Knowledge comes in many forms. Classroom learning, research and experimentation, internships and jobs, community work, extracurricular and artistic interests, travel and reading, and co-learning with peers are fantastic ways to imbibe knowledge. Another way to increase one’s understanding about different aspects of life, environment, society, and every possible topic is through gaining what is termed ‘General Knowledge’ or GK. It refers to the process of increasing one’s knowhow on multitude of areas, subject domains, real life happenings, history, science and technology, astronomy, marine biology and so on. The list of topics covered under general knowledge is long and perhaps endless. Yet a person with good general knowledge can become an informed and intelligent conversationalist and connect with various people in the process.
Gaining general knowledge should ideally start early in life, made into a fun filled activity, and should be age appropriate. A simple and effective way to help children increase their general
knowledge is
- By putting together a list of questions
- Answers on many different subjects.
The GK questions for kids can be included as part of the pedagogy in schools, and as part of family bonding time at home. Flash cards, charts, folded paper slips etc. can be used to make GK question answer in English, which is the most common language of instruction in schools.
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To give some ideas on the kind of topics and types of questions one can use for general knowledge activities, here are a few examples that will help the teachers, students and their parents:
- Literature
1. In which book is the fictional town of Malgudi mentioned?
2. Name an Indian author who has won Man Booker prize.
3. Who wrote the Jungle Book?
4. During which century did the famous saint and poet Kabir live?
- Science
5. Which element is the diamond made of?
6. At what temperature is the density of water the maximum?
7. What does the ozone layer protect us from?
8. Which gas is known as the laughing gas?
- Wildlife
9. Which is the bird that can fly backwards?
10. Which bird lays a hundred eggs at one time?
11. Name the largest mangrove forest in India.
12. Which is the largest wildlife sanctuary in India?
- Sports
13. Name the national sport of India.
14. What is the beginning level in Karate?
15. Who is known as the flying Sikh of India?
16. Which country is known to have started sports?
- Geography
17. Which Indian river also flows through China?
18. Which is the deepest ocean?
19. Name the city that is located on two continents.
20. What type of rock is granite?
- Indian History
21. When did India attain freedom from the British rule?
22. Who is called the father of the nation?
23. Who was the first President of India?.
24. When was the National Council of Education established?
- Country/State/Capital
25. Which is the smallest country in the world?
26. Which is the capital city of Greenland?
27. Which is the largest state in India by size?
28. Which country is known as the land of a thousand lakes?
- Awards & Nominations
29. Who is the youngest Nobel Prize winner?
30. Which is India’s highest civilian award?
31. Which are the most famous awards for international cinema?
32. Which award is given to Indian sports persons?
With the above examples we can see that world of General Knowledge can be interest9ng and informative for not only children but also for adults. Within IB schools, helping the students to develop their general knowledge skills is given a lot of emphasis. At MIT Gurukul, a leading IB program school, the GK is enhanced by encouraging students
- To read books
- Browse informative websites
- Discuss on a variety of topics
- Participate in debates
- Quizzes.
We also urge the parents to talk to their wards on diverse topics and indulge in learning GK during the play time also.
