NCERT Textbook: Energy-How Things Work

 Page 1


Unit 4
Things Around Us
About the Unit
This unit at the preparatory stage aims 
to familiarise students with various 
things around them — how things 
work and how things are made. In  
Grades 3 and 4, students have engaged 
with local toys like (spinners and 
paper boats) to understand how they 
work. They have also learned about 
how things are made by exploring the 
processes of bricks, paper, etc. 
While making things with locally 
available materials students learn 
useful methods of sustainable 
development, including refuse, 
reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle 
(the 5 R s) so that they can make 
responsible decisions. By making 
things with their own hands, they 
develop a deeper appreciation for the 
materials we use in everyday life, and 
also learn to connect and care for their 
environment.
In Grade 5, this unit invites 
students to explore how everyday 
things, like energy and cloth, are made 
and used. Through simple activities 
and local examples, they learn how 
energy enables movement and light, 
how threads become fabric, and why 
reusing things and clean energy 
matter. It helps them see the unseen 
processes behind familiar things in 
their homes and surroundings.
Chapter 7.indd   112 Chapter 7.indd   112 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM
Reprint 2026-27
Page 2


Unit 4
Things Around Us
About the Unit
This unit at the preparatory stage aims 
to familiarise students with various 
things around them — how things 
work and how things are made. In  
Grades 3 and 4, students have engaged 
with local toys like (spinners and 
paper boats) to understand how they 
work. They have also learned about 
how things are made by exploring the 
processes of bricks, paper, etc. 
While making things with locally 
available materials students learn 
useful methods of sustainable 
development, including refuse, 
reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle 
(the 5 R s) so that they can make 
responsible decisions. By making 
things with their own hands, they 
develop a deeper appreciation for the 
materials we use in everyday life, and 
also learn to connect and care for their 
environment.
In Grade 5, this unit invites 
students to explore how everyday 
things, like energy and cloth, are made 
and used. Through simple activities 
and local examples, they learn how 
energy enables movement and light, 
how threads become fabric, and why 
reusing things and clean energy 
matter. It helps them see the unseen 
processes behind familiar things in 
their homes and surroundings.
Chapter 7.indd   112 Chapter 7.indd   112 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM
Reprint 2026-27
How to Facilitate 
• Teachers may use the 
chapter to help students 
connect everyday objects, 
like clothes, fans or stoves 
to larger ideas of work, 
energy and making.
• Encourage students to 
observe and document local 
practices — how people 
cook, keep warm or cool, 
stitch, or reuse cloth in 
their homes or community.
• Help students see weaving, 
stitching, and energy use 
as a part of local knowledge 
and skills, embedded in 
their family, neighbourhood 
and region.
• Explore why people 
in various regions 
wear different clothes 
or use many kinds of 
fuels — linking local 
diversity to geography, 
tradition and availability  
of resources.
• Encourage students to 
re??ect and take pride in 
their surroundings, and 
to recognise how everyday 
actions and skills in 
their homes, schools and 
communities are part of 
India’s encouraging story.
Note to the Teacher
The unit consists of two chapters: Chapter 7 
‘Energy — How Things Work’ and Chapter 8 
‘Clothes — How Things are Made’. 
Chapter 7: Energy — How Things Work
 • ‘Energy — How Things Work’ introduces 
students to the concept of energy by 
connecting it with everyday experiences. 
They learn about the different forms of 
energy used at home and society. Through 
hands-on activities and examples, 
students explore how energy makes things 
work, and the importance of using clean 
and ef??cient energy. The simple hands-on 
activities enable students to play and learn 
about energy, and its possible uses.  
Chapter 8: Clothes — How Things are Made
 • ‘Clothes — How Things are Made’ explores 
how cloth is made; starting from natural 
patterns like birds weaving nests, to 
human methods of spinning, weaving and 
stitching. Through hands-on activities 
and stories from across India, students 
learn how threads become fabric, discover 
local traditions like handloom and 
embroidery, and understand the value of 
reuse, recycling and creativity in everyday 
materials.
Chapter 7.indd   113 Chapter 7.indd   113 10-Jul-25   5:44:42 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:42 PM
Reprint 2026-27
Page 3


