9

English
Quarter 2 - Module 1 Lesson 1
Coping with Challenges

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English – Grade 9
Quarter 2 – Module 1 Lesson 1: COPING WITH CHALLENGES

Republic Act 8293, Section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work
of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or
office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit.
Such agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of
royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names,
trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright holders.
Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from
their respective copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim
ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: CHRISTINE N. MALALUAN

Editors: LOURDES B. MESA, AL BAMBINO M. CAMINO

Reviewer: EMMA V. DASCO and SORSOGON CITY DIVISION (headed by

Cleofe D. Ariola

Illustrator: LLOYD WILLIAM F. ROSALIN

Layout Artist: CHRISTINE N. MALALUAN

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I. Introduction

“Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional.”

- Roger Crawford

Life can be difficult sometimes. As human being, it is

normal for you to experience challenges. Fear them is alright
but you have to face these fears and live by them
courageously.

This lesson will let you explore on the ideas about

facing adversaries and coping with challenges to enhance
yourself. The overriding and underlying concepts plus the
tasks you’ll engage in in this lesson will surely guide you to
answer the BIG Question: How do I cope with challenges in
life?

II. Objectives

Competency: Make connections between texts to particular

social issues, concerns or dispositions in real life.

a. Cite effective ways of coping with challenges to enhance self;

b. Extract the message of the texts on how to cope with challenges
through TWIST analysis;
c. Infer meanings from texts and relate it to real life situations.

III. Vocabulary List:

1. Stair - noun; series of steps for passing from one

level to another

2. Tacks - noun; a small sharp-pointed nail usually

having a broad flat head

3. Splinters - noun; small fragments, parts or factions

4. Bludgeoning - verb; to hit or attack with heavy impact

5. Timber - noun; growing trees or their wood

*Definitions are taken from Merriam-Webster

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 IV. PRE-TEST

DIRECTIONS: Read the poem below then answer the questions that
follow.
SEE IT THROUGH
By: Edgar Albert Guest

When you’re up against a trouble,

Meet it squarely, face to face;
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace.
When it’s vain to try to dodge it,
Do the best that you can do;
You may fail, but you may conquer,
See it through!

Black may be the clouds about you

And your future may seem grim,
But don’t let your nerve desert you;
Keep yourself in fighting trim.
If the worst is bound to happen,
Spite of all that you can do,
Running from it will not save you,
See it through!

Even hope may seem but futile,

When with troubles you’re beset,
But remember you are facing
Just what other men have met.
You may fail, but fall still fighting;
Don’t give up, whate’er you do;
Eyes front, head high to the finish.
See it through!
Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/see-it-through-by-edgar-guest

Let us check your understanding of the poem by answering the following questions.
Choose the letter of the correct answer in each item. Write your answer in a separate
sheet of paper/in your notebook.

_____1. What does the speaker tell the readers in the first stanza of the poem?
a. Run away from problems.
b. Face the challenges head on.
c. Give up whenever life gets hard.
d. Love one another to survive.

_____2. In the second stanza, what do the black clouds symbolize in the poem?
a. Hope and love
b. Problems and challenges
c. Bright future ahead
d. Rainy days
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_____3. What character trait is highlighted in the poem to get through life’s
adversaries?
a. Confidence
b. Determination
c. Courage
d. All of the above

_____4. What style did the poet use to convey his message?
a. He used journalistic style to highlight the need to overcome
challenges.
b. He argued about the importance of facing life’s difficulties.
c. He employed informal language to mirror ups and downs in one’s
life.
d. He used persuasive technique and original motivational lines to
inspire the readers to work through the problems they are facing.

_____5. What is the best theme of the poem?

a. Perseverance, bravery and determination in facing challenges
b. Passion, dedication and commitment in pursuing one’s dream
c. Failure, survival and success in living life to the fullest
d. Faith, hope and love to achieve goals in life

V. Learning Activities
➢ What do you consider as your challenges in life?
➢ Make a list of 3 challenges experienced by students
like you.
➢ Rank them in order of difficulty. Rank 1 the most
challenging and 3 as the least challenging

1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________

➢ Now, decide what the most effective method of coping with challenges is.
➢ Rank them in order to effectiveness. Rank 1 the most effective and 3 as the
least effective
1. _____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
Source: Grade 9 LM pp. 69 - 70

MEANINGFUL LIFE ENCOUNTER

Find out how the poem entitled “Mother to Son” written by Langston Hughes will help
you achieve insights about difficult times.

