Social Studies 4

Approved by the Government of Nepal,
Ministry of Education, Curriculum Development Centre, Sanothimi, Bhaktapur

Social Studies

& Creative Arts

4

Editor : • Dr. Anirudra Thapa
Authors : • Nawa Raj Prasai
• Mahabir Paudyal
• Youba Raj Dhakal

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 1

Social Studies 4

& Creative Arts

Name : ...................................................

Class : ................. Roll No. : ..............

Section : .................................................

School : .................................................

Oasis Publication Pvt. Ltd.

Anamnagar, Kathmandu
Tel: 4225190, Fax: 4227718
Authors:
Nawa Raj Prasai
Mahabir Paudyal
Youba Raj Dhakal

Language Editor:
Sedunath Dhakal

Edition:
First : 2074 B.S.
Second: 2075 B.S.
Third : 2076 B.S.

Copyright ©
Publisher
Computer Layout:
Oasis Desktop Group

Printed in Nepal

Foreword

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts -4 has been designed to facilitate teaching Social Studies
to students of English medium schools. The series draws upon the general guidelines, course
content and teaching methods as envisioned in the syllabus designed by the Curriculum
Development Center (CDC). The broad objective of Social Studies is to impart “cultural
literacy” to students so that they develop into responsible citizens. The significant part of being
culturally literate is to know and critically understand one’s social and cultural surrounding.
Social Studies, therefore, is an interdisciplinary subject that incorporates history, geography,
culture, sociology, and politics. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, teaching Social Studies
to young students is as exciting and purposeful as it is challenging to deliver. The effective
teaching, therefore, begins with the availability of quality teaching materials. Oasis social
studies series aims at adding to and upgrading the existing textbooks.

This series follows the course rationale and framework stipulated in the CDC course grid
and judiciously clusters course contents around a person’s interrelationship with the family,
community, nation, and the world. Due to the desired outcome of the CDC syllabus, this series
has adopted “critical thinking” as the pedagogic philosophy. We have consciously avoided
the tendency of overloading textbooks with neatly summarized bullet points, a tendency, we
believe, defeats the purpose of developing “critical thinking” in students. Instead, this series
has adopted creative approach to teaching Social Studies. That is, it not only requires students
to know what a family, community, or a nation is but to understand how an individual’s
civic, cultural and political life is intricately related to larger social units. The exercises are
designed to not only test students’ ability to comprehend facts and information but also think
and reason about what they learn.

The series takes up the task of providing quality teaching materials and invites instructors to
approach teaching Social Studies creatively. Therefore, each book in the series addresses the
age-specific mindset and psychology of the students. For example, books for primary level
abound with stories, sketches, profiles and illustrations. In the higher level, the books focus
more on factual information with appropriate examples and illustrations. In class nine and
ten, we have made effort to address the SEE requirements without much deviating from the
textbooks prescribed by the government with significant updates on data, facts, and current
affairs. While exploring the flexibility allowed by the SEE testing scheme, the books still adhere
to functional pedagogy in that they aim to make students understand concepts and ideas
through presentation, examples and illustrations. Overall, through pre-reading activities, in-
class activities and project works the series fosters participatory pedagogy.

Lessons feature real life stories, contextual dialogues, ethnographic profiles, and pictorial
illustrations. The series also incorporates latest available statistics and incorporates changes
and new provisions made in the Constitution of Nepal. The figures and maps in the books
follow standard cartographic rules and conventions so that students learn map works in an
authentic way. Instead of including overtly ambitious project works, we have focused on
providing interesting do-able project works that allow students to gain insight into social
and cultural issues through self-discovery. Where required, we have also provided general
guidelines for the project work so that instructors and students can undertake the task head
on. As books are designed for students of English medium schools, we have taken special care
to avoid odd-sounding English expressions that use Nepali structures and grammar.

Our special thanks go to Oasis Publication for publishing and bringing the series to the
teachers and learners. We owe many thanks to Harischand Bista, the Managing Director of
the Publication, who has made it his passion to bring this series to completion. We hope, Oasis
Social Studies, while fulfilling the course objectives, will make teaching and learning Social
Studies an enjoyable activity in the classroom.

Authors March 2019

Contents

Unit : 1 Me, My Family and My Neighbours ......................................... 7-18
Lesson : 1 .1
Work and Profession in My Neighbourhood.......................... 8
Lesson : 1.2
Guess Who I Am........................................................................... 11
Lesson : 1.3
Mutual Help in the Neighbourhood........................................ 14
Projects, Unit Revision and Test Your Knowledge ............................. 17

Unit : 2 Our Social Norms and Values.................................................1 9-37
Lesson : 2.1
Love and Respect Elders............................................................ 20
Lesson : 2.2
A Garland of Hundred Flowers: We Nepalis ........................ 24
Lesson : 2.3
My Heart Belongs to My Birthplace......................................... 28
Lesson : 2.4
Jhamak Kumari Ghimire............................................................ 32
Projects, Unit Revision and Test Your Knowledge ............................. 36

Unit : 3 Social Problems and Their Solutions................................. 3 8-58
Lesson : 3.1
Help in Need Is Help Indeed.................................................... 39
Lesson : 3.2
The Habits That Harm................................................................. 43
Lesson : 3.3
We Must Eliminate Wrong Practices......................................... 48
Lesson : 3.4
Community Services for Our Good.......................................... 53
Projects, Unit Revision and Test Your Knowledge ............................. 57

Unit : 4 Civic Awareness..................................................................... 5 9-95
Lesson : 4.1
Rights of Children....................................................................... 60
Lesson : 4.2
Rights of Women......................................................................... 65
Lesson : 4.3
Natural Resources of Nepal...................................................... 68
Lesson : 4.4
Temples, Stupas, Palaces, Mosques and Churches................ 73
Lesson : 4.5
Live Clean, Think Clear.............................................................. 77
Lesson : 4.6
Rules of the Road........................................................................ 80
Lesson : 4.7
Rural Municipality (Gaunpalika)............................................... 83
Lesson : 4.8
Municipality................................................................................ 86
Lesson : 4.9
We All Are Equal.......................................................................... 90
Projects, Unit Revision and Test Your Knowledge ............................. 92

