PLT Lag g04 TG Eng Na

English Second Language
Grade
4
Te a
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P Baker • M Edwards • C Galloway • L Sparg

G Swanepoel • B Townsend
9789991617404_plt_lag_g04_tg_eng_na.indb 1 2015/10/13 11:49 AM

Published by Pearson Education Namibia (Pty) Ltd
Unit 7 Kingland Park, Nickel Street, Prosperita, Windhoek, Namibia
PO Box 6025, Ausspannplatz, Windhoek, Namibia
© Pearson Education Namibia (Pty) Ltd
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or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
First published in 2015
ISBN 978 999 161 7404
Cover design by Mark Standley

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Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
The structure of the course . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Integration of texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Support for learners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Support for teachers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Assessment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Methodology and teaching approaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Levelled intervention worksheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
The Grammar Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The Wallcharts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Syllabus coverage in Platinum English Second Language Grade 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Lesson plans and topic-by-topic coverage
Topic 1: People we love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Topic 2: All about sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Topic 3: Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Topic 4: A busy community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Topic 5: Taking care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Topic 6: Stories and poems about nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Topic 7: The powerful sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Topic 8: Namibia has talent! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Topic 9: Animals from Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Topic 10: Animals that can harm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Topic 11: Make the world a better place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Topic 12: Protecting our planet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

Assessment guidelines and tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Conducting and recording continuous assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Continuous assessment in the Platinum English Second Language course. . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Continuous assessment record sheet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
End-of-year examination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Memorandum for the sample exam in the Learner’s Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Marking and assessment grids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Audio CD and listening texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Platinum English Second Language Grammar Book answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Platinum English Second Language Reader suggested answers to activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

Introduction
This Platinum English Second Language course has been especially developed to comply
with the revised Namibian Syllabus for the Senior Primary phase. It provides all the
texts and activities required to cover the work specified in the revised syllabus.
This Platinum English Second Language course consists of the following materials:
•• a Learner’s Book (LB)
•• a Teacher’s Guide (TG)
•• an audio CD
•• a text CD with planning and assessment tools, including a Year Plan, extension and
remediation worksheets, as well as a Continuous Assessment Tasks for each term.
•• a Reader
•• a Grammar Book
•• a set of Wallcharts for the phase, to be used as reference and as conversation posters.
The structure of the course

Work for the year has been organised in 12 topics. Each topic contains the following
sections:
•• Listen and speak: oral and listening activities
•• Reading texts and comprehension activities
•• Grammar focus: a formal language practice section, as well as integrated language
activities in other sections
•• Write and present: essays, short texts and directed writing, using the writing process
•• A self-assessment section at the end of the topic: language, comprehension or writing
activities that learners can mark themselves.
The work has been spread over the year according to the number of periods allocated to
English in the syllabus (8 per week for Grade 4). A complete Grade 4 Year Plan, provided
on the CD, indicates how each period in the year can best be utilised to complete the
whole course. (Note that a lesson does not necessarily take up only one period – often it
takes up two, sometimes more.)
One period per week is dedicated to literature – this is separate from the reading
comprehension activities provided in the Learner’s Book, and learners will use
prescribed texts, for example the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader.
Integration of texts
Each topic focuses on one or more genres. For example, if in a particular topic the genre
focus is a news report, learners will first listen to and discuss a news report. Then they
read a news report and do a comprehension on it. Next they focus on a language
structure that relates to news reports. Finally, they write their own news report.
Support for learners

This course has unique features that help learners develop English language skills:
•• Word lists: lists of words and their definitions that expand vocabulary
•• Annotations: notes on text conventions and features typical to a specific genre
•• Language boxes: notes that explain language structures and conventions in context
•• Activities that develop vocabulary in context, including guidelines for developing an
own dictionary
•• Checklists: to remind learners of processes they must use to speak, read or write
Introduction 1

•• Self-assessment activities
•• Levelled intervention worksheets that support learners at their individual level
•• Sample exam papers: these support revision and help learners to prepare for exams.
Support for teachers

The lesson guidelines in this Teacher’s Guide tell you how to use the Learner’s Book with
your learners, and provide answers and assessment suggestions for each activity. The
guidelines are written in the form of lesson plans. There is a lesson plan for every lesson
needed to teach the content of the course, including an indication of time allocation,
which is based on the number of periods available to teach English.
References to the Learner’s Book and Reader show you exactly which part of the
course should be referred to. References to the part of the syllabus covered are included
in a table for the whole topic, as well as each lesson. The lesson plans include the
following sections: Presentation of the lesson, Introduction of the lesson, Presentation of
subject matter and learning activities, Consolidation and, sometimes, Homework.
Answers to activities are provided, where appropriate.
To assist with planning, a completed Year Plan is provided on the text CD. It indicates
how the work can be spread over the year, according to the number of periods allocated
to English teaching in the syllabus.
The Year Plan and lesson guidelines include a complete formal continuous assessment
programme, which follows the specifications as set out in the syllabus. There are 12
tasks per term, which add up to a total of 100 marks per term. These tasks are provided
on the text CD as printable handouts that can be completed by learners, as well as
marking memos.
A marking memorandum is provided in the Teacher’s Guide for marking the sample
examination paper that appears in the Learner’s Book.
A second sample examination paper is provided on the text CD, along with a marking
memorandum. This paper is provided in a format that can be printed out and
distributed to learners, if that is possible in the school context.
There are 12 sets of remedial worksheets on the text CD (three per Learner’s Book
topic). These worksheets are graded according to learners’ abilities, and the level at
which they can be challenged. For each of the 12 sets there are three levels of difficulty:
A, B and C.
The worksheets are provided in a format that can be printed out and distributed to
learners, if that is possible in the school context.
An audio CD is provided with recordings of all the texts on which the Listening
activities are based. These texts are also printed in the Teacher’s Guide, so that teachers
can read the texts if it is not possible to play a CD. The audio CD also includes texts for
listening enjoyment, as well as sound practice.
A detailed syllabus coverage table indicates how the syllabus is covered in the
Learner’s Book, or in the Teacher’s Guide, if appropriate.
Assessment
Assessment in the Senior Primary phase is both formal and informal. There are 36
formal Continuous Assessment Tasks that need to be completed over the year (12 per
term). Learners’ marks for these tasks are recorded per term. Besides these short formal
assessment tasks, an end-of-year examination takes place.
2 Introduction

Material is provided in the Platinum English Second Language course to conduct this
programme:
•• The continuous assessment programme included in the lesson plans includes specific
activities suitable as the 12 Continuous Assessment Tasks per term for Grade 4, as
indicated in the syllabus. Each task is made up of appropriate activities, as detailed in
the syllabus, and the marks for all 12 tasks add up to a term total of 100. Grids for
marking, as well as a continuous assessment record sheet, are provided in the
Assessment guidelines and tools section of this Teacher’s Guide. The tasks are also
provided as handouts on the text CD.
•• Two examples of an end-of-year examination, including memos, are provided for you
to use or adapt. One appears in the Learner’s Book, with its marking memorandum in
the Teacher’s Guide. The second one appears on the text CD, along with its memo. The
structure of the paper is as per the requirements of the syllabus.
Methodology and teaching approaches

Listening and speaking
The curriculum states that listening and speaking skills are central to learning in all
subjects. In this Grade 4 course, learners build on the listening and speaking skills they
have developed in the Lower Primary phase. Listening comprehension texts are
provided in the section on the audio CD at the back of this Teacher’s Guide. The
listening texts are also on the audio CD, attached to this Teacher’s Guide. The Platinum
English Second Language course uses a three-step listening process. This process
reflects five levels of cognitive skills involved in the listening process.
•• Before you listen: activate prior knowledge, use visual cues to make predictions.
•• While you listen: compare content to predictions, visualise, use context to work out
meanings of unfamiliar words, use a dictionary where necessary, reflect on what you
hear.
•• After you listen: recall literal information (Level 1), summarise, analyse, classify
(Level 2), infer, draw conclusions, relate to own experience (Level 3), evaluate, express
opinions (Level 4), appreciate and extend (Level 5).
Oral activities include conversations, discussions and short presentations.
Writing
Learners write a range of creative, procedural and informational texts. They learn to use
the five-step writing process to produce these texts:
•• Step 1: Planning (brainstorming, mindmaps, flowcharts, etc.)
•• Step 2: Writing a first draft
•• Step 3: Revising (getting feedback, improving the content/ideas)
•• Step 4: Editing and proofreading (checking grammar, spelling and punctuation)
•• Step 5: Presenting the completed work neatly.
Spelling and punctuation

Learners are required to:
•• either use a dictionary to check spelling and meanings, or
•• spell words correctly using a personal dictionary.
Introduction 3

