Total population: 1,030,000 FACTS |
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India receives about 80% of its rain from the June-September monsoon. When the rains begin, the entire country rejoices. |
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Cherrapunji is one of the world's wettest places in the world - it gets an average of 400 inches of rain a year. In the mid-1800s it received more than 900 inches in a year, making it the rainiest 12 months in history. | |
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Traditional, or extended families, are common in India. Sometimes four generations – including parents, kids, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and great-grandparents – live under the same roof. | |
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In English, many words originally came from India, such as shampoo, bungalow, pajamas, tank, cashmere and sandals. | |
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The highest mountains in the world – the Himalayas – are in India. | |
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Playing cards in India are round. | |
Monsoon Time
Nine year-old Sanjay loves practicing martial arts – and monsoon is the best time for training. Each may, after months of sweltering heat, the skies finally open up, and a cooling rain falls to the parched earth. But India’s monsoon isn't just an ordinary downpour: More than 70% of India's one billion people depend on agriculture for a living, and a good monsoon means a good harvest. The monsoon is the economic lifeline of the country. For everyone, it is a time of rejoicing and renewal.
In the assembly and study module, your students will learn about
- The monsoon – and how climate can affect a country’s economy.
- Kalarippayat, one of the most ancient forms of martial arts – and how it reflects part of India’s culture.
- Kerala, the beautiful state in southern India with a 100% literacy rate.
Curriculum Tie-ins:
- Social studies
- Geography (climate)
- Economics
Keywords
- Extended family
- Hindu
- Literacy rate
- Monsoon
- Rickshaw
- Swordfighters
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| Sanjay and his friends share a rickshaw to school. | During the monsoon, the sea can get very rough, but the fishermen still must go out each day. |
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Every summer, the monsoon rains sweep through India. |
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The cool monsoon weather makes this an ideal time for Sanjay to practice martial arts. |
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In spite of the rain, villagers must go to the well for drinking water. |
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| Sanjay's little brother hold his books for him. |