Lesson Plan – Class X English
Unit 2 Prose: The Night the Ghost Got In by James Thurber
1. Learning Objectives
The teacher expects the students to:
Understand the plot, characters, and humorous elements of the story.
Identify how misunderstandings create comedy in literature.
Develop reading, speaking, and comprehension skills.
Learn the importance of staying calm during unexpected situations.
Appreciate the author's use of humor and narration.
2. Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
Retell the story in their own words.
Identify the sequence of events in the narrative.
Explain how fear and imagination can lead to confusion.
Analyze the humorous situations in the story.
Apply the lesson's message of thinking logically before reacting.
3. Introduction
The teacher may begin with the following questions:
Have you ever heard a strange sound at night?
What would you do if you thought there was a ghost in your house?
Do you believe in ghosts? Why or why not?
Have you ever misunderstood a situation and later found it funny?
Can fear sometimes make people imagine things?
The teacher introduces the lesson as a humorous story about a family who mistakes ordinary noises for a ghostly intrusion.
4. Reading and Understanding
New Words and Meanings
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ghost | Spirit of a dead person |
| Corridor | A long passage in a building |
| Commotion | Confused noise and activity |
| Burglar | A person who enters a building to steal |
| Panic | Sudden fear |
| Revolver | A type of handgun |
| Investigate | To examine carefully |
| Suspicion | Feeling that something is wrong |
| Humorous | Funny |
| Exclaim | To cry out suddenly |
Activity
Students read the lesson aloud.
Teacher explains difficult words and phrases.
Students identify incidents that create humor.
5. Mind Map
THE NIGHT THE GHOST GOT IN
│
┌──────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────┐
│ │ │
Strange Noises Family Panic Police Arrival
│ │ │
Sounds at Night Search for Ghost Investigation
│ │ │
└────────────── Confusion & Fear ─────────────┘
│
Humour
│
Truth Finally Revealed
6. Consolidation and Presentation
Summary
"The Night the Ghost Got In" is a humorous autobiographical story by James Thurber. One night, strange noises are heard in the house, leading the family to believe that a ghost or burglar has entered. The family becomes frightened and confused. The situation grows more amusing when the police arrive and join the search. Eventually, it is discovered that there was no ghost at all. The story shows how fear, imagination, and misunderstanding can turn an ordinary incident into a comic adventure.
7. Reinforcement
The teacher provides additional information:
James Thurber was famous for writing humorous stories.
Humour often arises from misunderstandings and exaggerated reactions.
Fear can sometimes make people imagine things that are not real.
Logical thinking helps us handle difficult situations calmly.
Many humorous stories are based on everyday events.
Values Learnt
Presence of mind
Logical thinking
Courage
Sense of humour
8. Evaluation
A. Lower Order Thinking Questions (LOT)
Who is the author of the story?
What did the family hear at night?
Who arrived to investigate the matter?
B. Middle Order Thinking Questions (MOT)
Why did the family think there was a ghost?
How did the confusion increase in the house?
What role did the police play in the story?
C. Higher Order Thinking Questions (HOT)
Why do people often imagine dangers when they are afraid?
How would you react if you heard strange noises at night?
What message does the author convey through this humorous incident?
9. Remedial Teaching
For slow learners, the teacher will:
Explain the story with pictures and simple language.
Narrate the incidents sequentially.
Use role-play activities involving family members and police officers.
Provide vocabulary cards and sentence-building exercises.
Encourage peer learning and guided reading.
10. Writing Activity
The teacher asks students to write any one of the following:
Activity A
Write a paragraph on:
“A Funny Incident I Experienced.”
Activity B
Imagine you are one of the family members. Write a diary entry describing the events of that night.
Activity C
Write five sentences about how fear can influence human behavior.
11. Follow-up / Homework
Prepare a character sketch of the narrator.
Write the sequence of events in the story.
Collect and share another humorous incident from real life.
Create a comic strip based on the lesson.
Write ten new words from the lesson and frame meaningful sentences.
Moral / Life Skill
Fear and imagination can sometimes make ordinary situations seem frightening. Calm thinking and careful observation help us understand reality and avoid unnecessary panic.
