Omsairam CONTENT OF THE LESSONS WEEK ONE LESSON 1 : INTRODUCTION LESSON 2 : GET TO KNOW THE POET LESSON 3 : THE SETTING - JAMAICA LESSON 4 : VOCABULARY – DICTIONARY SKILL LESSON 5 : LITERARY ELEMENTS & VOCABULARY GAMES WEEK TWO LESSON 6 : GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT & CHAIN READING LESSON 7 : GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE POEM LESSON 8 : LITERAL MEANING AND IMPLIED MEANING LESSON 9 : THEMES LESSON 10 : MORAL VALUES WEEK THREE LESSON 11: WRITE YOUR OWN POEM LESSON 12: HAVE I UNDERSTOOD? LESSON 13: POETRY ANALYSIS LESSON 14: AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT 1
Transcript
Omsairam
CONTENT OF THE LESSONS
WEEK ONE
LESSON 1 : INTRODUCTION
LESSON 2 : GET TO KNOW THE POET
LESSON 3 : THE SETTING - JAMAICA
LESSON 4 : VOCABULARY – DICTIONARY SKILL
LESSON 5 : LITERARY ELEMENTS & VOCABULARY GAMES
WEEK TWO
LESSON 6 : GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT & CHAIN READING
LESSON 7 : GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE POEM
LESSON 8 : LITERAL MEANING AND IMPLIED MEANING
LESSON 9 : THEMES
LESSON 10 : MORAL VALUES
WEEK THREE
LESSON 11: WRITE YOUR OWN POEM
LESSON 12: HAVE I UNDERSTOOD?
LESSON 13: POETRY ANALYSIS
LESSON 14: AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT
1
LESSON 1 : INTRODUCTION
Topic : Understanding The Title & Make It Right
Time : 40 minutes
Objectives : To introduce the poem Nature by H.D.Carberry
To understand the title of the poem.
To train students to listen and read the poem.
Related Skills : Listening and Speaking
Vocabulary related to Nature
Teaching Aids : LCD PowerPoint, Images of nature, Worksheets,
Model Reading of The Poem.
Techniques : Questioning , Brainstorming
SET INDUCTION ( 5 MINUTES )
Teacher tells students that today they are going to learn a poem.
Teacher displays a slide show on Beautiful Nature. (Nature)
Teacher asks questions based on the slide show.
What did you see in the slide show?
Give some examples of words related to nature.
How important is nature to our lives?
What can you learn from the slide show?
Can you guess the title of the poem?
Teacher praises students who respond to the questions by using remarks such as : ‘good’, ‘very good’, ‘good try’, ‘you are right’, etc.
Teacher explains the meaning of the word Nature and importance of Nature to our lives.
DEFINITION OF NATURE:
Nature means everything in the physical world that is not controlled by humans, such as wild plants and animal, earth and rocks, and the weather. ( Longman – Dictionary of Contemporary English)
2
IMPORTANCE OF NATURE:
Nature is all around us. We can’t live without nature. Therefore, we must appreciate and learn to preserve the beauty of nature as God’s gift to us. Once nature is destroyed it can never be replaced. The destruction of nature also results in the loss of habitat and precious wildlife.
ACTIVITY 1 : ( 10 MINUTES ) – UNDERSTANDING THE TITLE
Teacher distributes Worksheet 1. (Appendix 1)
Teacher asks students to brainstorm for words related to nature and complete the worksheet. Students are reminded to write the words based on their own experience or based on the slide show.
Teacher calls a few students to read out their words.
Teacher asks students to tell their understanding of the title of the poem.
Teacher explains the significance of the title – NATURE
ACTIVITY 2 : (20 MINUTES ) – THE POEM – MAKE IT RIGHT
Teacher asks students to listen to the model reading of the poem Nature by H.D.Carberry.
Teacher distributes Worksheet 2 containing lines from the poem which are in wrong order. (Appendix 2)
Teacher replays the model reading of the poem and asks students to rearrange the lines while listening to the model reading.
Teacher discusses the answer with students and tells the synopsis of the poem.
Students are asked to copy the poem inside their exercise books. (Homework)
SYNOPSIS OF THE POEM- NATURE: Nature is a one-stanza poem. The objective of the poem is to portray the appealing cimate found on the island of Jamaica. In this poem, the poet writes about Jamaica, his country where there is no definite seasons in a year. The poet states that in his country Jamaica, they do not have the regular seasons of the temperate countries such as spring, summer, autumn and winter.