In Platinum English Second Language Grade 4, these skills are built into the reading and
writing activities. Learners are encouraged to use class dictionaries and personal
dictionaries to look up the spelling and meanings of words. The continuous assessment
programme includes spelling and dictation tests, which include new words learnt in
the topic.
Vocabulary in context
Learners are encouraged to enter new words and meanings in their personal
dictionaries as they come across them, and to use these words in their own speaking
and writing. At the back of the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Learner’s
Book there is a description of how to make and use a personal dictionary.
Grammar teaching
Each topic includes one or more formal Grammar lesson. The Grammar lessons focus on
one or more of the language structures or concepts that need to be covered as per
syllabus requirements, and specific pages in the Learner’s Book are dedicated to this.
Explanations of the relevant structures and concepts are highlighted in light blue boxes,
followed by activities that develop the theory. In all topics, other language structures
are integrated in the Listen, Speak and Read sections.
Reading
The curriculum states that well-developed reading and viewing skills are central to
successful learning across the syllabus.
It is advisable to use shared reading at the beginning of Grade 4, together with paired
and group reading, and to guide learners gradually towards reading independently.
Each learner should have their own copy of the text that is being read. Use the texts in
the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Learner’s Book and Reader. Use any
other resources that you have available.
The three-step process outlined below is essential to the development of both reading
and viewing. In this Platinum English Second Language course, we have built this
methodology into the reading comprehension activities.
•• Before you read (pre-reading): activate prior knowledge; look at details such as
source, authors, publication dates; read the first and last paragraph of a section, use
phonic and visual cues to make predictions.
•• While you read (reading): compare content to predictions, visualise, use context to
work out meanings of unfamiliar words, use a dictionary where necessary, reflect on
what you read.
•• After you read (post-reading): recall literal information (Level 1), summarise, analyse,
classify (Level 2), infer, draw conclusions, relate to own experience (Level 3), evaluate,
express opinions (Level 4), appreciate and extend (Level 5).
Organising same-ability groups

During the first two-week cycle, use your baseline assessments for reading and speaking
skills to divide learners into groups. Learners in a group should be able to read a text
and speak about a topic in a similar way and at a similar pace. It is important that
learners feel safe and comfortable in their groups.
4 Introduction

Shared reading
Shared reading involves the whole class and is interactive. Note: This does not mean that
the whole class reads the whole text together at the same time. Here are some ideas for
doing shared reading in your class:
•• Use the Before you read activities to involve learners in an active way, such as
pointing to pictures, title and asking questions.
•• Read the text aloud to the learners, slowly and clearly.
•• Then read it a second time. Stop from time to time to ask questions. These can include
questions related to the text, or to unfamiliar words, or to the pictures that form part
of the text.
•• Read it a third time. Ask individual learners to read part of the text. Or let them join
in spontaneously, as individuals or with other learners.
•• As learners become familiar with the text, they can use it during independent and
paired reading.
Group guided reading

Sit with a small group of about six to eight learners. Learners in each group should be of
a similar reading level. Learners take it in turns to read, while you offer help, guidance
and support. It is important that you have the opportunity to hear each individual
learner in the group read in each session.
Independent reading
Independent reading sessions have been built into the lesson plans, with clear
guidelines in the relevant lessons. Do not limit independent reading to these sessions.
When learners finish an activity ahead of their peers, tell them to read. Encourage them
to read at home. Try to get your learners into the habit of reading something (even one
or two sentences) every day. There will be some learners who struggle to read
independently. Let them work in pairs with another more skilled reader. They can take
turns with the more skilled reader to read a sentence or short piece of text. They can tell
each other what they read. Learners who are on similar levels can also work in pairs to
discuss what they read, and help one another with parts they find tricky.
Levelled intervention worksheets

The extension and remediation worksheets provided in the Platinum English Second
Language Grade 4 course is a unique tool that provides additional practice, targeting
different ability levels.
Levelled intervention worksheets are available on the CD accompanying this
Teacher’s Guide. Completed worksheets, which can be used as marking memos, are also
available on the CD. (Learners can mark their own answers or those of their peers – the
worksheets have only right or wrong answers.)
There are three worksheets (A, B and C) for every topic. They offer learners a chance to
work at different levels, A, B and C:
•• Worksheet A as remedial work, for learners who have struggled with the work in
Topic 1
•• Worksheet B as extra practice, for learners who have managed this work adequately
•• Worksheet C as more challenging work, for learners who have understood this fully
and will enjoy doing some more difficult exercises.
Introduction 5

You will need to decide which learners do which levels, based on the Baseline
Assessments and Continuous Assessment Task completed in the first term or based on
the marks achieved in the continuous assessment programme during Term 1 or Term 2.
Lesson plans for using the worksheets have been developed for every topic.
The Grammar Book

The Platinum English Second Language course includes a grammar book. It can be used
by learners as a reference and a practice book. It covers the Grammar Usage component
of the grade-specific curriculum and includes both theory and practical exercises.
The theoretical explanations can be used as additional clarification of the grammar
aspects covered in the Learner’s Book. The practical exercises offer the opportunity for
additional practice and consolidation. Answers to the exercises appear at the back of
this Teacher’s Guide.
The Reader
The texts in the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader complement those
found in the Learner’s Book, and can be used as prescribed reading texts or for
additional independent reading. Texts have been chosen that relate to the topics on the
Learner’s Book, as well as other cross-curricular themes, thereby reinforcing vocabulary
and concepts. Text types do not necessarily follow the same genre as the topics. They
include stories, drama (dialogue) and poetry. There are questions after each text that
encourage learners to reflect on what they have read, and can be used to assess their
comprehension.
The Wallcharts
The following four Wallcharts form the phase pack:
•• Poster 1 – What are the people doing?
•• Poster 2 – Words for a busy world
•• Poster 3 – Parts of speech
•• Poster 4 – Practise your tenses
These posters can be put up in the classroom for references and as conversation posters
for remedial or extension learning.
6 Introduction

Syllabus coverage in Platinum English Second Language Grade 4
Listening skills
Learning objectives Competencies Learner’s Book reference
Learners will: By the end of Grade 4 learners should be able to:
1. Listen for specific information and answer questions orally and in writing based on Topic 1, LB pages 2 and 3
comprehension: e.g. conversations, texts heard: short answer questions: Topic 2, LB pages 10 and 11
directions, instructions, etc. • true or false Topic 3, LB page 22
• fill in missing information e.g. simple Topic 4, LB pages 30 and 31
prepositions like in, on, near, etc. Topic 5, LB page 38
• match multiple choice wh- questions Topic 6, LB page 46
(e.g. what, when, where, who) Topic 7, LB page 57
Topic 9, LB page 74
Topic 10, LB page 84
answer questions orally and in writing based on Topic 2, LB page 11
texts heard and respond to long and shorter Topic 7, LB page 56
questions: Topic 7, LB pages 60 and 61
• make lists of a few items heard Topic 7, LB page 65
• follow simple directions
• respond briefly to simple instructions e.g. the
teacher orally instructs the learners to carry
out a certain activity by either writing,
speaking or performing
2. Listen extensively to a variety of texts, make drawings while listening based on the Topic 7, LB page 57
e.g. advertisements, weather, news, weather, and information technology
announcements and information texts begin to express own simple ideas on Topic 2, LB page 10
(example: Diseases, Environmental information heard e.g. “Should classes have Topic 3, LB page 22
issues, Human rights, Information class captains?” “Should girls wear trousers?” Topic 4, LB page 30
Technology, etc.) and respond etc. Topic 6, LB page 47
appropriately. Topic 11, LB page 101
dramatise actions based on environmental texts Topic 6, LB page 46
listened to
rearrange cartoons and pictures in the correct Topic 9, LB pages 74 and 75
order as they listen to a text
complete various simple tasks Topic 10, LB page 84
e.g. by drawing, labelling drawings etc. while
listening to simple texts
3. Listen to distinguish: identify and role play moods portrayed as they Topic 3, LB page 22
fact/opinion; mood of speaker; cause/ listen to a text, e.g. sad, happy, excited, Topic 6, LB page 47
effect. frightened, and angry Topic 11, LB page 101
listen to different texts and answer true or false Topic 3, LB page 24
on fact or opinion activities Topic 4, LB page 32
listen to a text and begin to answer simple Topic 1, LB pages 2 and 3
questions based on cause and effect. e.g. Why Topic 3, LB page 22
were the children crying? (cause); How did the Topic 6, LB page 46
children when they heard that their dog had Topic 12, LB pages 106 to 108
died? (effect)
Introduction 7

