NCERT Solutions for Class 3 EVS Chapter 04 Getting to Know Plants

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Question. Write the names of trees that you can recognise. Try to remember where you have seen these trees. Which of these trees have you seen near your home or on your way to school?
Answer:
We can recognize several common trees around us:
* Mango Tree: These are common in orchards, backyards, and public parks.
* Coconut Tree: These tall trees grow mostly in sandy soil near beaches and seas.
* Khejri Tree: These are mostly found in very dry desert places.
* Jackfruit Tree: These grow in home gardens and farms.
* Banyan Tree: These are huge trees with hanging roots, found in village centers, temples, and large parks.
* Peepal Tree: These are common across India, often seen near old buildings and temples.
* Chinar Tree: These beautiful trees with wide leaves grow in cooler mountain areas like Kashmir.
* Amaltas Tree: These are roadside trees famous for their beautiful hanging yellow flowers.

On my way to school, I regularly see Mango and Jackfruit trees in home gardens, and huge Banyan and Peepal trees in the local park.
In simple words: We can identify many trees around us. Mango and Banyan trees are common in parks, while coconut trees grow near the sea.

Exam Tip: Learn to identify trees by their unique features, like the banyan's hanging roots or the amaltas's bright yellow flowers.

Question. Write the names of some shrubs. Have you seen any of the shrubs shown in the pictures above? Do you know what they are called in your mother tongue?
Answer:
Shrubs are medium-sized plants with hard, woody stems:
* Hibiscus: These medium-sized woody plants are grown in gardens for their large, showy red or pink flowers.
* Rose: These popular thorny plants are loved for their sweet-smelling, colorful flowers.
* Holy Basil (Tulsi): This is a sacred plant kept in most Indian homes for its healthy, medicinal leaves.
* Curry Leaf: These plants are grown in kitchen gardens for their flavorful leaves used in cooking.
* Toor, Masoor, Moong, and Urad: These are crop plants grown in wide fields. They produce healthy lentil seeds (pulses) that we eat as dal.

In my mother tongue (Hindi), we call them: Gudhal (Hibiscus), Gulab (Rose), Tulsi (Holy Basil), Kadhi Patta (Curry Leaf), Toor (Pigeon Peas), Masoor (Red Lentils), Moong (Green Gram), and Urad (Black Gram).
In simple words: Shrubs are medium-sized plants with woody stems, like rose and hibiscus. Lentils like moong and masoor are also small shrub-like plants.

Exam Tip: Shrubs are different from trees because they are smaller and have many woody branches starting near the ground.

Question. Write the names of some herbs that you have seen and where you have seen them.
Answer:
Herbs are very small plants with soft, green stems:
* Mint (Pudina): This has a fresh, strong smell. It is grown in small pots on balconies and used to make tasty chutneys and drinks.
* Coriander (Dhaniya): This is grown in kitchen gardens. Its green leaves are used to decorate and flavor curries and salads.
* Basil: This is grown in pots for its aromatic leaves used in cooking.
* Parsley: This is grown in gardens as a cooking herb.
* Rosemary: This is found in herb gardens and has a strong, distinct aroma.
* Thyme: This is grown in herb gardens and used in cooking.
* Oregano: This is grown in home gardens and is used on pizzas and pasta.
* Fenugreek (Methi): This is grown in vegetable patches and is used in winter foods and home remedies.
In simple words: Herbs are very small plants with soft, green stems, like mint, coriander, and fenugreek. They are used to add flavor to our food.

Exam Tip: Herbs have green, delicate, and non-woody stems, which makes them different from shrubs and trees.

Question. Guess: Is this a creeper or a climber? What do you call it in your language? Write: Write the names of some climbers or creepers that you have seen and where you have some seen them. Are any of them in the pictures given on page 53? What are they called in your language? Name these plants in your language. Say if they are a tree, shrub, herb, grass, climber or creeper.
Answer:
* Snake Gourd: This is a climber because it has thin, spring-like tendrils that help it hold onto fences and climb upwards. It is called Chichinda in Hindi and Pudalangai in Tamil.
* Climbers and Creepers in my Language:
- Money Plant (Climber): Mani Plant (Hindi) - climbs up supports.
- Jasmine (Climber): Chameli (Hindi), Mallige (Kannada) - has sweet-smelling white flowers.
- Bottle Gourd (Climber): Lauki (Hindi), Sorakaya (Telugu) - grows long green vegetables.
- Watermelon (Creeper): Tarbooj (Hindi), Kalangadi (Kannada) - grows large round fruits.
- Pumpkin (Creeper): Kaddu (Hindi), Gummadikaya (Telugu) - spreads along the soil.
* Plant Types and Local Names Table:
- Marigold: Genda (Hindi), Banthi (Telugu) - Shrub.
- Neem: Neem (Hindi), Vepa (Telugu), Bevugida (Kannada) - Tree.
- Jujube (Ber): Ber (Hindi), Boroi (Manipuri) - Shrub/Tree.
In simple words: Climbers need support to grow upwards (like money plant and bottle gourd), while creepers spread horizontally on the ground (like watermelon and pumpkin).

