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Meet the Fab Four

Do you know who are the Fab Four of the tennis world? Guess who they are in this activity.

When you talk about dominance in sports, you can’t help but think of the four players who have dominated men’s tennis for the majority of the first quarter of the 21st century. Known as the Fab Four, they have together won a whopping 69 Grand Slam singles titles.

Do you know who the four players are? Try and identify them from these blurred photos. Move the slider from right to left to reveal who they are.




Photos: AFP, Getty Images, Reuters

Don’t BANK on what you see!

These two banks look almost the same. Search well, and you’ll be surprised to find eight differences.

Banks play a crucial role in our lives by providing a safe place to save and manage money. They offer loans and enable smooth financial transactions. They are the backbone of the economy, drive growth and stability, and ensure financial security for individuals and companies.

Now here is an activity that shows you the inside of a bank. The two images look similar but they are not. Can you find the eight differences?

Words of wisdom

Do you ever wonder what the great teachers from the past would have to say to students today?

Did you ever think of what the great teachers from the past would have to say to students today? An author send her imagination flying. Read on and don’t forget to try the activity at the end.

Buddha

I taught ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’, all those years ago, under the Bodhi Tree. (1) Right View (2) Right Thought (3) Right Speech (4) Right Action (5) Right Livelihood (6) Right Effort (7) Right Mindfulness and (8) Right Concentration. But, today, I realised that I don’t have to sit under the Bodhi tree and speak. The Bodhi tree is in everyone’s hand; it’s called a mobile phone! Gautam Buddha, step aside, it’s the era of Google baba. Jokes apart, I hope children use it mindfully and imbibe the Eightfold Path.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishna

I like to think of myself as an academician and teacher first. When I became the second President of independent India, people wanted to celebrate my birthday by making it a National Holiday. But I insisted that, instead of celebrating my birthday, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers’ Day. Teachers should be celebrated every day! When you grow up, I hope some of you become teachers. We need to have the best minds in the country inspiring youngsters to think independently. I spent my academic life studying Indian philosophy. Meeting children today, I wonder: are children thinking for themselves? Do they understand what it means to be Indian? To be truly tolerant of all religions?

Rukmini Devi Arundale

I have been featured in lists that tell me I’m one of top 100 people to have influenced India. That makes me happy because it means people take art seriously. I dedicated my life to revival of Indian classical dances. Meeting Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova was an “Aha” moment for me and I decided to start Kalakshetra, a centre for learning art. I wish I had Instagram reels in my time! Can you imagine the number of followers I would have had? I am already thinking of short videos to make; I have so many ideas! How do I say it like you kids? It would have been lit!

Confucius

I see many memes and quotes with my name attached to it. But beware! I have not said many of those lines. Do a fact check, kids! It is good to know that I am remembered so many years after my passing. After all, I used to be a teacher and philosopher around 500 BCE. I have always preached that learning should be a life-long process of self-improvement. Also, do you enjoy the moral science classes in your school? Fun fact: I was perhaps the first to start such classes in China. I started schools to teach moral traditions to the youth. Bear in mind: Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace. (Yes, this line, I did say back in the day). Keep learning and enjoying, kids!

Begum Zaffar Ali

I used to knock on doors and give speeches on the streets of Kashmir to push families to send their daughters to school to get an education. I strongly believed that only education could and would empower young girls. Today I am amazed to see girls excelling in all fields; be it education or sports! They are choosing jobs and careers based on their passions and interests and don’t think that being a girl is an impediment. How far we have come! But we have to keep progressing and fighting. The goal is that every girl around the world has access to education.

Rabindranath Tagore

I was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature. I wore many hats in my time: a poet, writer, painter, philosopher and social reformer, yet my role as a teacher and educator was the most satisfying. I started a residential school called Shantiniketan which was based on learning in a free and open environment. I look at schools today: all the children are worried only about marks! marks! marks! There is more to life than marks; remember, all learning will not happen within classrooms. Free your mind! Remember the lines:Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high…magical things can happen.

