NLC23 - Grade 8 Consolidation English Lesson Plan - Final

8
Consolidation
Learning Camp
English
Lesson Plans
Contents
National Learning Camp Overview ............................................................................................ 1
Lesson Overview ........................................................................................................................ 2
Consolidation Camp ................................................................................................................... 3
Lesson Components: Short Overview ........................................................................................ 5
English Grade 8 Lesson Plan 1.................................................................................................... 7
Reading the Text – Narratives ................................................................................................ 7
English Grade 8 Lesson Plan 2.................................................................................................. 11
Reading the Text – Narratives .............................................................................................. 11
Interpreting Narratives......................................................................................................... 15
Reading the Text – Recounts................................................................................................ 19
Comparing the Features of Narratives and Recounts. ......................................................... 23
Consolidation – Key Elements of Narrative ......................................................................... 27
Features of Expositional Texts ............................................................................................. 31
Reading Non-Linear Texts .................................................................................................... 36
Reading Instructional Texts .................................................................................................. 39
English Grade 8 Lesson Plan 10................................................................................................ 44
Reading Explanation Texts ................................................................................................... 44
Comparing Information Texts .............................................................................................. 48
Consolidation – Using Texts and Images to Inform ............................................................. 52
Reading Persuasive Texts ..................................................................................................... 56
Reading Persuasive Texts for a Specific Audience ............................................................... 60
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Reading Persuasive Texts Using Propaganda Techniques ................................................... 64
Reading Persuasive Texts – Discussions............................................................................... 68
Comparing Persuasive Texts – Discussion and Review ........................................................ 72
Consolidation – Applying What We Know About Reading Persuasive Texts....................... 77
Reading the Text – Narratives .............................................................................................. 81
Reading the Text – Narrative poem ..................................................................................... 85
Descriptions.......................................................................................................................... 89
Reading the text – Factual Recount ..................................................................................... 92
Comparing the Different Types of Recounts........................................................................ 95
Consolidation of Week 4 Learning ....................................................................................... 99
English Grade 8 Lesson Plan 25.............................................................................................. 102
Features of Expositional Texts – Information Reports....................................................... 102
Reading Instructional Texts ................................................................................................ 106
Reading Explanation Text ................................................................................................... 110
Revising Persuasive Texts – Advertisements ..................................................................... 114
Reading Persuasive Texts – Discussions............................................................................. 117
Consolidation – Reading and Responding to a Persuasive Text ........................................ 121
Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................................. 124
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Dear Reader
Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information provided in this Booklet.
Nevertheless, if you identify a mistake, error or issue, or wish to provide a comment we would
appreciate you informing the Office of the Director of the Bureau of Learning Delivery via
telephone numbers (02) 8637-4346 and 8637-4347 or by email at bld.od@deped.gov.ph
Thank you for your support.
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National Learning Camp Overview
The Learning Camp offers grade-level review lessons that are directed by the teacher and designed to be
highly interactive among:
(i) students with their teacher; and
(ii) students with their peers.
A strength of the design is the focus on both student and teacher learning. The intentions and expectations
of the Learning camp are for:
 students to consolidate and enhance their thinking in topics covered;
 teachers to enhance their pedagogical practices by focusing on selected skills, which include 21st
century skills; and
 teachers to update, strengthen and expand their subject knowledge in ways that encourage
students to be involved in learning activities at different levels including those considered higher
order.
Teachers are afforded resources, time and the opportunity to use deliberate practice to further extend
their skills, knowledge and understandings of teaching and how students learn. As the lessons are designed
to apply subject content already encountered by students, they do not contain repetitive, routine
questions of a particular subject aspect.
One important purpose of the subject content review by teachers at the beginning of each lesson is to
determine learners’ subject background knowledge and skills, enabling teachers to build on this. This
activity also reminds students of what they have already encountered. This approach is different to
‘teaching’ students anew as if they have not been taught previously.
Under an integrated banner of ‘Science of Learning’, research-evidence advances in applying disciplines to
education practice such as the learning brain, cognition, teacher and teaching growth, and learning
development is adding to our knowledge of teaching and learning. This Project draws on information in
this field that has highlighted the need to go beyond what might be considered current practice in the
Philippines and incorporate ideas and approaches, including the 21st Century skills, to enhance teaching
and learning for all.
Review lessons
The review lessons are based on content related to the students’ current grade. All lessons involve the
exploration of ideas, concepts and content already encountered by students. The purpose of the lessons is
two-fold:
(i) to establish in students a stronger basis for future learning development (prior to enrolling in a
new grade after the summer break); and
(ii) to enable teachers to strengthen their teaching practice in a research-based professional
development program (prior to a new academic year).
The primary focus of the lessons is on students revising and then applying previously taught subject
content to support problem-solving and/or comprehension activities focused on applying knowledge, skills
and understanding to real-world problems.
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Lesson Overview
All lessons in each of the three subjects, English, Mathematics and Science, contain five components.
Approximate timings for the components are indicated as timing advice to guide the teacher in pacing the
lessons. Time management involves moving through components at a pace that is appropriate for the
learners while still ensuring that the components are completed in a timely, efficient and constructive
manner. Ultimately, however, the pace will be determined by the learners’ needs and strengths.
Nevertheless, there needs to be practical limits on the duration of the components to prevent major
disruption of lessons. When times are allocated appropriately, and students become familiar with the
approach and teacher expectations, concept development and student skill levels are improved.
Research findings related to student learning quality and ‘time’ are related to student ‘time-on-task’. Time-
on-task refers to the time students are actively involved (engaged) in some aspect of the learning process
in class. The suggested times for each component are intended to maximize the time available for student
involvement. This will encourage the student to work efficiently, timewise, through the lesson without
jeopardizing the importance of such activities as students:
 answering routine and non-routine questions
 responding to verbal questions and explanations
 interpreting and using appropriate terminology
 discussing aspects with their peers
 explaining or justifying their approaches and thinking
 working productively on their own
 listening carefully to their teacher or peers.
Care needs to be exercised in determining what engagement means. Engagement is clearer when students
are doing the learning through answering questions, writing, discussing and reading.
Establishing on-task time is more problematic when the teacher talks and students passively listen, such as
in didactic teaching. With such an approach it is difficult to determine whether students are listening or
paying attention. Often in lessons requiring problem-solving or intense reading and comprehension,
student activity is more subtle and cerebral as students work.
Critical aspects of the National Learning Camp for the teacher include questions related to learning areas,
based around a key idea. The questions are offered at different levels of difficulty involving lower- to
higher-order thinking, starting with questions of modest complexity up to those that require more
developed reasoning. Students are provided with opportunities to practice solving non-routine questions
to help improve their conceptual understanding by applying known content to subject-related problems.
Teacher reflection on the lessons presented can offer important insights to stimulate teachers to enhance
their own practice and the learning of their students. This includes:
 new teaching approaches encouraged by lesson components that can contribute in different ways
to student learning and lesson success;
 the use of review lessons that help review learnt material and extend student abilities in problem
solving by utilizing known information;
 a focus on student concept and skill acquisition, pedagogical approaches, student errors, time-on-
task, deliberate practice and working memory demands.
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Consolidation Camp
The Consolidation Camp offers students the chance to review their subject background knowledge by
consolidating previously taught material. The intention is for students to have opportunities to practice
applying their knowledge of concepts and ideas through grade-related sets of questions of developing
difficulty.
In the case of lessons for students in the Consolidation Camp, the materials including the lesson plans are
the same as offered to students attending the Enhancement Camp. There are important reasons for both
Camps sharing the same content. However, there are differences between the Camps associated with the
teaching focus which is related to the breadth and depth of conceptual knowledge of the students.
In all learning, lower-order thinking is a pre-requisite for higher-order skill and knowledge development.
Many students are disadvantaged in their attempts to move forward in their learning through a lack of
practice and conceptual development of needed lower-order skills, knowledge and understandings. Hence,
all students benefit from a stock-take on relevant lower-order skills with previously addressed content.
This helps establish a basis upon which student learning should build.
In both the Consolidation and Enhancement Camps important lower-order content skills, knowledge and
understandings are re-visited at the beginning of each lesson. This helps ensure that potential learning
obstacles are made visible to the student and the teacher. It also means that errors in understanding or
misconceptions are identified. This information is important in helping all students move forward
regardless of their achievement levels.
Small sets of questions offered asked in the lessons are also the same. These questions range from those of
modest difficulty to those which require more insight and knowledge. Exploring and answering these
question sets has value to all students, albeit in different ways. It enables students to work through a range
of ideas on their own before hearing from their peers and teacher concerning the same questions – a very
rich learning environment.
As the questions posed are about applying content already encountered to a new problem, students have
the opportunity to use or apply their current knowledge, skill and understanding in a practical way at their
level, further developing their conceptualization and understanding of the content.
This Consolidation Camp offers students the opportunity to improve their learning and conceptual
development by a stepped approach.
(i) reminding students of relevant lower-order skills through practice,
(ii) having students apply and discuss their knowledge in sets of graded questions with an emphasis
on earlier questions
(iii) expecting students to apply their knowledge leading to more breadth in learning
(iv) beginning an initial focused practice on higher-order skill development.
The approach advocated to solve problems or comprehend passages extends student learning beyond
simple repetitive exercises sets. For these students the teaching part of the lesson requires teachers
reviewing closely student solution attempts through student explanation, discussion and questioning of
fundamental aspects of topics that are typically found in the earlier questions. Teachers should be sensitive
to student’s self-perceptions here as the students may meet the ideas, presented in the lessons, maybe
after many failures with these concepts in the past.
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Nevertheless, these students should become aware of the more difficult questions as they allow them to
consider links or connections between concepts previously taught. There is value in a problem for students
to read the question and be able to say what it is about in their own words.
It is important that students in the Intervention Camp become aware of where their learning is at and
where it is progressing. Teachers need to be nurturing and supportive of this development and continually
look for evidence of success and growth. Teachers also need to encourage students to persist, continue to
practice individual aspects, and use any mistakes they make as an opportunity to learn more. These are
important features of a successful learning journey.
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Lesson Components: Short Overview
Lesson Component 1 (Lesson Short Review)
Component 1 offers teachers the chance to:
 settle the class quickly;
 review or preview previously encountered information;
 address previous content in the form of a few targeted questions that are relevant to the current
lesson;
 note what students already know;
 elicit answers from the class to reinforce the important content needed for the lesson; and
 address briefly issues that may arise.
The questions set for the Short Review section of a lesson are designed to remind students of knowledge
and skills developed when first studying the topic area, which are relevant to the lesson.
Lesson Component 2 (Lesson Purpose/Intention)
This component offers teachers a chance to acquaint students with the purpose/intention of the lesson. It
is valuable if students see a link here with their prior knowledge or experience, especially if the teacher can
connect it to the responses and levels of student understanding evident in Component 1.
In addition, this component is an appropriate time to address what students might expect/aim to achieve,
i.e., their lesson goal(s). Teachers should clarify, in clear language, the learning intention for the students
as well as what success will look like. (Note: The degree of success or partial success of student learning in
the lesson should occur as part of Component 5.)
Lesson Component 3 (Lesson Language Practice)
Component 3 concerns language use – speaking, hearing, listening and comprehending. The focus is on
words or phrases that are to be used.
The language practice suggested has been identified by considering the whole lesson and identifying those
words/phrases that have the potential to cause difficulties for students through speech, or listening, or
understanding. Typically, the language identified is restricted to less than 6 words/phrases so that there is
enough time to use a variety of approaches in the practice within the time available.
Lesson Component 4 (Lesson Activity)
Component 4 has three aspects, 4A, 4B, and 4C.

In the case of the Learning Camp activity, Component 4 addresses the key idea for the lesson. It is about
students applying known content to solve real-world problems. This requires students to
interpret/understand the meaning of the ‘stem’, a stimulus, (passage/text or diagram or the first part of
the problem or story) correctly before answering questions of differing degrees of complexity related to
the stem.
Students are first presented with the stem in 4A and are given the time/chance to understand it. Then in
4B and 4C, two separate sets of questions related to the same stem are asked.
4A Reading and Understanding the Stem
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4A involves understanding the language of the stem. The purposes here are for the teacher:
• to model fluent reading of the stem (first)
• to identify any unfamiliar language (possibly addressed in Component 3)
the student:
• to read the passage or describe the figure, etc.
• to hear and experience fluency in reading the stem.
4B Solving the First Set of Questions
4B involves a set of questions associated with the stem. Students will need to refer to the stem as they
prepare to answer the set of questions. Students write down responses or attempts at each question. It is
important that every student in the class is expected to have a response for each question. It is expected
and acceptable that students would make errors, which provide teachers with important information
students’ learning needs. A critical procedural action here for teachers is the importance of all students
starting on the same set of questions at the same time.
When the students are finished, or sufficient time has been allocated, the teacher marks the questions.
This can be achieved by student answers or approaches to the questions and by explaining or justifying
their reasons. Time should be allocated to student discussion, explanation, and reasoning about answers.
4C Solving the Second Set of Questions
4C offers a new start for students regardless of how they performed in Component 4B. The structure is
very similar to Component 4B, i.e., undertaking a new set of questions related to the same stem. In
addition, the lesson structure allows a refresh for the student brain processing as 4C represents for the
student a new starting point. This structure also allows all students in the class start a new activity.
This approach serves two purposes for teachers. First, it enables the teacher to bring all students back
together to proceed as a group with issues able to be directed to and considered by every student at the
same time. Second, it offers the teacher to practice offering their students extended problems where
different sets of questions can be used with a single Stem enabling an efficient way to incorporate more
problem-solving or comprehension practice on specific content into a lesson.
Lesson Component 5 Lesson Conclusion
Component 5 has a high metacognitive aspect for students – students thinking about their own thinking –
which can be further enhanced by teacher modelling. Component 5 is designed to offer a student-focused
overview to the main intentions of the lesson. In particular, the focus is about helping students reflect on
their progress and achievements (or partial achievements) of the lesson intention as well as their
understanding development during the lesson.
It builds on comments from Component 2 about teacher expectations. There is the chance here to confirm
student progress during the lesson. A teacher may use a diagram, picture or some aspect of the lesson as a
catalyst to stimulate student discussion and reflection.
NOTE: A fuller description of the Components and features of the lessons is provided in the Learning Camp
– Notes to Teachers Booklet. It is recommended that these notes are read and discussed by teachers as
they provide a further basis to understanding the structure of lessons and the pedagogy recommended.
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English Grade 8 Lesson Plan 1
Reading the Text – Narratives
Key Idea
Reading Narratives
Most Essential Learning Competencies
• Recognize positive and negative messages conveyed in a text (Q2)

• Compare and contrast own opinions with those presented in familiar texts (Q2)
• Determine various social, moral and economic issues discussed in the text listened to (Q3)
(EN8LCIIIh-7.4.
Component 1: Short review

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher shows Book Cover as a stimulus – see Appendix 1
 Teacher: Last year we talked about Narratives. What is a Narrative? Give some examples. This
book contains short narratives.
Questions
Q1. Write down one thing you are expecting to see in this book.
Q2. With a partner, discuss your answer and together write down 3 things you expect to see in a
narrative.
Q3. There are many different categories of narratives – one of them is folk tales or legends, as in this
book. Can you think of 3 more?
 Teacher elicits answers for Questions 1 and 2 from students orally before giving class 3 minutes
to write answers for Question 3.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Stories from the past; magic; supernatural beings; animals that can talk; lessons to be passed on
to children…
Q2. Expect a variety of answers such as:
• They are entertaining.
• They are fiction – they did not really happen.
• They may be set in the past, present or the future.
• They have characters who may be people but are sometimes animals who have human
abilities – e.g., they talk and think.
• They tell what happens to the characters.
• They have a moral or a message or themes.
• They tell us how to behave properly.
Q3. Horror, science fiction, graphic novels-comics, romance fiction, fantasy, crime, thrillers,
adventure
[Teacher Notes: This lesson opening is designed to activate prior knowledge and will give you an
indication of level of student understanding about text types and narratives in particular. The book cover
provides stimulus for student recall rather than relying purely on memory.]
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Component 2: Lesson Purpose
Time: 3 minutes
“In this lesson we are going to look at a short narrative and we are going to learn some strategies for
reading narratives that you may not have seen before by looking at this story in detail.”
[Teacher Notes: Emphasize that the lesson will help them know what to look out for or what are the
important bits when they have to read narrative texts they’ve never read before.]
Component 3: Language Practice
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher: This Narrative is called Juan Gathers Guavas. It is a folk tale from the Philippines. What
is a folk tale?
We may meet some words that are important in the narrative and that you may not have seen before
or may not remember so I’m going to list such words and give you their meanings so as you will be
able to understand the narrative when I read it shortly.”
These words are written on your Workbook (see C3).
The words are: a feast of guavas, neighbors, hastened, fastened, swollen, Folk tale.
Answers
a feast of guavas (a meal made up of a lot of guavas – ‘feast’ also means a celebration meal with
•
a lot of people) [Teacher note: focus on difference in meaning between ‘a meal’ and a feast’ of
guavas]
• neighbors (people who live near each other)
• hastened (hurried)
• fastened (locked)
• swollen (puffed up; enlarged, bloated, bigger than usual because of an infection, a bite, or an
injury)
• Folk tale (a legend or myth; usually belonging to a particular cultural group (tribe) and having a
moral or meaning or an explanation of the creation of the world, animals or natural phenomena)
 Teacher: Let’s practice these words.
• Say them and their meanings after me.
• Look at their spelling.
• Let’s put them in a sentence. I’ll do the first one….
‘I am going to Juan’s house to celebrate his birthday with a big meal that will be a feast of guavas.’
 Now with your partner, write a sentence for each of the other words in the list.”
 Teacher samples sentences to make sure the words are used according to their meanings.
[Teacher Notes: try to get students to write sentences that reveal the meaning of the words. If running
short of time, either omit sentence writing or do it orally as a class.]
Component 4: Lesson Activity

Time: 20 minutes total
Component 4A Reading the Text (5 minutes)
 Teacher reads text, drawing attention to the words listed.
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Juan Gathers Guavas 1
One day Juan’s father sent him to get some ripe guavas, for a number of the neighbors had come
in and he wanted to give them something to eat.
Juan went to the guava bushes and ate all the fruit he could hold, and then he decided to play a
joke on his father’s guests instead of giving them a feast of guavas. A wasp’s nest hung near by.
With some difficulty he succeeded in taking it down and putting it into a tight basket that he had
brought for the fruit. He hastened home and gave the basket to his father, and then as he left the
room where the guests were seated he closed the door and fastened it.
As soon as Juan’s father opened the basket the wasps flew over the room; and when the people
found the door locked they fought to get out of the windows. After a while Juan opened the
door, and when he saw the swollen faces of the people, he cried.
“What fine, rich guavas you must have had! They have made you all so fat!”.
Component 4B Questions (10 minutes)

 Teacher provides Questions 1-3 on Workbook and models answer to Question 1 using Think
Aloud.
Q1. Who and what is involved in this narrative?

Q2. What is the event that sets off the main events of the narrative?
Q3. Does the author intend readers to admire Juan for his cleverness or not? Give reasons for your
answer.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Juan, his father, neighbors, guavas and wasps.
Q2. Juan’s decision to take the wasp’s nest home instead of guavas.
Q3. Acceptable responses (there may be others): the author admires Juan for his cleverness and care
in planning and carrying out his joke but shows that the results are harmful to his father’s
reputation and causes pain to everyone in the room; the author presents Juan as clever but cruel.
 Students answer the questions on Workbook.

 Teacher leads discussion of answers and on evidence from text.
Component 4C Questions (10 minutes)

 Teacher provides Questions 4-6 on the Workbook and models answer to Question 4 using Think
Aloud. Students write answers to Questions 5 and 6 in Workbook.
Q4. Find 3 pieces of evidence that show Juan has planned his ‘joke’ very carefully.
[Teacher note: Think aloud – ‘I am looking at what Juan does after he sees the wasp’s nest. First he
has to be very careful in getting it down from the tree (read exact words from text); then secondly I
know he cannot carry it home in his hands so he has to find something to put it in and decides to use
the basket he brought for the guavas (read exact words from text; then thirdly after he gives his
father the basket he makes sure to lock the door so no-one can get out and they will all be stung by
the wasps (read exact words from text).’]
1 Cole, M. C. (1916/2008). Philippine Folk Tales. A.C. McClurg & Co..

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Q5. What did you think of the ending of the story? Does it give a Resolution to the story? Give
reasons for your answer.
Q6. Imagine Juan is your friend – what would you say to him about this ‘joke’?
 Teacher samples answers to Questions 5 and 6 from the students and provides feedback.
Suggested Answers:
Q4. Answer modelled by the teacher.
Q5. Acceptable answers: the author does not provide a true ending for the story because we know
Juan will be punished for his actions; the author leaves us to imagine what the resolution will be.
Q6. Acceptable answers here will range across a number of possible responses from disapproval to
enjoyment of the discomfort of adults.
[Teacher Notes: As questions 5 and 6 are more interpretive, be prepared for a variety of answers and
encourage discussion – the important thing is not the actual answer, but the reasons for it.]
Component 5: Lesson Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher displays the questions
Questions:
1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how narratives work. How has the lesson helped
you to understand this?
2. Which questions were easy to answer? Why?
3. What strategies did you use to answer the harder questions?
[Teacher Notes: It would be worthwhile to do this by getting students to write on the Workbook so you
have some feedback on the effectiveness of the lesson and how they feel about their learning
experience. However, if pressed for time, you may want to do this section as a class discussion.]
Segue to next lesson: In the next lesson we will look at another narrative to give you more practice with
reading and interpreting them.
REMINDER: Collect student Workbooks to review and analyze students’ learning – focus on answers to
Question 6 for quality and clarity of writing and understanding of the content.
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Key Idea
Locating information and interpreting the text – Narratives
Most Essential Learning Competency
• Recognize positive and negative message conveyed in a text (Q2)

• Determine various social, moral and economic issues discussed in the text listened to ( Q3) (EN8LC-
III-7.4).