Unit 4
Things Around Us
About the Unit
This unit at the preparatory stage aims 
to familiarise students with various 
things around them — how things 
work and how things are made. In  
Grades 3 and 4, students have engaged 
with local toys like (spinners and 
paper boats) to understand how they 
work. They have also learned about 
how things are made by exploring the 
processes of bricks, paper, etc. 
While making things with locally 
available materials students learn 
useful methods of sustainable 
development, including refuse, 
reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle 
(the 5 R s) so that they can make 
responsible decisions. By making 
things with their own hands, they 
develop a deeper appreciation for the 
materials we use in everyday life, and 
also learn to connect and care for their 
environment.
In Grade 5, this unit invites 
students to explore how everyday 
things, like energy and cloth, are made 
and used. Through simple activities 
and local examples, they learn how 
energy enables movement and light, 
how threads become fabric, and why 
reusing things and clean energy 
matter. It helps them see the unseen 
processes behind familiar things in 
their homes and surroundings.
Chapter 7.indd   112 Chapter 7.indd   112 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM
Reprint 2026-27
How to Facilitate 
• Teachers may use the 
chapter to help students 
connect everyday objects, 
like clothes, fans or stoves 
to larger ideas of work, 
energy and making.
• Encourage students to 
observe and document local 
practices — how people 
cook, keep warm or cool, 
stitch, or reuse cloth in 
their homes or community.
• Help students see weaving, 
stitching, and energy use 
as a part of local knowledge 
and skills, embedded in 
their family, neighbourhood 
and region.
• Explore why people 
in various regions 
wear different clothes 
or use many kinds of 
fuels — linking local 
diversity to geography, 
tradition and availability  
of resources.
• Encourage students to 
re??ect and take pride in 
their surroundings, and 
to recognise how everyday 
actions and skills in 
their homes, schools and 
communities are part of 
India’s encouraging story.
Note to the Teacher
The unit consists of two chapters: Chapter 7 
‘Energy — How Things Work’ and Chapter 8 
‘Clothes — How Things are Made’. 
Chapter 7: Energy — How Things Work
 • ‘Energy — How Things Work’ introduces 
students to the concept of energy by 
connecting it with everyday experiences. 
They learn about the different forms of 
energy used at home and society. Through 
hands-on activities and examples, 
students explore how energy makes things 
work, and the importance of using clean 
and ef??cient energy. The simple hands-on 
activities enable students to play and learn 
about energy, and its possible uses.  
Chapter 8: Clothes — How Things are Made
 • ‘Clothes — How Things are Made’ explores 
how cloth is made; starting from natural 
patterns like birds weaving nests, to 
human methods of spinning, weaving and 
stitching. Through hands-on activities 
and stories from across India, students 
learn how threads become fabric, discover 
local traditions like handloom and 
embroidery, and understand the value of 
reuse, recycling and creativity in everyday 
materials.
Chapter 7.indd   113 Chapter 7.indd   113 10-Jul-25   5:44:42 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:42 PM
Reprint 2026-27
What is Energy?
In a kitchen, we can see a variety of activities.
Let us observe a kitchen for some time. Write your 
observations and the questions that come to your 
mind in the table given below.
I Observe I Wonder
The food is getting cooked. How is it being cooked?
Energy — How Things Work
7
Chapter 7.indd   114 Chapter 7.indd   114 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM
Reprint 2026-27
Page 4