3
Instead they have days of bright sunshine and days of heavy rain. There are also days when the trees are bare and the leaves drop to the ground and the canefields are bare after a harvest. But the best time of all when the mango and logwood blossom with growth of grass and flowers filled with the buzzing of bees and scent of honey, where there is a beauty and fine weather all around.
CONCLUSION : (5 MINUTES )
Teacher summarize today’s lesson by explaining the title Nature and importance of nature in humans’ lives.
Teacher ends the lesson by displaying another slide show about beautiful nature to strengthen students’ understanding about the title of the poem.
Homework – Teacher asks students to gather some information about the poet for the next class.
LESSON 2 : GET TO KNOW THE POET
Topic : About The Poet – H.D.CARBERRY
Time : 40 minutes
Objectives : To understand the background of the Poet.
To deepen students’ understanding of the themes of the poem.
Related Skills : Listening , Speaking and Writing
Teaching Aids : LCD PowerPoint, Picture of H.D.Carberry, Worksheet,
Listening Text About The Poet, Handouts
Techniques : Questioning, Pairwork
4
SET INDUCTION : ( 5 MINUTES )
Teacher writes H.D.Carberry’s name on the whiteboard.
Teacher asks students why they should know the poet’s background.
Teacher explains the significance of today’s lesson and the importance of understanding the poet’s background.
ACTIVITY 1 : ( 20 MINUTES ) ABOUT THE POET
Teacher calls a few students to give some information about H.D.Carberry based on their findings. (Homework)
Teacher displays the picture of H.D.Carberry and plays an audio recording about the background of the poet.
Teacher distributes Worksheet . Students are asked to complete information about the poet while listening to the audio recording. (Appendix 3)
Teacher discusses the answers with the students to strengthen their understanding about the poet’s background.
Teacher distributes Handouts about the background of the poet. (Appendix 4)
ACTIVITY 2 : ( 10 MINUTES ) – YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE POET
5
Teacher asks students two questions based on the poet’s background:
What is your opinion about H.D.Carberry?
Why do you think H.D.Carberry wrote this poem?
Teacher asks students to write a short paragraph about their opinion about the poet and why they think he had written the poem.
CONCLUSION : (5 MINUTES)
Teacher ends the lesson by explaining the connection between the poet’s background and the main theme of the poem.
Homework -Teacher reminds students to gather some information about Jamaica before the next class.
LESSON 3 : THE SETTING- JAMAICA
Topic : The Setting Of The Poem
Time : 40 minutes
Objectives : To understand about the setting of the poem.
To understand about the island of Jamaica.
To deepen students’ understanding about the theme of the poem.
Related skills : Listening and Speaking and Writing Skill
Teaching Aids : LCD Powerpoint, Images of Jamaica, Handouts
Techniques : Questions, Quiz
SET INDUCTION : ( 5 MINUTES )
6
Teacher displays video clips of two famous personalities from Jamaica .
Bob Marley and Usain Bolt
Teacher asks students to guess their names.
Teacher informs students that they will learn about Jamaica in today’s lesson.
Teacher explains the natural setting of the countryside and farmlands that is described in this poem.
The displays video clips of natural settings of Jamaica :
Canefields of Jamaica
Tall trees struggling high Jamaica winds
Swish of water in the gullies
Bright yellow buttercups
Buzzing bee
CONCLUSION : (5 MINUTES)
7
Teacher summarizes the lesson by stressing the importance of understanding the setting of the poem.
Teacher gives a question : (Homework)
Would you like to visit the island of Jamaica? Why?
Teacher asks students to write a short answer for the above question inside their exercise books.
LESSON 4 : VOCABULARY – DICTIONARY SKILL
Topics : Using Dictionary & Pronunciation Practice
Time : 40 minutes
Objectives : To help students with unfamiliar words.
To use dictionary to find word meanings.
Related Skills : Dictionary Skill, Vocabulary and Speaking Skill
Teaching Aids : LCD PowerPoint, Dictionary, Worksheet, Handout
Techniques : Pair Work, Brainstorming
ACTIVITY 1 : (30 MINUTES) – USING DICTIONARY
Teacher distributes dictionaries and Worksheets containing 12 words taken from the poem –Nature. (Appendix 6)
Teacher asks students to work in pairs and find the meaning of the words in the dictionary
After 15 minutes teacher asks students to read out the meanings.
Teacher displays images of a few selected words from the poem using LCD PowerPoint.
Teacher replays displays video clips depicting the natural settings of Jamaica used in lesson 3 to strengthen students understanding.
