Chapter 4 of 24
Chapter 4: Our First School
The Family as Our Primary Learning Space: Values, Habits, Resemblances, and Customs | CBSE Session 2026–27
Core Pedagogical Competencies & Concepts
- Our family is our first school because we learn our first words, habits, manners, and values at home.
- Physical resemblances: Inheriting facial features, voice tones, walking styles, and smiles from parents.
- Special family customs: Taking off shoes outside before entering the home, folding hands in greeting.
- Learning skills from family elders: Tailoring, cooking, farming, cycling, or singing.
All Textbook Exercises & In-Text Tasks (17 Questions)
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Q1
Family Values
Why is our family called our 'first school'?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Our family is called our first school because long before we ever enroll in a formal classroom, we learn how to talk, walk, eat neatly, share our toys, respect elders, and practice honesty from our parents and grandparents at home.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Explanation of early social and moral learning at home
2 Marks
Contrast with formal schooling
1 Mark
Q2
Heredity & Resemblance
Give two examples of how children resemble their parents or relatives in physical appearance or mannerisms.
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
1. Physical Features: A child may have curly hair and dark brown eyes just like their mother, or have a tall height like their father.
2. Mannerisms: A child may have the same hearty laughing style as their uncle, or walk with a brisk gait just like their grandfather.
2. Mannerisms: A child may have the same hearty laughing style as their uncle, or walk with a brisk gait just like their grandfather.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
One clear example of inherited physical features
1.5 Marks
One clear example of behavioral or vocal resemblance
1.5 Marks
Q3
Cultural Customs
What is the reason behind the common Indian custom of leaving footwear outside the home?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Footwear gathers dirt, dust, animal feces, and street microbes from roads. Removing shoes outside ensures that living rooms and kitchen areas remain clean, hygienic, and spiritually sacred.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Hygiene and prevention of outdoor contamination
1.5 Marks
Respect for indoor sacred spaces
0.5 Marks
Q4
Family Resemblances • Genetic Traits
In 'Our First School':
(a) How can family members resemble each other (features, voice, smile, walk)?
(b) Why is our family called our 'First School'?
[3 Marks]
(a) How can family members resemble each other (features, voice, smile, walk)?
(b) Why is our family called our 'First School'?
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Family Resemblance & First School:
(a) Resemblance:
• Children often inherit physical traits like curly hair, brown eyes, facial structure, laughing style, or voice tone from their parents or grandparents.
(b) First School:
• Long before going to formal school, we learn our very first words, eating manners, walking, kindness, hygiene, and cultural customs at home from our family members.
(a) Resemblance:
• Children often inherit physical traits like curly hair, brown eyes, facial structure, laughing style, or voice tone from their parents or grandparents.
(b) First School:
• Long before going to formal school, we learn our very first words, eating manners, walking, kindness, hygiene, and cultural customs at home from our family members.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Physical and behavioral resemblances described
1.5 M
Foundational learning at home explained
1.5 M
Q5
Family Customs • Traditions at Home
In Anwari's family, all members follow the custom of taking off their shoes outside before entering the house.
(a) Why do many Indian families follow this custom?
(b) Write one healthy custom practiced in your family.
[3 Marks]
(a) Why do many Indian families follow this custom?
(b) Write one healthy custom practiced in your family.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Family Customs:
(a) Shoes Outside:
• Footwear collects street dirt, animal feces, and outdoor germs. Leaving shoes outside keeps the home floor clean, hygienic, and spiritually pure.
(b) Family Custom:
• In our family, we wash our hands and feet after returning from outside and touch the feet of our grandparents every morning to seek their blessings.
(a) Shoes Outside:
• Footwear collects street dirt, animal feces, and outdoor germs. Leaving shoes outside keeps the home floor clean, hygienic, and spiritually pure.
(b) Family Custom:
• In our family, we wash our hands and feet after returning from outside and touch the feet of our grandparents every morning to seek their blessings.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Hygiene and cultural purity rationale for shoes
1.5 M
Valid personal/cultural family custom described
1.5 M
Q6
Helping at Home • Family Duties
List three household tasks that children in Class 3 can easily do to help their parents at home.
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Helpful Tasks for Children:
1. Keeping school bags, shoes, and water bottles in their proper places after coming home.
2. Laying plates, spoons, and water glasses on the dining table before dinner.
3. Watering potted plants in the balcony every evening.
1. Keeping school bags, shoes, and water bottles in their proper places after coming home.
2. Laying plates, spoons, and water glasses on the dining table before dinner.
3. Watering potted plants in the balcony every evening.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Three age-appropriate, realistic helping chores
3.0 M
Q7
Respect & Communication • Family Dialogue
What should you do when you accidentally make a mistake or break a dish at home?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Honesty & Courage:
• We should never lie or hide the pieces. We should immediately tell our parents the truth, apologize politely, and help sweep up the broken pieces carefully.
