A Detailed Lesson Plan in Contemporary, Popular, and Emergent Literature

I. Objectives
At the end of the 30 minutes discussion the students will be able to:
a. Identify the figurative language used in the poem;
b. Present and analyze sample texts for sensory images and evocative details;
c. Express insights in the poem to human experiences.

II. Subject Matter

Topic: Ignorance of the Law Excuses No One by Christine V. Lao
References: https://journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/lik/article/viewFile/6972/6054
Materials: PowerPoint presentation, pictures
III. Procedure

Teacher’s Activity Student’s Activity

A. Preparatory Activities
a. Opening Prayer
Let us bow our head and feel the (Students will bow their head and one student
presence of the Lord. will lead the prayer.)

Good morning class! “Good morning teacher!”

How are you today? “We are fine, Teacher.”
Good to hear that.

b. Checking of Attendance
None Teacher.
Are there any absentees for today?
Before we tackle a new lesson for today. Let Our previous lesson was about Pentimento.
us have a recap about our previous lesson?

Correct! It is a poem about a painter considers what to

What did you understand about Pentimento? reveal and what to conceal from the world, as
if a wayward strap can be hitched as a gesture
of penance, as if a leviathan can be shrouded
by the surface of the ocean.
Indeed!
Thank you, John.
B. Motivation
Are you familiar with the game “Put a Yes, it’s about put your finger down if you
Finger Down?” experience or have that things being
mentioned.

You got it right Fatima!

Now, all you need to raise your five fingers.

Its either your left and right, whichever you
are comfortable with. And put a finger if you
can relate to some scenarios given.
Is that clear? Yes teacher.

The last one to put their finger down will win

this game and whoever win is exempted to
my surprised twist of the game.

(The teacher shows the presentation about the

game.)
Scenarios:
1. Put your finger down if you
experience to be late in school.
2. Put your finger down if you search
your answer to the internet.
3. Put your finger down if you came to
school or attend class drunk.
4. Put your finger down if you sleep
during online or face to face class.
5. Put your finger down if you attend the
class without your phone or without
using your phone.
(The teacher checks the students’ hands and
look for the winner.)
Look whose obedient here in our class, let’s
give five claps to Christina.
Congratulations Christina!
Just like what I said you are exempted in to Thank you, teacher!
answer any questions that I asked to your
It is about the school rules that we need to
classmates.
follow.
Now, what did you notice about our activity?

C. Lesson Proper
Yes Janna, and we all know that these
rules are hard to follow especially because of
our mode of learning today. Our topic for
today has something to do with our lesson
today which is Ignorance of the law excuses
no one, a poem by Christine V. Lao. The
rules in the classroom are related to the laws
No, teacher.
we have in our country, they discipline people
to do things accordingly.

Before we proceed, are you familiar with the

poet and her poem?

Christine V. Lao is a lawyer, poet, and one-

time chief of staff for a justice of the Supreme
Court. She was introduced to Dumaguete
when she became a fellow of the Silliman
National Writers’ Workshop, and has since
returned a number of times to see how the
city has thrived over the years. She is
currently trying to finish her Master’s in
Creative Writing at U.P. Diliman before it Yes teacher. She is like Jose Rizal in modern
finishes her off. version. Because she writes poems and stories
Most of her poems are about the issues of the about the issues happened in our country.
Philippines.

Did you know someone who also like her?

Brilliant Diana! Based on the background of the poet she is a

As we know a little bit about the poet, let’s lawyer and she writes poem about the issues
learn the poem itself. in the Philippines. There are people especially
in higher position sometimes abused their
Why do you think the title of the poem is power to become exempted to the eyes of the
Ignorance of the law excuses no one? law.

Great idea Andrea!

Let us read the poem and analyze each stanza.

(The teacher presents the poem by ppt.)

Ignorance of the law excuses no one

as hunger exempts nothing
that crosses its path.
A trap does not inquire
into the business of what’s caught
so too a child
who does as she’s told.
Where did they go, the children we were
who scurried unfettered in the dark?
In whose paths did they wander?
Whose eye it was that caught them?
Whose hand sliced these questions
from their tongues?
Now the words fall
from our honey-slick lips
to perfume the path that ignorance
means to choose.
Oh how we have grown
who legislate mousetraps
lying in wait
for the nothing
the no one
that knows no law.

