FEBRUARY 2021 TEACHER REFERENCE PRESENTATION - CLASS 7 onwards - Greycaps
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FEBRUARY 2021 TEACHER REFERENCE PRESENTATION CLASS 7 onwards
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEBRUARY 2021
CLASS 7 onwards
Pick of the Month Gap Profiles Global Updates
❖ Las Fallas ❖ Abraham Lincoln ❖ New
❖ India’s‘Air
Hot Air Balloon
India One’
Safari
❖ ‘Blue
❖ Australia Amends
Flag’ tagitsfor
National Anthem
❖ Maradona
Indian beaches
World’s Oldest Cave
Discover India Around the World Painting
❖ 2020 Nobel Peace Prize
❖ Delhi’s Mughal Gardens ❖ Frankfurt
Snippets
Snippets
❖❖ Nadal
Claire Polosak creates
record
equals Federer’s
Born This Month Gappenings ❖ record
SD Sat to carry names to
space
❖ Apple’s ‘Floating’ Store
❖ Update: 2021 Republic
❖ Bhanu
Day Parade
Athaiya no more
Las Fallas Pick of the Month Las Fallas is one of Europe’s most unique festivals. It takes place every March in the city of Valencia, Spain, to celebrate the arrival of spring. The 5-day festival, which is energetic and colourful, attracts visitors from Spain and all over the world. The Festivities During the festival, the whole city becomes an outdoor art gallery. The celebrations begin with the event that honours a huge statue of Virgin Mary made of flowers. Firework displays and live music feature prominently in the celebrations. Valencian women of all ages parade through the city in traditional Valencian costumes wearing colourful, full-skirted silk dresses and complicated plaited hairstyles held together with antique gold pins. History of the Island However, the main attraction of the festival is the hundreds of towering monuments called ‘fallas’ that fill the streets of Valencia. The fallas, composed of figures called ninots, are displayed for a few days, and on the last day of the festival, they are set ablaze as a symbolic cleansing act, celebrating the arrival of spring.
Las Fallas Pick of the Month Background The tradition of the festival can be traced back to the city’s carpenters in the late 15th century, when during the winter months they worked by candlelight, contained in elevated wooden structures to enable them to see better. At the onset of spring, it became a ritual to burn these structures and other old things that were no longer necessary. Over time, they added rags and old clothes, which gave the bonfires the aspect of effigies, and gradually it evolved into the artistic puppets that we see today. The modern festival took shape in the late 19th century when prizes began to be awarded for the most creative use of the leftover materials.
Las Fallas Pick of the Month
Did You Know
❖ Originally, the festival was a tribute to St. Joseph, the patron
saint of carpenters.
❖ Locally, ‘Las Fallas’ translates to ‘the fires’, which is a major
component of the festival.
❖ Originally the ‘Fallas’ were piles of flammable materials, while the Ask kids to name some unique
materials used today are more sophisticated. festivals celebrated across the world
❖ More than 700 Fallas, large and small, are created each year. and later introduce them to one
such festival celebrated in Valencia,
They are set on fire exactly at the stroke of midnight.
Spain- the Las Fallas.
❖ Local firemen have devised unique ways to protect the city during
the festival. Highlight about the festival and
❖ During Las Fallas, the entire city is illuminated. some interesting facts related to it.
❖ The public can vote to save their favourite figure from the flames.
The saved one is placed in a museum along with the others from
the previous years.
Las Fallas Pick of the Month
What are ‘ninots’ at Las Fallas
festival?
The Las Fallas festival centres around the creation and the
destruction of huge, beautiful and colourful statues or
puppets called ‘ninots’ that are found all over the city. They
are crafted all year round out of materials including wood,
papier-mache, plaster and cardboard and made to look
cartoonish. They depict people, events, memories of the
past year, etc., often with a humorous twist. Many of the
ninots are gigantic, some reaching several stories in height,
requiring the aid of cranes to display.
