Lesson Plan: Hekko
Class 4 English Santoor NCERT: Unit 3 Fun with Games
Lesson Overview
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Lesson | Hekko (Chapter 9) |
| Class | 4 |
| Subject | English (L2 – Second Language) |
| Unit | 3: Fun with Games |
| Type | Informational Text / Traditional Game |
| Duration | 5 Days (30–35 minutes per day) |
| Page Reference | Pages 89-102 |
| Curricular Goals (NCF-SE 2023) | CG 1 (Sustains effective communication skills), CG 2 (Develops fluency in reading and comprehension), CG 3 (Expresses understanding in writing), CG 4 (Develops wide range of vocabulary) |
Introduction
“Hekko” is the ninth chapter of Unit 3: Fun with Games in the Santoor Class 4 English textbook. This chapter introduces students to Hekko, a traditional game from the Mokokchung district of Nagaland.
The word “Hekko” means “Challenging the tiger”:
- “Hek” = to challenge
- “Ko” = tiger
The game is based on a folk story about “Aami” (The Man) and “Aakho” (The Tiger) who had a disagreement about their superiority. The challenge came to be known as Hekko.
The chapter covers:
- The origin of Hekko – from a Naga folk story
- The two teams – Aami and Aakho
- Rules of the game – 11 players per team, circle, human chain
- How points are scored
- How the game ends – all players caught or time runs out
- Titles awarded – Khozuba (fastest player) and Khotiba (strongest player)
The chapter also includes activities related to:
- Comprehension questions
- Homophones – their/there, two/too, through/threw, caught/cot, right/write
- Irregular verbs – came, drank, drove, saw, etc.
- Regular verbs – adding -ed
- Identifying traditional games from pictures
- Designing a new game
- Learning about Nagaland and the Hornbill Festival
Learning Objectives (सीखने के उद्देश्य)
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Read and understand the chapter about the game Hekko. (हेक्को खेल के बारे में पाठ को पढ़ और समझ सकेंगे।)
- Explain the meaning of “Hekko” and its origin. (“हेक्को” का अर्थ और उसकी उत्पत्ति को समझा सकेंगे।)
- Describe the rules of the Hekko game. (हेक्को खेल के नियमों का वर्णन कर सकेंगे।)
- Identify the two teams – Aami and Aakho. (दो टीमों – आमी और आखो – की पहचान कर सकेंगे।)
- Use homophones correctly (their/there, two/too, through/threw, caught/cot, right/write). (समान ध्वनि वाले शब्दों का सही उपयोग कर सकेंगे।)
- Identify regular and irregular verbs in past tense. (नियमित और अनियमित क्रियाओं को भूतकाल में पहचान सकेंगे।)
- Design their own game – rules, number of players, materials needed. (अपना खेल डिज़ाइन कर सकेंगे।)
- Appreciate the cultural diversity of India through traditional games. (पारंपरिक खेलों के माध्यम से भारत की सांस्कृतिक विविधता को सराह सकेंगे।)
Key Vocabulary (मुख्य शब्दावली)
Game-Specific Words (खेल से संबंधित शब्द)
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Hekko | हेक्को |
| Challenge | चुनौती (Chunauti) |
| Superiority | श्रेष्ठता (Shreshthata) |
| Aami | आमी (The Man) |
| Aakho | आखो (The Tiger) |
| Human chain | मानव शृंखला (Manav Shrinkhala) |
| Surrender | समर्पण (Samarpan) |
| Joko | जोको (Surrender word) |
| Khozuba | खोज़ुबा (Fastest player title) |
| Khotiba | खोटिबा (Strongest player title) |
| Toss | टॉस (Coin toss) |
| Circle | घेरा / वृत्त (Ghera / Vritt) |
| Points | अंक (Ank) |
New Words (नए शब्द)
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Declared | घोषित किया (Ghoshit kiya) |
| Superiority | श्रेष्ठता |
| Disagreement | असहमति (Asahamati) |
| Surrender | समर्पण |
Homophones (समान ध्वनि वाले शब्द)
| Word 1 | Word 2 |
|---|---|
| their | there |
| two | too |
| through | threw |
| caught | cot |
| right | write |
Irregular Verbs (अनियमित क्रियाएँ)
| Base Form | Past Form |
|---|---|
| Come | Came |
| Drink | Drank |
| Drive | Drove |
| See | Saw |
| Go | Went |
| Eat | Ate |
| Take | Took |
| Begin | Began |
Regular Verbs (नियमित क्रियाएँ)
| Base Form | Past Form (-ed) |
|---|---|
| Visit | Visited |
| Point | Pointed |
| Jump | Jumped |
| Enjoy | Enjoyed |
| Want | Wanted |
| Decide | Decided |
| Watch | Watched |
| Join | Joined |
| Spot | Spotted |
| Notice | Noticed |
Sight Words (दृश्य शब्द)
the, and, to, of, for, with, on, at, by, from, in, it, they, their, them, he, she, his, her, was, were, had
Day-Wise Lesson Plan
