Tell the pupils that they can understand the poem better if they can determine the connotative meanings of words whose denotative meanings they already know, for example, tree, bush, shrub, grass, highway, trail, muskie, captain, crew, sun, and star. Ask them that when these words are applied to people, what do they connote? What meanings are conveyed? Have a short discussion on these. Have the pupils understand what the reader can be according to the poem. “If you can’t be a pine. be a shrub.” If you can’t be a tall beautiful pine tree, just be a low tree or shrub. “Be a bush, if you can’t be a tree.” Be a low plant with plenty of small branches, if you can’t be a tall proud tree. “If you can’t be a muskie, be a bass” If you can’t be a small hornless animal belonging to the deer family, just be a fish happily swimming in the lake. “If you can’t be a highway, be a trail.” If you can’t be a wide, cemented, or asphalted street, just be a narrow path where people can tread on. “If you can’t be the sun, be a star.” If you can’t be the sun to light the whole universe, just be a star beautifully twinkling in a faraway distance admired by everyone. Have the pupils work in small groups on the exercise on page 89. Have them discuss the connotative meanings of the italicized words. Ask them to find out their distinguishing characteristics or features. Have them read the guide questions and answer each. Have a group recorder to record their answers. Then, have each group present their group answer to the whole class.
H. Do What’s Right • Doing One’s Best Tell the pupils that the word best can be confusing or misleading. This may be because of the words that go with best, for example, doing one’s best contrasted with being the best. Have them understand that to be the best, one strives to excel, to be above someone else. To do one’s best, one strives to surpass his own earlier performance. In both, one has to put a lot of self-discipline, hardwork, and unswerving direction. Ask the pupil this question: “Can you be the best in something, but not another?” Then, have them read the short story about a boy named Emanuel who wanted to be one of the best students in the class. Have a pupil read the story. Then ask them to answer the motive question and the following questions. 1. What did Emanuel always want to be in his class? 2. Did he come out as one of the top ten pupils? 3. What kind of award did Emanuel receive? Was he happy about it? Why? 4. What line in the poem did he remember upon receiving the award? I. Make Connections • Researching on Outstanding Asians Tell the pupils that every year, awards are given to Asians who have contributed to the upliftment of people in Asia. Inform the class that this annual award is the Ramon Magsaysay Award. Have the pupils work on the exercise on page 91. The following information could be of help to you 1. History, goals and achievements of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards In April 1957, the Ramon Magsaysay Award was established by the trustees of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) based in New York City. With the concurrence of the Philippine government, the prize was created to commemorate the late president of the
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