NCERT EVS Class 4 Chapter 19 – Abdul in the Garden
CBSE Class 4 EVS Chapter 19 gives a brief idea about plant roots and their importance, root vegetables, some unusual roots, seed germination, etc. The chapter Abdul in the Garden encourages the children to notice the minute changes during the growth of plants.
Download the NCERT Solutions for Abdul in the Garden in PDF
Abdul in the Garden
The stick which was stuck in the ground fell very easily. It was difficult to pull out a small grass. Why?
The stick stuck in the ground fell very easily because it had no roots like grass which firmly remains attached to the ground by its roots.
Do all plants have roots?
Yes, all plants have roots.
Look at some plants and trees around you. Imagine how deep and spread out the roots of these are.
The roots of plants are a few inches deep, like 10 to 12 inches. The roots of trees can go as deep as 30 to 40 feet beneath the soil.
After three days, Abdul saw that one broken part of the pea plant had dried. Guess which part would have dried up? Why?
The leaves of the broken pea plant were probably dried up because they did not get water and minerals from the soil, as they got detached from the root.
Why do you think the neem tree did not fall despite the strong wind?
The neem tree did not fall despite the strong wind because of its roots. A big neem tree has deep and strong roots that anchor the whole tree firmly to the soil, protecting it against strong winds.
On putting water in the soil where the plants are growing, the dropping leaves become fresh again. How?
Water is transported to the leaves and other plant parts by the roots. This is why dropping leaves became fresh again after water was put in the soil where the plant was growing
What do you feel, do all plants need water?
Yes, all plants surely need water.
Which of the plants around you need regular watering?
Most flowering plants need regular watering.
What will happen, if nobody gives water to these plants?
If nobody gives water to these plants, they will dry up and eventually die.
Abdul realised that he never watered the huge neem tree. “Where did it get its water from?” he thought. Which of the plants around you do not need watering? Where do they get water from? Make two guesses.
Big trees like neem, mango, banyan, etc., do not need watering because they have deep roots that move deep in the soil to absorb water. So, these trees do not need regular watering.
Abdul wondered whether radish was a root. Why did he think so?
Firstly, Abdul saw the radish grow under the ground. Secondly, he saw small roots on its body, which is why he thought radish was a root.
Look at the pictures below and find out which of these vegetables are roots.
Abdul has more questions
Nowadays Abdul keeps thinking about all kinds of plants that he sees.
Abdul saw a plant growing out of a wall in school. He wondered–
How do the roots get water?
The roots do not get water; rather, they absorb moisture from the wall.
How big will this plant grow?
This type of plant can grow up to a pretty big size.
What will happen to the wall?
Eventually, the roots of the plant will make a crack in the wall, and the crack will gradually widen.
Can you give the name of the plant in the picture?
I think the plant given in the picture is a peepal tree.
How deep must the roots of this plant be going?
The plant’s roots must be going at least 15 inches deep into the wall.
Have you ever seen a plant growing from a crack in a wall? Where was it? Did you have any questions when you saw it?
Yes, I have seen some plants growing from cracks in walls in an old building near my house. Nobody lives there.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
What were some of your questions? Ask elders and find the answers. Find out the name of the plant you saw.
The first question that came to my mind was—how did the plant start to grow suddenly on the wall? Who placed the seed on that wall? I asked my father, and he told me that maybe the seed was carried by a bird or an animal, and the plant started growing from that seed.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Abdul and neem tree
Abdul saw a huge tree that had fallen on the roadside. He remembered the neem tree in his courtyard. He could see some of its broken roots. Abdul thought–
Would someone have uprooted such a big tree or would it have fallen on its own?
Nobody can uproot such a big tree because it has strong, deep roots. So, it might have fallen on its own due to intense winds.
How old would this tree be?
The tree must be more than 50 years old.
Abdul on seeing a tree surrounded by cemented ground, thought that how will it get rainwater?
Such trees get water from the soil as their roots grow deep into the soil and absorb water. Such trees do not need rainwater to survive.
Let us talk
Which are the oldest trees in your area? Find out from your elders how old the trees are?
