Thank God — Class 3 English (CBSE)
From the current Class 3 English Santoor textbook, Unit 3: Good Food, Chapter 8. A humorous story that shows how gratitude and wise thinking go together. These notes help students read for meaning, enjoy the humour, and write answers in their own words.
1. Chapter at a glance
- Text type: A humorous story (folk tale).
- Main characters: A farmer and a king (with the farmer's wife, the princess, and guards).
- Main theme: Gratitude and clever, practical thinking.
- What to notice while reading: Why the farmer chose grapes, and why he keeps saying "Thank God!".
2. The Story
A farmer grew many kinds of fruit on his land. The two best fruits were grapes and watermelons.
When it was time to take a gift to the king, the farmer thought carefully. Watermelons were big and heavy; grapes were small and light. So the farmer chose to carry the grapes all the way to the palace.
The king was in a playful mood that day. For fun, he began to throw the grapes at the farmer, one by one! But instead of getting upset, the farmer smiled each time and said, "Thank God!"
The king was puzzled. "Why do you keep saying 'Thank God'?" he asked.
The farmer replied with a smile, "Thank God I brought light grapes today — and not the heavy watermelons!"
The king laughed at the farmer's clever answer. The farmer's gratitude and good thinking had turned a silly moment into a happy one.
3. Summary
A farmer who grows fruit must take a gift to the king. He wisely picks light grapes instead of heavy watermelons for the long journey. At the palace, the king playfully throws the grapes at the farmer. Rather than complain, the farmer cheerfully says "Thank God!" each time. When the king asks why, the farmer explains he is thankful he chose grapes and not watermelons — which would have hurt much more. The king is delighted by the farmer's wit and gratitude.
4. Theme and values
- Gratitude — the farmer is thankful even in a difficult moment.
- Wise thinking — he plans ahead and chooses the lighter fruit.
- A cheerful attitude — staying positive turns a problem into a joke.
Link the value to an action: The farmer shows wisdom because he chose light grapes for the long journey.
5. New words and meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| grapes | small, round, juicy fruits that grow in bunches |
| watermelon | a large, heavy fruit with sweet red flesh |
| bunch | a group of things joined together (a bunch of grapes) |
| playful | wanting to have fun or joke |
| grateful | feeling thankful |
| blessed | lucky or fortunate |
6. Let Us Think (comprehension)
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What two fruits were the best on the farmer's land? Grapes and watermelons.
-
Why did the farmer choose grapes for the king? Because grapes were light and easy to carry, while watermelons were big and heavy.
-
What did the king do in his playful mood? He threw the grapes at the farmer, one by one, for fun.
-
What did the farmer say each time? He said, "Thank God!"
-
Why did the farmer keep saying "Thank God"? Because he was thankful he had brought light grapes and not the heavy watermelons.
-
What does this story teach us? It teaches us to be grateful and to think wisely, even in a difficult moment.
7. Language and grammar practice
Opposites
| Word | Opposite |
|---|---|
| heavy | light |
| big | small |
| sad | happy |
| best | worst |
Naming words (fruits)
From the story: grapes, watermelon — these are naming words for fruits. Add three more fruits you know.
Describing words (adjectives)
Find describing words: light grapes, heavy watermelons, playful king.
8. Writing and speaking practice
- Writing: Write 4-5 lines about a time you felt thankful for something.
- Speaking: Act out the story with a friend — one is the farmer, one is the king.
9. Common mistakes
- Mistake: Saying the farmer got angry with the king. Fix: The farmer stayed cheerful and said "Thank God!" instead of complaining.
- Mistake: Forgetting why grapes were chosen. Fix: Grapes were light and easy to carry; watermelons were heavy.
- Mistake: One-word answers for why questions. Fix: Use a full sentence with because.
10. Practice set
- What two fruits were the best on the farmer's land?
- Why did the farmer choose grapes for the king?
- What did the king do in his playful mood?
- Why did the farmer keep saying "Thank God"?
- Write the opposites of heavy, big, and sad.
- Write 4-5 lines about a time you felt thankful.
11. Answer key
- Grapes and watermelons.
- Because grapes were light and easy to carry; watermelons were heavy.
- He threw the grapes at the farmer for fun.
- Because he was thankful he brought light grapes, not heavy watermelons.
- light, small, happy.
- Answers will vary — check for what happened and the feeling of being thankful.
12. Fun activity
Thank-You List
Make a list of five things you are thankful for. Draw a small picture next to each.
Light or Heavy?
Look around your home. Sort five objects into "light" and "heavy". Which would be easy to carry on a long walk?
13. Quick revision
- Unit 3: Good Food · Chapter 8 · a humorous story.
- The farmer chose light grapes over heavy watermelons for the king.
- The king threw the grapes; the farmer said "Thank God!" each time.
- Reason: he was glad he had not brought the heavy watermelons.
- Theme: gratitude and wise thinking.
Unit 3: Good Food
This chapter is part of Unit 3: Good Food. The three chapters in this unit are:
- Chapter 7: The Big Laddoo — an imagination poem about giant things
- Chapter 8: Thank God — a story about gratitude and good thinking
- Chapter 9: Madhu's Wish — a story about why water is precious
