Sunita in Space – Complete Guide for CBSE Class 5 EVS Chapter 11

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Our learning resources for the chapter Sunita in Space in class 5 EVS are designed to ensure you grasp this concept with clarity and perfection. Whether studying for an upcoming exam or strengthening your concepts, our engaging animated videos, practice questions and notes offer you the best-integrated learning with interesting explanations and examples. 

Sunita in Space: A Journey Beyond the Earth! 🚀

What Does Our Earth Look Like?

Have you ever thought about what our Earth looks like? Is it flat or round like a ball? Uzaira and Shahmir were wondering the same thing while playing with a globe. When they heard that Sunita Williams, an astronaut who has spent over six months in space, was visiting their school, they couldn’t wait to learn more!

If the Earth Is Round, Why Don’t We Fall Off? 🤔

When Uzaira and Shahmir looked at the globe, they asked each other:

• “If the Earth is round like this globe, why don’t people fall off?”
• “Do people in Argentina stand upside down?”

These questions seem tricky, but they are related to gravity—a force that pulls everything towards the Earth’s center! That’s why we don’t fall off, even if we are on different sides of the Earth.

This is what the Earth looks like from space!

Questions to Think About:

• Can you imagine what Earth would look like if it were flat?
• Why don’t oceans and seas fall off from Earth if it’s round?

Sunita’s Experience in Space 

When Sunita visited India, she shared her incredible experience of living in space. Here’s what she said about life in zero gravity:

• Floating Around: There’s no “up” or “down” in space, so everything, including people, floats! 
• Floating Water: Water doesn’t stay in cups. Instead, it forms blobs that float, so astronauts have to catch them!
• Eating in Space: Food packets float, so astronauts have fun trying to catch and eat them! 
• Hair That Stands Up: Without gravity, Sunita’s hair floated and stood straight up.

Sunita Williams floating in space with her hair standing up!

Think and Write: Sunita in Space

• Why do you think Sunita’s hair was standing up in space?
• Imagine floating while you eat—what would be the most challenging part?

Activity: Imagine Your Classroom as a Spaceship 🚀

Imagine your classroom has just launched into space. Close your eyes and think:

• Can you sit still in one place, or are you floating around? 
• What about your books and bags—where did they go?
• How would you eat lunch in space?

Draw what you think your classroom would look like in space!

Gravity on Earth vs. Life in Space: Sunita in Space

Here on Earth, we experience gravity pulling everything down. That’s why when you throw a ball up, it comes back down. But in space, there’s almost no gravity! This makes everything float. Sunita said that even her feet couldn’t stay on the floor!

To understand gravity, try this fun experiment:

1. Take a coin and a small piece of paper.
2. Drop them at the same time.
3. Now place the paper on top of the coin and drop it again. What happened?

Magic Experiments: Let’s Try These Fun Activities! 

Magic 1: A Tiny Paper Races a Coin

• Take a coin and a small piece of paper (one-fourth the size of the coin).
• Hold the coin in one hand and the paper in the other.
• Drop them at the same time. What happens?

Now, place the paper on the coin and drop them together. Notice anything different? Surprised? 

Magic 2: A Mouse Lifts an Elephant!

You’ll need:

• A small stone (for the mouse) and a larger stone (for the elephant).
• A roll of paper and a 2-foot-long string.

Tie the small stone (mouse) to one end of the string and place it inside the roll of paper. Attach the big stone (elephant) to the other end. When you swing the small stone, it can lift the “elephant” on the other side. Isn’t that cool?

Seeing the Earth from Space: Sunita in Space

When Sunita looked at Earth from the spaceship, she said, “The Earth looks so beautiful and amazing!” From space, she could see the curved shape of the Earth and even watched it rotate.

Look at this photograph of Earth taken from the Moon:

 Earth as seen from the Moon.

Questions to Explore:

• Can you see India on the globe or in space images?
• Are there lines separating countries on Earth? Why or why not?

The Beautiful Night Sky 

At night, the sky is filled with twinkling stars and sometimes a bright moon. Have you ever noticed that stars seem to disappear during the day? That’s because of the sun’s bright light! But in space, where there’s no atmosphere, the stars shine all the time.

Poem: Twinkling Stars

Stars are twinkling in the sky,
Why do they twinkle? Tell me why.
Some seem near and some seem far,
Is there a name for every star? 

Fun Fact: A shooting star is a meteorite that burns when it enters Earth’s atmosphere!

Learning from Sunita: If You Want Something, Don’t Give Up! 

When Sunita was young, she wanted to become a diver. She loved sports but was less interested in studies. Over time, she trained hard, and eventually, she became an astronaut. In 2007, she set a record for the longest space flight by a woman! Sunita’s journey shows us that if you work hard, dreams can come true.

Sunita Williams as a young girl, dreaming big!

Inspire Yourself: Sunita in Space

• Sunita’s dream was to go to space. What’s your dream?
• Write about a goal you have and how you plan to achieve it.

What We’ve Learned About Space and Earth from Sunita in Space

In “Sunita in Space,” we learned:

• How the Earth looks from space.
• Why gravity is important and how it keeps us on the ground.
• The fun and challenges of living in space.
• Sunita’s inspiring story of never giving up on her dreams.

Final Activity: Create Your Astronaut Helmet! 

Imagine you’re going on a space mission! Let’s create a simple astronaut helmet to get ready for your journey.

Materials Needed:

• A large paper bag or a big piece of cardboard
• Scissors
• Markers or crayons for decoration
• Glue or tape
• A transparent plastic sheet (for the visor)

Steps:

1. Cut Out the Helmet Shape: If you’re using cardboard, cut out a large oval for the helmet. If using a paper bag, cut a window for your face.
2. Add the Visor: Attach the plastic sheet where the face window is, creating a visor to “see” through.
3. Decorate: Draw stars, the Earth, or even write “NASA” on your helmet.
4. Wear Your Helmet: Put on your helmet and imagine floating in space!

Now, you’re ready to go on your space adventure just like Sunita!

To read the NCERT text Sunita in Space, click here!
To read about the adventures of mountaineering in chapter 9 Up You Go, click here.