NCERT Book Class 6 Science Diversity in the Living World PDF Download

Chapter 2: Diversity in the Living World

It is a pleasant morning after yesterday's refreshing rain. Dr Raghu and Maniram chacha (uncle) have been invited to the school by the science teacher, Madam Sulekha, to facilitate an exciting nature walk. Dr Raghu is a scientist at the nearby Research Laboratory and Maniram chacha is an elderly person from a nearby community. Maniram chacha is an expert in mimicking bird calls. He is also brilliant at identifying a variety of plants and animals.

To prepare them for the nature walk, Dr Raghu informs the students that the objective of this walk is to experience the beauty and variety of plants and animals in the nature. The students are excited to join them. They are curious to interact and learn from them. The teacher advises the students to carry a notebook, a pen and a water bottle.

As they walk, they begin exploring the plants and animals around them. Dr Raghu advises the students to notice the variety of smells in the park and emphasises respecting all living creatures and observing them without disturbing. Maniram chacha tells the students to not only observe different plants and animals but also to carefully listen to different sounds. The students come across a variety of plants, including grasses, bushes, and large trees. They also observe a variety of birds sitting on the branches of trees, butterflies moving from flower to flower and monkeys jumping from one tree to another. They record their observations in their notebooks and discuss them with Dr Raghu and Maniram chacha.

The students can hear the chirping of birds. Dr Raghu informs them that each bird has a unique chirp. This is an example of diversity in nature. Dr Raghu requests Maniram chacha to mimic calls of some birds. Maniram chacha mimics different bird calls. The students enthusiastically start copying him.

Have you ever observed different plants and animals around you? Share and discuss your observations with your friends and teacher.

2.1 Diversity in Plants and Animals Around Us

Activity 2.1: Let us explore and record

• Plan a nature walk with your teacher to a park or a nearby forest.
• While on the nature walk, observe different plants, insects, birds, and other animals. Also, note the weather conditions, whether it is hot, cold, windy and so on.
• You can collect different types of fallen leaves or flowers and create a scrapbook.
• Take care of the plants and animals in nature. Ensure that you do not disturb the plants and animals in the park. Do not pluck leaves and flowers.
• Record your observations in Table 2.1 about the features of stems, leaves, flowers and anything interesting in various plants. Some examples have been given for you in Fig. 2.1 and Table 2.1.

[Figure 2.1: Examples of different features of some plants, See in your textbook]

Teacher's Note

When you observe plants and animals in nature, make sure you actually look at the details: the shape of the leaf (is it oval or long and thin?), how leaves are arranged on the stem (opposite each other or alternating?), and the stem type (soft or hard?). These features help identify different plants and show the diversity around you.

Key Points

• Diversity in nature means the great variety of different plants, animals, birds and insects that exist all around us.
• When observing plants, you should note their stem type, leaf shape and arrangement, flower colour, and any other special features that make each plant different.
• Observing and respecting living creatures without disturbing them helps us learn about the natural world while keeping it safe.
• Each bird, insect and animal has unique characteristics, such as different bird calls, which show the diversity of life in our surroundings.

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