Lesson Plan: Best Friends
Class 3 English Santoor NCERT: Unit 1 Fun with Friends
Lesson Overview
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Lesson | Best Friends (Chapter 3) |
| Class | 3 |
| Subject | English (L2 – Second Language) |
| Unit | 1: Fun with Friends |
| Type | Story (Fiction – Personification) |
| Duration | 5 Days (30–35 minutes per day) |
| Page Reference | Pages 43-52 |
| 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
“Best Friends” is the third chapter of Unit 1: Fun with Friends in the Santoor Class 3 English textbook. This imaginative story uses personification to bring four shapes to life – Circle, Square, Triangle, and Rectangle – who argue about who is the best.
Each shape boasts about its unique qualities:
- Circle – round, no sharp edges, used for smiling faces
- Square – four equal sides, used for sweets
- Triangle – three sides, used for mountains and snacks
- Rectangle – four sides (two long, two short), used for biscuits and chocolates
A wise Star resolves their fight by teaching them that when they work together, they can create beautiful pictures and patterns. The friends realise their mistake and promise to never fight again.
The story beautifully teaches children about:
- Different shapes and their characteristics
- Cooperation and teamwork
- Unity in diversity – different shapes working together
- Self-esteem – being proud of who you are
- Vocabulary building – shape names and descriptive words
- Using ‘a’ and ‘an’ (articles)
- Friendship – ending fights and staying friends
- Role-play – acting out the story
The story also includes activities related to:
- Comprehension questions
- True/False questions
- Role-play (group activity)
- Using ‘a’ and ‘an’ correctly
- Drawing and pasting pictures of friends
- Writing a friend profile
- Drawing shapes and creating pictures
Learning Objectives (सीखने के उद्देश्य)
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Listen to and understand the story “Best Friends.” (कहानी सुन और समझ सकेंगे।)
- Identify the characters – Circle, Square, Triangle, Rectangle, and Star. (पात्रों को पहचान सकेंगे – Circle, Square, Triangle, Rectangle, Star।)
- Describe the characteristics of different shapes. (विभिन्न आकृतियों के गुणों का वर्णन कर सकेंगे।)
- Understand the moral – cooperation and unity in diversity. (नैतिक संदेश समझ सकेंगे – सहयोग और एकता में विविधता।)
- Answer comprehension questions about the story. (कहानी से संबंधित प्रश्नों के उत्तर दे सकेंगे।)
- Use ‘a’ and ‘an’ correctly with nouns. (‘a’ और ‘an’ का सही उपयोग कर सकेंगे।)
- Role-play the characters from the story. (कहानी के पात्रों का अभिनय कर सकेंगे।)
- Write about their best friend using a given format. (दिए गए प्रारूप का उपयोग कर अपने सबसे अच्छे दोस्त के बारे में लिख सकेंगे।)
Key Vocabulary (मुख्य शब्दावली)
Shapes and Their Characteristics (आकृतियाँ और उनके गुण)
| Shape | Characteristics | Hindi |
|---|---|---|
| Circle | Round, no sharp edges | गोल, बिना नुकीले किनारों वाला |
| Square | Four equal sides | चार बराबर भुजाएँ |
| Triangle | Three sides | तीन भुजाएँ |
| Rectangle | Four sides (two long, two short) | चार भुजाएँ (दो लंबी, दो छोटी) |
| Star | Pointed, five points | नुकीली, पाँच कोने |
Descriptive Words (वर्णनात्मक शब्द)
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Round | गोल (Gol) |
| Beautiful | सुंदर (Sundar) |
| Sharp edges | नुकीले किनारे (Nukeele kinaare) |
| Equal | बराबर (Barabar) |
| Long | लंबा (Lamba) |
| Short | छोटा (Chhota) |
| Wise | बुद्धिमान (Buddhiman) |
| Amazing | अद्भुत (Adbhut) |
| Patterns | पैटर्न (Patterns) |
| Wonders | चमत्कार (Chamatkaar) |
Action Words from the Story
| English | Hindi |
|---|---|
| Refused | मना किया (Mana kiya) |
| Agree | सहमत होना (Sahmat hona) |
| Decided | फैसला किया (Faisla kiya) |
| Asked | पूछा (Poochha) |