Unit : 5 Our Earth................................................................................ 95-116
Lesson : 5.1
My District, Sunsari.................................................................... 96

Lesson : 5.2
Mapping Surkhet....................................................................... 99

Lesson : 5.3

Our Earth.................................................................................... 101

Lesson : 5.4

Nepal and Her Neighbours...................................................... 104
Lesson : 5.5
India............................................................................................. 110
Projects, Unit Revision and Test Your Knowledge ........................... 115

Unit 6 : Our Past..................................................................................117-130
Lesson : 6.1
Kathmandu in the Past............................................................. 118
Lesson : 6.2
Ne, Nippa, Nepar, Nepal......................................................... 121
Lesson : 6.3
Our Martyrs................................................................................ 125
Projects, Unit Revision and Test Your Knowledge ........................... 129

Unit 7 : Our Economic Activities....................................................131-146
Lesson : 7.1
Work is Worship........................................................................ 132
Lesson : 7.2
Use Your Things Wisely........................................................... 135
Lesson : 7.3
Economic Activities.................................................................. 139
Lesson : 7.4
Our Products, Our Pride.......................................................... 142
Projects, Unit Revision and Test Your Knowledge ........................... 145

Creative Arts.............................................................................. 147-160

Unit Me, My Family and

1 My Neighbours

In this unit, we will learn to:

• live as good neighbours.
• address our neighbours with appropriate salutations and honorific words.
• use and take care of tools related to specific jobs and professions.
• talk about the work and profession of our neighbours.
• help our neighbours and ask for help.
• identify areas of cooperation with our neighbours.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 7

Lesson

Work and Profession

1.1 in My Neighbourhood

Pre-reading Activities

Before you begin the lesson, make a list of the names of your neighbours. Discuss
how your and their families exchange help. If you do not know about your
neighbours you may take time, identify them and speak about them in the next
class.

Reading

In Grades Two and Three, you learnt about your neighbours. Neighbours
are people who live next to us. And a neighbourhood is a community.
People in a neighbourhood live together in harmony. In a neighborhood,
we have to be concerned about how each family is living and help our
neighbours when they face
any problem. If we do not
care about our neighbours'
problems, we won't have a
healthy neighbourhood. Take,
for example, Pranaya's family
and his neighbours.

Pranaya Karki lives in Pokhara.
His father works in a bank and
his mother is a school teacher. Pranaya's neighbours are few but they
are good to each other. There's a Sherchan family next to his house. Ravi
Sherchan has a restaurant at Lake Side. His children are good friends of
Pranaya. Pranaya plays with them and sometimes they study together.
Pranaya calls Ravi Sherchan "Ravi Uncle." "Namaste, Ravi Uncle," he

8 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

greets him when he meets him. Ravi
Sherchan helps Pranaya's family.
Last week, Pranaya's bratabandha
took place. Ravi Sherchan and his
wife came to Pranaya's house. They
set up a tent for the ceremony.

"Thank you, Raviji. Don't forget to
come to the feast in the evening,"
Pranaya's father told Ravi Sherchan.

On Saturdays, Pranaya's father, Ravi Sherchan, and other elders from the
neighbourhood clean the road. "If we do not keep our community clean,
who will?" Ravi Sherchan says, as he sweeps the road with a broom. This
Saturday, they are going to paint the Shiva Temple.

People in Pranaya's neighbourhood help each other. They work together
for their neighbourhood. So, there are never any serious problems or
conflict in the neighbourhood. They are happy.

Free the Words

concerned : thinking about others
bratabandha : cultural ritual to give janai to Brahmin and Kshetri

feast boys
conflict : big meal, a party
: strong misunderstanding

In-class Activities

In the table below, write the names of your neighbours and mention
what they do for a living.

Neighbours' names Profession/Occupation

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 9

Exercise

1. Fill in the blanks.
a. .............. is a community where people live together and help
each other.
b. Neighbours help each other and live in ..................... .
c. Pranaya Karki's neighbourhood is in .......................... .
d. Ravi Sherchan runs ..................... at Lake Side.
e. People in Pranaya's neighbourhood are happy because
they .............. .

2. Write whether the following statements are True or False.
a. Different people live in a neighbourhood.

b. Helping neighbours makes a healthy neighbourhood.

c. Pranaya Karki's father has a restaurant.

d. Pranaya and Ravi Sherchan are friends.

e. Pranaya's neighbourhood is usually clean.

3. Answer these questions.
a. Who are neighbours?
b. What is a neighbourhood?
c. What makes a healthy neighbourhood?
d. How did Ravi Sherchan help Pranaya's family during his
bratabandha?
e. How do Pranaya's parents and Ravi Sherchan keep their
neighbourhood clean?

4. If two of your neighbours had disputes what would you do
to settle it? Write a paragraph.

10 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Lesson

1.2 Guess Who I Am

Pre-reading Activities

The rhyme in this lesson is meant to familiarize you with tools people in different
jobs use. Recite the poem and make a list of five occupations and the tools related to
each job other than those mentioned in the poem.

Reading

I rise early and go to field
To sow seeds and get it tilled
Plough on the shoulder, spade in hand
To dig the earth and furrow the land
I grow grains and vegetables
That make dinners on the tables
Guess who I am.

With wood, I do furniture make
A hammer, saw and nails I take
With me when I go to work
Then sell furniture to town-folks
Guess who I am.

In class I enter with a wiper in hands 11
Children are my class-room friends
I write on the whiteboard "Lesson two"
And out I go when it is through
Guess who I am.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Clut, clut, clut, clut, the sewing machine talks
That stitches clothes and makes them frocks.
I need needles, scissors and thread
They earn my shelter and daily bread
Guess who I am.

Free the Words

till : preparing land for growing crops
furrow : a long, narrow line made by a plough

In-class Activities

Divide the class into four groups. Each group selects one occupation
or job such as teaching, farming, nursing, etc. Then, write the names
of at least three tools we use in each occupation. Also draw a picture
of a tool you have listed for the job.