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher: In our last lesson we read a story about Juan and the trick he played on his father. What
kind of text is that? We call that kind of text a narrative.
 Individually write your answers to Question 1 on the Workbook.
Questions
Q1. What information do we usually find in the first part of a narrative?
Q2. How does the narrative get going?
Q3. How is the narrative ended?
 Students match the narrative stages with their function on the Workbook]
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Who is involved (characters), where the story takes place (setting), when the story takes place.
Q2. A problem arises - something happens to disrupt the situation or someone new arrives or both –
this is called a ‘crisis.’
Q3. The action builds up to a conclusion - this is called a ‘climax’ – and the problem is solved - this is
called a resolution.
 Teacher seeks answers from students and writes the 3 parts of a narrative and their names on the
board/whiteboard.
Component 2: Purpose of the lesson
Time: 2 minutes
In this lesson we are going to read another narrative text.
We are going to look at words and expressions that you need to know to be able to understand this
narrative but after that I want to see if you can identify each stage of the narrative as I read it.
Time: 5 minutes
 This Narrative is called Androcles and the Lion. It is a story from ancient Rome.
 We may meet some words that are important in the narrative and that you may not have seen
before so I’m going to list such words and we will work on their meanings so as you will be able to
understand the narrative when I read it shortly. These words are written on your Workbook (see
LC3A).
• ancient (a very long time ago – BC times)
• Emperor (a supreme ruler, like a king)
• embedded (very deep inside the lion’s paw)
• compassion (sympathy, kindness of heart)
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• gratitude (thanks, appreciation)
• affection (friendliness, liking)
• Coliseum (the arena in Ancient Rome where games and executions were held ; where the
gladiators fought in front of huge crowds)
• symbol (where something or someone comes to represent an idea or value – e.g. a dove
represents peace
• empathy (understanding, compassion).
 Let’s practice these words. Say them and their meanings after me. Look at their spelling.
 Let’s put them in a sentence. I’ll do the first one….
 ‘Dinosaur bones were found in Africa dating back thousands of years to ancient time.’
 Now with your partner, write a sentence for each of the other words in the list.
[Teacher Note: Try to get students to write sentences that reveal the meaning of the words. If running

Time: 25 minutes
Component 4A Reading the text
 Students listen and follow along; students highlight or underline any words they don’t know.
 Students then take turns to read the text to each other and highlight/underline any words they
don’t know.
[Teacher Note: The purpose is to guide students in reading the text. The teacher should first read the
text aloud to the students with appropriate phrasing and expression to model a fluent reading of the
text. Students could then read the text together or individually, identifying problematic or unfamiliar
language.]
Androcles and the Lion 2
Androcles was a slave in ancient Rome in the time of the Emperor Tiberius. One day,
Androcles escaped from his master and fled into the dense forests, hoping to find refuge and
freedom.
As he wandered through the wilderness, Androcles came suddenly upon a fierce lion with a
thorn embedded deeply in its paw. Feeling compassion for the suffering animal, Androcles
approached slowly, gaining the lion's trust with gentle words and soothing actions. He
carefully removed the thorn from the lion’s paw, easing its pain.
To Androcles's surprise, the lion did not attack or harm him but rather showed gratitude and
affection. The lion became his loyal friend, following him throughout the forest, protecting
him from other wild animals and providing him with food.
One day, Androcles was caught by Roman soldiers and brought back to the city. He was
sentenced to death for his act of escape. The day of his execution arrived, and he was thrown
into the Coliseum, where a ferocious lion was released to attack him.
As the lion charged towards Androcles, he recognized his old companion. Instead of attacking,
the lion approached Androcles, wagging its tail and expressing joy. The crowd watched in
2 Adapted by ChatGPT, https://chat.openai.com

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astonishment as Androcles embraced the lion. Instead of attacking, the lion approached
Androcles, wagging its tail and expressing joy. The crowd roared with amazement as
Androcles embraced the lion.
Amazed by this remarkable display of loyalty and compassion, the Emperor Tiberius spared
Androcles' life and granted him freedom. Androcles and the lion became a symbol of the
power of kindness and the bond that can develop between humans and animals.
The story of Androcles and the lion teaches us that even the fiercest of creatures can show
gratitude and love when treated with kindness and compassion. It reminds us of the value of
empathy and the potential for friendship that exists in the most unexpected places.
Component 4B Questions [10 minutes]
 Teacher: There are some questions about the story on your Workbook.
 Read each question carefully.
 What information do we need to find to answer the question? [Locate and underline relevant
information in each question]
 Can you find the answers in the text? [Students locate and underline relevant information in text]
[Questions can be answered orally for lower level students.]
Questions
Q1. Narratives begin by telling us about the Who, Where and When of the story to come. In this
Narrative, what does the first paragraph tell us about who is involved, and where and when does he
story happen?
Q2. How does Androcles avoid being killed by the lion in the forest?
Q3. Find evidence of the bravery of Androcles in the narrative.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Who: Androcles and the Emperor Tiberius; Where: Ancient Rome; When: ancient times.
Q2. He makes friends with the lion and removes the thorn from the lion’s paw.
Q3. He escapes from Rome; he approaches the lion with friendly gestures; he removes the thorn
from the lion’s paw..
 Students answer the questions in the Workbook.

 Teacher samples answers to the questions from the students.
 Teacher provides appropriate feedback to answers.
Component 4C Questions. [10 minutes]

 Teacher provides Questions 4-6 in the Workbook.
 Let’s look at each question carefully.
What information do we need to answer the question?
Where can we find the answer? Is it here in the words? Is it hidden in the words? Is it in your head?
Questions
Q4. Why does the Emperor Tiberius set Androcles free?
Q5. Write the moral of the story in your own words.
Q6. What is your opinion of the moral of the story? Is it true-to-life? Give a reason for your answer.
 Students write answers in the Workbook.

 Teacher provides feedback to answers.
Suggested Answers
Q1. He and the crowd are amazed that the lion and Androcles are friends.
13
Q2. Be prepared for a range of answers covering the last 2 paragraphs of the narrative.
Q3. Be prepared for a range of answers including agreement and disagreement about the story being
true-to-life. Focus on the reasons given.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Q4 as a class discussion if running short of time for Questions 5 and 6.]
Component 5 Conclusion
Time: 5 minutes
Teacher displays the questions
Questions:
1. The focus of the lesson was on learning more about how narratives work. How has the lesson
helped you to understand this?
Segue to next lesson: In the next lesson we will look at another, more complex Narrative to give your
more practice at interpreting narrative texts.
14
Interpreting Narratives
Key Idea
Interpreting Narratives
• Determine various social, moral and economic issues discussed in the text listened to ( Q3) (EN8LC-
III-7.4).
Component 1: Short review Time: 7 minutes

 Teacher: Today we are going to read a more complex narrative called ‘The Aged Mother.’ It is a
Japanese folk tale. Before we get to reading it, think about the answers to these questions and
write your answers on your Workbook:
Questions:
Q1. Knowing that The Aged Mother is a narrative like Androcles and the Lion, what do you expect it to
be about?
Q2. Knowing that The Aged Mother is a narrative, how do you expect it to be structured?
Q3. How would your expectations change if The Aged Mother was a romantic comedy or a crime or a
horror film? Pick one of those types of film for this answer.
 Teacher seeks answers from students and gives feedback.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. A setting in the past with characters and events that are unlikely to have happened and might
even have some magic involved, but which convey an important lesson.
Q2. It starts with information about the setting and the characters, then a problem (crisis) occurs
which lead to a sequence of events that eventually come to a head and the problem gets solved
in some way that may or may not be happy.’
Q3. Be prepared for some varied responses here – with horror it will be more violent and the mother
is probably some type of monster; with crime she’s probably the matriarch of a mafia-style family
that sells drugs – more violent again; with a romantic comedy she’s probably the mother of one
of the young people and causes problems for them that are finally resolved.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Questions 1 and 2 as a class and allow students to do Question 3 in
pairs/groups.]
Time: 2 minutes
Teacher: In this lesson we are going to read a more complex folk tale and apply our knowledge of
narratives to work out what it means and the extent to which it conforms to the features of narrative
that we have seen in Lessons 1 and 2.
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher: Here are some key words from the text that you may not know or remember. Let’s say
each word together.
15
Vocabulary
• Shogun – a military ruler of a part of Japan a long time ago
• aged - old
• widowed – a woman whose husband has died
• province – a state or region within a country
• proclamation – an announcement by a government that affects the citizens
• the kindest mode of death – a way of dying that involves the least suffering
• the summit of the mountain – the top of the mountain
• the shogun and his officials – the leader of a province and the people who help him to carry out
his tasks.
 Now let’s go over what each word means.
 Teacher writes each word on the board and asks class to volunteer answers and writes each
definition on the board. Students write each definition on their Workbooks.
Component 4: Lesson Activities

Time: 25 minutes in total
Component 4A Reading the text [5 minutes]
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Component 3.
 Teacher asks if there are any questions about the text or any words that the students did not
understand.
The Aged Mother 3

A long time ago at the foot of a mountain in Japan there lived a poor farmer and his aged,
widowed mother. They owned a bit of land which supplied them with food, and they were
humble, peaceful and happy.
Unfortunately, they lived in a province ruled by a shogun who made a proclamation that all
aged people were immediately to be put to death. The farmer loved his mother but no one in
this province ever disobeyed the shogun. So he strapped his mother to his back and took her up
the mountain called Obatsuyama, the mountain where the aged were often abandoned to die.
This was considered the kindest mode of death.
There were many paths up to the summit of the mountain and it was easy to get confused.
Unknown to the farmer, his mother carefully pulled twigs from the bushes and threw them on
the ground so that her son would know the way back down. When they reached the top, he laid
her down carefully and was about to leave her when he realized he did not know the way back.
“Follow the twigs I laid down for you,” his mother said. It was then he knew that he could not
leave her there to die alone. Once again he strapped his mother to his back and together they
went back down the mountain. Once home, he decided to hide his mother from the shogun and
his officials.
One day the shogun visited the province and demanded that the people give him a rope made
out of ashes. No-one knew how to make one. However, the farmer’s mother found the solution.
“Make a rope of twisted straw,“ she said, “then stretch it out on a row of flat stones and burn it
on a windless night.”
3 Philippines Department of Education (nd). Quarter 2: Module 5. Discovering One’s Role in Nation Building, p.4-5.
16
When the shogun arrived to claim his rope of ashes, he asked who had been able to make one.
The farmer admitted that it was his aged mother.
The shogun was surprised and said, “My country needs more than just the strength of youth.
How could I have forgotten the well-known saying, ‘with the crown of snow there comes
wisdom’?” At that very hour, the cruel law was abolished.

 Teacher reads questions and asks students to answer them on the Workbook.
Questions
Q1. What event causes the farmer to take his mother up the mountain?
Q2. Find evidence of the mother’s love for her son.
Q3. Find evidence that the mother is very wise despite her age.
 Teacher samples answers from students to each question.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. The shogun’s proclamation that all aged people will be put to death and his visit to the town
where the farmer and his mother live means that his mother will be killed soon.
Q2. She makes a trail of twigs for him to follow down the mountain.
Q3. She is the only one in the village who knows how to make a rope made out of ashes.
Component 4C Questions [10 minutes]
 Teacher reads Questions 4-6 on the Workbook and asks students to write answers on their
Workbooks.
Questions
Q4. What reason does the shogun have for ordering all aged people to be killed? You will have to look
very closely at the text to find the answer.
Q5. Write the meaning of ‘with the crown of snow there comes wisdom’ in your own words.
Q6. Your teacher has asked for your opinion about whether or not this story should be used again
next year in Year 8. Write a short paragraph in the Workbook either justifying it being kept OR it
being dumped. Give your reasons.
 Students write answers in Workbook.

Suggested Answers:
Q4. He thinks that his country needs only ‘the strength of youth’.
Q5. Snow refers to how old people’s hair goes grey and then white – but age also brings knowledge
that would be lost without them – wisdom.
Q6. Be prepared for a range of answers here, including that no shogun would ever give such an order
so the tale is pointless; the tale is too ‘corny’; the tale is important in showing the power of love
and the need to respect the elders.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Questions 4 and 5 as class discussion if pressed for time.]
17
Time: 5 minutes
Teacher displays the questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning more about how narratives work. How has the lesson
Q2. Which questions were easy to answer? Why?
Q3. What strategies did you use to answer the harder questions?
Segue to next lesson: In the next lesson we will look at another type of text that deals with events called a
Recount.
18
Reading the Text – Recounts
Key Idea
Identifying information in a Recount

• Determine various social, moral and economic issues discussed in the text listened to (Q3)

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher: In our last 3 lessons we read folk tales which fit under the type of text known as narrative.
In this lesson we are going to look at another type of text that involves a sequence of events, except
this time it’s not a fictional, imagined text but a non-fiction, factual text. It’s called a Recount. We
are going to read one called ‘Shackleton’s Journey.’ It is about the adventures of a famous Antarctic
explorer more than 100 years ago.
 Teacher displays and reads questions. Teacher elicits answers from students orally to Question 1
before giving class 3 minutes to write their answers to Questions 2 and 3 on the Workbook.
Questions
1. How can you tell from the title that ‘Shackleton’s Journey is more likely to be a factual rather than
a fictional text?
2. Knowing that Shackleton’s Journey is a recount, what are you expecting to see in it?
3. In what ways is a factual text different to a fictional text?
 Teacher samples answers to Questions 2 and 3, providing feedback.

Suggested Answers
Q1. Fictional texts usually have more exciting titles; it looks like a record of an actual trip; it looks like
the sort of writing task done by an explorer or a traveler.
Q2. A description of who is involved, why they were going to the Antarctic and something about what
happened on their journey there; what happened when they arrived.
Q3. Factual texts recount events that actually happened whereas fictional texts narrate events that
either could possibly happen but didn’t or could never have happened. Narratives are more likely
to have themes or messages or morals to their stories. Be prepared for additional answers from
students.

Time: 2 minutes
Teacher: In this lesson we are going to look at another type of text that involves a sequence of events,
except this time it’s not a fictional, imagined text but a non-fiction, factual text. It’s called a Recount.
Recounts generally have 3 stages: firstly, similar to a narrative, they begin with who is involved, and
when and where the events happen (sometimes called an Orientation); secondly, they then outline the
sequence of events; thirdly, and this an optional section, there may be a comment on the events.
Time: 5 minutes
19
Teacher provides explicit instruction on the words and phrases that are important for students to
recognize and understand in the lesson.
 Teacher displays the list of words on the board and reads each word aloud.
 Here are some words and phrases from the text we are going to read. Let’s read them together.
Language Focus:
• expedition (a journey, sometimes dangerous, needing a lot of planning and organization, usually
involving a big crew and often to places that are remote from humans)
• resilience (toughness; ability to keep going despite setbacks)
• a desolate and uninhabited landmass (an island covered in ice – no one lived there)
• whaling station (a small village where ships that hunted whales would go for harbor)
• grueling (difficult, exhausting)
• embarked (a tool used in spinning)
• crevasses (cracks in the ice where the explorers were walking that could suddenly open up under
their feet)
• ordeal (a difficult experience).

Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher: This text is about the journey of explorers in the Antarctic over 100 years ago. What
do you know about the Antarctic? The text is a Recount. As I read it, we are going to try to
work out some of the words in the vocabulary list. Also, look for the differences and similarities
between this recount and the narratives we have been reading in previous lessons. Look
particularly at how it starts, how it gets going and how it ends.
 Teacher reads text, focuses on the words designated in Component 3 and asks for any
questions about the text.
Shackleton’s Journey 4
Sir Ernest Shackleton's was one of the most famous explorers of Antarctica. In 1914, he set out on an
expedition to cross the Antarctic continent in his ship, the Endurance, but it became trapped in the ice
of the Weddell Sea and could not move. What happened next was a journey of amazing courage,
resilience and determination in the face of huge challenges.
Shackleton and his crew made their way across the ice to Elephant Island, a desolate and uninhabited
landmass. At least there was fresh water and they were able to hunt seals and sea lions for food.
However, Shackleton knew that no-one would find them there so their only chance of survival was to
find help.
Shackleton decided that he and five of his men would set sail in a small lifeboat on an incredible 800-
mile journey across the treacherous Southern Ocean. They were looking for South Georgia Island,
where Shackleton knew there was a whaling station. Battling freezing temperatures, monstrous
waves, and relentless winds, they navigated through icy waters, always hoping they would reach
South Georgia Island, where they knew they could get help.
After a grueling seventeen days, they finally reached South Georgia, however they were on the wrong
side of the island and faced a dangerous journey over its rugged and icy land. Shackleton and two
others embarked on this perilous journey, leaving the rest behind to await their return. Through
blizzards and crevasses, they made their way, pushing their bodies to the limits of endurance.
4 Text generated by ChatGPT, https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

20
Miraculously, they arrived at the whaling station on the other side of the island. Shackleton
immediately organized a rescue mission to save the men he left behind on Elephant Island.
After several attempts, Shackleton finally succeeded in reaching Elephant Island, rescuing his stranded
crew members and bringing them all back to safety. Not a single life was lost during this extraordinary
ordeal.
 Teacher reads each question and asks students to write answers on their Workbooks.
Q1.How did Shackleton and his men survive on Elephant Island?

Q2. List the problems Shackleton and his men faced on the journey from Elephant Island to South
Georgia Island.
Q3. Look at the first paragraph of the text. How does it match the typical opening paragraphs of a
Recount?
 Teacher asks the students to volunteer their answers, giving them appropriate feedback.
Suggested answers:
Q1. There was fresh water and they could hunt seals and sea lions for food.
Q2. It was 800 miles; there were freezing temperatures, monstrous waves, relentless winds, and icy
waters.
Q3. It has who is involved, and when and where the events happened.
 Teacher reads Questions 4-6 and asks students to write answers on their Workbooks.
Q4. What difficulty did Shackleton and his men face once they got to South Georgia Island?
Q5. Find evidence that Shackleton was an intelligent leader who was not afraid to make hard
decisions.
Q6. This Recount does not have a concluding paragraph that sums up the significance of the events.
Write a paragraph giving the text such a conclusion.
 Teacher asks the students to volunteer their answers, giving them appropriate feedback.
Suggested answers:
Q4. They were on the wrong side of the island from the whaling station and had to walk across the
island to get to it.’
Q5. He knew they would not get rescued on Elephant Island; he decided to take a crew of 5 on a
lifeboat to get to South Georgia Island; he came back to rescue the men he left on Elephant
Island; none of his crew died .
Q6. The text actually concludes: ‘Shackleton's journey is a testament to his leadership and stubborn
spirit. His story has become a symbol of courage and resilience, inspiring generations to never give
up, no matter how horrible the circumstances.’ Look for answers/responses that articulate any
elements of that.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Questions 4 and 5 as a class discussion to allow more time for Q6.]
21
Time: 5 minutes
Teacher displays the questions.
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how recounts work. How has the lesson helped
you to understand the difference?
22
Comparing the Features of Narratives and Recounts.
Key Idea
Comparing the features of narratives and recounts.
• Determine various social, moral, and economic issues discussed in the text listened to - Q3
• Synthesize essential information found in various sources - Q4
• Compose effective paragraphs - Q4

Time: 7 minutes
 This week we have been looking at texts the main purpose of which is to tell us what happened – to
cover a sequence of events. They fall into 2 categories: narratives, like the folk tales we have read,
and recounts, like the text about Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic journey in 1914.
 Look at these titles for texts – which ones do you think are for narratives and which are for recounts?
Give reasons for your answers.
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Answer: Narrative)

2. Our Summer Holiday (Answer: Recount)
3. The Story of Lebron James (Answer: Recount)
4. The World at War 1939-1945 (Answer: Recount)
5. The Dragon and the Snake (Answer: Narrative)
6. Diary of a President (Answer: Recount)
7. A Dance to the Music of Time (Answer: Narrative)
 Teacher asks students to volunteer answers and reasons and gives feedback.
[Teacher Note: Reasons should mention that the recounts do not have fictional characters like the witch
or the dragon but focus usually on real people and events whereas narratives are not factual.]

Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to look at the similarities and differences between narratives and recounts
using two of the texts we looked at in previous lessons.
Component 3: Lesson Language Practice
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher: Here are some words that we have met before in discussing the types of texts we have
been reading so far this week and that will be used in this lesson. Let’s say each word together.
Revise:
• Narrative
• Recount
• Setting
• Crisis
• Resolution
• Sequence of events
23
definition on the board.
Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads The Aged Mother and Shackleton’s Journey, drawing attention briefly to the
stages/structure of each text:
• Read paragraph one of each text to ask students to locate who is involved, when the events take
place and where the events take place (Setting).
• Point out the problem that causes the events that are the focus of the story (sequence of events)
in the narrative (Crisis).
• Point out how the Recount goes to the first event in the sequence, which is the ship getting stuck
in the ice (yes, it is a problem or crisis too) and goes on to describe ‘what happened next - the
sequence of events.
• Point out how the Narrative concludes with a solution to the problem (Resolution) and contains
a lesson to be learned.
• Point out how the Recount ends with the final event in the sequence and may not have a lesson
to be learned.
 Teacher reads out each question and asks students to write their answers on the Workbook [See
Teacher Notes for alternative to Workbook approach].
Questions
Q1. How can you tell that The Aged Mother is fictional/made up?
Q2. How can you tell that Shackleton’s Journey is NOT fictional/made up?
Q3. How can you tell that The Aged Mother is a narrative?
Q4. How can you tell that Shackleton’s Journey is a recount?
 Teacher asks the students to volunteer their answers, giving appropriate feedback, checking for
understanding and application of the definitions of narratives and recounts.
[Teacher Notes: Do not labor over these questions as they ask for consolidation of the content
covered in Components 1 and 3. Feel free to:
• allow students to answer in pairs or groups
• ask for oral answers rather than have students write in their Workbooks especially if you are
pressed for time at this stage of the lesson.]
Answers:
Q1. It begins like a fairy tale; the events are not realistic; it is designed to give a moral.
Q2. It describes an actual sequence of events and gives a date for the beginning of the journey; the
events are realistic and actually happened.
24
Q3. It conforms to the structure of narrative, especially in being based on a problem/crisis that gets
resolved (resolution) and contains a moral or lesson.
Q4. It conforms to the structure of recount, with an introduction/background paragraph that tells us
when the events happened and the purpose of the journey and then outlines a sequence of
events leading to a conclusion of the sequence.
 Teacher reads out each question and asks students to write their answers on the Workbook.
Q5. Look at the first paragraph of each text. In what ways are they similar?
Q6. Look at the last paragraph of each text. How do they compare?
Q7. Read the following statement about recounts and narratives – do you agree with it? Give
reasons using the The Aged Mother and Shackleton’s Journey. Use your Workbook to record
your answers.
I prefer Narratives to Recounts. Narratives have much more exciting characters and events
because they don’t have to have actually happened and writers can use more complicated
language to describe what happens. In comparison Recounts are simply telling us what
happened and cannot make it more interesting for the reader.
 Teacher asks the students to volunteer their answers, giving positive feedback.
Answers:
Q5. Both paragraphs give information about who is involved and where and when the stories take
place (Setting).
Q6. The Aged Mother ends with the problem of the shogun’s cruel law being abolished and the lesson
or moral he learned. Shackleton’s Journey ends with all the crew members being rescued.
Q7. Students will choose whether to agree or disagree – the focus here is on the reasons they give.
[Teacher Notes: Questions 5 and 6 could be done as a class discussion, with the teacher writing answers
on the board. Question 7 could be done in pairs on the Workbook. This would allow more time for the
students to write and for the teacher to sample their answers by getting students to read their writing
aloud.]

Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about the differences between narratives and recounts.
How has the lesson helped you to understand the difference?
25
26
Consolidation – Key Elements of Narrative
Key Idea
Key elements of narrative
• Compare and contrast own opinions with those presented in familiar texts (Q2)
• Determine various social, moral and economic issues discussed in the text listened to (Q3).
• Compose effective paragraphs EN8WC-IIa-2.8
Component 1: Short Review

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher asks students questions to activate prior knowledge.
 In our lessons this week we learned about two types of story texts – recounts and narratives.
Questions:
Q1. How are recounts and narratives similar?
Q2. How are recounts and narratives different?
 Students record their answers on the Student Workbook.

 Teacher checks answers by involving the students
Suggested answers:
Q1. They both tell what happened in the past.
Q2. Recounts retell events in chronological sequence. Narratives tell a story where a problem or
conflict develops and is resolved; the events aren’t always in sequence. There is a moral or lesson
to the story.

Time: 3 minutes
Teacher briefly states the purpose/focus of the lesson and makes explicit the learning goal for students.
In this lesson we are going to bring together what we know about the key elements of a story,
what makes a narrative different from a recount.
Time: 5 minutes
• characters (the people who take part in a story)
• setting (where and when a story takes place)
• plot (what happens in a story, the sequence of events)
• crisis (the challenge or problem the main characters need to solve to achieve their goals)
• climax (the high point in a story)
• resolution (how things end up in a story when the problem is solved)
• theme (the main idea or lesson of the story)
 Students complete the table of words and their meanings on the Workbook.
27
Time: 25 minutes
Component 4A Reading the texts
 Teacher asks students to look carefully at the story mountain and to pay attention to its shape
and structure. Read aloud the caption at each stage.
Text 1 Story Mountain 5
 Teacher reads Text 2 aloud to the class.