Day 1: Introduction to the Game (खेल का परिचय)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Warm-up | शुभ प्रभात! (Shubh Prabhat!) | Greet students. Ask: “What traditional games do you know from different states of India?” (तुम भारत के विभिन्न राज्यों के कौन से पारंपरिक खेल जानते हो?) “Today we will learn about a game from Nagaland!” |
| 5 min | Pre-listening | आज क्या सीखेंगे? (Aaj kya seekhenge?) | Show the title “Hekko”. Ask: “What do you think this word means?” “Today we will read about a traditional game from Nagaland called Hekko!” |
| 10 min | Reading (Part 1) | पढ़ो (Padho) | Read the first part of the chapter (Pages 89-90): The meaning of Hekko, the folk story behind it, and the two teams. |
| 5 min | Vocabulary Introduction | नए शब्द सीखो (Naye shabd seekho) | Introduce key words: Hekko, challenge, superiority, Aami, Aakho, Joko, surrender. |
| 5 min | Wrap-up | आज क्या सीखा? (Aaj kya seekha?) | Ask: “What does Hekko mean?” “Who are the two teams in the game?” “What is the folk story behind Hekko?” |
Introduction (Page 89):
“Hek” means to challenge and ‘ko’ means tiger. Therefore, the word “Hekko” means “Challenging the tiger.”
There is a folk story in Nagaland which talks about “Aami” (The Man) and “Aakho” (The Tiger). Once upon a time, humans and animals lived together. They had a disagreement about their superiority. The humans challenged Aakho and the challenge came to be known as Hekko.
The people in the Mokokchung district of Nagaland play a game named Hekko, which is a well-known sport today.
Key Vocabulary – Day 1:
| Word | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Hekko | हेक्को |
| Challenge | चुनौती |
| Superiority | श्रेष्ठता |
| Aami | आमी (The Man) |
| Aakho | आखो (The Tiger) |
| Mokokchung | मोकोकचुंग |
Hindi Instructions to Use:
- “Hekko ka kya matlab hai?” (हेक्को का क्या मतलब है?) – What does Hekko mean?
- “Aami aur Aakho kaun hain?” (आमी और आखो कौन हैं?) – Who are Aami and Aakho?
- “Yeh khel kahan khela jaata hai?” (यह खेल कहाँ खेला जाता है?) – Where is this game played?
Day 2: Rules of the Game and Comprehension (खेल के नियम और समझ)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Revision | कल क्या सीखा? (Kal kya seekha?) | Quick recall: “What does Hekko mean?” “Who are Aami and Aakho?” |
| 10 min | Reading (Part 2) | पढ़ो (Padho) | Read the rules of the game (Pages 90-92): Number of players, circle formation, human chain, roles of Aami and Aakho, scoring, and how the game ends. |
| 5 min | Comprehension Questions | प्रश्न-उत्तर (Prashn-uttar) | Ask from Page 93: “What does the word Hekko mean?” “What are the two teams in the game called?” “How many players are there in each team?” “What do the players in the Aami team do inside the circle?” |
| 5 min | Discussion Activity | चर्चा (Charcha) | Use Page 93 (B): “If you were playing Hekko, would you prefer to be in Aami or Aakho team? Why?” “If you could add a new rule, what would it be?” |
| 5 min | Wrap-up | आज क्या सीखा? | Ask: “How many players are in each team?” “What happens when an Aami player is pushed out?” “What does Joko mean?” |
Rules of Hekko (Pages 90-92):
| Rule | Details |
|---|---|
| Players | 11 players in each team |
| Teams | Aami and Aakho (decided by toss) |
| Circle | Aami team stays inside the circle |
| Aakho | Stays outside the circle |
| Human chain | Aami players make a human chain |
| Out | Pushed-out Aami player cannot re-enter |
| Surrender | Caught Aakho player says “Joko” |
| Points | Awarded when a player is out |
| End | All Aakho caught, all Aami out, or time runs out |
| Titles | Khozuba (fastest Aami), Khotiba (strongest Aakho) |
Comprehension Questions (Page 93):
| Question | Expected Answer |
|---|---|
| What does the word Hekko mean? | Hekko means “Challenging the tiger.” |
| What are the two teams in the game called? | The two teams are called Aami and Aakho. |
| How many players are there in each team? | There are 11 players in each team. |
| What do the players in the Aami team do inside the circle? | They stay inside the circle and make a human chain. |
Think and Discuss (Page 93 B):
| Question | Expected Answer |
|---|---|
| Would you prefer to be in Aami or Aakho team? | I would prefer to be in Aami/Aakho because… |
| What new rule would you add? | I would add a rule where… |
Hindi Instructions to Use:
- “Aami team mein kitne players hain?” (आमी टीम में कितने प्लेयर्स हैं?) – How many players are in the Aami team?