Exercise

1. Write what the following people do and what tools they use.
a. A farmer grows vegetables and grains.
He/She uses .................................................................................. .
b. A shopkeeper ................................................................................ .
He/She uses .................................................................................. .
c. A butcher ........................................................................................ .
He/She uses .................................................................................. .

2. Name the person talking in each stanza of the poem.
a. Stanza one ........................... . b. Stanza two ......................... .
c. Stanza three ........................ . d. Stanza four ........................ .

12 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

3. Answer these questions.
a. What does the farmer use to till the land?
b. What does he grow?
c. What tools does a carpenter use? What things does he make?
d. Name four things a teacher uses.
e. Why are needles, thread and scissors important for a tailor?

4. Below are the pictures of things we use for different purposes.
Name them and write what they are used for.

a.
It is used for .................................................. .

b.
It is used for ................................................... .

c.
It is used for .................................................. .

d. It is used for .................................................. .

5. Name different tools you use at home.

a. ..................................... b. ............................................

c. ..................................... d. ............................................

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 13

Lesson

1.3 Mutual Help in the
Neighbourhood

Pre-reading Activities

Think of telling the class how your family lends hand in building the community
and neighbourhood and how other families help yours. Also consider sharing a
story about mutual help in the neighbourhood.

Reading

A good relationship among the neighbours is very important. Good
neighbours make a healthy neighbourhood. A neighbourhood is a small
community. In our neighbourhood, we share our problems with each
other. We work for the common good. Therefore, a neighbourhood is
an example of a community. In other words, a community is a group of
people with shared interests living in the same place. Cooperation is an
important element of building a good neighbourhood. Unless people
help each other, a good neighborhood and community cannot flourish.
Here is an example of how people help each other in a community.

In Tatopani Village, there
are about eighty families.
There are Brahmins,
Kshetris and Tamangs.
They cooperate with each
other and have made a
healthy neighborhood. Last
month, Rajan Acharya's
father passed away. All the
villagers came to his house
and attended the funeral. Rajan is a poor farmer so he didn’t have much
money. So Kshetri and Tamang families collected money to help Rajan

14 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

perform his father's death
rituals. "I am so thankful to
you all," Rajan told them.

Villagers in Tatopani help
each other in various
situations. When Rabin
Tamang fell ill, villagers
came to his house. They
carried him to a hospital on
a stretcher. Rabin is getting
better now.

In Tatopani, villagers solve almost every problem by themselves. They
have built a good neighborhood and healthy community. In a good
community, people help each other and solve problems. We should
follow such practices in our community too.

Free the Words

common good : for the benefit of everyone

interest : benefit

cooperation : helping each other

flourish : develop

funeral : religious ceremony of burning or burying the dead

stretcher : a device for carrying sick or wounded people

In-class Activities

What cooperative activities are the people in your community or
nighbourhood likely to carry out in the following situations?

Situations Cooperative activities
A person is sick
A person has no food to eat
Someone is dead
There's a marriage ceremony
A poor farmer is building a house
A poor boy cannot go to school

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 15

Exercise

1. Write whether the following statements are True or False.
a. A good relationship with others is the key to
happiness in a neighbourhood.

b. A neighbourhood and community have similar
structures.

c. Cooperation is about helping others.

d. Tatopani is a Kshetri village.

e. People depend on neighbours to solve their
problems in Tatopani.

2. Fill in the blanks.
a. ............................. is a small community.
b. Kshetri and Tamang families gave money to Rajan for .............
........................... .
c. Villagers took Rabin Tamang to ......................... .
d. Helping each other is ........................... of a good community.
e. In Tatopani, villagers solve their ......................... themselves.

3. Answer these questions.
a. What do we work for in our neighbourhood?
c. What is a community?
b. What is important for building a good community?
d. People of which castes live in Tatopani village?
e. How did villagers help Rajan Acharya?
f. What makes a good community?

4. Write about the people and the way they help each other in
need in your community.

16 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Projects for Unit One
1. Make a list of three problems you see in your neighbourhood.
Offer at least three suggestions to solve each problem.
2. Study the picture below. Write what the person's profession is
and what things she needs for her work.

3. Write about one cooperative habit of the people in your
neighbourhood.

4. Write about your experience of getting help from your
neighbours.

In this unit, we have learned that:

• neighbours are people who live next to our home.
• people in the neighbourhood help each other and live in harmony.
• we greet our neighbours with appropriate salutations and honorific

words.
• we attend ceremonies such as wedding, fairs, and festivals taking

place in our neighbourhood.
• people in our neighbourhood work for a living.
• in each profession, we need special tools to work with.
• each work is important and we must respect work.
• people in the neighbourhood help each other; we must help others

and take help from others.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 17

Test Your Knowledge

1.

Guess, Who I Am

I live nearby
your home
Ifomoadkiendaelihcoitoelu.s
I logoakrdafetne.r a
I h ianndalebamnok.ney
I plmayinnaggeo tnhteheverhoiacld.es

2. Write the meaning to the following Nepali words.
a. janai b. pasni

c. malami d. doko

3. Answer these questions.
a. Write the name of your village/community.

b. How do you help your neighbours?

c. Make a list of tools that your father and mother use while
working.

d. Make a list of things that you have taken from your neighbours.
Also list out the things that you have given to them.

4. There are different things at your home. How do you use
and keep them safely? Write in the table given below.

Things Use Safety
Clothes Wear Wardrobe
...................................... ...................................... ......................................
..................................... ..................................... .....................................
..................................... ..................................... .....................................

18 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Unit Our Social Norms

2 and Values

In this unit, we will learn to:

• listen to others and express our views.
• follow the instructions given by the elders.
• express our opinions about and even question the elder’s ideas which are not beneficial.
• put our views clearly on debatable issues.
• observe and appreciate language, culture, and dresses related to our community.
• respect classmates who speak different languages and follow different cultures.
• be proud of our birthplace.
• support the development of our locality.
• find persons who have contributed to the development of our communities.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 19

Lesson

2.1 Love and Respect

Elders

Pre-reading Activities

Take a few minutes to think about how we regard our elders. You may think of
how to speak to elders in the family, in the neighbourhood and the community.
Share your thoughts with the class. As a class, enact the lesson below.

