EARTH HEALERS LESSON PLAN (Chapter 6)

Chapter 6: Miracles

This lesson plan is based on the output of Group 6, with massive revisions. Since this is the last chapter, there should be a good review of the previous chapters. This is also the time to complete the story map on the elements of a story. The engagement activities will involve a lot of writing, a skill that is increasingly being neglected in school nowadays.

I. Objectives
a. Determine the resolution to the conflict in the story
b. Complete the story map on the elements of a story
c. Demonstrate understanding of the story by making connections to self, other stories and the world story

II. Subject Matter

Skills:
Finding the resolution element in a story
Understanding all the elements of a story
Connecting the story to self, literature and the world

Value:
Caring for the community

Reference:
“Earth Healers” by Cyan Abad-Jugo, Chapter 6-Miracles, Philippine Daily Inquirer Learning section

Materials:
Newspaper, pictures, illustrations, charts, story map

III. Procedure

A. Pre-Reading

1. Review the previous chapters to establish connection to the present chapter (recalling events through pictures)

2. Unlocking of difficulties through pictures or demonstration
a. landslides
b. filled to the brim
c. ruined
d. giggling arm in arm
e. sigh with relief.

3. Motive questions:
What do you think happened to Jopi after his fall?
Was he successful in stopping the mining activity?

B. During Reading

The teacher reads and the class reads along. (Read with feelings the paragraphs about the giants and how Jopi felt for them; also the last paragraph.)

C. Post-Reading

1. Comprehension check - Answering the motive questions
a. Why was it called a miraculous quake? (No deaths)
b. What happened to the mines in Mt. Zoilo? (Mines have been completely covered because of earthquake.)
c. Where did Eddie find Jopi after the earthquake? (Eddie found Jopi lying on the rocks.)
d. Why were the villagers celebrating after the earthquake? (No one died, the Mayor is gone.)
e. Why can't Jopi talk to Tim and Guyabano anymore? (The spell is gone.)
e. Do you think the mining will continue in Mt. Zoilo? Why or why not?
f. What was Jopi’s dream for the community?

2. Discuss the resolution to the problem in the story. Resolution is the solution to the conflict or the problem. It is the action that the main character does to solve the problem. What was the problem in the story? (There is danger that the drilling at the mines would awaken the giants and cause a big earthquake.) What is needed to solve the problem? (The drilling has to stop, but first, someone has to tell the Mayor to stop the drilling.) Did the main character do something to resolve the problem? (Yes, Jopi talked to the Mayor. He also stopped the drill.) Was it nature that solved the problem? (Nature helped because the earthquake closed the mines.) After the discussion, the class can complete the story map for “Earth Healers”.

D. Skills Development – Making Connections

Making Connections is a comprehension strategy. You are better able to understand a story if you can identify with what you are reading. If you have connections with a story, chances are you will remember it more.

There are three kinds of connections you can have with the stories or books you are reading:

1. Text-to-Self Connection is when characters or parts in the story remind you of something that happened in your life. Ask the students: Does anything in the story remind you of anything in your life? Can you relate to any of the characters in the story? (Example: When Aling Dahlia was scolding Jopi, it reminded me of my mother who would scold me whenever I came home late from school.)

2. Text-to-Text Connection is when characters or parts in the story remind you of another book or story. Ask the students: What does this remind you of in another story you have read? How is this story similar to other stories that you have read? How is this different? (Example: When Jopi hurled himself to the truck to stop the drill, it reminded me of the story of the boy who put his finger into the hole in the dike to save his village from flooding.)

3. Text-to-World Connection is when characters or parts of the story relate to what has happened or is happening in society, in your community, in the country or in the world. Ask the students: What does this remind you of in real life? How are events in this story similar to things that happen in the real world? How are they different? (Example: The landslide in the part about the tree spirits reminded me of the landslides in Leyte and Mindanao where lots of people died.)

It is important to model this activity. Teacher must talk about her/his own connections. Then use this chart to write in the responses of the students.

Text-to-Self
In the story (name the character, action or event) This reminds of when . . .
Text-to-Text
In the story (name the character, action or event) This reminds of the story/book . . .
Text-to-World
In the story (name the character, action or event) This reminds of when . . .

E. Enrichment Activities

Group 1 - Pretend you are a group led by Jopi. Write a letter to the remaining giants inviting them to come out of the Earth’s crust and live above ground. Use stories from the Inquirer to tell the giants what they have been missing by living in the dark underground. Convince them of how much more they would enjoy life out in the open. What good can they do for others if they live above ground?

