9

English 9
Activity Sheet
Quarter 2 – MELC 4
Analyzing Literature as a Means of Understanding
Unchanging Values in a Volatile World.

REGION VI – WESTERN VISAYAS

English Grade 9
Activity Sheet No. 4
First Edition, 2020

Published in the Philippines

By the Department of Education
Region 6 – Western Visayas

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Introductory Message
Welcome to English, Grade 9!

The Learning Activity Sheet is a product of the collaborative efforts of the

Schools Division of Escalante City and DepEd Regional Office VI - Western Visayas
through the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD). This is
developed to guide the learning facilitators (teachers, parents and responsible adults)
in helping the learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Basic Education
Curriculum.

The Learning Activity Sheet is self-directed instructional materials aimed to

guide the learners in accomplishing activities at their own pace and time using the
contextualized resources in the community. This will also assist the learners in
acquiring the lifelong learning skills, knowledge and attitudes for productivity and
employment.

For learning facilitator:

The English 9 Activity Sheet will help you facilitate the teaching-
learning activities specified in each Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC)
with minimal or no face-to-face encounter between you and the learner. This will be
made available to the learners with the references/links to ease the independent
learning.

For the learner:

The English 9 Activity Sheet is developed to help you continue learning even
if you are not in school. This learning material provides you with meaningful and
engaging activities for independent learning. Being an active learner, carefully read
and understand the instructions then perform the activities and answer the
assessments. This will be returned to your facilitator on the agreed schedule.
 Learning Activity Sheets (LAS)

Name of Learner:
Grade & Section:
Date:

ENGLISH 9 ACTIVITY SHEET

Analyzing Literature as a Means of Understanding Unchanging

Values in a Volatile World

I. Learning Competency with Code

a) Analyze literature as a means of understanding unchanging values in the VUCA

(volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world.

Analyze Literature as a Means of Understanding Unchanging

Values in a Volatile World

II. Background Information for Learners

Literature can be a vehicle towards understanding culture, values, and

customs that are relevant to the society that we are living in. Most of the time, a
literary piece contains themes that creatively depict the ways of society. This is
often reflected on the character’s adventures and the resolution he or she comes
up with at the end of the story. Literature also paves the way in establishing a set
of unchanging values modeled by classical examples both in history
and literature. This creates a standard of moral thoughts and actions whatever
are the changes in the value system of the world.

Many literary pieces in Anglo-American Literature reflect perennial values

and beliefs that are still accepted today. There are also stories of hope rising
against discrimination, stories of love conquering all odds, and faith in humanity
in this constantly changing world. These literary pieces emphasize
the importance of the value system of a person for this shapes his future.

In this lesson, we will unlock the themes contained in a renowned literary

piece – making us realize that values remain unchanged no matter how volatile,
uncertain, complex, or ambiguous the world could become.
 VUCA is an acronym that stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and
ambiguity, a combination of qualities that, taken together, characterize the nature of
some difficult conditions and situations. Source: www.whatis.techtarget.com

Volatility refers to the speed of change in

an industry, market or the world in
general. It is associated with fluctuations
and in demand, turbulence and short time
to markets and it is well-documented in
the literature on industry dynamism. The
more volatile the world is, the more and
faster things change. Source: forbes.com

Source: flatworldbusiness-wordpress.com

Examples of unchanging values in the complex world

1. Living your own rhythm despite living in a hectic world.

2. Valuing yourself even though the world tells you to give more to other people
3. Prioritizing your family even though the world makes situations to make you want
to be independent.

III. Accompanying DepEd Textbook and Educational Sites

English 9 Anglo-American Literature Learner’s Material s. 2015

IV. Activity Proper

Hello, Grade 9 learners! Today, you will be a reading and analyzing a poem
written by one of the famous writers in American Literature. This poem has made great
impact on what it takes to be truly great.

Activity 1

Directions: Read the poem entitled “I Think Continually of Those Who Were Truly Great”
by Stephen Spender taken from Anglo- American Literature Learner’s Material, page 122.
The poem, broadly, is an attempt to describe what makes a person “truly great”. It was
written in the 1930’s during war time, this no doubt influenced the poet. However soldiers
are not the only people he is referring to. He is essentially referring to anyone who
selflessly fights for what they believe in.
 Despite the rapid changes in our lives and in our surroundings, do we need to
forget those who gave great impact on the person that we are now? Analyze the poem
and find out who do we really considered truly great and can’t be forgotten through tests
of time. Read this literature thoroughly and understand the purpose and message of the
poem. Ponder upon the motive question: Who do we consider truly great?

Afterwards, answer the comprehension questions that follow.

“I Think Continually of Those Who Were Truly Great”

By: Stephen Spender

I think continually of those who were truly great.