8
Teacher explains the meanings of the words and distributes handout containing meanings of the words. (Appendix 7)
ACTIVITY 2 : (10 MINUTES ) – OUR SENSES
Teacher distributes worksheet containing a mind map about words related to their senses. (Appendix 8)
The Sense of Sight
The Sense of Hearing
The Sense of Taste
The Sense Of Smell
The sense of Emotion/Feeling
Teacher asks students to complete the mind map.
Students are asked to read out the words.
LESSON 5 : LITERARY ELEMENTS AND VOCABULARY GAME
Topics : Literary Elements & Word Explosion
Time : 40 minutes
Objectives : To understand figurative meanings of words in the poem.
To understand meaning of words in a fun way.
To enable students to make word associations in order to extend their
vocabulary.
Related Skills : Thinking Skill and Vocabulary
Teaching Aids : Handouts, Mahjong Papers, markers
Techniques : Brainstorming, Group Work
9
ACTIVITY 1 : (20 MINUTES) – LITERARY ELEMENTS
Teacher explains the meanings of Symbolism and Personification in the poem.
Symbolism – A thing that stands for something else.
( Example: buttercups represents beauty )
Personification – An object being given a human quality.
( Example: the trees struggle – human struggle )
Teacher gives some examples of the three literary elements found in the poem.
Teacher asks students to sit in groups of 4-5 and distributes worksheets.(Appendix 9)
Teacher asks students to discuss and find examples of symbolism, metaphor and personification found in the poem.
Teacher discusses the answers with the students.
(Suggested activities for Vocabulary Games)
ACTIVITY 2 : (20 MINUTES) – BINGO
Teacher asks students to sit in groups of 4 or 5.
Teacher distributes envelops containing words found in the poem and words related to nature.
Teacher starts the game by reading out the meaning of the words. The students must shout “BINGO” and tell the word.
The group with the most correct answers is the winning group.
ACTIVITY 2 : (20 MINUTES ) – WORD EXPLOSION
Teacher asks students to remain in their groups.
10
Teacher gives each group a mahjong paper and a marker.
Teacher asks each group to write the word ‘NATURE’ in the middle of the mahjong paper.
Get students to make as many words as they can that are related to ‘NATURE’ in five minutes.(Students may use words from the poem).
Ask students to extend from the words they have chosen.
( like a spidergram )
Teacher asks the groups to present their findings and explain the reasons for choosing those words.
LESSON 6 : GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT AND CHAIN READING
Topic : Grammar Practice & Chain Reading
Time : 40 minutes
Objectives : To encourage students to focus on some basic grammatical rules.
To read the poem aloud with correct stress, intonation and expression
Related Skills : Grammar and Speaking Skill- Poetry Recitation
Teaching Aids: Worksheet, The poetry text
Technique : Reading Aloud
ACTIVITY 1 : ( 20 MINUTES ) – GRAMMAR CHECKPOINT
Teacher asks students to pick out examples of nouns, adjectives, adverbs and verbs in the poem.
11
Teacher tells that the poem abounds with nouns, adjectives and verbs. This is because the poem is mainly a descriptive poem, expressing the beauty and power of nature.
Teacher distributes worksheet for grammar checkpoint.(Appendix 10)
Students are asked to read the poem and fill up the boxes with the suitable words.
ACTIVITY 2 : (20 MINUTES) – CHAIN READING
Tell students to make two big circles in the classroom.
Get a student to read a line, starting from the title, followed by the name of the poet H.D.Carberry and the fifteen lines of the poem.
Encourage students to read with correct intonation and expression.
Once reading starts, it must be continuous so that the chain ( flow ) will not be broken. After a few rounds ask the groups to read the whole poem together.
LESSON 7 : GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE POEM
Topics : Put Me Straight & The Weather Of Jamaica
Time : 40 Minutes
Objectives : To introduce the lines of the poem in a fun way.
To understand the weather condition of Jamaica.
Related Skills : Reading, Writing and Speaking
Teaching Aids: Worksheets
Techniques : Questioning, Group work
ACTIVITY 1 : (10 MINUTES ) – PUT ME STRAIGHT
12
Teacher gets students to sit in groups of 4 – 5.
Teacher distributes Worksheet containing scrambled words from the lines of the poem and the lines are not in the correct order. (Appendix 11)
Tell students to unscramble the words to form the lines of the poem.
The group that is able to finish with most correct answers wins.
Students are not encouraged to refer to the poetry text.
