Paper Boats — Class 3 English (CBSE)

From the current Class 3 English Santoor textbook, Unit 2: Toys and Games, Chapter 6. These notes help students read for meaning, learn the value of kindness and sharing, follow step-by-step instructions, and write answers in their own words.

1. Chapter at a glance

• Text type: A story about friendship and sharing.
• Main characters: Meena and a boy.
• Main theme: Kindness and sharing can turn a quarrel into friendship.
• What to notice while reading: The problem between the two children, and the kind way Meena solves it.

2. The Story

Near a bamboo bridge, a little stream flowed gently. Meena loved to sit by the water and float her paper boats one by one, watching them sail away.

One day, a boy came along. For fun, he began to overturn Meena's paper boats, sinking them in the water. Meena felt sad — but she did not get angry or shout.

Instead, Meena had a kind idea. She took out her coloured paper and said, "Would you like to make your own boats? I can show you how." She taught the boy how to fold the paper, step by step, until a neat little boat was ready.

The boy was delighted. He made boat after boat with the bright coloured paper. Then the two children placed all their boats in the stream and watched them sail together down the water. The boy who had spoiled the boats was now Meena's friend.

3. Summary

Meena enjoys floating paper boats in a stream near a bamboo bridge. A boy comes and overturns her boats for fun, which makes her sad. Instead of getting angry, Meena offers to teach the boy how to make his own boats and gives him coloured paper. The boy learns happily, and together they sail their boats down the stream. A quarrel becomes a friendship through Meena's kindness.

4. Theme and values

• Kindness — Meena chooses to be kind instead of angry.
• Patience — she stays calm even when her boats are spoiled.
• Sharing — she shares her paper and her skill of making boats.
• Friendship — sharing turns the boy into her friend.

A good answer links the value to an action. For example, say Meena shows kindness because she teaches the boy instead of scolding him.

5. New words and meanings

6. Let Us Think (comprehension)

1. Where did Meena float her paper boats? She floated them in a stream near a bamboo bridge.

2. What did the boy do to Meena's boats? The boy overturned her paper boats and sank them in the water for fun.

3. How did Meena feel when the boy spoiled her boats? She felt sad, but she did not get angry or fight with him.

4. What kind thing did Meena do next? She offered to teach the boy how to make his own paper boats, and gave him coloured paper.

5. What happened at the end of the story? Both children made paper boats and sailed them together down the stream. They became friends.

6. What lesson does this story teach us? It teaches that sharing and kindness are better than anger — we can turn a quarrel into friendship.

7. Language and grammar practice

Doing words (verbs)

Find these doing words from the story: float, sink, fold, teach, make, sail — these are all action words.

Make a paper boat (put the steps in order)

1. Take a rectangular piece of paper.
2. Fold it in half.
3. Fold the corners to make a triangle.
4. Open and shape it into a boat.
5. Place the boat gently on the water.

Joining words

Join each pair with and or but:

• Meena was sad ____ she did not get angry. (but)
• The boy folded the paper ____ made a boat. (and)

8. Writing and speaking practice

• Writing: Write 5-6 lines about a time you shared something or made a new friend.
• Speaking: Tell the story in four sentences using first, next, then, finally.

9. Common mistakes

• Mistake: Saying Meena got angry and fought with the boy. Fix: Meena stayed calm and kindly taught the boy instead.
• Mistake: Mixing up the order of events. Fix: Remember the order — float, spoil, teach, sail together.
• Mistake: One-word answers for why/how questions. Fix: Use a full sentence with because or so.

10. Practice set

1. Where did Meena float her paper boats?
2. What did the boy do to her boats?
3. What quality does Meena show in the story?
4. Write the meaning of "stream" and "overturn" and use each in a sentence.
5. Write the steps to make a paper boat in order.
6. Write 5-6 lines about a time you shared something or made a friend.

11. Answer key

1. In a stream near a bamboo bridge.
2. He overturned and sank her paper boats for fun.
3. Kindness and patience — she teaches the boy instead of getting angry.
4. Stream = a small narrow river; overturn = to turn upside down. (Sentences will vary.)
5. Take a rectangular paper, fold in half, fold corners into a triangle, open and shape into a boat, place on water.
6. Answers will vary — check for what was shared, how the friend felt, and the result.

12. Fun activity

Make Your Own Paper Boat

With an elder's help, fold a paper boat using the steps above. Use coloured paper to make it bright, then float it in a tub of water and watch it sail.

Kind Words

Meena chose to be kind. Write two kind sentences you could say to make a new friend — for example, "Would you like to play with me?"

13. Quick revision

• Unit 2: Toys and Games · Chapter 6 · a story about sharing.
• Theme: kindness and sharing can turn a quarrel into friendship.
• Order of events: Meena floats boats → boy spoils them → Meena teaches him → they sail together.
• Doing words: float, sink, fold, teach, make, sail.
• Answer in full sentences and give one example from the story.

Unit 2: Toys and Games

This chapter is part of Unit 2: Toys and Games. The three chapters in this unit are:

• Chapter 4: Out in the Garden — a poem about playing outdoors
• Chapter 5: Talking Toys — a story about toys in a shop waiting for children
• Chapter 6: Paper Boats — a story about sharing and making friends through play