Imagine you are a voluntary worker at the SPCA during weekends.
You have been asked to make a poster appealing to people to consider household pets during the festive seasons.
You are asked to focus on:
The effect of fireworks on domestic pets
OR
The plight of animals that are abandoned by irresponsible owners.
When your educator has evaluated your posters, the class will choose some of the best ones and take them to your local SPCA branch. Ask the SPCA to put them on public display.
Use the CHECKLIST below to make sure you have designed a really good poster.
The POSTER will be evaluated according to the grid below:
| CHECKLIST |
|
|||||||||||||||
| 1 | Is the print easy to read? | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Is the poster eye-catching? | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Is the message clear? | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 4 | Are the illustrations relevant? | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 5 | Is the layout effective? | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||||||||
Do some planning on the space provided on the next page, using the checklist as a guide:
Reading is a learning experience.
The more we read, the more we know! The more we know, the more we grow!
The next passage tells the true story of an elephant that did not forget.
Read it carefully on your own.
THE MYSTERY OF THE RUDE ELEPHANT
1. Jack, the elephant keeper at Flamingo Park Zoo in Yorkshire, England, was concerned about Ellie. She was his favourite Indian elephant, well-mannered and lovable. Yet lately, whenever he turned his back on her, she would blare rudely through her trunk behind him. It was quite unlike Ellie to behave so badly. Jack decided it was time to call the zoo vet.
2. The zoo elephants had always been among Dr Taylor’s favourite patients. But Ellie in particular, had always been something special. On the first day they met, she rooted around his pockets with her trunk tip until she found a strip of chewing gum. She ate it with the paper on, purring like a giant cat.
3. On hearing about her strange behaviour, Dr Taylor immediately went to examine Ellie. She looked at him with moist, grey eyes and flapped her ears.
4. “Praaa,” went her trunk. “Praaa, praaa, praaa!” The loud noise blared every time she exhaled.
5. “I wonder whether some food or a coin is stuck up her nose?” he suggested to Jack. “I’ve never had a case, but I suppose it could happen.”
6. Dr Taylor decided to wait a few days to see how things went. The very next day, however, Jack arrived at the surgery. He was most upset.
7. “Ellie’s nose is bleeding - the blood is trickling down the left side of her trunk!” he reported.
8. The vet rushed to the elephant house. Drops of blood were falling from Ellie’s trunk tip. Could it be an ulcer? Or a tumour? Something would have to be done.
9. “Don’t give her any food today,” he told Jack. “She can drink water until early evening, but no water after that.” Then he phoned a surgical-instrument manufacturer and asked to borrow a flexible endoscope. This instrument is often used for looking into human colons to detect cancers. It has its own light source and would be ideal for peering up inside Ellie’s one-and-a half metre trunk.
10. The next morning Ellie was injected with anaesthetic. Five minutes later she sank to her knees, unconscious, her trunk still blaring when she exhaled.
11. Dr Taylor lubricated the endoscope with anaesthetic gel and pushed it gently into Ellie’s left nostril. He looked into the eyepiece at the end of the scope as the tube moved gently forward. Suddenly the way was blocked by a huge pink mass. Ellie had a polyp, a benign tumour.
12. The tumour was forty-five centimetres from the tip of her trunk. How on earth was he going to remove it? He could barely reach it with his outstretched arm. The only possibility seemed to cut open the trunk above the growth.
13. The trunk of an elephant is a remarkable structure, containing 40 000 muscles and a complex network of blood vessels and nerves. What if his incision damaged Ellie’s nerves? An elephant whose trunk is paralysed can no longer deliver food or water to its mouth.
14. Three days later Dr Taylor performed the operation. He calculated the position of the polyp by measuring 45 centimetres from the tip of Ellie’s trunk. He anaesthetized her and lifted his scalpel. All the strokes of the scalpel across the trunk would be lengthwise, to minimize the risk of severing any nerves.
15. A single slice of the scalpel made a ten-centimetre incision. Working with utmost caution, the doctor felt around and found the polyp. It was as fat as a small plum. Knotting a length of catgut round the neck of the tumour, he snipped it off. Dr Taylor closed the wound and stitched it up with steel wire. Then he gave the patient an antidote to the anaesthetic. Slowly Ellie’s trunk began to twitch. Then she flicked an ear, and with one mighty heave, got sleepily to her feet.