4. Listen extensively for pleasure (stories, begin to dramatise simple stories heard Topic 3, LB page 23
poems, songs, dramas). focussing on main characters Topic 6, LB page 46
Topic 9, LB pages 74 and 75
retell simple stories heard Topic 1, LB pages 2 and 3
Topic 4, LB page 30
Topic 6, LB page 46
listen and match the correct descriptions of the Topic 9, LB pages 74 and 75
characters in stories
listen to initial parts of stories and state what Topic 4, LB page 30
will happen next (predicting)
listen to songs for pleasure; Topic 9, LB page 77
listen to songs and fill in the missing words Topic 12, LB pages 106 to 108
listen to the title of the poem and guess what Topic 6, LB page 47
it is about; Topic 9, LB page 76
answer simple questions based on simple
poems heard
listen to simple poems and songs and identify Topic 6, LB pages 51 and 52
words that begin with the same sounds (e.g. The Topic 9, LB page 76
slow slimy slithering snake slithered down the
slope.)
Speaking skills
1. Speak with accurate pronunciation and pronounce one syllable words, e.g. pot, pen, etc.; two Topic 1, LB page 3
appropriate intonation. syllable words, e.g. teacher (teacher), table, (table) Topic 8, LB page 67
etc. Topic 10, LB page 86
begin using clear voice qualities e.g. volume, Topic 3, LB page 23
intonation/pitch (high, low or hushed) Topic 3, LB page 25
Topic 4, LB page 32
Topic 4, LB page 34
Topic 9, LB page 76
Topic 9, LB page 77
speak with clarity to be understood by teachers and Topic 2, LB page 12
peers e.g. when explaining or describing simple Topic 3, LB page 23
familiar topics, etc. Topic 4, LB page 34
Topic 5, LB page 39
Topic 7, LB page 58
Topic 8, LB page 66
Topic 8, LB page 67
demonstrate understanding of blends: Topic 2, LB page 14
• sh- shoes, sheep, shirt, etc. Topic 5, LB page 38
• ch- chair, church, charity, etc.
8 Introduction

2. Use English in appropriate contexts. respond orally to information in English in school Topic 2, LB page 12
contexts
retell short simple stories Topic 1, LB page 3
Topic 2, LB page 10
Topic 3, LB page 22
present a simple prepared fictional or personal story Topic 1, LB page 3
or a poem e.g. My holiday, My first day at school,
My hobby
begin to make simple speeches about self, family Topic 1, LB page 3
members and on familiar topics e.g. My pet, My Topic 5, LB page 39
brother/sister, etc. Topic 12, LB page 105
greet other people e.g. classmates and teachers in Topic 2, LB page 12
English
begin to show, through role-play feelings (anger, Topic 3, LB page 23
sadness, joy) and participate in simple debate on Topic 6, LB page 46
concrete things Topic 9, LB pages 74 and 75
Topic 9, LB page 76
make simple requests, e.g. “May I go out?” Topic 2, LB page 12
Topic 5, LB page 39
begin to give simple instructions and directions e.g. Topic 2, LB page 11
how to find your way from your classroom to the Topic 2, LB page 12
principal’s office Topic 10, LB page 89
share personal information and experiences Topic 8, LB page 66
Topic 8, LB page 67
3. Develop understanding of key demonstrate knowledge of using simple grammar, Topic 3, LB page 23
characteristics of spoken language. e.g. formulaic expressions like: “How do you do?”; Topic 4, LB page 34
discourse markers, e.g. “well”, “in addition”, Topic 5, LB page 39
“finally”, etc. Topic 7, LB page 58
Introduction 9

Reading skills
Reading comprehension
1. Read aloud authentic texts for a recognise frequently used words and punctuation Topic 1, LB page 4
specific purpose and to extend marks found in most texts at their level Topic 3, LB page 25
vocabulary. Topic 4, LB page 32
Topic 8, LB page 72
read aloud with appropriate use of pause, to show Topic 1, LB page 4
understanding of the text, e.g. obeying full stops and Topic 2, LB page 13
commas in a text Topic 2, LB page 14
Topic 2, LB page 15
Topic 3, LB page 25
Topic 4, LB page 32
Topic 5, LB page 40
2. Read silently and aloud to understand identify text features e.g. titles/headlines, main and Topic 2, LB page 13
a range of selected texts. sub-headings, etc. Topic 2, LB page 15
Topic 3, LB page 24
Topic 5, LB page 40
Topic 7, LB page 60
construct meaning from visual texts e.g. pictures, Topic 1, LB page 4
tables, charts, etc. Topic 2, LB page 13
Topic 2, LB page 15
Topic 3, LB page 24
Topic 4, LB page 32
Topic 4, LB page 34
Topic 5, LB page 40
Topic 12, LB pages 106 to 108
do simple word puzzles of about 10 words Topic 5, LB page 38
3. Read a range of texts across the read materials for personal enjoyment (briefly retell Platinum English Second
curriculum, eg. Environmental the story) Language Grade 4 Reader
learning, HIV and AIDS, Population read materials, e.g. dictionaries, magazines, Topic 2, LB page 15
education, Education for human rights newspapers, etc. to extract information for simple Topic 2, LB page 21
and democracy, Information and tasks: true/false, matching, etc. Topic 4, LB page 32
Technology, and Road safety. Topic 4, LB page 34
read a paragraph with familiar vocabulary and Topic 10, LB page 87
identify the main idea
10 Introduction

4. Read and respond to instructions read and respond to simple instructions, e.g. name, Topic 10, LB page 89
appropriately. list, choose, complete, show, find and tell, use, draw,
give, match, compare
read and interpret simple directions, rules and Topic 2, LB page 12
procedures (such as those from own classrooms)
using simple grammatically correct phrases and
sentences
5. Reading cross-curricular issues: ICT, read, write and discuss texts on cross-curricular issues Topic 4, LB page 32
Environment, Human rights, HIV and and respond to simple language questions Topic 4, LB page 34
AIDS. Topic 5, LB page 40
Topic 8, LB page 72
6. Reading various texts: demonstrate success to various questions set on the Topic 1, LB page 4
documents, expository and narrative eight reading levels when reading a variety of text Topic 2, LB page 13
texts. domains: narrative (story), expository (information, Topic 3, LB page 24
e.g. how to operate a coffee maker) and documents Topic 5, LB page 40
(maps, charts) Topic 6, LB pages 48 and 49
Literature
1. Read a poem, short stories, drama and read short poems and simple stories for pleasure Topic 6, LB pages 48 and 49
novels, and demonstrate Topic 6, LB page 50
understanding of various elements of Topic 6, LB pages 51 and 52
literature. Topic 9, LB pages 78 and 79
Topic 9, LB page 80
read and identify title and main ideas key features of Topic 6, LB page 50
a poem e.g. title, poet/poetess, lines, stanzas/verses Topic 6, LB pages 51 and 52
Topic 9, LB page 80
read simple and short poems aloud with appropriate Reader
expression and understanding
read and identify similes and metaphors Topic 6, LB page 50
Topic 9, LB page 80
read short poems and identify feelings e.g. happiness Topic 9, LB page 80
and sorrow
identify and discuss the title and the role players Topic 1, LB page 4
(characters) in the story Topic 6, LB pages 48 and 49
read simple stories to complete tasks Topic 1, LB page 4
Introduction 11

2. Read and demonstrate knowledge of use pictures to predict content of the texts; predict Topic 1, LB page 4
and apply acquired reading strategies new events relating to characters while reading; use Topic 3, LB page 24
within any of the three reading stages: post-reading strategies to enhance understanding Topic 4, LB page 32
strategies for pre-, while- and Topic 6, LB pages 48 and 49
post-reading. Topic 6, LB page 50
Topic 9, LB page 80
3. Vocabulary preview grade appropriate reading material to find Topic 1, LB page 4
3.1 Use effective vocabulary learning unfamiliar words and their meanings
strategies. consolidate knowledge of newly acquired vocabulary Topic 1, LB page 4
by re-reading relatively simple texts Topic 2, LB page 13
Topic 3, LB page 24
Topic 4, LB page 32
Topic 5, LB page 40
3.2 Repeated exposure to words. use new words in their written and spoken through Topic 1, LB page 4
multiple opportunities Topic 1, LB page 5
Topic 2, LB page 21
Topic 3, LB page 23
Topic 3, LB page 25
Topic 3, LB page 29
Topic 4, LB page 36
Topic 4, LB page 37
Topic 6, LB page 47
Topic 8, LB page 72
use new words in their written and spoken form in Topic 1, LB page 4
simple sentences Topic 1, LB page 5
Topic 2, LB page 13
Topic 2, LB page 15
Topic 3, LB page 24
Topic 5, LB page 40
Topic 5, LB page 45
Topic 6, LB page 55
Topic 7, LB page 58
Topic 7, LB page 65
Topic 9, LB page 76
Topic 9, LB page 83
Topic 12, LB pages 106 to 108
12 Introduction