Gap Profiles Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the greatest Presidents in U.S. history. He led the country through the American Civil War and worked towards ending slavery. Early life Abraham Lincoln was born on 12 February,1809 in a small log cabin in Kentucky, U.S.A. His parents were farmers. Lincoln did not have much of formal education and was largely self-taught. He engaged himself in different kinds of work to support his family. His family later moved to Illinois where Lincoln would set out on his own. In 1836, he qualified as a lawyer and practiced law in Illinois. He soon moved into politics and served on the Illinois State Legislature for several terms. He later ran for the U.S. Congress and served as a congressman for one term. Later, Lincoln ran for the U.S. Senate. During the campaigns, he gained national attention for his skills as an orator. In 1856, he joined the new Republican Party and in 1860, he was asked to run as their presidential candidate.
Gap Profiles Abraham Lincoln As President of U.S.A. Lincoln won the Presidential election and was inaugurated as the 16th President of U.S.A., in 1861. During his tenure, slavery was a big issue in the country. The Southern states needed slaves to work on their big farms and the people in the North were against slavery. To end slavery and maintain unity in the country, he led the American Civil War between the states in the North and the South. His leadership in the North helped the country remain strong and defeat the South keeping the country united. He also pushed for the freedom of all slaves throughout the nation. Abraham Lincoln was assassinated soon after being elected for his second term as the country’s President. He was shot while attending a play at the Ford Theatre in Washington D.C. He died in 1865 at the age of 56. Legacy and Monuments Many cities, streets, and schools are named after Lincoln in the U.S. He is featured on the American penny and on the five-dollar bill. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C, was built to honour his life. There is a huge statue of Lincoln seated, inside the building. Lincoln’s face also features on a huge mountain sculpture called Mt. Rushmore, located in South Dakota. He is seen along with other three former Presidents of U.S.A. namely George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt.
Gap Profiles
Abraham Lincoln
Did You Know
❖ With a strong interest in books and learning, Lincoln learnt from
books he borrowed.
❖ As a young man, he worked in a variety of jobs such as a
shopkeeper, surveyor, soldier and a postmaster.
❖ As a lawyer, he earned a reputation for being clever, fair and Ask the kids to name some former U.S.
Presidents and later talk about
honest. This earned him the nickname ‘Honest Abe’.
Abraham Lincoln, one of
❖ He was the first U.S. President to be assassinated.
the greatest Presidents in American
❖ He was the tallest U.S President at 6 feet 4 inches. history.
❖ He was noted for wearing his stovepipe hat in which he often
stored important notes and papers. Talk briefly about his tenure as the
❖ Lincoln is often remembered for a short speech he gave at U.S. President. Highlight on some of
the interesting facts associated with
Gettysburg in 1863 called the Gettysburg Address. It is
Lincoln, his legacy and the monuments
considered one of the greatest speeches in American history.
built in his honour in the U.S.
❖ On the third Monday of February each year, Lincoln’s birthday,
along with George Washington’s birthday (first U.S. President),
is celebrated together as Presidents’ Day in U.S.A.
Global Update
India’s Hot Air Balloon
Safari
The state of Madhya Pradesh has launched a hot air
balloon safari in its famous Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.
The hot air balloon safari is the first in any tiger reserve in
the country.
The adventurous activity has been inaugurated to attract
more tourists to the wildlife sanctuaries and national parks
in the state. The state plans to introduce the service in its
other tiger reserves as well.
The service is being organised by Jaipur-based SkyWaltz
Balloon Safari, India’s first government-sanctioned and
licensed commercial hot air balloon operator.India’s Hot Air Balloon Global Update
Safari
Safari Highlights
The hot air balloon safari allows tourists and wildlife
enthusiasts to enjoy aerial views of magnificent
tigers and leopards roaming with other wild animals
in the reserve, from a safe height.