Exam Tip: Creepers produce large, heavy fruits (like pumpkin) which would break the stems if they tried to climb, so they crawl on the ground.

Question. Activity 1 - Stand, in groups of two to four, next to any tree or shrub that is in or near your school. Now look around, as far as you can see. Remember to look down near your feet as well! How many kinds of trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, climbers or creepers can you spot?
Answer:
When we explored our school garden, we spotted many different types of plants:
* Trees (3 types): Large woody plants like Neem, Mango, and Banyan trees.
* Shrubs (2 types): Medium plants with branching woody stems like Rose and Hibiscus.
* Herbs (4 types): Tiny plants with soft green stems like Mint, Basil, Coriander, and Parsley.
* Grasses (3 types): Thin, flat-leaved plants like Wheat, Rice, and Bamboo.
* Climbers (2 types): Plants climbing walls like Money Plant and Jasmine.
* Creepers (2 types): Ground-crawling plants like Pumpkin and Watermelon.
In simple words: We can divide garden plants into trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, climbers, and creepers by looking at their stems and sizes.

Exam Tip: Bamboo is actually a type of giant grass, not a tree, even though it grows very tall!

Question. Activity 2 - Make friends with a Plant! Choose one plant, preferably a shrub with a thick stem or a tree that you want to make friends with. You can do this by yourself or with a group of your classmates. Name your plant, just like you might name a pet. Take care of the plant by watering it each day. Also protect it as your friend. Now observe your plant closely. Here are a few things to observe - its leaves, flowers and fruits. Are there many, a few or no leaves, flowers and fruits? Record your observations in the table on the next page. Activity 3 - Do you find new leaves growing on the plant? Do the colours of the leaves change as they grow larger? Do the old brown leaves fall to the ground? Do you find flowers appearing or notice any fruit? What are other observations you have? Note down your observations.
Answer:
* My Plant Friend: I chose a Hibiscus shrub in our school garden and named it Greeny.
* Daily Observations:
- Date and Weather: July 19, sunny morning.
- Leaves: There are many green, oval leaves with pointed tips. They look very shiny and glossy. New leaves are light green and soft, while older leaves are dark green and slightly rough. Some old brown leaves fall to the ground.
- Flowers: There are a few star-shaped yellow flowers with a lovely sweet scent. I also saw some bright red buds starting to bloom.
- Fruits: There are no fruits on my plant right now.
- Insects: I spotted some busy ants and a colorful butterfly resting on the branches.
In simple words: We made friends with a hibiscus plant named Greeny. We watered it daily and observed its green leaves, red flowers, and the insects visiting it.

Exam Tip: Keeping a plant diary helps us understand how plants grow, change colors, and interact with insects like bees and butterflies.

Question. Activity 4 - Observe the leaves in your surroundings. Draw, colour and label them in your notebook. Describe their colour, shape, size, texture and smell to your friend in the class. What statements can we make about leaves after doing this activity?
Answer:
We collected and examined different leaves from our garden:
* Neem Leaf: This is dark green, medium-sized, and has pointy, zigzag edges (serrated). It feels smooth on top but rough below, and has a strong bitter, medicinal smell.
* Mango Leaf: This is a large, glossy green leaf. It is long and oval with a pointed tip. It feels thick like leather and smells fresh.
* Rose Leaf: This is a small, dark green leaf with toothed edges. It is smooth to touch and has no strong smell.
* General Facts About Leaves:
- Color: Leaves are mostly green, but some can be yellow, red, or brown.
- Shape: They can be round, long, oval, or heart-shaped, with smooth or wavy borders.
- Size: They range from tiny rose leaves to huge banana leaves.
- Texture: Some feel soft and velvety, while others are rough, hairy, or shiny.
- Smell: Some leaves (like mint, neem, or coriander) have very strong and unique smells.
In simple words: Leaves are different in color, size, shape, feel, and smell. We can easily identify plants by looking closely at their leaves.

