NCERT Solutions for Class 4th The World Around Us Chapter 8 How Things are Made
Updated on 2026-09-19
About this chapter
Paper is made from trees. Wood is turned into wood pulp and rolled into thin sheets. Old paper can be recycled at home: soak it with methi seeds, mash it, roll it and dry it. Recycled paper feels rough. The paper in our books is smooth because it is made from fresh wood pulp. Natural dyes come from parts of a plant — leaf, flower, root, seed and stem — and are safe to use. Different types of paper have different uses: tissue paper cleans, cardboard makes strong boxes. The 5Rs of waste management are Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle.
- Pihu and Maa talk about paper
- Make Recycled Paper
- Natural Colour Experiment
- A Special Gift
- The effort that goes into making paper
- Different Types of Paper and their Uses
- Making Responsible Choices
- End-of-chapter questions
Quick revision
| Term | What it means | Example in the chapter | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recycled paper | New paper made again from old paper | Pihu makes it from old newspapers | 119 |
| Paper pulp | Wet, mashed paper used to make new paper | Soaked paper ground with methi seeds | 119 |
| Binding material | Something that holds the pulp together | Fenugreek (methi) seeds | 119 |
| Wood pulp | Pulp made from the wood of trees | The paper we see in books | 122 |
| Natural dye | Colour made from a part of a plant | Turmeric, spinach, beetroot, henna | 120–121 |
| Artificial dye | Colour that is not made from plants | Also used to paint paper | 121 |
| Talapatra | Palm leaves people once wrote on | Used in India before paper | 122 |
| Banana fibre | A plant fibre that can be made into paper | An environment-friendly choice | 122 |
| Braille paper | Paper with tiny bumps that can be felt | Helps visually challenged people read | 124 |
| Cardboard | Thick and hard paper | Used to make packing boxes | 124 |
| Tissue paper | Very thin, soft paper that absorbs water | Used for cleaning | 124 |
| 5Rs | Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle | A 5-step plan to reduce waste | 124–125 |
Exercises
- Pihu and Maa talk about paper — In-text Questions Page 118–119
- Make Recycled Paper — Activity 1 Page 119
- Natural Colour Experiment — Activity 2 Page 120
- A Special Gift — Activity 3 Page 121
- The effort that goes into making paper — Discuss Page 122
- Different Types of Paper and their Uses — Activity 4 Page 123
- Making Responsible Choices — Activity 5 Page 125
- End-of-chapter questions — Let us reflect Page 127