Science (EVS K-5) · Class 1

Active learning ideas

Why We Need Water

We all know that feeling when we are very thirsty after playing outside! This week, we will become detectives and find out if plants and animals also feel thirsty just like we do.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• NCERT EVS Curriculum for Primary Stage: Theme - Water (Uses of Water)

• 15–25 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Practical Life Work
• 15 min · Whole Class

The Tale of Two Plants

Keep two similar potted plants in the classroom. Label one 'Water Daily' and the other 'No Water'. Students observe and draw the changes in both plants over a week, leading to a clear visual understanding of water's importance.

Identify three things you do with water every morning.

Facilitation Tip

Create a large, simple chart for the class to collectively record daily observations with drawings or simple words like 'fresh' or 'sad'.

What to look for

Picture Sort: Give students a set of pictures (e.g., cat, car, flower, book, boy, rock). They must sort them into two piles: 'Needs Water' and 'Does Not Need Water'.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Practical Life Work
• 20 min · Whole Class

Animal Water Sip 'n' Slurp

Show short video clips of different animals drinking water (e.g., a cat lapping, an elephant using its trunk, a bird sipping). Afterwards, students can mimic the actions of these animals, making it a fun, kinesthetic learning experience.

Explain why we need to drink water when we feel thirsty.

Facilitation Tip

Encourage students to make the sounds the animals might make while drinking to make the activity more engaging.

What to look for

Show and Tell: Ask students to draw their favourite animal and then explain to the class how it might drink water.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Practical Life Work
• 25 min · Individual

My Water Day Chart

Students create a simple chart by drawing all the activities for which they use water from morning to night, such as brushing, bathing, drinking, and washing hands. This connects the broader topic directly to their own daily lives and routines.

Compare a day with water to a day without water.

Facilitation Tip

Start the activity with a group brainstorm on the board to give students some initial ideas.

What to look for

Observation Drawing: Students are given a worksheet with two pots. They must draw a healthy, watered plant in one and a wilted, dry plant in the other, based on the classroom experiment.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Begin by connecting to the children's own experience of thirst. Use the 'Tale of Two Plants' experiment as a constant visual reference point throughout the lesson. Encourage storytelling and sharing of personal observations, like watching a pet dog drink water, to make the learning more personal and memorable.

By the end of these activities, your students will be able to confidently explain why every living thing, from a tiny ant to a big tree, needs water to live and grow.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Only people and big animals need to drink water.

  All living things need water to survive, no matter how big or small. Even tiny ants and worms, and all the plants and trees, need water to grow and stay healthy.

• Plants drink water through their leaves when it rains.

  Plants mostly soak up water from the soil using their roots, which are hidden underground. The water then travels up through the stem to the leaves and flowers.

• Any water, even from a dirty puddle, is okay for animals.

  Just like dirty water can make us sick, it can also harm animals and plants. Clean water is the healthiest for everyone and everything that is living.

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Methods used in this brief

• Practical Life Work