Eating Together – Class 4 EVS NCERT Solutions

Explore the solutions for “Eating Together”, Class 4 EVS NCERT. This chapter teaches us the importance of sharing meals with others, celebrating festivals together, and understanding the significance of the mid-day meal scheme in schools. The chapter helps students learn about different food cultures, community bonding, and the joy of eating together.

Chapter Summary (English)

The chapter “Eating Together” explores various situations where people share meals together. It begins with a class party where students decide to have a celebration similar to wedding feasts. The chapter then describes the Bihu festival celebration in Assam, where the entire village comes together to prepare and share special meals. Finally, it discusses the mid-day meal program in schools, emphasizing its importance for children’s nutrition and education. The chapter beautifully connects food with community bonding, cultural celebrations, and social welfare.

अध्याय सार (Hindi)

अध्याय “एक साथ खाना” विभिन्न परिस्थितियों का वर्णन करता है जहाँ लोग एक साथ भोजन करते हैं। यह एक कक्षा पार्टी से शुरू होता है जहाँ छात्र शादी के भोज की तरह उत्सव मनाने का फैसला करते हैं। फिर यह असम में बिहू त्योहार के उत्सव का वर्णन करता है, जहाँ पूरा गाँव विशेष भोजन तैयार करने और साझा करने के लिए एकजुट होता है। अंत में, यह स्कूलों में मिड-डे मील कार्यक्रम की चर्चा करता है, जो बच्चों के पोषण और शिक्षा के लिए इसके महत्व पर जोर देता है। अध्याय खाने को सामुदायिक बंधन, सांस्कृतिक उत्सवों और सामाजिक कल्याण से सुंदर ढंग से जोड़ता है।

Word Meanings

Question and Answers

1. Do you like to eat with others?

Yes, I really enjoy eating with others. Eating together makes the food taste better and creates a happy atmosphere. It gives us a chance to share our thoughts, stories, and experiences while enjoying our meals. When we eat together, we learn to share and care for each other.

2. On what occasions do you eat together with your friends?

I eat together with my friends on various occasions such as:

• During lunch break at school when we share our tiffins
• At birthday parties where we enjoy special treats
• During school picnics when we carry packed lunches
• At class parties organized for celebrations
• During festival celebrations in school and neighborhood

3. Have you ever had a party in your class? When? What all did you do to arrange a party?

Yes, we had a class party last term to celebrate our annual day success. For arranging the party, we:

• Collected money from each student
• Made a list of food items and drinks to bring
• Divided responsibilities among classmates
• Decorated the classroom with balloons and streamers
• Arranged plates, glasses, and napkins
• Made a schedule of games and activities

4. What did you and your classmates bring to the party?

For our class party, everyone contributed different items:

• Some students brought homemade snacks like sandwiches and pastries
• Others brought chips, biscuits, and chocolates
• A few students brought soft drinks and juices
• Some brought decorative items like balloons and paper plates
• Our class teacher brought a special chocolate cake

5. What all did you eat?

During our class party, we enjoyed a variety of delicious food items:

• Vegetable sandwiches and cheese sandwiches
• Chocolate cake and pastries
• Different types of chips and namkeen
• Samosas and spring rolls
• Fruit juice and soft drinks
• Chocolates and candies for dessert

6. Who were the people you invited for your party?

For our class party, we invited:

• All students from our class
• Our class teacher and subject teachers
• School principal for inauguration
• A few students from parallel section who helped in arrangements

7. Were there some people who work in your school, whom you could not invite? Who were these people?

Yes, unfortunately, we couldn’t invite everyone from our school. Some people we couldn’t invite were:

• The school helpers and cleaning staff
• Security guards at the gate
• The school bus drivers and conductors
• The canteen staff

8. Did you wear any special dress for the party?

Yes, we all wore colorful clothes for the party instead of our regular school uniform. Boys wore their best shirts and trousers, while girls wore beautiful frocks and traditional dresses. Some students wore party dresses with accessories like hairbands and watches. Everyone looked very happy and festive in their special clothes.