Reading

In today's Social Studies lesson, Mr. Sameer Sharma is discussing the topic
"Love and Respect Elders." Read the conversation between Mr. Sharma and his
students.
Mr. Sharma : Our lesson today is "Love and Respect the Elders".

Do you know who the elders are ? Well, they are our
seniors. They are older than us. They have a lot of
experiences. They are also wise. (Meanwhile, a student
raises his hand.)

Dinesh : Excuse me sir, how should we address them ?

Mr. Sharma : Very good question.

Not all elders are our elders

relatives. So we do not

call them grandfather

or grandmother. But

we can call them uncle,

aunty or buba or dai or

didi or sister according

to their age. More

importantly, we must

greet them by saying 'Namaste' or 'Good morning'.

We must be polite to them. And . . . (As the teacher

continues, another student raises his hand.)

20 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Aakash : Sir, should we ask them about the past, about their
time ?

Mr. Sharma : We must. They know a lot of things. We should ask
them about good manners and behaviour. They are
as good a teacher as I am. And we must follow their
advice. (Aakash raises his hand again.)

Aakash : Sir, my grandfather says,"You must not drink water
touched by your lower-caste friends." Is it a good
advice ? I am confused.

Mr. Sharma : Thank you, Aakash. That's a very good question.
Some elders in our families may still believe in
superstitious ideas. This is because they have been
following wrongly held ideas. We should make them
aware about the importance of treating everyone
equally. We should tell them how we should not
discriminate people because of caste, religion, and
gender.

(Bell rings.)

Well, we should respect elders. But we should also
challenge their wrongly held beliefs. This is how we
can make our families and neighbourhood better.
That's all for today. We'll learn more about Nepal
and Nepalese in the next class.

Class : See you. Thank you sir !

Free the Words

behaviour : conduct
advice : suggestion
superstition : practice that cannot be explained by science
discriminate : treat differently
challenge : to say or show that something is not true or right

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 21

In-class Activities

Look at the pictures below and write what is happening in each
situation.

a. b.

............................................... ...............................................
.............................................. ..............................................
.............................................. ..............................................
c. d.

............................................... ...............................................
.............................................. ..............................................
.............................................. ..............................................

Exercise

1. Write whether the following statements are True or False.
a. Elders are our seniors.
b. Elders do have more experience and knowledge
than us.
c. All elders are our relatives.
d. We do not need to greet our elders.
e. We should ask the elders about good manners
and behaviour.

22 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

2. Fill in the blanks.
a. We call our elders uncle, buba, sister, etc. according to
.................... .
b. We should take elders' .................... .
c. Some older people believe in .................... .
d. We should make them aware about .................... .

3. Answer these questions.
a. Who are elders?
b. How do we address them?
c. What can we learn from elders?
d. What should we do to elders who believe in superstitions?
e. When should we not take our elders' advice?

4. Write a paragraph on elders in your family. Write what advice
they give you and how you respect them.

.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
5. What will you do when one of your elders says that you

should not go to school and should help in his/her work?
6. Form a group and act out the conversation given in the lesson.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 23

Lesson

2.2 A Garland of Hundred

Flowers: We Nepalis

Pre-reading Activities

Take a few minutes and tell your name, caste and language you speak at home
and school. List your castes, cultures and festivals you celebrate on the board.
Discuss what makes your class harmonious despite differences among you.

Reading

In a way our country is like your classroom. As you can see, there are
many children belonging to different castes, cultures, and religions in
your class. You speak different languages at home. Similarly, people who
speak different languages and follow different cultures live in Nepal,
but they do not disregard other people's caste, religion and tradition.
They help each other and live together. This is one of the best things
about Nepal and Nepalis. What are the different groups of people living
in Nepal? Here are some of the major ones.

24 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Brahmins and Kshetris

Brahmins and Kshetris make up most of Nepal's population. They live
mostly in the hilly districts. Some also live in Terai. They speak Nepali and
follow Hinduism. They celebrate Dashain, Tihar, Teej, Janaipurnima and
Ramnawami. Among them, Brahmins and Chhetris celebrate Dashain
with much vigour. They wear common dress. Traditionally, men wear
daura, suruwal and topi whlie women wear saree and blouse. But these
days, men also wear shirt, pants, jeans, coat and tie. Women wear kurta
suruwal, jeans, t-shirt and saree.

Sherpas and Lamas

Sherpas and Lamas mostly live in Himalayan districts like Solukhumbu
and Mustang. Some also live in Terai, hills and valleys. They speak
Tibetan language within their families and communities. With people of
other communities, they speak Nepali. Their main religion is Buddhism.
Lhosar and Buddha Jayanti are their biggest festivals. Their traditional
dresses are bakkhu and docha. But Sherpas and Lamas who live in cities
and towns also wear modern dresses like shirts, pants, coats and jeans.

Newars

Newars are said to be the original inhabitants of Kathmandu Valley.
The population of Newars is concentrated in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and
Bhaktapur, but they can be found scattered all across the country. They
live mainly in towns and cities. They are mostly involved in trade and
commerce. Some also work in farms. While some Newars are Hindus,
others are Buddhists. Their language is Newari. Newars are rich in
terms of festivals and culture. Indrajatra, Gaijatra and Machhindranath
Jatra are their main festivals, but they also celebrate Dashain and Tihar.
Traditionally, men wear daura, suruwal and bhadgaunle topi. Women wear
gunyu and choli.

