Braille

Given: Information about the Braille alphabet from the chapter.

Answer: The Braille alphabet is a method of reading through touch. It uses raised dots arranged in different patterns to represent each of the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet. A blind person can 'read' by running their fingers over these raised dots. Each letter has its own unique pattern of dots. Because the letters cannot be written too close together, Braille requires more space than regular print, which is why a Braille book is thicker than a normal printed book.

Given: Information about Captain Charles Barbier de la Serre's 'Night Writing' from the chapter.

Answer: 'Night Writing' was not a success because it was too difficult to use. Although it was an alphabet of raised dots and dashes that soldiers could 'read' with their fingers in the dark, the system was too complicated for people to learn and use easily. Therefore, it did not become popular.

Given: The story of Louis Braille from the chapter.

Answer: Louis Braille became interested in Captain Barbier's 'Night Writing' when he was a teenager. He found it too difficult and worked to simplify it. He created a new, simpler system of raised dots that represented each letter of the alphabet. This system could be read by touch and was easy enough for blind people to learn and use. This system became known as the Braille alphabet, and it gave blind people all over the world a way to read and write.

Think and Discuss Answer:

The cane used by people with blindness is always white because white is a universally recognised symbol that tells others that the person carrying it has a visual impairment. The white colour makes the cane easily visible to drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians, so they can be careful and give way to the person. It is an internationally accepted signal that helps keep people with blindness safe in public places.

Think and Discuss Answer:

If the world became completely dark for a day, people would face many difficulties, such as:
1. They would not be able to see where they are going and might fall or get hurt.
2. They would not be able to read books, signs, or screens.
3. Cooking, driving, and working would become very dangerous.
4. Schools, offices, and shops would have to shut down.
5. People would feel scared and confused.
6. Traffic accidents would increase greatly.

This experience would help us understand and appreciate the challenges faced by people with blindness every day.

Sample Answer (students will fill in based on their own object):

The object in my hand was round in shape.

*(Note: Students should fill in the shape of the object they picked, for example: round, square, long, flat, oval, etc.)*

Sample Answer:

The object in my hand was shorter than my forefinger.

*(Note: Students should choose 'longer' or 'shorter' based on the actual object they picked.)*

Sample Answer:

The object in my hand was a pencil.

It was smooth and hard to touch.

It had a pointed end on one side.

*(Note: Students should write the name of their own object and add two describing lines based on what they felt — its texture, weight, temperature, shape, etc.)*

Activity-based question.

Students should refer to the Braille alphabet chart given in the chapter and represent each letter of the word C-A-T using the correct dot patterns.

- Look up the Braille symbol for C, A, and T in the chart.
- Using bindis (or dots), paste them in the correct pattern for each letter in the boxes provided.

*(One example is already done in the textbook for guidance.)*

Activity-based question.

Students should refer to the Braille alphabet chart and represent each letter of the word M-A-N using the correct dot patterns by pasting bindis in the boxes provided.

Activity-based question.

Students should refer to the Braille alphabet chart and represent each letter of the word B-O-Y using the correct dot patterns by pasting bindis in the boxes provided.

Activity-based question.

Students should refer to the Braille alphabet chart and represent each letter of the word J-U-G using the correct dot patterns by pasting bindis in the boxes provided.

Activity-based question.

Students should write their own name using the Braille alphabet chart. Look up the Braille symbol for each letter of your name and paste bindis in the correct dot pattern for each letter in the boxes provided.

Example: If your name is RAM, find the Braille patterns for R, A, and M and paste the dots accordingly.

Given: The need to protect our eyes from accidents and harm.

Precautions to protect eyes from harm:

1. Do not light firecrackers yourself; always take the help of an adult.
2. Stand at a safe distance when firecrackers are being lit.
3. Wear safety goggles or glasses when working with sharp tools or chemicals.
4. Do not rub your eyes with dirty hands.
5. Do not look directly at the sun or very bright lights.
6. Keep sharp objects like scissors, needles, and knives away from the face.
7. Wash your eyes gently with clean water if dust or a foreign particle enters.
8. Visit a doctor immediately if something gets into your eye or if your eye is hurt.
9. Do not play with pointed objects near the face.
10. Wear sunglasses when going out in strong sunlight.

