SSLC English Lesson plan
Unit I: Trials and Triumphs
Chapter 1: A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
Period 1: Initial Encounter and Plot Development
- Learning Objective: To analyze the initial reactions of Pelayo and Elisenda to the old man and identify the early plot points driven by magical realism.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Magical Realism (blurring fantasy and reality), fear of the unknown, and the human tendency to overcome surprise when finding something familiar.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Reading for Comprehension: Students read the opening pages and identify the initial descriptions of the old man (e.g., "enormous wings," "ragpicker," "drenched great-grandfather"). They identify why Pelayo and Elisenda eventually found him "familiar".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how the old man’s "pitiful condition" negated any potential "sense of grandeur", leading the couple to conclude he was merely a "lonely castaway".
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Discussion on Initial Treatment: Groups discuss Pelayo and Elisenda's decision to lock the old man in the chicken coop and their idea to leave him on a raft to "his fate on the high seas".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Discuss the ethical implications of the couple’s initial decision, noting that they felt "magnanimous" only after their sick child woke up without a fever.
- Assessment Question 1: Why did Pelayo and Elisenda initially mistake the old man for a "lonely castaway" rather than an angel?
- Assessment Question 2: What event prompted the couple to feel "magnanimous" and decide to put the old man on a raft?
- Extended Activity: Write the likely diary entry of Pelayo after locking the old man up with the hens, noting his concerns.
Period 2: Exploitation and Commercialization
- Learning Objective: To evaluate the exploitation of the old man by Pelayo, Elisenda, and the public, and understand the societal response to the bizarre event.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Exploitation, Commercialization, and the supernatural virtue of Patience.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Analysis of Exploitation: Students list specific ways the old man was treated like a "circus animal", including charging admission, tossing him food, and pulling his feathers.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize why the couple fenced the yard and charged five cents, noting that they "crammed their rooms with money" in less than a week.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Character Trait Mapping: Groups analyze the statement: "His only supernatural virtue seemed to be patience". They discuss how he remained patient even when the "most merciful threw stones at him".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the moral implication that the suffering endured by the vulnerable (the old man) led to the material success (new house, iridescent silk) of the ordinary people (Pelayo and Elisenda).
- Assessment Question 1: Why does the author state that the visitors treated the old man "as if he weren’t a supernatural creature but a circus animal"?
- Assessment Question 2: Provide two instances that demonstrate the old man's "supernatural virtue" of patience.
- Extended Activity: Prepare a write-up on the basis of Activity 5, about the attitude of society to the weak and the vulnerable, and the need for compassion.
Period 3: Comparison with the Spider Woman
- Learning Objective: To compare the old man's popularity with that of the Spider Woman and understand the transient nature of public interest.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Transient Fame, Public Curiosity, Explicit vs. Implicit Disaster.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Comparative Reading: Students read the section about the Spider Woman and identify the factors that made her attraction more appealing (e.g., lower admission fee, ability to ask her questions about her "absurd state").
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Consolidate why the public interest shifted: people flocked to see the Spider Woman because they could relate more easily to an explicit, concrete disaster than to the mystery of the old man.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Ending Alternatives: Groups discuss Activity 7, attempting alternative endings to the story, such as the old man remaining sick until his death.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Evaluate how the original ending (flight) provides more thematic closure (freedom) than the alternative endings proposed by the groups.
- Assessment Question 1: What major change occurred at Pelayo’s house that allowed the family to buy "dresses of iridescent silk"?
- Assessment Question 2: How did the Spider Woman's appeal differ from that of the captive angel in attracting visitors?
- Extended Activity: Prepare a news report (Activity 2) covering the appearance and exploitation of the very old man with enormous wings.
Period 4: Physical Decay and the Doctor's View
- Learning Objective: To analyze the physical changes in the old man as he ages, and the doctor’s detached scientific perspective.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Scientific Inquiry (detachment), Normalizing the Strange, Decay, and the innocence of the Child.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Close Reading: Students read the section concerning the doctor’s visit. They note what the doctor found (whistling heart, sounds in kidneys) and what surprised him most: the "logic of his wings".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the doctor's conclusion that the wings seemed "so natural on that completely human organism" that he "couldn’t understand why other people didn’t have them too".
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Character Analysis (The Child): Discuss the child's reaction to the old man (playing with him, catching chicken pox together) compared to the parents' continuous fear or disgust.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate how the child’s acceptance of the strange reflects an innocence lacking the adults' prejudices.
- Assessment Question 1: What was the reason the doctor visited the house, and what surprising conclusion did he draw about the old man’s anatomy?
