Chapter 7 of 10
Chapter 7: A Watering Rhyme & The Giving Tree
Poem on Plant Biology by P.A. Ropes & Shel Silverstein's Classic Tale on Sacrificial Love of Nature | CBSE Session 2026–27
Core Pedagogical Competencies & Concepts
- Poem 'A Watering Rhyme': Proper timing for watering plants (early morning or evening, never midday).
- Botany: Watering the roots where plants keep their 'mouths' to nourish leaves and stems.
- Story 'The Giving Tree': The lifelong bond between an Apple Tree and a young boy.
- Stages of sacrifice: Giving apples for money, branches for a house, trunk for a boat, and finally a stump for old-age rest.
- Environmental ethics: Selfless generosity of Mother Nature versus human consumerism.
All Textbook Exercises & In-Text Tasks (14 Questions)
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Q1
Reading is Fun • Poem 'A Watering Rhyme'
What is the best time to water plants according to the poem? Which time should be strictly avoided and why?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Best Times: The best times to water plants are early in the morning or late in the evening when the air is cool.
Time to Avoid: Watering at noonday when the sun is blazing hot must be strictly avoided. Midday watering causes water to evaporate rapidly before roots can absorb it, and hot water drops on leaves can scorch and kill the delicate foliage.
Time to Avoid: Watering at noonday when the sun is blazing hot must be strictly avoided. Midday watering causes water to evaporate rapidly before roots can absorb it, and hot water drops on leaves can scorch and kill the delicate foliage.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Names early morning and evening as ideal watering times
1.5 M
Explains evaporation and scorching risks of midday watering
1.5 M
Q2
Reading is Fun • 'The Giving Tree'
How did the boy spend his childhood with the tree? What gifts did the tree give the boy as he grew from youth to middle age?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Childhood Play: As a child, the boy loved the tree dearly. He made crowns from her leaves, climbed her trunk, swung from her branches, ate her sweet apples, and slept under her cool shade.
Gifts in Later Years:
1. Youth: Gave her apples for the boy to sell in the market to earn money.
2. Adulthood: Offered her thick branches so the young man could build a home for his family.
3. Middle Age: Allowed him to cut down her massive trunk to hollow out a sailing boat.
Gifts in Later Years:
1. Youth: Gave her apples for the boy to sell in the market to earn money.
2. Adulthood: Offered her thick branches so the young man could build a home for his family.
3. Middle Age: Allowed him to cut down her massive trunk to hollow out a sailing boat.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Describes childhood games and sweet connection
1.5 M
Chronicles sequence of apples, branches, and trunk
1.5 M
Q3
Reading is Fun • 'The Giving Tree'
What remained of the tree in the end, and how did she still bring comfort to the old, weary boy?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
In the end, nothing remained of the magnificent tree except an old, weathered, mossy stump close to the ground.
When the boy returned as a frail, bent old man with no teeth to eat apples and no strength to swing or sail, the tree joyfully invited him: 'Come, old boy, sit down and rest.' The old man sat on the stump, and the tree was peaceful and truly happy.
When the boy returned as a frail, bent old man with no teeth to eat apples and no strength to swing or sail, the tree joyfully invited him: 'Come, old boy, sit down and rest.' The old man sat on the stump, and the tree was peaceful and truly happy.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Identifies remaining weathered stump
1.5 M
Describes tree providing peaceful seat to comfort the weary old man
1.5 M
Q4
Let us Think • Environmental Reflection
Why is Mother Nature compared to 'The Giving Tree'? What should humanity do in return for trees?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Mother Nature is like the Giving Tree because trees selflessly give us oxygen, sweet fruits, timber, shade, and rain without demanding anything in return.
Instead of greedily cutting down forests, humans should express gratitude by planting new saplings, nurturing existing trees, preventing deforestation, and protecting green wildlife reserves.
Instead of greedily cutting down forests, humans should express gratitude by planting new saplings, nurturing existing trees, preventing deforestation, and protecting green wildlife reserves.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Highlights unconditional ecological benefits of trees
1.5 M
Advocates afforestation, conservation, and reciprocal gratitude
1.5 M
Q5
Reading is Fun • Poem Comprehension
In Unit 7 ('A Watering Rhyme & The Giving Tree'), what is the central event in the poem, and what sounds of nature wake the morning world?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Nature & Morning Sounds:
The poem celebrates the break of dawn. Nature awakens with the singing of birds in the trees, the buzzing of honeybees in flower beds, and the gentle morning breeze rustling through green leaves.
The poem celebrates the break of dawn. Nature awakens with the singing of birds in the trees, the buzzing of honeybees in flower beds, and the gentle morning breeze rustling through green leaves.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Awakening of nature described
1 M
Specific sounds (birds, bees) identified
1 M
Q6
Reading is Fun • Story Comprehension
In the prose section of Unit 7, how does the main character overcome self-doubt or an unusual dilemma?
[3 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Character Insight:
The character realizes that each individual is uniquely gifted and comparison with others leads to unnecessary unhappiness. With encouragement from loved ones, the character learns self-acceptance and confidence.
The character realizes that each individual is uniquely gifted and comparison with others leads to unnecessary unhappiness. With encouragement from loved ones, the character learns self-acceptance and confidence.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Dilemma identified
1.5 M
Resolution through self-acceptance explained
1.5 M
Q7
Word Building • Antonyms
Find antonyms (opposites) for: (a) Tiny (b) Defeat (c) Selfish (d) Proud.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Antonyms:
• (a) Tiny — Huge / Enormous.