participate in wide or extensive independent reading Platinum English Second
to expand word knowledge Language
Grade 4 Reader
look up words in a simple illustrated dictionary Topic 1, LB page 4
Topic 1, LB page 5
Topic 2, LB page 10
Topic 2, LB page 11
Topic 2, LB page 13
Topic 2, LB page 15
Topic 3, LB page 22
Topic 3, LB page 24
Topic 4, LB page 30
Topic 4, LB page 32
Topic 5, LB page 38
Topic 5, LB page 40
Topic 7, LB page 56
Topic 8, LB page 66
3.3 Keyword method. use word clue or key words to remember meanings of Topic 2, LB page 12
new words e.g. a part of the definition, an illustrative Topic 4, LB page 34
example, an image that the reader connects to the Topic 4, LB page 36
word to make it easier to remember the meaning Topic 5, LB page 40
when reading it in context Topic 5, LB page 42
Topic 8, LB page 67
3.4 Word maps. use graphic organisers for new words e.g. graphic Topic 6, LB page 46
organisers that show classification (what class or Topic 6, LB page 47
group does the word belong to), qualities (what is the
word like) and examples
3.5 Root analysis. identify word roots, prefixes and/or suffixes in simple Topic 3, LB page 25
words e.g. close (root), enclose (prefix), closely Topic 3, LB page 28
(suffix)
determine meanings by breaking down simple words Topic 3, LB page 24
into their prefixes, suffixes and roots
examine and share ideas of word roots, prefixes and Topic 11, LB page 103
suffixes’ use in common words Topic 12, LB pages 106 to 108
3.6 Restructuring reading materials. use simple synonyms to access meaning of unfamiliar Topic 1, LB page 5
words Topic 9, LB pages 78 and 79
3.7 Use incidental learning. show knowledge of using incidental learning to get Topic 1, LB page 4
meaning of difficult words e.g. determine meaning of Topic 1, LB page 5
simple words based on what the rest of the Topic 2, LB page 13
sentence(s) focuses on Topic 6, LB pages 48 and 49
Introduction 13

3.8 Use context skills. contextual analysis find and use context clues for Topic 2, LB page 13
learning new vocabulary words e.g. words in a Topic 3, LB page 24
sentence or paragraph, captions, illustrations and Topic 6, LB pages 48 and 49
titles that provide information about the text
Writing skills
Directed writing
1. Write in a variety of contexts using copy chalkboard notes and text accurately; Topic 3, LB page 23
English structures. apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions: Topic 2, LB page 20
punctuation e.g. full stop, commas and apostrophe, Topic 3, LB page 23
spelling, capitalisation Topic 3, LB page 27
Topic 3, LB page 28
Topic 4, LB page 36
Topic 5, LB page 44
Topic 6, LB page 54
Topic 7, LB page 56
Topic 7, LB page 64
Topic 8, LB page 72
Topic 9, LB page 81
apply knowledge of concord (subject–verb Topic 1, LB page 8
agreement) correctly, e.g. I like pizza, Mark likes Topic 3, LB page 23
pizza, My dog is clever, It was cold yesterday. Topic 3, LB page 27
2. Write short sentences accurately. write simple sentences using visual stimuli, e.g. Topic 1, LB page 8
pictures, diagrams, etc. (Note: A simple sentence Topic 3, LB page 29
describes only one thing, idea or question, and has Topic 10, LB page 92
only one verb, e.g. Our school soccer team lost their
last game of the season.)
3. Write long sentences. join sentences using conjunctions, e.g. and, but, Topic 4, LB page 35
because; Topic 4, LB page 36
write simple sentences using pictures Topic 6, LB page 55
Topic 9, LB page 82
4. Organise sentences and paragraphs organise jumbled short sentences into paragraphs Topic 2, LB page 20
into whole texts. (maximum 5 sentences); Topic 4, LB page 37
organise and sequence ideas Topic 6, LB page 54
Topic 9, LB page 83
5. Write short texts. apply knowledge of punctuation, capitalisation, etc. Topic 1, LB page 7
use verb tenses appropriately; Topic 2, LB page 14
write simple texts for a variety of purposes Topic 5, LB page 43
e.g. descriptions, narratives, fill in forms, messages, Topic 9, LB page 82
designing posters Topic 11, LB page 100
14 Introduction

Creative writing
6. Cooperate with others to produce brainstorm ideas and suitable vocabulary for a task (whole Topic 2, LB page 10
pieces of writing. class, in pairs and groups) on given ideas; Topic 4, LB page 34
draft sentences on given topics Topic 11, LB page 95
7. Produce well organised, pieces of writing and organising ideas into short into paragraphs Topic 3, LB page 27
writing. (maximum 2 paragraphs of 3–4 sentences); Topic 3, LB page 29
write instructions, reports; Topic 4, LB page 36
write simple friendly letters by showing knowledge of own Topic 6, LB page 54
school address, salutation, signing off Topic 7, LB page 64
Topic 8, LB page 72
Topic 9, LB page 82
write using e.g. your sister/brother/son/daughter, with Topic 9, LB page 82
love, at least two short paragraphs of the body;
write short descriptive and narrative essays of at least
three paragraphs based on simple topics e.g. My cow,
My dog, My home, Somebody I love, etc.
Grammar usage
1. Apply knowledge of grammatical identify and use different types of nouns: Topic 2, LB page 16
structures and conventions at • common and countable nouns e.g. table, chair Topic 2, LB page 21
word and phrase levels. • uncountable nouns e.g. hair, furniture Topic 4, LB page 35
• plural form with -s or -es e.g. house – houses; bus – Topic 4, LB page 37
buses, church – churches Topic 10, LB pages 90 and 91
• proper nouns used correctly with a capital e.g. Namibia, Topic 10, LB page 93
Esther
• possessive form e.g. the child’s book, the children’s
books
• gender e.g. boy – girl, ram – ewe
• diminutives e.g. pig – piglet, dog – puppy
identify and use different types of pronouns: Topic 10, LB pages 90 and 91
• personal pronouns singular (I, he. she, you, it) and plural Topic 10, LB page 93
(you, we, they) e.g. I live in Windhoek. You eat an apple. Topic 12, LB pages 110 and 111
• reflexive pronouns (singular) myself, yourself, himself,
herself, itself; (plural) ourselves, themselves, yourselves
e.g. They themselves told me, I wash myself
Apply knowledge of grammatical identify and use different types of adjectives: Topic 9, LB page 81
structures and conventions at word • words that describe the noun or pronoun: Topic 9, LB page 83
and phrase levels. • opinion e.g. ugly girl, beautiful voice
• fact – if listed always in this order: size, age,
temperature, shape, colour e.g. it is a is a big/new/cold/
round/red ball
Introduction 15

identify and use different types of verbs: Topic 1, LB pages 6 and 7
• main verbs e.g. kick, eat, look, sing Topic 6, LB page 53
• helping verbs (auxiliary verbs) e.g. do/does/did, have/ Topic 7, LB page 62
has/had, be – am/is/are;was/were, will/would, might, Topic 8, LB page 70
can/could,shall/should
• different forms of the verb “to be”: be/been/being, am/
is/are, was/were
• regular verbs: walk/walks/walked/walking
• irregular verbs: drink/drank/drunk
• simple present tense – describes regular actions and
universal statements e.g. She always acts clever. They
go to church on Sundays. The sun sets in the west.
• simple past tense – describes completed actions or
events e.g. She looked clever. They went to church.
• simple future tense – describes future events or actions
e.g. She will look clever. They will go to church.
identify and use adverbs correctly: Topic 3, LB pages 26 and 27
• adverbs describe verbs or sometimes adjectives e.g. The Topic 3, LB page 29
children sang beautifully. John is exceptionally bright.
• most adverbs end in -ly e.g. The dog barks loudly.
• some adverbs do not end in -ly e.g. You have done well,
They ran fast.
use direct and indirect speech correctly: to report orally in Topic 11, LB page 100
the simple present tense e.g. I am tired. She says that she Topic 11, LB page 103
is tired.
identify and use articles correctly: Topic 2, LB pages 16 and 18
• articles introduce nouns Topic 2, LB page 21
• indefinite article a/an e.g. a book; an apple
• definitive article the e.g. the child
• no article: when you are talking in general e.g. I love
flowers. Teachers are well paid., when a school, prison,
court, hospital is referred to as an institution e.g. When
do the children finish school? She is in hospital.
identify and use prepositions correctly: Topic 6, LB page 53
• use prepositions to convey a variety of meaning a Topic 6, LB page 55
preposition usually comes before a noun/pronoun and
gives information about how, when or where something
has happened
• use to show position – on, under, above, next to,
behind, below e.g. She sits under the table.
• use to show direction – towards, to, from, up, down e.g.
The cat was running towards her; is used to show time –
on, during, at e.g. On Monday, during the holidays, at
8 o’clock we will have extra class.
• use to show possession – with, without e.g. The girl
without friends is unhappy.
identify and use conjunctions e.g. a conjunction is used to Topic 4, LB page 35
connect words or clauses such as: and, because, if, but, Topic 4, LB page 37
however e.g. I like you because you are kind.
16 Introduction