- Assessment Question 2: How did the environment of the chicken coop change as the child grew up?
- Extended Activity: Design suitable captions for the picture of the old man, focusing on the themes of mystery and impossibility (Activity 4).
Period 5: The Clumsy Flight and Elisenda’s Relief
- Learning Objective: To understand the imagery surrounding the old man’s eventual flight and analyze Elisenda’s sense of relief and liberation.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Freedom, Relief, Transience of Annoyance, Symbolism (Imaginary Dot).
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Imagery Analysis: Analyze the initial description of the flight attempts (clumsy, "on the point of knocking the shed down"). Discuss why his powerful wings were compared to the flapping of a "senile vulture".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize why Elisenda "let out a sigh of relief, for herself and for him," recognizing the mutual freedom gained.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Image/Simile Matching: Complete Activity 6 from the text, matching imagery, simile, and magical elements (e.g., "enormous wings" / Imagery, "like a ragpicker" / Simile).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Discuss how the old man became "an imaginary dot on the horizon of the sea" and how this symbolizes his transcendence from their mundane, exploiting lives.
- Assessment Question 1: Describe the final physical appearance of the old man's wings just before he flew away.
- Assessment Question 2: Explain the significance of the old man becoming an "imaginary dot" for Elisenda.
- Extended Activity: Develop a concise character sketch of Elisenda, highlighting her personality traits based on the table in Activity 1.
Period 6: Character Analysis and Vocabulary (Adjectives)
- Learning Objective: To classify and identify the traits and roles of the main characters and enhance descriptions using Adjectives of Quality.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Characterization, Materialism, Vulnerability, Precision in Language.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Character Trait Table: Complete Activity 1, listing the physical, personality traits, and significance of the old man, Pelayo, and Elisenda.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how Pelayo and Elisenda represent "ordinary people" and the old man represents the "weak and the vulnerable".
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Vocabulary Practice (Adjectives): Students identify adjectives used in the text (e.g., "unfortunate invalids," "captive angel"). They then complete Activity 2(a), creating similar descriptive phrases from the given word box.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Summarize the function of descriptive adjectives in adding quality and detail to the nouns they modify.
- Assessment Question 1: What does Pelayo’s decision to give up his job as a bailiff for good suggest about his change in status?
- Assessment Question 2: What is an adjective of quality, and provide one example from the play that describes the old man.
- Extended Activity: Describe a memorable outdoor experience using a variety of descriptive adjectives.
Period 7: Language Study (Modals and Adverbs)
- Learning Objective: To apply Modal Auxiliary Verbs to express necessity and possibility, and practice Adverbs of Manner to add precision.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Modals (Obligation, Necessity, Prediction), Adverbs (Precision).
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Modal Practice: Analyze the use of modals like should and must in the context of advice (from 'In the Attic'). Students then complete Activity 1(d), filling in the blanks of a dialogue between Pelayo and Elisenda using appropriate modals (e.g., should try to help, must not hurt).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the different states of mind modals express (e.g., must for obligation, can’t for lack of ability).
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Adverb Application: Students analyze how adverbs are formed by adding '-ly' to adjectives (e.g., enormous → enormously). They then complete Activity 2(b), filling in blanks using adverbs of manner (e.g., scarcely eat, gently threw).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate how adverbs add detail and precision to verbs, enhancing the description of the actions of the characters.
- Assessment Question 1: Use the modal 'ought to' to express the moral obligation the doctor had towards the old man.
- Assessment Question 2: Convert the adjective miraculous into an adverb and explain its meaning.
- Extended Activity: Prepare a description of the old man's physical struggle using descriptive language, ensuring the use of both adjectives and adverbs.
Period 8: Conversational English (Linkers)
- Learning Objective: To identify and apply Linkers (Signposting Expressions) to ensure clarity and coherence in sequencing events in a narrative.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Coherence, Sequence, Flow of Ideas.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Linker Analysis: Students compare two passages (A and B from the text) to understand how the use of linkers (e.g., then, next, consequently) improves the coherence and flow of information.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the primary function of linkers: to indicate sequence, consequence, or simultaneous events, making the passage clearer.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Linker Application: Groups complete Activity 1(d) (Unit I), matching linkers to their functions and filling in the blanks of sentences related to the story (e.g., Pelayo dragged the old man away... then locked him up).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate how the linker finally helps conclude the long narrative of the old man’s presence.
- Assessment Question 1: What linker should be used to indicate a consequence or result?
