NCERT Class 6 English Poorvi Unit 3 Nurturing Nature Chapter 8 Poem – ‘What a Bird Thought’

Hello, students!  Welcome to our discussion on Unit 3 Nurturing Nature Chapter 8 Poem – ‘What a Bird Thought’

We’re excited to introduce this charming poem, uncover its meaning, lessons, and the wisdom it holds.

Our team of English experts, trained both in India and abroad, is here to make your learning experience engaging and enriching. As you explore this poem, remember to focus on the story, and the message it conveys. Try to think about how its lessons apply to everyday life—you might be surprised by the connections you discover!

Remember, every question you ask helps you grow, so keep that curiosity alive. You’ve got this, and we’re cheering for you every step of the way!

Find Solutions to NCERT Class 6 English Poorvi Unit 3 Nurturing Nature Chapter 8 Poem – ‘What a Bird Thought,’ here.

Let us do these activities before we read.

1. Look at the picture and discuss what you see in the picture with your teacher and classmates.

Answer:

The picture shows a large lush green tree where birds have built their nest. In the nest, there are baby birds, or nestlings, eagerly calling out for food with their mouths wide open. The reddish- brown mother bird is flying toward them with food in her beak, ready to feed her hungry young ones. On another branch of the same tree, a large green parrot is perched, possibly enjoying a piece of fruit. The tree is full of life, with branches and leaves providing shelter and food for the birds. The scene captures the harmony and nurturing side of nature.

Think of a time when you worked hard. What did you do then?

• How did it help you?

• How did it make you feel?

Also, discuss in groups.

Answer:
I remember a few years ago a devastating cyclone blew our kitchen roof away. My father was away on tour, so my mother, younger brother and I had to cope on our own.
Our kitchen was on the terrace while our living rooms were down below, so when the kitchen roof was ripped off by the fierce wind, the rain water cascaded down the stairs and flooded our entire house.

My mother, ever calm, told us not to panic and tackle the situation step by step. First, she asked me to shut the door at the top of the stairs to prevent more rainwater from flooding the house. I tried my best to close it, but the wind was so strong that I couldn’t manage it alone. My younger brother joined me, but even our combined efforts weren’t enough. It took the three of us—my mother, my brother, and I—working together to finally pull the door shut against the gusts of wind.  Then we sealed the bottom of the door with bedcovers to prevent more water from seeping through.

Despite our efforts, the house was already flooded. We spent hours manually scooping out water, using whatever we could find to clear it as best as possible. The next day, we turned our attention to the kitchen, which had been severely damaged. All the counters were broken, and shards of glass from the shattered window panes lay scattered across the floor, mixed with bits of broken crockery. Carefully and methodically, we cleared out the debris, gathering everything into sacks. It took us three whole days to sort through the wreckage, retrieve our stove, and salvage a few steel utensils my mother could still use for cooking.

By the time my father returned from his tour, we were exhausted, but I felt a newfound sense of confidence.
This experience taught me not to panic in a crisis but to work systematically and remain calm under pressure. The work was hard, but I gained a valuable experience in coping with difficult situations.

2. Where are the places you see birds?
Answer:

Birds can be seen in various places like gardens, parks, near rivers, ponds, and lakes, on rooftops, in open fields, and sometimes even on city streets.

What do you see the birds doing?
Answer:

I often see birds flying, building nests, searching for food, singing or chirping, feeding their young ones, or perching on branches overhanging a waterbody waiting to dive in and catch fish. Sometimes I see them bathing in water or pecking at the ground for seeds and insects.

3. Do you want to fly like a bird? Why?
Answer:

Yes, I would love to fly like a bird! It would make me feel free and happy. I could see new places from up high and feel the wind as I fly. It would be fun to look down at everything below and explore the sky without any limits.

4. What does a baby bird think about its world?
Answer:

At first, a baby bird thinks its world is just the small round pale blue egg shell where it lives securely. Inside the egg, everything feels warm and protected.

When it hatches, its world becomes the nest made of straw where it stays close to its mother. It believes that this small, cozy space is all there is to the world.

As it grows big enough to hop out of the nest it thinks the world is full of leaves.

Finally, when it grows and flies beyond the tree, he realises how vast the unknown world is.