In absentia

In bad faith
In consideration
In my defense
In dubio pro reo
In excelsis Deo
In extremis
In fear of
In God we trust
In kind
In light of
In loco parentis
In memory of
In nomine Patris
In omnibus
In pari delicto
In pari materia
In perpetuity
In personam
In question
In real life
In response to
In service
In status quo ante
In the end
In terrorem
In utter darkness
In vitro
In vacuo
In witness whereof

Absolute community

Play Play Play

Play act along as if
Play boy catch clean
Play dirty girl house
Play it up like a kid joker
Play on words nice music
Play proper quiet repeat
Play tough safe the fool
Play with fire up victim
Play X Y Z
Play dead dumb for free

Corpus delicti1
can’t be tried for theft if nothing’s been stolen
nor arson if nothing’s gone up in smoke a
crime becomes fact when actually committed
not even my confession secures my
conviction if there’s nobody missing no body
to be found sounds like I’m scot-free owing
no one no explanation no tax nor fee my
cacophony of naysayers my relentless haters
& their unrelenting screed they whom I must
absolutely pay no heed lest I end up crossing
the road like a headless chicken before it
gives up the ghost in rush hour traffic
time to get dressed for the banquet except
instead of black tie and coattails it’s a vat of
boiling water that loosens up these feathers
now so easy to pluck & why now I’m naked
as the day I was born & vulnerable shorn of
all my plumery who am I really but a body
before consumption a carcass after supper say
yes I’ve always wanted to be served
Declarations

1.
Wives will pick worms from pots of garden
roses, married
to their duty. I’ve been meaning to forbear.
Wounds flower in my palms. I shall wear the
scent of papaya blooms
for the rest of my life. What union this shall
be made plain.

2.
I’ve been willing unto meekness. I will wipe
your feet
with my hair until I am pure. I want to wear
you down
to your most animal, to sediment, mineral,
in bed, my intelligence, my shapeshifting
body, you
shall be the miracle I pay for, dearly, beloved,
I will pray for giving that costs nothing, labor
till you
pay me no rest, you, my reward, my holy
knowing,
I will do yes I do I will do what you will

3.
Meanwhile my soul wrinkles
its nose at devotion, how it indulges,
casts away this fantasy production.
Daily I declare my allegiance to civility
with the sensible shoes that I wear
my unadorned hair, swept back in a neat
ponytail. Love’s uniform is duty. You can’t
stand me otherwise, checking out early
before I put a word in, getting off on
avoidance
of sin. If only you looked
beyond the modesty of my eyes,
you’d find a proclivity for ruin.
If I knew better, I’d say you loved a nun
in your heart, called me Sister.
You know I’d only been willing
to be blind.

4.
well I like how you hang
on my every word
and how when I tease
you stand at attention
too near for comfort In the first stanza, I think there is a hidden
your presence oppresses meaning which the law becomes a trap to you
unbutton me lord if you don’t know them.
forgive us our trespasses
dear prospector
I might yet love you but
I own what
your hands I agree teacher.
are working to fruition
the impossible
I think the lines are like pledge if you give
thought now unthought now undo me
statements to the court.
undone when we’re done there is nothing
to declare

(The teacher asks students their insights about (The student will read the stanza.)
each stanza of the poem.)

In the first stanza what did you understand? I think it’s about playing safe and com clean
so that you will not be punish by law.
A great idea you have Ella!

There are advantages and disadvantages of

knowing the laws. It’s either you come clean
or abuse them.

How about the next stanza, can anyone give

their ideas about it? (The student will read the stanza.)

There are some lines that are Latin and let’s

try to translate so that we can understand it I think it is about suspecting people without
more. enough basis or evidences.

How about the next stanza can you read it for

us Jamaica.

What is your idea about it?

Yes, you got it right. Thank you.

The structure of the stanza is like a puzzle, it
has unique pattern which needs a higher
critical thinking skills to analyze it. I think the narrator of the poem wants to
express how the law make us blind and
How about the next slide can you read it for obsess with the things that we want, even if it
us Jaymee.
 surpasses our limitations as humans.
What is your idea about it?

Yes, additional to that corpus delicti is about

concrete evidence of the crime.
As you can see that there are lines express
enough to see concrete evidences to suspect
someone.
This stanza uses hyperbole, personification,
metaphors and other figurative language to
stand the purpose of the title and also to give
colors and life to the poem itself.

How about the last slide which divided to 4 In absentia, absolute community, corpus
stanzas. delicti and declarations.
Let us hear your idea Rica Mae.

(The students will share their opinions.)

Great idea!

This slide is full of idiomatic and flowery

words that hide the real meaning of the poem.
Also, the poet is creative in expressing the
real-life issues by covering it by good words
that make us confuse and wonder the real
meaning behind it.

E. Generalization

What are the highlight parts of the poem?

Thank you, Christine!

What do you think is the importance of the

poem to humans?

Yes, that is correct! Addition to that the poem

opens door for us to learn more about the law
for ourselves to become well-informed. So
that if we are in a bad situation that involves
our rights as a person, we can defend
ourselves by our knowledge.
Learning this poem change our perspective to
those poems that we usually read and widen
 our capacities to know more about the
essence of the figurative language in hiding
meanings and giving life to the lines.

IV. Evaluation

Identify what figurative language being used in each line given.

__________________1. I shall wear the scent of papaya blooms for the rest of my life.
__________________2. I will wipe your feet with my hair until I am pure.
__________________3. I will do yes I do I will do what you will.
__________________4. Now the words fall from our honey-slick lips.
__________________5. The no one that knows no law.

V. Assignment
If you are the poet of the poem “Ignorance of the Law Excuses No One” what other title you can give to
the poem. Justify it in 5 sentences.