Maria Montessori

I know many of you reading this have studied in Montessori schools and it gives me great pleasure that my name is still associated with early education across the world. I always advocated ‘cosmic’ education – no! no! not space studies, though that would be fun too! I am talking about not just learning from books but directly from the natural environments. The more we connect with the Earth, the better it is for our Earth and eventually for us too. But, yes, for that you need to keep your mobile phone and television switched off. Only then will the mind truly open up!

Madan Mohan Malaviya

Do you know the little saying – Satyameva Jayate – on our National Emblem? Well, I am the person who first coined it! Pretty cool, right? I was an educator and journalist during the time of India’s Independence movement and I thoroughly enjoyed my job. I would love to be a teacher and hang out with all of you; I am sure you can teach me many things. You children are the bright sparks and our hope for a better future.

Now that you have read what the teachers had to say, here’s something for you to do. This grid has names of 12 teachers, some of whom feature in the story above. Can you find the part of the name highlighted in red in the grid?

Escape the headbutt

Here’s a fun game on horned animals. Can you match the animals with their horns? Get started now.

What is common between the following animals — Nubian ibex, the saiga, the addax, and the scimitar-horned oryx? Their horns, of course. Menacing, yet magnificent, they are one of the defining features of these animals.

Here is a memory game that will help you learn about more such horned animals. Match the horn with the right animal.

Make sense of the sentence

If words in a sentence are not placed in the right order, it is meaningless. Here is an activity on putting a sentence together properly.

What is a sentence? It is a set of words that is placed in a particular order and has a subject and predicate and conveys a certain meaning. It can be a sentence or a statement, an exclamation or a question. Now, the words in the following sentences are not in sequence and hence do not make sense. Can you rearrange the words so that we can read it?





Surprise your teachers

Time for some floral fun! This Teachers’ Day, why don’t you make a greeting card for your teacher?

Teachers’ Day is coming up! This is an opportunity for you to show your teachers how much you appreciate them. Try your hand at this DIY card and spread the joy.

Photos: Getty Images/iStockPhoto

Lunge, don’t lounge

A seemingly simple exercise that targets multiple muscle groups… How much do you know about lunges?

Fitness is key to a healthy lifestyle. What’s more, it must be consistent, a part of your everyday routine.

There are several ways to stay fit. Whether it is through cardio such as boxing, cycling, or running, or through lifting weights, there are several ways to stay fit.

One way to get the most out of your workouts is to do exercises which target specific muscle groups. In fact, there are some exercises that effectively target multiple muscle groups all at once. One such exercises is the lunges. They work the quads, obliques, hamstrings, calves, and the glutes, to name a few. They are important for strengthening as well as preventing injuries.

Here’s how it is done. First, start off in a standing position with feet apart hip-width. Next, move forward in a stride that is longer than a walk, with one leg (could be left or right) in such as manner that it is behind the torso and the other is ahead of it. Make sure that your foot lands and remains flat while on the ground. The rear heel must be off the ground. Then, bend your knees to around 90 degrees while lowering yourself, all the while working your core. Finally, push off from the leg which is in front, in order to return to position.

Here is a fun game revolving around this exercise. This puzzle is a variant of sudoku where the grid contains letters instead of numbers. Solve it by ensuring each letter of the word LUNGES fits exactly once in each row, column and 2*3 grid. How quickly can you solve it?

Lessons from life

You need not always be in a classroom to learn new things. If you know where to look, life lessons are everywhere. Read on.

Teachers’ Day is all about the mentors who shape you. The lessons they teach you in the classroom are truly valuable. But have you ever wondered what you can learn from the other activities you indulge in? Read on.





Numbers in pairs

What is a ratio? Why do ratios matter in real life? Watch this video and find out.

Numbers in pairsFeatured Video Play Icon