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 MOTHER TO SON
By: Langston Hughes

Well, son, I’ll tell you:

Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.

But all the time

I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.

So boy, don’t you turn back.

Don’t you set down on the steps
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
Source: Grade 9 TG pp. 36 - 37

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was a well-known African American writer. He is
celebrated as a powerful writer of the Harlem Renaissance, the artistic movement that
brought about an explosion of African American art, music, and literature in the 1920s
and 30s. Like most art produced as part of the Harlem Renaissance, Hughes’s poems
speak to the experience of black people in America. Some poems celebrate African
American cultural heritage, while others lament their past enslavement and continued
economic struggles. These socioeconomic struggles were particularly severe in
America during the Jim Crow era before the Civil Rights Movement. “Mother to Son”
builds on an understanding of the financial struggles facing many black families in the
early 1900s. Written about 100 years ago, its message still resonates today.

ABOUT THE TEXT

To check your understanding of the poem you just read, you need to answer the
following questions. Choose the letter of the correct answer in each item. Write your
answer in a separate sheet of paper/in your notebook.
_____1. Which of the following words do NOT describe the life of the mother in the
poem “Mother to Son?”
a. with tacks and splinters
b. with boards torn up
c. bare
d. crystal staircase
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______2. What does the crystal staircase symbolize in the poem?
a. sharpness and discomfort
b. pain and difficulties
c. comfort and perfection
d. victories and challenges

______3. What is the best theme of the poem?

a. courage and determination to overcome hurdles in life
b. giving an advice to a love one
c. climbing stairs with tacks is not easy
d. life is always like a crystal stairway

______4. What does the mother tell her son in the poem “Mother to Son?”
a. Her life is not a crystal stairway
b. Life is nothing but a bed of tacks and splinters
c. Enjoy life to the fullest
d. Life is full of challenges they have to overcome

______5. Which line of the poem talk about responses to hardships?

a. Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair. It’s had tacks in it and splinters
b. So, boy, don’t you turn back. Don’t you set down on the steps
c. But all the time I’se been a-climbin’ on, and reachin’ landins
d. Don’t you fall now – For I’se still goin’ honey, I’se still climbin’

Great! You did it. You are now ready to explore the next phase of the lesson.

A great way to engage you to a poem or any literary piece is through examining
the Tone, Word Choice, Imagery, Style, and Theme or the acronym “TWIST.” In a
TWIST, you will focus on reading the poem to look deeper at the author’s meaning.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

The general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing,

situation, etc. Tone words should always be adjectives and convey
T TONE one of the following attitudes: Positive, Negative, Humorous
(Ironic/Sarcastic), Sorrowful (Fearful, Worried), or Neutral.

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 WORD The author’s use of specific and accurate words, to “show” the
W message to the reader rather than to “tell” them.
CHOICE
Visually descriptive or figurative language in a literary work. These
are all details that the author will use to give a sense of emotion to
I IMAGERY the reader. Very descriptive, figurative language paints a picture in
readers’ minds.
Refers to the way that the author uses words – the author’s
vocabulary, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence
arrangement. The way an author presents the information
S STYLE determines the way in which the reader interprets it. The wording
itself lends insight into the emotions or concepts the author wants
convey with the scene, setting, or characters.
The subject of a piece of writing, usually the author's thoughts on
a specific topic. When looking at theme, you should use the other
parts of the TWIST to piece together information about the
T THEME author's intentions. By looking at the tone and imagery, it makes it
possible to pinpoint the topic. From there, you will need to infer
the author's thoughts on it.
Source: https://www.storyboardthat.com/articles/e/twist-analysis

Using the full text of “Mother to Son,” you can depict, describe, and analyze the way
poetic elements work together to create a central message or theme. The pictures
shown below will let you explore the TWIST of the poem so you can look deeper on
what the poet wants to convey to the readers.