Tourists can also enjoy the aerial views of the entire
landscape of Bandhavgarh. The landing and take-off
is allowed only inside the buffer zone (protective
area).India’s Hot Air Balloon Global Update
Safari
Did You Know
❖ Recognised as the 'Tiger State' of India, Madhya Pradesh is
famous for sheltering the highest number of tiger population in
Update kids on the launch of India’s
the country. first hot air balloon safari at a tiger
❖ Apart from tigers, it also houses a dense population of leopards reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
and different species of deer, along with several other rare
species of wildlife. Use this story to educate kids on
the famous tiger reserves in the
❖ Madhya Pradesh has six tiger reserves and is one of the best
state.
places for Tiger Safari in India.
❖ The Six tiger reserves are: Kanha Tiger Reserve, Pench Tiger
Reserve, Panna Tiger Reserve, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve,
Satpuda Tiger Reserve and Sanjay Tiger Reserve.Australia Amends its Global Update
National Anthem
The Australian Government has recently made a small, yet extremely significant change to its National
Anthem. It has changed a word in one of its lines. The line, ‘For we are young and free’ has been changed to
‘For we are one and free’. The word ‘young’ has been replaced with ‘one’ to create a ‘spirit of unity’. The
change came into effect from January 2021.
Why was it changed?
The change has been made to reflect the country's indigenous
history and communities. It recognizes the Aboriginal people
who lived on the land before it was colonised by the British in
the 18th century. Australia is home to around 500 indigenous
tribes called Aboriginal Australians. The indigenous population
of Australia is made of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people.Australia Amends its Global Update
National Anthem
For decades, the national anthem referred to the nation as ‘young’ implying that the Australian history
started only with colonisation, such as the arrival of the first European settlers on 26 January,1788, while
the indigenous people have lived on the continent for over 50,000 years. For them, the anthem is a colonial
song that ignores their history.
The National Anthem
The Australian National Anthem is officially known as ‘Advance
Australia Fair’. Written in 1878, it was composed by Peter Dodds
McCormick. It was adopted as the country’s national anthem in
1984.
Prior to this, ‘God Save the Queen’ was the national anthem, as
Australia was under the control of British, with Queen Elizabeth II
as its Head of the State.Australia Amends its Global Update
National Anthem
Did You Know
❖ The composer of the Australian national anthem wrote the song
Update the kids about the amendment
after he attended a concert where anthems from around the
that was made recently by the
world were performed. He was frustrated as Australia had no
Australian Government on its National
representative song. On his way back home, he wrote the first Anthem.
verse, and by the next day the music and lyrics were complete.
❖ He composed the song under the pseudonym ‘Amicus,’ meaning Briefly explain the reason behind the
change.
‘friend’ in Latin.
❖ On 1 January,1901, it was sung at the Inauguration of the
Commonwealth of Australia.World’s Oldest Cave Global Update
Painting
Archaeologists have discovered the world's oldest
known animal cave painting on the Indonesian
island of Sulawesi. The painting is that of a wild pig
and is believed to be done 45,500 years ago. It is
also thought to be the world’s oldest surviving
representational image of an animal. However, it is
not the oldest human-produced art. According to
experts, the discovery provides an insight into the
earliest evidence of human settlement of the
region.
The Prehistoric Painting
The life-sized cave art shows a Sulawesi warty pig, with a pair of horn-like facial warts in front of the eyes, a
characteristic feature of adult male Sulawesi warty pigs. It appears to be observing a fight or social interaction
between two other warty pigs that are faintly seen. One can also see two handprints above the pig’s back.
The cave art was painted using a kind of red pigment that was naturally available in the region.World’s Oldest Cave Global Update
Painting
Its Discovery
The team, including archaeologists from Australia and
Indonesia, came across this painting in a limestone
cave while conducting field research. The cave is in a
valley that is enclosed by steep limestone cliffs and is
only accessible by a narrow cave passage in the dry
season, as the valley floor is completely flooded in the
wet season.
This island is home to many intriguing limestone caves
where other discoveries have been made in the past.
Previously, the oldest dated rock art dating to 43,900
years ago was also found in Sulawesi, in late 2019.World’s Oldest Cave Global Update
Painting
Did You Know
❖ The Sulawesi warty pig is endemic to the Sulawesi island of Ask the kids to name some caves in
Indonesia. India that are famous for their cave
❖ The pigs are still common in Indonesia and have since been paintings.
domesticated.
