The Bright School, Vadodara

Primary Section, Vasna Unit

Academic Year : 2021-2022
Subject : English Std :VIII

Lesson No. : 1

Landscapes
 Water Dance Part – 1
Thomas Locker
• Central Idea of the Poem

•From a gentle mountain pond to a raging

waterfall or from a silent ocean mist to a
sparkling rainbow. Thomas Locker in this
poem has given tribute to water in all its
glorious forms. Inspiring and informative,
Water Dance is a poetic introduction to one
of nature’s most basic element – WATER.
 First stanza - Rain

In the first stanza the poet has

introduced water as a riddle – as
to how people from ages call it.
The poet starts the journey of
water through rain – circle here
represents the water cycle.
 Stream
• Rain coverts itself into stream.
• How it falls – cascades
• Sometimes tumbles

• Over the moss covered

rocks
• In the forest
 Waterfall
• Streams further when falls from height – its
name changes to waterfall
• It jumps from a height i.e stone cliff
• Spiralling
• Plunging
 Lake
• Shadows means on land it is still and deep
• It fills as well as it overflows
• The waterfall over here has turned into a lake.
 River
• Next the poet describes water movement in
the form of river.
• It describes the journey of the river through
valleys where it is joined by other streams and
creeks.

• At some places it becomes wide and deep.