T Grim yet determined: The speaker has struggled much in life, yet still pushes forward.
TONE

W WORD Hughes includes many words and phrases with negative connotations: tacks,
splinters, boards torn up, no carpet, bare, dark, no light, kinder hard
CHOICE
“Life for me ain't been no crystal stair. It's had tacks in it and splinters, and boards
I torn up...” The staircase the speaker describes is an old, rickety, dangerous staircase,
IMAGERY
representing the difficulties of her life.
The simple dialect of the speaker suggests a life with limited educational access. The
S
STYLE varied line lengths mirror the ups and downs of the staircase and the path of life.
Despite the difficulties of her life, the speaker keeps going. The central theme that this
T
THEME creates is the importance of persevering in the face of hardship.
Source: https://www.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/mother-to-son-by-langston-
hughes/twist-analysis

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MAKE CONNECTIONS

Hopefully you were able to grasp the essential ideas in coping with challenges
through the TWIST analysis of the poem “Mother to Son. At this point, you will focus
in identifying the figurative meanings behind Hughes’s word choices to better
understand the poem. This will help you connect your personal experiences to the
poem and make realizations on how to face the problems and difficulties you are
facing right now.

1. "Life for me ain't been no crystal stair"

Life has been difficult for the speaker. She has had to struggle and work hard to
survive and improve her circumstances.

2. "It's had tacks in it/ and splinters"

The "staircase" of life has been filled with difficulties. The tacks and splinters
represent hardships and moments that brought the mother pain. These could include
working long hours, losing a job, dealing with illness, watching a loved one die, or
many other difficulties.

3. “Bare”
The "bare" portion of the staircase again suggests difficulties. By isolating the word
"bare" in its own line, Hughes suggests the mother was lonely or poor. She had no
soft carpet of friends or money to bring her comfort or to ease the pain of her
journey.

4. "And sometimes going in the dark/Where there ain't been no light"

The darkness represents hopelessness. When the speaker says there "ain't been no
light", she suggests that there is no happy, bright spot in her life to bring her joy or
give her hope in a brighter future.
Source: https://www.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/mother-to-son-by-langston-
hughes/figurative-language

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SALIENT POINTS
The poem “Mother to Son is divided into three parts. Which part / lines of the
poem talk about hardships? responses to hardships? mother’s advice to keep? Use
the table in writing your answers. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper/in
your notebook.

HARDSHIPS RESPONSES TO MOTHER’S ADVICE TO

HARDSHIPS KEEP
Sample answer: Sample answer: Sample answer:
Life for me ain’t no crystal stair I’se been a-climbin on So boy, don’t you turn back

Source: Grade 9 LM pp. 74 - 75

Practice Task 1: Overcoming Obstacles

When you read a poem or listen to others read it, you can
come up with a broad statement that sums up the poem’s central
meaning. This is the ability to make generalization about life and
human nature as conveyed in the poem read or listened to.

Read the poem below then answer the questions that follow.

GOOD TIMBER
By Douglas Malloch

The tree that never had to fight

For sun and sky and air and light,
But stood out in the open plain
And always got its share of rain,
Never became a forest king
But lived and died a scrubby thing.

The man who never had to toil

To gain and farm his patch of soil,
Who never had to win his share
Of sun and sky and light and air,
Never became a manly man
But lived and died as he began.

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 Good timber does not grow with ease,
The stronger wind, the stronger trees,
The further sky, the greater length,
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.

Where thickest lies the forest growth

We find the patriarchs of both.
And they hold counsel with the stars
Whose broken branches show the scars
Of many winds and much of strife.
This is the common law of life.

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/good-timber-by-douglas-malloch

DIRECTIONS: Choose the letter of the correct answer in each item. Write your
answer in a separate sheet of paper/in your notebook.
_____1. What are the two things compared in the poem?
a. Sun and sky
b. Living and dying
c. Man and tree
d. Timber and woods

_____2. What kind of man is represented by tree in the first stanza?

a. Someone who has meet several challenges
b. Someone who has never had to fight for anything in their life
c. Someone who stand out from the rest
d. Someone who hold powerful position in the society

_____3. According to the poem, what will happen to a man who never encounter
difficulties or challenges in life?
a. He will live and die a scrubby thing.
b. He will never become a manly man.
c. He will live and die as he begin.
d. All of the above

_____4. What is meant by these lines from the poem?

By sun and cold, by rain and snow,

In trees and men good timbers grow

a. Trees of good timber and strong men need sun, cold, rain and snow to
survive
b. Trees of good timber and strong men are formed through hardship and
struggle
c. Trees and men need to fight and live with broken branches and scars
d. Trees and men are alike in many ways

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_____5. Which of the following is NOT true based on the message of the poem?
a. Struggle is necessary to live a full life.
b. Trees and men need to go through problems and sufferings to be
stronger and better version of themselves.
c. Trees and men who lived a long and successful life does not grow with
ease.
d. Lucky are those trees and men who never have to face challenges
throughout their lives.