2. Apply knowledge of grammatical identify different types of sentences – there are four main Topic 5, LB page 43
rules at sentence level (a) A types of sentences: Topic 5, LB page 45
sentence is a group of words that • a statement – used when we tell someone something
are in order. (b) A sentence and always ends with a full stop. e.g. Taimi is baking a
always starts with a capital and cake.
ends with either a full stop, • a question – used when we ask a question and always
question mark or exclamation ends with a question mark. e.g. When is your birthday?
mark. • an exclamation is used to express feelings and always
ends in an exclamation mark. e.g. I can’t stand that
noise!
• a command/request used when giving instructions and
always ends with a full stop. e.g. Open your books at
page 9.
construct and use simple sentences: write simple Topic 3, LB page 23
sentences e.g. I love reading. The cat eats fish. Topic 12, LB pages 110 and 111
use jumbled (put together without order/sense) words to Topic 12, LB page 113
make sentences e.g. ate friend’s her pancake she = She ate
her friend’s pancake.
3. Apply knowledge of punctuation identify and use punctuation marks correctly Topic 2, LB page 14
and spelling correctly. • capital letters are used to begin sentences e.g. My dog Topic 2, LB page 16
is old.); for proper nouns, titles, nationalities, languages Topic 3, LB page 28
and initials of people e.g. Americans; English; W.G.
Grace); for the pronoun I e.g. Thomas and I will go
shopping tomorrow.
• full stops are used to end sentences e.g. I am tired
today); to show that some words have been shortened
e.g. Capt. Witbooi
• commas are used for separating nouns in a list e.g. I
bought milk, sugar, meat and coffee.
• after yes/no e.g. Yes, thank you.
• question marks are used for indicating the end of a
question e.g. Are you hungry?
• exclamation marks are used for indicating strong
feelings in a sentence e.g. I hate broccoli!
use spelling rule to spell correctly: Topic 5, LB page 43
• using i before E – use i before e, except after c, or when
sounded as “a” as in “neighbour” and “weigh.”
(Examples: believe, chief, piece, and thief; deceive,
receive, weigh, and freight; Common exceptions:
efficient, weird, height, neither, ancient, caffeine,
foreign
4. Apply knowledge of a variety of show understanding of and use idiomatic expressions Topic 8, LB page 71
appropriate, imaginative correctly: Topic 10, LB page 93
idiomatic expressions (an • use simple idioms correctly e.g. Look before you leap; Topic 11, LB page 99
expression or a a short phrase to Pull up your socks.
relate a specific idea). • interpret simple idiomatic expressions (Pull up your
socks = You must work harder.
Introduction 17

5. Acquire and expand vocabulary • figure out their meanings from context – by being Topic 1, LB page 5
capacity. attentive to how words are used Topic 2, LB page 10
• look the words up Topic 2, LB page 11
• carry out a search on a word to add vocabulary learning Topic 3, LB page 25
• complete vocabulary quiz Topic 3, LB page 28
• define and use new words into sentences Topic 5, LB page 45
• create associations and connections to remember Topic 7, LB page 56
meanings of new words Topic 7, LB page 57
• use mnemonics Topic 8, LB page 67
• use the following to expand vocabulary knowledge: Topic 8, LB page 73
antonyms (words that are opposite in meaning e.g. Topic 9, LB pages 74 and 75
loud – soft ; sweet – sour Topic 9, LB pages 78 and 79
synonyms (words that are similar in meaning e.g. fast – Topic 9, LB page 83
quickly; pretty – lovely Topic 12, LB pages 106 to 108
18 Introduction

Topic 1: People we love
About this topic
This topic focuses on stories as a genre. It centres around people we are close to. Learners listen to and retell
a story about a family. The story tells how the people in the family live together and help each other. Then
learners read a story about the same family, but this time the family deals with a difficult situation.
In the Write section, learners write sentences based on pictures. The pictures tell a story. They are taken
through the writing process, which includes careful checking of spelling and punctuation.
Learners create a personal dictionary and use it to record new words and meanings. They are also taught
how to find words in a published dictionary.
The grammar focus in the topic is on the simple present, past and future tenses. Other language concepts
that are covered are synonyms and one or two syllable words. These are integrated within the Listen, Speak
and Read activities.
Note to the teacher

At the beginning of the year you also need to do baseline assessments of the following skills: listening,
speaking, reading aloud, reading comprehension, writing and language use. These baseline assessments
will be used to identify the skill levels of learners, and to plan appropriate remedial or extension strategies.
We have indicated which activities can be used to do baseline assessments of the different skills.
Lessons 1 to 11
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to and talk about a story
Listen to a story
Answer questions
Retell the story
Baseline assessment: Listening comprehension
Speaking Lesson 2 Activity 2 Present a personal story
Baseline assessment: Speaking skills
Lesson 3 Activity 3 Pronounce words
Read words out loud.
Reading Lesson 4 Activity 4 Read a story
Read a story
Answer questions
Lesson 6 Activity 5 Create a personal dictionary
Lesson 9 Reading/Literature
Prescribed literature, e.g. texts from the Platinum English Second Language
Grade 4 Reader:
Home from School (poem)
Our House and Home (poem)
Good morning! Good morning! (play)
Writing Lesson 5 Dictation
Baseline assessment: Speaking skills, directed writing skills
Lesson 8 Activity 7 Write sentences about pictures
Follow the stages of planning, drafting and editing.
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task: Writing composition.
Grammar usage Lesson 7 Activity 6 Work with verbs
Simple present, past and future tenses, regular and irregular verbs
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons
Consolidation Lesson 10 Self-assessment
Topic 1: People we love 19

Compensatory and Lesson 11 Use the worksheets for Topic 1 on the Platinum English Second Language CD as
extension teaching follows:
Worksheet 1A Remedial for learners who have struggled with the grammar
work
Worksheet 1B Consolidation for extra work for learners who have managed
the work adequately
Worksheet 1C Extension for those learners who did well and need more
challenging activities.
English across the Reading activities
curriculum Encourage learners to get into the habit of using a dictionary in all their subjects
to look up any words they do not understand or that they are not sure how to
spell.
Writing activities
Ask teachers from other subjects to give you lists of words that learners need to
know in English. This vocabulary should be appropriate for Grade 4. For
example: hygiene, multiply, Christianity, pollution, atlas, experiment, etc.
Learners can write these in their personal dictionaries if there are any words
they do not understand.
Teaching materials and resources

•• Platinum English Second Language English Grade 4 Learner’s Book Topic 1, pages 2 to 9
•• Worksheets 1A, 1B and 1C
•• Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader
•• Listening text: Topic 1 on audio CD
•• Stories and rhymes on audio CD
•• A dictionary
•• An A5 exercise book that can be used as a personal dictionary
•• Scrap paper for drafting writing activities
Lesson 1 Listen and speak

Learner’s Book pages 2 and 3 Time: 2 × 40-minute periods
Activity 1 Listen to a story
Lesson objectives Basic competencies

Listening skill Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • listen to a text and begin to answer simple questions based on
9.1.3 listen to and distinguish cause and effect cause and effect
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure. • retell simple stories heard.
Presentation of the lesson

Use the Learner’s Book activities under Before you listen to introduce Activity 1. This gives learners practice
at using visual information to predict the content of a text.
Presentation of subject matter and learning activities

Period 1
•• Read through the words and meanings in the Word list.
•• Explain that learners are going to listen to a story. They will listen to it twice and then answer questions
about it.
20 Topic 1: People we love

•• Play the listening text from the CD once for learners to listen to, or read the text to the class. Discuss any
words they still do not understand.
•• Then read the questions in Question 1 with the class, so that learners know what information to listen to
for the second time they hear the story.
•• Play or read the story again.
•• Ask learners to write answers for Question 1 in their exercise books.
Period 2
•• Find out what learners can remember about the story they listened to in Period 1. Ask: What is the name
of the girl in the story? How many people are there in her family? Who are they?
•• Play or read the listening text again.
•• Go through the questions with the class. If you have taken in the comprehensions for assessment, they
can answer the questions orally. If you have not, learners can check their own answers.
•• Organise learners into pairs. They take turns to tell each other the story.
Consolidation
Ask for individuals to volunteer to tell the story to the class.
Baseline assessment
If you are using this activity to do a baseline assessment of listening skills, take in the written
comprehensions at the end of the lesson and mark them. Use the memo and baseline assessment rubric
below. Identify any learners who struggled and suggest suitable remedial listening activities. See the activity
under Compensatory teaching at the end of the lesson for one suggestion.
Baseline assessment rating scale for Question 1 in Listening comprehension: Marks out of 10
Level 5 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
9 – 10 7–8 5–6 3–4 1–2
Compensatory teaching
Repeat the activity for any learners who do not have the listening comprehension skill required for Grade 4.
Learners can listen to the story on the CD again, or you can read it to them in the listening text section of
this Teacher’s Guide. Pause after each sentence and ask learners to repeat the sentence back to you, and to
explain what it means. Then they answer the questions again, orally or in writing.