At the end of the session, teacher asks students to tell the correct order of the lines according to the poem.
ACTIVITY 2 : ( 30 MINUTES ) - THE WEATHER OF JAMAICA
Teacher asks students questions related to the weather condition in Jamaica:
What are two main weather condition in Jamaica?
What are the elements of nature mentioned in the poem
Teacher asks student to explain their findings.
Teacher briefly describes the weather condition in Jamaica:
Teacher distributes Worksheet containing the positive and negative elements of nature.
(Appendix 12)
Teacher asks students to discuss in their groups and identify the lines in the poem that explains the positive and negative elements of nature.
Teacher discusses answer with the students.
Teacher distributes another worksheet to be done as homework. (Appendix 13)
LESSON 8 : LITERAL MEANING AND IMPLIED MEANING
Topic : Literal Meaning & Implied Meaning Of The Poem
13
Time : 40 minutes
Objectives : To understand the literal and implied meanings of the poem.
To help students to understand the poem.
Teaching Aids: LCD PowerPoint, Worksheets
Techniques : Pair work
ACTIVITY 1 : (30 MINUTES) – LET’S MAKE SENSE
Teacher distributes Worksheet containing the lines of the poem.
Students are asked to discuss with their partners and to write down the literal meaning of the poem.
Students are asked to write down the lines using their own words.
Teacher asks students to read out their answers.
Teacher displays LCD PowerPoint containing Literal Meaning of the poem.
Teacher explains the literal meaning of the poem:
Literal Meaning of The Poem The beauty of the Jamaican sun and canefields come alive in the poem. During theHot season, the sun is bright and strong and the canes are tall, thick and green. On some Day, rains come down in torrents and fall mercilessly on Jamaican house. Gullies and streams quickly filled up with water. The wind blows strongly and trees feel the onslaught. Then the weather changes again and all is calm. It is warm again and the canes are cut. Canefields lie barren after the harvest. Then there is a burst of energy and rejuvenation of life. The plants and insects come out in abundance and this is the best time of the year.
ACTIVITY 2 : (10 MINUTES ) – IMPLIED MEANING OF THE POEM
Teacher calls out a few students to tell the implied meaning of the poem based on their understanding.
14
Teacher explains the implied meanings of the poem:
Implied Meaning of The Poem This poem is simply about nature. It is talking about the natural cycle of nature and the cycle of life. The poet is trying to convey that the message that in life, there will be bad times and good times. The line “We have neither Summer nor Winter, Neither Autumn no Spring”, gives us a sense of absence. But the line “We have instead the days”, gives us the sense of compensation. The poem is indeed about the cycle of life. It shows that man will go through good times and bad times in the cycle of life. The best moments or events happen after a series of really terrible periods in life. Therefore, man must be patient when face with tribulations and show gratitude when blessed with wealth and prosperity.
LESSON 9 : THEMES
Topic : The Themes Of The Poem
Time : 40 minutes
15
Objectives : To understand the themes of the poem
To encourage team work
Related Skills : Speaking and Writing
Teaching Aids: Worksheet, Handout
Techniques : Group Discussion, Oral Presentation
ACTIVITY : (40 MINUTES ) – THE THEMES
Teacher asks the students a question:
What do you think the poet is trying to say in the poem?
Teacher tells three main themes of the poem:
Cycle Of Nature
Man’s Cycle Of Life
Beauty Of Nature
Students are asked to sit in groups of 4 or 5. Teacher distributes Worksheet containing a graphic organizer about the themes. Students have to discuss complete the chart by explaining the themes based on the poem. (Appendix 15)
Teacher calls representative from each group to present their findings.
Teacher explains the themes.
Teacher calls out a student to repeat the themes.
Teacher distributes handouts containing the themes. (Appendix 16)
LESSON 10 : MORAL VALUES
Topic : Moral Values Of The Poem
Time : 40 minutes
16
Objectives : To understand the moral values of the poem.
To enable students to express their feelings and opinions.
Related Skills : Speaking and Writing
Teaching Aids: Pictures Of Natural Disasters, Video Clip
Worksheet.
Techniques : Open Class Discussion
ACTIVITY 1 : (10 MINUTES) – A PICTURE SAYS A THOUSAND WORDS
Teacher distributes pictures of natural disasters and asks students to express their feelings and opinions about the disasters. (Appendix 17)
Teacher highlights two moral values of the poem:
Appreciate and Conserve Nature
Appreciate One’s Own Country
ACTIVITY 2 : (30 MINUTES ) – THE MORAL VALUES
Teacher distributes worksheet containing a graphic organizer about the moral value.(Appendix 18)
Teacher asks students to work in pairs and complete the graphic organizer.