- “Joko ka kya matlab hai?” (जोको का क्या मतलब है?) – What does Joko mean?
- “Khozuba aur Khotiba kya hain?” (खोज़ुबा और खोटिबा क्या हैं?) – What are Khozuba and Khotiba?
Day 3: Homophones Activity (समान ध्वनि वाले शब्द)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Revision | पुनरावृत्ति (Punaravritti) | Quick rules recall. Comprehension recap. |
| 15 min | Homophones Activity | समान ध्वनि वाले शब्द | Use Page 94: “Complete the sentences using the correct words from the brackets.” Practice: their/there, two/too, through/threw, caught/cot, right/write. |
| 5 min | Picture Identification Activity | चित्र पहचान | Use Page 96: “Look at the pictures and write their names.” Identify animals from pictures. |
| 5 min | Wrap-up | आज क्या सीखा? | Ask: “What are homophones?” “Give an example of a homophone.” |
Homophones Activity (Page 94):
1. their/there:
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| ______ is a beautiful park in my neighbourhood. | There |
| They completed ______ work very fast. | their |
2. two/too:
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| ______ of my friends participated in the poster-making competition. | Two |
| I was ______ tired after playing. | too |
3. through/threw:
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| The bowler ______ the ball towards the batsman. | threw |
| I can see the clouds ______ my window pane. | through |
4. caught/cot:
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| My mother ______ me eating an icecream at night. | caught |
| I sleep on a ______ when I am at my grandmother’s village. | cot |
5. right/write:
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| While crossing the road, look to your ______ then left. | right |
| ______ in a neat and legible handwriting. | Write |
Picture Identification Activity (Page 96):
| Picture | Answer |
|---|---|
| Picture 1 | Tiger |
| Picture 2 | Horse |
| Picture 3 | Elephant |
| Picture 4 | Dove |
| Picture 5 | Goat |
| Picture 6 | Monkey |
Hindi Instructions to Use:
- “Homophones kya hain?” (Homophones क्या हैं?) – What are homophones?
- “Sahi shabd chuno” (सही शब्द चुनो) – Choose the correct word
Day 4: Verbs – Regular and Irregular (नियमित और अनियमित क्रियाएँ)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Revision | दोहराव (Dohrav) | Quick homophones recall. |
| 15 min | Regular Verbs Activity | नियमित क्रियाएँ | Use Page 96: “In past simple tense, you can add -ed to verbs.” Practice: visit, point, jump, enjoy, want, decide, watch, join, spot, notice. |
| 5 min | Irregular Verbs Activity | अनियमित क्रियाएँ | Use Page 96: “There are many verbs to which we don’t add -ed. For example: came, drank, drove, saw, etc.” Identify irregular verbs. |
| 5 min | Wrap-up | आज क्या सीखा? | Ask: “What do we add to regular verbs in past tense?” (-ed) “What do we call verbs that don’t add -ed?” (Irregular verbs) |
Regular Verbs Activity (Pages 96-97):
| Base Form | Past Tense (-ed) |
|---|---|
| Visit | Visited |
| Point | Pointed |
| Jump | Jumped |
| Enjoy | Enjoyed |
| Want | Wanted |
| Decide | Decided |
| Watch | Watched |
| Join | Joined |
| Spot | Spotted |
| Notice | Noticed |
Fill in the Blanks (Page 97):
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| Last week, we ______ (visit) the park for a while. | visited |
| My mother ______ (point) at the children playing kabbadi. | pointed |
| My sister ______ (jump) in a puddle. | jumped |
| I ______ (enjoy) my visit to the park. | enjoyed |
| My sister ______ (want) to go to the pond. | wanted |
| I ______ (decide) to stay and watch the game. | decided |
| I ______ (watch) the game for a while. | watched |
| I ______ (join) my mother and sister. | joined |
| I ______ (spot) a goldfish. | spotted |
| My sister ______ (notice) two tadpoles. | noticed |
Irregular Verbs Examples:
| Base Form | Past Tense | Base Form | Past Tense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Come | Came | Go | Went |
| Drink | Drank | Eat | Ate |
| Drive | Drove | Take | Took |
| See | Saw | Begin | Began |
Hindi Instructions to Use:
- “Regular verbs mein kya jodte hain?” (Regular verbs में क्या जोड़ते हैं?) – What do we add to regular verbs?
