PEDAGOGICAL ANALYSIS ON “ON KILLING A

TREE”

SUBMITTED BY:
NAME: Srija Mondal
ROLL NO.: 39
REGISTRATION NO.- A01-2112-0118-16
SUBJECT: Pedagogy of a School Subject Part-II (ENGLISH)
CODE: PS43022P
SESSION: 2020-2022

UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF

PROF. ANANYA HAZRA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)
30, PARKSTREET, MOTHER TERESA SARANI
KOLKATA – 700016
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The satisfaction and bliss that comes with the successful completion of the practicum work
would be definitely left incomplete without the mention of some of the people who made it
possible and whose constant guidance and encouragement helped completing this hefty task.

I take this opportunity to thank Father Principal, Rev. Dr. Dominic Savio, S.J. for providing
the opportunity to become a part of the esteemed institution, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata.

I respect and express my sincere thanks to the Vice-Principal of the Department of Education,
Dr. Charlotte Simpson Veigas, for encouraging us to positively explore the various aspects of
the program and providing her relentless assistance at all stages in the completion of the
practicum work.

I wish to place on record my grateful thanks to Professor Ananya Hazra for providing the
guidance and support in the moving forward with the practicum work. I take this opportunity
to thank her for her all-time cooperation and encouragement and all the efforts she has put
down to help in the completion of this task. Her teaching has enabled the understanding towards
various aspects of the practicum work and accordingly complete every bit and part of it.

Mentioning my gratitude towards my family cannot be left. I’d like to thank them for always
being there and supporting me morally.

Last but not the least; my friends were always there whenever I needed help in a few aspects
of my study.

NAME-

DATE- 31/12/21
 ON KILLING A TREE
---By Gieve Patel
It takes much time to kill a tree,
Not a simple jab of the knife
Will do it. It has grown
Slowly consuming the earth,
Rising out of it, feeding
Upon its crust, absorbing
Years of sunlight, air, water,
And out of its leprous hide
Sprouting leaves.

So hack and chop

But this alone won’t do it.
Not so much pain will do it.
The bleeding bark will heal
And from close to the ground
Will rise curled green twigs,
Miniature boughs
Which if unchecked will expand again
To former size.

No,
The root is to be pulled out -
Out of the anchoring earth;
It is to be roped, tied,
And pulled out - snapped out
Or pulled out entirely,
Out from the earth-cave,
And the strength of the tree exposed,
The source, white and wet,
The most sensitive, hidden
For years inside the earth.

Then the matter

Of scorching and choking
In sun and air,
Browning, hardening,
Twisting, withering,
And then it is done.
 PEDAGOGICAL ANALYSIS
Name- SRIJA MONDAL Subject- ENGLISH
Roll No.- 39 Date-

CONTENT ANALYSIS
Unit- ON KILLING A TREE
Class- XII

Serial No SUBUNIT No. of Periods

1 Introduction and Stanza 1-3 1

• Introduction
• Reading Comprehension
• Literary Devices and Rhyming Scheme
• Vocabulary
2 Stanza 4 and Conclusion 1
• Reading Comprehension
• Literary Devices and Rhyming Scheme
• Vocabulary
• Conclusion

3 Evaluation and Reteaching 1

TOTAL NO. OF PERIODS 3

CHOSEN SUBUNIT: 1. Introduction and Stanza 1-3

DIVISION OF THE SUBUNIT INTO CONCEPTS/CONTENTS

➢ CONCEPT/CONTENT 1: i) Poet- Gieve Patel

ii) Nature Poem
iii) Syncopated Rhythm

➢ CONCEPT/CONTENT 2: i) Synopsis

➢ CONCEPT/CONTENT 3: i) Poetic Devices

ii) Rhyming Scheme
iii) Vocabulary
 BRIEF SUMMARY OF CONCEPTS/CONTENTS

❖ CONCEPT/CONTENT 1:
POET- Gieve Patel (born on 18th August 1940) is an Indian poet and
playwright. He is not only a poet but also a painter and an environmentalist. The
poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ was one of the poems of his poetry collection named
‘Poems’ published in 1966. This collection was launched by Nissim Ezekiel. Some
of his notable works are Mirrored, Mirroring (1991), How do you withstand, body
(1976).
NATURE POEM- Wendell Berry provides a simple useful definition of
nature poetry as poetry that “considers nature as subject matter and inspiration.” Our
concepts of nature are relative, historically determined. The nature poem is affected
by ideology, by literary conventions as well as social and cultural ideas.

SYNCOPATED RHYTHM- Syncopation is a musical term meaning a

variety of rhythms played together to make a piece of music, making part or all of a
tune or piece of music off-beat. More simply, syncopation is "a disturbance or
interruption of the regular flow of rhythm": a "placement of rhythmic stresses or
accents where they wouldn't normally occur".