16. The next day Ellie visited the doctor’s surgery on her own. She had plodded 400 metres from the elephant house to find him and stood purring at the window. Several times in the past, Jack had walked Ellie past his surgery, and Dr Taylor had fed her biscuits on those walks. Ellie remembered the way to his surgery! What was she trying to say?
17. Ellie visited Dr Taylor every day on her own for ten days. On the morning of the tenth day, he removed the steel stitches. The wound had healed and Ellie was fine. Ellie must have known this for she did not come the next day, nor ever again.
19. A few days later Dr Taylor bought a bottle of champagne to celebrate with Ellie’s keeper. The patient did not go unrewarded. She got a large iced currant bun.
Adapted from The Reader Digest, April 1996
The following questions are based on the passage The Mystery Of The Rude Elephant .
Answer the questions carefully and be sure to carry out specific instructions.
exhaled: (breathed in / breathed out / tried to eat) (1)flexible: (long and thin / able to bend / modern) (1)scalpel: (small sharp surgeon’s knife / syringe / surgical scissors) (1)caution: (carefulness / accuracy / speed) (1)
The vet thought there might be a boil in Ellie’s trunk. (Par. 8) (1)
Dr Taylor wondered if Ellie had a cancer which was causing the blood to drip from her trunk. (Par. 8) (1)
The cut he made would have to be done carefully. (Par. 13) (1)
9. What does ‘vet’ stand for? (1)
[20]
This team presentation is built around the individual talks by the members of your group.
It will be assessed by your classmates.
Each group in your class must prepare an oral project on ONE centre of interest: Animals.
Appoint “office holders” who will be responsible for certain duties.
These appointments will rotate for different group projects.
Here are a few “animal” ideas which might inspire you.
Use them as they are or apply the pattern to an idea of your own.
| Animals that work for man | Creatures that live in the ocean |
| 1. Police dogs | 1. Dolphin |
| 2. Guide dogs | 2. Octopus |
| 3. Horses | 3. Sea Horse |
| 4. Farm animals | 4. Sharks |
| 5. Camels | 5. Whales |
| Strange animals of Australia | Miraculous creatures |
| 1. Kangaroo | 1. Ants |
| 2. Koala bear | 2. Bees |
| 3. Platypus | 3. Bats |
| 4. Tasmanian Devil | 4. Spiders |
| 5. Wombat | 5. Butterflies |
Big birds: ostrich / eagle / dodo / flamingo / penguin / owls
Reptiles: crocodile / lizard / turtle / tortoise / chameleon/ snakes
Snakes: anaconda / rattlesnake / puff adder / mamba / cobra / sea snakes
Pets: hamsters / goldfish / exotic birds / cats / dogs / monkeys / spiders
“Animal” careers: veterinarian / game ranger / jockey / trainer / breeder/
On Safari – Stories: big game hunter / tall stories / squeamish lady /
Animal movies: TheLion King / The Jungle Book / Tarzan of the Apes/Gorillas in the Mist / Big Red / Jock of the Bushveld / Jaws/
Animal Books: Old Yeller / The Red Pony / The Incredible Journey / Ring of Bright Water / Black Beauty / Moby Dick
Animals’ Genius: camouflage / migration / habitats / survival games /mimicry
Animals’ characters: Winnie-the-Pooh / “big bad wolf” in fairy tales /
Ask the librarian to teach you how to use the catalogue.
A catalogue: It is an alphabetical list which helps you find your information easily. Catalogues are arranged according to subjects, authors or titles of books.
An index: It is a list which appears at the beginning or end of a book. It gives specific details of the content of the book. Look up the subject (topic) in the index. The index gives the number of the page (or pages) where the information is printed.
The keywords to success as a speaker are “prepare” and “practise”!
Plan your presentation. Write your speech on small cards.
Write a striking introduction to attract the attention of the audience.
Arrange facts logically. Be sure to link ideas smoothly. Show the rough work.