Exam Tip: Neem leaves have "serrated" or zigzag margins, which is a key feature used to identify the neem tree.

Question. Activity 5 - What are the parts of a plant? Mark different parts of the plant and label them.
Answer:
A plant has several vital parts, each with its own job:
* Roots: These grow deep in the soil. They hold the plant firmly and drink water and minerals from the earth.
* Stem: This is the main body or trunk of the plant. It keeps the plant upright and carries water and food to all parts.
* Leaves: These are green parts that act like the plant's kitchen. They make food using sunlight, air, and water.
* Flowers: These are the colorful, attractive parts that turn into fruits over time.
* Fruits: These grow from flowers and protect the seeds inside (like tomatoes on a tomato plant).
* Seeds: These are found inside fruits and grow into new baby plants when planted in the soil.
In simple words: The main parts of a plant are roots, stem, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds. Each part helps the plant grow and live.

Exam Tip: Roots absorb water from the soil, while leaves make food for the plant using sunlight. This process is called photosynthesis.

Question. Activity 6 - Bark is the hard outer covering of a tree trunk. Touch and look carefully at the bark of a tree. Do you see any animals, insects or plants on it? Press a sheet of paper on the bark. Gently move a crayon or a pencil repeatedly on it. See what you have! Write the name (or description) of your tree on the reverse of the paper. Now collect all the papers of your friends and see if you can guess the tree just by looking at its bark pattern. Did you notice any other animals, birds and insects on the plant? What were they doing?
Answer:
* Bark Rubbing Experiment: We pressed paper against an Oak tree trunk and rubbed a crayon over it. It created a pattern showing rough, deep lines and some smooth patches. This hard bark protects the tree.
* Life on the Tree:
- Insects: We saw tiny ants, beetles, and caterpillars crawling on the bark looking for leaf bits to eat.
- Birds: We spotted sparrows resting on branches, and a woodpecker pecking the bark to find hidden bugs.
- Animals: A busy squirrel was running up and down the trunk, gathering acorns to store for winter.
In simple words: Bark is the tree's hard skin. We made a crayon print of it. Trees are homes for many creatures like ants, woodpeckers, and squirrels.

Exam Tip: Tree bark acts like a protective shield, protecting the delicate inner parts of the trunk from weather and insects.

Question. Let us reflect - A. Discuss - 1. What would happen if there were no plants? 2. How does the root help a plant to grow? 3. What is the role of the stem? B. Write - 1. List the names of plants that you have seen in your school, park or near your home. Identify what types of plants they are — tree, shrub, herb, grass, climber or creeper. 2. Which particular part of the plant helped you to identify the type of the plant? 3. Describe your favourite plant. Why is it your favourite? C. Draw - Draw different types of leaves you have seen around you. D. Make a rangoli - Collect leaves and flowers fallen on the ground. Arrange them in patterns to make a rangoli. You may also create different animal shapes using the collected leaves.
Answer:
* A. Discussion:
- 1. If there were no plants: Life on Earth would stop. Plants give us oxygen to breathe and clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide. They also provide food and shelter to humans and animals.
- 2. How roots help: Roots anchor the plant firmly in the soil. They act like straws to drink water and nutrients from the soil to help the plant grow.
- 3. Role of the stem: The stem acts like a pillar. It supports the plant to stand tall and carries water from the roots to the leaves and flowers.
* B. Written Work:
- 1. Local Plants List: Neem Tree (Tree), Hibiscus (Shrub), Mint (Herb), Wheat (Grass), Money Plant (Climber), Pumpkin (Creeper).
- 2. Part used for identification: The stem (whether it is a thick trunk, multiple woody branches, a soft green stem, or a climbing vine) is the main part that helps us classify plants.
- 3. My Favorite Plant: My favorite is the Mango Tree. It is a huge tree that provides cool shade to play under on hot summer afternoons. It grows sweet, juicy mangoes that I love to eat, and its branches are homes for many chirping birds.
* C. Leaf Drawings: Students can draw simple outlines of leaves like neem, rose, and papaya in their notebooks.
* D. Leaf & Flower Rangoli: Students can arrange collected fallen leaves and colorful flower petals to make beautiful patterns on the ground.
In simple words: Plants are crucial because they give us oxygen and food. Roots hold the plant, and stems carry water. We can classify plants by looking at their stems.

Exam Tip: Stems are the most important part for classifying plants into trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers, and creepers.