5. Read the sentences and replace the underlined words with their correct meanings.

Sl no	Sentences	Meanings
(a)	The colour of the feather was not dark but pale.	At last
(b)	The butterfly moved lightly and quickly on to the flower.	light
(c)	Finally, I finished my bird painting after trying many times.	labour
(d)	The pretty flowers were the prize for the gardener’s hard work.	fluttered

Answer:

Sl no	Sentences
(a)	The colour of the feather was not dark but light.
(b)	The butterfly fluttered on to the flower.
(c)	At last, I finished my bird painting after trying many times.
(d)	The pretty flowers were the prize for the gardener’s labour.

Let us discuss (Page 87)

1. Read the poem again. Identify the main idea of each stanza. There are two extra given.

(a) The bird steps out into the world.                   ____________  

(b) The bird lived happily in a small world.         _____________

(c) The bird becomes blind due to leaves.            _____________

(d) The bird flies away as an adult.                        ______________

(e) The bird is unhappy with the straw nest.       ____________

(f) The bird lived in a cosy nest with its mother.  ____________

Answer:

The main idea of each stanza is as follows:

First Stanza	(b)The bird lived happily in a small world.
Second Stanza	(f) The bird lived in a cosy nest with its mother.
Third Stanza	(a) The bird steps out into the world.
Fourth Stanza	(d) The bird flies away as an adult.

2. Look at the pictures (a) – (d) and write the matching line from the poem for each.

(a) I thought the world was small and round,

      And made of pale, blue shell.

(b) I thought the world was made of straw,

      And nestled by my mother.

(c) I said the world is made of leaves,

      I have been very blind.

(d) At length I flew beyond the tree,

      Quite fit for grown-up labours,

3. Answer the following with a word from the poem and check the answers with your partner.

(a) What was the shape of the bird’s first house? _ O _ _ _

(b) What was the bird’s second nest made of? _ _ R _ _

(c) What did the bird see when it came out of its nest? L _ _ _ E _

(d) What did the bird do at the end? _ _ _ W

 Answer:

(a) The shape of the bird’s first house was round.

(b)The bird’s second nest was made of straw.

(c)When it came out of its nest, the bird saw leaves.

(d) At the end the bird flew away.

Let us think and reflect (Page 88)

1. Write whether the following sentences are True or False.

(a) The bird changed its house two times.

(b) The neighbours tell the bird about the world.

Answer:

(a) TRUE – The bird changed its house two times.

(b) FALSE- The neighbours do not know enough about the world.

2. Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions given below.

(a) I thought the world was made of straw,

And nestled by my mother.

(i) Who lived in the nest along with the baby bird?
Answer:

Mother bird lived in the nest along with baby bird.

(ii) Complete the following by choosing the correct option.

The bird thought the world was made of straw because __________.

a. it lived in a straw hut

b. its nest was made of straw

c. its mother fed straw to it

d. there was straw all around

Answer:
The bird thought the world was made of straw because its nest was made of straw.

(iii) Which word tells us that the baby bird was warm and comfortable?
Answer:

The word ‘nestled’ tells us that the baby bird was warm and comfortable.

(b) I said the world is made of leaves,

I have been very blind.

(i) Why did the bird think the world was made of leaves?
Answer:
The bird thought that the world was made of leaves because that it was surrounded by leaves when it stepped out of its nest.

(ii) What does the set of words ‘I said’ mean?

a. flew b. shouted c. spoke d. cried
Answer:

The set of words ‘I said’ means option (c) “spoke”

(iii) Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.

The bird felt that it had been very blind because it could not __ __ __ the leaves from __ n __ __ __ e the nest.

Answer:

The bird felt that it had been very blind because it could not see the leaves from inside the nest.

3. Why did the baby bird think that its first world was small, round and blue?
Answer:

The baby bird thought that its first world was small, round and blue because it lived in a small round and blue shell at first.

4. Where did the bird go when it fluttered from its straw nest?
Answer:

When the bird fluttered from its straw nest, it went out into the world beyond the nest. It began to explore new things outside its little home.

5. What quality did the bird say it had, when it flew away?
Answer:

The bird said it was “fit for grown-up labours” when it flew away, which means it felt ready and strong enough to face the world on its own.

6. Who do you think were the bird’s neighbours? Why do you think so? Discuss.
Answer:

The bird’s neighbours were most likely other birds, animals like squirrels, rabbits, and insects living in the same tree or nearby areas. These creatures share the same space, making the tree their home, and so they would be considered neighbours in the bird’s world.

