Chapter 2: Relative Space and Time

Behind and In front of

 Cat is behind the hut

 Dog is in front of the hut

Cloud is behind the mountain. 

Tree is in front of the mountain.

Colour Play

Colour the one behind

Colour the one in front

Classroom Activity

• Explain the classroom surrounding using the words 'behind' and 'in front'

Eg. The black board is behind the teacher. The table is in front of the teacher.

• Make the children stand in a straight line (one behind the other) and ask the following:

Name the person in front of you and the one behind you. 

Shuffle their positions and repeat the same question.

Playtime at Home

Play hide and seek with your friends at home and name the things you hid behind.

Note: The names can be discussed in class to reinforce the concepts from Chapter 1.

Eg. Things you hide behind are bigger than you.

Outdoor Activity

Visit a public place to understand the concept of a queue.

For eg. Bus stand.

Samskrit Vocabulary

In front - पुरतः |

Behind - पृष्ठतः |

Inside and Outside

 Fruits are inside the basket. Flowers are outside the basket.

 Boy is inside the house. Cycle is outside the house.

Sorting Activity

 Circle the rabbits inside the basket. 

 Circle the flowers outside the bouquet.

 Circle the animals inside the shed.

Classroom Activity

Make two groups of children and ask them to take turns in naming things inside and/or outside the classroom respectively. 

Note: This increases awareness of their surrounding as well as vocabulary.

Playtime

Children can be introduced to the play of Kancha (Marbles). Also known as Golli, Goti and Lakhoti, Kancha is a traditional Indian game that involves the use of round glass marbles or kanchas. Several children can participate at a time in this game. The objective here is to collect the maximum number of marbles. There are various ways of playing this game.

• In the most simple version, a circle in drawn on the ground and all the marbles (except one) are placed inside the circle. Using the remaining single marble, each child should try to move the marbles outside the circle by throwing the marble into the circle. Any marbles they knock out of the circle, belongs to them. This play rotates from one child to another until all marbles are claimed. It helps if the shooting marble is of a different color from the marbles in the circle.

Shooting technique: Bend your index or middle finger backward slightly, place the marble on the fingertip, and release the finger which will shoot the marble forward.

• Alternatively, a circle is drawn and marbles are placed inside it to form the pattern 'X'. Children should try to scatter the marble formation by throwing a marble inside the circle using their thumb and knuckles. The number of marbles in the ‘X’ pattern that move when the marble is thrown belongs to the child. However, if any of the marbles go outside the circle, it has to be placed back inside the circle in the centre. Taking turns, the game continues till there are no more marbles to be claimed.

• In another version, on a leveled even ground, a small hole is dug up. Children should kneel down away from the hole and try to send the marble inside the hole. For this, the marble is to be held tightly to the forefinger of the left hand. Then, stretching the finger back  by the pressure of the forefinger of the right hand, the marble is released pushing the other marble into the hole. Taking turns, children should aim to push all the marbles inside the hole.

Note: This game also subtly introduces children to an understanding of distance, force and speed.

Home Activity

Help your mother fill in groceries inside boxes. For eg. Grains, Pulses, etc.

Samskrit Vocabulary

Inside - अन्तः |

Outside - बहिः |

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Story time: Inside Krishna's mouth...

One day when Shri Krishna was playing with his friends and Balarama, all of them came together and told mother Yashoda that Krishna had eaten mud. Hearing this, mother Yashoda held Krishna by the hand to scold him for his own good. She said,

Oh child, why did you eat mud ? All your friends including your elder brother Balarama say so.

Shri Krishna said,

Oh mother, I never ate mud. If you think so, then please look inside my mouth and examine it.

Mother Yashoda then said to Krishna,

If you have not eaten mud, then open your mouth wide.

Listening to his mother, when Krishna opened his mouth wide, mother Yashoda saw the entire universe inside Shri Krishna's mouth. She saw mountains, oceans, the moon, stars and many other things. She even saw Vraja (Vrndavana) including herself there. Seeing all this, mother Yashoda was surprised. She realised that her son was not an ordinary child. He is Bhagavan himself. She then placed him on her lap and showered all her motherly affection on him.

Moral: Always listen to your parents.

Source: Shrimad Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 10, Adhyaya 8, Verses 32-45.