| Thought | सोचा (Socha) |
| Realised | समझा (Samjha) |
| Promised | वादा किया (Vada kiya) |
Sight Words (दृश्य शब्द)
there, were, friends, one, day, each, said, the, they, all, you, them
Day-Wise Lesson Plan
Day 1: Introduction to the Story (कहानी 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 shapes do you know?” (तुम कौन-कौन सी आकृतियाँ जानते हो?) “What shape is this?” (Show a circle, square, triangle, rectangle) |
| 5 min | Pre-listening | आज क्या सीखेंगे? (Aaj kya seekhenge?) | Show shapes. Say: “Today we will read a story about four shapes who are friends – Circle, Square, Triangle, and Rectangle!” |
| 10 min | Story Narration (Part 1) | कहानी सुनो (Kahani suno) | Narrate the first part of the story (Pages 43-45): The four friends are fighting about who is the best. Circle, Square, and Triangle each say why they are the best. |
| 5 min | Vocabulary Introduction | नए शब्द सीखो (Naye shabd seekho) | Introduce shape names and key words: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, round, edges, equal, sides. |
| 5 min | Wrap-up | आज क्या सीखा? (Aaj kya seekha?) | Ask: “Who are the four friends?” (Circle, Square, Triangle, Rectangle) “Why were they fighting?” (Who was the best) |
Story Summary (Part 1 – Pages 43-45):
There were four friends — Circle, Square, Triangle and Rectangle. One day there began a fight between the friends. Each of them said they were the best.
Circle said, “I am the best! I am round and beautiful. I have no sharp edges. Children use me to draw a smiling face.”
Square said, “I am the best! I have four sides and all of them are equal in size. Children eat many sweets which are square in shape.”
Triangle said in a loud voice, “I am the best! Just look at me! I am so beautiful. I have three sides. Children use me to draw mountains.”
Key Characters – Part 1:
| Shape | Qualities |
|---|---|
| Circle | Round, no sharp edges, smiling face |
| Square | Four equal sides, square sweets |
| Triangle | Three sides, mountains, snacks |
Hindi Instructions to Use:
- “Kahani suno” (कहानी सुनो) – Listen to the story
- “Kaun kaun hain?” (कौन-कौन हैं?) – Who are they?
- “Kyun lad rahe the?” (क्यों लड़ रहे थे?) – Why were they fighting?
- “Circle ne kya kaha?” (Circle ने क्या कहा?) – What did Circle say?
Day 2: Story Narration (Part 2) and Comprehension (कहानी का दूसरा भाग और समझ)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Revision | कल क्या सीखा? (Kal kya seekha?) | Quick recall: “Who are the four friends?” “What did Circle say? Square? Triangle?” |
| 10 min | Story Narration (Part 2) | कहानी पूरी सुनो (Kahani puri suno) | Narrate the rest of the story (Pages 45-46): Rectangle speaks, they meet Star, Star tells them that together they can create wonders, and the friends promise not to fight again. |
| 5 min | Comprehension Questions | प्रश्न-उत्तर (Prashn-uttar) | Ask from Page 47: “Who were the four friends?” “Why were they fighting?” “Who helped them to end their fight?” “What lesson did the friends learn?” |
| 5 min | True/False Activity | सही/गलत (Sahi/Galat) | Use Page 47 (Question 5): Write T for true and F for false. |
| 5 min | Wrap-up | आज क्या सीखा? | Ask: “What did Star teach the friends?” “What did the friends promise?” |
Story Summary (Part 2 – Pages 45-46):
Rectangle laughed aloud. “Of course not. No one can be better than me. I have four sides. Two are equally long and two are equally short. Children enjoy biscuits and chocolates in rectangle shape.”
The friends could not decide who was the best among them. They decided to ask the first person they meet. After some time, they met a star.
The star was wise. She said, “All of you are friends. Then why should you fight? You could create the most beautiful pictures and patterns if you were together! Together we all can create wonders.”