- Assessment Question 2: Fill in the blank: Elisenda was burdened with work __ the arrival of the crowd to see the old man (choose from afterwards/following/consequently).
- Extended Activity: Write a short narrative summarizing the main events of the story, ensuring the use of at least five different linkers.
Chapter 2: In the Attic (Wladyslaw Szpilman)
Period 1: The Encounter and the Power of Music
- Learning Objective: To analyze the initial, tense interaction between Szpilman and the German officer and understand the role of music in establishing a human connection.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Dignity, Music as a bridge, Fear, Universal Human Rights.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Reading Analysis: Students read the scene where the officer questions Szpilman and asks him to play the piano. They identify the physical reasons why Szpilman was hesitant to play (e.g., haven’t practiced, fingers were stiff, covered with dirt).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the emotional atmosphere after Szpilman played Chopin’s Nocturne, described as "gloomy and eerie," followed by a harsh German noise.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Character Insight: Groups analyze the officer’s agitated response: "Yes, I am! And ashamed of it, after everything that’s been happening". Discuss what this reveals about the conflict between the officer's uniform and his conscience.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the turning point where the officer moves from a detached official to a sympathetic human, offering food and advice.
- Assessment Question 1: What was the officer’s initial purpose when he came across Szpilman in the attic?
- Assessment Question 2: What did the officer offer to do if anyone discovered Szpilman playing the piano?
- Extended Activity: Prepare a character sketch of the German officer, highlighting his initial appearance and his sudden shift in attitude.
Period 2: Developing Trust and Survival
- Learning Objective: To examine the risks taken by the German officer to help Szpilman and the development of their bond of trust.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Trust, Compassion, Survival, Risk-taking.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Close Reading: Students identify the officer's specific actions to ensure Szpilman's safety and survival (finding the loft, bringing bread and jam wrapped in greaseproof paper, providing a warm eiderdown).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize why the officer had to whisper and leave hastily ("The guards saw me come in here, and I mustn’t stay long"), highlighting the inherent danger.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Vocabulary and Context: Discuss the term "en masse" used to describe the killing of Jews in concentration camps and gas chambers.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the definition of 'en masse' (all together/in a group) and its tragic context in the historical backdrop of the war.
- Assessment Question 1: Why did Szpilman firmly refuse the officer’s offer to take him to a village?
- Assessment Question 2: What prophecy did the officer make about the end of the war, urging Szpilman to "hang on"?
- Extended Activity: Write a short narrative detailing the scene where the officer brought the food package and Szpilman’s internal reaction.
Period 3: Isolation and Resilience
- Learning Objective: To analyze Szpilman’s deep sense of isolation and his mental struggle during the long, hopeless weeks in the attic.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Isolation, Psychological Impact of War, Resilience, Hope.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Emotional Analysis: Students analyze Szpilman’s thoughts during Christmas and New Year 1945, contrasting his current state ("lonelier, I supposed, than anyone else in the world") with his memories of having a home and family.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize why Szpilman concluded that he "had to be alone, entirely alone, if I wanted to live," highlighting the extreme conditions required for survival.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Dialogue Analysis: Analyze the final goodbye scene where the officer confirms their survival is "obviously God’s will for us to live". Discuss how this affirmation provides a source of strength.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate how the officer’s belief reinforced Szpilman's decision not to "lose heart".
- Assessment Question 1: Describe the atmosphere in the attic during the worst winter, detailing the sounds Szpilman heard.
- Assessment Question 2: Why did Szpilman feel that his hiding place was "well chosen"?
- Extended Activity: Prepare a small section of a "Wall of Hope" display, featuring a quote or suggestion to help end war for all time (Activity 1).
Period 4: Gratitude and Liberation
- Learning Objective: To evaluate Szpilman’s motivation for sharing his name and to describe the moment of Warsaw's liberation.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Gratitude, Foresight, Liberation, Future Planning.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Critical Incident: Students analyze Szpilman’s decision to share his name ("Szpilman, Polish Radio") at the last moment. They discuss his purpose: to repay the officer if he survived.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the officer’s reaction to this promise: a "half shy and embarrassed" smile, indicating pleasure at the gesture of future help.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Reading for Detail: Discuss the moment of liberation, noting the sequence of events: artillery fire dying down, silent Germans leaving, and finally the "loud and resonant noise" of the Polish radio broadcast.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the significance of the radio broadcasting announcements of the "defeat of Germany and the liberation of Warsaw".
- Assessment Question 1: Why did Szpilman refer to his wish to help the officer as "naive"?