• We should never lie or hide the pieces. We should immediately tell our parents the truth, apologize politely, and help sweep up the broken pieces carefully.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Honesty, apology, and helping in cleanup
2.0 M
Q8
Observation Time • Animals and Habits
In Chapter 4 ('Our First School'), what animals did the characters observe, and how do they move from place to place?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Observations:
Animals move in diverse ways adapted to their bodies:
• Birds (Crow, Pigeon): Fly using wings and hop on two feet.
• Mammals (Cow, Dog): Walk and run on four legs.
• Reptiles (Lizard, Snake): Crawl on walls or slither on the ground.
• Insects (Ant, Grasshopper): Walk on six legs and hop/fly.
Animals move in diverse ways adapted to their bodies:
• Birds (Crow, Pigeon): Fly using wings and hop on two feet.
• Mammals (Cow, Dog): Walk and run on four legs.
• Reptiles (Lizard, Snake): Crawl on walls or slither on the ground.
• Insects (Ant, Grasshopper): Walk on six legs and hop/fly.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Birds, mammals, reptiles, insects movement
3 M
Q9
Find Out & Write • Animal Habitats
Name two animals that live:
(a) On trees
(b) In water
(c) On land
(d) Underground in burrows.
[2 Marks]
(a) On trees
(b) In water
(c) On land
(d) Underground in burrows.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Habitats:
• (a) On trees: Monkey, Squirrel, Owl.
• (b) In water: Fish, Frog, Crocodile.
• (c) On land: Horse, Elephant, Goat.
• (d) In burrows: Rabbit, Earthworm, Snake.
• (a) On trees: Monkey, Squirrel, Owl.
• (b) In water: Fish, Frog, Crocodile.
• (c) On land: Horse, Elephant, Goat.
• (d) In burrows: Rabbit, Earthworm, Snake.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Correct examples for all 4 habitats
2 M
Q10
Discuss & Share • Our Senses
How do our five sense organs help us understand and navigate our daily environment?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Five Senses:
1. Eyes: Help us see shapes, colours, and identify hazards.
2. Ears: Help us hear traffic horns, spoken words, and alarm sounds.
3. Nose: Helps us smell food, flowers, and detect smoke or gas leaks.
4. Tongue: Helps us taste sweet, sour, salty, and bitter food.
5. Skin: Helps us feel touch, heat, cold, roughness, and pain.
1. Eyes: Help us see shapes, colours, and identify hazards.
2. Ears: Help us hear traffic horns, spoken words, and alarm sounds.
3. Nose: Helps us smell food, flowers, and detect smoke or gas leaks.
4. Tongue: Helps us taste sweet, sour, salty, and bitter food.
5. Skin: Helps us feel touch, heat, cold, roughness, and pain.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
All 5 sense organs explained with functions
3 M
Q11
Water Cycle & Weather • Rain and Clouds
Where does rainwater come from, and why do plants and trees look fresher and greener after a rain shower?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Rain and Plant Health:
• Rain comes from water evaporating from rivers, ponds, and seas, forming clouds in the sky that cool and condense into rain droplets.
• Rain washes off thick dust accumulated on leaves, unblocks stomata for breathing, and deeply soaks the roots with fresh mineral-rich moisture.
• Rain comes from water evaporating from rivers, ponds, and seas, forming clouds in the sky that cool and condense into rain droplets.
• Rain washes off thick dust accumulated on leaves, unblocks stomata for breathing, and deeply soaks the roots with fresh mineral-rich moisture.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Water cycle / cloud formation
1.5 M
Why plants look greener after rain
1.5 M
Q12
Food Diversity • Regional Diets
Why do people living in Kerala eat more rice, fish, and coconut, while people in Punjab eat more wheat chapatis, mustard greens, and lassi?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Regional Food Factors:
• What people eat depends directly on what grows easily and abundantly in their climate and geography.
• Kerala has coastal climate, abundant rainfall, and coconut groves, making fish and rice staples.
• Punjab has fertile plains ideal for wheat and mustard cultivation, and a strong dairy culture.
• What people eat depends directly on what grows easily and abundantly in their climate and geography.
• Kerala has coastal climate, abundant rainfall, and coconut groves, making fish and rice staples.
• Punjab has fertile plains ideal for wheat and mustard cultivation, and a strong dairy culture.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Climate and agriculture connection
1.5 M
Kerala and Punjab examples explained
1.5 M
Q13
Cooking Methods • Kitchen Science
Match each food item to its primary method of cooking:
(a) Idli — (1) Frying
(b) Puri — (2) Steaming
(c) Roti — (3) Roasting on Tawa.