Teacher conducts a classroom discussion about the moral values found in the poem Nature .
Teacher distributes handouts containing the moral values. (Appendix 19)
Teacher plays a video clip about MALAYSIA.
Teacher calls a few students to share their feeling about being a Malaysian and stresses the importance of appreciating one’s own country.
LESSON 11: WRITE YOUR OWN POEM
Teacher lets students watch video clips on poems based on NATURE.
17
Teacher asks students work in groups to create a simple poem based on nature in general or based on Malaysian context.
Students are advised to use words they have learnt in the previous classes.
The students present their poems in class.
Homework : Writing individual poem.
LESSON 12 : HAVE I UNDERSTOOD?
Objectives:
To conduct a diagnostic assessment for students to recall information from the poem to get insight into how well they have learned.
To give indication to the teacher of how well the information has been taught in the previous lessons. (Appendix 20)
LESSON 13 : POETRY ANALYSIS
Objectives:
To allow students to present a graphic representation of the poem.
To encourage students to give personal responses to the poem. (Appendix 21)
LESSON 14 : AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT
Objective:
To allow the students to present their understanding of the poem in a creative way. (Appendix 22)
REPORT BASED ON CLASSROOM TEACHING
LESSON 1 : INTRODUCTION
18
Class : 4 Science 2
Enrolment : 34
Level of Proficiency : Average
Topic : Poem- Nature ( Introduction)
Instructions for the Classroom Activities :
Activity 1 : Understanding The Title Students, now I am going to distribute a worksheet. I want you to brainstorm for words related to nature and complete the worksheet. Try to come up with as many words as possible. You may write the words based on your own experience or based on the slides that you
watched just now.
Activity 2 : The Poem – Make It Right Students, now you are going to listen to a model reading of the poem Now, I will distribute worksheet 2 containing lines from the poem. I will play the model reading again. Listen and rearrange the lines correctly according to the poem.
Classroom Discourse Analysis:
Negotiation Of Meaning
Negotiation of meaning was done throughout the lesson. This was mainly because the lesson was
an introduction to the poem Nature.I explained the meaning of the word nature by giving its
definition. I also explained the importance of nature in our lives, the significance of the title and
explained the synopsis of the poem. After each activity, discussion of answers were done
together with the students. Negotiation of meaning is important to maximize students’
understanding about the topic.
Clarification Request and Comprehension Check
19
I used questioning technique in order to increase students thinking skill as well as to check their
understanding. Questioning helps to keep students attentive and engaged in the activities. I also
gave clues when students struggle to answer or voice out their opinions.
Examples from my classroom teaching:
“What did/can you see in the video clips?”
“What is the importance of nature to us/ in our lives?”
“What is nature?”
“Can you read out the words”
“What is the name of his homeland?”
“What is cane?”
Revoicing and Repetition
Revoicing was done in a positive way. I used positive remarks such as ‘good’, ‘very good’ and ‘good try’ in order to encourage students to answer the questions and speak in the class. Positive remarks is extremely important to boost students’ confidence, especially among passive students. I also repeated answers given by students when they were not loud enough and reluctant to speak. Since my students were reluctant and shy to voice out their ideas, I gave clues to prompt them to come up with answers.
Examples from my classroom teaching:
Repeated answers given by students – “water”, “birds’, “tree”, “plants” “These are the words related to nature” “Good try Izzat, what he said was right” “Good”, “Well done” “Only that? What more?” “Come on….” “Yes, you are right” “Is the nature important to us? In what way?”
Lesson Transition Pattern – Signposting
20
Signposting is used to prepare students for the lesson and to shift to the next activity. It is important to get students move on to the next stage of the lesson. It helps to signal that signal teacher’s intention to the students that it is time to move to another activity.
Example from my classroom teaching:
“O.K class, we shall move on to activity two” “Now, I will show you some slides” “Put aside your books, relax and watch this video clip” “For the next slot, I’m going to introduce the title of the poem” “O.K we shall discuss the answers together”
Reflection – The Effectiveness of the activities
The response given by the students was good. They were very cooperative and attentive throughout the lesson. Students were able to come up with words related to nature and rearrange the lines of the poem. The visual aids helped the students to get better picture of nature and kept them engaged in the lesson. Overall, I am satisfied with the classroom teaching. In future I wish to pay more attention to my questioning techniques and time management.
