Our Planet - The Earth Chapter Notes | Social Studies Class 3 ICSE PDF Download

Introduction

Our planet Earth is a very special place where we all live. It is full of amazing things like tall mountains, big valleys, green forests, flowing rivers, and wide oceans. Many animals, birds, and humans live here happily. The Earth gives us everything we need to live, like air to breathe, water to drink, and sunlight to keep us warm. Let’s learn more about our beautiful Earth and why it is so important for us!

Life on the Earth

• The Earth is our home where we live.
• It has many beautiful things like mountains, valleys, plants, forests, oceans, and rivers.
• Humans, animals, and birds all live on the Earth.
• The Earth is the only planet in our solar system where life is possible.

Essentials of Life

Life can happen on Earth because it has air, water, and sunlight. These are very important for all living things.

Air

• All living things need air to breathe.
• A layer of air surrounds the Earth, and it is called the atmosphere.
• The atmosphere has many gases like nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
• Humans and animals breathe oxygen to stay alive.
• Plants use carbon dioxide to make their food.

Water

• Water is very important for life.
• We cannot live for more than a few days without drinking water.
• All living things, like plants and animals, also need water to live.
• About three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is covered with water.
• Only one-fourth of the Earth’s surface is land.
• The Earth is the only planet where water is found in three forms: liquid, solid, and gas.
• From space, the Earth looks blue because of the oceans.
• That’s why the Earth is also called the blue planet.

Fun Fact

The water surface of the Earth is known as the hydrosphere.

Sunlight

• Sunlight gives energy to all living things on Earth.
• The Sun helps living beings to survive.
• The Earth is at a perfect distance from the Sun.
• It is not too hot and not too cold for life to exist.
• If the Earth was closer to the Sun, it would be too hot for life.
• If the Earth was farther from the Sun, it would be too cold for life.
• Sunlight keeps the Earth warm so humans, plants, and animals can live.

Shape of the Earth

• The Earth is spherical in shape, which means it is round like a ball.
• It looks a bit like an orange.
• The Earth is a little flat at the top and bottom and has a bulge in the middle.
• Long ago, people thought the Earth was flat.
• Great sailors proved it was round by sailing around the world.
• They started from one point and came back to the same point.
• Pictures taken from space also show that the Earth is round and spherical.

I Now Know

• The Earth is the only planet in the solar system which has life on it.
• Elements like air, water, and sunlight help support life on the Earth.
• The Earth is also known as the blue planet.
• The Earth is spherical in shape and shaped like an orange.

Glossary

• Atmosphere: The layer of air that surrounds the Earth. It has gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide that help us breathe and help plants make food.
• Hydrosphere: The name for all the water on the Earth’s surface, like oceans, rivers, and lakes. It covers most of the Earth and makes it look blue.
• Spherical: A round shape, like a ball or an orange. The Earth is spherical, which means it is not flat but round from all sides.
• Sunlight: The light and heat that come from the Sun. It keeps the Earth warm and helps plants, animals, and humans to live and grow.
• Blue Planet: Another name for the Earth because it looks blue from space. This is because most of the Earth is covered with water in oceans.