Answers
Activity 1 Listen to and talk about a story

1. a) There are three adults in Okeri’s family. They are her grandmother, her mother and her father. (2)
b) There are four children in Okeri’s family. They are Okeri, her older sister, her older brother and
her baby brother. (2)
c) Okeri looks younger than the girl and boy in the picture. (1)
d) The family did not have enough money because her father did not have a job. They lived in a very
small flat. (2)
e) Okeri felt sad/unhappy/worried/anxious. (any one suitable adjective) (1)
f) Her parents both work now so there is more money. They live in a bigger flat. (2)
Total: 10 marks
2. Okeri is ten years old. She lives with her family in a nice flat. There are seven people altogether – her
parents, her older brother and sister, her baby brother and her grandmother. They all share the
housework.
Lesson 2 Listen and speak

Learner’s Book page 3 Time: 1 × 40-minute period
Activity 2 Present a personal story
Lesson objective Basic competencies

Speaking skill Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • retell short simple stories
9.2.2 use English in appropriate context. • present a personal story
• begin to make speeches about self and family members.

Explain that in this lesson learners will tell stories about their own families.

•• Organise learners in small groups of three or four.
•• Explain the structure they must use to tell their stories.
•• Give them about 10 minutes to prepare their stories. They can make notes, but explain that they must not
read their notes while they are speaking. The notes are just to help them plan what they will say.
•• Learners take turns to tell their stories in their groups. Remind the group to sit quietly and listen while
each person is speaking. Also remind them of the rules of speaking to an audience:
❍❍ Learn the words you are going to say.
❍❍ Hold your head up and look at the people you are talking to.
❍❍ Speak clearly and pronounce your words correctly.
❍❍ Show that you are interested in what you are saying.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to tell the class their stories.
Baseline assessment
Circulate while learners are telling their stories. Offer help where necessary. Make a note of which learners
struggle. They might need help with speaking activities during the year.

Lesson 3 Speak
Activity 3 Pronounce words
Lesson objective Basic competencies

Speaking and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • pronounce one and two syllable words.
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and intonation.

Find out what the class knows about syllables Write the words “book” and “teacher” on the board and see if
they can identify the syllables.

•• Read the information about syllables in the teaching box.
•• Organise learners into pairs. Ask them to do the activity.
Consolidation
•• Once the class has had enough time to do this, ask for volunteers to say the words. They must first say the
word and then say how many syllables are in the word. Correct them where necessary.
•• Ask the class to read the words out loud together.
Homework
Write these words on the board and ask learners to copy them into their exercise books. For homework,
they must identify the number of syllables in each word.
•• Grade •• ruler
•• Science •• bag
•• pencil •• classroom
•• Maths •• shoe
•• four •• language
•• easy

Lesson 4 Read and respond
Learner’s Book page 4 Time: 3 × 40-minute periods
Activity 4 Read a story

Reading skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • recognise frequently used words and punctuation marks found in
9.3.1.1 read aloud authentic texts for a specific purpose and to most texts at their level
extend vocabulary • read aloud with appropriate use of pause, to show understanding
9.3.1.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected of text
texts • construct meaning from visual texts
9.3.2.1 read a short story and demonstrate understanding of • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
various elements of literature reading levels
9.3.2.2 read and demonstrate knowledge of and apply acquired • identify and discuss title and role players
reading strategies within any of the three reading stages: • read simple stories to complete tasks
strategies for pre-, while and post-reading • use pictures to predict content of texts
9.3.2.3.1 use effective vocabulary learning strategies • predict new events relating to characters while reading use post
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words reading strategies to enhance understanding
9.3.2.3.7 use incidental learning. • preview grade appropriate materials to find unfamiliar words and
their meanings
• consolidate new vocabulary by re-reading texts
• use new words in written form in multiple opportunities
• use new words in written form in sentences
• look up words in dictionary
• determine meanings of words based on rest of sentence.
Monitoring of homework done

Go through the answers for the homework activity from the previous lesson. Here are the answers:
One syllable: Grade, Maths, four, bag, shoe
Two syllables: Science, pencil, easy, ruler, classroom, language

Use the activities under the heading Before you read in Activity 4 to introduce the reading text. These
activities teach learners to use features of the text such as illustrations to predict the content. They also
encourage learners to work out the meanings of words by looking at them in context.

Period 1
•• Read the meaning of the words in the Word list. Explain that all reading texts and listening texts in this
book have a Word list. This explains any words that might be new. Also explain that if there are other
words they do not understand, they should look those up in a dictionary. Turn to page 4 in the Learner’s
Book and go through the guidelines for looking up words in a dictionary.
•• Read the story aloud to the class. Ask them to follow in their books while you read. Remember to use your
voice to show how the characters feel. Remind learners to think about how each character sounds and
feels: polite, cross or friendly.
•• Ask learners to read the story quietly on their own.
Period 2
•• Read the story to the class again.

•• Ask learners to read the story again quietly on their own.
•• Read through the questions in After you read.
•• Asks learners to write answers for Questions 1 and 2 in their exercise books.
•• If you are using the activity as a baseline assessment for reading comprehension, then take in the books
to mark them yourself. A memo and rubric are provided below. Otherwise, go through the answers at the
beginning of the next lesson.
Period 3
•• If you did not take in the work at the end of Lesson 7, go through the answers to the questions with the
learners.
•• Then ask them to work in pairs and do the reading aloud and retelling activities.
•• Make sure learners have A5 exercise books as they will need them to make personal dictionaries in the
next lesson.
Consolidation
Ask learners to volunteer to read the story out loud.
Homework
For homework, learners can answer Question 4 of Activity 4 on page 4.
Identify any learners who struggle to read with comprehension. Discuss the answers with them orally.
Then they can consolidate this by writing the answers themselves as homework.
Baseline assessment
Use learner’s answers to Questions 1 and 3 to do a baseline assessment of reading comprehension skills.
Use the memo and rubric below to determine levels.
Baseline assessment rating scale for reading comprehension: Marks out of 10

9 – 10 7–8 5–6 3–4 1–2
Answers

Before you read
1. a) The people in the story “Family quarrels” are Okeri, her mother, and her sister Kaheke. (3)
b) Her mother asked her to clear the table. (1)
c) Kaheke was reading and dusting. (2)
d) Okeri was cross with Kaheke because she had left her books on the table/she never tidies up her
things.(1)
e) Okeri did the dusting and Kaheke put her books away. (1)
2. Accept any answer that makes sense, for example: I think Okeri was right to feel cross because it is
not right that Kaheke never cleans up her things. She is lazy. (2)
Total: 10 marks
3. Listen to learners telling the story.
4. a) Cross b) Getting on well

Lesson 5 Write
Do a dictation

Writing and grammar skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • identify and use punctuation marks correctly
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts • use spelling rules to spell correctly
9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly. • apply knowledge of basic writing rules.

Go through the answers for the homework activity from the previous lesson. You can find the answers in the
answer section of Lesson 4. Explain that when you find a word difficult to remember, it helps to think of
words that have a similar meaning. They give you a clearer idea of what the word means.

Explain that you are going to give the class a dictation. You will read them part of the story they listened to
in Lesson 4, they will write it down using the correct spelling and punctuation. Use the text supplied below.
It has been adapted so that it does not include direct speech, which is too difficult to write at this level.

•• Turn to page 4 of the Learner’s Book. Revise the different kinds of punctuation marks. Remind learners
that a sentence always begins with a capital letter, and ends with a full stop, a question mark or an
exclamation mark. Write this sentence with incorrect punctuation on the board: There are five people in
my family. Ask the class to correct it.
•• Ask learners to revise the spelling of the words in the Word list on page 4.
•• Explain that you will read the story three times. The first time, learners must just listen. The second time
you will stop at the end of each sentence, and learners must write the sentence in their exercise books.
The third time they must check their work for spelling and punctuation mistakes.
•• Read the story below, as specified above. It has been adapted so that it does not include direct speech,
which is too difficult to write at this level.
In my family we get on well, but we are all different. Sometimes we get cross with each other. Last
Saturday my mother asked me to clear the table. I cleared away most of the things but I left the books.
I wanted Unathi to clear the books away because they were hers. Unathi never tidies up her things.
Consolidation
You can take the books in and use this activity to do a baseline assessment of directed writing skills, or you
can write the story on the board and ask learners to swap books and mark each other’s work.
Baseline assessment
If you are using the activity to do a baseline assessment of directed writing skills, use the Assessment grid
for Dictation. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the
Assessment tools folder on the CD.
Extension teaching
Teach this poem to the class. Write it on the board. Say it together for fun, or sing it to a well-known tune.

Busy family
We’re a busy family
My brothers and me
When we get back from school
We’re as busy as can be.
Busy doing our homework
Busy getting wise*
Busy walking to the park
To have some exercise.
Busy doing the washing up
Busy doing the drying
Busy peeling vegetables
So Gran can do the frying.
But when it comes to eight o clock
Just wait and see
We’re all very busy
Watching TV!

Activity 5 Create a personal dictionary

Reading and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • use simple synonyms to access meanings of unfamiliar words
9.3.2.3.1 use effective vocabulary learning strategies • use new words in written form in multiple opportunities
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words • use new words in written form in sentences
9.3.2.3.6 restructuring reading materials • determine meanings of words based on rest of sentence
9.3.2.3.7 use incidental learning • look words up
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity. • define and use new words in sentences.

