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Subject: English
Semester: 1
Period: 1
Week: 5
School Name:
Teacher’s Name:
Subject: English Language
Grade Level: Grade 7
Date:
Lesson Duration: 45 minutes
Week & Period: Week 5, Period 1
Topic: Narrating/Discussing Folk Tales & Reading Prose/Poetry
Sub-topic: Meaning, Features, and Comparison of Literary Forms
Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
- Define folk tales and state their features.
- Narrate and discuss examples of African/Liberian folk tales and identify their moral lessons.
- Read and discuss short pieces of prose and poetry.
- Differentiate between prose and poetry.
Previous Knowledge
Students already know:
• Definition of literature and its elements.
• Basic literary terms such as prose, poetry, simile, metaphor, and personification.
Instructional Materials
• Textbook: English Language textbooks for Grade 7
• Teaching aids: Short folk tale, prose passage, poem, chalkboard/marker board
• Students’ notebooks and writing materials
Lesson Development – ABC Model
A – Anticipation (Warm-up / Starter)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Activity: The teacher will ask the class:
• Have you ever heard a folk tale told by elders? What was it about?
• What lessons did you learn from it?
The teacher will write their responses on the board.
Teacher’s Role: Stimulate interest and link cultural experiences with literature.
Learner’s Role:
• Share folk tales they know or have heard.
• Identify lessons or morals in stories.
B – Building Knowledge (Main Lesson Body)
Time: 25–30 minutes
Teacher’s Role (Expanded)
- Define Folk Tales
- Folk tales are traditional stories passed down orally from one generation to another.
- They are meant to teach lessons, entertain, and preserve culture.
- They often use animals, humans, or supernatural beings as characters.
Examples:
- Liberian folk tale: “Why the Spider Has a Big Head” (Lesson: Pride leads to downfall).
- African folk tale: “The Tortoise and the Hare” (Lesson: Slow and steady wins the race).
- Nigerian folk tale: “Why the Sky is Far Away” (Lesson: Laziness leads to loss).
- Explain Features of Folk Tales
- Simple language so everyone (young and old) can understand.
- Animal or human characters that often represent human behavior.
- Moral lessons (teach good values such as honesty, hard work, or humility).
- Imaginative events (talking animals, magical transformations, strange adventures).
Examples of Features in Practice:
- “The Spider tricked the birds into giving him food” → animal character.
- “The sky used to be close to the earth, but people wasted food so it moved far away” → imaginative event.
- “The hare lost because of pride and laziness” → moral lesson.
- Narrate or Read Aloud a Folk Tale
Sample Folk Tale: The Tortoise and the Birds
- Characters: Tortoise, birds.
- Setting: The sky (birds’ feast).
- Plot:
- Birds invite Tortoise to a feast.
- Tortoise tricks them into giving him wings.
- At the feast, Tortoise eats all the food.
- Birds punish him by taking back their feathers.
- Tortoise falls from the sky, cracking his shell.
- Moral Lesson: Greed and dishonesty have consequences.
- Introduce Prose
- Definition: Prose is ordinary written or spoken language. It uses sentences and paragraphs instead of rhyme or rhythm.
- Examples: Novels (Things Fall Apart), essays, news articles, short stories.
Short Prose Passage Example:
“It was market day in the village. People gathered from far and near to buy and sell goods. The air was filled with laughter, bargaining, and the smell of roasted meat.”
- Introduce Poetry
- Definition: Poetry is written in lines and stanzas, often using rhythm, imagery, and emotion.
- It expresses feelings, thoughts, and ideas in a powerful, artistic way.
- Examples: Nursery rhymes, songs, African praise poems.
Short Poem Example:
“The river flows gently,
Carrying secrets of the land,
Singing songs of wisdom,
To those who understand.”
- Lead Discussion on Prose vs. Poetry
Differences:
|
Prose |
Poetry |
|
Written in sentences & paragraphs |
Written in lines & stanzas |
|
Ordinary, straightforward language |
Uses rhythm, imagery, emotion |
|
Found in stories, essays, novels |
Found in songs, rhymes, poems |
|
Example: “The boy went to the farm.” |
Example: “The boy walked slowly, like the sun at dusk.” |
Learners’ Activities (Expanded)
- Listen carefully to a folk tale narrated by the teacher.
- Retell the folk tale in their own words and explain the moral lesson.
- Read aloud both a prose passage and a short poem provided by the teacher.
- In groups, identify characters, setting, plot, and moral from a folk tale.
- Work in pairs to list differences between prose and poetry in a chart.
- Share group findings with the class.
Assessment Checks
- Teacher asks: “What makes a story a folk tale?”
- Students answer: “It is passed orally, uses simple language, has a moral, and may have animals or humans as characters.”
- Teacher asks: “How is poetry different from prose?”
- Students should state at least two differences (structure, style, language).
- Teacher gives a folk tale and asks: “What is the moral lesson?”
Notes (Expanded & Detailed)
- Folk Tales: Traditional stories used for education, entertainment, and moral instruction.
- Example 1: The Tortoise and the Hare → Lesson: Hard work and consistency are better than pride.
- Example 2: Why the Spider Has a Big Head → Lesson: Arrogance leads to shame.
- Example 3: The Sky is Far Away → Lesson: Laziness leads to loss.
- Prose:
- Ordinary language in sentences & paragraphs.
- Found in novels, essays, speeches, and daily communication.
- Example: “The farmer rose early in the morning to till his land.”
- Poetry:
- Written in lines & stanzas, often with rhythm and imagery.
- Found in songs, rhymes, and poems.
- Example:
“The sun sets slowly,
Painting the sky with fire,
A farewell to the day.”
C – Consolidation (Conclusion & Assessment)
Time: 5–10 minutes
Summary:
• Teacher will ask students to recall: meaning and features of folk tales, examples of African/Liberian folk tales, and differences between prose and poetry.
Evaluation Method (Expanded):
• Exit slip/quiz: Students will answer:
- Define folk tale.
- Name two features of folk tales.
- State one difference between prose and poetry.
- Write one moral lesson from a folk tale you know.
Teacher reviews responses and provides oral feedback.
Assignment (Expanded):
• Narrate a folk tale you know in your notebook. Identify its characters, setting, plot, and moral lesson. Also write one short prose passage and one short poem of your own.
Follow-up Activity:
• Organize group story-telling activities where students share folk tales from their culture.
Differentiation / Inclusive Strategies
• Struggling Learners: Provide short, simple folk tales and structured discussion questions.
• Advanced Learners: Encourage them to create original short folk tales or poems.
• Students with Disabilities: Provide audio versions of folk tales or allow oral narration instead of written work.
Teacher’s Reflection (After Class)
• What worked well? ______________________________________________________
• What needs improvement? _________________________________________________
• Students’ engagement level: □ High □ Medium □ Low