Tharus

Tharus live in Terai. Many Tharus live in Dang, Banke, Bardia, Kailali and
Kanchanpur. Tharus speak Tharu language. Maghi is their biggest festival.
Tharu men wear bhegwu (loin cloth) and jhulva (bhoto). Tharu women
wear choli (blouse), lehanga and gunyu (long skirt). Tharu women also wear
ornaments such as ear rings (mundri), nose-flower (nathau), bangles, etc.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 25

Rais and Limbus

Rais and Limbus mostly live in the hilly districts of eastern Nepal.
There are many similarities between the Rais and Limbus; but there
are differences as well. The mother tongue of Limbus is Limbu. They
celebrate dhannach which usually falls in Mangsir. Limbu women wear
phariya, patuka, cholo and khasto. They also wear ornaments like mundri
and bulaki. Limbu men wear daura,suruwal and Nepali topi. In terms of
dresses and ornaments, Rais look similar to the Limbus. Rais celebrate
Chandinach which is also called Sakela. Sakela falls twice a year. The first
one is called Udhauli and the second is called Ubhauli. Rais and Limbus
take part in each other's festivals and cultures. They also celebrate
Dashain and Tihar.

Free the Words

disregard : to pay no attention, not to care
celebrate : mark, enjoy
vigour : energy, force
inhabitant : a person living in a certain place
concentrate : gather
scatter : to go in different places
difference : not being similar
ornaments : jewelery, etc.

In-class Activities

Complete the table below taking information from the lesson.

Castes Festivals Dress Place where Language
Men Women they live they speak
Brahmins/
Chhetris
Sherpas/
Lamas
Newars
Tharus
Rais/Limbus

26 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Exercise

1. Write whether the following statements are True or False.

a. People of different cultures and castes live in Nepal.
b. 'Unity in diversity' is a feature of Nepal.
c. Brahmins and Chhetris inhabit the Himalayan

Region.
d. The main festival of Sherpas is Janaipurnima.
e. Tharus live in Terai.

2. Fill in the blanks.
a. Nepal is ...................... of a hundred flowers.
b. Nepali people live together in ......................... though they belong to
different castes and speak different languages.
c. The main festivals of Kshetris and Brahmins are ................... .
d. The main festival of the Rais is ........ and that of the Limbus is ........ .
e. Rais and Limbus live in .......................... Nepal.

3. Answer these questions.
a. How is our country similar to your classroom?
b. What are the major festivals of Brahmins and Kshetris?
c. What language do the Sherpas speak? How do they communicate
with other people?
d. Where do Newars mainly live?
e. Write what you know about the traditional Tharu dresses.
f. What are the main festivals of the Rais and Limbus?

4. Write about your festivals, dresses, language, religion and culture.
I am ...................... . My religion is ....................... . I celebrate ..................
festivals. I speak ......................... language at home. .......................................
............................................................... .
Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 27

Lesson

2.3 My Heart Belongs to

My Birthplace

Pre-reading Activities

Before you begin the lesson, tell the class about your birthplace. Tell the class
how you feel about your native village/town. Then as a class, discuss why we feel
attached to our birthplace.

Reading

Mahankal, Kathmandu
November 01, 2018
Dear Niroj,

Thank you for your letter from
Okhaldhunga. In your letter you wrote to
me that I may be very happy in Kathmandu.
But I am not. I always think of my family
and my village. Actually, I did not want to come to Kathmandu. But
schools in our village are not very good. So, I had to come.

You might think that Kathmandu is a big city. There are buses and big
roads and many people. So, why should I be unhappy? But the truth is

though Kathmandu is a big city with
a lot of facilities, I cannot be happy
because it is not my birthplace. One’s
birthplace is the dearest place for a
person. Therefore, there is a saying
in Sanskrit Janani Janmabhumischa
Swargadapi Gariyasi: Mother and
birthplace are greater than heaven.

28 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

For me too, my village is the happiest place of all. My village is Keraunja.
It is in Gorkha district. Gorkha is a hilly district, so my village is also on
a hill. There is no road there. People have to carry goods from towns to
the village on their back. Most of my villagers are farmers. They work in
the fields. My father is also a farmer. He is not a very rich person but he
wants me to study well and become a good person in future. Therefore,
he has sent me to Kathmandu.

My village has a beautiful forest nearby. We get herbs and medicines
from there. We also get fodder for cattle and firewood for our household.
But villagers do not cut trees carelessly. They have made a committee
that works to preserve the forest. There is a temple of Goddess Durga.
Every Saturday, villagers visit the temple to worship the Goddess.

A big river flows by the village. It is called Budhigandaki River. Very
soon an electricity project is going to begin in the village. If that happens,
it will make my village rich. Every villager will be happy.

We may live anywhere in the world but we should not forget our
birthplace. We should conserve the natural resources and preserve
historical and cultural sites. They are the properties of our village.

After I pass SEE, I plan to study Science and become a doctor. Then I will
return to my own village. I will open a health clinic and serve my village.
I will be very happy at my own place.

Please write to me about your village in detail.

With love,
Tapas Karki

Free the Words

facilities : services
goods : products
fodder : grass to feed cattle
committee : group of people organized for some work
preserve : to save, to protect
site : a place where something like building, temple, etc.

is located

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 29

In-class Activities

Write a brief profile of your birthplace. Include the following:
• Name and location
• Climate and people’s lifestyle
• Main attractions
• Main landmarks and cultural sites
• Reasons why you love the place

Exercise

1. Write whether the following statements are True or False.
a. Tapas wrote the letter from Okhaldhunga.
b. Tapas's native village is in Gorkha.
c. Niroj thinks that Tapas is happy in Kathmandu.
d. Tapas is happy in Kathmandu.
e. He wants to become a businessman and earn a lot of money.

2. Fill in the blanks.
a. Keraunja is in ............................. district.
b. A big river flows by .......................... . It is called .................. .
c. By the side of the village, there is a .................... .
d. ................. is going to begin in the village soon.
e. Tapas wants to become a .......... and open ........... in his village.

3. Answer these questions.
a. Why is Tapas staying in Kathmandu?
b. Why is he not so happy in Kathmandu?
c. Why does he love Keraunja so much?

30 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

d. What do the people in Keraunja village do?
e. How do they use forest in Keraunja?
f. What does Tapas plan to do when he becomes a doctor?
g. Why should we preserve historical and cultural sites of our

birthplace?
4. "Mother and birthplace are greater than heaven". Write few

lines to explain the statement.
5. Compose a poem or write an essay on 'My Birthplace'.
6. Suppose that you are Niroj Khadka. Write a letter to Tapas.

