Unit 3 – A Visitor From Distant lands

LESSON PLAN for this lesson is given at the end of the lesson.

Look at the pictures. What do their expressions tell you? Fill in the blanks with the item that tastes the same. One example is given for each.

1. Sweet : sugarcane ____________________________________________

2. Sour : lime ____________________________________________

3. Bitter : bitter gourd ____________________________________________

4. Salty : salt ____________________________________________

5. Astringent : betel nut ____________________________________________

6. Pungent : ginger ____________________________________________

Sweet : sugarcane → banana / honey / mango
Sour : lime → tamarind / curd / raw mango
Bitter : bitter gourd → neem leaves / fenugreek seeds
Salty : salt → chips / salted peanuts
Astringent : betel nut → raw banana / tea leaves
Pungent : ginger → chilli / garlic / mustard

A. Choose the Correct Answer (Tick the Best Option)

When Amma said, "Don’t upset our foreign visitor," she meant:

a) potatoes
b) pepper
c) chilli

Selvi asked, "Did they come in an aeroplane?" because she:

a) was joking
b) did not understand her mother
c) thought it would be fun

Amma bought the vegetables from the:

a) shops
b) shopping mall
c) super market

B. Answer These Questions

Who first brought these vegetables to India?
➤ The Portuguese first brought vegetables like potatoes, chillies, and tomatoes to India.
Who came to India from Portugal in search of pepper?
➤ Vasco da Gama came to India from Portugal in search of black pepper.
What did Amma mean when she said tomatoes, ladies’ fingers, and corn came from other countries?
➤ Amma meant that these vegetables were not originally grown in India. They were brought from other countries long ago.

C. Frame Your Own Questions (Group Activity)

Here are some sample questions you can use or get inspired by:

Which are the foreign vegetables mentioned in the story?
Why was Columbus sad?
Why did people come to India in search of black pepper?
Where was chilli first brought to in India?
What did Mani and Selvi do after learning the history of potatoes and chillies?
Who packed chilli and took it back to his country?
What did people in India use before chillies came?
How did Amma explain the history of vegetables to her children?

D. Discuss in groups and share your views in three or four sentences with others in the class.

• What is your favourite dish? Do you know the spices that go into it?

💬 Sample Answer:
"My favourite dish is biryani. It has many spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and chilli powder. These spices make the dish aromatic and delicious. I learned that some of these spices were brought to India by traders long ago!"

E. Add 'r' , ‘er’ or ‘or’ to get the name of the person who does the activity. Take turns in class to make sentences with the words you have formed.

e.g: A teacher is a person who teaches. Teach + er – Teacher.

use buy sail watch operate foreign bake write govern act

Verb	Person	Example Sentence
use	user	A user is a person who uses something.
buy	buyer	A buyer is a person who buys things.
sail	sailor	A sailor is a person who sails a boat or ship.
watch	watcher	A watcher is a person who watches something.
operate	operator	An operator is a person who operates a machine.
foreign	foreigner	A foreigner is a person who comes from another country.
bake	baker	A baker is a person who bakes bread and cakes.
write	writer	A writer is a person who writes stories or books.
govern	governor	A governor is a person who governs a state or area.
act	actor	An actor is a person who acts in movies or plays.

F. Complete this table with the help of the given example.

e.g: Portugal is the name of the country. People from Portugal are called the Portuguese.

COUNTRY	NATIONALITY
Ex: Portugal			Portuguese
France		French
China		Chinese
America		American
Sri Lanka		Sri Lankan
Spain		Spaniard
Burma		Burmese
India		Indian
Thailand		Thai

G. Listen to some interesting facts about spices and choose the best option.

Spices

Red peppers have a lot of vitamin C which helps the body fight infections. Paprika (red chilli powder) made from red peppers has more vitamin C than even lemon juice. Only you cannot eat too much of it!

To get 1 pound (450 g) of dry saffron (kungumapoo in Tamil) it requires up to 75,000 flowers and 20 hours of labour. That is why it is so expensive.