Text 2 The Laborer and the Nightingale 6
1 A Laborer lay listening to a Nightingale’s song throughout the summer night.
2 So pleased was he with it that the next night he set a trap for it and captured it. “Now
that I have caught you,” he cried, “you shall always sing to me.”
3 “We Nightingales never sing in a cage,” said the bird.
4 “Then I’ll eat you,” said the Laborer. “I have always heard say that nightingale on toast is
a dainty morsel.”
5 “Nay, do not kill me,” said the Nightingale; “but let me free, and I’ll tell you three things
far better worth than my poor body.”
6 The Laborer let him loose, and he flew up to a branch of a tree and said: “Never believe a
captive’s promise; that’s one thing. Then again: Keep what you have. And third piece of
advice is: Sorrow not over what is lost forever.” Then the song-bird flew away.
Component 4B Questions
 Teacher displays questions on the board.
Questions
Q1. What text type does the Story Mountain diagram represent?
Q2. In which part/s of the Story Mountain would you find the sequence of events?
55 Story Mountain (n.d). 7th Grade Humanities. Graphic Organizers. http://7thgradehumanities.weebly.com/organizing.html

6 (Adapted from Æsop. (Sixth century B.C.) Fables. The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.)
28
Q3. How does the shape of the Story Mountain reflect the structure of a story?
Q4. If you were to draw the shape of a recount, what would it look like?
 Students write their answers in the Workbook.
 Teacher checks answers by involving the students
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Narrative
Q2. Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action
Q3. Various possible answers, e.g.:
 The events in a story build up to a high point like the peak of a mountain then gradually fall to
its base in the resolution.
 The mountain is a metaphor for the structure of a story.
Q4. A recount would look flat.
Component 4C Questions
 Display questions on board. Students write their answers on the Workbook.
Questions
Q5. Match the paragraphs from Text 2 with the stages in the story mountain.
Q6. What type of text is The Laborer and the Nightingale? Give reasons for your answer. Find
evidence from the text to support your answer.
Q7. The bird in the story gives three pieces of advice. Which do you think is the best advice and why?
How would you rephrase or express this piece of advice in your own words?
 Teacher checks answers to the questions by involving the students [~ 5 minutes]
Suggested answers (various answers are possible for Q5):
Q5. 1-Background; 2, 3-Rising Action; 4-Climax; 5-Falling Action; 6-Resolution
Q6. Narrative; a fable. It is a narrative because…
• it’s imaginary (the nightingale speaks to a human)
• there is a problem and resolution (the laborer wanted to eat the bird; the bird found a way to
get free)
• there are moral lessons to the story (in the last paragraph “Never believe a captive’s promise;
… Keep what you have… Sorrow not over what is lost forever.”)
Q7. (Various answers possible)
Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on bringing together what you’ve learned about recount and
narrative texts. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
29
Segue to next lesson: Next week our focus will be on informational text types.
30
Features of Expositional Texts
Key Idea
Features of Expositional Texts – Information reports
• Use appropriate reading strategies for various text types Q4
• Recognize positive and negative messages conveyed in a text Q2
• Determine various social, moral and economic issues discussed in the text listened to Q3
• Synthesize essential information found in various sources Q4
• Compose effective paragraphs Q4
Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher: Last week we talked about different types of texts. We remembered that they are called
‘Narrative, Expository, Explanation, Recount or Persuasive and we focused on types of text that
involved telling a story – sometimes they were factual, they actually happened (recounts) and
some of them were fictional, made up, imaginary (narratives).’ This week we are going to focus on
types of texts that give us information – Expository and Explanation texts.
 Look at these headings taken from textbooks and decide whether they are Expository or
Explanation text types:
1. How Does the Digestive System Work?
2. Tornadoes, Cyclones and Hurricanes
3. Covid-19 in the Philippines
4. Why the Dinosaurs Became Extinct
5. What Effect Did Computers Have on Education?
6. The Geography of the Philippines
Answers:
1, 4 and 5 are Explanations – 2, 3 and 6 are Expository texts, sometimes called Information
Reports or Factual Descriptions.
 With a partner, work out 3 types of information you would expect to find in a text called
Tornadoes, Cyclones and Hurricanes and write them on your Workbook.
 Teacher asks for answers and writes them on board.
Possible answers:
Definitions of tornadoes, cyclones and hurricanes; differences between them; how they
formed; how they are named; features of tornadoes, cyclones and hurricanes; big ones
from the past; damage from cyclones, hurricanes etc.
31
Time: 3 minutes
 In this lesson we are going to look at a short Expository text and we are going to see how it works
so that when you get a text to read that you have not seen before you know:
• whether it is an Expository text such as an Information Report
• how it works – its parts or structure – how it starts and then how the rest of it is organized
• where its most important information is located.
 Expository texts like Information Reports usually have 2 major components:
a. A definition of the topic or thing, sometimes called a classification.
b. Paragraphs for the each of the various aspects of the topic or thing.
 Some Expository/Information Reports may have a third feature – a conclusion, usually in the form
of a general statement about the topic or thing. It’s not always there though because the main
thing about these types of texts is to give you a lot of organized information on the topic but not
always an opinion about it.
important bits when they have to read expository or information texts that they’ve never read before –
such as in a test or examination.]
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher: This text is called ‘What is Long COVID’ and it gives information about what Long COVID
is and the many different effects it has on people. It was published by the New South Wales
Department of Health in Australia.
 Here are some key words from the text that you may not know or remember. Let’s say each word
together.
Vocabulary
• Onset – when symptoms begin
• Symptoms – indicators of disease
• Fatigue - tiredness
• Chronic fatigue syndrome – long-lasting tiredness
• Duration – how long something lasts
• Neurological – diseases of the nervous system that affect the brain, spinal cord and
the nerves connecting them.
Component 4: Lesson Activity. Total Time: 25 minutes
Component 4A Reading text [5 minutes]
1. Teacher shows the students Question 3 which requires them to assign headings to paragraphs or
groups of paragraphs. Teacher tells students to look for where these headings might go as the
teacher reads the text. Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson
32
Component 3 and asks students to put up their hands if there are any other words that are uncertain
about.
Paragraph Text: Long COVID 7 Heading
1 Long COVID is defined by the World Health Organization as: Answer E
“An illness that occurs in people who have a history of probable or
confirmed SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) infection; usually within 3 months from
the onset of COVID-19, with symptoms and effects that last for at least 2
months.”
2 There is no test for long COVID. Diagnosing it means doctors have to rule Answer E
out other conditions with similar symptoms.
3 Long COVID symptoms for adults include: Answer B
• fatigue
• shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing
• memory, concentration or sleep problems
• a persistent cough
• chest pain
• difficulty speaking
• muscle aches
• loss of smell or taste
• depression or anxiety
• fever.
4 In children, symptoms predominantly include: Answer B
• mood symptoms
• fatigue
• sleep disorders
5 Long COVID symptoms can be mild or severe, and people may experience Answer D
one or more symptoms. The average duration of long COVID is about 3 to 4
months, but this can vary.
6 It is not known how many people develop long COVID. However, it is likely Answer A
less than one in 20 people.
7 It can be difficult to tell the difference between long COVID and similar Answer C
conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, heart or neurological
problems. So it is important that you speak with your doctor if you have
symptoms you are concerned about.

 Teacher displays questions.
 Answer these questions on the Workbook, but let’s do the first one together. Look at the opening
paragraph or section of this text – what sort of information do we get here – what is a single word
that describes this paragraph?
Answer: ‘definition’
[Teacher Notes:– if students do not quickly volunteer this answer, supply it and show them how it is
the right answer. Tell students that they will see this sort of opening paragraph in most
Expository/Information Report types of texts. Get students to write ‘definition’ for this question on
their Workbook.]
Questions:
7 NSW Department of Health, (2023). What is Long COVID? https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/testing-managing/long-covid

33
Q1. Does the opening section of this text match what is supposed to go in an Information Report?
Give evidence for your answer.
Q2. Find evidence that suggests that we do not know very much about Long Covid.
Q3. This report originally had the headings which have been mixed up below – on the table
containing the text you will see each paragraph numbered - put the heading below with the
paragraphs or group of paragraphs to which they belong – note that some headings may go with
more than paragraph:
A. How likely is it that someone will get long COVID?
B. What are some of the symptoms of long COVID?
C. Advice
D. How long does long COVID last?
E. What is Long COVID?
 Teacher directs students to answer Questions 2-3 on their Workbooks.

 Teacher samples answers from students to Questions 2 and 3.
Suggested answers:
Q1 Yes – the topic (Long COVID) is defined.
Q2. There is no test for it: it has the same symptoms as other diseases; doctors have to rule it
other diseases before they know if it is Long COVID.
Q3. See text.
 Teacher reads out each question 4-6 and asks students to write their answers on the Workbook.
 Answer these questions on the Workbook, but let’s do the first one together. I am going to read the
text again slowly and as I do, I want you to look for any information about children that will help
you with Question 4.
Questions:
Q4. Find evidence that Long COVID is worse for adults than children.
Q5. Why do the writers quote the definition of COVID-19 from the World Health Organization
instead of putting it in their own words?
Q6. Imagine that your job is to design a script for a webpage or TV or radio drawing attention to
the dangers of Long Covid. With a partner, write a short script of 3 paragraphs.
a. How would you change the heading?
b. How would you change the opening section?
c. How would you change the last sentence?
d. What visuals would you add?
 Teacher Think Aloud: I’m looking at paragraphs 3 and 4 about symptoms. In paragraph 3 its lists
10 symptoms for adults whereas paragraph 4 has only 3 for children. Therefore, I can conclude
that COVID was worse for adults than children.
 Teacher samples answers from students for questions 5 and 6.
Suggested answers:
34
Q4. Adults have more symptoms.
Q5. The WHO is the world authority on health and diseases so the definition gets more authority
and credibility because it comes from a source higher than a Department of Health in
Australia.
Q6. Be prepared for a range of answers – the main thing here is for students to see how
information can be used for 2 different purposes in 2 different types of texts.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Question 4 as class discussion and focus on Question 5 and 6 if you
are running short of time.]
Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how information is presented in an Expository
text like an Information Report. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
[Teacher Notes: It would be worthwhile to do this by getting students to write on the Workbook so
you have some feedback on the effectiveness of the lesson and how they feel about their learning
Segue to next lesson: “We will return to giving you more practice with Expository texts and extending it
to other types of texts in future lessons.”
35
Reading Non-Linear Texts
Key Idea
Locating and interpreting information in non-linear texts
Most Essential Learning Competencies:
• Explain visual-verbal relationships illustrated in tables, graphs, and information maps found in
expository texts
• Compare and contrast the presentation of the same topic in different multimodal texts
• Synthesize essential information found in various sources

Time: 7 minutes
 Briefly review the features of informational texts encountered so far, using the questions as a guide
and inviting oral contributions from students.
This week we’ve been learning about different types of information texts.
Questions:
Q1. What are some types of information texts you know?
Q2. What is the purpose of information texts?
Q3. What are some features of information texts?
 Ask the students to write their answers on the Student Workbook.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Expository (or information reports), explanation
Q2. To provide information about things, processes or phenomena.
Q3. They are factual or non-fiction texts; they give us information or explain things.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to look at a different way of organizing information. We are going to
focus on how information can be communicated visually. You are going to learn some strategies
for making sense of information from an infographic.
Infographics organize information in different ways from written information texts. That is why
we call them non-linear texts. They have their own special features for representing different
kinds of information.
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher introduces key words and symbols students need to know to read the graph.
First, we are going to talk about some words from the text we need to understand. Let’s read them
together.
Vocabulary
linear text (written material consisting of words with no pictures, illustrations or images)
non-linear text (material that uses visuals such as pictures, drawings or images to communicate
information)
36
multiple reading paths (reading in linear, nonlinear or non-sequential way; the readers can
choose their own reading path)
infographic (information + graphic - a representation of information using pictures and diagrams
designed to make the data easy to understand at a glance.

 Discuss how information is displayed in the infographic below, drawing attention to the pictures,
words and symbols and how they are arranged in the image.
A Healthy Lifestyle8
 Here are some tips on getting information from a non-linear text.

• Read the title which gives the gist of what the image is about.
• Analyze the information by examining the images and words thoroughly.
• Examine the pictures, symbols or shapes that tell information.
• Study the relationship of the information and images deeply.
• Summarize the information in the text.
 Answer these questions on the Workbook, but let’s do the first one together – we have already talked
about the answer to it.
Questions:
Q1. What does this infographic show? (Write your answer in a full sentence.)
Q2. According to the graphic, what does a healthy lifestyle include?
Q3. What are some examples of healthy food provided in the image?
37
Suggested answers:
Q1. The infographic shows different aspects of a healthy lifestyle in a heart-shaped image. This
suggests a healthy lifestyle is something to like and is good for the heart.
Q2. A diet of healthy food; fitness and sporting activities.
Q3. Healthy food including fruit, e.g., apple, pear, strawberry; vegetables ,e.g., carrot, broccoli,
cauliflower; healthy drinks, e.g., water, fruit juice, green tea
Component 4C Questions [~10 minutes]
 Teacher writes each question on the board.
Use the information from the image to answer the questions. Write your answers on the Workbook in
full sentences.
Questions:
Q4. Do you think the information in this image is arranged effectively? Give reasons for your
answer.
Q5. How could you organize the information in this graphic differently? Create your own non-
linear text using some of the information in the image.
Q6. Using the information in the infographic, write an expository paragraph to present the
information as a linear text.
Suggested answers:
Q4. (Various responses are acceptable. Students need to justify their responses.)
Q5. (Various responses are acceptable, e.g., table, concept map)
Q6. (Paragraph should display structure and features of an information report.)
[Teacher Notes: Check the students’ use of correct grammar in their sentence writing. Pay particular
attention to the appropriate use phrases, clauses, and sentences.]

Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how to locate and interpret information
presented visually. How has the lesson helped you to make sense of a non-linear text?
Segue to next lesson: We will return to giving you more practice with reading visual information and
extending it to other types of images and texts in future lessons.
REMINDER: Collect student Workbooks to review and analyze students’ learning – focus on written
answers for quality and clarity of writing and understanding of the content.
38
Reading Instructional Texts
Key Idea
Most Essential Learning Competency:
• Q1: Use appropriate reading strategies to meet one’s purpose (e.g., Scanning, skimming, close
reading, etc.) (EN7RC-IV-b-10)
• Q3: Cite evidence to support a general statement (EN7RC-IV-g-10.4)
• Q3: React to what is asserted or expressed in a text (EN7RC-IIIe-2.1.7)

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher talk:
So far this week we have been looking at texts that convey information and have focused on
Expository texts. Instructional texts are another type of text that conveys information.
Examples of Instructional texts include:
o Recipes
o Instruction manuals to help you build or install or use something
o Web pages that tell you how to register or apply for something
o Instructions for taking medicines
o Instructions for doing something
o Rules for behavior
o Disaster prevention information
o What to do if you have COVID symptoms
 With a partner, think about recipes, rules for behavior and disaster prevention information and
answer the following questions in the Workbook:
Q1. What titles or headings are you expecting for them?
Q2. What information are you expecting to see first in these types of texts?
Q3. What information are you expecting to see in the rest of these types of texts?
 Teacher asks students to volunteer answers and reasons and gives feedback, suggesting examples
where needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Sample examples: Recipe: How to make a food dish (e.g., Adobo); Rules: Rules for the Use
of the Pool; Disaster Prevention: What to do in the case of an earthquake.
Q2. Recipe: a list of ingredients; Rules: a list of things you are not allowed to do; Disaster
prevention: What to do before the earthquake.
Q3 Recipe: a list of steps to follow to make the dish; Rules: consequences for doing things that
you are not allowed to do; Disaster prevention: What to do during and after the
earthquake.
39
Time: 3 minutes
 In this lesson we are going to look at a short Instructional text and we are going to see how it works
• whether it is an Instructional text
 Instructional texts usually have a structure of 3 major components:
1. A heading or title that describes the purpose of the instructions
2. Things needed to perform the task
3. Steps in the order that they need to be done to achieve the outcome.
important bits when they have to read instructional texts that they’ve never read before – such as in a
test or examination.]

Time: 5 minutes
 This text is called ‘What you can do about climate change’ and it gives information about what
people can do at a personal level to fight climate change. It is an example of Instructions for doing
something.
together.
Vocabulary
• Thermostat – a device to regulate temperature in an indoor setting
• an indoor airer – a rack on which to hang drying clothes indoors
• landfill – a place to dump and bury waste material
• insulation – material that stops heat escaping in winter and getting in during summer
• energy efficiency ratings – a rating system that gives information about how much energy an
appliance uses
• renewable sources – energy sources like the sun and wind.

40
Component 4: Lesson Activity Time: 25 minutes
1. Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3.
WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE 9
Most people feel that they cannot do anything to reduce climate change. They are wrong! Here
are some things that we can all do that will make a difference to climate change.
1. REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
• Reduce the amount of electricity you use by turning off lights, TVs and other electrical
gadgets at the wall when not in use.
• Save water by turning off the tap when cleaning your teeth, and remember a shower
uses much less water than a bath.
• Wash clothes at 30°C or less with a full load, and hang your washing up to dry using an
indoor airer if you can’t hang it outside.
• Think about how your family sets your thermostat at home; each degree you turn it up
in summer and down in winter can save you 10% in energy.
• Reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by reducing, reusing and recycling as much
as you can.
• Try eating fresh, local, organic, seasonal food and include more vegetables and fish in
your diet.
2. GREEN UP YOUR LIFESTYLE

• Walk or cycle when travelling short distances and consider using public transport when
travelling further away.
• Reduce your need for home and school heating and cooling by installing insulation such
as draft-excluders or if possible, double glazing.
• Check the energy efficiency ratings on new appliances before you buy and install
energy-efficient light bulbs, as this will save money by reducing bills in the longer term.
• Switch to greener energy sources where possible; look for electricity and gas suppliers
who use renewable sources.
3. TAKE POSITIVE ACTION

• Plant a tree in your school, garden or local community.
• Grow your own fruit and vegetables at school or at home.
• Buy recycled, FSC or Fair Trade products wherever possible.

 Teacher reads out each question and asks students to write their answers in the Workbook,
except for Q1.
 Answer these questions in the Workbook, but let’s do the first one together – we have already
talked about the answer to it.
Questions:
9 Adapted from WWF (nd) Shaping Our Future: The Climate Challenge, Lesson 3 – Teacher Guide, pages 6-7.
41
Q1. Does the opening section of this text match what is supposed to go in an Instructional text?
Q2. One of the features of an Instructional text is their sentence structure in the Steps section.
Are the sentences statements, questions, or commands? These sentences all start the same
way – underline the first word in each dot point - what do you notice about them?
Q3. Fill out the table in the Workbook for things that adults can do and that adults and children
can both do.
 Teacher samples answers from students to each question and provides feedback.
Suggested answers:
Q1. No list of things needed but the reason for that is because these things are included in each
step.
Q2. The sentences are all commands and start with a verb.
Q3.
Things that adults can do about climate change Things that adults and children can both do
about climate change
• Wash clothes at 30°C or less with a full load • Reduce the amount of electricity you use by
and hang your washing up to dry using an turning off lights, TVs and other electrical
indoor airer if you can’t hang it outside. gadgets at the wall when not in use
• Think about how your family sets your • Save water by turning off the tap when
thermostat at home cleaning your teeth, and remember a shower
• Reduce your need for home and school uses much less water than a bath
heating and cooling by installing insulation. • Reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill
• Check the energy efficiency ratings on new by reducing, re-using and recycling as much as
appliances before you buy and install energy- you can.
efficient light bulbs, • Try eating fresh, local, organic, seasonal food
• Switch to greener energy sources where and include more vegetables and fish in your
possible; look for electricity and gas suppliers diet.
who use renewable sources • Walk or cycle when travelling short distances
• Buy recycled Fair Trade products wherever and consider using public transport when
possible travelling further away.
• Plant a tree in your school, garden or local
community
• Grow your own fruit and vegetables at school
or at home

Answer these questions on the Workbook, but let’s do the first one together.
I can turn sentence A into a statement by not starting with a verb like ‘Reduce’ but by what the
writer wants us to do - install insulation. So ‘Installing insulation will reduce your need for home and
school heating and cooling.’
Questions:
Q4. Rewrite the following sentences from the text as statements.
A. Reduce your need for home and school heating and cooling by installing insulation.
B. Save water by turning off the tap when cleaning your teeth.
C. Check the energy efficiency ratings on new appliances before you buy and install energy-
efficient light bulbs, as this will save money by reducing bills in the longer term.
42
Q5. List 3 ways from the text (in more than one section – there are more than 3) that will reduce
electricity use.
Q6. Select one of the suggestions for action on climate change that you think is the most
important thing that you and your friends can do. Write a short paragraph saying why you
think it is the most important thing to do. Use evidence from the text to support your opinion.
Suggested answers:
Q4. B – ‘Turning off the tap when cleaning your teeth will save water.’
C – ‘If you check the energy efficiency ratings on new appliances before you buy and install
energy-efficient light bulbs you will save money on your electricity bill.’
Q5. Possible answers:
• Reduce the amount of electricity you use by turning off lights, TVs and other electrical
gadgets at the wall when not in use
• Think about how your family sets your thermostat at home; each degree you turn it up in
summer and down in winter can save you 10% in energy.
• Reduce your need for home and school heating and cooling by installing insulation.
• Check the energy efficiency ratings on new appliances before you buy and install energy-
efficient light bulbs, as this will save money by reducing bills in the longer term.
• Switch to greener energy sources where possible; look for electricity and gas suppliers
who use renewable sources.
• Be prepared for a variety of answers here – the main thing is that students have reasons
for their choice and can back it up with at least 1 piece of evidence from the text.
Teacher Notes: Feel free to skip Question 5 or do it as a class discussion and focus on Question 6
depending on to time.
Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how information is presented in an
Instructional text. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
Segue to next lesson: “We will return to giving you more practice with texts that provide information and
extending it to other types of texts in future lessons.”
43
Reading Explanation Texts
Key Idea
Locating and interpreting information in explanation texts

expository texts
• Use appropriate grammatical signals or expressions suitable to each pattern of idea development:
cause-effect