Let us learn (Page 89)

1. Let us write some rhyming words. One has been done for you.

Words From the Poem
Stanza 1	Stanza 2	Stanza 3	Stanza 4
well
shell
New Rhyming words
fell

Answer:

Words From the Poem
Stanza 1	Stanza 2	Stanza 3	Stanza 4
well	other	find	labours
shell	mother	blind	neighbours
New Rhyming words
fell	father	kind	harbours

Now, complete a new stanza with rhyming words at the end of each line.

I fly high and I fly low,

But one thing I surely k __ __ __,

Whenever I wish to rest,

My little nest is the __ __ __t.

Answer:

I fly high and I fly low,

But one thing I surely know

Whenever I wish to rest,

My little nest is the best.

2. The poet uses words like ‘pale’, ‘blue’, ‘round’, ‘straw’ and ‘little’ to describe the bird’s nest.

Read a few more describing words.

pointed	green	thin	brown
small	wooden	hanging	round

Now, use the describing words given in the box to create six sentences based on the given picture.

Answer:

(a) A small brown bird is sitting near the entrance to its cage.

(b) The cage is hanging from the branch of a tree.

(c) The wooden cage has a red roof.

(d) The cage has a round entrance.

(e) The bird has a pointed beak and a red crest on its head.

(f) The branch of the tree is covered with green leaves.

Let us listen (Page 90)

You will listen to a short poem. As you listen, fill in the missing words. You can listen to the poem more than once. (refer to page 102 for transcript)

I’m a parrot, my name is Paro,

My feathers are __ __ __ g __ __ and they glow.

In the morning, I spread my wings,

___ ___ ___ around and see wonderful things.

Come with me through the skies so ___ l ___ ___,

To places old and places new.

Among the ___ ___ e ___ ___, where the breeze is light,

Many new  st __ __ __ ___ s, oh, what a sight!

Answer:

I’m a parrot, my name is Paro,

My feathers are bright and they glow.

In the morning, I spread my wings,

Fly around and see wonderful things.

Come with me through the skies so blue.

To places old and places new.

Among the trees, where the breeze is light,

Many new stories, oh, what a sight!

Let us speak (Page 90)

Speak with your classmates about which bird you would like to be. Include the following points.

• Which bird are you? [I am ……….…….]
Answer:

I am a kingfisher.

• What do you look like? [I am ……….……. in colour. I am a big/small bird. I have ……….…….].
Answer:

I am a small bird with a striking plumage. I have metallic blue-black feathers on my back, and a coppery brown breast.

• Where do you live? [I live in ……….……. It is (where) ……….…….]

Answer:

I live near water bodies like rivers, lakes and ponds. It is where I can find the fish I love to eat.

• What do you do during the day? [ I ……….……. I also ……….…….]

Answer:
I perch on the branch of a tree which overlooks the lake and watch with my keen eye for movement of fish in the water. Once I spot a fish, I dive headfirst into the water, seize the fish with my sharp bill and fly back to my perch to enjoy a tasty meal.

• Do you have any message for humans? [ I want to tell the humans ……….…….]

Answer:
Yes, I have an important message for humans. I want to tell the humans to take care of rivers, lakes, and forests, because they are home to many birds and animals. Keep the water clean and protect nature, so all creatures can live safely and happily. Protecting our world will also benefit human beings.

Let us write (Page 91)

1. Read how the bird perceived its world.

My world was small, round and light blue at first. After that my world was warm and comfortable. It was made of straw. In this world I could only see leaves whenever I stepped out. In the end, my world became big. It had the sky and the earth as a part of it.

Answer:
When the bird was a tiny baby, she thought her whole world was just her nest. It felt cozy and safe, especially with her mother nearby. She didn’t know much beyond the soft straw that surrounded her. As she grew bigger, she started noticing things just outside the nest, like the green leaves on the branches. These leaves seemed like part of her world, and she liked looking at them.

Then one day, she was strong enough to spread her wings and fly. When she left the nest, she realized that the world was much bigger than she ever imagined. Now, her world wasn’t just her small nest or the leaves—it was full of endless sky, trees, and open space. The world felt vast and exciting, and there was so much to explore!

2. Now, discuss with your teacher and classmates how you think the world would look to the following.

(a) a baby (b) a fish

Answer:

Have fun discussing this in class.

