Hekko
Class 4 · English
4 ideas in Class 4 English, explained in plain words, with games and quizzes to practise.
The Traditional Naga Sport of Hekko
Hekko is a traditional team sport from Mokokchung, Nagaland, meaning 'Challenging the tiger', testing agility, strength, and teamwork.
Why it matters. Exploring indigenous games expands cultural awareness and teaches children how folk tales inspire community sports.
Try it in two minutes
- Explain what 'Hekko' means ('Hek' = challenge, 'ko' = tiger).
- Describe the two teams: Aami (The Man) inside the circle and Aakho (The Tiger) outside.
- Discuss what an Aakho player must say when surrounded and captured ('Joko' meaning surrender).
Try at home. Play a mini human-chain circle game in the garden where one player tries to tag without breaking the chain.
Homophones in English
Homophones are words that sound the exact same when spoken aloud, but have different spellings and meanings (like 'their' and 'there').
Why it matters. Learning homophones prevents confusing slips in written English and sharpens reading accuracy.
Try it in two minutes
- Contrast 'there' (place) with 'their' (belonging to them).
- Practice using 'two' (number 2) versus 'too' (also or very).
- Point out 'threw' (past of throw) versus 'through' (passing inside).
Try at home. Write three pairs of homophones on index cards (e.g., right/write, sea/see) and practice using both in one sentence.
Simple Past Tense: Regular and Irregular Verbs
The simple past tense describes completed actions in the past. Regular verbs add '-ed' (walked), while irregular verbs change form (drove, saw).
Why it matters. Using correct past tense forms is essential for storytelling, reporting historical facts, and recalling daily events.
Try it in two minutes
- Show how 'visit' becomes 'visited' by adding '-ed' (regular verb).
- Show how 'see' becomes 'saw' without adding '-ed' (irregular verb).
- Practice finding irregular past words in story sentences: came, drank, drove.
Try at home. List five activities your child did yesterday, noting which verbs used '-ed' and which were irregular.
Animal Sounds and Initial Blends
This concept teaches specific animal sound verbs (roars, neighs, trumpets) and initial consonant blends (st, ch, gl).
Why it matters. Learning accurate animal verbs and phonics blends sharpens listening skills, pronunciation, and expressive writing.
Try it in two minutes
- Match animal sounds: Tiger roars, Horse neighs, Elephant trumpets, Dove coos.
- Say words starting with 'st': stairs, stone, stand.
- Say words starting with 'ch': chair, chain, challenge.
Try at home. Make animal sound flashcards and practice pairing each creature with its correct vocal action word.
What your child will practise
- Animal Sounds and Initial Blends: Animal Parade Quest (Collect the Answer)
- Animal Sounds and Initial Blends: Desert Quick Fire (Quick Fire)
- Homophones in English: Space Quick Fire (Quick Fire)
- Simple Past Tense: Regular and Irregular Verbs: Time Travel Sort (Sort It Out)
- The Traditional Naga Sport of Hekko: Candy Puzzle (Clue Puzzle)
- Quiz: Animal Sounds and Initial Blends (8 questions)
- Quiz: Homophones in English (8 questions)
- Quiz: Simple Past Tense: Regular and Irregular Verbs (8 questions)
- Quiz: The Traditional Naga Sport of Hekko (8 questions)