-NiE ,
INTERMEDIATE Responsibility
NiE Activity
HERE’S a short story about a lazy farmer who shirks his responsibility.
Creative thinking
● Identify ● Reason ● Measure ● Organise
● Imagine ● Brainstorm ● Connect ● Invent
● Oral ● Non-verbal ● Written ● Aural
Problem solving ● Question ● Research ● Recreate ● Present
Collaborating ● Listen ● Contribute respectfully
● Compromise ● Attain goal
In groups of four, read the story and then complete the passage using suitable words, phrases or pictures from The Star. Cut them out and paste them in the appropriate blanks. Use a sheet of A3 paper to display your answers. Finally, read out your story to the rest of your classmates.
Once upon a time, there lived a farmer named (1) ………………….. . He had a lovely plot of land that was lush and fertile. The farmer’s wife grew lovely (2) ………………….. on that plot of land. She grew many types of (3) ………………….. like (4) ………………….. and (5) …………………. . The farmer, however, was lazy and idle. Had it not been for his wife, his family would often (6) …………………... . One day, the farmer’s wife noticed that the garden fence was broken. A couple of boards had fallen off. She asked her husband to mend the fence. “Oh, why bother now. I’ll just (7) ……………………….………………..,” the farmer said aloud. “Well, that would mean more work in the end,” replied the farmer’s wife. Many more days had passed, and many boards
had fallen off. One fine morning, the farmer’s wife looked out of her kitchen window and was dismayed to see (8) ……………………….……………….. . The (9) …………………... had entered the garden through the broken fence. She howled and screamed to drive the (10) …………………... out of the garden. The commotion woke her lazy husband from his slumber. By then, much damage had been done. How sad this was for them. If only the farmer had taken the trouble to mend the broken fence. He finally understood the proverb: a stitch in time saves nine. So, don’t postpone today’s work for tomorrow!
Activity 1
Activity 2
In your group, prepare a skit based on your story. Take turns to perform the skit in class. Use impromptu dialogue if possible.
In the original story, a herd of goats had broken into the farmer’s plot of land. The herd had eaten the farmer’s vegetables. Not only did the farmer not have any more vegetables to eat, his family became poor, as they were not able to sell their produce in the market for money.
5.
What are the benefits of being a responsible person?
Discuss the following questions as a group:
1.
Do you consider yourself to be a responsible person?
3.
……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………
Were both the characters (the farmer and his wife) in the story responsible for the outcome of their fate? Explain.
…………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………
2.
9
Taking personal responsibility
Critical thinking
Communicating
26 APRIL 2017
Why? Give three reasons.
4.
Do you consider it important for your friends and family members to be responsible? Why?
6.
How do you benefit from the responsibility of others?