LESSON PLAN
Unit 1: Who Owns the Water? (Prose)
Standard VI - English - Third Term
1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The teacher expects students to:
- Understand the importance of water as a vital resource for all living organisms
- Recognize how natural resources are formed through various contributions
- Identify different seasons and their characteristics
- Develop comprehension skills through sequential reading
- Learn vocabulary related to weather, seasons, and nature
- Understand the concept of ownership and shared resources
2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students will be able to:
- Practice water conservation in their daily life
- Recognize seasonal changes in their environment and adapt accordingly
- Appreciate the interconnectedness of nature and human life
- Understand that natural resources belong to everyone, not just individuals
- Apply critical thinking when faced with questions of ownership and fairness
- Use weather-appropriate vocabulary in real-life situations
- Make informed decisions about sharing community resources
3. INTRODUCTION
Pre-lesson Questions to Introduce the Topic:
-
Have you ever seen a rainbow? When does it appear in the sky? (Expected answer: After rain when the sun shines through water droplets)
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Can you tell me which season we are in right now? How do you know? (Allow students to describe weather conditions, temperature, clothing)
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Who do you think owns the water in a river or pond? Why? (Encourage diverse answers; this will be revisited after the lesson)
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Have you ever seen animals like birds, dogs, or buffaloes near water bodies? What were they doing? (Connect to the story's characters)
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If you dig a hole in the ground and it fills with rainwater, who do you think should own that water? (Set up the central question of the story)
4. READING AND UNDERSTANDING
New Words and Meanings:
Section I:
- outskirts - the outer areas of a city or town
- parched - very dry (Example: The land was parched because there was no rain)
- desperation - losing hope (Example: In desperation, she searched everywhere)
- claws - sharp nails on bird's or animal's feet
- untenanted - not occupied; empty
- rump - back part of a mammal's body used for sitting
- scrabbled - moved hands and feet around quickly
- cosy - comfortable and warm
- rumble - a low sound like thunder (Example: rumble in the stomach means hunger)
Section II:
- sniffed - to breathe in air in a noisy way to smell something
- whined - made a high-pitched cry (like a dog)
- snarled - made a deep angry noise
- monsoons - season of heavy rainfall
- soaked - completely wet
- wallowed - to lie and roll in mud (especially animals)
- multitude - a large number
- trampling - crushing by stepping on
Section III:
- tilled - prepared the land for growing crops
- meagre - small quantity; very little
- gratitude - feeling thankful
- verdant - green with grass and plants
- pickaxe and spade - tools for digging
- suspiciously - doubtfully; with distrust
- summoned - called for someone
- fortune - luck; good fortune
- contentment - satisfaction; feeling happy
- stuttered - spoke with difficulty
- four-square - solidly; firmly planted
Activity: Students practice using 5 new words in their own sentences.
5. MIND MAP
WHO OWNS THE WATER?
|
___________________|___________________
| | |
BIRD (Beginning) ANIMALS (Middle) HUMANS (End)
| | |
- Laid eggs - Wild boar - Poor farmer
- Made small - Wild dogs - Rich farmer
depression - Buffaloes - Village priest
| | |
v v v
Small hole ──> Bigger pit ──> Muddy pool ──> Pond
| | |
└────────> RAIN CAME (Monsoon) <──────┘
|
v
QUESTION: Who owns it?
|
___________________|___________________
| | |
Bird? Animals? Farmers?
|
EVERYONE?
Visual Representation: Draw on board showing progression: tiny depression → hole → pit → pool → pond
6. CONSOLIDATION AND PRESENTATION
Summary of the Lesson:
"Who Owns the Water?" is a thought-provoking story about how a small depression in dry ground transforms into a valuable pond through the contributions of many creatures.
Beginning: A tiny bird creates a small hole to lay eggs in parched land.
Development: A wild boar enlarges the hole for sleeping. Wild dogs dig further while searching for the boar. Monsoon rains fill the depression, and buffaloes wallow in it, making it deeper and wider.
Climax: A poor farmer discovers the water source, enlarges it into a proper pond. A rich farmer claims ownership because the land belongs to him.
Central Question: Who truly owns the water - the bird, animals, poor farmer, rich farmer, or everyone?
Theme: The story teaches us that natural resources are created through multiple contributions from nature and living beings, raising questions about ownership, sharing, and fairness.
7. REINFORCEMENT
Additional Information:
1. About Seasons Mentioned:
- Summer: Hot, dry weather when water is scarce
- Monsoon/Rainy season: Heavy continuous rainfall that transforms the land
- The story shows the dramatic difference seasons make to the same place
2. Water Cycle Connection: The story illustrates how water accumulates naturally through rainfall and geographical features, which is part of the natural water cycle.
3. Ecosystem Interdependence: Every creature in the story - bird, boar, dogs, buffaloes, and humans - played a role in creating the water resource. This shows how nature works together.
4. Social Justice Theme: The conflict between the rich and poor farmer reflects real-world issues about resource ownership and inequality. The story doesn't provide an answer but makes us think.
5. Vocabulary Enhancement:
- Weather vs. Climate vs. Seasons (as explained in the textbook)
- Compound words: rainbow, raincoat, fireplace, etc.
- Group names: pack of dogs, herd of buffaloes, flock of birds
6. Grammar Focus: Conjunctions (and, but, or, because, so) connect ideas in storytelling and help show cause-effect relationships.