[3 Marks]
(a) Idli — (1) Frying
(b) Puri — (2) Steaming
(c) Roti — (3) Roasting on Tawa.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Matching:
• (a) Idli — (2) Steaming
• (b) Puri — (1) Frying in oil
• (c) Roti — (3) Roasting on Tawa.
• (a) Idli — (2) Steaming
• (b) Puri — (1) Frying in oil
• (c) Roti — (3) Roasting on Tawa.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Idli-Steaming, Puri-Frying, Roti-Roasting
3 M
Q14
Shelter & Houses • Diversity in Homes
Why are houses in heavy-rainfall regions like Assam built on bamboo stilts with sloping roofs?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Stilt Houses:
• Bamboo Stilts: Keep the house 10 to 12 feet above ground level to prevent floodwaters and wild animals from entering.
• Sloping Roofs: Allow torrential rainwater to slide off quickly without accumulating or causing leaks.
• Bamboo Stilts: Keep the house 10 to 12 feet above ground level to prevent floodwaters and wild animals from entering.
• Sloping Roofs: Allow torrential rainwater to slide off quickly without accumulating or causing leaks.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Reason for bamboo stilts (floods)
1.5 M
Reason for sloping roof (rain runoff)
1.5 M
Q15
Community Helpers • Occupations
Identify the worker who:
(a) Mends our shoes
(b) Delivers letters and parcels
(c) Shapes clay into earthen pots on a wheel
(d) Treats sick people and prescribes medicines.
[2 Marks]
(a) Mends our shoes
(b) Delivers letters and parcels
(c) Shapes clay into earthen pots on a wheel
(d) Treats sick people and prescribes medicines.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Community Helpers:
• (a) Mends shoes: Cobbler
• (b) Delivers letters: Postman / Mail carrier
• (c) Shapes clay pots: Potter
• (d) Treats sick people: Doctor.
• (a) Mends shoes: Cobbler
• (b) Delivers letters: Postman / Mail carrier
• (c) Shapes clay pots: Potter
• (d) Treats sick people: Doctor.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Cobbler, Postman, Potter, Doctor
2 M
Q16
Web of Life • Food Chain
What is the 'Web of Life'? Draw a simple food chain showing how grass, deer, and lion are connected.
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Web of Life & Food Chain:
• The Web of Life shows that every living organism is interconnected and depends on others for survival.
• Food Chain: Sunlight → Grass (Producer) → Deer (Herbivore) → Lion (Carnivore).
If grass disappears, deer starve; if deer disappear, lions cannot survive.
• The Web of Life shows that every living organism is interconnected and depends on others for survival.
• Food Chain: Sunlight → Grass (Producer) → Deer (Herbivore) → Lion (Carnivore).
If grass disappears, deer starve; if deer disappear, lions cannot survive.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Definition of Web of Life
1.5 M
Grass → Deer → Lion chain explained
1.5 M
Q17
Review Questions • True or False
Write True or False:
(a) Blind people can read books written in Braille script using their fingertips.
(b) Rainwater is the main natural source of fresh water on Earth.
(c) Animals do not have feelings and cannot communicate danger to each other.
[3 Marks]
(a) Blind people can read books written in Braille script using their fingertips.
(b) Rainwater is the main natural source of fresh water on Earth.
(c) Animals do not have feelings and cannot communicate danger to each other.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
• (a) True: Braille uses raised dots felt with fingertips.
• (b) True: Rain replenishes rivers, lakes, and groundwater.
• (c) False: Animals communicate through warning calls, scents, and body language to alert their group of predators.
• (a) True: Braille uses raised dots felt with fingertips.
• (b) True: Rain replenishes rivers, lakes, and groundwater.
• (c) False: Animals communicate through warning calls, scents, and body language to alert their group of predators.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
True, True, False with reasoning
3 M
🌟 NEP 2020 Competency-Based Case Study
Inter-generational Learning: Preserving Traditional Handicrafts
In an artisan family, little Anwita observes her mother and grandmother weaving intricate Zari embroidery on sarees every evening after completing her school homework.
Analytical Task: How does learning within the family keep traditional cultural arts and artisanal livelihoods alive?
Evaluation & Model Answer:
Artisanal knowledge is experiential and passed down orally and through observation across generations. By watching elders' precise hand movements, pattern counting, and thread tensions, children absorb subtle craft techniques that no textbook can teach. This inter-generational mentorship nurtures respect for traditional livelihoods, preserves intangible cultural heritage, and empowers future generations with sustainable economic skills.
Rubric: Experiential learning at home, preservation of intangible craft heritage, respect for traditional work (4 Marks).