EARTH HEALERS LESSON PLAN (Chapter 5)

LESSON PLAN
Chapter 5: The Awakened Giants

This lesson plan is based on the output of Group 5. The crossword puzzle would have been a perfect way to review the previous chapters, but it turned out to be too cumbersome to include in this blog. I don't have a techie's know-how to do it. It should be much easier to create a puzzle on Manila paper.

It is important to complete the discussion on the elements of the story by this chapter because the conflict is presented full-blown here. I've also included a lesson on point of view or perspective here.

Feel free to include any language skill that you need to teach this quarter. I absolutely think you can teach any grammar skill using this story.

I. Objective

Identify the elements of a story
Understand the point of view in a story

II. Subject Matter

Skills:
Identifying the elements of the story
Understanding point of view

Reference:
“Earth Healers” by Cyan Abad-Jugo, Chapter 5–The Awakened Giants

Materials:
Philippine Daily Inquirer Learning section, Power Point Presentation (pictures), graphic organizers (story map)

III. Procedure

A. Pre-Reading

Review previous chapters.

Unlocking of difficulties (context clues, may be demonstrated; for each word ask for the equivalent in Filipino)

1. Mr Munuri, wringing his hands, asked the crowd why they came to the mines.
a. wrinkling b. folding c. twisting

2. The people saw the room where the gold was filtered out from the sludge.
a. mud b. powder c. slice

3. Jopi had always wanted to see what a gold nugget looked like.
a. bracelet b. lump c. bird

4. The mayor came out of the makeshift, air-conditioned office.
a. temporary b. concrete c. permanent

5. The drill juddered to a stop.
a. exploded b. rang c. vibrated

Motivation
Show pictures of the aftermath of earthquakes and landslides using PPP

Motive question:
If you were Jopi, what would you do to save your town from a big earthquake?

B. During-Reading

1. The students will read the story silently.
2. The teacher will read the story aloud with occasional questions.

C. Post-Reading

1. Comprehension check (may be made into a crossword puzzle or a game):

Who was the mayor’s foreman?
Where did Jopi meet the mayor?
What was being mined?
What vehicle did Jopi stop?
What caused the mine to cave in?
Who grabbed the mayor?

2. Discussion of the elements of a story.

Guide the students through a discussion of characters, setting, plot, conflict, etc. so they can fill in the rest of the Story Map first introduced in the Chapter 2 Student Activity Guide.

D. Skills Development

Discuss point of view (POV) or perspective. Who is telling the Earth Healers story? Obviously, the story is not being told from a first-person POV. There is no “I” character who is witnessing and reporting what is happening in the mines and in the community.

Explain that the story is told from a third-person POV, using “he,” “she” or “they” instead of “I”. With third-person POV, the writer presents the story by following the main character (Jopi) and letting the reader know about Jopi’s thoughts and feelings, as well as what he sees. So the reader gets to know about the events in the story as Jopi gets involved in them.

1. Identifying the POV

Ask the class whose POV is presented in the following examples (answers are in parentheses).

I can see a woman and a young boy approaching the gate. The miners are moving in and out of the tunnel entrance. We need to keep working so the drill can go further down into the tunnel, but I have to stop directing the miners so I can meet these uninvited guests. I’m worried they might bring trouble. “What are you doing?” I asked. “What do you want? No onlookers allowed here." (Mr. Munuri)

“I need to talk to the Mayor,” I said to the foreman, who frowned at me. I am not welcome at the mines. I’ve tried getting inside the mines before but I was turned away. They think I’m a trouble maker. But I know Jopi needs my help. He’s just a young boy. (Aling Cita)

Suddenly the ground shuddered. Many of those miners underground rushed to the surface, screaming. I broke free from the Mayor's hold. I have to stop that drill. I have to do something quick. I ran to the truck and hurled myself up to face the monster drill. I saw the shock on the face of worker manning the drill. “Stop!” I screamed. (Jopi)

2. Retelling the story from other POVs:
Ask the class to rewrite paragraphs from the story from the POV of:

(a) the Mayor
(b) the earth-healers
(c) the awakened giant
(d) Jopi's mother

E. Engagement Activities

Groups 1, 2 and 3 – Stage a debate over the mining issue, with time limit. Group 1 will present the points of view of the government, the mining companies, the workers and people who use and buy gold. Group 2 will present the points of view of environmentalists and the people in the town where he mining is located. Group 3 students will serve as moderators and judges.

