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Ivan'S Story: Learning Outcomes
Ivan'S Story: Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
● express the effectiveness of first-person narration.
● analyse the point of view of the narrator.
● note the ‘cruelty’ in the context.
● discuss the issue of cruelty to animals.
● identify finite and non-finite verbs in sentences.
● identify homonyms.
● write paragraphs using linkers.
Pre-reading
● What can you make out about the story from the title?
● What would you say the story would be about when you know that Ivan is a gorilla?
● How much do you know about our cruelty to animals?
Understanding the Text with his sister? (He has warm memories of chasing
her and of her jumping on to their father when he
Play the text in parts, on the screen. / Ask students
got too close. They never tired of playing the game
to read the text in parts. / Read the text in parts.
though their father asked them to pipe down when
Pause to check comprehension. they bounced on his tummy.) Why does he say that
The Grunt their father might have disagreed? (Their father may
have got tired of all the jumping that kept going on.)
What do you think may happen now? (Let students
Ask students:
predict, as this will help develop prediction skills.)
How do we know that Ivan loved his birthplace?
(He says it was so beautiful that no artist would Discuss
be able to reproduce its beauty in his painting.) What does this paragraph convey? (Every
According to the narrator, how are gorillas different creature loves to live its life the natural way. Family
from people about naming babies? (While people togetherness and security means a lot to a child.)
name their babies as soon as they are born or,
sometimes, even before they are born, gorillas name Mud
their babies much later.) Why do gorillas take time Ask students:
to name their babies? (They wait and watch until
they can decide on a name that describes the child.) Why did the parents name Ivan as Mud? (Ivan loved
Give an example of how gorillas name their babies. to draw pictures with the sap from leaves or juice
(Ivan’s twin sister loved to chase him around the forest from fruit. But, most often, he drew with mud.) Why
and so they called her Tag, as if she were playing tag did he love his name? (He loved his name because it
with him.) How do we know Ivan loved to play Tag gave him an identity as an artist.)
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The Perfect Life What was Ivan’s first experience of living with
humans? (He lived in Mack’s house as a human
Discuss: baby, drinking milk from a bottle and sleeping on
beds and sitting on chairs like a human baby but he
Why do you think this part is called the perfect could not understand human language. It sounded
life? (Everything was what one would expect it to like the buzzing of bees.) Why does he stress on the
be—a loving family, a great home and a secure word, ‘human’? (Because everything he was doing
community to be in) was different from the things he used to do as a
gorilla and he realised that he was now doing what
Ask students: humans do.) How do we know Ivan was naughty?
How are gorilla babies different from elephant What were some other things he did with Mack
babies or human babies? (Gorilla babies ride on their and Helen? Why would Ivan’s parents not approve
mother’s back most of the time.) List all that the baby of the way Mack and Helen were bringing him up?
learns as he grows. (. He learns: 1. to build a nest by (They would think that was not the way to bring up a
weaving the branches tightly so that they may not baby gorilla because that would not prepare him to
fall apart; 2. to thump his chest loudly by cupping the survive in the forests.)
palms of his hands while thumping; 3. to move from Hunger
tree to tree without letting go, 4. to be kind, strong and
loyal to the family) Why does Ivan say this phase Ask students:
of his life was perfect? (Because he lived with his
How do we know that even Ivan longed for his wild
family in his natural habitat, the rainforest) What
way of life? (Ivan missed his family and his wild way
is the significance of the phrase ‘for a while’? (an
of life in the forests. He tried not to be depressed like
indication that this phase was not going to last long)
his twin sister for he did not want to become ill. He
Vine knew he was well taken care of and yet he could not
help missing the companionship with his own kind.)
Ask students: Why did he teach himself to accept his human way
of life? (He realised that was the only way he could
When did the perfect phase end? (When human survive and so he tried to forget his animal way of
beings trapped him and his sister, Tag, and carried life and tried to adjust to his new way of living with
them away in a cramped crate.) How did Ivan human beings.)
manage to be well while his sister became sick in
confinement? (Ivan somehow felt he had to forget Discuss:
his old way of life to survive but Tag missed home and
Why is this section called Hunger?
became very ill.)
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Post-reading
Activity
● Organise an ANIMAL-CARE DAY.
● Make posters on animal care and hang them in class.