Group 2 – Write a detailed description of your dream community. Make a drawing of it. What kind of school, hospital, church, market, etc. will it have? Will services be free? What kind of businesses will your community have? Will you allow mining? What about dynamite fishing? How about logging? Use the Inquirer as reference.

Group 3 – Continue the story and write a Chapter 7. Maybe the group can look into the possibility that the Mayor is still alive. Will the mining continue? Will the Governor close it down for good? What work will there be for the miners if the mining is stopped? Complete the story with an illustration. (Note to teacher: Inquirer will give a prize to each member of the group that writes the best Chapter 7 submitted to the Learning Editor.)

Group 4 – Recall the opening scene of the story in Chapter 1 (Jopi's mother and uncle are talking about the cow that is turning white). Then read the closing scene in Chapter 6 (Jopi goes to see Tim and Guyabano and the scene ends with the three of them looking over the village they helped save). Those scenes are examples of effective writing. As a group write a different opening scene and a different ending for the story. Present the new opening and ending as Reader’s Theater.

Group 5 – Make a big, colorful poster with a catchy slogan on the theme “Caring for the Environment.”

E. Evaluation: Student Activity Guide from the Learning section, PDI

EARTH HEALERS LESSON PLAN (Chapter 4)

Chapter 4: The Danger

THIS lesson plan is for Chapter 4 of "Earth Healers" by Cyan Abad-Jugo (read it on p. H4, Learning, Inquirer, Oct. 1, 2012). I have revised Group 4's output by expanding the vocabulary as well as the cause and effect lessons.

If anyone from Group 5 or 6 cares to revise their group's output, please email revisions to me at cbformoso@inquirer.com.ph and learning@inquirer.com.ph ASAP.

Here's a suggestion to our Bench-IIE partner teachers: Instead of a quiz or any other form of evaluation, consider the Student Activity Guide that comes with the chapter story as an evaluation. After the students have accomplished the Guide, please evaluate for correct answers, neatness and creativity before submitting to the Inquirer.

Again, if you can, please take the time to teach the students about the earth's structure and what can cause earthquakes, if this is something that their Science teacher cannot do. I understand that earthquakes are in the Grade 6 Science curriculum. If you're teaching fourth or fifth graders, please give a brief scientific explanation for earthquakes.


I. Objectives

Use compound words
Identify cause and effect relationships in the chapter story.
Develop the sense of concern for others.

II. Subject Matter

Forming compound words
Understanding cause and effect
Developing concern for others

Reference: Philippine Daily Inquirer, “Earth Healers” Chapter 4 – The Danger

Materials:
Inquirer Learning Section, cause and effect Manila strips (teacher made), strips of paper to make into a chain, construction paper, pictures

Value: Concern for others

III. Procedure

A. Pre-reading

1. Drill

Match Column A to Column B to form compound words

A	B
1. earth 2. motor 3. break 4. out 5. under	a. fast b. stand c. side d. cycles e. quake

2. Review previous chapters.

3. Vocabulary: Unlocking of difficulties (contextual clues)

1. Gossamer strands of hair.
a. substantial b. delicate c. sturdy

2. Jopi wished he had not raised his voice above a whisper.
a. soft speech b. loud voice c. noise

3. “Find the mayor,” chittered the trees, and Jopi could see them, the tree-spirits, joining voice.
a. yelled b. shouted c. chirped

4. If just one wakes, he’ll be angry, and there will be a tremblor.
a. tribute b. commotion c. earthquake

5. It will set off volcanoes, or unleash the river into your town.
a. release b. control c. predict

6. Big, burly men on motorcycles followed the Mayor’s car.
a. obese b. muscular c. slim

7. He felt quiet and becalmed, and fell asleep.
a. soothed b. tired c. anxious

8. Jopi woke in a sea of sweat, scrabblingat his mat.
a. struggling b. screaming c. whispering

9. The hens whirled above their heads in a flurry of feathers.
a. sea b. gust c. confusion

10. Jopi squared his shoulders and sat in front.
a. stood up straight b. slumped c. shook

4. Motivation

Newspaper connection: Show pictures of calamities taken at mine sites or depicting the dangers caused by mining.

5. Motive Questions

Based on these pictures, what might happen to a community with a mining industry?
Can a young boy help his community at a time of danger?