Mints are not only given at the end of a meal in restaurants to help refresh your breath, but herbs like peppermint help settle nausea and upset stomach.

G. Choose the Best Option

1. Red peppers have ___________________.

o a. Vitamin A

o b. Vitamin C

o c. Vitamin D

2. Red chilli is also called ___________________.

o a. Paprika

o b. Carica

o c. Pyrus

3. One pound is equal to ___________________ grams.

o a. 480

o b. 450

o c. 500

4. Mint leaves help to cure ___________________.

o a. body pain

o b. fever

o c. upset stomach

H. Work in pairs. Take turns and speak about spices.

Saritha : Hi Divya, how are you?

Divya : Hi, I’m fine Saritha.

Saritha : What did you have for breakfast?

Divya : ___________________ with onion chutney.

Saritha : Do ___________________ onions ___________________ ?

Divya : ___________________ Central Asia.

Saritha : Do you know chilli too has come from somewhere else?

Divya : Is it from ___________________?

Saritha : Yes ________________________________ right.

Divya : Many of the ___________________ came ___________________.

Saritha: Hi Divya, how are you?
Divya: Hi, I’m fine Saritha.
Saritha: What did you have for breakfast?
Divya: Idli with onion chutney.
Saritha: Do you know where onions come from?
Divya: They came from Central Asia.
Saritha: Do you know chilli too has come from somewhere else?
Divya: Is it from South America?
Saritha: Yes, you are absolutely right.

1. Divya: Many of the vegetables and spices came from other countries.

Use two or three words from the box to describe each picture.

Image 1 (Red chilli)
➤ Red hot chilli

Image 2 (Red ball)
➤ Round red ball

Image 3 (Black cat)
➤ Big black cat

Image 4 (Wooden table)
➤ Wooden round table

Image 5 (Kangaroo)
➤ Brown long tail

Image 6 (House)
➤ Red house windows

Image 7 (Snowy mountain)
➤ Icy tall mountain

Image 8 (Chillies)
➤ Three hot chillies

Image 9 (Boy reading)
➤ Smiling boy book

Image 10 (Tiger and cubs)
➤ Red cute cubs

I. Correct the order of the words in bold and write them in the blanks.

1. Green little the chilli ___________________ was very hot.

2. Sailors many brave ___________________ tried to find a sea route to India.

3. Brown dog the big ___________________ barked at the children.

4. The spice most common ___________________ used today is the red chilli pepper.

5. The path mud long ___________________ led to a beautiful lake.

 Green little the chilli The little green chilli was very hot.

 Sailors many brave Many brave sailors tried to find a sea route to India.

 Brown dog the big The big brown dog barked at the children.

 The spice most common The most common spice used today is the red chilli pepper.

 The path mud long The long mud path led to a beautiful lake.

K. How do you cook rice in your house?

Fill in the gaps in this recipe for cooking rice. Use the words in the box.

wash boil water heat keep rice lid low water more ready

What you'll need

• 1 cup uncooked white rice

• 2 cups water

• pinch of salt

How to make it

1. ___________________ the rice until the ___________________ runs clear.

2. Drain the water and ___________________ aside.

3. In a medium sized pan, bring water to ___________________.

1. Add the salt, stir, and then add the rinsed and drained ___________________.

2. Reduce the heat, cover the rice, and let it simmer on ___________________ heat for 20 minutes.

3. Check after 15 minutes to see if all the ___________________ has evaporated. If it has, the rice is ___________________.

4. If not, replace the ________________ and let the rice simmer for 5 _______________ minutes.

5. Remove from ___________________ and serve

What you'll need

• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 cups water
• pinch of salt

How to make it

1. Wash the rice until the water runs clear.

2. Drain the water and keep aside.

3. In a medium sized pan, bring water to boil.

4. Add the salt, stir, and then add the rinsed and drained rice.

5. Reduce the heat, cover the rice, and let it simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

6. Check after 15 minutes to see if all the water has evaporated. If it has, the rice is ready.

7. If not, replace the lid and let the rice simmer for 5 more minutes.

8. Remove from heat and serve.

L. Work in groups.

• Discuss how your mother cooks rice in your house.