Explain that learners are going to use the exercise books to make personal dictionaries in this lesson. This
will help them develop a good English vocabulary. They can use these dictionaries throughout the year to
write words they come across in English lessons and in other subjects. When they do writing activities, they
can use their personal dictionaries to look up interesting words. Remind them to also use their printed
dictionaries to find meanings of new words.

•• Ask learners to turn to page 5 of the Learner’s Book. Read the steps of how to make a personal dictionary.
Make sure they understand what they need to do.
•• Give learners time to write the letters of the alphabet as instructed.
•• They then do Activity 5, entering the words correctly as they have been instructed. They can finish the
activity for homework.

Consolidation
Remind learners to keep entering new words during the year, for English and their other subjects. This will
help them develop a good vocabulary.
Extension teaching
Use the household activities in the theme to play a language game. One learner gives an instruction, for
example ‘wash the dishes’. The other learner mimes the action, and gives a new instruction, for example,
sweep the floor. Continue like this. The game can be done as a class, or in groups.
Lesson 7 Grammar usage

Activity 6 Work with verbs

Grammar usage skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • identify and use different types of verbs: simple present, past and
9.5.1. apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions future tenses, regular and irregular verbs.
at words and phrase levels.

Ask for volunteers to read the sentences they made up for the words in their personal dictionaries. Take the
dictionaries in to check that they have been correctly prepared.

Period 1
•• Use the table to explain the simple present tense.
•• Ask learners to complete Activity 6 Question 1 in their exercise books.
•• Let them swap books with a partner and mark the activity as a class. Ask them to make a total out of 5
marks.
•• Use the table to explain the simple past tense. Follow the same process as you did for the simple present
tense: Exercise 2 is out of 5 marks, Exercise 3 is out 4 marks, Exercise 4 is out of 2 marks and Exercise 5 is
out of 10 marks.
Period 2
•• Use the table to explain the simple future tense. Follow the same process as you did for the simple
present and past tenses.
•• Use the information in the language box to discuss the difference between regular and irregular verbs.
Turn to the table of irregular verbs on page 7. Point out some of the most commonly used examples, for
example eat – ate, run – ran, find – found, speak – spoke. Remind learners to use the table during the year
to check their verbs and tenses during writing activities.

Consolidation
Write these sentences on the board and ask learners to identify the verbs in the present, past and simple
tenses:
•• I washed the dishes.
•• I wash the dishes.
•• I will wash the dishes.
•• I am going to wash the dishes.
Homework
For homework, select 10 verbs from this list and ask learners to learn the present and past simple forms.
Baseline assessment
To do a baseline assessment, use the rubric below to assess the learners’ understanding of the simple
tenses.
Baseline assessment rating scale for simple tenses: Marks out of 10

9 – 10 7–8 5–6 3–4 1–2
Provide extra examples of the simple present and past tenses for reinforcement. Use regular verbs and the
irregular verb “to be” (am, is, are). For example:
There (am/is/are) ________ learners in our class.
Last year, there (was/were) ________ learners in our class.
Our teacher’s name (am/is/are) ________ . Last year, our teacher’s name (was/were) ________ .
We (write/writes) in our books.
Yesterday, we (write/wrote) ________ a story.
My father (read/reads) the newspaper. Yesterday, he (read/reads) ________ a magazine.
Answers

1. a) Okeri lives with her family in a nice house.
b) Her grandmother cooks very well.
c) They are very busy.
d) We visit our cousins every weekend.
e) I always wash my hands before we eat. (5)
2. When I was six years old I visited my cousins. They live in the country. I played with them all day.
We were always busy. I was very happy! (5)
3. a) are, get
b) asked, cleared (4)
4. a) There were still some books on the table.
b) Kaheke was busy dusting. (2)
5. a) Tomorrow it will be sunny.
b) Yesterday it was windy.
c) Today it is cloudy.
d) Later this afternoon it will rain.

e) Last month it rained.
f) Two hours ago the rain stopped.
g) On Wednesday it rained/will rain. (Accept either answer.)
h) It is sunny at the moment.
i) It is going to be hot later on.
j) We are going to wait for the rain to stop. (10)
Total: 26 marks
Lesson 8 Write
Activity 7 Write sentences about pictures
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 1: Writing composition

Writing skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • apply knowledge of concord,
9.4.1.1 write in a variety of English structures • write simple sentences using visual stimuli
9.4.2.2 write short sentences accurately • apply knowledge of punctuation
9.4.1.5 write short texts • use verb tenses appropriately
9.4.1.6 cooperate with others to produce a piece of writing. • write simple texts for a variety of purposes (narratives)
• brainstorm ideas and suitable vocabulary for a task.

Go through the 10 irregular verb forms that were done for homework in the previous lesson. Say the present
simple form and ask for volunteers to write the past simple forms of each verb on the board.
Explain that learners are going to write sentences about pictures. The sentences will tell the story of what
is happening in the pictures. You will take in their work and mark it. The marks will go towards their
continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Ask learners to do Question 1 in pairs. This introduces them to the story they will write about. Tell them
that the boy’s name is Hausiko.
•• Hand out scrap paper for learners to do their preparation work.
•• Ask learners to brainstorm key words for each picture. Write the words on the board. For example:
birthday, friends, nine years old, presents, birthday cards, park, soccer, cake, candles, blow, sing, time to
go, goodbye. See if they can give the simple past tense for blow: blew.
•• Before learners start writing sentences, find out what they know about the basic rules of sentences.
(They are listed in the checklist – but don’t draw learners attention to this yet.) Also stress:
❍❍ that a short sentence only has one verb and only describes one thing, for example: The pictures show a
birthday party.
❍❍ that you can use words like Last week, first, then, next, after that to show the order in which things
happen in a story.
•• Now read through the rules in the checklist.

•• Explain that when learners do a writing activity, they must always follow this process: write the work in
rough first on scrap paper, check the work for spelling, grammar and punctuation, and then write the
work neatly in their exercise books.
•• Learners work on their own and start on Question 2 in rough. For the first two pictures they are giving a
structure for support. Point out that the story is being told in the simple past tense because it happened
two weeks ago.
Period 2
•• Learners complete Questions 2 and 3. Remind them to follow the writing process: rough work, checklist,
neat work.
•• Encourage them to make their stories interesting and write two or three sentences for each picture. They
can add details that are not in the pictures, for example: They ate the cake. Point out that they must write
between 60 and 80 words.
•• During the checking process, learners can work in pairs to read each other’s stories and edit and improve
them before handing them in to you. Remind them to use the checklist. They must either add or remove
sentences to meet the 60 to 80 word requirement.
•• Allow about 15 minutes at the end of the lesson for learners to write the neat stories in their exercise
books, implementing all the corrections and improvements that their partners have suggested.
•• Take in the exercise books for marking.
Consolidation
Remind learners to write new words and meanings in their personal dictionaries. They can use the
sentences from the story as examples.
Formal assessment
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task: Writing composition
Use the Assessment grid for writing composition to reach a mark out of 10. It is included in the Assessment
section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English
Second Language Grade 4 CD. Record the marks in your continuous assessment record sheet.
Answers
Activity 7 Write sentences about pictures

Here is an example of what the story could look like. Accept any sentences that make sense in the
context of the pictures. Remember: The composition should be between 60 and 80 words.
•• Last week, it was Hausiko’s birthday.
•• He was nine years old.
•• He had a party with his friends.
•• His friends gave him lots of presents and birthday cards.
•• First they played soccer at the park.
•• Then they went back home.
•• There was a birthday cake with nine candles on it.
•• Hausiko blew out the candles.
•• His friends sang “Happy Birthday”.
•• After that they ate the cake.
•• Then it was time to go.
•• His friends said goodbye and thank you.
•• It was a lovely party.

Lesson 9 Literature
Time: 1 × 40-minute period
Prescribed literature texts, e.g. the Platinum English Second Language

Grade 4 Reader
Literature skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • read short poems and simple stories for pleasure
9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama and novels and • read and identify title and main ideas key features of a poem e.g.
demonstrate understanding of various elements of title, poet/poetess, lines, stanzas/verses
literature. • read simple and short poems aloud with appropriate expression
and understanding
• read and identify similes and metaphors.
• read short poems and identify feelings e.g. happiness and
sorrow.
The following texts from the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader support this topic.
Activities appear at the back of the Reader and the suggested answers are at the back of this
Teacher’s Guide.
•• Home from School (poem)
•• Our House and Home (poem)
•• Good morning! Good morning! (play)
Lesson 10 Self-assessment

Learners will: • identify and use different types of verbs: simple present, past and
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions future tenses, regular and irregular verbs.
at words and phrase levels.

This lesson revises the work focused on during the topic. Remind learners that they can look up the notes
explaining each grammar concept in the chapter as they complete the exercises. This will help them to see
the textbook as a resource that they can use as a reference tool.

