HOLIDAY HOMEWORK
SCIENCE
Academic Year: 2025-26
Name: Krishna Singh
Class: 8A
Roll No.: 18
Diversity in the Living World
Conceptual Understanding
Define biodiversity with examples.
Biodiversity means the variety of living things in nature. For example, a forest has
many types of trees, birds, animals, and insects.
List five characteristics of living organisms.
1. Movement
2. Growth
3. Respiration
4. Reproduction
5. Response to stimuli
Differentiate between vertebrates and invertebrates.
- Vertebrates have a backbone (e.g. fish, birds).
- Invertebrates do not have a backbone (e.g. insects, snails).
Give examples of creeper plants.
Money plant, pumpkin, watermelon, cucumber, bottle gourd.
Define diversity.
Diversity means the presence of many different types of plants and animals in the
world.
Application
Classify the animals found in your neighbourhood.
- Birds: sparrow, pigeon
- Mammals: dog, cat, cow
- Insects: butterfly, ant
Identify and label any two local trees using leaf characteristics.
- Mango tree: long, shiny green leaves.
- Neem tree: small, narrow serrated leaves.
Record plant types in your garden using classification rules.
- Flowering plants: rose, hibiscus
- Non-flowering plants: ferns
Observe bird beaks and feet and infer their food habits.
- Sparrow: short beak, eats seeds.
- Crow: strong beak, eats anything (omnivore).
Identify whether the mushrooms in your locality are plants or fungi.
Mushrooms are fungi, not plants.
Problem Solving & Reasoning
Why do camels have long eyelashes and padded feet?
Long eyelashes protect eyes from sand. Padded feet help them walk on soft desert
sand.
Why are bats classified as mammals though they fly?
Bats have fur and feed their babies milk, so they are mammals.
Why earthworms are called "farmer's friends"?
Earthworms improve soil quality by making it loose and fertile.
What features help polar bears survive in their habitat?
Thick fur and fat keep them warm. White color helps them hide in snow.
If you see an animal with feathers, what class would you place it in? Why?
I would place it in the bird class because all birds have feathers.
Experimentation & Investigation
Observe mold growing on bread and describe the conditions.
Mold grows on moist bread kept in a warm, dark place.
Study and record the stages of a butterfly.
1. Egg
2. Caterpillar (larva)
3. Pupa
4. Adult butterfly
Investigate the feeding habits of earthworms using soil observation.
Earthworms eat dead leaves and organic matter, making the soil rich.
Compare the body coverings of a fish and a frog.
- Fish: covered with scales.
- Frog: smooth and moist skin.
Observe the structure of different seeds and group them.
- Small seeds: mustard, tomato
- Large seeds: mango, pea
Data Handling & Representation
Collect data on flower colors from 20 local plants and tabulate it.
Example table:
| Color | Number of Flowers |
| Red | 5 |
| Yellow| 4 |
| Pink | 3 |
| White | 6 |
| Purple| 2 |
Create a table of insects observed in the garden.
Example:
| Insect | Number Observed |
| Butterfly | 4 |
| Ant | 20 |
| Beetle | 3 |
Use pictures to sort animals based on habitat.
- Land: lion, tiger
- Water: fish, dolphin
- Air: eagle, parrot
Represent seed dispersal methods through a diagrammatic chart.
- Wind: dandelion
- Water: coconut
- Animals: mango
- Explosion: pea pod
Record plant types in your garden using classification rules.
- Flowering plants: rose, hibiscus
- Non-flowering plants: ferns
Creativity & Communication
Write a short poem on "The Variety of Life."
"In forests green and oceans blue,
Life is found in every hue.
From tiny ants to big tall trees,
A world of wonders for you and me."
Prepare a poster on endangered species in India.
Poster example:
- Tiger
- Asian Elephant
- Great Indian Bustard
- One-horned Rhinoceros
(You can draw pictures and write about why they need protection.)
Water
Knowledge & Recall
Define water.
Water is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless liquid essential for life.
Name the three states of water.
Solid (ice), liquid (water), gas (water vapor).
What is evaporation?
Evaporation is the process of water changing into vapor.
What is condensation?
Condensation is the process of water vapor turning into liquid.
Name two uses of water in our daily life.
Drinking and cooking.
Conceptual Understanding
Explain the process of evaporation with an example.
Water in a bowl kept in the sun slowly disappears as it turns into vapor.
Differentiate between melting and freezing.
- Melting: solid turns into liquid.
- Freezing: liquid turns into solid.
Why do wet clothes dry faster on a sunny day?
The sun heats the water in the clothes, making it evaporate faster.
What is the importance of groundwater?
Groundwater provides water for drinking, irrigation, and daily use.
Why is water called a universal solvent?
Because it can dissolve many substances.
Application
Demonstrate evaporation using a bowl of water.
Keep a bowl of water in the sun. After some time, water level decreases.
Show condensation using a cold bottle.
Take a cold bottle out of the fridge. Water droplets form on its outer surface.
Measure water used in a day at home.
- Drinking: 2 liters
- Cooking: 5 liters
- Bathing: 50 liters
- Cleaning: 20 liters
Test solubility of salt and sugar in water.
Both salt and sugar dissolve easily in water.
Observe water droplets on the outer surface of a cold glass and explain why they
form.
Water vapor in the air condenses on the cold surface.
Analysis & Reasoning
Why is it important to drink clean water?
To avoid diseases like cholera and typhoid.
How does water help plants?
Water helps plants make food and stay healthy.
Why does water form droplets on leaves?
Water vapor condenses on leaves in the morning (dew).
Why is rainwater harvesting important?
It saves water and increases groundwater.
Why is sea water not fit for drinking?
It contains too much salt.
Creativity
Create a poem on the journey of a water droplet.
"I rise up high into the sky,
As vapor light, I float and fly.
Form a cloud, then fall as rain,
And back to rivers once again."
Draw a labelled diagram of the water cycle.
Diagram should include: Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Collection.
Values & Awareness
List 5 ways to save water at home.
1. Turn off taps properly.
2. Fix leaks.
3. Collect rainwater.
4. Use a bucket for washing.
5. Reuse water for gardening.
How do festivals affect water consumption?
Festivals often increase water use due to extra cleaning and celebrations.
Interview your family members on how they use water.
Example answers: cooking, drinking, cleaning, bathing.
What is your responsibility as a student to save water?
I should not waste water and should tell others to save it too.
Write a letter to the editor about water pollution.
"Dear Editor,
I want to raise awareness about water pollution. Many rivers and lakes are getting
dirty because of waste. We must act now to clean our water. Let’s all work together
to save this precious resource."
