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Key Point: Area of a rectangular field = length × breadth (units: m × m = m²). Example: a field 50 m long and 20 m wide has area 50 × 20 = 1000 m².
A farm is a piece of land where farmers grow crops and keep animals. Fields are the parts of a farm where crops are planted. A field may be large or small and is usually separated by fences, paths or natural boundaries. Farmers prepare fields, sow seeds, water the plants, remove weeds, and harvest crops when they are ready.
Parts of a farm and field:
How farmers look after fields (simple steps):
Why farms and fields are important:
They provide food (grains, vegetables, fruits), raw materials (cotton, jute), and jobs for many people. Good care of fields means more food and less waste.
Simple ideas for children to notice: Visit a nearby field and see the rows of plants, look at irrigation channels, watch farmers planting or harvesting, and learn the names of common crops (rice/paddy, wheat, maize, vegetables, sugarcane).
Key Point: Area of a rectangular field = length × breadth (use same units, e.g., meters).
What are crops? Crops are plants that farmers grow on their fields to get food, fibre, oil or fodder. Examples include rice, wheat, maize, pulses, vegetables, sugarcane and cotton.
Types of crops and when they are grown
What crops need to grow
How farmers take care of crops
Connection to Basva’s farm (class 4 story)
In the story, Basva and his family grow crops suited to their land and water. They may grow vegetables for their home, cereals or millets for food, and pulses for protein. Small farms often grow a mix of crops so the family gets food to eat and crops to sell.
Why knowing about crops is important
Key Point: Average milk per day = Total milk collected in a week ÷ 7 (e.g., 21 L ÷ 7 = 3 L/day).
Farm animals are animals kept by people on farms to provide food, materials, work and other benefits. In Basva’s Farm and similar small farms, animals like cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, hens and oxen play important roles in daily life and farming.
Main roles of farm animals
How farm animals help on a small farm (real-life tasks)
Care and responsibilities
Why these roles matter to farmers and communities
Farm animals provide food security (regular food), improve farm production (manure for crops), reduce labor (draught animals), and supply materials and income. Teaching children about these roles helps them understand where food and farm products come from and the responsibilities involved in caring for animals.
Key Point: Area of a rectangular field = length × breadth (useful to know total land for planting)
Farming activities are the different jobs that farmers do to grow crops and rear animals so we get food, fibres and other useful products. On a farm these activities follow a sequence from preparing the land to selling produce. Each activity is important for healthy plants and animals.
Main farming activities (in order):
Why these activities matter: Each step helps plants get sunlight, water and nutrients or helps animals stay healthy. Doing activities at the right time and in the right way gives more food and better income for the farmer.
Simple tips for safe and good farming:
Key Point: Area of a rectangular field = length × breadth. (Example: A field 20 m long and 10 m wide has area 20 × 10 = 200 m².)
On a farm, tools and equipment are the things farmers use to do work. Tools are usually small, hand-held items used for simple jobs (for example, a spade or sickle). Equipment can be larger or powered and helps do bigger jobs faster (for example, a tractor or irrigation pipes). Using the right tool or equipment makes farming easier, faster and safer.
Common farm tools and what they do:
Why tools and equipment matter: They save time and effort, help farmers cultivate larger fields, improve the quality of sowing and harvesting, and often lead to better crop yields. For example, a tractor can plough a large field in hours while a hand plough would take many days.
Care and safety:
Key Point: Volume of water needed (m³) = Area (m²) × Water depth (m). Example: 100 m² × 0.05 m = 5 m³ (5,000 L).
What is irrigation? Irrigation means giving water to crops and plants when rain is not enough. Farmers use irrigation to help seeds grow into healthy plants. In Basva’s farm and many farms, water comes from wells, rivers, canals, or pumps.
Why is careful water use important? Water is precious. Using the right amount at the right time helps plants grow better and saves water for people and animals. Too much water can waste water and harm plants; too little water stops growth.
Watering is best early in the morning or late in the evening. This reduces water lost to evaporation and helps plants absorb water better.
Simple idea from Basva’s farm: A farmer checks the soil before watering. If the soil is moist, they wait. If it is dry, they water the plants carefully so roots get enough water without waste.
Key Point: Nutrient from a fertiliser bag: nutrient_amount = bag_weight × (percentage_of_nutrient / 100). Example: 1 kg of 10-10-10 (N-P-K) gives 1 kg × 10% = 0.1 kg = 100 g of nitrogen.
What is soil? Soil is the top layer of the earth where plants grow. It is made of tiny broken rocks (minerals), water, air and organic matter (dead plants and animals). Good soil has nutrients that plants need.
Types of soil
What is manure? Manure or organic manure is natural material from plants and animals used to improve the soil. Examples: cow dung, compost made from kitchen and garden waste, and vermicompost (made with earthworms). Manure adds organic matter and slow-release nutrients to the soil, improves soil structure and helps hold water.
How to make simple compost (basic steps)
What are fertilisers? Fertilisers are substances that give plants essential nutrients quickly. There are two main kinds: organic (manure, compost) and chemical (synthetic) fertilisers. Chemical fertilisers supply nutrients in a concentrated and fast way.
