11.6 Writing and Speaking

Writing

1. A thank-you to nature

Write a short paragraph (80–100 words) thanking nature for something you depend on (food, water, air, sunshine). Use a few exclamatory sentences to show your feeling.

2. A festival account

Write a short account (100–120 words) of a harvest or seasonal festival you know (Pongal, Baisakhi, Onam, Makar Sankranti, Bihu, or another). Describe what people do and what they give thanks for.

3. A paragraph

In about 100 words, explain how the poem shows that sun, rain, and earth depend on one another, and why this matters for the environment.

4. Write your own hymn

Write a short four- to six-line hymn of thanks to the sun, the rain, or the earth. Try to use a refrain (a repeated line) and at least one exclamation.

Writing tip A hymn or song of praise gains power from repetition. Choose one strong line of thanks and repeat it — a refrain ties your verses together and makes them feel like a real song.

Speaking

Sing or recite

In a group, recite the poem as a performance, with some students taking the men’s lines, some the women’s, and everyone joining for the parts sung “all together.” Keep a steady, joyful rhythm.

Discuss

1. Why do communities celebrate harvests together rather than alone?
2. In a city, far from farms, how can we still feel grateful for our food?

Speaking tip A hymn is meant to be felt as much as heard. Recite with warmth and a steady beat, and let the repeated lines swell a little louder — that is what turns spoken words into a song of celebration.