Std 5 EVS 1 · Chapter 22

22. Growth and Personality Development

Complete solutions to the Exercise. Maharashtra State Board (Balbharati), Standard 5 EVS 1.

Exercises

1What’s the solution? Kabir wants to be a professor of zoology. What can he do today to prepare for that?

Zoology is the study of animals and belongs to the science stream, so Kabir should begin building an interest in science now.

Study science carefully — he should pay attention to the science he learns at school, because everything later is built on it.

Observe animals and birds — watching them closely and keeping notes of what he sees will train him in the habit of observation.

Read widely — books, magazines and programmes about animals will add to what the textbook gives him.

Plan the long road ahead — after school he will take science, then a B.Sc., an M.Sc. and finally a Ph.D. before he can teach in a college.

Skills learnt now — careful observation, note-taking and reading — will all be of use in that occupation.

2Use your brain power!

(a) What skills do we already have before we learn to ride a bicycle?

Riding a bicycle is a new skill built on skills we already possess:

Balance — learnt when we first stood up and walked.

Hand and eye co-ordination — needed to steer and to brake at the right moment.

Strength in the legs — built up by walking and running, and now used for pedalling.

Awareness of our surroundings — noticing people, vehicles and holes in the road in time to avoid them.

This shows that a new skill is not learnt from nothing; it grows out of the ones we have already acquired.

(b) Suman wishes to run a restaurant of her own in the future. Which of the skills she is learning today will be of use in her future occupation?

CookingHelping at home with preparing food teaches her the work itself.

CleanlinessKeeping food covered and the kitchen clean, which a restaurant depends on.

ArithmeticHandling money, keeping accounts and working out costs.

Speaking politelyUnderstanding what customers want and dealing with them pleasantly.

Working with othersGroup work at school prepares her to work with the staff she will have.

Planning and creativityPlanning a menu, and solving problems as they come up.

3Answer the following questions.

(a) What is meant by heredity?

Being born with certain features or traits in common with the members of our own family is called heredity.

(b) What differences do we see between children in pre-primary classes and children in Std V?

Children in pre-primary classes	Children in Std V
About 3 to 5 years of age	About 9 to 11 years of age
Learning the most basic skills	Studying subjects such as maths, science and languages
Need a great deal of help from elders	Manage most of their own work by themselves
Can pay attention only for a short while	Can pay attention for a much longer time
Co-ordination of the body is still developing	Can run, climb and play games needing skill

In the body — we grow taller and heavier, and our bones and muscles become strong.

In movement — we learn to sit, crawl, walk, run and then to do skilful things such as writing and cycling.

In language — from a few sounds we come to speak, read and write.

In thinking — our ability to understand, remember and solve problems keeps improving.

In behaviour — we make friends, learn to live with others and become independent, and our personality slowly takes shape.

(d) Name any three skills you have acquired.

I have learnt to swim, to ride a bicycle and to cook simple dishes such as poha. I have also learnt to write neatly and to sing.

Note: this is a sample answer. Write the three skills that you have actually learnt.

(e) What is meant by physical growth?

Physical growth means the growth of the body — becoming taller and heavier, and the bones, muscles and other parts of the body developing and growing stronger as we get older.

4True or false?

(a) A baby performs newly learnt tasks without making mistakes.

False. A baby makes many mistakes when it tries something new. It is only after trying again and again that the task is done correctly.

(b) At birth, we already have all skills.

False. At birth we have almost no skills. Every skill — sitting, walking, speaking, writing — is acquired afterwards, one after another.

True. We always need the help of others for some of our work, and we help others in the same way.

(d) Our height increases from birth till we grow old.

False. Our height goes on increasing from birth only up to about the age of eighteen to twenty years. After that it stops, and in old age it may even decrease a little. Growth in height does not continue all through life.

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