Chapter 8: How Things Are Made
Learn about paper-making, recycling, and the 5Rs of waste management!
🧾 Chapter Summary
This chapter explores how everyday things, especially paper, are made, through the story of Pihu learning about paper from trees and recycling. Children discover the link between trees and products, the steps to make recycled paper at home, and how to use natural colours like turmeric and beetroot to dye it. The chapter teaches the importance of reducing waste, reusing materials, and following the 5Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle, encouraging creative thinking and responsible choices for a cleaner environment.
✅ Let Us Answer and Explore
Page 119: Recycled Paper Activity
Steps to Make Recycled Paper:
Ans:
- Tear old newspaper into pieces and soak in water.
- Add fenugreek seeds (methi) to help bind the pulp.
- After soaking overnight, mash or grind the mixture.
- Spread and roll it flat to make sheets.
- Dry the paper. Done!
Page 120: Natural Colouring Activity
Sample Table (to be filled during experiment):
| Natural Ingredient | Paper Sample | Colour & Brightness |
|---|---|---|
| Turmeric | 🟨 | Yellow, dull |
| Spinach | 🟩 | Light green, dull |
| Beetroot | 🟥 | Reddish pink, bright |
| Henna | 🟫 | Light brown, medium |
Page 121: Creative Paper Use
Make using recycled paper:
Ans:
- Greeting cards
- Paper masks
- Bookmarks
- Gift wrappers
Page 122: Reflection
Do you think that we waste paper?
Ans: Yes, many times we use more paper than we need, or throw it without using both sides.
How can we reduce wastage of paper?
Ans:
- Use both sides of paper
- Reuse notebooks
- Recycle used paper
- Share books with others
Page 123: Types of Paper – Observation Table
Types of Paper:
| Type of Paper | Use |
|---|---|
| Writing paper | For school notebooks and letters |
| Newspaper | For reading news, making crafts |
| Art paper | For painting and school projects |
| Cardboard | For boxes and packaging |
| Tissue paper | For cleaning and wiping hands |
Page 124–125: The 5Rs of Waste Management
Match each example with the correct R:
| Situation | 5R |
|---|---|
| Cloth bags at grocery shop | Reuse |
| Maya says no to plastic straw | Refuse |
| Rohan uses blank notebook pages | Reduce |
| Sara gives old books to juniors | Reuse |
| Kabir uses old bottle as flower vase | Repurpose |
| Priya makes bag from old clothes | Repurpose |
| Shopkeeper makes envelopes from newspapers | Recycle |
Page 127: Reflection Activity
Objects made from paper pulp:
Ans:
- Toys
- Greeting cards
- Masks
- Bowls
- Decorative items
One action for each of the 5Rs:
| 5R | One Action You Can Take |
|---|---|
| Refuse | Say no to plastic/paper cups |
| Reduce | Use both sides of notebook pages |
| Reuse | Use gift bags and boxes again |
| Repurpose | Turn old jeans into a school bag |
| Recycle | Send used papers for recycling |
Changes using the 5Rs in daily life (Sample):
| 5R | My Change Example |
|---|---|
| Refuse | I will not take plastic cutlery with food parcels |
| Reduce | I will write rough work on unused paper |
| Reuse | I will reuse old folders and envelopes |
| Repurpose | I will use jars as pen stands |
| Recycle | I will recycle newspaper into handmade paper |
✏️ Activities
Page 119: Recycled Paper Activity
Activity: Make recycled paper using old newspapers.
Instructions: Follow the steps to tear, soak, mash, spread, and dry newspaper pulp. Use fenugreek seeds for binding. Test the paper for writing or crafts.
Page 120: Natural Colouring Activity
Activity: Dye recycled paper with natural ingredients like turmeric, spinach, beetroot, and henna.
Instructions: Extract colours by boiling or soaking ingredients, apply to paper, and record the colour and brightness in a table. Compare results.
Page 121: Creative Paper Use
Activity: Create items like greeting cards, paper masks, bookmarks, or gift wrappers using recycled paper.
Instructions: Use recycled paper, decorate with natural colours, and display creations in a class exhibition. Try sketching or painting on them.
Tip: Decorate items with natural colours for vibrant designs!
Page 123: Types of Paper – Observation Table
Activity: Collect and observe different types of paper and their uses.
Instructions: Gather samples of writing paper, newspaper, art paper, cardboard, and tissue paper. Paste small samples in a table and note their uses.
🧠 Let Us Reflect
Students can reflect on the chapter by discussing how paper is made, the importance of recycling, and how the 5Rs can reduce waste in daily life. They can share ideas for creative paper uses and waste management practices.
🧠 Concepts Covered
- Process of making paper from trees and recycling
- Use of natural colours for dyeing paper
- Creative uses of recycled paper
- The 5Rs of waste management: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle
- Reducing paper wastage and environmental responsibility
- Hands-on activities: Recycled paper-making, natural dyeing, creative paper crafts, paper type observation