- “Irregular verbs kya hain?” (Irregular verbs क्या हैं?) – What are irregular verbs?
Day 5: Designing a Game, Assessment, and Celebration (खेल डिज़ाइन, मूल्यांकन और उत्सव)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Revision | पुनरावृत्ति (Punaravritti) | Full chapter recall. Quick homophones and verbs recall. |
| 10 min | Design a New Game Activity | नया खेल डिज़ाइन करो | Use Page 101: “Use the space given below to write about a new game that you would like to play.” Include: Game name, Time, Number of players, Material needed, Rules, Fouls. |
| 5 min | Speaking Assessment | बातचीत परीक्षण (Baatcheet parikshan) | Call students one by one. Ask: “What does Hekko mean?” “What are the two teams called?” “What do the Aami players do?” |
| 5 min | Writing Assessment | लेखन परीक्षण (Lekhan parikshan) | Dictate 5 words: Hekko, challenge, Aami, Aakho, surrender. Students write. |
| 5 min | Wrap-up & Celebration | समापन और शाबाशी (Samaapan aur Shabashi) | Celebrate learning about Nagaland’s traditional game. Clap for all students. |
Design a New Game (Page 101):
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Game: | Name of your new game |
| Time: | How long does the game last? |
| Number of players: | How many players? |
| Material needed: | What do you need to play? |
| Rules: | What are the rules? |
| Foul 1: | What is not allowed? |
| Foul 2: | What is not allowed? |
| Foul 3: | What is not allowed? |
Sample Game Design:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Game: | “Circle Chase” |
| Time: | 15 minutes |
| Number of players: | 10 (5 in each team) |
| Material needed: | A ball, boundary markers |
| Rules: | One team stays in a circle, the other tries to tag them. |
| Foul 1: | No pushing. |
| Foul 2: | No stepping out of the circle. |
| Foul 3: | No touching the ball with hands. |
Speaking Assessment Questions:
| Question | Expected Answer |
|---|---|
| What does Hekko mean? | Hekko means “Challenging the tiger.” |
| What are the two teams called? | The teams are called Aami and Aakho. |
| What do the Aami players do? | They stay inside the circle and make a human chain. |
| What do the Aakho players do? | They try to push the Aami players out. |
| What does Joko mean? | Joko means surrender. |
Writing Assessment:
| Dictation Word | Expected Spelling |
|---|---|
| Hekko | H-E-K-K-O |
| Challenge | C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-E |
| Aami | A-A-M-I |
| Aakho | A-A-K-H-O |
| Surrender | S-U-R-R-E-N-D-E-R |
Assessment Checklist (मूल्यांकन सूची):
| Skill | Criteria | Yes/No |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Reads the chapter with comprehension | ☐ |
| Comprehension | Answers 4+ questions correctly | ☐ |
| Vocabulary | Names 5+ new words | ☐ |
| Game Rules | Explains the rules of Hekko | ☐ |
| Homophones | Uses homophones correctly | ☐ |
| Verbs | Uses regular and irregular verbs correctly | ☐ |
| Design | Designs a new game | ☐ |
| Speaking | Answers questions in sentences | ☐ |
| Writing | Writes dictation words correctly | ☐ |
Additional Activities (अतिरिक्त गतिविधियाँ)
| Activity | Description | Hindi Instruction |
|---|---|---|
| Play Hekko | If possible, take students outside to play a simplified version of Hekko. | “Hekko khelo.” (हेक्को खेलो।) |
| Nagaland Research | Research and present about Nagaland, its culture, and the Hornbill Festival. | “Nagaland ke baare mein research karo.” (नागालैंड के बारे में रिसर्च करो।) |
| Traditional Games Exhibition | Create a display of traditional games from different Indian states. | “Parmparik khel exhibition karo.” (पारंपरिक खेल एग्जीबिशन करो।) |
| Rule Booklet | Make a booklet of rules for different traditional games. | “Khel ke niyam booklet banao.” (खेल के नियम बुकलेट बनाओ।) |
| Sportsperson Quiz | Have a quiz about famous Indian sportspersons. | “Sportsperson quiz karo.” (स्पोर्ट्सपर्सन क्विज करो।) |
| Folk Story Narration | Students narrate the folk story of Aami and Aakho. | “Aami aur Aakho ki kahani sunao.” (आमी और आखो की कहानी सुनाओ।) |
Resources Needed (आवश्यक सामग्री)
- Textbook: Santoor Class 4 English (Pages 89-102)
- Pictures of: traditional games, Nagaland, Hornbill Festival
- Flashcards: homophones
- Flashcards: regular and irregular verbs
- Map of India (to locate Nagaland)
- Drawing sheets for game design
- Notebooks and pencils
- Chart paper for traditional games display
Integration with Indian Knowledge System (भारतीय ज्ञान परंपरा से जुड़ाव)
- Nagaland’s Rich Culture: Nagaland is a state with rich cultural heritage. The game of Hekko reflects the strength and courage of the Naga people.