Major plant nutrients (N, P, K)
Difference between manure and chemical fertilisers
How farmers use them (example from a farm like Basva's)
Safety and good practice
Key Point: Percentage loss = (Amount lost ÷ Expected total amount) × 100
What are pests and why protect crops?
Pests are animals, insects, birds, or microorganisms that damage crops. If pests attack plants, they can reduce the amount and quality of food we get from the farm. Crop protection means using methods to keep plants healthy and reduce loss caused by pests and diseases.
Common kinds of pests
Ways to control pests (simple and safe methods)
Safety and good practice
Why it matters
Good pest control helps farmers get more food, keeps prices stable, and protects the environment by avoiding unnecessary chemicals.
Key Point: Total produce = Number of plants × Produce per plant
What is harvesting? Harvesting is the process of collecting crops from the field when they are fully grown and ready. Farmers watch signs of ripeness (colour change, hard grains, dry leaves) and then cut or pick the crop.
How is harvesting done?
What is processing? Processing means the steps done after harvesting to make the crop clean, safe and ready for eating or sale. Processing can be simple (drying and storing) or longer (milling, grinding, making jams or pickles).
Common processing steps
Why harvesting and processing matter
Simple tips for children
Key Point: Total produce = (yield per plant) × (number of plants). Example: if one tomato plant gives 5 kg and you have 10 plants, total = 5 kg × 10 = 50 kg.
Farm produce means the things that come from a farm. These include crops (like wheat, rice, pulses), fruits, vegetables, milk, eggs, honey and fibres (like cotton or wool). In the story of Basva's Farm, Basva grows crops and keeps some produce for his family, uses some for his animals, processes some into other foods, and sells the rest.
Household use means the ways a family uses farm produce at home. Some produce is eaten directly (vegetables, fruits), some is processed (wheat is made into flour, milk into curd or ghee), some is kept as seed for the next crop, and some is used as animal feed (straw, fodder). A family first keeps what it needs for food and seed, then uses leftovers for their animals or trades/sells the surplus in the market for money.
Good storage and simple processing help the family use farm produce all year. For example, grains can be stored in dry, clean containers; fruits and vegetables can be preserved as pickles or dried; milk can be turned into curd or ghee to last longer. Saving seeds after harvest helps plant crops next season. Using farm produce smartly means less waste, more food security, and extra income if surplus is sold.
Key Point: Income = Price per unit × Quantity sold (e.g., Income = Rs 20/kg × 10 kg = Rs 200)
What is Income? Income is the money a person gets by selling things or doing work. In Basva’s farm, income comes when Basva sells vegetables, milk or other farm produce. For example, if Basva sells tomatoes, the money he gets from the buyer is his income.
What is a Market? A market is the place where people buy and sell things. It could be a village market, a road-side stall, or a shop. At the market, buyers and sellers agree on a price. The market helps Basva find people who will buy his farm produce.
What are Savings? Savings are the part of income that is kept safe and not spent right away. Basva might save money to buy seeds next season, to repair tools, or to meet emergencies. Saving helps plan for the future.
How these three are connected: Basva produces goods on his farm → he takes them to the market and sells them → he gets income → from that income he pays costs (like seeds, tools, food) → the money left after paying costs can be used as savings or reinvested in the farm.
Simple example in words: Basva sells 10 kg of spinach at a market price. He earns money (income). He uses some money to pay for seeds and food (expenses). The remaining money he keeps in his box or bank (savings).
Key Point: Happy family = love + help + responsibility
Community means a group of people living or working near one another — neighbours, friends, schools, shops and farms. A family is the smallest unit of a community where members care for each other and share tasks. Responsibilities are the duties or jobs each person does to keep the family, farm and community healthy and happy.
In the story of Basva’s Farm, Basva and his family work together on the farm: planting, watering, looking after animals and sharing the food they grow. These are responsibilities that help their family have food and earn money. When neighbours help each other repair fences or look after each other’s crops, the whole community becomes stronger.
Why responsibilities matter:
Simple ways children can show responsibility:
Consequences of not taking responsibility include mess, wasted resources, sick animals or plants, and unhappy neighbours. By doing their duties, each person — even a child — helps the family and community grow strong and healthy.
Key Point: Clean surroundings → fewer germs → healthier people and animals
Introduction
On Basva’s Farm, safety, hygiene and environment are linked ideas that help people, animals and plants stay healthy. Safety means protecting people from harm. Hygiene means keeping people, food and places clean to stop germs from spreading. Environment means the natural surroundings — soil, water, air, plants and animals — that must be cared for so the farm stays productive and pleasant.
Safety on the farm
Hygiene on the farm
Protecting the environment
How these three things work together
A safe farm where people follow good hygiene and look after the environment has fewer illnesses, healthier plants and animals, and more food. For example, clean water prevents stomach infections; shaded fields with trees stay cooler and reduce heat stress in animals; proper waste care keeps the farm neat and keeps pests away.
Simple actions children can do