- Assessment Question 2: Describe the shift in atmosphere in the building from 14 January to the early hours of the next day.
- Extended Activity: Imagine you are a podcaster interviewing Szpilman. Draft the script of a radio podcast focusing on his farewell with the officer and the liberation day (Activity 2).
Period 5: The Absurd Danger and Freedom
- Learning Objective: To analyze the final, absurd danger Szpilman faced (being mistaken for a German) and the immediate emotional impact of freedom.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Absurdity, Misidentification, Irony, Freedom.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Incident Analysis: Analyze the sequence of events leading to Szpilman being mistaken for a German: putting on the German overcoat, the woman’s scream ("A German!"), and being surrounded by Polish soldiers.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the "absurd" irony of his situation: being shot by Polish soldiers "on the very verge of freedom".
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Role Play/Discussion: Groups discuss the final dialogue with the young Polish officer who demands: "And what are you doing in the German coat?".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate Szpilman’s final reflection: walking through Warsaw streets "without fear, a free man, for the first time in almost six years," with only death behind him.
- Assessment Question 1: How did the German officer’s kindness almost lead to Szpilman’s death?
- Assessment Question 2: Explain the meaning of 'survivor testimony' and its importance in enriching history.
- Extended Activity: Prepare a write-up on the devastating effects of war on refugees and the importance of humanitarian aid (Activity 3).
Period 6: Character Contrast and Idioms
- Learning Objective: To identify and classify words/phrases that reveal the characters' traits and to understand the use of Idiomatic Expressions.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Characterization, Emotional Turmoil, Figurative Language.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Character Trait Table: Complete Activity 4, picking out words/phrases from the extract that reveal the feelings/emotions of both the pianist and the German officer (e.g., Szpilman's pain, sadness, fear vs. Officer's compassionate, pacifying).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how the analysis reveals the depth of Szpilman's emotional turmoil compared to the officer's controlled compassion.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Idiom Pictionary: Students analyze the meaning of the idiom "rack your brains". Groups then visualize and make sentences for two other idioms: "Hold your tongue" and "Spill the beans".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the definition of an idiom (a phrase whose meaning is not obvious from the individual words) and its function in enriching expression.
- Assessment Question 1: What does the German officer’s gesture of providing a warm eiderdown indicate about his character?
- Assessment Question 2: Use the idiom "A piece of cake" in a sentence to describe Szpilman’s ordeal.
- Extended Activity: Prepare a short script for a skit focusing on the devastation of war on families, based on the excerpt from E. Moshe’s letter (Activity 5).
Period 7: Language Study (Linkers and Adverbs)
- Learning Objective: To identify and apply Linkers (Signposting Expressions) and reinforce the use of Adverbs for narrative flow.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Coherence, Sequence, Precision in Language.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Linker Application: Students complete Activity 1(d) (Unit I), matching linkers to their functions and filling in the blanks of sentences related to the story (e.g., The conductor ended his speech. Following this, the play began).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the function of linkers: to indicate sequence, consequence, or simultaneous events, making the passage clearer.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Adverb Application: Groups complete Activity 2(c), filling in the blanks using appropriate adverb/adjective forms (e.g., quick learner → quickly grasped; nervous host → nervously greeted).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, adding detailed descriptions to actions.
- Assessment Question 1: Use the linker 'consequently' in a sentence to describe the result of Szpilman’s capture.
- Assessment Question 2: Fill in the blank with the correct adverb form: The officer responded __ to Szpilman’s question (choose from quick / quickly).
- Extended Activity: Write a short narrative summarizing the German officer’s actions, ensuring the use of at least three adverbs of manner.
Period 8: Language Study (Phrasal Verbs with 'Up' and 'Get')
- Learning Objective: To identify and use Phrasal Verbs beginning with 'up' and 'get' in appropriate contexts.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Phrasal Verbs, Contextual Meaning.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Phrasal Verb Matching: Students complete Activity 3(a), matching phrasal verbs with the preposition 'up' (e.g., bring up → to look after a child; turn up → to arrive or appear) with their meanings.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the complexity of phrasal verbs where the preposition changes the verb's meaning.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Phrasal Verb Charades/Application: Students complete Activity 3(c), filling in the blanks of a passage related to the old man (Unit I) using phrasal verbs like turn up, make up, give up, get up.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the specific meanings of the phrasal verbs used in the context of the story.
- Assessment Question 1: What does the phrasal verb look up mean in the context of searching for a word?
- Assessment Question 2: Use the phrasal verb call up (meaning summon or contact) in a sentence related to the military.