- “Hekko” – Challenging the Tiger: The game’s name reflects the bravery of the Naga people who are known for their warrior culture.
- Folk Stories of Nagaland: The chapter mentions the folk story of Aami and Aakho. Nagaland has a rich tradition of oral storytelling.
- Hornbill Festival: The chapter mentions the Hornbill Festival of Nagaland, which promotes the culture of the state.
- Indian Games and Unity: The chapter shows that India has a rich variety of traditional games, each unique to its region, reflecting the diversity of Indian culture.
- Indian Physical Culture: Traditional Indian games like Hekko promote physical fitness, strength, and mental agility.
Note to the Teacher (शिक्षक के लिए नोट)
- Draw learners’ attention to similarity in how the words sound, difference in spelling, and difference in meaning for homophones. (As mentioned on Page 94)
- The above mentioned games involve a lot of physical and mental strength. For example: “skipping” is associated with “jumping”, which can build our bone density! Discuss what other physical and mental benefits can be achieved by the games mentioned above. (As mentioned on Page 100)
- Nagaland is a land of festivals. Hornbill is one of the festivals to promote the culture of the state. Find out more about it. (As mentioned on Page 101)
- Encourage children to speak about their experiences with traditional games.
- Use the chapter to teach values – strength, courage, teamwork, and cultural diversity.
Links to Other Curricular Areas (पाठ्यक्रम के अन्य क्षेत्रों से जुड़ाव)
| Area | Connection |
|---|---|
| Social Studies | Nagaland, North-East India, tribal culture, Hornbill Festival |
| Physical Education | Traditional games, physical strength, agility |
| Values Education | Strength, courage, teamwork, cultural appreciation |
| Geography | Location of Nagaland, North-East India |
| Language Development | Vocabulary, homophones, regular/irregular verbs |
| Art & Craft | Designing a game, creating a booklet |
Quick Reference Card
Key Term:
Hekko = Challenging the tiger (Hek = challenge, Ko = tiger)
Two Teams:
Aami (The Man) – inside the circle, human chain
Aakho (The Tiger) – outside the circle, tries to push
Key Rules:
- 11 players per team
- Aami makes a human chain inside the circle
- Aakho tries to push Aami out
- Caught Aakho says “Joko” (surrender)
- Game ends when all caught, all out, or time runs out
Titles:
Khozuba (fastest Aami player)
Khotiba (strongest Aakho player)
Key Message:
“Traditional games reflect the strength and culture of a region. Play them to stay healthy and connected to your roots!”

Mani Sir एक अनुभवी शिक्षक, शिक्षा मार्गदर्शक और डिजिटल शिक्षा सामग्री निर्माता हैं। वे प्रतियोगी परीक्षाओं तथा विद्यालयी शिक्षा के लिए सरल, तथ्यपूर्ण और परीक्षा-उपयोगी अध्ययन सामग्री तैयार करने के लिए जाने जाते हैं। उनका उद्देश्य कठिन विषयों को आसान भाषा में समझाकर विद्यार्थियों की सफलता सुनिश्चित करना है।
वे विशेष रूप से Prayas आवासीय विद्यालय, जवाहर नवोदय विद्यालय (JNVST), एकलव्य मॉडल आवासीय विद्यालय (EMRS), SCERT, CG Board, CTET, तथा अन्य शैक्षिक परीक्षाओं के लिए नोट्स, मॉडल प्रश्नपत्र, MCQ, माइंड मैप, चार्ट, अध्ययन सामग्री और वीडियो लेक्चर तैयार करते हैं।