There is a banyan tree in my locality. My grandfather says that the tree is more than 100 years old.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Name animals who live on this tree.
Many birds like crows, doves, sparrows and animals like squirrels live on that tree.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Have you ever seen any big tree that had fallen down? What did you think when you saw it?
Yes, I have seen a big tree that had fallen down in my locality due to a super-cyclone. I was surprised to see its big trunk and deep roots.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Unusual Root
Have you swung from a banyan tree?
Yes, I have swung from a banyan tree.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
What did you hold to swing?
Some rope-like structures hang from the branches. I hold on to those when I swing.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Have you seen any tree which has roots growing from its branches?
Yes, I have seen a banyan tree in my locality that has roots growing from its branches.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Let us do this
Get together with 3-4 of your friends – From the list of things given, decide who will bring which thing.
A transparent glass tumbler or bottle with a wide mouth, rubber band or thread, some seeds of moong, wheat, bajra, mustard, channa (chickpeas) or rajma (red beans) and a wad of cotton wool. Each group will work with only one kind of seed. Soak a few seeds (5-6) overnight in a bowl full of water. Take the wad of cotton wool and wet it. Put it on the mouth of the tumbler. Tie it tight to the mouth with rubber band or thread. Remove soaked seeds from water and place them on the cotton wool. You will have to take care that the cotton wool does not dry. Observe the changes that take place for the next 10 to 12 days.
Did you observe the seedlings come out of the seeds?
Yes, I observed the seedlings come out of the seeds.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Draw the picture of the seedling as it looks on the fourth and the eighth day.
| Day 4 | Day 8 |
Write in your notebook
What difference did you observe in the seeds after soaking? Compare with dry seeds and write.
I have not seen any changes in the shape or appearance of dry seeds. However, the soaked seeds swelled and sprouted.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
What do you think would happen if the cotton wool had been left dry?
If the cotton wool had been left dry, the seeds would not have sprouted.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
In which direction did the roots grow? And the stem?
The roots grew down, while the stems grew in the upward direction.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
How big did the plant grow in the cotton wool?
The plant grew very little in the cotton wool. It was about 3 centimetres tall.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Did small plants come out from all the seeds?
Yes, small plants came out from all the seeds.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
What is the colour of the roots?
The colour of the roots is white.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Did you see any hair on the roots?
After 6-7 days, I observed that some fine hairs had appeared on the roots.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Try and pull out one little plant from the cotton wool. Were you able to pull it out? Why?
It was quite difficult to pull out the cotton wool as the roots firmly grip the cotton.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Did you see how the roots grip the cotton wool? Do you think that the roots hold the soil in the same way? Also, look at the plants grown by your friends.
Yes, I could see the way the roots gripped the cotton wool. Similarly, the roots hold the soil and anchor the plant to the surface.
Yes, I checked the other plants grown by my friends too.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
What Grows?
Arif and Roopali did the above activity. They saw the seedlings grow. When asked – what are the things that grow? They had very different ideas about things that grow.
Arif made a list of the following – Leaves, munna, bud, puppy, nails, fish.
Roopali’s list had – Moon, tree, I, hair, watermelon, mosquito, crow.
What do you think? Which of these things listed by Arif and Roopali grow?
Yes, I think all the things mentioned in the lists of Arif and Roopali grow.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Why don’t you make your own list of things that grow? Your list can include the names of things that are in Arif’s and Roopali’s list.
| Cat | Hair |
| Dog | Nail |
| Mouse | Crow |
| Flowers | Sparrow |
| My younger brother | Cow |
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Think about yourself – in what ways have you changed over a period of time? Have you grown in any way?
Yes, I have grown taller and bigger.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Has your height increased? How much taller have you grown in the last one year?
My height increased by 12 centimetres from the last year.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
Discuss with your teacher what you have found out from your survey. Now make a report with your findings and suggestions. Read your report in the assembly. Put it up on the notice board.
[Students should mention their experience based on the above lines.]
What other part of your body (some people cut it regularly) keeps growing?
People cut their hair, nails and beard, which keeps growing.
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