Unit 4
Things Around Us
About the Unit
This unit at the preparatory stage aims 
to familiarise students with various 
things around them — how things 
work and how things are made. In  
Grades 3 and 4, students have engaged 
with local toys like (spinners and 
paper boats) to understand how they 
work. They have also learned about 
how things are made by exploring the 
processes of bricks, paper, etc. 
While making things with locally 
available materials students learn 
useful methods of sustainable 
development, including refuse, 
reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle 
(the 5 R s) so that they can make 
responsible decisions. By making 
things with their own hands, they 
develop a deeper appreciation for the 
materials we use in everyday life, and 
also learn to connect and care for their 
environment.
In Grade 5, this unit invites 
students to explore how everyday 
things, like energy and cloth, are made 
and used. Through simple activities 
and local examples, they learn how 
energy enables movement and light, 
how threads become fabric, and why 
reusing things and clean energy 
matter. It helps them see the unseen 
processes behind familiar things in 
their homes and surroundings.
Chapter 7.indd   112 Chapter 7.indd   112 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM
Reprint 2026-27
How to Facilitate 
• Teachers may use the 
chapter to help students 
connect everyday objects, 
like clothes, fans or stoves 
to larger ideas of work, 
energy and making.
• Encourage students to 
observe and document local 
practices — how people 
cook, keep warm or cool, 
stitch, or reuse cloth in 
their homes or community.
• Help students see weaving, 
stitching, and energy use 
as a part of local knowledge 
and skills, embedded in 
their family, neighbourhood 
and region.
• Explore why people 
in various regions 
wear different clothes 
or use many kinds of 
fuels — linking local 
diversity to geography, 
tradition and availability  
of resources.
• Encourage students to 
re??ect and take pride in 
their surroundings, and 
to recognise how everyday 
actions and skills in 
their homes, schools and 
communities are part of 
India’s encouraging story.
Note to the Teacher
The unit consists of two chapters: Chapter 7 
‘Energy — How Things Work’ and Chapter 8 
‘Clothes — How Things are Made’. 
Chapter 7: Energy — How Things Work
 • ‘Energy — How Things Work’ introduces 
students to the concept of energy by 
connecting it with everyday experiences. 
They learn about the different forms of 
energy used at home and society. Through 
hands-on activities and examples, 
students explore how energy makes things 
work, and the importance of using clean 
and ef??cient energy. The simple hands-on 
activities enable students to play and learn 
about energy, and its possible uses.  
Chapter 8: Clothes — How Things are Made
 • ‘Clothes — How Things are Made’ explores 
how cloth is made; starting from natural 
patterns like birds weaving nests, to 
human methods of spinning, weaving and 
stitching. Through hands-on activities 
and stories from across India, students 
learn how threads become fabric, discover 
local traditions like handloom and 
embroidery, and understand the value of 
reuse, recycling and creativity in everyday 
materials.
Chapter 7.indd   113 Chapter 7.indd   113 10-Jul-25   5:44:42 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:42 PM
Reprint 2026-27
What is Energy?
In a kitchen, we can see a variety of activities.
Let us observe a kitchen for some time. Write your 
observations and the questions that come to your 
mind in the table given below.
I Observe I Wonder
The food is getting cooked. How is it being cooked?
Energy — How Things Work
7
Chapter 7.indd   114 Chapter 7.indd   114 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM
Reprint 2026-27
115
Energy — How Things W ork
Similarly, we observe different kinds of activities 
in nature and society.
From your observation write down at least three 
things that you have noticed:
• Moving
• Providing light
• Making a sound
• Making things cool
• Making things hot
Discuss
What makes these things move, shine, make a sound or get 
warm and cold?
As you know, the Sun gives us light and heat. 
Around us, things move, light up, make sounds, 
or get warmer or cooler. Something makes this all 
happen — we call that energy.
Energy is what makes things move, light up, 
produce sound, do work and change temperature.
We use energy every day in so many ways, to make 
things move, produce sounds or do work, sometimes 
The Flying Snake, living in Indian forests can glide 
through the air by ??attening its body.
Chapter 7.indd   115 Chapter 7.indd   115 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM
Reprint 2026-27
Page 5


