Haldi's Adventure: NCERT Class 2 English Story (Marigold Unit 1)

etmantra13 Jun 20209 min read

What if a giraffe in glasses offered you a ride to school? In this warm, funny story, children meet Smiley the giraffe and practise the days of the week along the way.

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From the NCERT English book Marigold for Class 2, unit 1. NCERT’s newer Class 2 book is Mridang, but many schools still teach Marigold.

Watch: Haldi's Adventure

Play the video three or four times. The first time, just listen. Then point at the pictures, and from the third time, say the lines along with the video. Short, repeated listening is how CALP builds a child’s English.

What your child learns

The days of the week, Monday to Saturday
Polite words: good morning, sorry, thank you
Words for feelings: surprised, happy
Reading a conversation between two characters

What the story is about

One morning, a girl named Haldi is walking to school when she meets a giraffe. He wears big glasses, holds a book and says good morning to her. His name is Smiley, because whoever sees him smiles. Haldi is surprised and happy, but she remembers she must not be late for school.

Smiley offers her a ride on his back. They talk about school: Haldi goes from Monday to Friday, plays games there on Saturdays, and learns about the stars, trees, birds and animals. Smiley says he loves books too. From high up on his back Haldi sees many things, and soon she reaches the school playground. When she turns to thank him, he has gone. Haldi thinks it was a wonderful adventure.

New words, with Hindi meanings

adventure: an exciting thing that happens to you (हिंदी: रोमांचक घटना)
giraffe: a very tall animal with a long neck (हिंदी: जिराफ़)
glasses: two pieces of glass in a frame that help you see (हिंदी: चश्मा)
stare: to look at someone for a long time (हिंदी: घूरना)
rush: to go very quickly (हिंदी: जल्दी जाना)
playground: an open place at school where children play (हिंदी: खेल का मैदान)
surprised: feeling something you did not expect (हिंदी: हैरान)

Explained in Hindi

If your child finds the English hard, watch this explanation of the story and its word meanings in Hindi, then go back to the English video.

Talk about it

Ask these aloud after reading or watching. Let your child answer in English if they can, or mix in their home language. Both help.

Who did Haldi meet on her way to school?
Why was the giraffe called Smiley?
On which days does Haldi go to school?
If you could ride an animal to school, which animal would you choose?

Answers for parents

She met a giraffe named Smiley, who wore big glasses and held a book.
Because whoever saw him would smile.
From Monday to Friday. On Saturdays she plays games at school.
For example: I would choose an elephant, because it is big and strong.

Grammar corner: Days of the week with capital letters

The days of the week are names, so they always begin with a capital letter. There are seven days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Haldi carries her school bag on Monday morning.
On Saturday the children play games in the playground.
Maybe Smiley reads a new book every Sunday.

Practice at home

Fill in the blank: Haldi goes to school from Monday to ___.
Which day comes after Tuesday? (Monday / Wednesday / Sunday)
Say what day it is today in a full sentence, then write the day with a capital letter.

Answers: 1. Friday · 2. Wednesday · 3. For example: Today is Thursday.

Try this

Act out the story. One person is Haldi with a school bag, another is Smiley the giraffe, standing on tiptoe and stretching tall. Say the days of the week together as Haldi "rides" to school, and end with Haldi turning to say thank you.

Tip for parents

Say the days in Hindi first, सोमवार, मंगलवार, बुधवार, and then the English name for each. Every morning ask, "आज कौन सा दिन है? What day is it today?" Let your child answer in either language, then say the English day together and praise them.

Questions parents ask

Who are the characters in Haldi's Adventure?

Haldi, a schoolgirl, and Smiley, a friendly giraffe who wears big glasses and loves books.

What happens in Haldi's Adventure?

On her way to school, Haldi meets Smiley the giraffe. He gives her a ride on his back to the school playground, and when she turns to thank him, he has gone.

Which book and class is Haldi's Adventure from?

It is Unit 1 of Marigold, NCERT's older English book for Class 2. The newer NCERT English books are Mridang for Class 1–2 and Santoor for Class 3–5.

Learn every Class 2 lesson with CALP

Every lesson of Mridang, NCERT’s new book, with read-along videos, new words with Hindi meanings, and listen-and-say practice with a score, made for young children with a parent nearby. ₹999 for the whole year.

See the free lessons and enrol →