● Share stories about abused animals, both tame and wild.
● Discuss the issue: How can we help prevent cruelty to animals?
● Say what you or anyone you know has done to help animals.
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Present Participles
They are playing tennis.
She was playing tennis.
Past Participles
They had played tennis
She has played tennis.
Gerund
Ask the students about their favourite leisure activities / hobbies.
Write down a couple of these on the board. Make sure you change the infinitives (if students use them)
to gerunds, while writing the sentences on the board.
(I like listening to music. – Swimming is my favourite activity.)
Ask them to identify the verbs and the nouns in these sentences. If they point out listening or
swimming as verbs, ask them if the -ing form expresses present progressive.
Give them a couple of more sentences: Anita is my friend. / Ice cream is my favourite dessert.
Let students identify the nouns in the sentences.
Now ask them to revisit the earlier sentences. (Swimming is my favourite activity. – I like listening to
music. )
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Infinitives
Explain that infinitives do not show the time (tense) of action or events. They are generally used
with ‘to’
Sunil likes to make sandcastles.
Sunil liked to make sandcastles.
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Make two sentences with each homonym, with each sentence bringing out the difference in
meaning.
match bat ring lift
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Write a paragraph on any one of the following topics using the given linkers. You may add more.
My first trip on a sailboat / Making a vegetable sandwich / A visit to the museum
first after but then soon after finally
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IVAN’S STORY
Answer key to the grammar worksheet
Free response. Suggested answers:
1. to open / shut 2. to buy 3. to return 4. to share 5. to declare
IVAN’S STORY
1. Read the line and answer the questions.
She was nimble but when I got too close, she would leap on to my unsuspecting father.
a. Who is the narrator?
b. Who is ‘she’ in the above lines?
c. How did she spend time with the narrator?
d. Why was the father ‘unsuspecting’?
Answers:
a. The narrator is a baby gorilla named Mud and who was later known as Ivan.
b. ‘She’ refers to the narrator’s twin sister Tag.
c. She would play tag with her brother. They would then bounce together on their father’s belly until
he signalled them to stop.
d. He is ‘unsuspecting’ because he is caught unawares each time they jump on him.
2. Answer in brief.
a. How did Mud’s father help Mud and Tag?
Mud and Tag’s father, the silverback, was everything a father was meant to be. He would lead them
to the ripest fruit for their morning feast and the finest branches for their night nests. He was a
true guide, a teacher and a protector.
b. What are the skills young gorillas learn after separating from their mother?
After they go further and further away from the safety of their mother, they learn the skills which
an adult needs to learn. They learn to make nests out of branches, how to beat their chests, how to
move from tree to tree and how to be kind, strong and loyal.
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IVAN’S STORY
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Words in Use
A. 1. blew up 2. blew out 3. blown down 4. blows over 5. blowing about
B. 1. watch 2. play 3. land 4. play 5. watch 6. land
Speaking
(free response)
Listening
Listening Text
Jane Goodall, who is known for her work with chimpanzees—we humans are not different from
the rest of the animal kingdom. We’re not the only beings with minds and feelings. Jagmohan Das,
a restaurant owner—I can never hit my dog. He is a child of Nature. And so is every other animal.
Steve Martin, who studies animal behaviour— problems like pollution and cutting trees cause a lot
of suffering to animals and birds. Mohammad Hussain, who works to save sparrows—I believe that
every single creature on this planet has an equal right to live. Richard Holloway, writer—among all the
creatures on this earth, only human beings are cruel to other animals.
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Writing
(Sample Answer)
The king was sad because his elephants were sick. Doctors from all over the country came to treat
the elephants. But the medicines had no effect on the poor elephants. Their condition became worse.
Then a young girl from a village heard the news. She came to the palace and said she wanted to help.
The king was doubtful, but allowed the girl to see the elephants. First, she examined their nails and
ears. She saw that there was an infection in the ears. Immediately, she pulled out a few herbs from
her bag and ground a paste from them. Then, she poured the medicine on the infected parts. The
next day, the elephants’ condition improved miraculously. Soon they were able to stand. When they
saw the girl in the mornings, they raised their trumpets to greet her. After just a week, they became
completely normal and healthy. This made the king very happy and he rewarded the young girl
generously.
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