The friends realised their mistake and promised each other that they would never fight again. They remained best friends forever.
Comprehension Questions (Page 47):
| Question | Expected Answer |
|---|---|
| Who were the four friends? | Circle, Square, Triangle, and Rectangle. |
| Why were they fighting? | They were fighting about who was the best. |
| Who helped them to end their fight? | The Star helped them. |
| What lesson did the friends learn? | They learned that together they can create wonders and shouldn’t fight. |
True/False Activity (Page 47 – Q5):
| Statement | Answer |
|---|---|
| a) The circle does not have sharp edges. | T |
| b) A square has four sides but not all of them are equal in size. | F |
| c) The triangle has two sides. | F |
| d) The friends could decide who was the best among them. | F |
Hindi Instructions to Use:
- “Rectangle ne kya kaha?” (Rectangle ने क्या कहा?) – What did Rectangle say?
- “Kisne madad ki?” (किसने मदद की?) – Who helped?
- “Star ne kya sikhaya?” (Star ने क्या सिखाया?) – What did Star teach?
- “Sahi ya galat?” (सही या गलत?) – True or false?
Day 3: Discussion, Role Play, and Articles (चर्चा, अभिनय और Articles)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Revision | पुनरावृत्ति (Punaravritti) | Quick story recall. True/False recap. |
| 10 min | Discussion Activity | चर्चा (Charcha) | Use Page 47 (Q6 & 7): “Who is your friend? What are the things you can do when your friend helps you?” “Look around you. Talk about the shapes of what you see.” |
| 10 min | Role Play Activity | नाटक करो (Natak karo) | Use Page 48: “Divide into groups of 5. Each of you will be one character – Circle, Square, Triangle, Rectangle, and the Star. Take turns and read out the story. Enjoy by adding actions.” |
| 5 min | Wrap-up | आज क्या सीखा? | Ask: “What did you learn from this story?” (Together we can do wonders) “Who is your best friend?” |
Discussion Questions (Page 47):
| Question | Possible Answer |
|---|---|
| Who is your friend? | My friend is ______. |
| What things can you do when your friend helps you? | I can play better, do my homework, learn new things. |
| Look around you. Talk about the shapes of what you see. | I see a round clock, a square book, a triangular ruler, a rectangular table. |
Role Play Activity (Page 48):
| Character | Dialogue |
|---|---|
| Circle | I am the best! I am round and beautiful! |
| Square | No, I am the best! I have four equal sides! |
| Triangle | I am the best! I have three sides! |
| Rectangle | No, I am the best! I have four sides! |
| Star | Friends, why are you fighting? Together you can create wonders! |
Hindi Instructions to Use:
- “Apna dost kaun hai?” (अपना दोस्त कौन है?) – Who is your friend?
- “Aas-paas shapes dekho” (आस-पास shapes देखो) – Look at shapes around you.
- “Natak karo” (नाटक करो) – Act it out.
- “Actions jodo” (Actions जोड़ो) – Add actions.
Day 4: Articles – ‘a’ and ‘an’ (Articles – ‘a’ और ‘an’)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Revision | दोहराव (Dohrav) | Quick shape recall. Role play recap. |
| 10 min | Articles Introduction | Articles – ‘a’ और ‘an’ | Use Page 48: “Read the following lines. ‘A pigeon and an ant became friends.’ Notice that we used ‘a’ before pigeon and ‘an’ before ant. We use ‘a’ before singular nouns that begin with consonants. ‘An’ is used before singular nouns that begin with vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u).” |
| 10 min | Articles Practice | Articles अभ्यास | Use Pages 48-49: Fill in the blanks with ‘a’ or ‘an’. |
| 5 min | Wrap-up | आज क्या सीखा? | Ask: “When do we use ‘a’?” (Before consonant sounds) “When do we use ‘an’?” (Before vowel sounds – a, e, i, o, u) |
Articles Activity (Pages 48-49):
A. Fill in the blanks using ‘a’ (Page 48):
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| ______ dog is barking at the postman. | A |
| My mother gives chapatis to ______ cow everyday. | a |
| In summers, ______ sparrow builds its nest on the mango tree near our house. | a |
B. Fill in the blanks using ‘an’ (Page 49):
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| I saw ______ eagle yesterday. | an |
| Maya bought ______ umbrella for the monsoon. | an |
| ______ ice-cream man brings his cart in the evenings. | An |
C. Fill in the blanks using ‘a’ or ‘an’ (Page 49):
| Sentence | Answer |
|---|---|
| ______ brown hen laid ______ egg. | A / an |
| ______ eagle sat on ______ building. | An / a |
| Mary ate ______ apricot, ______ chikoo and ______ orange. | an / a / an |
Hindi Instructions to Use:
- “‘a’ ka upyog kab karte hain?” (‘a’ का उपयोग कब करते हैं?) – When do we use ‘a’?