Practice Task 2: More Hardships and Challenges

Reading a poem paves the way to making meaning in life. It
allows you to share certain experiences. Oftentimes, you find and
share something more in common with the poem’s content than
you originally thought; this makes the poem meaningful.
Think of the hardships you experienced in the past or the
difficulties / challenges you are experiencing right now. List them
using the table below along with your responses to the given questions presented in
columns 2 and 3. Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper/in your notebook.
YOUR OWN HARDSHIPS WHAT WERE YOUR WHAT WAS THE
/ DIFFICULTIES / RESPONSES TO ADVICE GIVEN TO YOU
CHALLENGES HARDSHIPS THAT HELPED YOU IN
EXPERIENCED DEALING WITH THE
HARDSHIPS?
Sample answer: Sample answer: Sample answer:
• Financial problem • Don’t buy unnecessary • I was told to budget my
things. allowance and manage
• Earn additional money my expenses well.
by crafting home • I can use my artistic
decors out of talent to earn income.
recyclable materials.

Practice Task 3: Do the TWIST

Go back to the poem entitled “Good Timber” found on page 8
and identify its tone, word choice, imagery, style and theme
(TWIST). You may answer in one to two complete sentences
each. (Use the TWIST of Mother to Son on page 6 as example).
Write your answer in a separate sheet of paper/in your
notebook.

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 T TONE

WORD
W
CHOICE

I IMAGERY

S STYLE

T THEME

VII. Post Test

When you read a poem, you get to know the
experience of other people. This gives you a better
perspective of your relationship with others and you’ll react
to challenges in life.
Read and understand the poem “Invictus” by William
Ernest Henley then answer the questions that follow.

INVICTUS
By: William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Source: https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-ernest-henley/invictus

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DIRECTIONS: Choose the letter of the correct answer in each item. Write your
answer in a separate sheet of paper/in your notebook.
_____1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
a. An optimistic person who loves everything about life
b. An aggressive person just won an argument
c. A depressed person who is confuse with what is happening around him
d. A resilient person who has overcome a difficult situation

_____2. Which of the following lines state that the speaker doesn’t bow to life’s
difficulties and instead faces them head on?
a. In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud.
b. Under the bludgeonings of chance, My head is bloody, but unbowed.
c. And yet the menace of the years, Finds and shall find me unafraid.
d. All of the above

_____3. What character trait is highlighted in the poem to overcome challenges in

life?
a. Resiliency
b. Bravery
c. Strength
d. All of the above

_____4. What does the lines “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my
soul” mean?
a. The speaker has the freedom to choose to thrive and survive amidst
life’s challenges.
b. The speaker has the ability to control his fate and soul.
c. The speaker expresses refusal to handle all the hardships / struggles.
d. The speaker wants to join the military to become a master or captain.

_____5. Which of the following best describe the word choice of the poem?
a. The poet used repetitive word structure that emphasizes the recurring
nature of adversity and the constancy of inner strength.
b. The poet employed words and phrases that suggests optimism and
positivity.
c. The poet utilized words that are confusing and difficult to understand.
d. The poet used figurative language to describe life.

_____6. What style did the poet use to convey his message?
a. He used journalistic style to state his message.
b. He employed informal language to cite the sufferings he experienced.
c. He used figurative language to describe life’s adversities and affirm
emotional fortitude.
d. He argued about the need to overcome challenges.

_____7. What is the tone of the poem?

a. Afraid
b. Sad
c. Courageous
d. Optimistic
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_____8. Which of the following is the best theme of the text?
a. Resilience is the ability to keep going and refuse to give up.
b. Struggles are important to build self-confidence.
c. Independence means refusing to follow anyone else’s rules or laws.
d. Sacrifice is necessary to achieve one’s goal in life.