8. EVALUATION
Assessment Questions:
A) Lower Order Thinking Question (Knowledge/Comprehension):
Question: List all the animals mentioned in the story in the order they appeared and describe what each one did to the hole.
Expected Answer:
- Bird - created initial depression by removing stones
- Wild boar - enlarged it into a pit for sleeping
- Wild dogs - dug deeper looking for boar
- Buffaloes - wallowed and trampled, making it wider
- (Humans: poor farmer and rich farmer)
B) Middle Order Thinking Question (Application/Analysis):
Question: The story mentions that "the rains were often cruel" to the farmer. Explain what this means and how the seasons affect a farmer's life. Give examples from your own observation.
Expected Answer: "Cruel rains" means unpredictable or insufficient rainfall that destroys crops or provides too little water. The farmer's livelihood depends on proper rainfall. In summer, he had to travel far for water and got meagre harvest. Students should connect this to local farmers' experiences, drought situations, or flood damage they've observed. They should understand the farmer's dependence on seasonal patterns.
C) Higher Order Thinking Question (Synthesis/Evaluation):
Question: At the end of the story, the author asks "Who owns the water?" Based on the story, present your answer with proper justification. Consider: Who worked for it? Who needs it? What is fair? Then suggest a solution for how the water should be shared among all the claimants (bird, animals, poor farmer, rich farmer, and other villagers).
Expected Answer: Students should demonstrate critical thinking by:
- Analyzing each character's contribution
- Considering concepts of natural rights vs. legal ownership
- Evaluating fairness and need
- Proposing solutions like: shared ownership, community resource management, allowing all to access the water, creating rules for fair distribution
- Understanding that the story intentionally has no single "correct" answer but encourages ethical reasoning
9. REMEDIAL TEACHING
Strategy for Slow Learners:
1. Simplified Story Retelling:
- Use visual aids: Draw simple pictures of bird, boar, dogs, buffalo, and farmers
- Tell the story in shorter, simpler sentences with dramatic expressions
- Use physical gestures to demonstrate actions (digging, wallowing, stretching)
2. Vocabulary Building:
- Create flashcards with pictures for difficult words
- Play matching games: word to meaning, word to picture
- Use words in very simple, relatable sentences from their daily life
3. Sequencing Activity:
- Provide cut-out pictures of story events
- Ask students to arrange them in correct order
- This helps with comprehension without requiring advanced reading
4. Peer Support:
- Pair slow learners with supportive classmates
- Buddy reading: one reads, other follows and clarifies
5. Focus on Core Concepts:
- Main focus: Understanding that many creatures contributed to creating the pond
- Simple central question: Should one person own something many helped create?
- Relate to their experience: If you and friends build a sandcastle together, who owns it?
6. Audio-Visual Aid:
- If possible, show pictures of different seasons
- Show videos of animals like buffaloes wallowing in water
- Use weather-related pictures to teach seasonal vocabulary
7. Chunked Learning:
- Teach one section per day instead of entire lesson
- Regular recap of previous section before new one
- More time for practice exercises
10. WRITING
Writing Activity:
Topic: "A Day at the Village Pond"
Instructions to Students:
Imagine you are visiting the village pond described in the story. Write a short composition (10-12 sentences) describing what you see, hear, and feel.
Include:
- The appearance of the pond (color, size, surroundings)
- What season it is
- What animals or birds you see near the water
- What people are doing there
- How you feel about the place
- Whether you think everyone should be allowed to use the water
You may begin like this: "One summer afternoon, I visited a beautiful pond on the outskirts of a small village. The water sparkled under the hot sun..."
Alternative Writing Activity (for students who need support):
Complete this paragraph by filling in the blanks:
"The pond was _______ in color. Around it, I saw _______ grass. Some _______ were drinking water while _______ were flying above. The weather was _______. I think the pond should be used by _______ because _______."
11. FOLLOW UP
Homework/Assignment/Activity:
Assignment 1: Season Observation Chart
Create a chart showing four seasons (Summer, Monsoon, Winter, Spring) with:
- Weather conditions
- Type of clothes worn
- Trees' appearance
- Animals' behavior
- Water availability
Use drawings or cut pictures from old magazines.
Assignment 2: Interview Task
Ask your parents or grandparents:
- How has rainfall changed in your area over the years?
- Where do you get water for daily use?
- Have there been any conflicts in your community about water sharing?
Write 5-6 sentences about what you learned.
Assignment 3: Creative Writing
Write your own short story (1 page) about a natural resource (like a tree, river, or land) that many people or animals helped create or use. End with a question for readers to think about, just like "Who Owns the Water?"
Activity: Class Debate (Next Session)
Prepare for a class debate on the topic: "Natural resources like water should belong to everyone, not to landowners."
Students will be divided into two groups:
- Group A: Argue that the rich farmer owns the pond because it's on his land
- Group B: Argue that everyone owns it because nature and many creatures created it
Prepare 3-4 points supporting your assigned position.
Extended Project (Optional):
Visit a local water body (pond, lake, well, or river) with your family. Observe:
- Who uses it?
- Is it clean or polluted?
- What can be done to protect it?
Create a poster on "Save Our Water Bodies" with your observations and suggestions.
Homework from Textbook:
Complete all pending exercises:
- Exercise J: Write a paragraph on summer
- Exercise K: Write about how trees look in different seasons
- Exercise H & I: Grammar exercises on conjunctions
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