Chapter 6: Happy and Healthy Living

Chapter at a Glance

We feel happy when we eat our favourite food, play games or spend time with friends and family. This chapter shows the long journey of a grain of rice or wheat from the farm to our plate. The farmer prepares the soil, sows seeds, waters the field and harvests the crop. Cattle help plough the land, earthworms keep the soil soft, and sunlight, water and air help the plant grow. The grain is then cleaned, stored, sold by shopkeepers and finally cooked by our family. When we remember all these helpers with thanks, every grain feels precious. Festivals like Makar Sankranti, Lohri, Onam, Raja Utsav and Akshaya Tritiya are ways of thanking Mother Nature for food.

The chapter then teaches mindful eating through a peanut activity. With closed eyes, students feel, chew and taste a peanut slowly, using their tongue, teeth, nose and other senses. Eating slowly and paying attention helps us enjoy food, digest it well and make healthy choices. We should take only as much food as we need and not waste any, because wasting food disrespects everyone who worked to grow it.

To stay healthy, we also need exercise, play, yoga and enough sleep. Games like running, cycling, skipping and kabaddi make us strong, and yoga improves posture and keeps us calm. Good sleep removes tiredness; without it we feel lazy, sleepy and cranky. Finally, the chapter explains safe and unsafe touch. If any touch makes us uncomfortable, we should say ‘No’ firmly and tell a trusted adult like a parent or teacher.

Word Meanings

Important Topics

1. Journey of a Grain (Farm to Plate)

1. The farmer prepares the field and ploughs it with cattle or a tractor.
2. Seeds are sown in the soil.
3. Plants grow with water, sunlight, air and good soil (earthworms help).
4. Ripe crops are harvested.
5. Grains are separated, cleaned and stored.
6. Grains go to the market and are sold by shopkeepers.
7. Family members cook the grain and serve it on our plate.

2. Role of Each Helper

3. Festivals of Gratitude

• Makar Sankranti, Lohri, Onam, Raja Utsav and Akshaya Tritiya thank Mother Nature for food.

4. Mindful Eating

• Put the food in your mouth slowly.
• Feel its surface with your tongue.
• Chew gently and well.
• Notice the taste and smell.
• Remember the texture before swallowing.
• Benefits: we enjoy food more, digest it better and make healthy choices.

5. Valuing Food

• Every grain is precious.
• Take only as much as you need; do not leave food on the plate.
• Wasting food disrespects the hard work of farmers and others.

6. Exercise and Play

• Running, jumping, cycling, skipping and outdoor games keep us strong and energetic.
• Yoga improves posture and keeps us happy and active.
• ‘Khel Yoga’ is a textbook with many exercises and games.

7. Sleep Well

• Sleep removes tiredness and makes us fresh.
• Without enough sleep, we feel tired, sleepy and irritable and cannot focus.
• Sleep is as important as healthy food and exercise.

8. Feeling Safe

• If a touch feels wrong: say ‘No’ firmly, move away, and tell a trusted adult.
• It is never the child’s fault; there is no need to feel guilty.

Question-Answers

Very Short Answer Questions

1. Name two grains we eat. Rice and wheat.
2. Who grows grains for us? Farmers.
3. Which small animal makes soil soft and rich? The earthworm.
4. Name two festivals that thank nature for food. Lohri and Onam.
5. Which food was used in the mindful eating activity? Peanut.
6. What does the tongue do while eating? It feels the food and tastes it.
7. What do teeth do to food? They cut and chew it into small pieces.
8. Name the textbook with exercises and games. Khel Yoga.
9. What does yoga improve? Our posture.
10. How do we feel without enough sleep? Tired, sleepy and irritable.
11. What should we do if a touch feels unsafe? Say ‘No’ and tell a trusted adult.

Short Answer Questions

Q1. What is the role of farmers in the journey of grain?

Farmers prepare the soil, sow seeds, water the fields, protect crops from pests and harvest them. Without their hard work, grain would not reach us.

Q2. What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating means eating slowly and paying attention to the taste, smell and texture of food. It helps us enjoy food, chew it properly and make healthy choices.

Q3. Why should we not waste food?

Many people, animals and natural elements work hard to bring food to our plate. Wasting food disrespects their effort and wastes water, soil and energy too.

Q4. Why does our body need rest and sleep?

Sleep removes tiredness and gives our body and mind fresh energy. Without enough sleep, we cannot focus and we feel lazy and cranky.

Q5. What is the difference between safe and unsafe touch?

A safe touch, like a hug from a parent, makes us feel happy and comfortable. An unsafe touch makes us feel scared, confused or uncomfortable, whether it comes from a stranger or someone we know.

Long Answer Questions

Q1. Describe the journey of a grain from the farm to our plate.

The farmer ploughs the field with the help of cattle or a tractor and sows seeds. Soil, water, sunlight and air help the plants grow, and earthworms keep the soil loose and rich. When the crop is ripe, it is harvested and the grains are separated and cleaned. The grains are stored and then sent to the market, where shopkeepers sell them. Finally, family members cook the grain and serve it to us. Many people and natural elements work together in this journey.

Q2. What habits help us stay happy and healthy?

We should eat a balanced diet at the right time and eat mindfully without wasting food. We should play outdoor games and exercise or do yoga every day. We must sleep well at night and wake up early. We should spend less time on TV and mobile and read books. We should also feel safe and speak up to a trusted adult whenever something makes us uncomfortable.

Q3. What should a child do if someone makes them feel unsafe?

The child should firmly say ‘No’ and move away from that person. They should tell a trusted adult such as a parent, teacher or elder right away. They should not keep it a secret or feel guilty, because it is never their fault. Speaking up keeps them and other children safe.

Textbook Exercise Answers

Q1. What would happen to a grain if these were missing?

Q2. Design a balanced plate (sample).

• Breakfast: Vegetable poha, a glass of milk, a banana.
• Lunch: Roti, dal, green vegetable, curd, salad.
• Dinner: Rice, rajma, mixed vegetables, a fruit.

Q3. Activities enjoyed during mindful eating.

Closing my eyes and guessing the food, feeling its shape, chewing slowly and noticing its crunchy texture and nutty taste.

Q4. How can you keep your body strong?

Exercises: running, skipping, stretching, yoga poses like tadasana and vrikshasana. Games: kabaddi, kho-kho, football, cricket, badminton.

Q5. Daily habits plan (sample).

Other in-text questions

• If someone offers more food than you need: politely say ‘No, thank you’ or take a small amount.
• If you do not like a food item: take a small portion and try it, instead of leaving it on the plate.
• Two situations to say ‘No’ firmly: when a stranger offers sweets or a ride, and when someone touches you in a way that feels wrong.