_____9. How does the poem’s use of darkness in its imagery contribute to the text’s
overall meaning?
a. The poem describes night covering the earth from “pole to pole” (line
2), suggesting that the speaker’s outlook on the world is very bleak and
hopeless.
b. The poem describes “night” (line 1) covering the speaker, symbolic of
the adversity and/or suffering he faces.
c. The poem describes “the Horror of the shade” (line 10), suggesting that
the speaker’s hard times are only temporary.
d. The poem describes a dark “place of wrath and tears” (line 9), implying
that the speaker is overcome by his depression.

_____10. Based on the TWIST of the poem, what does the title “Invictus” probably
mean?
a. Careless
b. Lucky
c. Unfortunate
d. Undefeated

VIII. Assignment: Pen A Letter

Pretend that you are a mother of a Grade 9 student who is
currently experiencing challenges which you fear will lead to
depression. Write a letter with three paragraphs (at least three
sentences each) to give him / her advice on how he / she can
cope with the challenges. You may use symbolisms and
figurative language. You are free to think of any challenge the
student is experiencing which will be the basis of your advice.
Use the following rubric.
CRITERIA 5 4 3 2 1 Total
Creativity (presents original or unique style to make it
interesting
Organization (has logically organized arguments, facts and
reasons around a particular point)
Focus (concentrates on a specific topic that is clear and
significant)
Clarity of Ideas (clearly presents reasons, facts and
opinions as support
Language Convention (uses simple, direct, concise and
clear expressions free from errors
Impact (convinces the audience to accept the ideas and
moves them to action

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Rating Description
5 - Excellent
4 - Good
3 - Fair
2 - Poor
1 - Needs revision

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Almonte, L. R., Lagustan, N., Flandez, L. L., Langutan, H. d., Malayo, D. O.,
Mangaluz, L. A., et al. (2014). A Journey Through Anglo-American Literature
Learner Material. Pasig City: Department of Education.
Baudinet, B. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2020, from Story Board That:
https://www.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/mother-to-son-by-langston-
hughes
Baudinet, B. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2020, from Story Board That:
https://www.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/mother-to-son-by-langston-
hughes/twist-analysis
Baudinet, B. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2020, from Story Board That:
https://www.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/mother-to-son-by-langston-
hughes/figurative-language
https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/see-it-through-by-edgar-guest
https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/good-timber-by-douglas-malloch
https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/william-ernest-henley/invictus
https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/5bf9e5cd21628b001bb34a72/invictus-quiz
https://www.dreamstime.com/illustration/broken-steps (cover photo)
https://ya-webdesign.com/imgdownload.html (cover photo)

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ANSWER KEY:
Pre-Test:
1. B 2. B 3. D 4. D 5. A

Learning Activities:
➢ Answers may vary (challenges experienced by students and ways to cope
them)
➢ About the text:
1. D 2. C 3. A 4. D 5. B

➢ Salient Points
HARDSHIPS RESPONSES TO MOTHER’S ADVICE
HARDSHIPS TO KEEP
First 7 lines of the poem The next 6 lines The last 7 lines
(Lines 1 – 7) (Lines 8 – 13) (Lines 14 – 20)

Practice Task 1:
1. C 2. B 3. D 4. B 5. D

Practice Task 2:
➢ Answers may vary depending on the hardships experienced by students

Practice Task 3:Answers may vary. Possible response may be:

Serious yet optimistic, hopeful and encouraging. The speaker
T TONE emphasizes that struggles and challenges are essential to man’s
life to develop and grow.
The poet used words and phrases with negative connotations to
represent challenges. He also utilized trees, forest and other
WORD
W words associated with nature to create a mental picture that trees
CHOICE of good timber and strong men are formed through hardships and
challenges.
“Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger wind, the
stronger trees. The further the sky, the greater length, the more
the storm, the more the strength.”
A tree that is going to live a long and successful life “does not
I IMAGERY grow with ease.” It encounters throughout its days “stronger wind”
and “further sky” than the “scrubby” tree ever did. It also lives
through more storms and an uncertain amount of sun, cold and
“rain and snow.”
The entire poem is one extended metaphor comparing trees to
S STYLE human beings
It is through struggles that people grow and discover their true
T THEME potential. Challenges are necessary to be successful in life
Post Test:
1. D 2. D 3. D 4. A 5. A
6. C 7. C 8. A 9. B 10.D

Assignment:
➢ Use the given rubric to score students’ responses

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