Concept: When an action was happening in the past and continued for some time, we use:
- was + verb + ing (for one person, animal, or bird)
- were + verb + ing (for more than one person, animal, or bird)

Answers:

| Present | Past |
|---|---|
| I am sleeping. | I was sleeping. *(Example given)* |
| The dogs are barking at the stranger. | The dogs were barking at the stranger. |
| Grandfather is searching for his spectacles. | Grandfather was searching for his spectacles. |
| Sheeba is writing a letter. | Sheeba was writing a letter. |
| He is singing a song. | He was singing a song. |
| We are playing kho-kho. | We were playing kho-kho. |
| The man is using his hands to push his wheelchair. | The man was using his hands to push his wheelchair. |

Concept: We use 'was + verb + ing' for one person/animal and 'were + verb + ing' for more than one, to describe actions that were happening in the past.

Completed paragraph:

My friend Tarandeep told me an interesting thing yesterday. She was feeding her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows. She was scattering grains for them.

Her grandmother was hanging out the clothes to dry on a clothesline.

Grandmother was entering the house when a strong wind began to blow.

When she returned with the clothes pegs, she saw a wonderful scene! The sparrows and squirrels were sitting on the clothes to prevent them from falling. Tarandeep was clapping her hands with joy. Grandmother put the pegs on the clothes, and Tarandeep set down a bowl of water for her friends.

This is a hands-on activity.

Steps to follow:
1. Take a piece of paper and place it on a soft surface (like a notebook or a folded cloth).
2. Using the back of a pencil or a matchstick, press hard on the paper to draw a shape — a circle, a plus sign (+), or a letter like 'A'.
3. Close your eyes, turn the paper over, and gently run your fingertip over the raised bumps on the other side.
4. Try to guess what shape or letter was drawn.
5. Repeat the activity with a friend — one person draws and the other guesses with eyes closed.

What you will learn: This activity helps you experience how blind people read Braille — by feeling raised dots and patterns with their fingertips. It builds empathy and understanding for people with visual impairment.

Given: Some children have low vision and need help from their classmates.

Ways to assist a classmate with low vision:

1. Bring a printout of paragraphs or notes with large fonts so they can read more easily. *(Example given in the textbook)*
2. Sit with them and read aloud from the textbook or board.
3. Help them find their way around the school safely.
4. Share your notes with them if they cannot see the board clearly.
5. Ask the teacher to seat them in the front row so they are closer to the board.
6. Be patient and kind — never make fun of their difficulty.
7. Help them during activities and games so they can participate fully.
8. Inform the teacher if they seem to be struggling to see something.

This is a research/exploration activity.

Steps to find out:
1. Ask your parents, teachers, or neighbours if they know of any school or centre for people with blindness in your city or town.
2. Search online (with the help of an adult) for 'school for the blind' or 'resource centre for visually impaired' in your area.
3. You can also look for organisations such as the National Association for the Blind (NAB), which has centres in many cities across India.
4. Note down the name, address, and contact number of the nearest centre.
5. Share your findings with the class.

Sample Answer (students fill in their own local details):

The nearest resource centre for people with blindness in our area is [Name of Centre], located at [Address]. It provides services such as Braille education, mobility training, and vocational support for people with visual impairment.

This is a self-assessment activity to be filled in by the student.

Students should honestly tick the box(es) that best describe how they recite poems. There is no right or wrong answer — this helps the student and teacher understand the student's learning style.

Example: A student who feels confident may tick 'By myself' and 'In a group'. A student who is still learning may tick 'By repeating after my teacher'.

This is a self-assessment activity to be filled in by the student.

Students should tick all the ways that help them understand new words. More than one box can be selected. This helps identify the strategies that work best for each learner.

Example: A student might tick 'By looking at the pictures' and 'After listening to my teacher's explanation'.

This is a self-assessment activity to be filled in by the student.

Students should tick the option(s) that best describe how they answer questions. This helps the teacher understand each student's comfort level with the English language.

Example: A student who is still learning English might tick 'In my mother tongue, with a few words of English'.

This is a self-assessment activity to be filled in by the student.

Students should tick the option(s) that describe how they write. This helps track their progress in writing skills.

Example: A student might tick 'After following my teacher's instructions' and 'By myself'.

This is a self-assessment activity to be filled in by the student.

Students should tick the option(s) that describe how they completed the activities in this chapter. This helps the teacher understand what kind of support each student needs.

Example: A student might tick 'With the help of my classmates' and 'By myself'.