Use the following guidelines to get started.
........................
.......................
Dear Tapas,
I was very happy to know about your village. I thank you for writ-
ing about it in detail. After reading your letter, I want to visit your
village. Will you take me there some time?
Since you also want to know about my village, let me write what
it is like.
My village is .............................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
With love,

Niroj Khadka

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 31

Lesson Jhamak Kumari
Ghimire
2.4

Pre-reading Activities

Think about people in your community who have contributed to art, culture and
literature. Ask your teachers to display photos of some of the great poets and
writers of Nepal and also discuss their contribution to the society.

Jhamak Kumari Ghimire
was born in July 1980
in Kachide village of
Dhankuta district. She is
the daughter of Krishna
Prasad Ghimire and Asa
Devi Ghimire. Now she is
a famous writer. Ghimire
had a very hard life. She
was born with cerebral
palsy. It is a disease that
makes it difficult to move arms and speak properly. She also could not
see the objects at a distance clearly. She could only move her feet.

In her family and the village, many people believed in superstition.
They thought that she was born in that state because of some sin. When
Jhamak was just 7 years old, someone advised her father to abandon her
but her father could not do so out of love for her. Slowly, she learned to
read and write using her feet. Her family thought that writing with a
foot would bring bad luck. So her parents scolded her when she wanted
to learn how to write. She once received a beating for writing on the

32 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

ground. When she was able finally to write the letter "s" on the ground

with a stick, it was the happiest moment of her life.

Jhamak learnt to read and write though she was disabled. When she was
19 years old, she began to write articles, songs, poems and stories. She
also published them in newspapers like Kantipur. In 2011, she won the
Madan Puraskar. It is the most prestigious award given to a writer for his
or her contribution to Nepali literature. It was given to her for her book
Jeewan Kanda Ki Phul. She was 30 years old then. When she won this
award, her parents and all the villagers were very happy. But this is not
the only award she has won. She has been honoured with a number of
national and regional awards since 1998.

In her books, she writes about politics, society, love, joy and sadness.
Many people have praised her writing. In an interview published in
mid- 2011, she mentioned that she was very glad to publish Jeevan Kanda
Ki Phul. For her, it was a big achievement when all she had ever dreamt
of was to be able to read and write.

There are a lot of things to learn from Jhamak Ghimire. Though born
with some impairment, some people are really gifted. Ghimire is one
of them. She contributed to the society. For every child, she is a person
to look up to. Her life shows that if we wish, we can make our dreams
come true. We should respect and honour such persons.

Free the Words

distance : far away

superstition : a belief arising from ignorance or fear

sin : a religious belief of doing something wrong

abandon : to leave

prestigious : respectable

contribution : part played by a person for something good

achievement : success

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 33

In-class Activities

Look at the picture of a famous person
who overcame disability. She also inspired
the world for her great work. Find more
information about her and write in your
notebook. State what lesson you can learn
from her life.

Exercise

1. Fill in the blanks.
a. Jhamak Kumari Ghimire was born with the disease
called ................................ .
b. The first letter she wrote was ............................... .
c. When she was 7 years old, somebody advised her father to
............................. .
d. In 2011, she won ................................. .
e. ....................... is her father and ............................. is her mother.
f. Her award winning book is ....................................... .

2. Write whether the following statements are True or False.
a. Jhamak Kumari Ghimire was born in 1977.
b. She attended schools for her study.
c. She writes essays, poems, and novels.
d. Her parents and villagers liked her very much
when she was a child.
e. We should respect people like Jhamak Kumari.

34 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

3. Answer these questions.
a. When was Jhamak Kumari Ghimire born? Who are her parents?
b. Why did her parents not allow her to read and write?
c. What does she mainly write about?
d. For which book did she win the Madan Puraskar?
e. How did she learn to read and write?

4. Write about a person in your village who has done something
good for the society, despite having problems and difficulties.

5. Look at Jhamak Kumari Ghimire's picture below and write
what she is doing. And how does she do it?

........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
5. What works can you begin from now to be popular like

Jhamak Kumari Ghimire?
........................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 35

Projects for Unit Two
1. Study the picture below and write about the religious and

cultural practices seen in it.

2. Write a short description of your village or town. Also describe
the cultural and social life of the people living there.

3. Sketch a short profile of a famous person: a social worker, artist
or writer from your community. Use photos, if possible.

In this unit, we have learned that:

• we should love and respect our elders.
• we should express our opinions politely.
• Nepal is a country of diversity, that is, we have people who speak

different languages, follow different religions, and practise different
customs and traditions.
• we should respect every culture and religion; it builds good
relationship among people.
• people have special feelings towards their birthplace.
• we should help develop our locality where we come from.
36 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Test Your Knowledge

1. Fill up the given bubbles with the names of your elders or
respectable persons.

Father

REeldsppeererscs/toanbsle

2. Write a few lines on the following festivals. Also write in
which community each festival is celebrated.

a. Dashain b. Teej c. Gaijatra

d. Maghi e. Sakela f. Siruwa

3. Compose a poem or a song on 'My Heart Belongs to My
Birthplace'.

4. Answer these questions.

a. Whom should we love and respect?
b. Why do people in Nepal celebrate different festivals?
c. Describe one work that your parents have done for your country.

d. What can you learn from Jhamak Kumari Ghimire?

5. Suppose you met a famous person of your locality. Make a

list of questions you want to ask.

Example : a. What inspired you to choose such a profession?

b. ....................................................................................

c. ....................................................................................

d. ....................................................................................
e. ....................................................................................

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 37

Unit Social Problems and

3 Their Solutions

In this unit, we will learn to:

• help people in need in our community.
• raise awareness about the harmful effects of drinking, smoking and other forms of

addiction.
• report incidents caused by harmful effects of bad habits in the community.
• avoid drinking and other harmful traditions during cultural celebrations.
• help eliminate discrimination in the community.
• stay aware of discrimination taking place in our homes and community.
• develop positive thinking and avoid conflict.
• understand the ways of eliminating social discrimination and addiction.
• recognize and appreciate the social works done by social organizations.

