ENGLISH HOME LANGUAGE

Grade 5

JEEPERS CREEPERS

Module 1

WORD GAMES

1. LIstening skills

Listen carefully to the following passage while your educator is reading it to you.

Can you fill in the blank spaces?

Figure 1

POLLY WANTS A DICTIONARY

World’s most talkative parrot understands too!

We all say it when we’ve had enough – and Alex, an African Grey parrot, is no exception. When he feels his mistress is trying to stuff too many facts into his head he wastes no time telling her exactly how he feels.

“I’m leaving now,” he declares, and if she dares tell him he’s being ______ he makes his impatience felt with a squawked, “I want to go”, then turns his ______ away to show his disdain.

_______ doesn’t just learn things parrot-fashion, says Dr Irene Pepperberg, the University of Arizona academic who’s been ________ him for 18 years. “He doesn’t just copy people, he ________ what you say and what he says.”

When Dr Pepperberg gives Alex a piece of ________ and asks what it is, he moves it around in his curved beak a few times and says: “Wood”. If she’s holding two plastic keys, one smaller blue one and a ________ green one and she asks him: “What’s the difference, Alex?” he’ll immediately answer: “ __________” “Which one’s bigger?” she’ll ask. “Green,” he’ll reply.

Alex can identify 50 __________, among them cork – his favourite – water, wheat, wool, a ball, a toy car and a toy telephone which he calls “beeper.” Dr Pepperberg says he can ask for toys and clothes, recognize size and __________ and even count to six.

If he wants to call someone he’ll squawk, “Come here” or “Come back.” He’s very curious and his _________ questions are “What’s that?” and “What colour?”

But spending time and money on Alex isn’t just some bird-brained idea. The techniques used to teach him are already helping autistic and mentally handicapped children to learn.

Adapted slightly from: YOU magazine, 22 June 1995

[LO 1.5]

2. Insects in tune

CHALLENGE!

Select an easy tune, preferably that of a nursery rhyme or folk song.

See how many insect names you can fit into the melody.

Sing it to the rest of your class.

Get them to LISTEN and count as you sing.

Which group has managed to fit the most creepies into the song?

FOR YOU TO DO:

(not to be assessed)

[LO 1.1]

3. Group discussion

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Study the cartoon strip and discuss the questions in your groups:

Figure 2 to 4:

[LO 2.1.6; 2.2.1; 3.1.5; 3.2.1]

In your area insects and bugs have become resistant to insecticides and have begun multiplying at an alarming rate.

You and your team of designers have come up with a solution:

together you have designed a contraption that scares or repels these creatures.

Draw your design on a sheet of newsprint.

Discuss how it works and of what it is made.

Put it on display for all to see and tell the rest of the class all about your invention.

Once you have completed the task, evaluate your input and that of your group by completing the rubric.

[LO 1.6; 2.1.3; 2.3; 4.1.3]

You are one of a group of people who have been stung by killer mosquitoes …… there is only one vial of the antidote.

(a) Decide why you should receive the antidote. You may “adopt” a personality from the present, the past or the future. Pretend to be that person. You may use one prop only.

(b) You are going to have to persuade the rest of the group that you need the antidote more than they do. Jot down a few key words.

[LO 2.3; 5.1.1]

Assessment

LO 1

LISTENINGThe learner will be able to listen for information and enjoyment, and respond appropriately and critically in a wide range of situations.

We know this when the learner:

1.1 enjoys listening to different kinds of oral texts such as stories, myths, choral chants, jokes and riddles, and short plays and responds appropriately;

1.5 listens to different types of informational texts (directions, instructions, speeches, radio talk shows, television documentaries), notes main ideas or specific details, and uses information appropriately;

1.6 listens actively, considering other points of view, and responds with sensitivity to ideas and suggestions.

LO 2

SPEAKINGThe learner will be able to communicate effectively in spoken language in a wide range of situations.

