A Multi-Skill Course in English

CLASS: VIII - LESSON PLAN 3

PROSE TANGERINE THE WASP

GENERAL AIM:
To attain proficiency in the language skills

SPECIFIC AIM:

1. To use the lesson as a vehicle for teaching the basic skills of

English language
2. To use stimuli from the lesson to enhance the learners word
power
3. To exploit the lesson to make the teaching of various grammatical
items realistic and practical

APPROACH Interactive, learner centred

STEPS

1. Warming up the learners

2. Learners interaction with the text
3. Language based activities
4. Grammar in context
5. Writing Tasks
6. Reinforcement Activities

1. Warming up the learners

1. Warming up the learners

This is achieved by initiating discussion on the theme through a preview task. The
aim of the preview task is to arouse the learners interest and activate relevant
language. It is achieved by exposing the learners to

A short poem on limerick
A short story
An anecdote or
A visual with a caption

It is followed by initiating a discussion on the study material. Detailed discussion

is not required. Here are a few verses excerpted from the Hitopidasa which talk
about merits of peace and demerits of war. The similarity of thematic content
makes it a suitable preview task for introducing the learners to the lesson
Tangerine the Wasp.

Dangeroneshouldalwaysbedread

Aslongasitisfaraway.

Butonceitisuponyourhead

Strikeablowasheroesmay.

Whenfromassailantstodraw

Uselessdoesthewisemansee,

Hegoestobattlereadyfor

Deathbesidetheenemy

Whenfighting,onealivecouldstay,

Butnottofightmakesruinsure.

Then,asallthesagessay,

Itissurelytimeforwar.

Oneshouldanydoubtavoid

Thatinawarbothpartiesmay

Sometimestogethergetdestroyed

Oneshouldlookforpeacefulties

Witheventhoseofequalsize

Forvictoryisneversure

Inthegrimcontestofwar.


WerenotSundaandUpasunda

Peers,yetslainbyoneanother?

Whenyoumustdestructionface,

Makepeaceevenwiththebase.

Forwithouttheirsanctuary,

Thenobleonesfacejeopardy.

Nowheresaysthescripturallore

Thatwiththemightyoneshouldwar.

Nevercouldtheraincloudgo

Againstthewaythewinddoesblow.

Hewhohasmanybattleswon,

Whenhemakeshispeacewithone,

Hisfamewillmakeonesenemies

Alsoquicklysueforpeace.

In order to arouse the learners interest and link it with the lesson, following
questions may be asked.

(i) What is the advice given about facing danger?

(ii) Under what circumstances is it advisable to go to battle?

(iii) What according to all the sages is the time for war?

(iv) Whats the sure outcome of war?

(v) Why should one make peace even with the people of same caliber?

(vi) What should one do when one is face to face with destruction?

(vii) What is the advice given to a person who has won many battles and why?

Heres a story about the futility of fighting wars. Narrated by a wasp, the story is a
satire on the thinking of human beings, their wisdom. Lets read and find out, how
a Doctor, Doctor Dolittle is entertained and enlightened by a wasp.

2. LEARNERS INTERACTION WITH THE TEXT

A thorough interaction with the text is attained through carefully planned

activities with the language components as their integral parts. These activities aid
in the comprehension of text by exploiting different reading strategies like
skimming, scanning, inferring and evaluating. The learners should be asked to read
the story silently and do the activities as shown below.

LISTING INFORMATION

Read from One of the most.from the older relatives and answer these
questions

(i) Who has been referred to as the tiny little creature? What was he called and
why?

(ii) What was the one of the favourite stories narrated by Tangerine?

(iii) Where was the battle field of Bunkerloo situated?

(iv) Where were the wasp nests?

(v) What did the wasps think of wars? What was their opinion about fighting wars?

(vi) Pick out the expression which indicate the absolute futility of fighting wars?

(vii) How did the narrator know about these wars?

(viii) Why were the wasps sick of wars?

Now read the Unit One evening,.. one of the messiest and answer the
questions)

COMPARISON AND JUDGEMENT

(i) What did Tangerine determine to do when it heard from her uncles that there
was going to be another battle?