• (b) Defeat — Victory / Win.
• (c) Selfish — Generous / Selfless.
• (d) Proud — Humble / Modest.
• (a) Tiny — Huge / Enormous.
• (b) Defeat — Victory / Win.
• (c) Selfish — Generous / Selfless.
• (d) Proud — Humble / Modest.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
All 4 opposites correct
2 M
Q8
Let us Write • Creative Expressions
Write two sentences describing how trees help birds, animals, and human beings as depicted in 'A Watering Rhyme & The Giving Tree'.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Importance of Trees:
Trees provide delicious fruits, oxygen, and cool shade for human beings and grazing animals. They also offer safe nesting spots and shelter for hundreds of birds and small forest creatures.
Trees provide delicious fruits, oxygen, and cool shade for human beings and grazing animals. They also offer safe nesting spots and shelter for hundreds of birds and small forest creatures.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Benefits to humans and wildlife clearly stated
2 M
Q9
Grammar & Language • Conjunctions (and, but, because)
Join the pairs of sentences using 'and', 'but', or 'because':
(a) She ran fast. She missed the school bus.
(b) We stayed inside. It was raining heavily.
[2 Marks]
(a) She ran fast. She missed the school bus.
(b) We stayed inside. It was raining heavily.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Joined Sentences:
• (a) She ran fast, but she missed the school bus.
• (b) We stayed inside because it was raining heavily.
• (a) She ran fast, but she missed the school bus.
• (b) We stayed inside because it was raining heavily.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Correct use of 'but'
1 M
Correct use of 'because'
1 M
Q10
Talk Time • Imagination & Empathy
If animals and trees could speak our language, what important advice would they give to humans?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Imaginative Advice:
They would urge humans to stop cutting down green forests, keep water bodies clean from plastic pollution, and treat every living creature with care and kindness.
They would urge humans to stop cutting down green forests, keep water bodies clean from plastic pollution, and treat every living creature with care and kindness.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Thoughtful, empathetic environmental message
2 M
Q11
Vocabulary • Rhyming Couplets
Find two rhyming word pairs from the poem in Unit 7.
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Rhyming Pairs:
1. Bed - Head (rhyming sound '-ed').
2. Day - Play (rhyming sound '-ay').
1. Bed - Head (rhyming sound '-ed').
2. Day - Play (rhyming sound '-ay').
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Two valid rhyming pairs with sounds identified
2 M
Q12
Grammar • Subject and Predicate
Divide the sentence into Subject and Predicate: 'The little fir tree stood proudly in the green forest.'
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Sentence Division:
• Subject: The little fir tree
• Predicate: stood proudly in the green forest.
• Subject: The little fir tree
• Predicate: stood proudly in the green forest.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Subject correctly identified
1 M
Predicate correctly identified
1 M
Q13
Think & Discuss • Life Lessons
What is the core moral lesson of Unit 7 ('A Watering Rhyme & The Giving Tree')?
[2 Marks]
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Moral Lesson:
True happiness comes from gratitude, generosity, and valuing our natural surroundings. Greed and vanity only bring discontentment.
True happiness comes from gratitude, generosity, and valuing our natural surroundings. Greed and vanity only bring discontentment.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
Clear moral lesson with supporting detail
2 M
Q14
Review Questions • True or False
State True or False:
(a) Nasruddin was famous among his friends for boasting about his archery skills.
(b) Giving without expecting anything in return is true kindness.
(c) A question mark is placed at the end of an assertive sentence.
[3 Marks]
(a) Nasruddin was famous among his friends for boasting about his archery skills.
(b) Giving without expecting anything in return is true kindness.
(c) A question mark is placed at the end of an assertive sentence.
✅ Step-by-Step Solution & Working
Answers:
• (a) True: Nasruddin boasted about his aim.
• (b) True: Selfless giving is the highest virtue.
• (c) False: An assertive sentence ends with a full stop, not a question mark.
• (a) True: Nasruddin boasted about his aim.
• (b) True: Selfless giving is the highest virtue.
• (c) False: An assertive sentence ends with a full stop, not a question mark.
CBSE Step-by-Step Marking Scheme
True, True, False with explanations
3 M
🌟 NEP 2020 Competency-Based Case Study
Sustainable Forestry and Tree Conservation
The Chipko Movement in Uttarakhand witnessed village women hugging ash and pine trees to prevent commercial loggers from felling them, demonstrating that trees are living family members that sustain Himalayan hill life.
Analytical Task: How does the spirit of the Chipko Movement contrast with the boy's relentless taking in 'The Giving Tree'? What lesson must modern industry learn?
Evaluation & Model Answer:
Contrast: The boy in the story represents one-sided extraction, taking wood and fruit until the living tree is reduced to a stump. In contrast, the Chipko women protected trees at the risk of their lives, recognizing that living trees preserve water springs, prevent landslides, and sustain community life.
Industry Lesson: Human civilization cannot treat forests as infinite, disposable commodities. Sustainable development requires circular conservation—replanting two saplings for every tree responsibly harvested.
Industry Lesson: Human civilization cannot treat forests as infinite, disposable commodities. Sustainable development requires circular conservation—replanting two saplings for every tree responsibly harvested.
Rubric: 1 Mark for contrasting extractivism with ecological guardianship; 1 Mark for sustainable circular forestry principles.