We know this when the learner:

2.1 communicates experiences, ideas and information in different and fairly challenging contexts for different audiences and purposes:

2.1.3 shares ideas and offers opinions on less familiar topics and events, using speculation and hypothesis;

2.1.6 expresses and justifies own opinion with reasons;

2.2 uses interaction strategies to communicate effectively in group situations:

2.2.1 takes turns, stays on topic, asks relevant questions, maintains discussion and responds to other’s ideas with empathy and respect;

2.3 uses appropriate body language and presentation skills:

2.3.1 shifts eye contact to include as much of the audience as possible;

2.3.2 uses appropriate intonation and facial expressions;

2.3.3 adjusts tempo and volume for emphasis;

2.3.4 pauses at appropriate places and adjusts pace to needs of audience.

LO 3

READING AND VIEWINGThe learner will be able to read and view for information and enjoyment, and to respond critically to the aesthetic, cultural and emotional values in texts.

We know this when the learner:

3.1 reads a variety of South African and international fiction and non-fiction for different purposes (e.g. peoms, book reviews, short novels, newsletters, reference books);

3.1.1 reads independently, selecting appropriate reading and comprehension strategies for the purpose;

3.1.2 skims to get the general idea;

3.1.3 scans for specific details;

3.1.5 uses previous knowledge or textual clues to determine meaning and make inferences;

3.1.8 reads aloud clearly, adjusting speed according to purpose and audience;

3.2 views and comments on various visual and multimedia texts for different purposes (e.g. advertisements, video/films, television dramas and, where available, computers and CD-ROMs):

3.2.1 discusses message conveyed;

3.7 recognises the different structures, language use, purposes and audiences of different texts:

3.7.1 identifies the way different kinds of texts are organised (e.g. fables, letters, book reviews);

3.9 understands and responds appropriately to a range of information texts:

3.9.1 identifies main and supporting ideas, notes specific details and summarises information;

3.11 selects relevant reading material and applies reseach skills to find information in dictionaries, reference books and textbooks from community sources or electronic media (where available);

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:

4.1 writes different kinds of texts for different purposes and audiences:

4.1.1 writes for personal, exploratory, playful, imaginative and creative purposes (e.g. diary, humorous anecdotes, story, poem);

4.1.2 writes informational texts expressing ideas clearly and logically for different audiences (e.g. notices, reports);

4.1.3 writes and designs visual texts expressing information clearly and creatively (e.g. advertisements, newsletters, map with pictures and labels);

4.4 applies knowledge of language at various levels:

4.4.1 word level;

4.4.3 paragraph level;

LO 5

THINKING AND REASONINGThe learner will able to use language to think and reason, and access, process and use information for learning.

We know this when the learner:

5.1 uses language to think and reason:

5.1.1 identifies cause and effect in oral and written texts and explains the relationship;

5.4 uses language to think creatively:

5.4.2 predicts what might happen in an imagined situation.

Memorandum

1. POLLY WANTS A DICTIONARY

We all say it when we’ve had enough – and Alex, an African Grey parrot, is no exception. When he feels his mistress is trying to stuff too many facts into his head, he wastes no time telling her exactly how he feels.

“I’m leaving now,” he declares, and if she dares tell him he’s being silly, he makes his impatience felt with a squawked, “I want to go”, then turns his head away to show his disdain.

Alex doesn’t just learn things parrot-fashion, says Dr Irene Pepperberg, the University of Arizona academic who’s been teaching him for 18 years. “He doesn’t just copy people, he understands what you say and what he says.”

When Dr Pepperberg gives Alex a piece of wood and asks what it is, he moves it around in his curved beak a few times and says, “Wood”. If she’s holding two plastic keys, one smaller blue one and a larger green one and she asks him, “What’s the difference, Alex?” he’ll immediately answer, “Size”. “Which one’s bigger?” she’ll ask. “Green,” he’ll reply.

Alex can identify 50 objects, among them cork – his favourite – water, wheat, plastic, wool, a ball, a toy car and a toy telephone which he calls “beeper.” Dr Pepperberg says he can ask for toys and clothes, recognize size and colour and even count to six.

If he wants to call someone he’ll squawk, “Come here” or “Come back.” He’s very curious and his favourite questions are “What’s that?” and “What colour?”

For the teacher: use this opportunity to discuss various grades of dictionaries and the meanings given. Compare dictionary meanings given.