 Sea
• The river passes through
gateways and stone
fences(palisades).
• Now the water leaves the
land and joins the ocean.
• Where moonlight makes the
water glitter and it seems as
if the waves are dancing.
 Mist
• The poet ends the water dance by becoming
vapour again as it rises upwards and joins the
clouds again.
• Finally it disappears.
• Thereby the poet completes the journey of
water by explaining the different types of
forms or dances it does.
 Activity 1
• Kanu Patel – Painter, Dramatist, Writer, Author
• Lives in Anand
• Recipient of many awards.
 Homework
• Observe the painting
• Draw the picture on half a page and on the
other half page write five sentences about the
painting you have drawn.
• Please frame sentences based on your
perception.
• Write the poem in neat handwriting.
 Homework
• Observe the painting
• Draw the picture on half a page and on the
other half page write five sentences about the
painting you have drawn.
• Please frame sentences based on your
perception.
• Write the poem in neat handwriting.
 Clouds
• After the water has evaporated the mist goes
up in the sky to form clouds in many shapes.
• Clouds are also a form of water.
• It floats….
• It drifts…..
 Storm Front
• Now the clouds are ready , they are full of
water. They become
• Heavy….
• Darker…..
• As they are floating in the sky when they
meet with cool winds a storm is created.
• Winds start the storm
 Thunderhead
• The dark heavy cloud is floating towards the
high mountains , the clouds rise up.
• If you look up in the sky you would feel as it
the clouds are glowing and ready to burst.
• The sky is already dark as it is filled with the
clouds.
 Storm
• Now there is lightning and there is thunder.
• Lightning gives momentary blindness to the
earth ..
• And with thunder the earth trembles.
• It seems as if the clouds are angry.
• The rainfall makes the mountain wet.
 Rainbow
• Just as troubles comes and goes away in the
same way the storm comes and goes and then
what is left is light rain.
• When sunlight passes through these tiny
water droplets we can see rainbow. A
beautiful phenomena created by nature.
 Last Stanza
• The poet, Thomas Locker in the first stanza
had introduced as a puzzle and now in the last
stanza he gives the answer.
• Though people call it by many names it is only
one thing – Water.
• And in different forms it dances on the earth.
 Homework
• Complete writing the poem Part 2 in neat
handwriting.
• Write the glossary given in text book and
frame sentences for the same.
 Answer the Following
(Activity 3 & 5)
• Q. How is river different from the sea?
• A.Theriver is different from the sea as the river passes through the
broad valleys and is joined by other streams. The sea on the other
side leaves behind the gateways and fences, it remains stationed
at one place with waves dancing and sparkling on the sea.
• Q. Explain : I am one thing, I am many thing
• A.The poet has used antithesis by saying that even though it is
only one thing that is water but it takes many forms like rainfall,
stream, waterfall, etc. It says that it is many things because if it is
stream we cannot call it by any other name even though it is
water.
 Write the sentences along with the
answers. (Activity 6)
• 1. I don’t speak much but I am everywhere - silent air
• 2. I shine bright at night. - Silver moonlight
• 3. I look threatening - darkened sky
• 4. I am a welcome pleasure – warm sunlight
• 5. I am lot yet little water – countless droplets
 Personification
• Personification is a figure of speech in which a
thing – an idea or an animal – is given human
attributes. The non-human objects are portrayed
in such a way that we feel they have the ability to
act like human beings. For example, when we say,
“The sky weeps,” we are giving the sky the ability
to cry, which is a human quality. Thus, we can say
that the sky has been personified in the
given sentence. With the above definition of
personification, let us look at some
personification examples from the poem.
 Write activity 7 in your note book.
Sometimes I fall from the sky.
Sometimes I cascade, I tumble
I leap from a stone cliff.
I wind through broad, golden valleys
I pass through a gateway
Cool silver moonlight sparkles and dances
Drawn upwards by warm sunlight
I rise into the air, I disappear.
Carried by winds
I blind the sky with lightning.
The earth trembles with my thunder
I rage,
 (Extra Exercise) Explain the verses
1. Some people say that I am one thing…….I am the rain.
A.These verses are from the poem ‘The water dance’ by
Thomas Locker. Through these verses the poet
introduced water as a riddle – as to how people from
ages call it. The poet starts the journey of water through
rain – circle here represents the water cycle.
2. Storms come……I am the rainbow.
A. These verses are from the poem ‘The water dance’ by
Thomas Locker. Just as troubles comes and goes away in
the same way the storm comes and goes and then what
is left is light rain. When sunlight passes through these
tiny water droplets we can see rainbow. A beautiful
phenomena created by nature.
Grammar
 Adjective
(Write the definition with examples)
• An adjective describes or modifies noun/s and pronoun/s
in a sentence. It normally indicates quality, size, shape,
duration, feelings, contents, and more about a noun or
pronoun.
• Adjectives usually provide relevant information about the
nouns/pronouns they modify/describe by answering the
questions: What kind? How many? Which one? How
much? Adjectives enrich your writing by adding precision
and originality to it.
• Example:
• The team has a dangerous batsman. (What kind?)
• I have ten candies in my pocket. (How many?)
• I loved that red car. (Which one?)
• I earn more money than he does. (How much)
 Activity 8
• Based on the previous explanation of
adjective write 5 adjective for the following
nouns : (first one has been done for you, use
different adjectives for all )
• Friend – loving, kind, helping, humorous,
talkative
• Match Food
• Beauty movie
 Comparative Adjective
• Comparatives are used to compare and clarify
the difference between two nouns. In other
words, comparative adjectives are used when
two persons or objects being compared.
• NOTE: When comparative adjectives are used,
the word “THAN” appears after the adjective.
 Remember the rules and attempt the
following exercise in your note book.
• 1. slow 11. funny
• 2. cheap 12. narrow
• 3. new 13. pretty
• 4. old 14. shallow
• 5. big 15. clever
• 6. fat 16. interesting
• 7. polite 17. comfortable
• 8. useful 18. beautiful
• 9. hungry 19. good
• 10. dirty 20. bad
 Check your answers
• 1. slower 11. funnier
• 2. cheaper 12. narrower
• 3. newer 13. prettier
• 4. older 14. shallower
• 5. bigger 15. cleverer
• 6. fatter 16. more interesting
• 7. more polite 17. more comfortable
• 8. more useful 18. more beautiful
• 9. hungrier 19. better
• 10. dirtier 20. worse
 Activity 9
• Use comparative adjectives to form 5
sentences of your own.
• Eg : My brother is taller than me.
• (Note : In comparative sentences we use the
word ‘than’ to show comparision)
• Now frame sentences of your own.
 Writing Skill
Paragraph Writing
• A paragraph can be defined as a group of
sentences that discuss only one main idea. A
paragraph might be as long as ten related
sentences.
 Write a paragraph on your favorite
landscape in about 8-10 lines.
• GUIDING POINTS
• Eg : River (perennial river, from ages,
originates, source of livelihood, pollution)
• Mountains ( high landforms, formed due to
earth movements, house to many, storehouse
for fresh water, tourist spot)