Going to School: CBSE Class 4 EVS Chapter 1

Different Journeys to Knowledge

Every morning is an adventure for many children in India! The journey to school is not always a simple walk down the street. In places like Assam, where it rains a lot, rivers can swell up. Here, children and adults have built strong bamboo bridges. They hold ropes and walk carefully across to get to the other side. Far away in the mountains of Ladakh, the path is steep and the river flows deep in the valley. The solution? A trolley! This is an open wooden box attached to a strong iron rope that stretches across the river. With the help of pulleys, children sit inside and are pulled across. In other places, especially cities, you see strong and permanent cement bridges built over rivers, which can carry even heavy vehicles. Every region uses its own special way, depending on the land, the weather, and the materials available.

Special Ways to Travel and Where to Find Them

Bamboo Bridge

A bridge made of bamboo poles and ropes, commonly used in rainy areas like Assam to cross small rivers and streams.

Trolley

An open wooden box attached to a rope and pulley system, used to cross deep river valleys in mountainous regions like Ladakh.

Vallam

A small wooden boat used to cross water bodies in parts of Kerala. Children take the vallam to reach school.

Camel Cart

A wooden cart pulled by a camel. It is a common mode of transport in the hot, sandy deserts of Rajasthan.

Bullock Cart

A cart with wooden wheels pulled by bullocks. It moves slowly and is often seen in villages in the plains, carrying children through green fields.

Jugaad

A special vehicle, common in places like Gujarat, that is made by combining parts from different vehicles. It looks like a motorcycle from the front but has a cart at the back for carrying people and things.

How a Trolley Helps Cross a River

1. Step 1: The Setup — A very strong iron rope is tied tightly across the river, from one high bank to the other. Big rocks or strong trees are used to secure the ends of the rope.
2. Step 2: Attaching the Trolley — A wooden box (the trolley), which is open at the top, is attached to the rope with a pulley. A pulley is a wheel on an axle that helps the trolley move smoothly along the rope.
3. Step 3: The Crossing — About four or five children sit in the wooden box. To move, they either pull on a second rope or someone on the other side pulls the trolley towards them. The pulley reduces the effort needed to move.
4. Step 4: Reaching Safely — The trolley slides along the main rope until it reaches the other side of the river. The children can then get off and continue their journey to school.

Important Things to Notice

• Geography Matters: The type of land (mountains, desert, plains, river areas) decides how people travel.
• Different Materials: Notice the difference in materials. Bamboo bridges use natural materials like bamboo and rope. Cement bridges use man-made materials like cement, iron, and bricks, making them much stronger and more permanent.
• Not Just for School: These modes of transport are not just for children going to school; they are used by everyone in the community for their daily work and travel.
• Ingenuity and Problem-Solving: Each method, from a simple bamboo bridge to a 'jugaad', shows how people use their creativity to solve everyday problems.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Why do children in some parts of Assam use a bamboo bridge to go to school?
  A: Step 1: Think about the weather in Assam. Assam receives very heavy rainfall.
  Step 2: When it rains a lot, rivers and streams fill up with water, making it difficult to cross.
  Step 3: People in the region use locally available bamboo to build bridges to get across these water bodies safely.
  Final Answer: Children in parts of Assam use a bamboo bridge because it rains heavily there, causing rivers to fill up. The bamboo bridge helps them cross the water safely to reach their school.

• Q: How is a cement bridge different from a bamboo bridge? List two differences.
  A: Step 1: Think about what each bridge is made of. A bamboo bridge is made of bamboo and rope. A cement bridge is made of cement, iron rods, and bricks.
  Step 2: Think about their strength and who can use them. A bamboo bridge can only be used by a few people at a time. A cement bridge is very strong and can be used by people, cars, buses, and trucks.
  Final Answer: Two differences are:

  1. Material: A bamboo bridge is made from natural bamboo, while a cement bridge is made from man-made materials like cement and iron.
  2. Strength: A cement bridge is much stronger and wider than a bamboo bridge and can carry heavy vehicles, whereas a bamboo bridge can only support a few people walking.

• Q: What is a 'vallam' and in which state is it used by children to go to school?
  A: Step 1: Recall the different modes of transport from the chapter related to water.
  Step 2: A 'vallam' is mentioned as a type of boat.
  Step 3: The chapter connects the 'vallam' to a state famous for its backwaters.
  Final Answer: A 'vallam' is a small wooden boat. It is used by children in some parts of Kerala to cross rivers and backwaters to get to school.

• Q: A group of children in Ladakh needs to cross a deep river. What will they use: a camel cart, a bullock cart, or a trolley? Why?
  A: Step 1: Consider the location. Ladakh is a mountainous region with deep river valleys.
  Step 2: Evaluate the options. Camel carts are for deserts, and bullock carts are for plains. Neither is suitable for steep mountains.
  Step 3: The trolley is specifically designed for crossing deep valleys in mountains using a rope and pulley system.
  Final Answer: The children will use a trolley. This is because Ladakh is a mountainous area with deep rivers, and a trolley is the special system used there to cross such places.

Frequently Asked Questions