Time: 7 minutes
This week we have been learning about different types of expository texts – texts that give us
information. Here are some questions to check what you’ve learned. Write your answers on the
Workbook.
 Teacher reads out questions:
Q1. What’s the purpose of an information report?
Q2. What’s the purpose of an instructional (or procedural) text?
Q3. How are information reports and instructional texts different?
 Teacher asks students to volunteer answers and gives feedback, suggesting examples where
needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. To give information about something.
Q2. To give instructions for how to do or make something.
Q3. They have different structures and language patterns: Instructional texts have steps in
sequence that you follow; the instructions are imperatives which usually start with a verb.
Information reports have a general to specific text pattern and often include technical words.
Both use present tense verbs.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to learn about another type of information text – explanations. Explanations
tell us how things work or why something happens. They can help us to understand the cycles of nature
or the causes and effects of various phenomena.
Earlier in the week we studied an infographic about healthy lifestyles. In this lesson we look at a very
different infographic which uses academic language and a few images to pack in a lot of information.
Time: 5 minutes
 First, we are going to learn some words used in academic writing about rain and how it happens.
Let’s read them together.
Vocabulary
44
phenomenon (an interesting fact, event or process that can be observed and studied)
climate change (long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns)
climate projections (information about possible future climate developments)
impact (a strong effect on someone or something)
environmental degradation (damage to the environment through overuse and pollution of air,
water and land)
agriculture (farming; growing and harvesting crops and raising animals, or livestock for food and
non-food products)
infrastructure (basic facilities such as transport, communications, power supplies, and buildings
that support a society)
ecosystem (a community of living things and how they interact with each other and their
environment)
definition on the board. Now let’s go over what each word means.
 Students then write the word next to the meanings on their Workbooks.
Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3. Students
can underline these words on their copy as the teacher reads.
Climate Change in the Philippines 10
Climate change in the Philippines has resulted in more frequent extreme weather events, sea level
rise, extreme rainfall, resource shortages, and environmental degradation. As a result, agriculture,
water, infrastructure, human health, and coastal ecosystems in the Philippines have been greatly
impacted.
This is because the Philippines lies in the world’s most cyclone-prone region. Seven to nine cyclones
reach the land each year. Another reason is because the Philippines depends heavily on its coastal
regions for natural resources and infrastructure. All the major cities and most of the population also
live in these coastal areas. Many rely on the land and sea for their livelihoods. To reduce the impact
on the economy and society, coastal areas and marine habitats need to be protected from hazard
events such as cyclones, landslides, and floods.
 Teacher explains how information in the explanation text is structured.
45
In the introduction we have some general information about the phenomenon of climate change. The
body explains the impacts of climate change. We call this the explanation sequence. The last part
provides information about what could be done to reduce the damage caused by climate change. A
graphic often is included to highlight the key ideas.
 Teacher reads out the questions and models a strategy for locating information in the text and
graphic. Students to write their answers on the Workbook.
Here are some questions about the text. You are going to write your answers on the Workbook. But
first, let’s do the first one together. Think about where you can find the answer in the text and where
you can find the answer in the infographic.
Questions:
Q1. What is the text about?
Q2. List three things caused by climate change from the text.
Q3. What climate projections from the infographic support your answer in 2?
 Teacher samples answers from students to each question and gives feedback.
Suggested answers:
Q1. The impacts of climate change in the Philippines.
Q2. Any three from: extreme weather events, sea level rise, extreme rainfall, resource shortages,
and environmental degradation.
Q3. Any three of: temperature increase of 1.8-2.2 degrees by 2050; wetter wet season, drier dry
season; increased extreme weather and hazard events; sea level rise of 0.48-0.65 m by 2100.
Answer these questions on the Workbook, but let’s do the first one together. I am going to read the
text again slowly and as I do I want you to put your hand up to tell me whenever I mention an
example of multimedia and we will underline it in the text and write it in your Workbook.
Questions:
Q4. What information does the infographic show?
Q5. How does this compare with the information presented in the written text?
Q6. In your opinion, which is more effective in conveying the information? Give reasons for your
answer.
Suggested answers:
Q4. The infographic is clearly structured to show the climate projections (causes) and the key
climate impacts (effects).
Q5. Infographic provides specific details about climate change projections, and specific impacts in
each of the areas shown - the text provides a general list of these. The text explains why the
Philippines is more prone to the effects of climate change; the infographic does not provide
this information.
Q6. (Various responses are possible. Eliciting the reasons for the student’s opinion is the goal
here.)
Time: 5 minutes
46
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how information is presented in linear and
non-linear Explanation texts. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
[Teacher Notes: If there is time, get students to write their answers in the Workbook so you have some
feedback on the effectiveness of the lesson and how they feel about their learning experience. However,
if pressed for time, you may want to do this section as a class discussion.]
Segue to next lesson: We will return to giving you more practice with Explanation texts and extending it to
other types of texts in future lessons.
47
Comparing Information Texts
Key Idea
Comparing Information Texts
• Determine various social, moral, and economic issues discussed in the text listened to - EN8LC-IIIh-
7.4
• Compose effective paragraphs - EN8WC-IIa-2.8.
Component 1 Short review Time: 7 minutes

Time: 7 minutes
 This week we have been looking at texts whose main purpose is to give us information. We have
explored Expository texts, like the one on Long Covid which was an Information Report and
Explanations, like the one on the Water Cycle and Instructional texts, like the one on what you can do
about climate change.
 Look at these titles for texts. Which ones do you think are for Information Report, Explanations or
Instructional texts? Write your answers on the Workbook. Give reasons for your answers.
1. The Mountains of Nepal (Answer: Information Report)

2. How to Buy a House (Answer: Instructional)
3. Why Generation Z Loves Technology (Answer: Explanation)
4. A Guide for Installing Solar Panels in the Roof of Your House (Answer: Instructional)
5. What Causes Volcanoes to Erupt? (Answer: Explanation)
6. Weather Patterns in the Philippines (Answer: Information Report)
7. What to Do If Your Credit Card is Stolen (Answer: Instructional).
Component 2 Purpose of the lesson Time: 2 minutes
In this lesson we are going to look at two texts, one that we read in Lesson3 about what you can do
about climate change (see Lesson 9) and a new one called Solar Power to see how a similar topic can be
treated differently depending on the purpose and type of the text.
Component 3 Language Practice Time: 5 minutes
 We have already read What You Can Do About Climate Change (See Lesson 9) and understand
what it is about. We are going to look at a new text in this lesson, Solar Power, and here are some
words and expressions from it that you may not know or may have forgotten. Let’s say each word
together.
Vocabulary
• renewable energy source (something like wind or sunlight that can be used to generate power
and will always be there – unlike coal, for instance, which once it’s used it’s gone forever)
• solar panels (Let’s leave this one and the next one until I read the text and we will see if we can
work it out from its context and the other words that surround it)
• photovoltaic cells (cells that contain silicon and can convert light into electricity)
• silicon (a hard, brittle crystal-like element which acts as a semi-conductor – i.e. it can be used to
convert sunlight into electricity)
• aluminum (a metal used in building)
48
• fossil fuels (natural energy sources like coal and gas)
• efficient (effective, not wasteful)
Now let’s go over what each word means.


Teacher writes each word on the board and asks class to volunteer answers and writes each

Component 4 Lesson Activity
Component 4A Reading the texts [5 minutes]
 Teacher reads ‘What you can do about Climate Change’ and Solar Power, drawing attention to
the words listed in Component 3 and revising some of the words from the Climate Change text.
Solar Power 11
Solar energy is created by the heat and light of the sun. Solar power is created when solar
energy is converted into electricity. Solar power is a renewable energy source and is slowly
growing in use because it does not contribute to climate change. By 2021, solar power sources
were producing 3% of the world’s electricity.
One of the most common methods of generating solar power is through solar panels which can
be installed on the roofs of buildings and houses. Solar panels contain cells called photovoltaic
cells that contain silicon and can which convert light into electricity. The cells are contained in a
glass and aluminum panel.
Solar power is good for reducing climate change because it emits much less carbon dioxide than
fossil fuels. It does not cause pollution. It is always available whenever the sun shines. It is
estimated too that solar power will lower the cost of electricity for people.
Solar power does have some problems. Solar panels can be expensive to install in houses,
although it is thought that costs will come down as solar power becomes more popular. Storage
of unused power is needed, which can also be a problem. Batteries can be used for storage but
much research needs to be done to make them more efficient. It is true, too, that the sun does
not always shine.
There are two questions for solar power: firstly, do the advantages of solar power win out over
its disadvantages; and secondly, can the disadvantages be overcome?

 Teacher displays and reads questions.
 Answer these questions on the Workbook, but let’s do the first one together – we have already
talked about the answer to it.
Questions:
Q1. Is Solar Power an Information Report, an Explanation or an Instructional text. Give reasons for
your answer.
Q2. How does solar power help to slow climate change?
Q3. Look at the first paragraph of each text. How do they compare?
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 Teacher Think Aloud: Let’s have a look at Solar Power’s first paragraph – it looks like it’s telling me
what solar power is, so it’s giving me a definition, which is what I would expect to see in an
Information Report. Let’s look at each paragraph after that – they seem to each deal with a different
aspect of solar power – like an Information Report.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Information Report.
Q2. It emits much less carbon dioxide than fossil fuels. It does not cause pollution.
Q3. ‘Solar Power’ defines solar energy and solar power with some information about the latter as
a power source; ‘What you can do about Climate Change’ addresses readers directly and
suggests that they can do something about climate change if they follow the instructions
that follow – like an Instructional text.

 Teacher displays and reads questions.
 Answer these questions on the Workbook,
Questions
Q4. Give each paragraph of Solar Power a heading.
Q5. Look at the last paragraph of each text. How do they compare?
Q6. Imagine that you are having a conversation with one of your parents or grandparents and
you are trying to persuade them changing ONE thing in their lives that would help reduce
climate change. Using the information in both texts, what would you talk about? Write a
short paragraph outlining what you would say.
Suggested Answers
Q4. Paragraph 1 – Definition of solar power; Paragraph 2 – Solar panels; Paragraph 3 – Solar
power and climate change; Paragraph 4 – Problems with solar power; Paragraph 5 –
Conclusion: questions for the future.
Q5. Solar Power ends with a conclusion about the information; What you can do about Climate
Change’ ends with the final group of instructions with no Conclusion presented, as is
consistent with the nature and purpose of Instructional texts.
Q6. Be prepared for a variety of answers here – which is very much the point of the question.
aloud.]
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Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how information is presented in two different
information-based texts. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
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Consolidation – Using Texts and Images to Inform
Key Idea
Using texts and images to inform

expository texts
• Transcode information from linear to non-linear texts and vice-versa
• Summarize key information from a text

Time: 7 minutes
This week we have been learning about different types of texts that give us information. Here are some
questions to check what you’ve learned. Write your answers in the Workbook.
Q1. What are some different types of information texts?
Q2. How are they similar?
Q3. How are they different?
needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Information reports, Explanations, Instructional texts, infographics.
Q2. They all present information that is factual. They sometimes include a non-linear text to
present the information. Infographics use images to communicate data and information.
Q3. They have different purposes, structures and features, e.g., instructional texts have steps in
sequence that you follow; information reports have a general to specific text pattern;
explanations often start with a general statement about a phenomenon followed by an
explanation.
 Students write their answers on the Workbook.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to bring together what we have learned about different information text
types. We are going to compare their structures and features.

Time: 5 minutes
 First, we are going to review some words from the texts we need to understand. Let’s read them
together.
Vocabulary
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linear text (written material consisting of words written in sequence, e.g., in sentences,
paragraphs, stanzas, with no pictures, illustrations or images)
non-linear text (material that uses visuals such as pictures, drawings or images to communicate
information that is not sequential)
sequential pattern (paragraph that describe a series of events, steps, or a process in some sort of
order)
multiple reading paths (reading in linear, nonlinear or non-sequential way; the readers can
choose their own reading path)
infographic (information + graphic - a representation of information using pictures and diagrams
designed to make the data easy to understand at a glance.
evaluate (to judge how good, useful, or valuable something is)
credible (worth believing, trustworthy, convincing)
current (belonging to the present time; happening or being used or done now; not obsolete)
 What do you think each word means.? Teacher writes each word on the board and asks class to
volunteer answers and writes each definition on the board.
 Students write a sentence using each word or term on their Workbooks.

Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3. Students
can underline these words on their copy as the teacher reads.
Text 1 Linear non-linear texts 12
A linear text is any printed written material which has no pictures, illustrations or images. It
merely consists of words formed into sentences, paragraphs or stanzas. It is the kind of text we
read from left to right and top to bottom, following a sequential pattern. It often requires a lot
of time to get information from a linear text. Examples of linear texts include poems, short
stories, folktales, drama, diaries and newspaper articles.
On the other hand, non-linear text uses visuals such as pictures, drawings or images to
communicate information. The reader reads and analyzes the text using multiple reading paths.
Because non-linear texts use images, it is easier to find information quickly. Examples of non-
linear texts are: graph, charts, tables, infographics, flowcharts, timelines, and diagrams.
Text 2 __________________________
Water can exist as a solid (ice), liquid (water) or gas (vapor or gas). As liquid water cools down,
the amount of potential energy is reduced and the molecules start to move slower. When the
water temperature reaches around 0°C, the molecules stick together and form a solid – ice. Even
in this solid stage, the molecules are still moving – we just can’t see it.
Text 3 How to evaluate websites
12 Philippines Department of Education, nd. English 7, Q2, Module 7, Maximizing Linear and Non-Linear Texts, page 3.
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 Teacher then asks students to read the texts and look for the words from the list.
 Teacher reads out the questions and asks students to write their answers on the Workbook.
Questions:
Q4. What text types are Texts 1, 2 and 3?
Q5. What title would you give Text 2?
Q6. Which text is an example of a non-linear text? Give reasons for your answer.
Suggested answers:
Q4. Text 1–Information report; Text 2-Explanation; Text 3- Instructional/Procedure.
Q5. How does water turn into ice? How water turns into ice.
Q6. Text 3. It uses a flowchart to show the steps in evaluating a website.
 Teacher reads out each question, discusses them with the students, then asks students to write
their answers in the Workbook.
We are going to discuss these Answer these questions in the Workbook, but let’s do the first one
together.
Questions:
Q4. Which text has the same purpose as Text type A? Text type B? Text type C?
(Name the text type first and its state its purpose, then match the texts with the text type)
Q5. Is it quicker to find information from linear or non-linear texts? Give reasons for your answer.
Q6. Websites often combine linear and non-linear texts on a webpage. Lots of information in
many formats appears on websites.
a. Why do you think is it important to evaluate information from the internet?
b. Using the information in text 3, write a set of instructions for evaluating information from
websites.
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Suggested answers:
Q4. Text type A – Instructional text; give instructions for how to make or do something (Text 3);
Text type B – Explanation; explains how or why something happens (Text 2); Text type C –
Exposition/Information report; provides a systematic information about a topic (Text 1).
Q5. Visuals make it easier to find information because the reader can use multiple reading paths
rather than reading from left to right, top to bottom.
Q6. (Various answers are possible. Check that students order the steps in sequence.)
Time: 5 minutes
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on the features of different types of information texts. How has the
lesson helped you to understand this?
[Segue to next lesson: We will return to giving you more practice with Explanation texts and extending it
to other types of texts in future lessons.
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Reading Persuasive Texts
Key Idea
Reading Persuasive Texts
• Recognize positive and negative messages conveyed in a text
• Compare and contrast own opinions with those presented in familiar texts
• Examine biases (for or against) made by the author
• Determine various social, moral and economic issues discussed in the text listened to
• Compose effective paragraphs

Time: 7 minutes
This week we are going to learning about persuasive texts – texts that give us an argument about some
important problem, issue or topic and present evidence for their side of the argument. In this lesson we
are going to look at persuasive texts.
• Teacher reads out questions:
Q1. What does ‘persuasive’ mean?
Q2. What types of persuasive texts do you know about?
Q3. What are you expecting to see in a persuasive text? Include both the content of the text and
the sort of language you think will be there.
• Teacher asks students to volunteer answers and gives feedback, suggesting examples where needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. A text that tries to convince you of something or to sell you something
Q2. Advertisements; political speeches; editorials; movie and tv show reviews; brochures;
opinion pieces in newspapers, TV, blogs etc.; essays; campaigns for things like vaccines for
COVID – students may have additional examples.
Q3. Arguments either for or against something supported by evidence; strong language that may
become exaggerated (hyperbole); sometimes deliberately slanting the truth;
recommendations about to do or buy – you may even hear ‘fake news’ mentioned.

Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to learn about Persuasive texts, the way they are organized and some of
the strategies or techniques that are used in them. We are going to look at a text called ‘Climate
Change Needs to be Taken Seriously’, written by a Grade 8 class in the Philippines, to see how the
writer tries to convince us that we need to take climate change seriously.

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Time: 5 minutes
Vocabulary
Here are some words and expressions that we are going to meet in the text that we are going to
read. Let’s read them together. (Refer to Workbook and read.):
• one of the most pressing issues of our time (one of the most important issues at the
moment).
• pollution (something that has harmful or poisonous effects on the environment)
• crucial (vitally important)
• deforestation (getting rid of trees in the environment)
• greenhouse gases (gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and cause the planet to heat
up)
• ecosystems (where plants, animals, humans, other organisms and weather exist in
harmony together).
Teacher writes each word on the board and asks class to volunteer answers and writes each

 Students write each definition on their Workbooks.
Time: 25 minutes
1. Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3 and asking
students if there are any other words that they don’t know or if they have any questions about the
text.
Climate Change Needs to be Taken Seriously 13

Climate change has become one of the most pressing issues of our time, and its effects are
being felt around the world. Scientists have found that people are making the Earth's climate
change faster than it should. The way we use energy, cut down forests, and create pollution
all add up to make the Earth's climate warmer. This is bad news for people and animals. As
Grade 8 students, it is crucial for us to understand the significance of climate change and the
actions we can take to reduce its impact. Otherwise, we will watch the planet gradually being
destroyed.
Climate change is caused primarily by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and
deforestation. These actions release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to a rise
in global temperatures and adverse effects on ecosystems. From extreme weather events to
rising sea levels, the consequences of climate change are far-reaching and threaten our
planet's future.
Climate change causes more natural disasters, like floods and hurricanes. It also makes it
harder for people to get food and clean water. This can make people very sick and cause
some to die.
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We can help slow down climate change by using less energy and making sure the energy we
do use comes from clean sources, like solar or wind power. We can also help by planting
more trees and reducing pollution.
It's important that we all work together to take care of the Earth and make sure it stays
healthy for many years to come. The Earth is our home. It is our only home and our only
planet. There are no replacement planets. If the Earth is no longer fit to live in, we will not
have elsewhere to go. This is the reason why we as Grade 8 students need to add our voices
to those who say that climate change needs to be taken seriously.
 Teacher displays questions and asks students to answer the questions on the Workbook.
Questions
Q1. Why does the writer say that climate change is ‘one of the most pressing issues of our time’?
Q2. Why does the writer refer to scientists in saying humans are causing climate change?
Q3. Give each paragraph a heading or title to show what aspect of climate change it covers.
Suggested answers:
Q1. The planet will be destroyed.
Q2. It means that the argument is supported by experts making it sound more convincing.
Q3. Introduction – statement of problem and the writer’s position; Human influence on climate
change; climate change and natural disasters; What we can do about climate change;
Conclusion – re-statement of position.
 Teacher reads out each question and asks students to write their answers on the Workbook. Answer
these questions on the Workbook.
Questions:
Q4. Why does the writer say that the planet is not like ‘rooms, houses or buildings’?
Q5. How does the writer say we can help slow down climate change?
Q6. Write a short paragraph on behalf of your Grade 8 class replying to the Grade 8 class who
wrote this persuasive text. Do you agree with them or not? Give reasons for your response.
Suggested answers:
Q4. Unlike rooms, houses or buildings, the planet cannot be rebuilt.
Q5. Using less energy; using energy from clean sources; planting more trees; reducing pollution.
Q6. Be prepared for a variety of answers and reasons. Sample as many as you can in the time
available.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Q4 and 5 as a whole class to give more time for Q6.]

Time: 5 minutes
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Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how an argument is presented in a persuasive text
about an issue that is important to the writers. How has the lesson helped you to understand
this?
Segue to next lesson: We will return to giving you more practice with Persuasive texts in the following
lessons.
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Reading Persuasive Texts for a Specific Audience
Key Idea
Reading Persuasive Texts for a Specific Audience

Time: 7 minutes
This week we are learning about Persuasive texts – texts that give us an argument about some important
problem, issue or topic and present evidence for their side of the argument. In this lesson we are going to
look at a Persuasive text written for a teenage audience.
Q1. How do you expect a Persuasive text to start?
Q2. What do you expect to be in the main part of a Persuasive text?
Q3. How do you expect a Persuasive text written for teenagers to be different to one written for
adults?
needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. State the topic and the writer’s position about the topic; quick summary of main points.
Q2. Evidence for the writer’s position about the topic organized in paragraphs for each of the
main points summarized in the first paragraph.
Q3. Expect a variety of answers here – some possibles: less formal language; teenage
vocabulary; more personal than factual; topics relevant to teenagers.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to learn about persuasive texts, written for a specific audience – in this
case it is teenagers. We are going to look at a text called ‘Solar power is better than coal power’. Look
out for how different is to the one we read about climate change in our previous lesson.
Time: 5 minutes
Vocabulary
read. Let’s read them together (refer to Workbook and read):
• juicy details (interesting aspects).
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• renewable (something that can be used over and over again)
• resounding (definitely – it should be well supported)
• pollutants (things that cause harm to the environment)
• a significant contributor (a major cause)
• cost-effective (economical, profitable, does not lose a lot of money)
• adaptable (flexible; can be used in different situations).

Time: 25 minutes
Component 4A Reading text [5 minutes}
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Component 3 and asking students if
there are any other words that they don’t know or if they have any questions about the text.
Solar power is better than coal power 14
Hey there! Are you curious about which is better between solar power and coal power?
We've got all the juicy details for you!
Firstly, let's talk about what solar power is. Solar power is a type of energy that's produced
using energy from the sun. This type of energy is renewable, which means it can be used
over and over again without running out. Cool, right?
Now, let's talk about coal power. Coal power, on the other hand, is a type of energy that's
produced by burning coal. This is not renewable, which means that once all the coal has
been used up, we won't be able to produce any more.
So, is solar power better than coal power? The answer is a resounding yes! Here are a few
reasons why:
• Solar power is clean and doesn't produce any harmful pollutants, while coal
power is a significant contributor to air and water pollution
• Solar power is more cost-effective in the long run because the cost of solar power
has significantly decreased over the years, and solar panels have low
maintenance costs
• Solar power can be used in various ways, including photovoltaic panels and
concentrated solar power, making it adaptable to different geographic regions
and weather conditions.
Overall, solar power is a fantastic alternative to coal power. It's renewable, clean, cost-
effective, and adaptable, making it the better choice for our future energy needs. So let's all
do our part and choose solar power!
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 Teacher displays questions and asks students to answer the questions on the Workbook.
Questions:
Q1. What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy?
Q2. List the reasons the writer says that ‘solar power is a fantastic alternative to coal power.’
Q3. How can you tell that this text has been written for a young/teenage audience? Give
evidence from the text.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Renewable energy can be used over and over again while non-renewable energy cannot.
Q2. ‘Solar power is renewable, clean, cost-effective, and adaptable.’
Q3. Opening (‘Hey there!’) not usual in a text for adults; it’s more like speech than writing (‘Cool’,
‘juicy details’); directly addresses the reader (‘Hey there!’); uses a question/answer structure.

 Teacher reads out each question and asks students to write their answers on the Workbook
Questions:
Q4. How would you describe the difference in language and tone in the bullet points section from
the rest of the text?
Q5. Give each paragraph a heading or title to show what aspect of the argument it covers.
Q6. Design a poster for a company that sells solar panels. Use slogans based on the text. Add
visuals.
[Teacher Notes: Q6 may be better done on paper or on screens than in the Workbook - depending on
availability. Feel free to do Questions 4 and 5 as a whole class to give more time to Q6.]
Suggested answers:
Q4. It is more formal, technical and presents facts without trying to making them sound ‘cool.’
Q5. 1 – Introduction to topic; 2- Definition of solar power; 3- Definition of coal power; 4 –
Advantages of solar power; Conclusion – Recommendation – answer to the question in the
first paragraph.
Q6. Be prepared for a variety of answers. Sample as many as you can in the time available. Look
for use of the content from the text and creativity in the posters.
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Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how an argument looks different depending on the
audience it is designed for. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
Segue to next lesson: We will return to giving you more practice with persuasive texts in the following
lessons.
Question 6 for quality and clarity of understanding of the content.
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Reading Persuasive Texts Using Propaganda Techniques
Key Idea
Reading Persuasive Texts Using Propaganda Techniques
• Analyze intention of words or expressions used in propaganda techniques
• Compose effective paragraphs.