9. What are the things that you can do to make the party greater fun for everyone?

To make the party more enjoyable, we can:

• Plan some fun games that everyone can participate in
• Organize music and dance activities
• Arrange some interesting group activities
• Make sure everyone gets equal chance to participate
• Include some storytelling or joke-telling sessions
• Give small return gifts to everyone

Let us talk

10. Where is the festival of Bihu celebrated?

The festival of Bihu is celebrated in Assam, a beautiful state in northeastern India. It is the most important and vibrant festival of Assamese culture. The Magh Bihu, mentioned in our chapter, is celebrated in January (1st and 2nd Magh) and marks the end of the harvesting season.

11. Which are the festivals you celebrate together with other families?

In our community, we celebrate several festivals together:

• Diwali – with lighting diyas and sharing sweets
• Holi – playing with colors and enjoying festive meals
• Eid – sharing special dishes and greetings
• Christmas – decorating trees and sharing cakes
• Local harvest festivals where the whole community participates

12. Does everyone cook and eat together on such festivals? What are some of the special dishes that are cooked? How are they cooked?

Yes, during festivals, cooking and eating together is a common practice. Here are some special dishes and their preparation:

• Diwali: Different types of sweets and snacks are prepared in large quantities
• Eid: Special biryani and sewaiyan are cooked in big vessels
• Pongal: Sweet pongal is prepared in traditional clay pots
• Lohri: Specially made rewri and gajak are shared

13. Are some special vessels used for cooking these items? What are they?

Yes, several special vessels are used for festival cooking:

• Large Degchi: For cooking rice and curry in large quantities
• Kadhai: Big iron woks for making sweets and snacks
• Traditional Clay Pots: For making special dishes like pongal
• Tao: Special large vessel used in Assam for Bihu feast
• Bronze Uruli: Traditional Kerala vessel for festival cooking

14. Which is the biggest vessel that is used? Can you draw a picture of it? Can you guess how many people can eat the food that is cooked in it at one time?

The biggest vessel commonly used is the community cooking Degchi. It is a huge vessel that looks like this:

• Height: About 3-4 feet
• Diameter: About 3 feet
• Material: Usually made of aluminum or brass
• Capacity: Can cook food for approximately 100-150 people at once
• Special features: Has strong handles and a thick bottom for even cooking

Find out and do

15. Can you guess how many people must have eaten together in the village feast?

In a typical village Bihu feast, considering the size of an average village and the community nature of the festival:

• Around 200-300 people would eat together
• People sit in rows on the ground
• Food is served on banana leaves
• Multiple servings are done in batches
• Everyone from the village participates

16. Have you ever seen the Bihu dance? Did you like it?

Yes, I have seen Bihu dance performances on television and during cultural programs. I really liked it because:

• The dancers wear colorful traditional costumes
• The dance movements are energetic and joyful
• Traditional drums (dhol) create exciting rhythms
• Dancers show amazing coordination in group performances
• The dance celebrates harvest and community spirit

17. Find out from the students in your class, the festivals that they celebrate and the special food that they eat on these days. Who cooks the special food for festivals?

After discussing with my classmates, I learned about various festivals and foods:

• Diwali: Families make ladoos, kaju katli, and various snacks
• Eid: Special biryani and sewai are prepared by family members
• Christmas: Plum cake and cookies are made at home and in bakeries
• Pongal: Sweet pongal and vadas are prepared by elders
• Onam: Traditional Kerala sadya is prepared by family together

18. Do you wear clothes of some special colours on some festivals? Make a picture of these clothes in your notebook.

Yes, different festivals have different traditional colors associated with them:

• Diwali: Bright colors like red, yellow, and golden
• Eid: White, green, and other light pastel shades
• Christmas: Red, green, and white combinations
• Holi: White clothes that can be colored
• Onam: Traditional cream-colored sarees with golden borders

19. Are there special songs that are sung at different festivals in your place? Learn some of these songs and sing them in the class.

Yes, each festival has its special songs:

• Diwali: “Deep Jale” and other aarti songs
• Christmas: Carol songs like “Jingle Bells”
• Holi: Traditional folk songs about colors and spring
• Bihu: Traditional Assamese Bihu songs
• Lohri: “Sundariye Mundariye” and other Punjabi folk songs

20. Learn some special festival dances. Perform these with your friends in your school assembly.

Here are some festival dances we can learn and perform:

• Garba dance for Navratri
• Bihu dance from Assam
• Bhangra for Baisakhi
• Traditional Christmas dance steps
• Simple folk dances for harvest festivals

21. When you meet friends of your own age do you do anything special – like play a game, chat or watch a movie? What else do you do?