B. During Reading – Guided reading

C. Post-Reading

1. Comprehension check

a. Who are the earth healers?
b. What will happen if the giants are disturbed from their sleep?
c. Where do the giants live?
d. When does work start at the mine?
e. Why does Jopi need to find the mayor?
f. If you were Jopi, would you do the same? Why/why not?

2. Skills Development

Discuss cause and effect. Cause is why something happens, or an action in the story that makes something happen. Effect is the result of the action or the cause. There are signal words for C&E: because, therefore, so, since, as a result of, on account of, for this reason, led to, due to.

a. Demonstrate cause and effect (C&E): Bring a balloon and stick a pin into it. Then ask the class, “Why did the balloon pop (or burst)?” The class will get that sticking the pin is the cause and effect is the popping of the balloon. Or dip a roll of paper into a glass of water and ask, “Why is this paper wet?” Students should be able to relate the cause to the effect.

b. Draw two columns on the board. On the second row of the right column, write: “I got a high score in the test.” On the left opposite it, write, “I studied for the test.” Ask the class which is the cause and which is the effect. Then write the heading “Cause” on the first row of the left column and the heading “Effect” on the first row of the right column. Ask the students to write more examples of this from everyday school experiences on the board.

c. Relate C&E to the story. Each action a character (cause) makes has a consequent reaction (effect). Distribute pre-made strips of Manila paper containing causes and effects from the story (see chart below for examples). Ask the students to find the matching cause (or effect) to the strips of paper they are holding and tape the matching C&E on the board.

Cause	Effect
if a giant awakens	he'll be angry
because they are getting too weak	the Earth-healers cannot take care of the giants for long
due to the machine drilling too deep into the earth	there will be an earthquake
when the volcano is set off and the river is unleashed	there will be many deaths and much suffering
Jopi cannot see the Mayor sitting in the car	because the car windows are tinted too dark
if they ride in the jeepney with Eddie	they will get to the mountain much faster

D. Engagement activities

Group 1: Make a C&E paper chain with a cause then an effect that then becomes the cause for another effect, and so on and so forth – all from the story, including what you remember from the previous chapters.

Group 2: Make a C&E window using construction paper. The front will show a drawing of the cause taken from this chapter and has a frame around it. When you open the “window” a drawing of the effect is on the inside. Color both illustrations and decorate the window frame. Write down the C&E at the bottom.

Group 3: Write a Readers’ Theater script of a scene from the chapter that shows examples of C&E. Present in class.

Group 4: Cut out pictures or headlines from the Inquirer showing cause and effect. For example: A picture of flooding and people evacuating their homes.

E. Evaluation

The class will work on the Student Activity Guide on page H4, Learning section, (PDI, Oct. 1, 2012). Students' work will be evaluated by teacher before submission to the Learning editor the following Monday.

EARTH HEALERS LESSON PLAN (Chapter 3)

Chapter 3: Beneath the Mines

THIS lesson plan is for Chapter 3 of "Earth Healers" by Cyan Abad-Jugo (read it on p. I6, Learning, Inquirer, Sept. 24, 2012). I have substantially revised Group 3's output. I was hoping someone from the group would email me a revised lesson plan, but since nobody did, I went ahead and wrote this. Again, feel free to use just portions or all of this plan. I'd encourage teachers to seriously think of teaming up with the Science teacher beginning with this chapter because the students need to learn the scientific explanation for earthquakes. Please emphasize to the students that real earthquakes are not caused by giants rumbling and grumbling underground.

I. Objectives

Note details of the story’s setting
Use the dictionary and the thesaurus as writing tools
Identify the uses of figures of speech: alliteration and hyperbole
Write sentences using alliteration and hyperbole
Define and identify foreshadowing

II. Subject Matter

Defining and identifying the setting
Using the dictionary and the thesaurus
Understanding figures of speech
Writing sentences using alliteration and hyperbole

References:
1. Philippine Daily Inquirer Learning Section
“Earth Healers” by Cyan Abad-Jugo, Chapter 3: Beneath the Mines
2. Dictionary
3. Thesaurus

Materials:
Bond paper, pencil, scissors, coloring pencils

III. Procedure

A. Pre-reading activities:

1. Motivation

Set up the lesson by asking:

What are the parts of a story?
What does the setting tell you about a story?
How important is the setting in a story?
Have you experienced an earthquake?
Have you ever been to a mining site?

2. Motive Question

What kind of place did Jopi discover with Tim?