38 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Lesson

3.1 Help in Need Is Help

Indeed

Pre-reading Activities

Look at the picture below. It shows the security personnel helping people during

the Great Earthquake of 2072. Tell the class about your experience of the earthquake

if you felt it. Discuss in class and prepare a list of ways to save lives during natural

disasters like earthquake.

Ways to minimize effects of earthquake

Reading

When a thunderstorm struck Roshan
Pariyar's house in Khotang in 2009,
he lost almost everything: his house,
his wife and his mother. Only Roshan
and his two children, Juna and Muna,
survived.

But the villagers were helpful. They
came to Roshan's house as soon as
they learnt about the incident. While
his mother was alive, they put her on a stretcher and took her to a hospital.
Sadly, she died at the hospital. Then the villagers brought her body back
to the village for funeral. Roshan was heart-broken. "I'm ruined. How
will I live now? My wife and my mother are dead," he cried. The villagers

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 39

comforted him, "We don't know when bad days come. Don't worry, we
are with you," they said.

After the mourning, they helped rebuild Roshan's house. Some gave
him wood, others worked the entire day for free. Women helped to set
his kitchen. And finally, the villagers also collected money and gave it
to Roshan for Juna's and Muna's education. Roshan was thankful to the
villagers. Without their help, he would really have been ruined.

Sometimes, we are hit by natural calamities. Floods sweep away villages.
People get buried in landslides. Sometimes an epidemic like cholera kills
many people. When a misfortune strikes people like this, we should help
those who are affected. For the flood victims, we can donate clothes,
utensils, and money.

If necessary, we should give them shelter too. We should take sick people
to hospitals. We must offer help to the helpless people of our community.
Helping people in need is the duty of a good citizen.

Free the Words

thunderstorm : storm with lightening

survive : live

funeral : ceremony related to dead person

ruin : destroy, end

mourn : to be very sad because of someone's death

calamity : an event that causes damage, disaster

epidemic : a sudden spread of diseases

cholera : a disease that causes vomiting and diarrhoea

misfortune : bad luck

40 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

In-class Activities

Work in a group. Discuss and state how you would help people in the
following situations.
• An elderly person in your neighbourhood suddenly fell sick. He does

not have anyone to take care.
• Your neighbours lost their home in the earthquake. Now, they are

living in a tent in extreme winter cold.
• You saw a young son of your next door neighbour smoke.
• Your neighbourhood is proud of a festival. Everyone celebrates it.

But, many people drink and quarrel during the festival.

Exercise

1. Write whether the following statements are True or False.
a. The thunderstorm killed two persons in
Roshan's house.
b. Only Juna and Muna survived.
c. Roshan's mother died at home.
d. When Roshan was sad, the villagers comforted him.
e. Helping people in need is not a necessary virtue.

2. Fill in the blanks.
a. Roshan's house was hit by ........................ .
b. Villagers took Roshan's mother to a hospital on ................. .
c. Roshan is thankful to the villagers because without their help,
he would ..................... .
d. We can help flood victims by ......................... .
e. Helping people in need is ................. of a citizen.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 41

3. Answer these questions.
a. What happened to Roshan Pariyar when the thunderstorm hit
his house?
b. Where did his mother die?
c. How did the villagers comfort Roshan?
d. How did they help Roshan afterward?
e. What are some of the natural calamities?

4. Look at the pictures below. Write what has happened and
how we should help the victims.

a. b.

c. d.

5. If you had to help Roshan Pariyar, how would you help?
....................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................

42 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

Lesson

3.2 The Habits That Harm

Pre-reading Activities

Make a list of some bad habits that harm the health of people, society and the
nation. In small groups, discuss some ways of avoiding such habits.

Reading

Consider the habits of Dhan Bahadur. He comes home
late. He often quarrels with his wife. He never has
money to pay for his children's education. His children
are unhappy. He always coughs and shouts at night.
His neighbours say of him: "Oh, when will Dhane
change? He disturbs the entire neighbourhood."

"Who wants to fight with me, huh? Take me on if
you have guts." He keeps yelling at everyone passing
by. He also uses foul words. Nobody likes him in the family and the
neighbourhood. The reason: he drinks, he smokes, he plays cards.
Sometimes he is so drunk that he passes the night in the streets. His wife

and children are worried and tired of him.

Now think about Kul Bahadur, Dhan
Bahadur's own brother. Kul Bahadur comes
home from work on time. He brings his
children fruits, books and toys. His children
are very happy with him. As soon as they
see him arrive home, they cheer up. Then
they have tea and snacks together. He tells
stories to his children before they go to bed.
His family is very happy. His neighbours have nice things to say about
his family: "Dhan Bahadur and Kul Bahadur are bothers, but they are so
different. Kul Bahadur is a good person. We should learn from him."

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 43

Everybody likes Kul Bahadur because he does not drink; neither does he
smoke or play cards. He spends money on his children's education. He
teaches them good manners. Who do you think is the good person ? Kul
Bahadur, of course. Dhan Bahadur is not a bad person by birth but he
has taken up bad habits. And that is exactly the problem for many.

If we do not stay away from bad habits, we may become like Dhan
Bahadur. Therefore, it is necessary to follow good habits and avoid the
bad ones. Here are some bad habits that we must avoid.

Smoking

Smoking is one of the dangerous habits that many people
have. Smoking affects our lungs. It can also cause cancer.
It makes people cough and cry. It is often a cause of death.
Therefore, we should advise our elders not to smoke if they
do. We should never take up such a habit.

Drinking alcohol

Drinking alcohol such as wine and liquor is an equally dangerous habit.
It affects our liver directly. When we spend on drinking, it affects us
financially. Instead of spending on drinking, we should spend on buying
healthy drinks such as juice. Drinking does not only damage our health,
it also earns us bad name. Drinking hampers people's thinking ability.
After drinking, people lose their sense: they become quarrelsome and
often use foul words. Remember the example of Dhan Bahadur!

