Birds Come Birds Go - CBSE Class 2 Maths NCERT

Understanding 'Birds Come Birds Go'

The chapter 'Birds Come Birds Go' teaches us fundamental arithmetic operations – addition and subtraction – through relatable scenarios involving birds. Imagine you are sitting in a park, observing birds. Sometimes new birds fly in and join the flock; sometimes some birds fly away. This simple observation helps us understand how numbers change. When birds 'come,' it means more birds are added to the group, which is a perfect example of addition. We count the original birds and then count the new birds to find the total. Similarly, when birds 'go,' it means some birds have left the group, which is an example of subtraction. We count the original birds and then subtract the birds that left to find how many are remaining. This chapter helps build a strong foundation for understanding number sense and applying math to real-world situations, making abstract concepts concrete and easy to grasp. We will learn to read these stories carefully, identify the operation needed, and solve them step by step.

Step-by-Step: Solving 'Birds Come Birds Go' Problems

1. Step 1: Read the Story Carefully — Always read the problem at least twice to make sure you understand what is happening. Is the number of birds increasing or decreasing?
2. Step 2: Identify the Math Operation — If birds 'come,' 'join,' or 'more' are added, it means addition (+). If birds 'go,' 'fly away,' 'left,' or 'less' are remaining, it means subtraction (-).
3. Step 3: Note Down the Numbers — Write down the numbers given in the story. For example, if there were '5 birds' and '2 more came,' your numbers are 5 and 2.
4. Step 4: Do the Calculation — Perform the addition or subtraction operation using the numbers you identified. You can use your fingers, count on a number line, or draw pictures to help you.
5. Step 5: State the Final Answer — Write your answer clearly, including what you counted. For example, 'There are 7 birds now.' Don't forget to include the unit, like 'birds'.

Key Tips for Counting and Calculating

• Keywords are your friends: Look for words like "total," "altogether," "more," or "came" for addition. Look for "left," "flew away," "gone," or "less" for subtraction. These words are clues!
• Draw Pictures: If you get confused or the numbers are big, draw simple stick figures for birds or dots. This helps you visualize the problem and count accurately.
• Count Carefully: Always double-check your counting when figuring out the initial number of birds, or the number that came or went. A small counting mistake can change the whole answer.
• Practice Makes Perfect: The more problems you solve, the easier it will become to quickly understand and solve these kinds of questions. Don't be afraid to try different problems!

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: On a tree, there were 7 sparrows. 3 more sparrows flew in and joined them. How many sparrows are there on the tree now? A: Step 1: Understand the problem. Sparrows were on the tree, and more flew in. This means we need to add. Step 2: Identify numbers. Original sparrows = 7. New sparrows = 3. Step 3: Perform addition. 7 + 3 = 10. Final answer: There are 10 sparrows on the tree now.
• Q: A flock had 12 pigeons. 5 pigeons flew away to another park. How many pigeons are left in the flock? A: Step 1: Understand the problem. Pigeons were in a flock, and some flew away. This means we need to subtract. Step 2: Identify numbers. Original pigeons = 12. Pigeons that flew away = 5. Step 3: Perform subtraction. 12 - 5 = 7. Final answer: 7 pigeons are left in the flock.
• Q: In a birdbath, there were 8 colourful birds. Later, 4 more birds came to drink water, but then 2 birds flew away. How many birds are there now at the birdbath? A: Step 1: Understand the problem. This is a two-step problem: birds came (addition) and then birds flew away (subtraction). Step 2: First, birds came. We add the new birds: 8 (original) + 4 (came) = 12 birds. Step 3: Next, birds flew away. We subtract those birds: 12 (after coming) - 2 (flew away) = 10 birds. Final answer: There are 10 birds at the birdbath now.
• Q: Rahul saw 6 bluebirds and 5 redbirds in his garden. How many birds did Rahul see altogether? A: Step 1: Understand the problem. Rahul saw two different groups of birds and wants to know the total number of birds. This means we need to add them together. Step 2: Identify numbers. Bluebirds = 6. Redbirds = 5. Step 3: Perform addition. 6 + 5 = 11. Final answer: Rahul saw 11 birds altogether.

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