• Write down the ingredients you need like rice and water.

• List the steps in cooking. The words in the recipe above will help you.

• Each person in the group should tell others how rice is cooked in their house.

• Now write down the recipe.

Ingredients:

· 1 cup rice

· 2 cups water

· A pinch of salt (optional)

· A small amount of oil or ghee (optional)

Steps to Cook Rice:

1. Rinse the rice: Wash the rice in a fine sieve or bowl under cold water to remove excess starch. This helps the rice to be less sticky.

2. Boil water: In a pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. You can add a pinch of salt and a bit of oil or ghee for extra flavor, if you like.

3. Add rice to water: Once the water is boiling, add the washed rice to the pot.

4. Stir and cover: Stir the rice once to prevent it from sticking. Then, cover the pot with a lid.

5. Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and let the rice simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Don't lift the lid while it's cooking to retain the steam.

6. Check the rice: After the time is up, check if the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked. If it’s not, you can add a little more water and cook for a few more minutes.

7. Fluff the rice: Once cooked, remove the pot from heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then, fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains.

Sharing in Groups: Each person can then describe how rice is cooked in their house. For example:

· "In my house, we use a rice cooker instead of a pot."

· "My mom adds a little butter to the rice for extra flavor."

· "We usually cook rice in a pressure cooker."

M. Your mother has written a message for you before going out. Write a message to her after finishing your lunch.

Your mother's message

Your lunch is in the kitchen. Please warm before eating it. There is some curd in the pot, if you want it. Clean up the kitchen after you finish eating. I will be back at 4 p.m. You can go out to play at 3.30 p.m, if you want but be back by 5.30 p.m.

Write about the following in your message.

• You ate lunch ___________________.

• What you liked ___________________ (mention the dish).

• You have cleaned the kitchen ___________________.

• You are going out to play. ___________________ (mention when you will be back).

Message to Mom:

Hi Mom,

I ate lunch at around 1 p.m. The food was delicious! I really liked the rice and dal, especially with the curd you left in the pot. It was so refreshing!

I have cleaned up the kitchen after eating, just like you asked.

I’m going out to play now and will be back by 5:30 p.m., as you mentioned.

See you soon!

Love,
[Your Name]

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Lesson Plan: A Visitor from Distant Lands

Subject: English
Class: 6th Grade
Duration: 45 minutes
Topic: Prose - "A Visitor from Distant Lands" (Unit 3)

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the teacher aims to help students:

Understand the concept of cultural exchange through food and trade
Learn about historical exploration and the introduction of foreign vegetables to India
Develop dialogue reading and comprehension skills
Appreciate the multicultural origins of everyday foods
Understand the role of Portuguese explorers in bringing new foods to India
Build vocabulary related to trade, exploration, and agriculture
Recognize the importance of global cultural connections

2. Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

Show curiosity and ask questions about the origins of things around them
Appreciate diversity in food, culture, and traditions from different countries
Research and learn about the history of common items in their daily life
Practice gratitude for the variety of foods available to them
Develop open-mindedness toward foreign cultures and their contributions
Use critical thinking to understand cause and effect in historical events
Share knowledge with family members about interesting facts they learn
Make informed choices about local vs. global products

3. Introduction (5 minutes)

Engaging Questions:

"Look at your lunch box - can you guess which vegetables or fruits originally came from other countries?"
"Have you ever wondered why we have so many different types of food in India?"
"Do you know any foods that your grandparents say were not available when they were children?"
"If you could travel to any country, what food would you want to try and bring back to India?"
"Can you name some spices that India is famous for? Why do you think people from other countries wanted them?"