- Extended Activity: Look up the dictionary and make a list of five phrasal verbs beginning with 'get' (e.g., get along, get over) and note their meanings.
Unit IV: Woodland Whispers
Chapter 3: Shākuntalam (Kalidasa)
Period 1: The Hunt and the Hermits’ Warning
- Learning Objective: To analyze King Dushyanta’s initial disposition and his immediate adherence to the hermits' moral instruction.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Rajadharma (Duty to protect the innocent), Aesthetic Sense, Nature Conservation.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Reading Analysis: Students read the opening scene and analyze Dushyanta’s description of the deer’s movements, noting how the King appreciated its speed and beauty ("does not seem to run, but fly").
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how Dushyanta’s appreciation of the deer's form contrasts with his intent to kill it.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Thematic Analysis: Groups discuss the hermits' powerful warning against hunting in the hermitage, focusing on the simile: "As blossoms perish in the fire?".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate why Dushyanta put the arrow back ("It is done."), confirming that weapons were lent "The broken hearted to deliver, Not strike the innocent".
- Assessment Question 1: What does the simile comparing the deer's tender form to "blossoms perish[ing] in the fire" suggest?
- Assessment Question 2: Why did the hermits refer to Dushyanta as a "shining example of kings"?
- Extended Activity: Write a short paragraph on the implications of a king abandoning his duty for hunting pleasure, or honoring it when requested.
Period 2: Recognizing the Hermitage’s Sanctity
- Learning Objective: To understand the environment of the hermitage through Dushyanta’s detailed observations and analyze the value of piety and modesty.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Piety (Reverence for sacred spaces), Harmony with Nature, Modesty.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Detail Identification: Students identify the specific signs Dushyanta observed that proved the area was the "precinct of a pious grove" (e.g., rice grains dropped by parrot chicks, pounding stones with almond oil, deer that "do not run away").
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how the details reveal a harmonious co-existence where animals are "trustful" and humans live simply.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Character Action Analysis: Discuss why Dushyanta removed his regal attire ("Take these jewels and the bow") and chose to wear "modest garments" before entering.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the significance of Dushyanta's act, showing his respect and humility towards the sacred, simple lifestyle of the hermitage.
- Assessment Question 1: What does Dushyanta’s instruction to stop the chariot suggest about his character when approaching the hermitage?
- Assessment Question 2: According to the play, what are two pieces of evidence that show the hermitage is a place of peace?
- Extended Activity: Discuss and frame guidelines (Activity 4, Unit IV) for an ecotourism project inspired by the harmonious environment of the hermitage.
Period 3: Shakuntala’s Affection for the Trees
- Learning Objective: To analyze the portrayal of Shakuntala and her relationship with the trees, viewing nature through the lens of family and selfless service.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Sisterly Affection, Personification (of Nature), Selfless Service.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Dialogue Analysis: Students analyze Shakuntala’s dialogue where she says she feels "like a real sister" to the trees. They discuss Priyamvada's notion of watering the trees whose flowering time is past because "we shall not be working for a reward".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how the desire to water the non-flowering trees represents selfless care and respect for nature beyond immediate gratification.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Nature Love Documentation: Groups complete Activity 1 (Let's recall and recreate), listing specific dialogues where Shakuntala and others express their love for nature, focusing on the sisterly affection for the trees.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the powerful imagery of nature communicating: the mango tree "trying to tell me something with his branches that move in the wind like fingers".
- Assessment Question 1: What does Priyamvada mean by saying that watering the past-flowering trees would be a "better deed"?
- Assessment Question 2: How does the dialogue reveal Shakuntala’s deep emotional connection to the plants in the grove?
- Extended Activity: Prepare a character sketch of Shakuntala, focusing on her kindness and intimate relationship with nature.
Period 4: Symbolism and Foreshadowing (The Creeper and the King)
- Learning Objective: To interpret the symbols of the jasmine vine and the unseasonal buds, and analyze Dushyanta's poetic idealization of Shakuntala.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Symbolism, Metaphor, Destiny/Fate, Anticipation.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Metaphor/Symbolism: Students analyze the scene where Anasuya calls the jasmine vine "Light of the Grove" and note its choice of the mango tree as a "husband".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize Dushyanta's internal poetic observation, focusing on the metaphors used to describe Shakuntala's beauty (e.g., her lips are "blossoms red and warm").
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Foreshadowing Discussion: Analyze the meaning of the spring creeper being "covered with buds down to the very root" "out of season". Discuss why the friends quickly interpret this as a sign that she is "to be married soon".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the idea that nature itself seems to predict and celebrate Shakuntala's future happiness and romantic destiny.