Group 4 - Present the important confrontation scene with the Mayor, the awakening of the giant and the earthquake through Reader's Theater.

Group 5 - Create a colorful poster containing a collage of young heroes from the stories in the newspaper.

F. Evaluation (Student Activity Guide from the Learning section, PDI)

EARTH HEALERS LESSON PLAN (Chapter 2)

Chapter 2: The Underground Rat

THIS lesson plan is for Chapter 2 of "Earth Healers" by Cyan Abad-Jugo (p. H4, Learning, Inquirer, Sept. 17, 2012). This is Group 2's output during the IIE Teachers' Workshop, with revisions by teacher Marnelli Bautista of Kabayanan Elementary School in San Juan. Teachers, parents and students: Feel free to use the entire plan or just parts of it.

I. Objectives
A. Analyze characters through differentiated activities.
B. Unlock difficult words through context and picture clues.
C. Write a letter to a character in the story.
D. Identify the emotions being expressed in the statements, pictures, and other media.

II. Subject Matter
A. Chapter 2 – The Underground Rat
Analyzing characters through graphic organizers
Writing Skills
Identifying emotions expressed in statements, pictures, and other media

B. Philippine Daily Inquirer Learning Section
“Earth Healers” by Cyan Abad-Jugo

Value Integration: Compassion

C. Pictures, video clips, exercises, art materials, graphic organizers

III. Learning Activities

A. Pre-reading activities

1. Motivation

The class will answer the first column of the KWL chart. The teacher may use guide questions if necessary.

KNOW	WANT	LEARNED
Parts, features of a rat • What do you know about a rat? • How does a rat look? • What do rats do? • Where do you usually find rats?	***	***

2. Vocabulary Development

The teacher will use context clues for the first two items and picture clues for the last three items.

a. beckoned – The teacher beckoned to the students who seemed to have forgotten the next scene for their acting class on stage.

What could the teacher do to beckon to the students? What does “beckon” mean?

1. To nod or gesture
2. To reprimand
3. To smile
4. To greet

b. jolted – My naughty cousin jolted his kid sister who was busy reading a story book.
1. ran
2. kissed
3. amazed
4. moved in a jerky or abrupt manner

How did the kid sister react after she was jolted? What does “jolted” mean?

c. whiskers – The cat’s whiskers framing its mouth are as soft as its fur.
1. mouth
2. tail
3. body
4. bristles or hairs growing on the side of the mouth of an animal

D. forepaw – The lion attacked and it raised its forepaw . It caught the animal by surprise.

What could be the equivalent of a “forepaw” in a human being?

1. Front limb of an animal
2. Back limb of an animal
3. Hind leg of an animal
4. wings

E. cavern – The cavern is big enough to house a group of mountaineers stranded on their journey.
1. space
2. lobby
3. enclosure
4. natural underground chamber/cave

Where can you find caverns? What does “cavern” mean?


3. Raising of the Motive Question

The students will construct their own questions based on the title of Chapter 2 or from what they still remember from Chapter 1, in order to set the purpose for reading.

KNOW	WANT	LEARNED
***	The teacher may either write the question on the board or allow the students to write on the board themselves.	***

B. During Reading Activities

Readers’ Theater (Pre-select some students to read specific story parts.)

C. Post-Reading Activities

1. Complete the KWL chart.

The class will have to go back to the KWL chart and check the questions that were answered from the Want column. Then, they will have to write down what else have they learned from the story.

2. Comprehension Check-up

a. Whose voice did Jopi hear as they went home in their tricycle? What did it say?
b. Who is Mang Celso? What happened to him according to Mang Pedring?
c. Who visited Jopi in the middle of the night? What did it want to do with him?
d. How did Jopi manage to go out with Tim without being seen by his parents?
e. If you were Jopi, would also go out with Tim or not? Why?
f. What details in the story would tell you of the dangers at the mines?