❖ CONCEPT/CONTENT 2:
The poem depicts a clear picture of man’s cruelty towards trees. The poet
states that trees are living things, and we should not cut them. Destroying a tree is
like killing a human being. A tree does not die by just chopping and cutting. It grows
again from where it has been cut. It only dies when it is uprooted from the ground.
In the entire poem, the poet has mentioned the ideas on how to kill a tree to make
humans feel that they are doing a heinous crime. The poem showed the destructive
nature of humans and the indestructibility of nature.

❖ CONCEPT/CONTENT 3:
POETIC DEVICES:
✓ IRONY: An Irony is a figure of speech in which a witty language is
used to convey insults or ridicule or scorn, especially saying one thing
but implying the opposite. We may also call it ‘sarcasm or satire’. In
the poem, the poet has explained the steps in killing trees. However, he
indirectly persuades the readers not to destroy trees and equates it with
“killing” a human being
✓ ALLITERATION: Alliteration is the occurrence of the same letter at
the starting of two or more words in a single line, in a poem. It is the
use of the same sound at the beginning of words that are close together.
For example, “takes much time to kill a tree”, “bleeding bark”, “white
and wet”.
✓ METAPHOR: A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an
implicit, implied, or hidden comparison between two things that are
 unrelated, but which share some common characteristics. Metaphors
are used to dramatize thoughts to emphasize and elevate the expression
to a higher intensity. For example, “Leprous hide” used to describe the
bark of tree, “Bleeding bark” used to describe the cut stem of the plant.
✓ PERSONIFICATION: Personification is a figure of speech, a poetic
device in which human attributes are given to plants, animals, non-
living things or ideas. The objects speak/behave like humans, with
human emotions in such cases. For example, the tree has been
personified here because we do not use the word “kill” for cutting a
tree, “bleeding bark” – the word bleeding is used for humans.
✓ REPETITION: In any poem, repetition is repeating words, phrases,
lines, or stanzas. Repetition is used to highlight a feeling or idea, and
to create rhythm. For example, the phrase ‘pulled out’ has been
repeatedly used, in stanza 3, to emphasize that the roots are very strong
that we need to uproot the whole tree by pulling it out entirely.
✓ ENJAMBMENT: Enjambment is a style of poetry in which there is a
continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, or
a stanza. In simple words, when one sentence continues into two or
more lines, without a break. The whole poem has been written in
enjambment style where the lines run into more than one sentence.
✓ IMAGERY: Imagery is a poetic device wherein the author uses words
or phrases that appeal to any of the senses or any combination of senses
to create “mental images” for the reader. Imagery helps the reader to
visualize more realistically the author’s writings.

Concluding the literary analysis, it can be argued that Gieve Patel has
beautifully used different devices to enhance the poem. These devices show
how he has tried to convey his inner thoughts to the readers bringing the
flavor of everyday- speech in his poem.

RHYMING SCHEME: There is no rhyme scheme in the poem. It is written

in free verse. Free verse can be defined as poetry that is free from limitations
of regular meter or rhythm, and does not rhyme with fixed forms. Such
poems are without rhythm and rhyme schemes, do not follow regular rhyme
scheme rules, yet still provide artistic expression.

VOCABULARY: The meanings and usage of different textual words in

different context will be discussed.
 OBJECTIVES USING REVISED BLOOM’S
TAXONOMY
Cognitive Domain

1. REMEMBERING
The students will be able to:
a) Tell the name of the poet. (FK), (C1)
b) Identify the poetic devices in different sentences. (CK), (C3)
c) Write the correct spellings of different words used in the text. (PK), (C3)
d) State the reason behind the use of the different poetic devices. (MCK), (C3)

2. UNDERSTANDING
The students will be able to:
a) Describe how does a tree become strong. (FK), (C2)
b) Summarize the first three stanzas of the poem. (CK), (C2)
c) Explain the phrase- ‘Slowly consuming the earth’. (CK), (C2)
d) Classify Repetition and Alliteration. (PK), (C3)
e) Relate to the feelings of the speaker in the poem. (MCK), (C2)
3. APPLYING
The students will be able to:
a) Give non-textual examples of the different figures of speech used in the
subunit. (FK), (C3)
b) Figure out examples of personification in new situation. (CK), (C3)
c) Construct sentences with words from the poem. (PK), (C3)
d) Apply the theme of the poem in their own writings. (MCK), (C2)
4. ANALYSING
The students will be able to:
a) Analyze the use of Irony in the subunit. (FK), (C3)
b) Figure out what may not kill a tree as stated in the poem. (CK), (C2)
c) Diagnose the healing power of a tree that doesn’t allow it to die so soon. (PK),
(C2)
d) Confirm the concern of the speaker for the tree. (MCK), (C2)
5. EVALUATING
The students will be able to:
a) Predict a suitable title for the subunit. (FK), (C2)
b) Appraise the feelings of the speaker. (CK), (C2)
c) Contrast the representation of ‘bleeding bark’ with ‘green twigs’ in the poem.
(PK), (C2)
d) Prove why killing trees is not an easy job. (MCK), (C2)
6. CREATING
The students will be able to:
a) Depict the similarities between trees and humans in their writings. (FK), (C2)
b) Develop a poem on a social issue using irony. (CK), (C3)
c) Construct a poem in free verse. (PK), (C3)
d) Formulate plans to cope up with the issue of deforestation. (MCK), (C3)
 TAXONOMICAL TABLE