Time: 7 minutes
This week we have been learning about Persuasive texts – texts that give us an argument about some
important problem, issue or topic and present evidence for their side of the argument. In this lesson we
are going to look at Persuasive texts that use particular types of techniques or tactics or even tricks called
propaganda to get their message across. Not all texts that use these techniques are actually propaganda
but they are often used in Persuasive texts, especially in Advertising to get people to buy or believe
something is true.
Q1. What is propaganda?
Q2. Select the propaganda techniques from the list below (there are 2 of them):
• Testimonial
• Images
• Figurative language
• Name calling
• Poetry
• Journalism
• Advertising
Q3. In your opinion, should advertising tell the truth about what it is advertising? Give a reason
for your answer.
needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Language aiming to persuade people to believe or buy or act – often emotional – with slogans
and name calling – often making false and exaggerated claims
Q2. Testimonial and Name-Calling
Q3. Be prepared for some students to say yes and some to say no – try to sample a variety of
reasons.
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Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to learn more about Persuasive texts and some of the strategies or
techniques that are used in them. We are going to look at a text called ‘Banning Cell Phones in
Schools has been a Success’ to see how the writer’s support for the banning of cell phones is
presented and how the writer tries to convince us that the banning is right using some of the
techniques of propaganda.

Time: 5 minutes
Vocabulary
• evidence that students do better is overwhelming (there is a lot of support for student
improvement).
• distractions (things that stop you from concentrating on the job)
• obvious (easy to see that it is true)
• parasites (something that feeds on another animal or human)
• improvement (getting better at something)
• concentrate (focus without giving up)
• cyber-bullying (where someone is being harassed online)
• benefit (advantage)
 Now let’s go over what each word means. Teacher writes each word on the board and asks class to

Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3 and asking
text.
As I read the text, look out for 2 propaganda techniques. One is called Testimonial, where the writer
uses experts and statistics to back up the argument; another is Name-Calling where the writer uses a
negative word or expression to make the reader think badly of the person or thing. See if you can spot
these techniques as I read.
[Teacher Note: Pause during your reading to ask students to identify these techniques – Testimonial is
there more than once – first reference is to London School of Economics; Name-Calling is calling cell
phones ‘parasites’.]
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Banning Cell Phones in Schools has been a Success 15
There can be no question that banning cell phones in schools has been a good idea, both for
teachers and students. In countries like Spain, Norway and Australia, the evidence that students
do better is overwhelming. The main reason for this improvement has been the removal of
distractions for students. It is obvious therefore that the Philippines government’s decision in
2003 to ban cell phones in schools was a very sensible move and that other countries should do
the same thing.
The evidence that supports banning cell phones in schools is clear. The London School of
Economics found that student test scores went up by 6% after cell phones were banned. Similar
results were found in Spain and Norway. A group called Communication Education compared
results in schools where cell phones were banned and schools where they were not and found
that student results were much better in the banning schools. It is therefore clearly evident that
cell phones are harmful for student learning and should be banned in all schools. They are like
parasites, eating away at the brains of students.
The major reason for this improvement is obvious. Without cell phones, students are less
distracted and more able to pay attention to the teacher. Teachers benefit because they spend
less time dealing with distracted students on their phones and more time on teaching. Students
can concentrate better and take in more information. Better concentration means better learning
and better scores in tests. The benefits of banning cell phones in schools are obvious.
Another benefit of the ban has been to reduce cyber-bullying and increase social contact
between students. Students are more likely to talk to other students rather than being on their
phones in the playground. So, it is not just learning that has benefitted from the ban. There have
been social benefits for schools in making the very wise move of banning cell phones too.
For these reasons it is therefore easy to see why cell phones should be banned in all countries.
Students may not like it at first but they will see the benefit of the ban the first time they get a
better test result.
 Teacher displays questions. Answer these questions on the Workbook.
Questions:
Q1. Name the 4 countries that the writer says have banned cell phones in schools.
Q2. The writer uses a technique called Testimonial to support the argument – we identified it
during the reading. How does this use of the technique benefit the writer’s argument?
Q3. Explain in your own words how the removal of distractions has led to better student test
scores.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Philippines, Norway, Spain and Australia
Q2. It means that the argument is supported by experts making it sound more convincing.
Q3. Better concentration leads to learning more knowledge as the teacher gets more time to
teach.
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Questions:
Q4. What is the main reason given for student improvement in schools where cell phones have
been banned?
Q5. What does the writer mean when he compares cell phones to parasites? Do you think it is over
the top (or an exaggeration)?
Q6. Write a short paragraph giving your opinion of the statement:’ It is therefore clearly evident
that cell phones are harmful for student learning and should be banned in all schools.’ Do you
agree with this statement? Why OR why not? Give a reason for your response.
Suggested answers:
Q4. Removal of distractions.
Q5. The writer wants to show how bad the effects of cell phones and its distractions are on the
student so exaggerates the comparison to get the point across more strongly.
Q6. Be prepared for a variety of answers and reasons. Sample as many as you can in the time
available.
Time: 5 minutes
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how information is presented in a Persuasive
text that uses some propaganda techniques. How has the lesson helped you to understand
this?
Segue to next lesson: We will return to giving you more practice with Persuasive texts in the following
lessons.
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Reading Persuasive Texts – Discussions
Key Idea
Reading Persuasive Texts - Discussions
• Determine the worth of ideas mentioned in the text listened to
• Compose effective paragraphs.

Time: 7 minutes
This week we have been learning about different types of persuasive texts – texts that give us an
argument about some important problem, issue or topic and present evidence for their side of the
argument. Here are some questions to check what you’ve learned. Write your answers on the Workbook.
Q1. How do persuasive texts begin?
Q2. What happens in the middle of a persuasive text?
Q3. How do they end?
needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Statement of opinion about the topic and the main points that support that opinion.
Q2. Each point from the opening paragraph is presented in turn with supporting evidence.
Q3. A final statement of opinion, usually with the strongest piece of evidence.
Time: 3 minutes
 In this lesson we are going to learn about another type of persuasive text – one where both sides of
an argument are presented – this type of persuasive text is sometimes called a Discussion.
 Like other types of persuasive texts, it generally starts with statement of the topic. It then has
paragraphs presenting the arguments for one side (“For” or “Pros”) and then paragraphs presenting
the arguments for the other side (“Against” or “Cons”). Sometimes there is a concluding statement if
the author wishes to take one side over the other, but generally they try to be
objective/impartial/neutral about the topic as their main purpose is to give both sides and let the
readers make up their minds.
Time: 5 minutes
 Here are some words and expressions that we are going to meet in the text about video games that
we are going to read. Let’s read them together (refer to Workbook and read):
Vocabulary
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•Pros and Cons (for and against)
•ge�ng addicted (losing control over your ac�ons because of an overwhelming desire
for something – e.g., a drug)
• obese (very fat – overweight)
• heart disease (health condi�ons that can lead to heart atacks)
• concentra�on (focus, ability to pay aten�on for a long �me)
• problem-solving skills (able to think crea�vely to come up with solu�ons to
problems)
• violent (causing physical harm)
• criminal behavior (breaking the law).
Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads the text drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3.
[Teacher Notes: If the class has some fluent English speakers and readers, you could assign each of the
speakers in the text to individual class members.]
DISCUSSION
Pros and Cons of Video Games 16
A group of Grade 8 students were discussing what they thought about video games.
Hannah: In my opinion, video games are fun to play but I’m worried about ge�ng
addicted to them. I’m afraid I won’t be able to know when to stop playing once I start. I
have read stories about kids who stay up all night playing games and can’t stay awake at
school next day.
Allan: I completely agree with you, Hannah. Too much �me in front of a screen means you
don’t get to spend �me with your family and friends. You don’t go outside which means
you don’t do any exercise. A lot of people our age who are addicted to video games get
very fat – obese – and will get health problems like heart disease in later life.
Paul: I‘m sorry to say this, but I totally disagree with you. Video games are not just fun but
they are educa�onal too. They require a lot of thinking, concentra�on, focus and
problem-solving skills. You don’t just sit in front of a screen – you have to be ready to
move quickly to solve sudden problems and you need to develop a good memory to
remember what to do when similar problems occur again.
Juanita: I agree with Paul. We are going to need to be able to use computers when we
leave school and get a job. Video games are useful for teaching us how to use computers
well and develop the skills we will need when we leave here and go into the real world.
Besides, a lot of games are useful for school – they teach us about history and science for
example.
Allan: I don‘t agree with you, Juanita. Some games are very violent which can make
people less concerned about violence in real life and even lead to criminal behavior.
69
Paul: I see what you mean, Allan, but a lot of games have compe��ons that allow you to
meet other people from here and other countries. You can make friends online and share
ideas about many diﬀerent things. Video games help bring people together.
Frida: You’ve all made some good points about video games – I think I agree with all of
you!
 Teacher displays questions. Answer these questions on the Workbook.
Questions:
Q1. What is Hannah’s main reason for not wanting to play video games?
Q2. How do Paul and Juanita counter the arguments of Hannah and Allan?
Q3. Fill out the table in your Workbook for pros and cons of video games.
Suggested answers:
Q1. She is afraid of becoming addicted.
Q2. They list the advantages of video games for developing thinking skills that are relevant to
getting a job.
Q3. Pros: they develop thinking skills; teach about school subjects; introduce players to other
people; Cons: they can be addictive; reduce exercise; cause disease; reduce contact with
family and friends; can be violent and encourage violent behavior.
Questions:
Q4. How can you tell that this group are trying to be polite to each other even though they
disagree?
Q5. Based on your reading of the text, list the advantages of video games for education.
Q6. Turn this conversation into a written text entitled, The Pros and Cons of Video Games’’ You
will see in the Workbook that some of it has been done for you.
Suggested answers:
Q4. The use of expressions like “I don’t agree with you”; ” I agree with you”; “I’m sorry to say
this”; “I see what you mean”.
Q5. They develop thinking, concentration, focus and problem-solving skills and have
information relevant to school subjects like science and history.
Q6. (See Student Workbook.)
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Q4 and Q5 as a whole class to give more time for Q6.]

Time: 5 minutes
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Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how information is presented in a Persuasive
text that presents both sides of an argument. How has the lesson helped you to understand
this?
Segue to next lesson: We will return to giving you more practice with Persuasive texts in the next two
lessons.]
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Comparing Persuasive Texts – Discussion and Review
Key Idea
Comparing Persuasive Texts - Discussion and Review
• Determine various social, moral, and economic issues discussed in the text listened to
• Compose effective paragraphs
Time: 7 minutes
 This week we have been looking at texts the main purpose of which is to persuade us about
something. We have explored persuasive texts, like the one on Climate Change and Solar Power
where one side of an argument is presented and another type of Persuasive text, sometimes called a
Discussion, where two sides of an argument are provided, as we saw in Pros and Cons of Video
Games. In this lesson we are going to look at another type of persuasive text called a Review.
[Teacher Note: You may have students who have never read or watched a Review show on TV and
therefore don’t know what a Review is. It may be helpful here to have a copy of one from a
newspaper or an online source – focus on the headline and even read the first paragraph if needed
to give students the idea.]
Questions
Q1. What sort of things do you expect a Review to be about?
Q2. Why do people read or watch reviews?
Q3. Do you agree or disagree with this statement about reviews: “Reviews are allowed to be very
biased either for or against the subject.” Give a reason for your answer. Teacher Note for Q3:
You may have to explain what ‘bias’ is.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Movies, TV shows, books, video games, cars, theatre, comedy and concert performances, etc.
Q2. To get expert advice about what to watch or buy.
Q3. Be prepared for different answers and disagreement.
Time: 2 minutes
In this lesson we are going to look at two texts, one that we read in Lesson 4 called Pros and Cons of
Video Games and a new one called Review of Minecraft to see how a similar topic can be treated
differently depending on the purpose of the text, even though both are examples of Persuasive texts.
Component: 3 Language Practice
Time: 5 minutes
 We have already read Pros and Cons of Video Games and understand what it is about. We are going
to look at a new text in this lesson, Review of Minecraft, and here are some words and expressions
from it that you may not know or may have forgotten. Let’s say each word together.
Vocabulary
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unique landscapes (features of the game that you won’t find in other games))
•
immersive (Let’s leave this one until I read the text and we will see if we can work it out from its
•
context and the other words that surround it) (draws you into its world)
• challenges (difficult tasks)
• limitations, (restraints or things that stop you from going forward)
• iconic (unique and excellent with a long-lasting reputation as one of the best of its kind)
• an active modding community (a group that makes modifications to the game)
• customize (adapt something to your own needs)
Component 4 Lesson Activity
Component 4A Reading the texts [5 minutes]
 Teacher reads Review of Minecraft, drawing attention to the words listed in Component 3.
Review of Minecraft 17
Hey dudes! Are you looking for a new game to play? Well, look no further than Minecraft! This
game is a must-play for any gamer, and here's why.
Firstly, Minecraft is a game where you can let your imagination run wild. You can create
anything you want, from simple houses to entire cities, using the game's building blocks. You
can also explore vast worlds filled with unique landscapes, animals, and creatures, which makes
the game incredibly immersive.
Secondly, the game has several different modes to play in. Survival mode challenges you to
gather resources and build shelter to survive against monsters that come out at night. Creative
mode lets you build anything you want without any limitations, while Adventure mode lets you
play maps created by other players.
The game's graphics may seem simple, but it's what makes Minecraft so charming and iconic.
It's easy to get lost in the game's blocky world and forget about the real world around you. Plus,
the game has an active modding community, which means that you can add new features and
elements to the game to customize it even further.
Overall, Minecraft is a game that has stood the test of time and is still just as fun to play today
as it was when it was first released. With endless possibilities, it's a game that you can play for
hours on end and never get bored. So what are you waiting for? Grab your pickaxe and start
digging!
[Teacher Note: Do a Think Aloud for ‘immersive’: Let’s see if we can work out what ‘immersive’ means
from the words around it. Minecraft seems to be a game where you can ‘let your imagination run wild’
and create a lot of different things from cities to animals. So it’s a very interesting game that draws its
players in – I think that’s what it must mean – it draws you into its world and you lose awareness of
anything else.]
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 Teacher displays and reads questions. Answer these questions on the Workbook.
Questions:
Q1. What does the writer mean by ‘Minecraft is a game where you can let your imagination
run wild’?
Q2. Describe the 3 different modes of playing Minecraft.
Q3. Give each paragraph a heading that describes what aspect of Minecraft it is about.
Suggested answers:
Q1. You can create and anything and explore anywhere you want.
Q2. Survival mode: where you have to survive against monsters: Creative mode: where you can
build anything without limitations: Adventure mode: where you play on the maps designed
by other players.
Q3. Paragraph 1: Introduction – topic for review and writer’s attitude towards it; Paragraph 2 –
Feature 1 of the game; Paragraph 3 – feature 2 of the game; Paragraph 4 – other features of
the game – Graphics; Paragraph 5 – Conclusion and recommendation.
 Now let’s look at the other text we have read about video games: Pros and Cons of Video Games. I
will read it gain to remind you of what is in it. [Teacher Note: as in Lesson 4, you could get students
to read the parts from the text rather than read it yourself here.]
Pros and Cons of Video Games
A group of Grade 8 students were discussing what they thought about video games.
Hannah: In my opinion, video games are fun to play but I’m worried about ge�ng
addicted to them. I’m afraid I won’t be able to know when to stop playing once I start. I
have read stories about kids who stay up all night playing games and can’t stay awake at
school next day.
Allan: I completely agree with you, Hannah. Too much �me in front of a screen means you
don’t get to spend �me with your family and friends. You don’t go outside which means
you don’t do any exercise. A lot of people our age who are addicted to video games get
very fat – obese – and will get health problems like heart disease in later life.
Paul: I‘m sorry to say this, but I totally disagree with you. Video games are not just fun but
they are educa�onal too. They require a lot of thinking, concentra�on, focus and
problem-solving skills. You don’t just sit in front of a screen – you have to be ready to
move quickly to solve sudden problems and you need to develop a good memory to
remember what to do when similar problems occur again.
Juanita: I agree with Paul. We are going to need to be able to use computers when we
leave school and get a job. Video games are useful for teaching us how to use computers
well and develop the skills we will need when we leave here and go into the real world.
Besides, a lot of games are useful for school – they teach us about history and science for
example.
74
Allan: I don‘t agree with you, Juanita. Some games are very violent which can make
people less concerned about violence in real life and even lead to criminal behavior.
Paul: I see what you mean, Allan, but a lot of games have compe��ons that allow you to
meet other people from here and other countries. You can make friends online and share
ideas about many diﬀerent things. Video games help bring people together.
Frida: You’ve all made some good points about video games – I think I agree with all of
you!
 Teacher displays and reads questions. Answer these questions in the Workbook.
Questions
Q4. Identify which speakers the Minecraft reviewer would agree with.
Q5. What are the main points on which the Minecraft reviewer and the people in the
conversation would agree?
Q6. How would the reviewer of Minecraft respond to the arguments put up by Allan? Write a
short paragraph or script of what you think he would say based on his review of
Minecraft.
Suggested Answers
Q4. Paul and Juanita.
Q5. Acceptable answers may include but not be limited to: The game is fun, full of challenges,
uses the player’s imagination and introduces them to other communities of players.
Q6. Be prepared for a variety of answers here but the main focus would be on the way the
game challenges the imagination, involves problem solving or challenges and allows players
to meet other people.
aloud.]

Time: 5 minutes
The focus of the lesson was on learning about how a similar topic can be treated differently depending
on the purpose of the text, even though both were examples of Persuasive texts.
Questions:
Q4. . How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
75
76
Consolidation – Applying What We Know About Reading Persuasive Texts
Key Idea
Reading persuasive texts – Applying what we know

expository texts
• Develop paragraphs that illustrate each text type (persuasive)
Time: 7 minutes
This week we have been learning about different types of persuasive texts. Here are some questions to
check what you’ve learned so far. Write your answers on the Workbook.
Q1. What are some different types of persuasive texts? Give some examples.
Q2. How are they similar?
Q3. How are they different?
 Teacher asks students to volunteer answers and gives feedback, suggesting additional examples
where needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Arguments (e.g., Climate Change, Solar Power), discussions (Pros and Cons of Video Games),
advertisements, reviews (book, movie and game reviews), e.g., opinion pieces, debates
Q2. They all aim to persuade people to think or act in various ways; use language that appeals to
strong positive or negative emotions, or language that appeals to reason and logic supported
by facts and evidence.
Q3. Arguments, advertisements and sometimes reviews present one point of view; discussions
put forward two sides on an issue.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to bring together what we have learned about different persuasive
text types. We are going to apply what we know to a new text.
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher introduces vocabulary for the lesson. First, we are going to review words we will use in this
lesson. Let’s read them together.
Vocabulary
• Compulsory voting (where citizens aged 18 and over must vote in elections)
• electorate (people registered to vote)
• name recognition (celebrities, people who are famous )
• invalid votes (where voting papers are filled out incorrectly and do not count)
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• moderate candidates and policies (candidates and policies that are not radical or extreme)
• a small, vocal minority (groups of people with radical views who get a lot of publicity)
• inequality (where power and influence are not equal across a society).
 Students write the words and definitions on their Workbooks.
Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3. Students can
underline these words on their copy as the teacher reads.
For and Against Compulsory Voting 18
Did you know that only 50% of registered voters voted in the Philippines presidential election in
2013 but that 83% voted in 2022? Should voting be compulsory like it is in 23 other countries
around the world, including Argentina, Thailand, Brazil and Singapore? Here are the arguments for
and against compulsory voting.
For Compulsory Voting Against Compulsory Voting

Position Statement (Thesis Statement): Position Statement (Thesis Statement):
Compulsory voting should be introduced Compulsory voting should not be introduced
because it can help promote a more because citizens should have the right to choose
interested and informed electorate, and whether or not to participate in the democratic
lead to a government that truly reflects the process, and forcing them to vote can be seen
will of the people. as a threat to their personal liberty.
Point 1: Point 1:
Compulsory voting ensures that a larger Compulsory voting can result in uninformed or
proportion of the population participates in uninterested voters being forced to vote. This
the democratic process. The government can lead to a lower quality of votes and a less
would then truly represent the whole informed electorate, as people may vote for
country. candidates or policies based on factors like
name recognition or media coverage.
Point 2: Point 2:
Compulsory voting encourages citizens to Compulsory voting can lead to an increase in
take an active interest in politics and be the number of invalid votes, as people may spoil
informed about the issues that affect them their ballots or vote for candidates or policies
and their community. they do not support. This can lead to confusion
and undermine the legitimacy of the democratic
process
Point 3: Point 3:
Compulsory voting means that more Compulsory voting forces people to vote for
moderate candidates and policies are likely someone even if they don’t like any of the
to be favored, rather than extreme ones candidates standing for election.
that may only be supported by a small,
vocal minority.
Point 4: Point 4:
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Compulsory voting helps reduce inequality Compulsory voting may not address inequality.
by ensuring that all citizens, regardless of It may be more effective to focus on improving
social status or wealth, have an equal say in access to information and education, reducing
the democratic process. It helps prevent the barriers to voting, and increasing the relevance
voices of the most disadvantaged members of politics to citizens' lives.
of society from being ignored.
Conclusion/Recommendation: Conclusion/Recommendation:
It is everyone’s responsibility to vote, just Nobody should be forced to vote if they don’t
like it is everyone’s responsibility to pay want to just like they shouldn’t be forced to buy
taxes. Compulsory voting should be a particular brand of car. Compulsory voting
introduced now! sounds good in theory but will not be a better
system.
 Teacher then asks students to read the text and look for the words from the list.
Questions:
Q1. True or False: voter numbers in Presidential elections in the Philippines are going up.
Q2. The For Case says that it is everyone’s responsibility to vote just as it is to pay taxes. Explain
the meaning of this analogy.
[Teacher Note: You may have to explain what an analogy is. It is in the Learning Competencies for
Grade 7 – Vocabulary Development – EN7V- IV-c-23 – Analyze relationships presented in
analogies].
Q3. The Against Case uses an analogy of its own to counter the For Case: what is it? Explain its
meaning.
Suggested answers:
Q1. True.
Q2. Taxes are compulsory contributions to government – voting is also a contribution to
government in a democracy.
Q3. Buying a particular brand of car. It compares buying a car with voting for a particular person
or party.
 Teacher reads out each question, discusses them with the students, then asks students to write their
answers on the Workbook.
Questions:
Q4. How does the Against Case counter the argument that compulsory voting would increase
voter interest in politics?
Q5. Your teacher has asked you to identify the strongest point for both sides. Which points would
you choose. Give reasons for your choices.
Q6. For and Against texts like this one (a Discussion) are provided so that people get a quick and
simple explanation of what the issues are. What is your opinion of whether or not this text
has achieved its purpose? Give a reason for your answer.
79
Suggested answers:
Q4. It says people may vote for people they have seen in the media and may cast invalid votes.
Q5. Be prepared for different answers here – the main thing is the reasons chosen.
Q6. As for Q5.
[Teacher Note: Feel free to do questions 4 as a class to give more time to Q 5 and 6. Q5 could be done in
pairs or small groups.]
Time: 5 minutes
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on how Persuasive texts can be written to show different points of view
on a topic. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
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Key Idea
Reading Narratives

