Q1.
Recall that in Grade 6, we saw the meaning of the word ‘constitution’ — a document that lays down the basic principles and laws of a nation. In small groups of three, list all the questions that come to your mind about a country's constitution.
Answer
This is a group activity, so the point is to ask well, not to answer yet. Work in threes, let each person write down whatever they genuinely want to know, then sort the list into groups before sharing it with the class.
How to do it: give each member two minutes of silent writing, pool the questions, strike out repeats, and arrange the rest under headings — Who made it? What is in it? How does it work? What if it needs changing? Keep the list; by the end of the chapter you will be able to answer most of them yourself.
Sample answer: a list our group made —
| Theme | Questions we thought of | Answered on page… |
|---|---|---|
| Who made it | Who wrote our Constitution? Were people from all parts of India in it? Were there any women? How long did it take? | 214 |
| What is in it | How many pages and parts does it have? Does it say what the government may and may not do? Does it list my rights? Does it list my duties? | 211, 212, 220–222 |
| How it works | Who has to obey it? What happens if a law goes against it? Who decides that? | 211, 220 |
| Changing it | Can it be changed? Who can change it? Has it been changed already? | 223 |
| Its values | What ideals does it stand for? Where are they written? | 224–225 |
| Where it is | Where is the original copy kept, and how is it protected? | 210 |
Tip: a good question is one that can actually be answered by evidence — “How many women were in the Constituent Assembly?” is better than “Was the Constitution good?” Save the second kind for a class discussion.