(ii) Pick out the lines which indicate that Tangerine had a great sense of
responsibility.

(iii) How were the wasps awakened? What did Tangerine want to do? What does
it tell us about her?

(iv) Who did Tangerine see on the hills? What made Tangerine think that this
person was important?

(v) By what name did Tangerine call him? Was it his real name? Give reasons for
your answer.

(vi) Go back to the last few lines of Unit II and pick out the words which suggest
that Tangerine was making a fun of this person.

(vii)After reading this unit, what kind of picture of Tangerine emerges in your
mind?

Now read the following unit (I felt so furious ..marmalade, please.) and answer
the questions

INFERRING AND EVALUATING

Say, whether the following statements are true or false.

(i) Tangerine felt furious when she heard General Blohardi snapping out his
pompous orders.

(ii) The blow of a bugle and the roar of cannon announced the battle.

(iii) The object of the battle of Bunkerloo was to gain possession of the valley.

(iv) Each party had its own plans about the valley after its possession.

(v) When Tangerine noticed the horses move restlessly, she decided to bite the
horse rather than General Blohardi.

(vi) Tangerine took pity on the horse and decided not to bite it.

(vii)The horse galloped fast on being stung by the wasp thrice.

(viii) When the Bombasteromans saw their General in full fight, they decided to
join their enemies.

(ix) The battle came to an end because of the clever trick played by Tangerine.

(x) Tangerine was awarded gold medal for his job.

EXTRAPOLATIVE

(i) What is the message that the writer wants to convey through this story?
Do you agree with it?

(ii) Do you think that Tangerine the wasp had enlightened Doctor Dolittle?
Give reasons for your answer

(iii) Do you think that Tangerine the wasp is an apt title? Could you
suggest another title?

3. LANGUAGE BASED ACTIVITIES

(i) Heres an incomplete word web of words connected with fighting wars. Study it
carefully and complete it.

F___T G_N_P_R
G__L

CO___D DE__T

CA__N
B___E
WAR
RU__N
CA___N

E___N
SH___T
BA__E
EX___E
F___E

(ii) Select any ten words from the above word-web and construct your own
sentences.

4. GRAMMAR IN CONTEXT

(i) Complete the following sentences by supplying appropriate object complements

selected from these given in the box below.

difficult,crazy,monitor,write,busy

(i) Sidhant found the sums ______________

(ii) The class teacher appointed Karishma ______________

(iii) I painted room _________________

(iv) Rohans pranks drove his mother ___________________

(v) Looking after his pup, Oreo kept Gaurav ________________


(ii) Fill in the blanks in the following passage with the correct form of the past
tense of the verbs given in brackets

Now Wiggie, who _____________ (leave) home clearing up, ______________

(finish) his bit of work and ________________ (set off) after the others. He had
with him his set of engine cigarette cards, and he _______________ (look) at them
as he ________________ (go). Suddenly they ________________ (slip) out of his
hand and down they _________________ (go) into the road! Wiggie
_________________ (kneel) down to pick them up.

5. WRITING TASKS

Read the following

(i) Like a dove midst birds of prey

Is one with many enemies.

He perishes soon, whichever way,

Terrified, he tries to flee.

(ii) One untimely gone to fight

Gets killed, as was the crow at night,

By one with opportunity-

The owl who could in darkness see.

Expand the above ideas and write paragraphs of 150-200 words each

6. REINFORCEMENT TASKS

(i) GROUP WORK

Work in groups of 5-6 students and write articles for your display board/
school magazine on the ideas expressed in the verses given below.

A child knows not the consequence
Of using or not using might,
Nor has it any influence;
So, for it none wish to fight

The aged and the invalid

Have neither zest nor energy:
Their own men bring down both, indeed
Of this no doubt can ever be.

One whom all his kin disown,

Its easy to put away.
Win them with some favours shown,
And him they themselves will slay.

(ii) HOME ASSIGNMENT

(i) Learn to read-1

Answer question 1-4 Pg 156 CB 8

(ii) LEARN WORDS

Do the exercises 1 and 2 pg 157, CB 8

(iii) LEARN GRAMMAR

Study sections A,B and C and do the exercises page 159-161, CB 8

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