EN8V-If-6 Determine the meaning of words and expressions that reflect the local culture by noting context
clues

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher: In Week 1 we learned a lot about narrative texts. Do you remember the story about Juan
and the trick he played on his father with mangoes and wasps? This week, we are going to look at a
few more narratives to see what you remember about them.
 Individually write your answers to Question 1 in the Workbook.
Questions
Q1. Complete the following description of how Narratives usually begin: Narratives begin by giving us
information about:
• Who
• W____
• W____
Q2. Narratives usually have three major parts – can you name them and describe what happens in
each part?
Q3. What does the term ‘moral of the story’ mean?
 Teacher seeks answers from students and writes the three parts of a narrative and their names on
the board/whiteboard.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Where the story takes place (setting), when the story takes place.
Q2. The setting; the ‘crisis’ or complication - something happens to disrupt the situation or someone
new arrives or both; the action builds up to a conclusion and the problem is solved - this is called
a resolution.
Q3. The message that the writer is trying to present through the narrative/story.
Component 2: Lesson Purpose
Time: 3 minutes
“In this lesson we are going to look at a short narrative in detail and answer questions to see how much
we remember about narratives from Week 1.”
important bits when they have to read narrative texts they’ve never read before.]
Component 3: Language Practice Time: 5 minutes
 This Narrative is called ‘From Manila to the World’. It is a narrative from the Philippines and is about
how 3 teenagers from Manila formed a band and went from rehearsing in the streets and playing at
parties to getting a recording deal and becoming famous.
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 We may meet some important words in the text that you cannot remember or have not seen before.
I’m going to list these words and we will work on their meanings so as you will be able to understand
the narrative when I read it shortly.
These words are written on your Workbook (see LC3A).
• rehearsals (practice sessions)
• soulful melodies (the way the music sounds)
• meaningful lyrics (the words to the songs)
• prestigious (important, high status)
• originality (sounding different to everyone else)
• showcase their music to a broader audience (present their music to a bigger community)
 Let’s put them in a sentence. I’ll do the first one….
 ‘The band practiced their songs at a rehearsal to get ready for their big performance.’
 Now with your partner, write a sentence for each of the other words in the list.
Time: 25 minutes
don’t know.
language.]
From Manila to the World 19
In the bustling streets of Manila, three Filipino teenagers named Miguel, Sofia, and Carlo
formed a band called "Tala," meaning star in Filipino, with dreams of making it big in the music
industry. Miguel played guitar, Sofia sang and played keyboards and Carlo was on drums.
Despite the challenges they faced, such as balancing schoolwork, finding a place for rehearsals,
and constantly trying to find better instruments, they poured their hearts into writing their own
songs with soulful melodies and meaningful lyrics that resonated with their local community.
One day, the daughter of the principal at their school heard them playing at a party. The next
thing they knew the principal asked them to play at the school dance. This was their first public
performance – but it was just the start they needed. Soon word of Tala's talent spread
throughout the local music scene, and they were invited to perform at a prestigious music
festival. Excitement filled the air as they stepped on stage, feeling the energy of the crowd.
Their powerful performance captivated everyone, leaving the audience in awe. It was a defining
moment for Tala, as they realized their dreams were within reach.
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After their performance, a music producer approached them, impressed by their raw talent and
originality. He offered them a record deal, promising to showcase their music to a broader
audience. With hearts pounding with anticipation, Miguel, Sofia, and Carlo knew that their lives
were about to change forever. They had not only proven themselves as Filipino artists but had
also become an inspiration to their peers, encouraging them to pursue their own passions
fearlessly. The journey of Tala was just beginning, and together, they were ready to shine like
the stars they were named after.

 Teacher: There are some questions about the story in your Workbook.
Questions
Q1. What does the name of the band mean in Filipino?
Q2. What is the ‘crisis’ or major event that starts the narrative? (How does their career in music
get started?)
Q3. What is the ‘resolution’ of this narrative? (What event brings the narrative to a conclusion?)
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Star.
Q2. The daughter of their school principal hears them play at a party.
Q3. The music producer offers the band a contract/deal.
 Students answer the questions in Workbook.


 Teacher provides Questions 4-6 in the Workbook.
 Let’s look at each question carefully.
What information do we need to answer the question?
Where can we find the answer? Is it here in the words? Is it hidden in the words? Is it in your head?
Questions
Q4. Why did the music producer approach the band after their performance at the music festival?
Q5. Why did the band know that “their lives were about to change forever” as a result of the
music producer’s approach?
Q6. What is the theme or message of this narrative? Choose one of the options below and give
reasons for your answer.
A. Talent is always rewarded.
B. Talent and hard work are always rewarded.
C. If you are fully committed to something, you will be successful.
D. Don’t ever give up on your talent and dreams

Suggested Answers
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Q4. He was impressed by their raw talent and originality.
Q5. Their music was about to be presented (‘showcased’) to a wider audience that their local
community.
Q6. Be prepared for a range of answers but D is the best.
Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
1. The focus of the lesson was on revising how narratives work. How has the lesson helped you to
understand this?
Segue to next lesson: In the next lesson we will look at another narrative to give you more practice with
reading and interpreting them.
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Reading the Text – Narrative poem
Key Idea
Locating information and interpreting figurative language – Narrative poem.

• EN8LC-III-7.4 Determine various social, moral, and economic issues discussed in the text listened
to.

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher: In our last lesson, we read a story about how some Manila teenagers formed a band that
became very successful. What is the technical term for that kind of text? We call that kind of text a
narrative. Today we are going to look at a poem written about 250 years ago that tells a story with
a less happy ending.
[Teacher Note: Feel free to ask the class if they like or dislike poetry – see what their attitudes to poetry
are and/or whether anyone has ever written a poem.]
Individually write your answers to Question 1 on the Workbook.
[Teacher Note: Feel free to do these questions either in pairs or orally as a class discussion/survey.]
Questions
Q1. What kind of topics do you expect to find in a poem?
Q2. What kind of style and language do you expect to find in a poem?
Q3. What do you see as the differences between a poem and a story (narrative)?
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Any combination of personal topics; feelings; descriptions; love; people; ideas about politics,
morals, religion – and some not listed here.
Q2. Rhyme, stanzas, similes, metaphors, difficulty in working out what it means, opposite of everyday
speech and prose.
[Teacher Note: Introduce term ‘figurative language’ here – defined in 2016 Curriculum Guide (p. 240) as
‘use of words that go beyond its literal meaning; examples are simile, metaphor and hyperbole
(exaggeration), among others’)
Q3. A story uses everyday language that is usually easy to understand; poems use figurative language
because poets try to be original and use techniques like simile that are not often in prose or
everyday speech.
 Teacher seeks answers from students and writes answers on the board/whiteboard.

Time: 2 minutes
In this lesson we are going to read another narrative text but it’s in the form of a poem this time.
We are going to look at words and expressions that you need to know to be able to understand this
narrative poem but after that I want to see if you think the story is real or not.
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Time: 5 minutes
 This narrative poem is called A Poison Tree. It was written by William Blake who lived in England
200 years ago.
 Because of its age, we will meet some words that are important in the poem but that you may not
have seen before. I’m going to list these words and we will work on their meanings so as you will
be able to understand the poem when I read it shortly.
These words are written on your Workbook (see LC3A).
• Wrath (anger)
• Foe (enemy)
• Deceitful wiles (where someone hides their true feelings in order to trick their enemy)
• Pole (the Polar Star, which in those days, before electricity, together with the moon, provided
light at night.
[Teacher Note: Except for ‘pole’ the rest of these words may be able to be done using context clues –
the teacher could model ‘foe’ by asking students for a word that means the opposite of ‘friend’ in line 1.
Feel free to do it that way as a whole class rather than using the process described below.]
o Let’s put them in a sentence. I’ll do the first one….
‘I saw a movie called Wrath of Man about a man who was so angry about his son’s death that he
nearly went crazy.’
o Now with your partner, write a sentence for each of the other words in the list.
o Teacher samples sentences to make sure the words are used according to their meanings.
short of time, either omit sentence writing or do it orally as a class].

Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads poem, drawing attention to the words listed.
don’t know.
language.]
A Poison Tree 20 by William Blake

I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
20 This poem is in the public domain and is available at Poetry Foundation https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45952/a-poison-tree
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And I watered it in fears.
Night and morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night.

Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine.
And into my garden stole,

When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

 Teacher: There are some questions about the poem in your Workbook.
Questions
Q1. Who are the main characters in the poem?
Q2. What is the difference between how the poet treats his friend and his foe?
Q3. Look at Stanza 2 – write a short summary in your own words of what it says about the tactics the
poet uses against his foe.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. The poet, his friend and his foe.
Q2. He tells his friend the reasons for his anger and so the anger disappears; he keeps it bottled up
inside with his foe which makes the anger worse.
Q3. Answers should include that he starts to enjoy feeding his anger and hides his anger in order to
deceive and trap his foe.
 Students answer the questions in Workbook.

 Teacher samples answers to the questions from the students and provides feedback.

 Teacher provides Questions 4-6 on the Workbook.
 These questions require interpretation and evaluation – answers are drawn from a reading of the
whole text rather than being located in one place within the text.
[Teacher Note: Stress that for these questions there have been different answers given since the poem
was written and it will be interesting to see whether students today react in the same or different ways
to those of the past.]
Questions
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Q4. What does the tree represent? Is it a real tree or does it stand for something in the poet’s
imagination? Give a reason for your answer.
Q5. How does the poet react at the end of the poem? What do you think of him? Give a reason for
your answer.
Q6. Is there a moral or lesson to the poem? If so, what is it? Give reasons for your answer.
 Students (or pairs) write answers in Workbook.
Suggested Answers
Q4. It represents how bottled up anger can grow to such an extent that it causes possible death.
Q5. He enjoys seeing his foe destroyed. Be prepared for a range of responses from admiring how
clever he is in getting revenge to dislike because he ‘kills’ someone.
Q6. Be prepared for a range of answers including: it shows how if you bottle up your anger, there can
be catastrophic results; how clever tactics can be rewarded; how we all have a dark side.
Component 5 Conclusion
Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how narratives work in poetry. How has the lesson
Segue to next lesson: In the next lesson we will look at another, more complex Narrative to give your
more practice at interpreting narrative texts.
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Descriptions
Key Idea
Reading Descriptions

• Recognize positive and negative message conveyed in a text.
 Teacher: Today we are going to read a Literary Description, which is a part of a fictional Narrative
that gives information about an element of the plot – for example a house or a town or a character.
Descriptions can also be factual – that is about real things and people. The one we are doing today
involves a character from a famous American novel, ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ by Mark
Twain. Before we get to reading it, think about the answers to these questions and write your
answers on your Workbook:
Questions:
Q1. What do you expect to be in a description of a person?
Q2. What do you expect to be in a description of a place?
Q3. Name three things you would put in a description of your school.
 Teacher seeks answers from students and gives feedback.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Gender, age, height, weight, clothing, habits, job – some descriptions start at the head/face and
work downwards.
Q2. Size, how high it is, what it’s made of, its function – what happens there - who lives or works
there.
Q3. Be prepared for some varied responses here.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Questions 1 and 2 as a class and to allow students to do Question 3 in
pairs or groups. ]
Time: 2 minutes
Teacher: In this lesson we are going to read a description of a character to identify its features and see if
we can apply them to writing our own descriptions.
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher: We are going to read a text called ‘Tom Sawyer’, based on a novel written in 1876 by the
American author Mark Twain.
 Before we do, here are some key words from the text that you may not know or remember. Let’s say
each word together.
Vocabulary
• mischief – getting into trouble
• infectious grin – a smile that makes other people smile too
• bewilderment – confusion
• antics – another word for ‘mischief’; tricks
• nooks – corners; small places hidden from view
• façade – outward appearance
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• lovable rogue – someone people liked despite the naughty things he does.
 Now let’s go over what each word means and put each one in a sentence.
definition on the board. Students write each definition in their Workbooks.
[Teacher Note: Feel free to omit sentence writing or to do it as a class.]

 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Component 3.
 Teacher asks if there are any questions about the text or any words that the students did not
understand.
Tom Sawyer 21
Tom Sawyer was a freckled faced, fourteen-year-old boy who lived in a town called Saint
Petersburg on the banks of the Mississippi River in the state of Missouri in the United States
about 150 years ago. He lived with his Aunt Polly and brother Sidney as his parents had died
from a mystery illness when he was very young.
Tom was renowned in Saint Petersburg for two things: mischief and imagination. With an
infectious grin and a silver tongue, he could charm his way out of any scrape, leaving a trail of
laughter and bewilderment in his wake. He always seemed to find a way of frustrating his stern
schoolmaster with excuses about why his work was not done or why he was late or why he
should not be punished for his latest misbehavior. His classmates loved watching his antics and
excuses send the schoolmaster’s face red with anger at least once a day. Like a cat toying with
its prey, he played with the schoolmaster, enjoying the thrill of outwitting him.
It was Tom’s wild imagination that led to the pirate game where two tribes of boys competed to
find the buried treasure he invented. The boys really believed his stories about treasure buried
in the hills and they spent hours playing pirates there, looking for it. Tom was a master of
evasion, slipping away from responsibilities like water through a hole in a bucket. He loved the
Mississippi River, with its mighty currents and hidden nooks, and spent time there whenever he
could, often skipping school to go swimming or fishing or inventing games for his friends.
Yet, beneath his mischievous facade, Tom possessed a heart as golden as the sunsets that
painted the Mississippi skies. He possessed a fierce loyalty to his friends, and even the adults he
frustrated couldn’t help but laugh at some of the things he did – as a result he generally got
away unpunished. To most people in Saint Petersburg, he was a lovable rogue.

1. Teacher reads questions and asks students to answer them on the Workbook.
Questions
Q1. Why was Tom living with his aunt?
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Q2. Tom was famous in Saint Petersburg for ‘mischief and imagination.’ In your own words, state
what you think those words mean in this text.
Q3. Find evidence that Tom was popular with his fellow teenagers.

[Teacher Note: Feel free to do Q1 as a class discussion to give more time to Q2 and 3.]
Suggested Answers:
Q1. His parents had died of a mystery illness when he was very young.
Q2. Mischief – getting into trouble, but not too seriously. Imagination – making up stories and games.
Q3. They loved the way he frustrated the schoolmaster; they followed his leadership, believed his
stories and played his games.
 Teacher reads Questions 4-6 in the Workbook and asks students to write answers in their
Workbooks.
Questions
Q4. Give each paragraph a heading or title that sums up its content.
Q5. In the final paragraph, Tom is described as having ‘a heart as golden as the sunsets that painted
the Mississippi skies.’ What does this simile mean?
Q6. Using this description as a model, write a short 3 paragraph description of a person, animal or
object under the following headings: Introduction or Orientation; Main Features 1; Final
Comment.
Suggested Answers
Q4. P1 -Orientation or Introduction to Tom Sawyer; P2 – Tom and Mischief; P3 Tom and Imagination;
P4 - Conclusion – Tom’s popularity.
Q5. Tom was generous, loyal and shone brightly as a person, just like the sky over the Mississippi.
Q6. Be prepared for a range of answers here.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Questions 4 and 5 as class discussion to allow time for Q6 and to allow
students to do it in pairs or groups. Try to sample as many answers as possible. It might be worth
stipulating that descriptions of people should be of someone not in the room or in the Learning Camp.]
Time: 5 minutes
Teacher displays the questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how Descriptions work. How has the lesson helped
you to understand this?
91
Reading the text – Factual Recount
Key Idea
Identifying information in a Factual Recount

• Viewing Comprehension EN8LC -IIi-7.2
• Listening Comprehension EN8LC-IIIh-7.4

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher: In our last 3 lessons we read narrative texts which were fictional. In this lesson we are going
to look at another type of text that involves a sequence of events, except this time it’s not a fictional,
imagined text but a non-fiction, factual recount. We are going to read one called ‘The Life of Manny
Pacquaio’.
 Teacher displays and reads questions. Teacher elicits answers from students orally to Question 1
before giving class 3 minutes to write their answers to Questions 2 and 3 on the Workbook.
Questions
Q1. How can you tell from the title that The Life of Manny Pacquaio is more likely to be a factual
rather than a fictional text?
Q2. Knowing that The Life of Manny Pacquaio is a recount, what are you expecting to see in it?
Q3. What is the most important feature of a recount?
 Teacher samples answers to Questions 2 and 3, providing feedback.
Suggested Answers
Q1. Fictional texts usually have more exciting titles; this text is about a real person.
Q2. An account of his life and achievements in the order that they happened.
Q3. Getting the events in the right order.
Time: 2 minutes
Teacher: In this lesson we are going to look at a type of text that involves a story and a sequence of
events, except this time it’s not a fictional, imagined text but a non-fiction, factual text. It’s called a
Factual Recount.
You may remember that Recounts generally have 3 stages: firstly, similar to a narrative, they begin with
who is involved, and when and where the events happen (sometimes called an Orientation); secondly,
they then outline the sequence of events; thirdly, and this an optional section, there may be a comment
on the events.
Time: 5 minutes
Here are some words and phrases from The Life of Manny Pacquaio. Let’s read them together.
Language Focus:
• renowned (famous)
• icon (a legend or hero)
• resilience (toughness; ability to overcome hardships).
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• work ethic (commitment to hard work and training)
• a feat (achievement)
[Teacher Notes: Rather than get students to write sentences for these words/phrases, use the reading in
Component 4A to focus on the words to work out meanings based on ‘context clues’. Use Think Aloud to
demonstrate how you would work out ‘renowned’ and then ask the students to respond to the others.
The approach is demonstrated for ‘renowned’ in Component 4A below.]
Time: 25 minutes
 This text is about Manny Pacquiao, the world champion boxer and Filipino politician. It is a Recount.
 As I read it, we are going to try to work out some of the words in the vocabulary list. Also, look for the
differences and similarities between this recount and the narratives we have been reading in previous
lessons. Look particularly at how it starts, how it gets going and how it ends.
 Teacher Reads - Manny Pacquiao, born Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao on December 17, 1978, in
Kibawe, Philippines, is a renowned Filipino professional boxer and politician.’ Let’s see if we can work
out what ‘renowned’ means from clues in the text. We know that Manny is one of the great heroes of
the Philippines and that he is known all over the world – he’s famous. Would famous fit in this
sentence if ‘renowned’ was not here? Yes it would, so I think ‘renowned’ and ‘famous’ mean the same
thing. Now let’s see if we can do the other words the same way.
 Teacher reads text, focuses on context clues for the other words, and asks for any questions about
the text.
The Life of Manny Pacquaio 22
Manny Pacquiao, born Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao on December 17, 1978, in Kibawe,
Philippines, is a renowned Filipino professional boxer and politician. Pacquiao's inspiring rise
from poverty to worldwide fame has made him an icon in both the sporting and political arenas.
Growing up in a humble family, Pacquiao faced numerous challenges but discovered his passion
for boxing at a young age. He turned professional at the age of 16 and quickly gained attention
for his lightning-fast speed, explosive power, resilience and relentless work ethic. Pacquiao's
remarkable boxing skills allowed him to capture titles in multiple weight divisions, earning him
the nickname "Pac-Man."
Over the course of his career, Pacquiao achieved numerous accomplishments, including winning
world titles in eight different weight divisions, a feat unmatched by any other boxer. He faced
legendary opponents and engaged in memorable battles, captivating audiences around the globe
with his electrifying fighting style.
Beyond his boxing success, Pacquiao ventured into politics and public service. In 2010, he was
elected as a member of the Philippine House of Representatives, representing the province of
Sarangani. In 2016, he was elected to the Philippine Senate, a position he currently holds.
Pacquiao has been involved in various charitable projects, using his platform and resources to
help those in need.

 Teacher reads each question and asks students to write answers in their Workbook.
Q1. Look at paragraph 1 of the text. Does it conform to the way Recounts are supposed to start? Give
a reason for your answer.
Q2. What qualities made Manny Pacquaio a champion boxer?
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Q3. How do we know that Manny Pacquiao is not just popular but also widely respected in the
Philippines?
Suggested answers:
Q1. Yes. It contains information about Manny Pacquiao’s whole life, not just the first event.
Q2. ‘His lightning-fast speed, explosive power, and relentless work ethic.’
Q3. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 and the Senate in 2016. He has been
involved in charity work to help those in need.

 Teacher reads Questions 4-6 and asks students to write answers on their Workbook.
Q4. What record did Manny Pacquiao set as a boxer?
Q5. Why does the author describe Manny Pacquiao as an ‘icon’.
Q6. The final paragraph of this short biography of Manny Pacquaio has been left out. Like other
Recounts, it would contain comments summing up the significance of his life. It starts ‘Pacquiao's
athletic achievements and his dedication to serving his country…..’ Write the end of this sentence
and two more that would be appropriate for the final paragraph of this text.
 Teacher asks the students to volunteer their answers and gives giving appropriate feedback.
Suggested answers:
Q4. He won titles in 8 different weight divisions.
Q5. ‘Pacquiao's inspiring rise from poverty to worldwide fame has made him an icon in both the
sporting and political arenas.’
Q6. The final paragraph reads: ‘Pacquiao's athletic achievements and his dedication to serving his
country have made him an immensely popular figure in the Philippines and a global sports icon.
Throughout his career, he has become a source of inspiration for many, embodying the values of
determination, perseverance, and resilience. Manny Pacquiao's impact extends far beyond
boxing, leaving a lasting legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.’
[Teacher Note: Feel free to let students do this task in pairs. Try to sample as many student answers as
possible.]

Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning more about how recounts work. How has the lesson
helped you to understand the difference?
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Comparing the Different Types of Recounts
Key Idea
Comparing recounts in a newspaper report and a personal diary entry for the same topic.

