The National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 recommends that children’s life at school must be linked to their life outside the school. This principle marksa departure from the legacy of bookish learning which continues to shape oursystem and causes a gap between the school, home and community. The syllabiand textbooks developed on the basis of NCF signify an attempt to implementthis basic idea. They also attempt to discourage rote learning and the maintenanceof sharp boundaries between different subject areas. We hope these measureswill take us significantly further in the direction of a child-centred system ofeducation outlined in the National Policy on Education (1986).The success of this effort depends on the steps that school principals andteachers will take to encourage children to reflect on their own learning and topursue imaginative activities and questions. We must recognise that, given space,time and freedom, children generate new knowledge by engaging with theinformation passed on to them by adults. Treating the prescribed textbook asthe sole basis of examination is one of the key reasons why other resources andsites of learning are ignored. Inculcating creativity and initiative is possible if weperceive and treat children as participants in learning, not as receivers of a fixedbody of knowledge.These aims imply considerable change in school routines and mode offunctioning. Flexibility in the daily time-table is as necessary as rigour inimplementing the annual calender so that the required number of teaching daysare actually devoted to teaching. The methods used for teaching and evaluationwill also determine how effective this textbook proves for making children’s life atschool a happy experience, rather than a source of stress or boredom. Syllabusdesigners have tried to address the problem of curricular burden by restructuringand reorienting knowledge at different stages with greater consideration for childpsychology and the time available for teaching. The textbook attempts to enhancethis endeavour by giving higher priority and space to opportunities forcontemplation and wondering, discussion in small groups, and activities requiringhands-on experience.The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)appreciates the hard work done by the textbook development committeeresponsible for this book. We wish to thank the Chairperson of the advisory groupin science and mathematics, Professor J.V. Narlikar and the Chief Advisor forthis book, Professor B. L. Khandelwal for guiding the work of this committee. ​