4. Reading and Understanding (8 minutes)

New Vocabulary with Meanings:

Word	Meaning	Example Usage
Foreign	Belongs to other country	Potatoes are foreign vegetables that came to India
Merchants	People who trade and sell goods	Merchants brought spices from India to Europe
Sailed	Travelled in a boat or ship	Vasco da Gama sailed to Kerala from Portugal
Portuguese	People of Portugal	The Portuguese brought many vegetables to India
Popular	Well known and liked by many people	Chillies became very popular in Indian cooking
Delicious	Tasty and pleasant to eat	Chillies make our food delicious and spicy
Cultivated	Grown and farmed	Chillies are cultivated in Tamil Nadu
Spices	Substances used to flavor food	Black pepper was a valuable spice
Explorer	Person who travels to discover new places	Columbus was a famous explorer

5. Mind Map

                A VISITOR FROM DISTANT LANDS
                           |
        ┌─────────────────┼─────────────────┐
        │                 │                 │
    CHARACTERS        VEGETABLES         EXPLORERS
        │              DISCUSSED            │
   ┌────┴────┐      ┌─────┴─────┐      ┌───┴────┐
   │         │      │           │      │        │
  Mani     Selvi   Potato     Chilli   Vasco    Columbus
  Appa     Amma    (Portugal) (S.America) da Gama (Spain)
   │         │      │           │         │        │
Family    Sister   From        From      Reached  Found
member    who      Portuguese  Columbus  Kerala   America
who       learns   traders     voyage    for      looking
questions new      │           │         spices   for India
food      facts    │           │         │        │
origins            │           │         │        │
                   │           │         │        │
             HISTORICAL JOURNEY OF FOODS
             ┌─────────────────────────────┐
             │  Portugal → India (Potato)   │
             │  S.America → Portugal → India│
             │  (Chilli via Columbus)       │
             │  India → World (Spices)      │
             └─────────────────────────────┘

6. Consolidation and Presentation (8 minutes)

Summary of the Lesson:

"A Visitor from Distant Lands" is an engaging story that teaches us about the fascinating journey of common vegetables to India. The story begins with young Mani refusing to eat potatoes because his teacher said they should eat only local foods, not knowing that many "Indian" vegetables actually came from other countries.

Through family conversation, we learn that Portuguese traders, led by explorers like Vasco da Gama, came to India seeking valuable spices, especially black pepper from Kerala. In return, they brought vegetables like potatoes from their travels. Similarly, Christopher Columbus, while searching for a route to India, discovered America and found chillies, which eventually made their way to India through Portuguese traders.

The story beautifully illustrates how global trade and exploration have enriched Indian cuisine. Chillies, now an essential part of Indian cooking, were first introduced to Goa and were initially called "Govai-mirchi." The story emphasizes that cultural exchange through food has made our meals more diverse and delicious.

The narrative uses humor and family dynamics to teach historical facts, making learning enjoyable while highlighting how interconnected our world has always been.

7. Reinforcement (5 minutes)

Additional Information:

Historical Timeline: Portuguese arrived in India in 1498; many vegetables were introduced between 15th-17th centuries
Trade Routes: The spice trade was so valuable that it was called "liquid gold" - pepper was literally worth its weight in gold
Cultural Impact: Before chillies, Indians used black pepper and long pepper for heat in cooking
Agricultural Spread: Tomatoes, corn, and potatoes revolutionized agriculture and nutrition worldwide
Modern Connection: Today's globalization continues this ancient tradition of food exchange
Tamil Nadu Connection: Ramanathapuram district is still famous for chilli cultivation
Other Examples: Coffee (from Ethiopia), tea (from China), and sugar (from Southeast Asia) also came to India through trade
Spice Exports: India still exports spices worldwide, continuing the ancient trade tradition

8. Evaluation

a) Lower Order Thinking Question (Knowledge/Comprehension)

Question: "Name three vegetables mentioned in the story that originally came from other countries, and tell which explorer or group of people brought them to India."