With this background, update them on
❖ They have been hunted down by humans for thousands of
the world’s oldest cave painting of an
years.
animal.
❖ They were the most portrayed animals in the ice age rocks of
the region.Snippets
Claire Polosak
creates record
Claire Polosak of Australia has become the first
woman match official in a men's cricket Test match.
This is the first time in 144-year history of Test-match
cricket.
She performed the role of a fourth umpire during the
third Test between India and Australia at the Sydney
Cricket Ground (SCG), in January 2021.
She had made history earlier when she became the
first female on-filed umpire in a men's ODI, in 2019.
She was also the first woman to stand in an Australian
men's domestic match, in 2017.Snippets
SD Sat to carry
names to space
The Satish Dhawan Satellite (SD Sat) will carry the names
of common people across the world to space, to generate
curiosity and to get more people fascinated about space
science.
The registered names will be put on a memory card that will
be on-board the satellite. All those who have registered, will
be getting a boarding pass as a souvenir.
Satish Dhawan Satellite (SD Sat), shaped like a cuboid, is an
experimental communication satellite.
It is scheduled to be launched in February 2021 on-board
ISRO’s PSLV-C51 rocket by a company called Space Kidz.Snippets
Update: 2021
Republic Day Parade
For the first time in over five decades, India did not have a foreign head of state as Chief Guest at
the 2021 Republic Day parade, at Rajpath, New Delhi. This was due to the global situation arising out
of the COVID-19 pandemic.
India had invited Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of
the United Kingdom, to be the Chief Guest for the
parade.
Flight lieutenant Bhawana Kanth became the first
woman fighter pilot to take part in the country’s
Republic Day parade, this year.Discover India Delhi’s Mughal Gardens The Mughal Gardens in New Delhi is one of the world’s most beautiful gardens. Spread over a vast expanse of 15 acres, it is located within the premises of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, official residence of the President of India. It is famous for the wide variety of flowers, some of which are rare. All the Presidents who have stayed there have taken a keen interest in its maintenance contributing in their own way. It is usually open to the public in February every year. It boasts of flowers from India and other countries, including tulips from the Netherlands, Brazilian orchids and Japan’s Cherry Blossom, among others.
Discover India Delhi’s Mughal Gardens Its Architect The Mughal Gardens was designed by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, in 1917. However, it was only during the late 1920s that plantings were done. The Garden is a combination of the former Mughal architecture mixed with that of the British style. It draws inspiration from the Mughal Gardens of Jammu and Kashmir, and the gardens around the Taj Mahal. Highlights of the garden The Mughal Gardens is divided into 3 main sections- Rectangular, Long and Circular Gardens. The Rectangular Garden has terraced gardens, while the central lawn forms the venue of receptions hosted by the President. The Long Garden has several beds of roses. The Circular Garden, also known as the ‘Pearl Garden’ or the ‘Butterfly Garden’ presents a feast of colours. With canals, fountains and terraces, the Mughal Gardens has more than 250 varieties of roses, which makes it one of the best rose gardens in the world.
Discover India
Delhi’s Mughal
Gardens
The Gardens also features a musical
fountain, spiritual garden, herbal garden and
a biodiversity park that has deer, ducks,
turkeys, peacocks, turtles, parakeets,
rabbits and migratory birds.Discover India Delhi’s Mughal Gardens Did You Know ❖ While rose remains a key feature of the Gardens, tulips, Asiatic lilies, daffodils, hyacinth, and other seasonal flowers also add to its beauty. ❖ Some varieties of roses are named after famous personalities such as Saint Mother Teresa, social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy, first Indian Prime Minister Pt. Nehru, former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and U.K.’s Queen Elizabeth II, among others. ❖ The landscaped herbal park was at the Garden was steered by former President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Discover India
Delhi’s Mughal
Gardens
What was the ‘Thinking Hut’ in
the Mughal Gardens of Delhi?