- “‘an’ ka upyog kab karte hain?” (‘an’ का उपयोग कब करते हैं?) – When do we use ‘an’?
- “Vowel sounds kaun se hain?” (Vowel sounds कौन से हैं?) – What are the vowel sounds?
- “Khaali jagah bharo” (खाली जगह भरो) – Fill in the blanks.
Day 5: Creative Activity, Assessment, and Celebration (रचनात्मक गतिविधि, मूल्यांकन और उत्सव)
Duration: 30 minutes
| Time | Activity | Hindi Term / Instruction | Teacher’s Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Revision | पुनरावृत्ति (Punaravritti) | Full story recall. Quick articles recall. |
| 10 min | My Friend Profile Activity | मेरा दोस्त (Mera dost) | Use Pages 49-50: Paste a picture of your friend. Write about them: Name, age, favourite colour, favourite game, what they want to become. |
| 5 min | Drawing Activity | चित्र बनाओ (Chitra banao) | Use Pages 50-51: Draw the four friends (Circle, Square, Triangle, Rectangle). Create a picture using these shapes. |
| 5 min | Speaking Assessment | बातचीत परीक्षण (Baatcheet parikshan) | Call students one by one. Ask: “Who are the four friends in the story?” “What lesson did they learn?” “What is ‘a’ and ‘an’?” |
| 5 min | Wrap-up & Celebration | समापन और शाबाशी (Samaapan aur Shabashi) | Sing the “Colours” poem. Clap for all students. Celebrate their learning! |
My Friend Profile (Pages 49-50):
| Section | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 | Paste a picture of your friend. |
| 2 | He/She is a boy/girl. |
| 3 | He/She is ______ years old. |
| 4 | His/Her favourite colour is ______. |
| 5 | He/She likes to play ______. |
| 6 | He/She wants to become ______. |
| 7 | I love my friend. |
Drawing Shapes Activity (Pages 50-51):
| Step | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 | Draw Circle, Square, Triangle, Rectangle. |
| 2 | Use these shapes to create a picture. |
| 3 | Colour your picture. |
| 4 | Share with your friends. |
Speaking Assessment Questions:
| Question | Expected Answer |
|---|---|
| Who are the four friends in the story? | Circle, Square, Triangle, and Rectangle. |
| What lesson did they learn? | They learned that together they can create wonders. |
| What is the shape of a ball? | A ball is round like a circle. |
| What is the shape of a book? | A book is like a rectangle. |
| What is the shape of a tower? | A tower is like a triangle. |
| When do we use ‘a’? | We use ‘a’ before consonant sounds. |
| When do we use ‘an’? | We use ‘an’ before vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u). |
Assessment Checklist (मूल्यांकन सूची):
| Skill | Criteria | Yes/No |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | Listens to the story attentively | ☐ |
| Comprehension | Answers 4+ questions correctly | ☐ |
| Story Recall | Names all characters | ☐ |
| Shape Recognition | Names 4+ shapes | ☐ |
| Moral Understanding | Explains the lesson of the story | ☐ |
| Articles | Uses ‘a’ and ‘an’ correctly | ☐ |
| Role Play | Participates in role play | ☐ |
| Writing | Completes friend profile | ☐ |
| Drawing | Draws shapes and pictures | ☐ |
Additional Activities (अतिरिक्त गतिविधियाँ)
| Activity | Description | Hindi Instruction |
|---|---|---|
| Shape Hunt | Walk around the school and find different shapes. “I see a circle!” “I see a rectangle!” | “Shapes dhundo.” (Shapes ढूंढो।) |
| Shape Collage | Cut out shapes from coloured paper. Make a collage of different shapes. | “Shape collage banao.” (Shape कॉलेज बनाओ।) |
| Shape Character Cards | Make character cards for Circle, Square, Triangle, Rectangle. Write their qualities. | “Shape characters banao.” (Shape characters बनाओ।) |