• Determine various social, moral, and economic issues discussed in the text

Time: 7 minutes
 This week we have been looking again at texts whose main purpose is to tell us what happened – to
cover a sequence of events. They fall into 2 categories: narratives, like ‘From Manila to the World’
and recounts, like ‘The Life of Manny Pacquaio’. In this lesson we are going to look at how recounts
are used in a newspaper report, whether it be in print format or online, and compare it with a
personal diary entry for the same topic.
To get started, let’s look at these Questions:
Q1. What would you expect to see in a news report about a typhoon passing through a village on the
coast?
Q2. What would you expect to see in an interview with someone who had just experienced a
typhoon?
Q3. How would the two texts be (a) similar and (b) different?
Give reasons for your answers.
 Teacher asks students to write answers in the Workbook and then to volunteer answers and reasons
and gives feedback.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Facts about the typhoon, the events – before it hit, during the storm, damage, effects, aftermath.
Q2. Description of typhoon, what they did to protect themselves, their feelings during the storm, the
effects and damage, what they did after the storm left.
Q3. Similar in focus on events as they happened; different in news report being more factual and
interview being more personal.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to look at the similarities and differences between two different recounts of
the same event. We are going to read a news report of a typhoon hitting a coastal village and a diary
entry of someone who lived through it.
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher: Here are some words from the newspaper report that will be used in this lesson but that you
may not know or remember. Let’s say each word together.
 Revise:
• Typhoon (a tropical storm; cyclone)
• devastating (causing a lot of damage)
• ferocious (violent)
• torrential (a lot of rain all at once)
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• infrastructure (basic physical and organizational facilities in a community – e.g., buildings, roads,
schools)
• coastal erosion (when the sea eats away at the land on the coastal edge or beach)
• a state of emergency (when a government declares that a disaster has occurred and special laws
have to be made to ensure the safety of citizens)
• evacuate (to leave or abandon)
• restoration and reconstruction (to rebuild back to original state)
• priority (the most important thing).
 Now let’s go over what each word means and see if we can put them in sentences.
[Teacher Note: Feel free to select which words to focus on for sentences and to do them orally as class
rather than write answers in Workbook.]
Time: 25 minutes
1. Teacher reads Devastating Typhoon Ravages Coastal Region, Leaving Widespread Destruction
in Its Wake, drawing attention briefly to the words in Component 3.
Devastating Typhoon Ravages Coastal Region, Leaving Widespread Destruction in Its
Wake 23
A powerful typhoon tore through the coastal region yesterday, leaving a trail of destruction
in its wake. The storm, named Typhoon Horizon, made landfall with ferocious wind speeds
reaching 150 kilometers per hour and torrential rains.
The typhoon pounded the coastal area, causing widespread flooding, landslides, and damage
to infrastructure. Roofs were ripped off buildings, trees were uprooted, and power lines
were toppled, plunging entire neighborhoods into darkness. Torrential rains triggered severe
flooding, submerging roads and displacing numerous families from their homes. The coastal
communities bore the brunt of the storm's fury, with reports of coastal erosion and damage
to fishing boats and infrastructure.
Local authorities have declared a state of emergency as they begin rescue and recovery
efforts in the aftermath of the disaster. Rescue teams, including local authorities and
volunteers, have been working tirelessly to evacuate residents from the most affected areas
and provide emergency aid. Evacuation centers have been set up to provide shelter, food,
and medical assistance to those displaced by the typhoon. The government has deployed
additional resources, including military personnel, to assist in the relief operations and
facilitate the restoration of vital services such as electricity and transportation.
As residents grapple with the aftermath, restoration and reconstruction efforts will be
initiated to rebuild homes, infrastructure, and lives. The priority remains on ensuring the
safety and well-being of those affected and providing them with the necessary resources to
rebuild their lives and regain their resilience in the wake of this devastating typhoon.

 Teacher reads out each question and asks students to write their answers in the Workbook.
Questions
96
Q1. Name 1 piece of evidence of the ‘devastating’ nature of the typhoon that is given in the first
paragraph.
Q2. What effect did the torrential rains have on the coastal communities?
Q3. How has the Government assisted local authorities to recover from the typhoon?
 Teacher asks the students to volunteer their answers, giving appropriate feedback and checking for
understanding.
Suggested Answers
Q1. Wind speed of 150Km/hr; torrential rain; ‘leaving a trail of destruction in its wake’.
Q2. Severe flooding, submerging roads and displacing numerous families from their homes.
Q3. It has provided additional resources, including military personnel, to assist in the relief
operations and assist the restoration of vital services such as electricity and transportation.
 Teacher: I’m going to read you another account of the typhoon, this time from the diary of someone
named Maria who lived through it in her village. I want you to listen out for any similarities and
differences between the diary and the news report, especially in how they begin, what types of
information they include and how they end.
 Teacher reads Diary of a Typhoon Survivor.
Diary of a Typhoon Survivor 24
Wednesday - Today, I experienced one of the most intense and frightening moments of my
life. Typhoon Horizon hit our village, and the impact has been devastating. The wind howled
relentlessly, and the rain poured down like a never-ending deluge. Our house shook with
each gust, and I could hear the trees creaking under the storm's fury.
We had prepared as best as we could, stocking up on supplies and reinforcing our home. But
nothing could fully prepare us for the sheer force of the typhoon. The power went out early
on, plunging our house into darkness. We huddled together, seeking reassurance from one
another.
As the hours passed, the storm raged on, and I couldn't help but worry about our safety. The
sound of shattering glass and crashing debris frightened me. We could only hope that our
home would withstand the onslaught. Through it all, though, I was grateful for my family's
support and strength. Together, we braved the storm, holding onto the hope that it would
pass and that we would survive.
Q4. What information do the 2 texts have in common?
Q5. In what way is the diary entry different to the news report?
Q6. Imagine you are the reporter that wrote the news article and you have arrived in the village
after the typhoon has passed. You are going to interview Maria. Devise 3 questions that you
would ask her. Explain your reasons for selecting each question – what are you interested in
finding out for your next report?
Suggested Answers
Q4. Both texts agree on the type of damage done by the typhoon.
Q5. The diary focuses on Maria’s personal feelings and experiences (1st person) during the event
while the news report is not personal (3rd person) and covers the impact on the whole
community both during the typhoon and afterwards, as well as the actions of local authorities
and the government to assist the villagers to recover.
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Q6. Students may take different approaches - the focus here is on the reasons they give for their
choice of questions.
on the board. Question 6 could be done in pairs in the Workbook. This would allow more time for the
students to think and write and for the teacher to sample their answers by getting students to read their
writing aloud.]

Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning more about the different purposes and ways recounts
are used for the same topic. How has the lesson helped you to understand the differences?
98
Consolidation of Week 4 Learning
Key Idea
Practice at reading a Recount text

• Writing and Composition EN8WC-IIa-2.8
Component 1: Short Review

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher asks students questions to activate prior knowledge.
In our lessons this week we learned about two types of story texts – recounts and narratives – and one
type of writing that is an element of each one – descriptions. In this lesson we are going to read a
longer text about the sinking of the Titanic, the biggest passenger ship in the world at the time, in
1912.
Questions:
Q1. Are you expecting the text about the sinking of the Titanic to be a narrative or a recount? Give a
reason for your answer.
Q2. What is your understanding of the word ‘tragedy’? Give one example of a tragic event.
Q3. What is the opposite of tragic? Give one example of an event that is not a happy one but is not
tragic. Give a reason for your answer.
 Students record their answers in the Student Workbook.

 Teacher checks answers and gives feedback.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Recounts – because it’s a true story.
Q2. A disaster so sad that it causes heartbreak for those involved and affects everyone.
Q3. An event that has a good outcome or a bad outcome that could have been worse or an event
that was less important – e.g., losing an important football match; finishing second at the
Olympics.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to read about the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 and answer some questions to
test your understanding of what happened and why people still talk and make movies about it today. It
was the biggest passenger ship in the world then and was supposed to be unsinkable.
[Teacher Note: Show pictures of the Titanic – a Google search will provide plenty of them.]
Time: 5 minutes
 Before we read about the Titanic, let’s look at some words and phrases that are in the text but that
you might not know or remember.
 Teacher displays the list of words on the board and reads each word aloud with the students.
• Titanic (huge, gigantic, enormous, strong)
• maritime (to do with ships and the sea)
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• iceberg (large piece of ice that has broken off from a glacier or from land and is floating in the
sea)
• the ship's hull (the underside of the ship)
• a major flaw (the weakest point)
• hypothermia (when the body loses heat too fast and can’t recover it )
• debris (wreckage from the ship floating in the water)
• fragility (weakness).
 Now let’s go over what each word means and see if we can put them in sentences.
[Teacher Note: Feel free to select which words to focus on for sentences and to do them orally as class
rather than write answers on Workbook.]
Time: 25 minutes
Component 4A Reading the texts
 Teacher reads The Sinking of the Titanic, drawing attention briefly to the words in Component 3.
The Sinking of the Titanic 25

The sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912, was one of the biggest maritime disasters in
history. The “unsinkable” luxury liner struck an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage
from Southampton to New York City. This is a short account of the events leading up to the
Titanic's demise and the aftermath that followed.
The Titanic was the largest and most luxurious passenger ship ever built, with accommodation
for over 2,200 passengers and crew members. On April 10, 1912, the Titanic set sail from
Southampton, England, bound for New York City.
Four days into its journey, on the night of April 14, 1912, tragedy struck. At approximately
11:40 PM, the Titanic hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean. The iceberg tore a series of
holes in the ship's hull, leading to its gradual flooding and eventual sinking.
Despite efforts to save the ship, the lack of lifeboats proved to be a major flaw in the Titanic's
design. The ship carried only enough lifeboats to accommodate around half of its passengers
and crew. As a result, chaos ensued as people scrambled for limited spots on the lifeboats. By
2:20 AM on April 15, the Titanic had disappeared beneath the freezing waters, leaving
hundreds of people stranded in the Atlantic Ocean.
Of the estimated 2,224 people aboard the Titanic, only about 710 survived. The majority of
the casualties were caused by hypothermia as the survivors awaited rescue in lifeboats or
clung to debris. The loss of life, especially among women and children, deeply shocked the
world.
The sinking of the Titanic had a big impact on popular culture. Numerous books,
documentaries, and films have been created to recount the events and explore the stories of
those on board. The disaster serves as a reminder of the over-confidence of humanity and the
fragility of technological advancements in the face of nature's power.
Component 4B Questions
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Questions
Q1. Is this text a narrative or a recount? Give a reason for your answer.
Q2. Why did the Titanic sink?
Q3. Why did so many people die when the Titanic sank?
 Students write their answers in the Workbook.
 Teacher checks answers and provides feedback.
Suggested Answers:
Q1. Recount
Q2. It hit an iceberg that tore open its hull.
Q3. Not enough lifeboats for everyone on board; hypothermia.
Component 4C Questions
 Teacher displays questions. Students write their answers in the Workbook.
Questions
Q4. A ‘tragedy’ is a disaster so sad that it causes heartbreak for those involved and affects
everyone. What evidence can you find that the sinking of the Titanic was a tragedy?
Q5. Explain the meaning of the final sentence in your own words.
Q6. A survivor named Maree wrote a letter to her mother that began:
“Mother I am alive but I am forever changed. My memories of the night of April 14, 1912, haunt
my every waking moment…..”
Write the next 2 paragraphs of Maree’s letter based on the information in the account of the
sinking.
 Teacher asks the students to volunteer their answers, giving positive feedback, checking for
understanding.
Suggested answers (various answers are possible for Q6):
Q4. It resulted in many deaths that could have been avoided if the right number of lifeboats had
been included on the ship.
Q5. Various answers possible – something like ‘It was thought that the Titanic was unsinkable
because it was so big but nature made this look silly.’
Q6. Various answers possible.
on the board. Question 6 could be done in pairs in the Workbook. This would allow more time for the
students to think and write and for the teacher to sample their answers by getting students to read their
writing aloud.]

Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on bringing together what you’ve learned about recount and
narrative texts and apply it to a longer text. How has the lesson helped you with this?
Segue to next lesson: Next week our focus will return to informational text types
101
Features of Expositional Texts – Information Reports
Key Idea
Features of Expositional Texts – Information Reports

• Use appropriate reading strategies for various text types.
 Teacher: This week we are going to focus again on types of texts that give us information –
Expository and Explanation texts.
 Today we are going to read a type of Expository text called an Information Report.
 Look at these headings taken from textbooks and identify the 2 Information Reports- give reasons
for your choices:
1. How Does a Car Engine Work?
2. How to Make Lasagna
3. Volcanoes in the Philippines
4. The Wizard of Oz
5. How Typhoons Get Their Names.
6. Reptiles in Africa.
Suggested Answers:
3 and 6 are Information Reports. 1 and 4 are Explanations, 2 is an Instructional text or
Procedure, 4 is a Narrative.
Component 2: Purpose of the lesson Time: 3 minutes
 In this lesson we are going to look again at a type of Expository text called an Information Report. This
one is about typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes.
 Let’s go back over the structure of Information Reports – there are 2 major components and 1
optional component of Information Reports:
1. A definition of the topic or thing, sometimes called a classification
2. Paragraphs for the each of the various aspects of the topic or thing
3. (Optional) A Conclusion to sum up the information or to present an opinion about it.
Component 3: Lesson Language Practice Time: 5 minutes
Teacher: This report is called ‘Typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes’. Here are some key words from the text
that you may not know or remember. Let’s say each word together.
• distinct regional differences – they are different in different parts of the world
• geographical location – where they are in the world
• International Date Line – according to Wikipedia, it is an imaginary line running through the
world from north to south and passing through the Pacific Ocean that the world accepts as
the boundary between one calendar and the next.
• Equator – an imaginary line running east to west that divides the world into 2 halves.
• Tropical – the parts of the earth around the Equator
• maximum – highest speed.
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Component 4: Lesson Activity. Total Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads What are the differences between typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes? drawing
attention to words from Component 3.

What are the differences between typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes? 26
Introduction
Typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones are all powerful and destructive storms with strong
winds and heavy rainfall. While they share similarities in their nature and formation, there
are distinct regional differences that give rise to their unique names. This report aims to
provide a comparison of typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones, highlighting their variations
in geographical location and weather conditions.
Geographical Location
Typhoons: Typhoons are tropical storms that occur in the north-western Pacific Ocean.
They are most commonly seen in the region bounded by the International Date Line, the
Equator, and the coastlines of Asia, particularly in the western Pacific, including Japan, the
Philippines, and China.
Hurricanes: Hurricanes are tropical storms that primarily form in the Atlantic Ocean and
the eastern Pacific Ocean. They are prevalent in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico,
and the coastal areas of the south-eastern United States.
Cyclones: Cyclones are tropical storms that are prevalent in the Indian Ocean, particularly
in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. They affect the coastal regions of countries such
as India, Bangladesh, Australia, and Madagascar.
Weather Conditions
Typhoons, hurricanes and cyclones are all types of powerful storms that form in similar
weather conditions. To develop, they need warm ocean waters (above 26.5C/80F), lots of
moisture in the air, low changes in wind speed as you go higher in the atmosphere and
the Coriolis effect, which makes them spin. So these storms rely on warm water, calm
winds and the spinning motion to start and keep going.
The intensity of these weather systems is commonly measured using the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale, which rates them based on their maximum sustained wind speeds.
The scale ranges from Category 1 (weakest) to Category 5 (strongest), indicating the
chances of damage and destruction.
Conclusion
While typhoons, hurricanes, and cyclones are all tropical storms with similar
characteristics, their names and geographical distribution differ based on regional
conventions. Understanding these distinctions is important for accurate reporting,
forecasting, and preparedness in regions where these devastating storms happen.
 Answer these questions in the Workbook. To find answers to Questions 1 and 2 first identify the
headings in which the answer is most likely to be and then read the text carefully, looking for the key
words in the questions. For Question 3, you need to remember how Information Reports start – they
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tell you what the topic is and include some important information about it, which is usually covered in
more depth in later paragraphs.
Questions:
Q1. What are severe tropical storms called in the Philippines?
Q2. Name the three things these storms need to start.
Q3. Does the opening section of this text match what is supposed to go in an Information Report?
 Teacher samples answers from students to Questions.

Suggested answers:
Q1 Typhoons.
Q2. “Warm water, calm winds and the spinning motion (Coriolis effect).”
Q3. Yes. It defines and classifies typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes as tropical storms and names
the major aspects of the topic to be covered – i.e. geographical location and weather
conditions.

 Teacher reads out each questions 4-6 and asks students to write their answers in the Workbook.
 Answer these questions in the Workbook, but let’s do the first one together. Let’s look for the Saffir-
Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale in the text. It’s in the last paragraph before the Conclusion. I’ll read it
and let’s see if we can find the answer…
Questions:
Q4. What does the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale measure?
Q5. “Typhoons, hurricanes and cyclones are just different names for the same thing.” Do you
agree. Give a reason for your answer.
Q6. With a partner, design a poster for your Science class that sums up the essential information
about typhoons, cyclones and hurricanes in the report.
 Teacher samples answers from students for questions 5 and 6.
Suggested answers:
Q4. It rates tropical storms based on their wind speeds.
Q5. According to National Geographic 27, 'the names of the powerful storms that form in the
waters of the Atlantic and Pacific—whether hurricane, cyclone, or typhoon—depend on
where they form.’
Q6. Be prepared for a range of answers – sample and display as many as possible in the time.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Question 5 as a class discussion too and focus on Question 6 if you
are running short of time.]
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher displays the questions
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on revising how information is presented in an Expository text
like an Information Report. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
27 See https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/hurricanes-cyclones-and-typhoons-explained/
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Segue to next lesson: “We will return to giving you more practice with Expository texts and extending it
to other types of texts in future lessons.”]
Question 6 for understanding of the content.
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Key Idea

• EN8V-IIIg-26

Time: 7 minutes
 Teacher: So far this week we have been revising our knowledge of texts that convey information, such
as Information Reports. Instructional texts are another type of text that convey information.
 Some examples of Instructional texts that we mentioned in Week 2 included:
o Recipes
o Instruction manuals to help you build or install or use something
o Web pages that tell you how to register or apply for something
 Answer the following questions in the Workbook:
Q1. With a partner brainstorm up to 5 Instructional texts that you have seen either in print, on
television or online.
Q2. What sort of information did you find in these texts?
Q3. In what ways was the information in these texts relevant to you as a Filipino teenager?
 Teacher asks students to volunteer answers and reasons and gives feedback, suggesting examples
where needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Sample examples: Recipe: How to make a food dish (e.g., Adobo); Rules: Rules for the Use
of the Pool; Disaster Prevention: What to do in the case of an earthquake.
Q2. Recipe: a list of ingredients; Rules: a list of things you are not allowed to do ; Disaster
prevention: What to do before the earthquake.
Q3 Recipe: a list of steps to follow to make the dish; Rules: consequences for doing things that
you are not allowed to do; Disaster prevention: What to do during and after the
earthquake.

 In this lesson we are going to look at a short Instructional text and we are going to see how it works
• whether it is an Instructional text
 Instructional texts usually have a structure of 3 major components:
1. A heading or title that describes the purpose of the instructions
2. Things needed to perform the task
3. Steps in the order that they need to be done to achieve the outcome.
important bits when they have to read instructional texts that they’ve never read before – such as in a
test or examination.]
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 This text is called ‘Staying safe on the Internet for Teenagers’ and it gives information about what
teenagers can do at a personal level to avoid harm on the internet.
together.
Vocabulary
• unique – only one of its kind
• hacked – where someone breaks into your online account
• social media – according to Wikipedia, ‘interactive technologies that allow the creation and
sharing of information, ideas, interests and other matters online’
• privacy settings – passwords and other restrictions on personal details for an online site
• cyberbullying – when someone sends threatening messages online
• security patches – updates to a program to ensure that the latest forms of hacking are stopped
• antivirus software – computer programs designed to find threats to the security of your
computer
• be skeptical – be suspicious.

[Teacher Notes: feel free to select words from this list rather do them all.]
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3.
Staying safe on the Internet for Teenagers 28

Staying safe on the internet is important for everyone, including 14-year-olds. Here are some
tips to help you stay safe while using the internet.
1. Protect your personal information: Be cautious about sharing personal information online.
Avoid sharing your full name, address, phone number, school name, or any other sensitive
details with people you don't know or trust.
2. Use strong and unique passwords: Create strong passwords for your online accounts and
avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. A strong password includes a
combination of letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and symbols. This helps
protect your accounts from being hacked.
3. Be mindful of what you post: Think before you post anything online, including photos,
videos, or comments. Once something is posted, it can be challenging to remove it
completely. Remember that anything you share online can be seen by others, even if you
think it's private.
4. Be cautious with social media: If you use social media platforms, review and adjust your
privacy settings to control who can see your posts and personal information. Be mindful
of accepting friend requests or connections from people you don't know in real life.
5. Avoid online strangers: Be cautious when interacting with people online who you don't
know in real life. Never share personal information or agree to meet someone in person
without parental permission and supervision.
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6. Be aware of cyberbullying: If you experience cyberbullying or witness someone being
bullied online, report it to a trusted adult, such as a parent, teacher, or school counsellor.
Don't respond to or engage with cyberbullies, as it can escalate the situation.
7. Use privacy settings and security tools: Make use of privacy settings provided by websites
and apps to control who can access your information. Keep your devices and software up
to date with the latest security patches and use reputable antivirus software for added
protection.
8. Be critical of online content: Not everything you find on the internet is accurate or safe.
Be skeptical of information you come across and verify it from reliable sources before
accepting it as true. Be cautious of clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from
untrusted sources.
9. Talk to a trusted adult: If you come across something online that makes you
uncomfortable, scared, or confused, talk to a trusted adult about it. They can provide
guidance, support, and help you navigate challenging situations.

Questions:
Q1. What advice about internet passwords is given?
Q2. One of the usual features of an Instructional text is the use of command sentences in the
Steps section. Are the Steps of this text made up of commands? How can you tell?
Q3. Does the structure of this text match what is supposed to go in an instructional text? Give
evidence for your answer.
Suggested answers:
Q1. ‘Strong and unique passwords (a combination of letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers,
and symbols) - avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
Q2. Yes. All sentences start with verbs.
Q3. Instructional or Procedural texts like this one sometimes start with a list of things needed to
carry out the instructions but that is not needed here. Otherwise the structure is typical of a
Procedural text with Goal and Steps.

Questions:
Q4. What advice is given about the use of social media?
Q5. This text was designed for teenagers. What does it say about when to involve adults?
Q6. From the 9 ‘commandments’ here, select the 3 that are most significant for you. Give reasons
for your choices.
Suggested answers:
Q4. ‘Be cautious with social media: If you use social media platforms, review and adjust your
privacy settings to control who can see your posts and personal information. Be mindful of
accepting friend requests or connections from people you don't know in real life.’
Q5. ‘Talk to a trusted adult if you experience anything suspicious or dangerous on the internet;
report cyber-bullying to a trusted adult.
Q6. Be prepared for a variety of answers here.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Questions 4 and 5 as a class and focus on Question 6 if you are running
short of time.]
Component 5: Lesson Conclusion Time: 5 minutes
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 Teacher displays the questions.
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on revising about how information is presented and achieves its
purpose in an Instructional text. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
have some feedback on the effectiveness of the lesson and how they feel about their learning experience.
However, if pressed for time, you may want to do this section as a class discussion.]
Segue to next lesson: “We will return to giving you more practice with texts that provide information
and extending it to other types of texts in future lessons.”
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Reading Explanation Text
Key Idea
Locating and interpreting information in a non-linear explanation text

expository texts.

Time: 7 minutes
This week so far we have been revising different types of expository texts – texts that give us information.
In this lesson, we are going to look at a non-linear Explanation text. Let’s see what you remember about
Explanations. Write your answers to these questions in the Workbook.
Q1. What’s the purpose of an Explanation text?
Q2. What sort of topics do you expect to find in an Explanation text?
Q3. The text in this lesson is non-linear – what does that mean?
needed.
Suggested answers:
Q1. To give reasons or to describe how something works or why something happens.
Q2. Cause and effect; science topics; practical, everyday topics.
Q3. It does not need to be read from start to finish but the reader can look for the information
required from anywhere in the text – e.g., a table.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to revise a type of information text that provides explanations. Explanations
tell us how things work or why something happens. They can help us to understand the cycles of nature
or the causes and effects of various phenomena. The text we are going to look at in this lesson is a table
explaining the effects of global warming for a range of temperature increases from 1.5°C to 3°C above
pre-industrial levels – that since about 1800.
Time: 5 minutes
 First, we are going go over some words used in in the text that you may not know or remember. Let’s
read them together.
Vocabulary
• heatwaves (long periods of very high temperatures)
• coral reef degradation (where the water is so hot that coral loses its colors – ‘bleaching’)
• species range shifts (where animals move away from their habitats or start to lose numbers –
applies to plants too)
• arid and semi-arid regions (areas where there is not much rain – dry areas, e.g., deserts)
• fragile (at risk, constantly in danger, easy to make weak)
• ecosystem (a community of living things and how they interact with each other and their
environment)
• vulnerable areas (areas at risk from high temperatures)
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• agriculture (farming; growing and harvesting crops and raising animals, or livestock for food and
non-food products)
• species extinctions (where animals or plants die out).
 Students then write the word next to the meanings in their Workbooks and write a sentence that
suggests the meanings.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to focus on particular words and omit sentence writing if pressed for time.]