3. Unlocking of difficult words

Look up the meaning of each of the following words in the dictionary and use each in your own sentence.

seismic                         quivered                           fissure
shuddering                        shaft                           discernible
blasted                         discernnible                          sagely

B. During Reading

Shared Reading: Divide the class into three groups. Assign one group to read Jopi’s part, another group to read Tim’s part and the third group to read the rest of the text as narrator.

C. Post-Reading Activities

1. Comprehension check-up

a. So far, who are the characters in the story?
b. How did Jopi get underground?
c. How did the author describe the trip of Jopi and Tim to the mines?
d. Can you describe the setting of this chapter?
e. If you were Jopi, would you feel safe in this setting? Why or why not?
f. What caused the earthquake while Jopi and Tim were in the mines?
g. What is the earth’s crust made of?
h. Who put Jopi under a spell so he could see underground?
i. Why was Jopi put under the spell?

2. Engagement activities

The class will be divided into fIve groups to do different activities.

a. Readers Theater: Rewrite this chapter in your own words into a simple script that can be read in class.
b. Imagine what it is like underneath the mines from the descriptions of the author and make an illustration.
c. Find an example of a setting in the newspaper (example, a community, a house, a street). Cut out the picture and paste it on a piece of blank paper. Write a short story using this setting. Share your story with the class to illustrate how setting is an integral part of
d. Using a T-chart, compare and contrast the feelings of Jopi as he and Tim were going down the tunnel into the mines.
e. Interview with a Giant: Pretend you are face to face with one of the giants in this story. Ask questions about what they’d prefer to happen to the mines.

D. Reading-Writing Connection

1. Identifying alliteration

The author uses a figure of speech called alliteration to make her writing more interesting. Alliteration means repeating the same letter sound at the beginning of several words in a sentence. What letter sound is repeated in each of the following sentences from the story? In some sentences, there are two letter sounds that are repeated. (NOTE: Be sure to take out the italicized answers if you are going to reproduce these sentence on PowerPoint.)

a. Boiling, broiling, unbearable heat blasted into his face. (b)
b. The quaking ceased, shuddering to a stop. (s)
c. He saw so many giants, side by side and foot to foot, heaped high. (s, f, h)
d. Each movement made a sound, from a scritch to a scrape to a scrunch. (s)
e.. Some giants grimaced and groaned, as if struggling to surface from some dream. (g, s)

2. Identifying hyperbole

The author also uses the figure of speech called hyperbole, which means an exaggeration or excessive description used only for emphasis and not to be taken literally.

In the following examples from the story, the hyperbole is the italicized portion in each sentence. What do these words mean?

a. The tunnel was so cold Jopi felt as if he were freezing into an icy pebble.
b. Sometimes he felt he was hardening into a diamond.
c. You cannot go too far down underground or you will burn into a crisp.
d. The extreme temperature can make you feel like you’re freezing into a popsicle.
e. Jopi began to think he was sitting in an oven, with the knob turning slowly from low to medium to high.

3. Exercise #1 – Alliteration

Identify the letter sound in the alliteration in each sentence. Using a dictionary and a thesaurus, write your own version of the alliteration underneath each sentence.

1. Betty bought some butter but the butter was bitter.
2. The crazy cat climbed up the couch.
3. Don’t dream it, drive it.
4. I wait and wonder why she won’t walk with me.
5. Students who stay up late stunt their growth.
6. It is really vexing that in Vampire Village there are only vultures.
7. Maria must me at the market on Monday.
8. The dog dashed down the street.
9. Thank you for the thumbs up.
10. Fairy tales are fairly fun for families to read.

4. Exercise #2 – Hyperbole

In the following sentences, underline the hyperbole. Using a dictionary and a thesaurus, change each sentence by making up your own hyperbole.

a. The girl says she thinks of her “crush” gazillion times a day.
b. I’m dying of hunger and there’s absolutely nothing to eat in the kitchen .
c. Our town is so small if you blink at the welcome arch you will miss it.
d. My mother is so busy I have to make reservations two weeks ahead for a hug.
e. The boy’s school bag weighs a ton and if you carry it you will break your back.
f. I will kill you if you don’t call me.
g. He was so tired he thought he could sleep for a year.
h. The traveler would give a fortune for a bowl of soup.
i. Pacquaio is so bent on winning he turned into a raging bull in the ring.
j. She cried buckets of tears over him.

F. Student Activity Guide (Go to page I6, Learning, Inquirer, Sept. 24, 2012)

G. Evaluation

H. Integration with other subjects

Science: What is the earth’s inner structure? What causes earthquakes?
Art: Interpret this chapter through a storyboard.