- Assessment Question 1: Explain how the jasmine vine and the mango tree form a "pretty pair".
- Assessment Question 2: What specific phrase did the King use to idealize Shakuntala’s blossoming beauty?
- Extended Activity: Describe the scene (Activity 5, Unit IV) of the mango tree embraced by the jasmine vine in your own words.
Period 5: The Bee Attack and Theatrical Techniques
- Learning Objective: To analyze the dramatic function of the Bee Attack scene and understand the elements required for introducing a play.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Dramatic Technique, Suspense/Comedy, Role of the Protector.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Scene Analysis: Discuss the immediate cause of the "Bee Attacks". Analyze the friends' response: "Call upon King Dushyanta. He is the protector of the grove".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how this scene acts as a crucial plot device, giving Dushyanta a justifiable, non-intrusive reason to enter the girls’ conversation and introduce himself.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Theatrical Introduction: Students draft an introduction to Shākuntalam (Activity 3, Unit IV) for other Class 10 learners, highlighting the setting, characters, and sequence of events.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the importance of literary context (e.g., Kalidasa, Sanskrit origins, Arthur W. Ryder translation).
- Assessment Question 1: What is the term for the list of characters in a play?
- Assessment Question 2: How does the Bee Attack scene serve as a dramatic technique in the play?
- Extended Activity: Prepare a presentation on the importance of translation, listing works translated from English into your mother tongue and vice versa (Activity 1, Unit IV).
Period 6: Storyboarding and Visualizing Drama
- Learning Objective: To apply visualization techniques by preparing a storyboard for a dramatic scene from the play.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Storyboarding, Visualization, Cinematic Shots (Medium Shot, Close Up Shot).
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Storyboard Study: Students analyze the sample storyboard provided for "The Bee Attacks", identifying the features listed (e.g., Sketches, Background score, Shots).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the key features of a storyboard, noting how it helps a director "visualise an idea" and "plan shots".
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Storyboard Creation: Groups choose a scene (e.g., "King Dushyanta’s hunt being stopped by the hermits") and develop a storyboard, including three specific shots and relevant background score/sound effects.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate how visual elements (like the Close Up Shot on the hermits' hands) enhance the emotional impact of the narrative.
- Assessment Question 1: Why is a storyboard essential for creating a video based on a script?
- Assessment Question 2: Besides the Bee Attack, list two scenes from Shākuntalam suitable for a short video.
- Extended Activity: Develop the content for a blog (Activity 4(b), Unit IV) on the ecotourism project discussed in Period 2.
Period 7: Language Study (Future Tenses)
- Learning Objective: To use Present Simple and Present Continuous tenses correctly to express future events, differentiating between schedules and arrangements.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Time Reference, Grammatical Precision.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Tense Categorization: Students analyze sentences involving future time reference (e.g., "My train leaves at 5:30," "Mary is playing tennis tomorrow"). They categorize them into Present Simple for future events (fixed schedules) and Present Continuous for future events (future arrangements).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the rule: Fixed timetables or official schedules use Present Simple, while personal plans or arrangements use Present Continuous.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Application Exercise: Groups complete Activity 1(c) and 1(d) (Unit IV), filling in the blanks using the correct future tense form based on the context (e.g., The school reopens on Monday, I am visiting the doctor tomorrow).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate how the Tense usage provides specific nuances about the certainty or official nature of the future event.
- Assessment Question 1: If Dushyanta states his intent, "I will see her," what does the verb usage indicate?
- Assessment Question 2: Frame a sentence about a fixed bus departure time using the Present Simple Tense.
- Extended Activity: Write a conversation with a friend, discussing your plans for the upcoming weekend, using a mix of Present Simple and Present Continuous.
Period 8: Conversational English (Directions)
- Learning Objective: To practice giving and receiving directions and using related conversational expressions.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Navigational Language, Communication Skills.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Expression Listing: Students list common phrases used for giving directions (e.g., "Go straight," "Go along this road").
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the role of GPS in modern navigation (location, speed, estimated time required).
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Dialogue Completion: Groups complete Activity 2 (Unit IV), filling in the conversation between a tourist and a resident using directional phrases based on the provided map of the city.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate how specific language elements (like "Just turn left from there," "next to the library") ensure clear navigation.
- Assessment Question 1: Provide two expressions a resident would use when guiding someone to an unseen location.
- Assessment Question 2: If the Tourist is at the Library, how would he get to the Theatre?
- Extended Activity: Prepare a description of the route from your home to school, incorporating at least five directional phrases.