Conclude strongly. Summarize the heart of your topic in a single statement, quotation, question or appeal.
| LO 2 |
| SpeakingThe learner will be able to communicate confidently and effectively in spoken language in a wide range of situations. |
| We know this when the learner: |
| 2.2 interacts in additional language:2.2.2 takes part in role-plays of different situations involving different kinds of language (e.g. reporting a crime to the police); |
| 2.4 debates social and ethical issues:2.4.4 expresses opinions and supports them with reasons (e.g. I’d just like to say that….because…..). |
| LO 4 |
| WritingThe learner will be able to write different kinds of factual and imaginative texts for a wide range of purposes. |
| We know this when the learner: |
| 4.5 designs media texts: 4.5.1 designs a simple advertisement or pamphlet; |
| LO 5 |
| Thinking and ReasoningThe learner will be able to use language to think and reason, as well as to access, process and use information for learning. |
| We know this when the learner: |
| 5.2 uses language for thinking: 5.2.1 asks and answers more complex questions (e.g. ‘When this is changed, then what else would change?’); |
| 5.2.3 uses language for thinking: understands and uses evidence to support a theory or argument (e.g. a photograph, objects from the past, an interview with a witness); |
| 5.3 collects and records information in different ways:5.3.1 selects relevant material and takes notes (organises points under headings; abbreviates words). |
ACTIVITY 1: CREATIVE ASSIGNMENT DESIGN A POSTER!
The learners must imagine they are a voluntary worker at the SPCA during week-ends. They have been asked to make a poster appealing to people to consider household pets during the festive seasons. They are asked to focus on:
the effect of fireworks on domestic pets OR
the plight of animals that are abandoned by irresponsible owners.
When you have evaluated the posters, the class will choose some of the best and take them to the local SPCA / AWS branch. Ask them to put them on public display.
Go over the CHECKLIST to evaluate the poster . . . MAKE SURE THEY PLAN!
ACTIVITY 2: COMPREHENSION TEST: READING AND UNDERSTANDING
Read the introduction to the class: Then they read silently to themselves.
Make sure they answer the questions carefully and that they carry out the specific instructions. The answers are provided for you.
1. In your own words, explain why Jack called the zoo vet?Must use their own words and a full sentence.
2. What does a vet do for a living? (2) He cares for and operates on animals.
3. How are Ellie and a giant cat similar? (Par. 2)When she was pleased, she purred.
4. Ellie was fond of snacks. Write down THREE snacks which the vet gave her. (3)Biscuits, chewing gum; iced, currant bun.
5. What is the essential function of an elephant’s trunk? (2) The trunk takes food and water to the elephant’s mouth
6. Why was the vet worried about cutting into Ellie’s trunk?He could damage her nerves.
7. Choose the correct definition for each of the words below. Write down the number, the word and the answer you have chosen.
exhaled: (breathed in / breathed out / tried to eat) (1)
flexible: (long and thin / able to bend / modern) (1)
scalpel: (small sharp surgeon’s knife / syringe / surgical scissors) (1)
caution: (carefulness / accuracy / speed) (1)
8. Quote a synonym from the passage for each of the words in bold print in the sentences below. (The paragraph in which the answer can be found is given in brackets.)
The vet thought there might be a boil (polyp) in Ellie’s trunk. (Par. 8) (1)
Dr Taylor wondered if Ellie had cancer (tumour) causing the blood to drip from her trunk (Par. 8) (1)
The cut (incision)he made would have to be done carefully. (Par. 13) (1)
9. What does ‘vet’ stand for: Veterinarian(1) [15]
They must remember to leave a line open between answers! The marks in brackets indicate how many facts they should write down to get full marks. You can mark this ACTIVITY and it can be recorded as an evaluation.
Make sure that they WRITE DOWN the answers NEATLY, using the correct spacing!
ACTIVITY 3: CREATIVE ORAL PROJECT
Read the assignment to the class: This assignment is a team presentation built around the individual talks by the members of your group. The group presentation will be assessed by your classmates.
Revise the Assessment Chart with them.
They might like to draw a picture of an animal that they like? There is space for this.
Now, explain HOW TO star-rate the ASSESSMENT CHART again – to monitor their progress.
Use the MARK SHEET on the next page all your marks / codes