Taking drugs

This is perhaps the most dangerous habit. Drugs are
chemicals that make our body and nervous system dull.
Once people start taking drugs they cannot quit easily.
When they do not get drugs, they become restless. They
even start stealing to pay for drugs. They become addicts.
Drug addiction has many bad effects. It makes people
thin and sick. And finally drug addiction may also lead to death.

Theft and lying

Some people have the habit of stealing others' goods. This is called theft.
Theft is a crime liable to punishment. Some people also have the bad

44 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

habit of telling lies. Lying and theft earn us bad names. We should never
tell lies and steal from others. We should encourage people to give up
such bad habits.

If there are people in your family who have these habits, you should
ask them to quit. People pick up bad habits due to many reasons such
as psychological problems, family breakdown, poverty, etc. In order to
help people who have problems such as drug addiction, we should also
bring programmes that address the causes.

Free the Words

gut : courage

yell : shout

foul : hateful, offensive

cancer : fatal disease

liquor : alcohol

quit : give up, leave

drug addiction : addiction to a drug (especially a narcotic drug)

encourage : to tell people to do something

psychological : relating to mind

In-class Activities

Look at the pictures below and write what each person is doing. Then
write a brief note on each bad habit.
a. b.

c. d.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 45

Exercise

1. Write whether the following statements are True or False.
a. Dhan Bahadur disturbs his neighbours.
b. His wife and children are unhappy with him.
c. Kul Bahadur does not care about his children
and family.
d. We should give up the habits that harm us.
e. Drug addicts become restless when they do not
get any drug to consume.

2. Fill in the blanks.
a. Dhan Bahadur never has ................ to pay for his
children's................ .

b. Kul Bahadur tells his children ................ before they go to bed.

c. Smoking .................. our lungs and can cause ....................... .

d. Instead of spending on drinking, we should spend on
.................. .

e. ............ is a chemical substance that makes our body ............. .

3. Here are some remarks. Write Dhan Bahadur or Kul Bahadur
against each remark.
a. Who wants to fight with me, huh?
b. He does not smoke.
c. We should learn from him.
d. Whole the family members are worried about him.

4. Answer these questions.
a. What does Dhan Bahadur do when he is drunk?
b. How is Kul Bahadur different from Dhan Bahadur?

46 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

c. Why is Kul Bahadur's family happy?
d. What are the effects of smoking?
e. How does drinking affect a person?
f. What is a drug?
g. How do lying and stealing affect us?

5. What message do the folowing figures give?

6. Which of the following are liquor? Tick (√) them.

a. curd b. alcohol c. beer

d. milk e. juice f. water

g. brandy h.. rum i. wine

7. Imagine that someone in your family has bad habits. Write
what you will say to him/her to give up such habits.

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 47

Lesson

We Must Eliminate

3.3 Wrong Practices

Pre-reading Activities

Have you ever attended a wedding? Have you seen a lot of expensive gifts
given to the groom? Such gifts are called dowry. Discuss among your friends the
advantages and disadvantages of giving dowry.

Reading

Saroj lived in Siraha district.
He was happy. His 25 - year old
daughter, Yamuna, was finally
getting married. He invited all
his neighbours and relatives. He
arranged a small feast for the
guests and jantis. He was happy
that his daughter, Yamuna, had
found a good husband.

The pundit began the ritual. When the kanyadan ceremony began, the
groom put forward a condition. "I will accept your daughter only if you
give me a motorbike," he said.

Saroj was surprised. Everyone was surprised. "I am not a rich person
hazur," Saroj joined his hands and said, "My only wealth is my daughter.
She is trained as a nurse. I am giving her hand to you. Please do not
demand a motorbike. If I must give it, I will be able to buy one for you
in three months. Now do not ruin this marriage." But the groom did not
listen.

Yamuna heard the conversation between her father and the groom.
She felt bad about the situation. She could not think of what to do.
Suddenly, she went upstairs crying. Someone followed her. She got
48 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4

into her room and closed the door from
inside. They knocked on the door while
calling "Yamuna, Yamuna." She did not
open it. Then they broke open the door.
She had hanged herself! She was already
dead. Then the police came and arrested
the groom. Saroj lost the only daughter
he had because of the dowry system. And
the groom had to go to jail because of his
greed for the dowry.

There are many such practices in our
society which are very bad. We must speak against such practices and
eliminate them. In towns and cities, they employ underage children in
hotels and restaurants. These children have to work day and night. They
are paid very little. To put children to work is called child labour. Child
labour is not legal. If we see families employing poor children to work
without giving them education, we should inform the police.

In some parts of the country, they still
practise early marriage. As soon as the
children are born, their marriages are fixed.
They are married when they do not know
what marriage means. Child marriage is a
social crime. We should inform the police,
if we come to know about it.

Wasteful spending is another bad practice
which harms social health. During festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Teej,
people spend too much on parties, drinks, dakshina and on food. This is a
bad practice because it is a waste of money. Poor people follow the habits
of rich people but they do not have enough money. They take loans from
banks or businessmen, but they cannot pay them back in time. Finally,
they lose the little property they have and become homeless. During
festivals, we should spend according to our purse. We should also avoid
unnecessary habits like playing cards, buying very expensive clothes,
giving a large amount of money as dakshina, organizing parties, etc.

Besides this, so called upper caste people do not allow the so-called low

Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4 49

caste (sano jat) persons to enter the temples.
They say that the low caste people have no
right to pray and worship God. This is wrong.
If God has created us all, isn't he everyone's?

There may be other bad practices in our
community. We must help eliminate such
practices to make the society a better place
to live.

Free the Words

guests : people invited for a special occasion
janti
: members in a wedding procession taking part from the
kanyadan groom's side

dowry : a ritual of giving daughter's hand to the bridegroom in
eliminate marriage
wasteful
dakshina : money or property that a bride's family gives to the groom

: to end

: useless, unproductive

: money given to people at Bijaya Dashami or pooja

In-class Activities
Explain what is happening in the following pictures.

ab

cd

50 Oasis Social Studies & Creative Arts-4