Unit 4
Things Around Us
About the Unit
This unit at the preparatory stage aims 
to familiarise students with various 
things around them — how things 
work and how things are made. In  
Grades 3 and 4, students have engaged 
with local toys like (spinners and 
paper boats) to understand how they 
work. They have also learned about 
how things are made by exploring the 
processes of bricks, paper, etc. 
While making things with locally 
available materials students learn 
useful methods of sustainable 
development, including refuse, 
reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle 
(the 5 R s) so that they can make 
responsible decisions. By making 
things with their own hands, they 
develop a deeper appreciation for the 
materials we use in everyday life, and 
also learn to connect and care for their 
environment.
In Grade 5, this unit invites 
students to explore how everyday 
things, like energy and cloth, are made 
and used. Through simple activities 
and local examples, they learn how 
energy enables movement and light, 
how threads become fabric, and why 
reusing things and clean energy 
matter. It helps them see the unseen 
processes behind familiar things in 
their homes and surroundings.
Chapter 7.indd   112 Chapter 7.indd   112 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:41 PM
Reprint 2026-27
How to Facilitate 
• Teachers may use the 
chapter to help students 
connect everyday objects, 
like clothes, fans or stoves 
to larger ideas of work, 
energy and making.
• Encourage students to 
observe and document local 
practices — how people 
cook, keep warm or cool, 
stitch, or reuse cloth in 
their homes or community.
• Help students see weaving, 
stitching, and energy use 
as a part of local knowledge 
and skills, embedded in 
their family, neighbourhood 
and region.
• Explore why people 
in various regions 
wear different clothes 
or use many kinds of 
fuels — linking local 
diversity to geography, 
tradition and availability  
of resources.
• Encourage students to 
re??ect and take pride in 
their surroundings, and 
to recognise how everyday 
actions and skills in 
their homes, schools and 
communities are part of 
India’s encouraging story.
Note to the Teacher
The unit consists of two chapters: Chapter 7 
‘Energy — How Things Work’ and Chapter 8 
‘Clothes — How Things are Made’. 
Chapter 7: Energy — How Things Work
 • ‘Energy — How Things Work’ introduces 
students to the concept of energy by 
connecting it with everyday experiences. 
They learn about the different forms of 
energy used at home and society. Through 
hands-on activities and examples, 
students explore how energy makes things 
work, and the importance of using clean 
and ef??cient energy. The simple hands-on 
activities enable students to play and learn 
about energy, and its possible uses.  
Chapter 8: Clothes — How Things are Made
 • ‘Clothes — How Things are Made’ explores 
how cloth is made; starting from natural 
patterns like birds weaving nests, to 
human methods of spinning, weaving and 
stitching. Through hands-on activities 
and stories from across India, students 
learn how threads become fabric, discover 
local traditions like handloom and 
embroidery, and understand the value of 
reuse, recycling and creativity in everyday 
materials.
Chapter 7.indd   113 Chapter 7.indd   113 10-Jul-25   5:44:42 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:42 PM
Reprint 2026-27
What is Energy?
In a kitchen, we can see a variety of activities.
Let us observe a kitchen for some time. Write your 
observations and the questions that come to your 
mind in the table given below.
I Observe I Wonder
The food is getting cooked. How is it being cooked?
Energy — How Things Work
7
Chapter 7.indd   114 Chapter 7.indd   114 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM
Reprint 2026-27
115
Energy — How Things W ork
Similarly, we observe different kinds of activities 
in nature and society.
From your observation write down at least three 
things that you have noticed:
• Moving
• Providing light
• Making a sound
• Making things cool
• Making things hot
Discuss
What makes these things move, shine, make a sound or get 
warm and cold?
As you know, the Sun gives us light and heat. 
Around us, things move, light up, make sounds, 
or get warmer or cooler. Something makes this all 
happen — we call that energy.
Energy is what makes things move, light up, 
produce sound, do work and change temperature.
We use energy every day in so many ways, to make 
things move, produce sounds or do work, sometimes 
The Flying Snake, living in Indian forests can glide 
through the air by ??attening its body.
Chapter 7.indd   115 Chapter 7.indd   115 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM 10-Jul-25   5:44:43 PM
Reprint 2026-27
Our Wondrous World
116
without even noticing. Let us explore how energy 
works through these simple and fun activities.
Activity 1
1. Take a balloon and blow into it until it ??lls up.
2. Hold it tightly.
3. Then, release the mouth of the balloon and observe 
what happens.
When air rushes out of the balloon, it pushes the balloon 
forward. This is how the movement of air generates 
energy.
Extension Activity: Balloon Air Rocket
1. Fill the balloon 
with air and 
attach it to a 
straw with tape. 
2. Pass a string 
through the 
straw.
3. Hold the ends 
of string with 
someone’s help.
4. Now, release the balloon and watch it move along the 
string.
 
What would you change in the activity to 
make the toy move faster or slower?
Chapter 7.indd   116 Chapter 7.indd   116 28-Nov-25   2:53:40 PM 28-Nov-25   2:53:40 PM
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