When meeting friends, we enjoy various activities:

• Playing indoor and outdoor games
• Sharing stories and experiences
• Doing homework together
• Playing video games or board games
• Making craft items and drawing together
• Planning for upcoming events or celebrations

Find out and write in your notebook (Mid-day Meal section)

22. Write about the food given in your school

In our school, the mid-day meal program provides:

• Fresh, hot cooked meals every day
• Balanced diet with rice/roti, dal, and vegetables
• Clean drinking water
• Different menu for different days
• Occasional special items like sweet dishes

23. What time is the meal served?

In our school, the mid-day meal is served at 1:00 PM during the lunch break. This timing is perfect because:

• Students are hungry after morning classes
• The food is served fresh and hot
• It gives enough time for proper eating
• Students can rest a bit after eating
• It helps maintain proper meal schedule

24. What do you get in the meal at school?

Our school provides a variety of nutritious food items in mid-day meals:

• Monday: Rice, dal, and mixed vegetables
• Tuesday: Roti, chana curry, and seasonal fruit
• Wednesday: Khichdi with vegetables
• Thursday: Rice, rajma, and green vegetables
• Friday: Pulao with soya chunks curry
• Saturday: Rice, sambar, and boiled egg/banana

25. Do you like the mid-day meal that you get?

Yes, I like our school’s mid-day meal because:

• The food is fresh and well-cooked
• There is good variety in the menu
• The meals are nutritious and healthy
• We get to eat together with friends
• The serving is hygienic and clean

26. Is the food that you get enough for you?

Yes, the quantity of food provided is sufficient because:

• The portions are properly measured for our age group
• We can ask for second serving if needed
• The meal is well-balanced with different items
• It keeps us full until evening
• The protein and carbohydrate content is adequate

27. Do you bring your own plate, or do you get it in school?

Our school provides plates for the mid-day meal. These plates are:

• Made of stainless steel
• Cleaned properly after each use
• Stored hygienically in the school kitchen
• Divided into sections for different food items
• Regularly checked for any damage

28. Who serves the food?

The food is served by:

• Trained kitchen staff of our school
• Helpers appointed specifically for mid-day meal program
• Teachers who supervise the serving
• Sometimes senior students help in organizing the queue
• All servers wear clean aprons and head covers

29. Do your teachers eat with you?

Yes, our teachers do eat with us during mid-day meals. This practice is beneficial because:

• Teachers can monitor the quality of food
• It creates a friendly atmosphere
• We learn proper eating habits from them
• It helps maintain discipline during lunch
• We feel more comfortable sharing our thoughts

30. Is the week’s menu put up on the school board?

Yes, our school displays the weekly menu on the notice board. This helps because:

• Students know what to expect each day
• Parents can see what their children eat at school
• Kitchen staff can plan the preparations
• It ensures transparency in the meal program
• Changes in menu can be easily communicated

31. What will you get on Wednesday and Friday?

According to our school’s menu:

• Wednesday: Nutritious khichdi with vegetables and a banana
• Friday: Rice pulao with soya chunks curry and seasonal fruit

32. If you got a chance to change the menu for the meal in your school, what would you like to change? What would you like to eat? Make your own menu.

Here’s my suggested menu for the mid-day meal:

• Monday: Vegetable pulao, curd, and fruit salad
• Tuesday: Roti, dal fry, mixed vegetable curry
• Wednesday: Khichdi, papad, and sweet curd
• Thursday: Poori, aloo sabzi, and fruit
• Friday: Vegetable biryani, raita, and banana

33. If you do not get food in the school, find out why?

If a school doesn’t provide mid-day meals, there could be several reasons:

• Lack of proper kitchen facilities
• Insufficient funds or resources
• No trained staff for cooking
• School might be private and not part of the scheme
• Implementation issues in the area

34. Where will you lodge your complaint about the mid-day meal?

Complaints about mid-day meals can be lodged through:

• School Principal’s office
• School Management Committee
• District Education Officer
• Mid-day Meal Authority helpline
• Online grievance portal of the Education Department

35. Find out the toll free phone number, the website or e-mail address to make a complaint.

For complaints about mid-day meals:

• National toll-free helpline: 1800-11-0902
• Visit the official website: mdm.nic.in
• Email concerns to your state’s MDM authority
• Use social media handles of the Education Ministry
• Contact local education department offices