2. Do birds change their nests? Why?
Yes, they often change their nests when they grow bigger, when chicks learn to fly, or when they migrate.

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Comprehension Check

Q1. What did the bird first think about its world?
The bird first thought that its world was only the little shell of its egg.

Q2. How did the bird’s idea of the world change when it hatched?
When it hatched, it saw the nest and thought the nest was the entire world.

Q3. What happened when the bird grew a little older?
As the bird grew, it looked out and saw trees, the sky, and rivers. It realised the world was much bigger.

Q4. How did the bird feel when it discovered the vast world?
The bird was surprised and amazed at how big the world was compared to what it had first imagined.

Think & Answer

Q1. What does the poem teach us about life and knowledge?
The poem teaches that as we grow, our understanding of the world expands. Life is much bigger than we first imagine.

Q2. How is the bird’s journey like a human child’s growth?
Just as the bird first thought its shell was the world, children too think their small home is the whole world. As they grow, they learn that the world is vast and full of wonders.

Vocabulary & Grammar

• World: the place we live in

• Nest: home made by birds

• Shell: the covering of an egg

• Amazed: surprised in a happy way

Sentences:

1. The baby bird cracked its shell.

2. The crow built a nest in the tree.

3. The world is full of different countries.

4. She was amazed by the fireworks.

Extra Questions

Short Answer (2–3 lines)

1. Why did the bird think the egg was the whole world?
   Because that was the only place it knew before hatching.

2. What made the bird realise the world was bigger than the nest?
   Looking out at the sky, trees, and rivers showed the bird how vast the world was.

3. What feeling does the bird’s discovery reflect?
   It reflects wonder, curiosity, and excitement about learning new things.

Long Answer

Q. How does the poem compare the growth of a bird to human learning?
The poem compares the stages of a bird’s life to the way humans grow and learn. At first, the bird believes its egg is the world. This is like a newborn baby who only knows its mother. After hatching, the bird thinks the nest is the whole world, just as a child thinks the home is everything. Later, as the bird grows, it sees trees, rivers, and the sky. Similarly, as children grow, they explore schools, society, and the world outside. Finally, the bird realises the world is much bigger than it imagined, which is also true for humans as they learn more and discover life’s vastness. The poem teaches us that knowledge is endless and that curiosity helps us expand our view of the world.

Summary of What a Bird Thought

What a Bird Thought is a short and meaningful poem that describes a bird’s discovery of the world.

At first, the bird is inside its egg. It thinks that the egg is the entire world because that is all it knows. Later, when the bird hatches, it finds itself in a nest. Now it believes that the nest is the world.

As the bird grows older, it looks out of the nest and sees trees, rivers, and the wide sky. It realises that the world is much bigger than the shell or the nest. The bird is filled with surprise and wonder at this discovery.

The poem uses the bird’s growth as a symbol for human growth and learning. Just as the bird’s understanding of the world changes, humans also start by knowing very little but slowly learn that the world is vast and full of new experiences.

The poem’s message is simple but powerful: our knowledge and view of life grow with time. What we think is the whole world now may only be a small part of the bigger reality.

Note on Authorship (Anonymous)

The poem What a Bird Thought is credited to Anonymous in the textbook, meaning the author’s name is not known. Many old poems and folk rhymes are passed down through generations without records of who wrote them. Such poems are preserved in oral tradition and collected later in school readers.

The value of these anonymous works is not in knowing the author but in the lessons they give. What a Bird Thought is one such timeless piece that connects children to curiosity, growth, and the beauty of discovery.

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