| My Best Friend Drawing | Draw a picture of you and your best friend playing together. | “Apne dost ke saath chitra banao.” (अपने दोस्त के साथ चित्र बनाओ।) |
| Articles Game | Teacher says a noun, students say if it needs ‘a’ or ‘an’. Example: “Apple” → “an apple” | “A ya an? Khel.” (A या an? खेल।) |
| Shape Story | Create a new story with other shapes (oval, diamond, hexagon). | “Nayi shape kahani.” (नई shape कहानी।) |
Resources Needed (आवश्यक सामग्री)
- Textbook: Santoor Class 3 English (Pages 43-52)
- Shape cut-outs: circle, square, triangle, rectangle, star
- Flashcards: shape names and qualities
- Flashcards: ‘a’ and ‘an’ examples
- Drawing sheets and crayons
- Glue and coloured paper for collage
- Notebooks and pencils
- Chart paper for shape display
- Friend profile worksheet
Integration with Indian Knowledge System (भारतीय ज्ञान परंपरा से जुड़ाव)
- Unity in Diversity (एकता में विविधता): The story beautifully teaches the Indian concept of “Unity in Diversity” – different shapes (like different people, cultures, languages) are all unique and together create something beautiful. This reflects the core Indian value of unity despite diversity.
- Indian Architectural Shapes: Indian architecture uses many shapes – domes (circle), temples (triangle/pyramid), doors and windows (rectangle), courtyards (square). Discuss shapes in Indian monuments like the Taj Mahal, temples, etc.
- Rangoli and Kolam: Indian rangoli and kolam designs use various shapes – circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles. Discuss how shapes come together to create beautiful patterns.
- Indian Sweets: The story mentions square sweets. Discuss Indian sweets like “Barfi” which is often square-shaped.
- Friendship (Dosti): Friendship is an important value in Indian culture. The story teaches that friends should not fight and should work together.
Note to the Teacher (शिक्षक के लिए नोट)
- Help learners recall the consonants and vowels of the English alphabet.
- Ensure that the focus is on sound and not on the letters when teaching ‘a’ and ‘an’. For example, ‘an hour’ is correct because ‘hour’ begins with a vowel sound.
- Encourage learners to share their sentences with the class.
- Draw learners’ attention to the use of ‘a’ and ‘an’ in the texts covered.
- Introduce the terms ‘question’ and ‘statement’ while explaining the punctuation marks.
- Give a help box according to the level of learners. Provide support as and when needed.
- Encourage children to speak about their friends and what they like to do together.
- Use real objects to demonstrate shapes – ball (circle), book (rectangle), ruler (triangle), box (square).
Links to Other Curricular Areas (पाठ्यक्रम के अन्य क्षेत्रों से जुड़ाव)
| Area | Connection |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | Shapes, 2D shapes, geometry, patterns |
| Art & Craft | Shape drawing, shape collage, rangoli design |
| Values Education | Friendship, cooperation, unity in diversity |
| Social Studies | Indian architecture, cultural diversity |
| Language Development | Vocabulary, articles (‘a’ and ‘an’), descriptive writing |
Quick Reference Card
Key Characters:
Circle (round, no sharp edges)
Square (four equal sides)
Triangle (three sides)
Rectangle (four sides – two long, two short)
Star (wise, solves their problem)
Key Message:
“Together we can create wonders. Different shapes are beautiful in their own way.”
Articles:
‘a’ → before consonant sounds
‘an’ → before vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u)
Key Questions:
- Who are the four friends?
- What lesson did they learn?
- What shape is a ball? Book? Ruler? Box?