Affective Domain
The students will be able to:
a) Display their love for nature.
b) Develop sympathetic feelings towards trees.
c) Understand the importance of planting trees and raise their voice against
deforestation.
 TEACHING STRATEGY
BROAD METHOD OF TEACHING
❖ Direct Method: The trainee-teacher will use direct method of teaching to explain and
interact with the students.
❖ Lecture Method: The trainee-teacher will use the lecture method to explain the
different concepts and contents of the subunit.
❖ Interactive Method: The trainee-teacher asks questions and encourages discussion
from the students to move with the subunit.
❖ Functional Communicative Approach: The trainee-teacher uses the Functional
Communicative Approach throughout her teaching-learning process.
❖ Demonstration Method: The trainee-teacher uses this method to demonstrate the
different teaching aids used during the teaching-learning process.

EQUIPMENTS

Teaching-Learning Stage Use

Material

1. A powerpoint Pre-Reading To introduce the theme of the poem.

presentation

2. Chart on Gieve Patel While reading To introduce the poet and his works.

3. Video Clip on the after- While reading To show the consequences of

effects of deforestation uncontrolled cutting down of trees.

4. A plant While reading To make the students understand

different parts and functions of trees.

5. Concealed Chart Post-Reading To evaluate the understanding of the

students.

6. Textbook While reading To read the text

7. Dictionary While reading To teach pronunciation, spelling and

search the meanings of difficult words in
the text.
BLACKBOARD WORK

PROBING QUESTIONS
1. After reading the poem, what similarities can we draw between trees and some
great people of yesteryears?

➢ Trees go on live on for years. There are some trees in the Amazon forest which are said
to be more than five hundred years old. We may take some lesson from them to spread
our roots deep inside the earth. There had been some great people of yesteryears who still
live in our memories. They had spread their roots inside our consciousness and as a result
refuse to die. The hidden root gives all the sustenance to a tree. One needs to snap this
source of life to kill a tree.

2. Bring out the sarcasm in the poem On Killing a Tree.

➢ “On Killing a Tree” is a sarcastic poem about man’s indiscriminate destruction of trees.
The tree is presented as an enemy to man. The poem begins ironically, describing the
crime committed by the tree. For years, it has consumed the earth’s crust. Like a thief, it
has absorbed sunlight, air and water. It has grown up like a giant. So, the tree must be
killed. But it is not an easy task. A simple jab of knife will not do it. From close to the
ground, it will rise up again. To kill it, the tree should be tied with a rope and pulled out
from the anchoring earth, exposing its bleeding white root. Once the root withers and
chokes, the tree will die.
 LEARNER CENTRED ACTIVITY
WORKSHEET

Name: _______________________________ Roll No.: ______ Class: _____ Section: _____

Date: ________________

1. Tick the correct option :-

a) The name of the poet is

i. Geve Patel
ii. Gieve Patel
b) Slowly consuming the
i. Earth
ii. Sun
c) Will rise curled
i. Yellow flowers
ii. Green twigs

2. Fill in the blank :-

a) The bark will heal

b) And the of the tree exposed
c) And out of its hide

3. Give two synonyms of the following words :-

a) Chop-
b) Twigs-
c) Entirely-

4. What happens when the strength of the tree is exposed?

 CRITERION REFERENCED TEST

TABLE OF SPECIFICATION

❖ The numbers outside the brackets denote the number of questions

❖ The numbers inside the brackets denote marks allotted

KEY:

ST: Short Type

VST: Very Short Type

OT: Objective Type

 ACHIEVEMENT TEST
ENGLISH

Class- XII

ON KILLING A TREE (Sub Unit-1)

FULL MARKS- 20 TIME- 30 mins

1. Rectify the spellings: [2x1=2]

a) Tgwis (R, PK, OT, C3)
b) Kefin (R, PK, OT, C3)

2. Choose the correct option: [3x1=3]

a) “On killing a tree” is written by (R, FK, OT, C1)
i. Gieve Patel
ii. Jiv Patel
b) “It takes much time to kill a tree”—This is an example of (R, CK, OT, C3)
i. Repetition
ii. Alliteration
c) What will expand to former size if left unchecked? (AN, PK, OT, C2)
i. Roots
ii. Twigs

3. Make sentences with the following words: (A, PK, VST, C3) [5x1=5]
a) Crust
b) Bark
c) Boughs
d) Tied
e) Strength

4. Give a non-textual example of the following: (A, FK, VST, C3) [2x1=2]
a) Metaphor
b) Repetition

5. Give a suitable title for the subunit. (E, FK, VST, C2) [1]

6. Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences:

a) Describe the healing power of a tree that doesn’t allow it to die so soon. (AN,
PK, ST, C2) [2]
b) How does a tree become strong? (U, FK, ST, C2) [2]
c) Write a poem of five lines in free verse on trees. (C, PK, ST, C3) [3]