Plants and Animals Live Together — NCERT Solutions

Given: Students collected soil specimens at two different times and are asked to compare them.

Sample Answer:

• First soil specimen (collected in summer/dry month, e.g., May):
• Colour: Light brown
• Texture: Dry, rough, and powdery
• Smell: Faint, dusty smell

• Second soil specimen (collected in monsoon month, e.g., July):
• Colour: Dark brown
• Texture: Damp, soft, and slightly sticky
• Smell: Fresh, strong earthy smell (like the smell after rain)

Yes, the two soil specimens smelled different. The wet monsoon soil had a much stronger and pleasant earthy smell compared to the dry summer soil.

(Note: Students should write about their own actual observations from the activities done in class.)

Given: Students observed a plant over several months.

Sample Answer:
Fresh new leaves appeared on the plant during the month of July (the beginning of the monsoon season). After the first rains, the plant looked greener and many small, light-green tender leaves appeared on the branches.

(Note: The month may vary depending on the region and the plant observed. Students should write the month they actually observed new leaves.)

Given: Students observed animals near plants during activities.

Sample Answer:
I noticed the following animals, birds, and insects around plants:

• Animals: Squirrel (climbing on the tree trunk), earthworm (in the soil near the plant)
• Birds: Sparrow (sitting on a branch), crow (flying near the tree), pigeon (resting on a branch)
• Insects: Butterfly (on flowers), ants (on leaves and stem), grasshopper (on grass), ladybird (on a leaf)

All these creatures were using the plant for food, shelter, or rest.

Given: Students have read and observed how animals depend on plants.

Answer — How animals, birds, and insects rely on plants:

1. For food: Camels eat leaves; monkeys eat fruits; caterpillars munch on leaves; sunbirds and butterflies drink nectar from flowers.
2. For shelter: Owls use hollows in trees to raise their young ones; bats and leopards rest on branches.
3. For building nests: Squirrels and crows use twigs to build nests; tailorbirds stitch leaves together to make their nests.

My favourite example:
My favourite example is the tailorbird that stitches leaves together to build its nest. I find it amazing that a small bird can use its beak like a needle to sew leaves and make a cosy home for its babies.

Given: Students have observed soil and read about life in the soil.

Answer:
Soil is made up of:

1. Tiny particles of rock and sand (minerals)
2. Dead and decaying leaves and plants (organic matter / humus)
3. Water (moisture)
4. Air (in the spaces between soil particles)
5. Living organisms such as earthworms, insects, bacteria, and fungi

All these things together make soil rich and suitable for plants to grow.

Given: Students observed animals near plants and are asked to describe them.

Sample Filled Table:

(Note: Students should fill in the table based on their own actual observations.)

Given: Students are asked to draw their plant friend and mark where they saw animals.

Instructions for the drawing:

1. Draw your plant friend — show its trunk/stem, branches, leaves, flowers, or fruits as you observed them.
2. Use different coloured dots to mark the places where you spotted animals:

• Red dot = where you saw an insect (e.g., a butterfly on a flower)
• Blue dot = where you saw a bird (e.g., a sparrow on a branch)
• Green dot = where you saw an animal (e.g., a squirrel on the trunk)
• Yellow dot = where you found insects in the soil (e.g., ants near the roots)

3. Add a small key/legend at the bottom of your drawing to explain what each coloured dot means.

(Note: This is a creative activity. Students should draw their own plant and mark their actual observations with coloured dots.)

Given: Suma observed a caterpillar on a tagar plant over several days. Students must arrange the stages of a caterpillar's life in the correct order.

Concept: A caterpillar goes through a process called metamorphosis to become a butterfly. The stages are: Caterpillar → Stops eating → Forms a cocoon (pupa) → Comes out of cocoon → Becomes a butterfly → Flies away.

Correct Order:

$$1 \rightarrow 2 \rightarrow 3 \rightarrow 4 \rightarrow 5$$

Explanation:

1. First, the caterpillar stops eating — this means it is ready for the next stage.
2. Then it wraps itself in a protective covering called a cocoon (also called a pupa or chrysalis).
3. Inside the cocoon, it slowly changes its body.
4. After some days, it comes out of the cocoon as a beautiful butterfly.
5. Finally, the butterfly opens its wings and flies away gently.

This process of change from a caterpillar to a butterfly is called metamorphosis.