3. Now, write five sentences each, for both (a) and (b), in your notebooks. You can take help from the example given in 1.

Answer:

(a) a baby:

1. At first, my world is cozy and quiet inside my mother’s womb. I feel her heartbeat and hear gentle sounds, which make me feel safe and warm.

2. After birth, my world opens up. I am surrounded by bright lights, new sounds, and gentle hands that hold me close.

3. Snuggled against my mother, I feel her warmth, and I hear her soft voice, which makes me feel calm and protected.

4. Lying on my back, I can see people looking down at me. Their voices seem loving and make me feel happy.

5. When my mother holds me up, the world looks so different! I see things from above, notice more colours, and everything feels bigger and full of new things.

(b) a fish:

1. My world begins as I hatch from a tiny egg, surrounded by many other baby fish like me in the water. Everything is cool, clear, and flows gently around us.

2. Instinctively, I sense danger around us, like bigger fish looking for food. We have to be careful and stay close to the plants and rocks to hide.

3. Staying close to my brothers and sisters makes me feel safe. When we swim together, we can look out for each other.

4. I see plants swaying gently, providing us with food and places to rest and hide. The light above the water changes throughout the day, and it’s always fascinating to watch.

5. As we grow, we learn to swim faster and explore more of our watery world, but we always stay together, helping each other stay safe from danger.

Let us explore (Page 91)

1. The bird’s first home was made of a shell. Later its home was among leaves and made of straw.

• Look at your home carefully and make a list of all the materials it is made of.
Answer:

My home is made of bricks, cement, concrete, steel, glass, wood, and tiles. The walls and floors are mostly concrete, the doors and some furniture are made of wood, and there are glass windows.

• Why do you think our homes are not made of straw?
Answer:

Our homes are not made of straw because straw is not strong or durable. It can easily catch fire, blow away in the wind, or get damaged by rain. We use stronger materials like bricks and cement to protect us from weather, wild animals, and other hazards.

• If you had to own a home of your choice, what would it look like and what materials would you like to use?
Answer:

If I could own a home of my choice, it would be a cozy house with a big garden. I’d like it to have large windows, wooden floors and the rest to be made mostly from brick, wood, and glass. I would also use eco-friendly materials like bamboo for some furniture and add solar panels on the roof.

• How is a home different from a house? Discuss with your classmates and teacher.
Answer:
A house is just a physical building made of brick, stone, concrete, glass and steel where people live. But a home is more special. It’s where we feel safe and happy. A home is filled with our family, love, and memories. A house becomes a home when it has the people we care about and makes us feel comfortable and loved.

• Look at the list of some workers who build houses. Find out the work they do and write, as shown in the example. You can think of other workers and add them too

Workers	Their work
Example: Mason	Lays stone and bricks
1. painter
2. electrician
3. plumber
4. carpenter
5. architect
6.
7.

 Answer:

Workers	Their work
Example: Mason	Lays stone and bricks
1. painter	Paints the walls and ceilings.
2. electrician	Installs wiring, lights, and power outlets.
3. plumber	Sets up pipes and fixtures for water supply.
4. carpenter	Builds wooden items like doors, windows, and cabinets.
5. architect	Designs the layout and structure of the house.
6. tile layers	Lays tiles on the floor, walls and roof
7. welder	Joins metal parts for railings or window grills.

2. Look at the different kinds of nests and homes the birds make. Have you seen any? Discuss these types of nests with your teacher and classmates.

Birds make different kinds of nests to keep their eggs and young ones safe. Here are some examples:

1. Many birds, like pigeons or sparrows, build simple nests with twigs and leaves. These nests sit in the branches of trees, hidden from view to protect the baby birds.

2. Weaver Bird: The weaver bird builds a nest that looks like a hanging basket. It is intricately woven out of leaves, grass, sticks making a strong nest that hangs from a branch out of reach of predators.

3. Owl: Owls often don’t build nests from scratch. They find a hollow in a tree to make their home. This tree hole keeps them safe from the weather and predators.

4. Tailor Bird: The tailor bird stitches leaves together using plant fibers or spider webs, just like sewing. The nest becomes a soft, cozy and safe space for its eggs.

Thus, we see how cleverly birds use the material around them to build amazing nests to keep their eggs and young ones safe.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on NCERT Class 6 English Poorvi Unit 3 Chapter 8 Poem – ‘What a Bird Thought’