Unit V: Songs of the Self
Chapter 4: Préférence Nationale (Fatou Diome)
Period 1: Analyzing Societal and Legal Bias
- Learning Objective: To analyze the narrator's struggle for citizenship and employment in France, and interpret the social criticism and satire regarding Préférence Nationale.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Racism/Discrimination, The meaning of "Belonging," Satire.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Satirical Analysis: Students analyze the opening statement on Mr Borders and the laws changing "very quietly". They then discuss the satire in the statement: "my Senegalese cat has his papers. Perhaps it's because he's ginger".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how the narrator uses the cat comparison to highlight the absurdity of her lack of rights despite her French husband.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Thematic Discussion: Groups discuss the impact of the law, noting how "small employers" and ordinary people make the policy effective, like "worker ants" causing collapse.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the idea that institutional prejudice is enforced by everyday, commonplace actions.
- Assessment Question 1: What consequence did the law proposed by Mr Borders intend for the relationship between a foreign woman and a French citizen?
- Assessment Question 2: Why does the narrator say her friend had "no awareness of what life here was like for me"?
- Extended Activity: Draft a letter to the Senegalese Ambassador in France, seeking a solution to the narrator’s problem (Activity 1).
Period 2: The Bakery Rejection and Internal Dignity
- Learning Objective: To examine the narrator's first job rejection and analyze her internal monologue regarding colonial exploitation.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Prejudice, Dignity, Economic Exploitation, Resilience.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Reading for Bias: Students analyze the bakery owner's reaction to the narrator ("stared at me," "didn't like chocolate in the flesh"). They identify the impossible demand: "speak a little Al-sat-ian".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize why the narrator realized she "hadn’t made it through the qualifying round".
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Internal Monologue: Groups analyze the narrator's internal response to the owner's humiliation ("You have impoverished our African soil... plundered our resources... used my people as cannon fodder").
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate that despite the rejection, the narrator maintains her intellectual and historical dignity in her private thoughts.
- Assessment Question 1: Why did the narrator choose to apply for the bakery job despite having better qualifications?
- Assessment Question 2: What were the narrator's thoughts when the bakery owner suggested she go and work in her own country?
- Extended Activity: Write the likely diary entry of the narrator after being rejected for the salesgirl position (Activity 2).
Period 3: The Tutoring Interview and Explicit Racism
- Learning Objective: To analyze the second job-seeking experience (tutoring) and the confrontation over qualifications and race.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Educational Discrimination, Self-Worth, Confrontation.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Critical Incident Analysis: Students analyze the meeting at the café, identifying the demands made by the cashier's mother (asking to see her degree, then demanding "a European-type person").
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the irony of the situation, where the narrator’s intelligence and French qualifications were ignored in favor of race.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: The Parting Shot: Groups analyze the narrator’s final retort: “If you had what I have between my ears, you wouldn't be working as a supermarket cashier”. Discuss how she linked the refusal to pay for the mocktail to the "services of coloureds".
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the assertion of intellectual superiority in the face of blatant racism.
- Assessment Question 1: What does the narrator mean when she says: "when they want to sell something, national preference is nowhere to be seen"?
- Assessment Question 2: How did the woman justify rejecting the narrator for the tutoring job?
- Extended Activity: Draft a letter to the narrator's mother in Senegal narrating the incident and describing how discrimination affects her sense of identity (Activity 3).
Period 4: Radio Play Adaptation and Thematic Conclusion
- Learning Objective: To understand the structure and key features of a Radio Play and analyze how the story's emotional depth can be conveyed without visuals.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Dramatic Adaptation, Voice Modulation, Emotional Depth.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Radio Play Features: Students analyze the key features of a radio play (e.g., distinct voices, narration, SFX, expressive voice acting). They list the main characters and settings required for the Préférence Nationale adaptation.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize how sound effects (SFX) and music must be used to replace body language and facial expressions.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Thematic Conclusion: Groups analyze the narrator’s final statement: “My skin, at least, always keeps its dignity”. Discuss why this statement is a powerful thematic conclusion.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate that the narrator achieves emotional and moral victory, leaving the cashier scarlet and without her dignity.
- Assessment Question 1: What elements must a radio play rely on completely, due to the lack of visuals?
- Assessment Question 2: Why did the narrator refer to the money left unpaid for the mocktail as "travel expenses"?
- Extended Activity: Prepare a short script segment of the Radio Play, focusing on the confrontation scene, ensuring clear stage directions for SFX and emotional tone.