Time: 25 minutes
 As this is not a linear text, feel free not to read each word but to slowly guide students through it,
drawing attention to words listed in Lesson Component 3.
How Global Temperature Rises will affect the World 29

Here is a table explaining the potential effects of temperature increases of 1.5°C, 2°C, 2.5°C, and 3°C
above pre-industrial level.
Heat Potential Effects Countries Affected
Increase
1.5°C • More frequent and • Small island nations (e.g., Maldives, Tuvalu,
intense heatwaves Seychelles)
• increased risk of droughts • Coastal countries with low-lying areas (e.g.,
• coral reef degradation Bangladesh, Netherlands, Vietnam)
• species range shifts • Arctic countries (e.g., Canada, Russia, Greenland)
• sea-level rise • African countries in arid and semi-arid regions
(e.g., Sudan, Chad, Somalia)
• Countries with vulnerable ecosystems (e.g.,
Australia, Brazil, Indonesia)
2°C • More and hotter • Small island nations at higher risk of sea-level rise
heatwaves (e.g., Kiribati, Marshall Islands)
• increased water stress • Coastal countries with significant populations in
• reduced crop yields vulnerable areas (e.g., China, India, United States)
• increased Arctic sea ice • Countries in the Sahel region of Africa (e.g.,
melting Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso)
• sea-level rises of 0.2 • Arctic countries with fragile ecosystems (e.g.,
meters or 0.66 feet Norway, Iceland, Sweden)
• coastal erosion • Countries with extensive low-lying coastal plains
(e.g., Bangladesh, Netherlands, Vietnam)
2.5°C • Higher likelihood of • Small island nations facing severe coastal floods
extreme weather events (e.g., Kiribati, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands)
(storms, floods) • Countries in the equatorial belt vulnerable to
• increased risk to food extreme weather events (e.g., Philippines,
security Indonesia, Malaysia)
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• reduced freshwater • Countries with significant agricultural sectors (e.g.,
availability India, Brazil, Nigeria)
• higher sea level rises • Coastal countries in Southeast Asia (e.g., Vietnam,
Thailand, Cambodia)
3°C • More severe heatwaves • Small island nations at risk of complete
• widespread ecosystem submersion (e.g., Maldives, Marshall Islands,
disruptions Kiribati)
• higher sea-level rise • Countries with extensive coastal regions (e.g.,
threatening coastal cities Bangladesh, Netherlands, Vietnam)
and towns • African countries with high dependence on
• Loss of coastlines agriculture (e.g., Mali, Ethiopia, Kenya)
• increased risk of species • Countries with vulnerable ecosystems and
extinctions biodiversity hotspots (e.g., Brazil, Australia,
• Inland areas becoming Madagascar)
too hot for humans to • Arctic countries experiencing rapid ice melting
live there. (e.g., Canada, Russia, Greenland)

 Teacher reads out the questions and models a strategy for locating information in the table by doing
Q1 with the class. Students write their answers in the Workbook.
Here are some questions about the text. You are going to write your answers in the Workbook. Let’s
do the first one together. The first question asks us about the Philippines. Where is the first mention
of the Philippines? What is the temperature increase listed for it?
Questions:
Q1. At what temperature does the Philippines become affected by increases in global
heating?
Q2. What countries will be the worst affected by a rise of 3°C? Give a reason for your answer.
Q3. Scientists have said that the world can cope with a rise of 1.5°C but not 3°C. Find 3 pieces
of evidence from the table to show that an increase of 3°C is much worse than an increase of
1.5°C.
Suggested Answers
Q1. 2.5°C.
Q2. Small island nations because they are at risk of complete submersion (e.g., Maldives,
Marshall Islands, Kiribati).
Q3. Some small island nations will disappear; sea level rise will threaten coastal cities and
towns; some species will become extinct; heatwaves will be more severe; sea level rises will
be higher.

Questions:
Q4. At what point does global heat increase start to affect food supplies?
Q5. Which effects at 3°C will be worst for coastal countries?
Q6. Using the data from this table, write a paragraph entitled, Why we must stop the earth
warming to 3°C.
Suggested answers:
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Q4. 2°C – ‘reduced crop yields’.
Q5. Higher sea-level rise; loss of coastlines.
Q6. Expect a variety of answers but possibility of life-threatening damage should be either
implied or explicitly stated.

Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how information is presented in a non-linear
Explanation text. How has the lesson helped you to understand this?
[Teacher Notes: If there is time, get students to write their answers on the Workbook so you have some
Segue to next lesson: We will now turn to revising Persuasive and Argument texts in the next 2 lessons.
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Revising Persuasive Texts – Advertisements
Key Idea
Revising Persuasive Texts – Advertisements

• Recognize positive and negative messages conveyed in a text; EN8WC-IIa-2.8.

Time: 7 minutes
 In Week 3 we learned about Persuasive texts – texts that give us an argument about some important
problem, issue or topic and present evidence for their side of the argument. Let’s see what you
remember about them.
Q. Classify each text below as Persuasive, Explanation, Information Report, Narrative or Recount:
a. Newspaper editorial (Persuasive)
b. My Diary (Recount)
c. A speech by a politician during an election (Persuasive)
d. An action movie (Narrative)
e. How typhoons form (Explanation)
f. Submarines (Information Report)
g. The Story of My Life by Taylor Swift (Recount)
h. The Case for Raising the School Leaving Age (Persuasive)
needed.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to look at the script of an advertisement designed for television to appeal
to teenage girls to see how it uses language and visuals to target a specific audience. We are also
going to look at how the language would change for a different audience.

Time: 5 minutes
Vocabulary
• Trendy (fashionable, popular).
• teenage fashionistas (girls who love fashion and wearing the latest clothes)
• close-up shots (the camera zooms in very close)
• rocking a casual look (dressing in casual clothes that still look like they’re the latest fashion)
• logo (the sign or design specially made for the brand of shoe)
 Students write each definition in their Workbooks.
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Time: 25 minutes
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3 and asking
text.
Introducing "TrendySole" - Step into Style and Confidence! 30
Scene: A trendy shoe store.
Background music: Upbeat and catchy tune.
Narrator: Calling all teenage fashionistas! Get ready to express your unique style and step
into confidence with TrendySole, the ultimate shoe brand designed for trendy teenage girls
like you.
Visual: Close-up shots of fashionable shoes emphasizing their features.
Narrator: With TrendySole, you'll discover a world of fashion possibilities right at your feet.
Our shoes are specially designed to keep you on-trend while providing the comfort and
quality you need.
Visual: Footage of teenage girls confidently walking, showcasing their individual styles.
Narrator: Whether you're rocking a casual look, dressing up for a special occasion, or adding
a pop of personality to your everyday outfits, TrendySole has the perfect pair for every
occasion.
Visual: Various shoe styles showcased, including sneakers, flats, sandals, and boots.
Narrator: Explore our extensive collection of shoes, from cool and colorful sneakers that
reflect your active lifestyle, to cute and comfy flats that are perfect for school days, and
trendy sandals and boots that complete any fashion-forward outfit.
Visual: Shot of a teenage girl effortlessly putting on a pair of TrendySole shoes.
Narrator: Walk with confidence, knowing that you're making a fashion statement with every
step. TrendySole shoes are crafted with attention to detail, featuring the latest trends,
unique patterns, and eye-catching embellishments.
Visual: Teenage girls enjoying various activities, showcasing their stylish shoes.
Narrator: TrendySole shoes aren't just about style; they're an expression of who you are.
From hanging out with friends to attending parties or exploring new adventures, our shoes
will always keep you one step ahead.
Visual: Final shot with the TrendySole logo. “TrendySole - Where fashion meets your unique
style!”

 Teacher displays questions. Students answer the questions in the Workbook.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to do Q1 as a class discussion, focusing on looking for specific uses of language
and visuals in the script.]
Questions:
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Q1. Name one way in which the writers of this advertisement have tried to appeal to teenage
girls.
Q2. What types of shoes does TrendySole sell?
Q3. How do the Visuals support what the Narrator says?
Suggested answers:
Q1. They use fashion, how the shoes represent individual personality and they show girls wearing
the shoes and looking fashionable.
Q2. Sneakers, flats, sandals, and boots.
Q3. They match the topic the Narrator is talking about – e.g., when he talks about TrendySoles
have shoes for every occasion, the visuals show the range of shoes being sold.
Questions:
Q4. ‘TrendySole - Where fashion meets your unique style.‘ This is the slogan that will appear on
magazine and online versions of this Television advertisement – what does it mean?
Q5. How does the Narrator justify his statement that “TrendySole has the perfect pair [of shoes]
for every occasion’?
Q6. Imagine you work for the advertising company that has written the script for teenage girls’
shoes and the shoe company wants you to design an advertisement for teenage boys. With a
partner, create 3 ways for making it different to the one for girls.
Suggested answers:
Q4. Not only will the girls be in fashion, but they will also have shoes that express their individual
personalities.
Q5. The Visual shows girls wearing a range of shoes and enjoying themselves in different kinds of
activities.
Q6. Be prepared for a variety of answers and ideas. Sample as many as you can in the time
available.
Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on learning about how information is presented in an
advertisement to appeal to a specific audience. How has the lesson helped you to understand
this?
Segue to next lesson: Our next lesson will revise persuasive texts that give both sides of an argument..
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Key Idea

• Determine the worth of ideas mentioned in the text.

 In our last lesson we looked at an advertisement as an example of a persuasive text – texts that give
us an argument about some important problem, issue or topic and present evidence for their side of
the argument. In this lesson we are going to look at a persuasive text that presents both sides of an
argument and it is left up to the reader or viewer to decide which side is right – it is sometimes called
a Discussion – we looked at one in Week 3. Here is a question that asks you to think about both sides
of an argument. Write your answer in the Workbook.
Q. How well can you see both sides of an argument? Fill out the table in the Workbook with 3
points for and against making the school day in the Philippines shorter – some points have been
already included.
TOPIC: Should the number of hours in the school day in the Philippines be reduced?
Pros Cons
1. More time for students to rest, relax, 1.
and do other activities that promote
physical and mental health and reduce
stress.
2. 2.
3. 3. Problems for working parents who rely

on the traditional school hours to organize
their own work hours and childcare
arrangements.
 Teacher asks students to volunteer answers and gives feedback, suggesting examples.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to let students do this in pairs or to do it as a class brainstorm.]
Suggested answers:
PROS: Better concentration and engagement by students as they don’t get so tired; better work-life
balance.
CONS: Less time for teaching and learning; lower student achievement
Be prepared for other ideas.
 In this lesson we are going to read a persuasive text where both sides of an argument are
presented – this type of persuasive text is sometimes called a Discussion.
 As we saw in Week 3, like other types of persuasive texts, it generally starts with statement of the
topic. It then has paragraphs presenting the arguments for one side (“For” or “Pros”) and then
117
paragraphs presenting the arguments for the other side (“Against” or “Cons”). Sometimes there is
a concluding statement if the author wishes to take one side over the other.
 Here are some words and expressions that we are going to meet in the text about Advertising that
we are going to read. Let’s read them together (refer to Workbook and read):
Vocabulary
• market share (how much of the overall sales for a product one brand of it has)
• consumer demand (what buyers want to buy)
• decep�ve (misleading; intending to trick you)
• intrusive (disturbing, unwanted communica�on)
• excessive consump�on (buying things we don’t need)
• waste genera�on (where things are thrown away, discarded and sent to rubbish
dumps)
• environmental degrada�on (where the environment is damaged)
• stereotypes (where a group is linked to a characteris�c that may not be always true –
e.g., boys are good at mathema�cs and science; girls are beter at reading and
languages).
 Students write each definition in their Workbooks.
[Teacher Notes: Feel free to focus on selected words rather than all and to do the others in class.]

1. Teacher reads the text drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3.
Pros and Cons of Advertising 31
Advertising, like any other tool or practice, has its pros and cons. Here are some pros and
cons of advertising:
Pros of Advertising
1. Increased awareness: Advertising helps to create awareness about products, services, or
causes. It informs people about new products in the market and can educate them about
important issues.
2. Brand promotion: Advertising plays a crucial role in building and promoting brands. It helps
establish brand recognition and loyalty among consumers, which can lead to increased sales
and market share.
3. Economic growth: Advertising stimulates economic growth by driving consumer demand and
increasing sales. It supports businesses, creates job opportunities, and contributes to overall
economic development.
4. Competitive advantage: Effective advertising can give businesses a competitive edge by
making their products or services look different from their competition. It allows companies
to highlight their unique selling features and attract more customers.
5. Information communication: Advertising serves as a means of providing information to
consumers, such as product features, pricing, and availability. It helps consumers make
informed choices.
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Cons of Advertising
1. Deceptive practices: Some advertisements can be misleading or deceptive, exaggerating
product claims or omitting important information. This can lead to consumer confusion or
dissatisfaction.
2. Intrusive and manipulative: Advertising can be intrusive, interrupting people's daily lives
through constant exposure. It employs persuasive techniques to influence consumer
behavior, sometimes manipulating emotions or creating fake needs.
3. Environmental impact: Advertising often promotes excessive consumption, which can
contribute to overuse of natural resources, waste generation, and environmental
degradation.
4. Cultural influence: Advertising can shape social values, perceptions, and aspirations. It may
spread stereotypes, promote greed, or encourage unhealthy behaviors, particularly among
vulnerable populations like children.
5. Privacy concerns: With the rise of digital advertising, there are concerns about the collection
and use of personal data for targeted advertising. This raises privacy issues and can lead to
intrusive tracking of individuals' online activities.
It's important to recognize that not all advertising practices are the same, and there are
ethical guidelines and regulations in place to address some of the negative aspects.
Responsible advertising practices that are honest, show respect for consumers and promote
environmental sustainability can help reduce some of the cons associated with advertising.
 Teacher displays questions. Answer these questions in the Workbook.
Questions:
Q1. What is the problem with ‘excessive consumption’?
Q2. According to the argument in favor of advertising, ‘It helps consumers make informed
choices.’ How does it do so?
Q3. In your opinion, which argument for the pros of advertising is the most important? Give a
reason for your choice.
Suggested answers:
Q1. Overuse of natural resources, waste generation and environmental degradation.
Q2. By ‘providing information to consumers, such as product features, pricing, and availability.’
Q3. Be prepared for a variety of answers – focus on reasons for choice.
Q4. What are the features of ‘responsible advertising’?
Q5. In your opinion, which argument for the cons of advertising is the most important? Give a
reason for your choice.
Q6. Imagine that you work for an advertising company that has decided to make a radio or
television advertisement to promote advertising as a good thing. With a partner, use the
information in the text and the opening provided in the Workbook to create such an
advertisement.
Suggested answers:
Q4. Advertising that is honest, shows respect for consumers and promotes environmental
sustainability.
Q5. Be prepared for a variety of answers – focus on reasons for choice.
Q6. Look for use of the information in the text and the creativity of the responses – try to sample
as many as possible, preferably by having students perform their advertisements.
119
Component 5: Lesson Conclusion Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on revising about how information is presented in a Persuasive
text that presents both sides of an argument. How has the lesson helped you to understand
this?
[Teacher Notes: It would be worthwhile to do this by getting students to write in the Workbook so you
Segue to next lesson: In our final lesson we will give you some activities based on what we have done in
the camp.
120
Consolidation – Reading and Responding to a Persuasive Text
Key Idea
Reading and responding to a persuasive text


Time: 7 minutes
This week we have been revising different types of expository and persuasive texts. In this lesson we ae
going to read a text that argues that your generation, Generation Alpha (anyone born around 2010), is
different to all other generations that have come before. Before we read it, here are some questions
about your generation - write your answers on the Workbook.
Q1. What do you think are 3 important things about your generation?
Q2. What are you expecting to be told about your generation in the text we are about to read?
Q3. This text will present an argument – that is, it is a persuasive text. How are you expecting it
to be set out or organized? [ Clue: It will have 3 stages]
 Teacher asks students to volunteer answers and gives feedback, suggesting additional examples
where needed.
[Teacher Notes: Because Q1 and Q2 call for subjective responses, feel free to do them as class
discussions.]
Suggested answers:
Q1 and Q2 – be prepared for a variety of responses.
Q3. A Thesis statement – where the author states a point of view about the topic – and the main
points supporting the thesis; then a paragraph on each main point; then a re-statement of the thesis
position.
Time: 3 minutes
In this lesson we are going to bring together what we have learned about persuasive text types
and apply to a new text about you and your generation – Generation Alpha.
Time: 5 minutes
 Teacher introduces vocabulary for the lesson. First, we are going to review words we will use in this
lesson. Let’s read them together.
Vocabulary
• tech-savviness (ability to use technology cleverly)
• global connectedness (using technology to access people and groups in other countries via
internet)
• social values (beliefs about social issues and behaviors)
• environmental issues (issues to do with the planet and its survival)
121
• sustainability (behaviors that do not threaten the future of the planet but keep it going instead)
• eco-conscious products (products that do not harm the planet)
• remote learning (where schooling does not take place in a school)
• personalized online platforms (computer programs that are designed for the individual student)
• collaborate (work with other people).
 Students write the words and definitions in their Workbooks.
[Teacher Notes: Some vocabulary has been filled in the Component 3 table in the Workbook – feel
free to be selective about words covered here.]
 Teacher reads the text, drawing attention to the words listed in Lesson Component 3. Students can
underline these words on their copy as the teacher reads.
The Case for Generation Alpha 32
Generation Alpha, born from 2010 onwards, is uniquely different from all the generations that
came before. Generation Alpha is set apart by their tech-savviness, global connectedness,
environmental awareness, reshaping of education, and potential to redefine social values.
Gen Alpha is the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age. From their earliest years,
they have been surrounded by smartphones, tablets, and other devices. Their ability with
technology is greater than any previous generation, as they easily navigate apps, touchscreens,
and voice-activated assistants.
With the rise of the internet and social media, Gen Alpha is more globally connected than any
generation before them. They have had access from an early age to different ideas and
experiences from around the world which will give them a greater understanding of the world.
Gen Alpha is growing up at a time when environmental issues are more and more important. They
are raised knowing about climate change, sustainability, and the importance of protecting the
planet. From recycling initiatives in schools to eco-conscious products, Gen Alpha is being
encouraged to make environmentally responsible choices from a young age.
Gen Alpha is experiencing a change in the way education is delivered. With the increasing use of
remote learning, personalized online platforms, and interactive digital tools, their educational
journey is being reimagined. They will likely have greater access to information and educational
resources than any previous generation. This shift will not only change how they learn but also
how they collaborate and acquire skills needed for the future workforce.
As they grow older, Gen Alpha has the potential to redefine social values. Gen Alpha's unique
experiences and exposure to different ideas, may lead to shifts in social expectations, such as
gender roles, racism and equality.
In conclusion, Gen Alpha is growing up with technology, caring for the environment, and has the
potential to make a big impact on the world.
122
Questions:
Q1. Why will Gen Alpha have ‘a greater understanding of the world’ than other generations?
Q2. List the ways Gen Alpha is different to other generations.
Q3. Select the one reason for the special nature of Gen Alpha that you think is most
important and will have the biggest impact. Give a reason for your choice.
Suggested answers:
Q1. They are more globally connected than any previous generation.
Q2. ‘Tech-savviness, global connectedness, environmental awareness, reshaping of
education, and potential to redefine social values.’
Q3. Be prepared for a variety of different answers here – focus on the reason given.

 Teacher reads out each question, discusses them with the students, then asks students to write
their answers on the Workbook.
Questions:
Q4. How has education changed for Gen Alpha?
Q5. Why is Gen Alpha more likely than previous generations to do something about the
environment?
Q6. With a partner design 5 survey questions for your classmates to find out whether they
have all the characteristics of Gen Alpha.
[Teacher Note: Feel free to do questions 4 and 5 as a class to give more time to Q6.]
Suggested answers:
Q4. Change in delivery; greater access to information; different ways of teaching and
learning.
Q5. ‘They are raised knowing about climate change, sustainability, and the importance of
protecting the planet.’
Q6. Be prepared for a variety of responses and questions – if there is time, allow students to
exchange and answer surveys.
Time: 5 minutes
Questions:
Q1. The focus of the lesson was on a Persuasive text about your generation. How has the lesson
helped you to understand this issue?
[Teacher Notes: If there is time, get students to write their answers on the Workbook so you have some
123
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NLC23 - Grade 8 Consolidation English Lesson Plan - Final

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8

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Component 4 has three aspects, 4A, 4B, and 4C.

Most Essential Learning Competencies

• Recognize positive and negative messages conveyed in a text (Q2)

Component 1: Short review

Component 4: Lesson Activity

Component 4B Questions (10 minutes)

Q1. Who and what is involved in this narrative?

 Students answer the questions on Workbook.

Component 4C Questions (10 minutes)

1 Cole, M. C. (1916/2008). Philippine Folk Tales. A.C. McClurg & Co..

Component 5: Lesson Conclusion

Most Essential Learning Competency

• Recognize positive and negative message conveyed in a text (Q2)

Component 1: Short review

Component 4: Lesson Activity

Androcles and the Lion 2

2 Adapted by ChatGPT, https://chat.openai.com

 Students answer the questions in the Workbook.

Component 4C Questions. [10 minutes]

 Students write answers in the Workbook.

Component 1: Short review Time: 7 minutes

Component 4: Lesson Activities

The Aged Mother 3

Component 4B Questions [10 minutes]

 Teacher samples answers from students to each question.

Component 4C Questions [10 minutes]

 Students write answers in Workbook.

• Recognize positive and negative message conveyed in a text (Q2)

Component 1: Short review

 Teacher samples answers to Questions 2 and 3, providing feedback.

Component 2: Purpose of the lesson

Component 4: Lesson Activities

4 Text generated by ChatGPT, https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

Q1.How did Shackleton and his men survive on Elephant Island?

Component 4C Questions [10 minutes]

Component 1: Short review

1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Answer: Narrative)

Component 2: Purpose of the lesson

Component 4B Questions [5 minutes]

Component 4C Questions [10 minutes]

Component 5: Lesson Conclusion

Component 1: Short Review

 Students record their answers on the Student Workbook.

Component 2: Purpose of the lesson

 Teacher reads Text 2 aloud to the class.

55 Story Mountain (n.d). 7th Grade Humanities. Graphic Organizers. http://7thgradehumanities.weebly.com/organizing.html

Component 4B Questions [10 minutes]

7 NSW Department of Health, (2023). What is Long COVID? https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/testing-managing/long-covid

 Teacher directs students to answer Questions 2-3 on their Workbooks.

Component 1: Short review

 Now let’s go over what each word means.

 Here are some tips on getting information from a non-linear text.

8 Adapted by ChatGPT, https://chat.openai.com

Component 5: Lesson Conclusion

Component 1: Short review

Component 2: Purpose of the lesson

Component 3: Lesson Language Practice

 Now let’s go over what each word means.

1. REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

2. GREEN UP YOUR LIFESTYLE

3. TAKE POSITIVE ACTION

Component 4B Questions [10 minutes]