A Treat for Mosquitoes – Ultimate Guide for CBSE Class 5th EVS Chapter 8

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Our learning resources for EVS for Class 5 Chapter 8 “A Treat for Mosquitoes” are designed to ensure that you grasp this concept with clarity and perfection. Whether you’re studying for an upcoming exam or strengthening your concepts, our engaging animated videos, practice questions and notes offer you the best of integrated learning with interesting explanations and examples. 

Let’s start our journey of “A Treat for Mosquitoes” with Rajat who recently caught malaria.

Rajat’s Return to School – Learning About Malaria

Rajat has been away from school for a few days because he was sick with malaria. His friends are curious about his illness and want to know more about mosquitoes, blood tests, and how we can protect ourselves from diseases spread by these pesky insects. Let’s dive in to find out more!

The Blood Test Story: How Malaria Was Discovered in Rajat’s Blood 🩸

Rajat explains to his friends how he had to get a blood test. When the needle pricked his finger, it felt like an ant bite. The blood test showed he had malaria, which spreads through mosquito bites.

A blood drop is enough to test for malaria.

Discussion Questions:

• Do you know anyone who has had malaria?
• What are the symptoms of malaria? (Hint: Think about fever, chills, and tiredness)
• Have you ever had a blood test? How did it feel?

Why Some Mosquitoes Spread Malaria and Others Don’t 

Nancy, one of Rajat’s friends, explains that not all mosquito bites cause malaria. Malaria is spread only by specific types of mosquitoes – female Anopheles mosquitoes. These mosquitoes carry the malaria parasite, which enters a person’s blood through a mosquito bite.

Find Out More:

1. Look up the different types of mosquitoes that spread diseases like dengue and chikungunya.
2. Can you identify the differences between these mosquitoes?

Anaemia – What’s That? Why Blood Needs Iron

Aarti also had to get a blood test done, and she found out she had anaemia. Anaemia happens when there is less haemoglobin (an important part of our blood that carries oxygen) or iron in the blood. The doctor suggested that Aarti eat foods rich in iron, like jaggery, amla, and green leafy vegetables.

Eating iron-rich foods like leafy greens can help prevent anaemia.

Activity: Iron-Rich Food Hunt

• Make a list of foods in your home that are rich in iron.
• Include items like spinach, dates, raisins, or lentils.
• Try to include more iron-rich foods in your meals!

Question to Ponder:

• Why do you think iron is important for our body?

Let’s move on with our exploration of “A Treat for Mosquitoes” and find out about a tree that helped cure malaria.

Medicine for Malaria: From the Cinchona Tree 🌳

Did you know that malaria medicine was originally made from the Cinchona tree? People used to boil the powdered bark of this tree to make a drink that could cure malaria. Today, there are tablets available, but it all started with this amazing tree.

The Cinchona tree, a natural source for malaria medicine.

Questions to Explore:

• Have you heard of other medicines made from plants?
• Why do you think plants are important for making medicines?

How not to offer A Treat for Mosquitoes: Tips and Tricks to Stay Safe 

Rajat and his friends find a poster that shares tips on preventing mosquito breeding. Here’s what it says:

• Don’t let water collect around your house.
• Fill up pits and cover open containers of water.
• Use mosquito nets and repellent sprays.
• Clean water pots, coolers, and tanks weekly.
• Add fish to water tanks as they eat mosquito larvae.

Using nets and keeping water clean can prevent mosquito bites.

Think About It:

• Why do mosquitoes need water to lay eggs?
• How can you help reduce mosquitoes in your neighborhood?

Make Your Own Poster!

• Create a poster with a message about keeping your area free of mosquito-breeding spots.
• Use drawings of a tank, cooler, and buckets to show where water can collect.

A Treat for Mosquitoes – How Mosquitoes Grow

Nancy tells everyone about seeing mosquito larvae (baby mosquitoes) in a pot full of water near her house. Mosquitoes lay eggs in still water, which hatch into larvae. These tiny larvae can be seen wiggling in the water before they turn into adult mosquitoes. To stop mosquitoes, it’s important to remove any standing water and thus not offer a treat for mosquitoes.

Mosquito Patrol Activity 

• Form groups with your friends and check areas around your school or neighborhood.
• Look for any place where water has collected, like open pots, gutters, or buckets.
• Make a note of places where you find standing water and report it to an adult.

Let’s move on with our journey of “A Treat for Mosquitoes” and find out how Ronald Ross found a treatment for malaria.

The Discovery of Malaria: Ronald Ross’s Amazing Story

Over a hundred years ago, scientist Ronald Ross made an important discovery – that mosquitoes spread malaria. Ronald was curious about why people living near swamps or rainy areas were often sick. After studying mosquitoes and examining their stomachs under a microscope, he found tiny germs, just like those in malaria patients’ blood.

Ronald Ross, who discovered how mosquitoes spread malaria.

Fun Fact:

• Ronald Ross won a Nobel Prize for his discovery in 1902!

Inspire Your Curiosity:

• What other scientists have made discoveries about diseases? Try to look up Louis Pasteur or Edward Jenner.

What We’ve Learned: How to Stay Healthy and Safe from Mosquitoes

In “A Treat for Mosquitoes,” we learned about:

• Malaria: What it is, how it spreads, and how a blood test can detect it.
• Anaemia: The importance of iron in our blood.
• Medicines from Nature: The Cinchona tree’s role in treating malaria.
• Preventing Mosquito Breeding: Simple steps to reduce mosquito-breeding places.
• Ronald Ross: The scientist who discovered mosquitoes spread malaria.

Activity:

Make a list of ways you can keep your home and neighbourhood safe from mosquitoes and avoid offering a treat for mosquitoes. Share it with your family and friends to spread awareness!
If you’d like to do some experiments with water and also review the previous EVS chapter, click here.
If you’d like to read the NCERT book for the chapter A Treat for Mosquitoes, click here.
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