3. Differentiated activities

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

a. Dress-a-character
Task: Choose a member to be dressed up as Tim, the Rat. Use any available materials to fit the description in the story. Provide a line or two that Tim can say in order to convince Jopi to come with him to the mines.

b. Different Perspective
Task: Fill out the graphic organizer below from the point of view of Tim to come up with a position statement regarding the mining activity in Mount Zoilo. (Please see the last page.)

c. Create-a-scene
Task: Act out a scene of how other animals and creatures can get the attention of Jopi and signal him for help like what the tree spirits and Tim did in the story.

d. Character Report Card
Task: Evaluate the character of Jopi with regards to his actions and feelings in the story. Write at least five adjectives and his corresponding grade for each. Provide one detail in the story that will support the grade you will give in your oral explanation.

e. Interview with Mang Celso
Task: Choose two members to act as Mang Celso and a news reporter. Use at least ten WH and YN questions to conduct an interview about his experiences as a victim of a mining accident.

f. Character Monologue
Task: Choose one member to act as another victim of a mining accident. She/he will narrate her/his experiences using past tense of the verbs. Provide props and sound effects if necessary.

F. Reading-Writing Connection
Choose any of the activities below:
1. Write a letter of support to any of the characters that you identify with in the story. Indicate your feelings and insights about what they did in the story and the reason why you are supporting them.

2. Write a get-well letter to Mang Celso. Discuss your feelings about the accident that took place and how you might want to help him in any way possible.

3. Write a wish list to Tim, the Rat. Choose a controversial or problematic place you wish to visit and convince him why he should accompany you there.

G. Skill Development

1. Using statements

Directions: Choose from the word below the emotion that is best expressed in the following statements.

a. Will I ever be as good as my father? Maybe I’ll never amount to anything. I am such a loser.
b. Gee, the talent scouts are coming to town. I better prepare for my solo act. My moment has finally arrived.
c. What a day! I failed in my Math quiz, I lost my favorite ballpen and now, my best friend wouldn’t talk to me. But, guess what? This day shall pass and tomorrow will be another day.
d. Oh, what did I do to deserve your kindness? This cake is my favorite and you bought it for me. You are such an angel. Thank you.
e. I can’t see why in the world you would buy an expensive gadget. You don’t even have a regular job yet.
f. It is already half past 8:00. If she is coming, she should have been here an hour ago. I wonder if she is really planning to join us.

confused                         excited                           disappointed
hopeful                            doubtful                         surprised

2. Using pictures

Directions: Form a triad. Choose any picture from the newspaper that elicits a specific emotion. Identify that emotion and explain the detail in the picture that best illustrates it.

3. Using multi-media

Directions: Watch the following excerpts from a video. (The teacher will show at least 5 video clips) What emotion is being expressed by the characters? If you were there in the scene, how would you have reacted? Act it out in the class.

H. Application (Using the Inquirer)
1. Look at the editorial cartoon. Discuss among your group mates the emotion that is highlighted in the issue. Explain the connection of the emotion to the drawing. (3 groups will work on this.)

2. Find a news story that features attachment of humans to animals. Compare the similarity to the story where Tim sought the help of Jopi so he could better understand the real scenario underneath the mines. (The remaining 3 groups will work on this.)

I. Generalization
What factors do you consider in getting the emotion being expressed by a character?

J. Evaluation
Directions: Complete the following statements. Write the appropriate emotion and explain your answer.
1. I feel ________ for Jopi because ________________________________.
2. I feel ________ for Tim because ________________________________.
3. I feel ________ for Mang Celso because __________________________.
4. I feel ________ for the people of Mount Zoilo because ______________.
5. I feel ________ after reading the story because _____________________.

K. Assignment
Create a mask that bears a single emotion. Be ready with a line or two that can go with that emotion and present it in class.


The lesson plan for Chapter 1: Mang Gorio's Cow will be posted another time. Sorry for this but the editor's schedule is currently toxic.