It is said that the name 'Amazon' was given by Spanish
The Manipuri style ‘Thinking Hut’ was
explorer named Francisco Orellana, who was the first
European to sail installed
down thein the Mughal
Amazon Gardens
River. during
In 1542, while
Dr. Abdul
on his expedition, Kalam's
he and tenure
his men ran as
intoPresident of
a tribe of
enormous fierce
India.women warriors
Dr. Kalam insit
used to thethere
area.inHe
the
compared them to the Amazons, the warrior women
Mornings and evenings. He fondly referred to it as his
from Greek mythology and named it after them.
‘thinking hut’ and penned two of his books while being
seated on the sofa. This seat has now been removed.Around The World
Frankfurt
The city of Frankfurt in Germany is located on the banks of
the River Main. Frankfurt is Germany’s major business and
financial centre.
The city is known for its many museums depicting
the country’s rich history.Around The World Frankfurt Major Attractions The Goethe House and the Goethe Museum stand next to each other on the site where the famous German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born. His family home is currently a museum and stands as a testimony to his life and works. Although Goethe's house was destroyed during World War II, it was fully restored with the original furniture, paintings and books of the Goethe family.
Around The World Frankfurt Major Attractions The Senckenberg Museum showcases thousands of exhibits, ranging from Egyptian tombs to amphibian fossils to the museum's most famous attraction: its exhibition of large dinosaur skeletons, one of the biggest in Europe.
Around The World
Frankfurt
Major Attractions
The Old Opera House was damaged during World
War II, after which it earned the nickname ‘Germany’s
Most Beautiful Ruin’, for decades until it was restored
in 1981.
The Romerberg is Frankfurt's most picturesque public
square and the oldest place of the city. It is irregularly
shaped with the ‘Justice Fountain’ at its centre. The City Hall
known as the Romer, which dates back to 1405, is located
here. It has been rebuilt and restored over the years after its
destruction during the World War II. It is still a functioning
city hall with major government offices. In December, the
square looks splendid, as it is home to a lovely Christmas
Market.Around The World Frankfurt Did You Know ❖ The city’s full name is ‘Frankfurt am Main’, meaning ‘Frankfurt on the Main River’. ❖ The row of skyscrapers towering over the banks of the Main River have earned Frankfurt the nickname ‘Mainhattan’ (a combination of the local Main River and Manhattan in New York). ❖ Frankfurt was one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire and many of the Roman emperors were crowned here. ❖ A resident of Frankfurt is known as a Frankfurter. ❖ Frankfurter is also a name for a hot dog or sausage, said to have originated in the city. ❖ The annual Frankfurt Book Fair attracts publishers from all over the world. ❖ Frankfurt Airport is among the largest airports in Europe.
Around The World
Frankfurt
What does the name ‘Frankfurt’
mean?
The city of Frankfurt in Germany is located on an
ancient ford (furt in German) on the River Main. A
ford is a shallow place in a river which can be crossed
by wading. The Franks or Frankish people were the
early inhabitants. Thus, the city's name means the
‘Ford of the Franks’.Born This Month
04 February (1938)
Pt. Birju Maharaj
Kathak maestro
Pt. Birju Maharaj is a maestro of Kathak dance in India. He is a recipient
of the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian honour.
10 February (1950)
Mark Spitz
Former American swimmer
Mark Andrew Spitz is a former American competitive swimmer. At the 1972
Olympics, he became the first athlete to win seven gold medals in a single
edition of the games.Born This Month
12 February (1877)
Louis Renault
French industrialist
Louis Renault was a French industrialist and a pioneer of the automobile
industry. He co-founded the Renault Company.
13 February (1879)
Sarojini Naidu
Indian poet
Sarojini Naidu was an Indian poet and an important figure in India's
struggle for independence from colonial ruleGappenings
Feb 01 In 1884, the first edition of the Oxford
English Dictionary was published.
In 1900, the Davis Cup competition
(an international team event in Feb 09
men's tennis) was established.
In 1983, inventor Thomas Edison's
Feb 11 birthday was declared as ‘National
Inventor's Day’ in U.S.A.You can also read