Who, from the womb, remembered the soul’s history
Through corridors of light where the hours are suns
Endless and singing. Whose love ambition
Was that their lips, still touched with fire,
Should tell of the Spirit clothed from head to foot in song.
And who hoarded from the Spring branches
The desires falling across their bodies like blossoms

What is precious is never to forget

The essential delight of the blood drawn from ageless springs
Breaking through rocks in worlds before our earth
Never to deny its pleasure in the morning simple light
Nor its grave evening demand for love.
Never to allow gradually the traffic to smother
With noise and fog the flowering of the spirit.

Near the snow, near the sun, in the highest fields

See how these names are feted by the waving grass
And by the streamers of white cloud
And whispers of wind in the listening sky.
The names of those who in their lives fought for life
Who wore at their hearts the fire’s center.

Born of the sun they travelled a short while towards the sun,
And left the vivid air signed with their honor.
Vocabulary:

Hoarded- to collect or hide large amount of (something valuable)

Feted- to honor or to celebrate (something) with a large party or public celebration
Vivid- of a picture, memory, etc: seeming like real life because it is clear, bright, or
detailed

Comprehension Questions:

1. What distinct quality of those who are truly great does the persona mention in the
first stanza?

a. kind
b. always ready for a war
c. influencer
d. inspiration

2. Based on the 2nd stanza, what should not be forgotten?

a. Those who are not important in our lives

b. Those who gave donations during wartime
c. Those who are precious and fought selflessly
d. All of the above.

3. What legacy do great people leave behind?

a. Readiness in all kinds of war

b. The bravery they have shown
c. Memories of their greatness, their goodness, and the contributions that
they have done to the world
d. The opportunities they leave for us

4. “Near the snow, near the sun, in the highest fields

See how these names are feted by the waving grass”
The speaker is trying to emphasize that _____________.

a. Wherever we are and whatever we have become, people who have fought and
sacrificed their lives for us, must not be forgotten because they are
already history.
b. People’s values should change towards these people who have fought
for freedom.
c. The places these people have visited should be remembered
d. We should forget these heroes and move on with our lives.
 5. In our journey towards the fulfillment of our lives as everything passes by so quickly
and as changes around us are so sudden, is the values of remembering and
honoring these selfless people who fought for us can be forgotten? Why or why
not?

a. Yes, because we need to focus on the present time

b. Definitely yes! We can’t live a life remembering those who are already dead
c. Surely not! These people are our everyday inspiration and despite the vitality
around us, we must honor and remember their greatness
d. No, because they are our soldiers

Activity 2

Regardless of the changes in our world today, values are still inculcated in
literature that affects greatly its readers in many ways. Do the next activity and find out
what values still remains despite the circumstances or situations that humans are in.

Directions: The following are lines from Anglo- American famous poems. Read them
carefully and analyze the message being conveyed. Identify the unchanging value/s that
corresponds to it. Answers can be found inside the box below. Write the letter of the
correct answer.

A. Constant connection to our dear families, friends, and to the world is one of the
greatest values that we must live our lives. Being with families and friends are
worth to be treasured forever.
B. Helping someone who is in great trouble rather that judging him on the situation
or circumstance that he is in is a value that is worthy to be recognized. We must
live a life with all humbleness and with the heart of helping people than laughing
at people’s misfortune.
C. Strengthening the spirit of hope and courage. Rebuilding oneself after a fall down
is not bad at all. Making good decisions and correcting previous wrong doings
for a better version of oneself.
D. Making the most out of it. The value of giving the best that you can to accomplish
something or to live a life everyday as if it’s the last day of our lives is a value
that we must have. We all come and go to this world and so we must cherish
every taste of it.
E. Having courage in everything that we do. We must live a life that is free from
doubts. We must achieve things and believe that we can and do the best that
we can to pursue our goals in life.
1. “ Give back the upward looking and the light
Rebuild in it the music and the dream;
Make right the immemorial infamies,
Perfidious wrongs, immedicable woes?”

- THE MAN WITH THE HOE

By: Edwin Markham

2. “What riches have you that you deem me poor,

Or what large comfort that you call me sad?
Tell me what makes you so exceeding glad:
Is your earth happy or your heaven sure?”

- SONNET 29
By: George Santayana (1863-1952)

3. “All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts”

- THE SEVEN AGES OF MAN

By: William Shakespeare (from As you Like it)

4. “Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing
Learn to labor and to wait.”

- A PSALM OF LIFE
By: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

5. “It rings and spring has come

I stretch and amble out into the sunshine
Hungry again as I pick up the receiver
For the human voice and the good news of friends”

- THE TELPHONE
By: Edward Field
 V. Reflection

How would you value yourself and the people around you in this changing
world?

VI. Answer Key

Activity Proper

Comprehension Check Exercises

c 5.
e 5.
a 4.
a 4.
c 3.
d 3.
c 2.
b 2.
d 1.
c 1.