Period 5: Language Study (Correlative Conjunctions)
- Learning Objective: To apply Correlative Conjunctions ('either...or', 'neither...nor') to connect grammatically equal elements in sentences.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Correlative Conjunctions, Subject-Verb Agreement.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Conjunction Identification: Students analyze the usage of correlative conjunctions in the text and practice identifying the rule: the verb agrees with the noun closest to it.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the functions: 'Either...or' indicates two possibilities, while 'neither...nor' indicates two negative alternatives.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Application Exercise: Groups complete Activity 2(a) (Unit III), filling in the blanks using appropriate words and ensuring verb agreement.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the specific rule for subject-verb agreement with correlative conjunctions (e.g., if one noun is singular and the other plural, the verb agrees with the closest noun).
- Assessment Question 1: Combine the following using 'neither...nor': The cashier did not apologize. She did not feel remorseful.
- Assessment Question 2: Fill in the blank: Neither the cashier nor her friends __ (is/are) going to change their minds about the narrator.
- Extended Activity: Write three sentences about the difficulties faced by the narrator, using 'either...or' and 'neither...nor'.
Period 6: Language Study (Had Better / Would Rather)
- Learning Objective: To distinguish between 'had better' (advice/caution) and 'would rather' (preference) and use them correctly in context.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Modals of Advice/Preference, Grammar of Choice.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Tense Analysis: Students analyze sample sentences containing 'had better' and 'would rather,' determining the intended meaning (advice vs. preference).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the functional difference: 'Had better' expresses advice or caution, implying negative consequences if ignored.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Grammar Application: Groups complete Activity 2(a) (Unit V), placing sentences into the appropriate column (Sentence conveying advice/caution or Sentence conveying preference).
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the specific rule for 'would rather' when subjects are the same (base form) vs. different (simple past/past perfect).
- Assessment Question 1: Frame a sentence using 'had better' to express advice to the narrator’s friend regarding her job hunt.
- Assessment Question 2: What is the preferred action in the sentence: "I’d rather mend my old shoes than buy a new pair"?
- Extended Activity: Complete Activity 2(c) (Unit V) by framing sentences using 'would rather' based on given prompts.
Period 7: Language Study (Exclamatory Sentences in Reported Speech)
- Learning Objective: To practice converting Exclamatory Sentences from Direct to Indirect Speech, paying attention to tense shifts and linkers.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Reported Speech, Punctuation.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Grammar Analysis: Students analyze the conversion of exclamatory sentences from the café conversation (e.g., 'How rude of you, madame!'). They note the required use of the linker 'that' and the shift from exclamation marks to full stops.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize the required changes in reported exclamatory sentences: tense shift, pronoun change, and use of reporting verbs like exclaimed or cried out.
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Application Exercise: Groups complete Activity 3(c) (Unit V), reporting various exclamatory sentences related to the themes (e.g., "What a stunning view from your window!").
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the importance of tense shifts when reporting past conversations.
- Assessment Question 1: Report the following sentence: Cashier: "What nonsense! Go back to your jungle!".
- Assessment Question 2: Why is the exclamation mark removed when an exclamatory sentence is converted to reported speech?
- Extended Activity: Report the conversation between the Student and Teresa (from Beloved Boles) where they discuss the view, focusing on the exclamatory sentences.
Period 8: Conversational English (Interrupting and Apologizing)
- Learning Objective: To use expressions for politely interrupting a conversation and to practice extending/accepting apologies.
- Concepts and Ideas, Values or Moral: Conversational Etiquette, Conflict Resolution.
- Learning Activity 1 Explained: Expression Listing (Interrupting): Students analyze the narrator's conversation with her friend and list expressions used to intervene (e.g., "Do you mind if I interrupt?", "Please, let me finish").
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 1): Summarize polite ways to interrupt (e.g., "Excuse me," "I’m sorry to interrupt").
- Learning Group Activity 2 Explained: Role Play (Apology): Students analyze expressions for extending and accepting apologies (e.g., "I regret my outburst," "That's all right. It doesn't matter"). They draft a conversation where the woman from War apologizes to the stout man for her intrusive question.
- Summary Consolidation (Activity 2): Consolidate the need for empathetic language when dealing with sensitive topics, especially when extending apologies.
- Assessment Question 1: Provide two polite expressions for initiating an interruption during a formal discussion.
- Assessment Question 2: What expression should be used to accept an apology graciously?
- Extended Activity: Conduct a group discussion (Activity 3, Unit V) on 'How we can preserve our national and cultural identity,' focusing on respecting diverse opinions.