Expected Answer: Potato (brought by Portuguese), Chilli (brought by Portuguese after Columbus found it in South America), and Ladies' finger/Okra (brought by Portuguese). Vasco da Gama and other Portuguese traders were responsible for bringing these vegetables to India.

b) Middle Order Thinking Question (Application/Analysis)

Question: "Analyze why Mani's initial reaction to avoid foreign vegetables was both right and wrong. What does this teach us about understanding the complete picture before making decisions?"

Expected Answer: Mani was right to want to support local foods, but wrong because he didn't know the complete history - many foods he considered "foreign" have been part of Indian culture for centuries. This teaches us to research and understand the full context before making judgments, and that cultural exchange has always been beneficial for humanity.

c) Higher Order Thinking Question (Synthesis/Evaluation)

Question: "Evaluate the impact of food exchange between countries on Indian culture. Create a plan for how we can balance appreciating global foods while still supporting local farmers and traditional Indian agriculture."

Expected Answer: Food exchange has greatly enriched Indian cuisine and nutrition, giving us variety and new flavors. However, we should balance this by: supporting local farmers through buying seasonal local produce, preserving traditional Indian crops and recipes, learning about the history of our foods, promoting sustainable farming, and appreciating both local and global contributions to our food culture. We can enjoy the benefits of cultural exchange while maintaining our agricultural traditions.

9. Remedial Teaching

Strategy for Slow Learners:

Visual Timeline: Create a simple timeline showing when different foods came to India
Food Charts: Use pictures of vegetables with their country of origin marked
Story Retelling: Break the story into smaller parts and retell with actions
Role Play: Act out the family conversation with students playing different characters
Map Activity: Show Portugal, South America, and India on a world map to trace food journeys
Repetitive Reading: Read key dialogues multiple times with emphasis on important facts
Question Prompts: Provide simple questions after each paragraph to check understanding
Peer Support: Pair slower learners with good readers for shared reading activities

10. Writing Activity (8 minutes)

Writing Task: "Imagine you are a potato that has just arrived in India from Portugal 500 years ago. Write a diary entry (120-150 words) describing:

Your journey from your homeland
How you feel about being in a new country
Your first experience being cooked in an Indian kitchen
Your hopes for your future in India"

Guidelines:

Write in first person as the potato
Use descriptive language about the journey and new experiences
Include at least 3 vocabulary words from the lesson
Show creativity while incorporating facts from the story
End with a positive note about cultural adaptation

11. Follow-up Activities

Homework Assignment:

Family Research: Interview your grandparents or older family members about foods that were not available when they were young. Write 5 sentences about what you learned.

Additional Activities:

Food Origin Chart: Create a chart of 10 common foods in your kitchen, research and write their countries of origin
Recipe Exchange: Find a simple recipe from another country and try to make it at home with family help (with parents' permission)
Spice Detective: Make a list of spices in your kitchen and find out which ones India exports to other countries

Extended Learning:

Cultural Food Fair: Organize a class activity where students bring simple dishes from different cultures and share their stories
Explorer Biography: Choose one explorer mentioned in the story (Vasco da Gama or Columbus) and write a short paragraph about their life
Local vs. Global: Visit a local vegetable market and identify which vegetables are locally grown and which might have foreign origins
Story Creation: Write your own short story about how tea or coffee came to India

Assessment Criteria:

Comprehension of historical content (25%)
Understanding of cultural exchange concepts (20%)
Vocabulary usage and language skills (20%)
Creative writing and expression (20%)
Participation and curiosity (15%)

Resources Needed:

World map showing Portugal, India, and South America
Pictures of vegetables mentioned in the story
Samples of spices (if available)
Chart paper for group activities
Access to library/internet for research activities

Cross-Curricular Connections:

History: Age of Exploration, colonial period
Geography: World map skills, understanding trade routes
Science: Plant biology, agriculture, nutrition
Social Studies: Cultural exchange, globalization concepts

Happy English

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Class 6 - TERM I - Unit 3 – A Visitor From Distant lands