Learners complete the exercises on:
•• the simple present, past and future tenses
•• writing short sentences
•• completing a paragraph.
Consolidation
•• Learners mark their own work using the copies of model answers from the CD, or you go through the
questions with the class using the answers below.
•• Learners check that they have entered all new words learnt in their personal dictionaries.

Self-assessment
Learners add their marks up out of a total of 25.
Answers
1. a) Grandmother plays with the baby.
b) Okeri’s father washes the dishes
c) Okeri’s mother carries bags.
d) Okeri sets the table.
e) Okeri’s brother cooks the food.
f) They share the housework. (6)
2. a) He lives with his cousins.
b) How many brothers and sisters do you have?
c) My friend has two grandfathers and one grandmother.
d) Her grandmother is very kind.
e) My aunt stays at home to look after her baby. (5)
3. Kaheke loved to play the drums. She played in a band. Her brother was also in the band. There were
five people altogether. They enjoyed playing together. Okeri often watched them play. (6)
4. Accept any answers that make sense.
a) I live with my aunt/mother and sisters/family.
b) To help at home I sweep/wash up/look after my sister.
c) Last year, I was in Grade 3. This year I am in Grade 4. Next year, I will be in Grade 5.(3)
5. Ask the students to write down five words to check spelling. (5)
Total: 25 marks
Lesson 11 Compensatory and extension teaching

Worksheets 1A, 1B and 1C (available on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 text CD)

Explain that learners are going to complete worksheets based on the work they have done in the topic.

•• The worksheets offer learners a chance to work at different levels; A, B and C. See the note in the previous
lesson about how to decide which learners do which levels. Here are some guidelines:
❍❍ Use Worksheet 1A for remedial work for learners who have struggled with this work.
❍❍ Use Worksheet 1B for extra practice for learners who have managed this work adequately.
❍❍ Use Worksheet 1C for more challenging work for learners who have understood this fully and will enjoy
doing some more difficult exercises.

•• Learners complete the worksheets on their own.
Consolidation
•• The answers for this activity are on the CD. Provide copies of the answers, or write the answers on the
board.
•• Learners can swap their work with a partner and mark each other’s work.
•• Learners must do corrections once they have marked the worksheets. This can be done in class or for
homework.

Topic 2: All about sport
About this topic
This topic focuses on interesting sporting activities. The genre focus is on news reports and maps.
Learners listen to and read news reports about sporting activities. They use a model of a news report with
annotated notes to write their own report for a school newspaper. They are taken through the writing
process, which includes careful checking of spelling and punctuation.
Learners listen to and follow directions on a street map. They write labels for some of the places on this
map. They also read and follow directions on the map of a walking trail.
The language focus in the theme is on nouns: Proper nouns, common nouns, countable and uncountable
nouns and nouns in the singular and plural. Other language concepts that are covered are: spelling (the soft
c sound), punctuation (the comma and full stop), words with blends (-ch) and using images and
associations to help remember the meaning of words. These are integrated within the listening, speaking
and reading activities.
Learners use their personal dictionaries to record new words and meanings, and to write sentences that
show the meanings of these words. They are also encouraged to use a published dictionary.
There are four formal assessments in this topic. They are:
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 2: Prepared speaking
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 3: Reading comprehension
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 4: Grammar
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 5: Dictation.
Please note: Questions and assessment memoranda for these tasks appear on the CD that accompanies
this TG.
Lessons 1 to 15
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to a news report
Listen
Answer questions
Activity 2 Say words and sentences
Lesson 2 Activity 3 Listen to street directions
Listen
Answer questions
Speaking Lesson 3 Activity 4 Label a map
Term 1 Continuous Activity 5 Ask for and give directions
Assessment Task 2:
Prepared speaking
Reading Lesson 5 Activity 7 Read a news report
Term 1 Continuous Answer a comprehension on the report
Assessment Task 3: Analyse features of a news report
Reading comprehension Lesson 6 Activity 8 Use correct spelling and punctuation
Hard and soft c sounds, -ch blends, punctuation
Lesson 7 Activity 9 Read a map and describe a route
Follow and describe a route
Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 3: Reading comprehension
Lesson 8 Prescribed literature, e.g. texts from the Platinum English Second Language
Lesson 11 Reader:
Running from the Rooster (story)
The Great Warrior (poem)
34 Topic 2: All about sport

Writing Lesson 12 Activity 13 Write about a news event
Sequence sentences
Follow the stages of planning, drafting and editing
Dictation Lesson 10 Do a dictation
Term 1 Continuous
Assessment Task 5:
Dictation
Grammar usage Lesson 9 Activity 10 Work with proper nouns
Term 1 Continuous Common and proper nouns
Assessment Task 4: Activity 11 Work with more nouns
Grammar Singular and plural vowels and consonants
Activity 12 Work with countable and uncountable nouns
Countable and uncountable nouns a/an before nouns
Action verbs, punctuation, spelling rules, antonyms, personal dictionary,
direction words, use new words
Lesson 13 Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 5: Dictation
Self-assessment Lesson 14 Nouns, vocabulary, write directions
Compensatory and Lesson 15 Use the worksheets for Topic 2 on the Platinum English Second Language CD as
extension teaching follows:
work
Worksheet 2B Consolidation for extra work for learners who have managed
the work adequately
curriculum The work on maps can apply to learners’ Social Studies as well. This will add to
learners’ understanding of reading maps in both history and geography. Giving
and following directions also applies to some of the basic skills they learn in
Environmental Studies.
Writing activities
Learners can add words from other school subjects to their personal dictionary.

•• Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Learners’ Book Topic 2, pages 10 to 21
•• A dictionary
•• Personal dictionary
Topic 2: All about sport 35

Lesson 1 Listen and respond
Activity 1 Listen to a news report

Listening, speaking and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • answer questions orally and in writing based on texts heard:
9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension: short answer questions (e.g. what, when, where, who)
directions • retell short stories
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts and respond • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
appropriately: information text • look words up
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • use word clues to remember meanings of new words
9.3.2.3.3 keyword method • create associations and connections to remember meanings of
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. new words.

Discuss that a marathon is a race in which people run from about 42 km upwards. Find out what learners
know about the Sam Nujoma Marathon. (It takes place every year in Windhoek.) Talk about the
information that the poster gives about the marathon. Also discuss the picture on the poster. Do they think
it is a good picture to show for this kind of race. Why, or why not?

Period 1
•• Refer to the photographs of the well-known Namibian marathon runners. Talk about other well-known
Namibian runners.
•• The Before you listen questions draw on the learner’s own experience. Running is an increasingly popular
activity in Namibia and marathons are being run in many parts of the country, so many learners will
know, or know of, people who run marathons.
•• Explain that learners are going to listen to a news report about the Sam Nujoma Marathon. They will
listen to it three times. Follow this process:
❍❍ The first time, learners can just listen carefully. Remind them to sit still and concentrate while they
listen. They can close their eyes if they want to.

❍❍ Go through the words in the Word list again. Then read through Question 1 in After you listen.
❍❍ The second and third time, learners listen for information to answers the questions.
Period 2
•• Learners listen to the news report again. This time they can make notes about the dates and numbers.
•• Discuss the answers for Question 1 in After you listen as a class.
•• Question 2 is done in pairs. Learners take turns to tell each other about the race. The questions in
Question 1 will help them remember the important details and tell them in the correct order.
•• Question 3 is done in pairs. Learners give their own opinions about running long races, and in the process
they evaluate whether it is a good thing to do or not.

Answers
Activity 1 Listen to a news report

After you listen
1. a) The race takes place on Sunday 8th of June.
b) The route is 10 kilometres/21 kilometres long.
c) It starts at 7h00.
d) It starts at the Dr. Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek.
e) More than 400 runners will take part.
2. and 3. Answers need to be backed with good reasons, for example: Yes, I like sport and how I feel
when I am fit./No, I think running so far is bad for your knees.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to share their opinions on running long races with the class.
Homework
Learners do Activity 2 for homework. They do this in writing in their exercise books. The vocabulary focuses
on verbs that describe physical actions. They match the verbs with words that are commonly associated
with them, which is a useful way of remembering the meaning of new words.

Activity 3 Listen to street directions

Listening, speaking and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • follow simple directions
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts and respond • begin to give simple instructions and directions
appropriately: map • look words up
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • create associations and connections to remember meanings of

Go through Activity 2 that was done for homework. The answers are under the Answers heading on this
page. Learners mark their own work. There is a compensatory activity below that learners can do to
reinforce their understanding of action verbs.
Explain that learners are going to listen to follow street directions on a map of Windhoek. Discuss how
the text links with the listening text from the previous activity. The route of the Sam Nujoma Marathon
passes through the centre of Windhoek.

Before you listen
•• Read the street names and ask learners to find them on the map.
•• In Before you listen, ask them to find the places in Question 1. This prepares learners for the listening text
as the directions start at the train station and end at Zoo Park.
•• Question 2 revises words used to show direction. They will hear these words in the text.
•• Read the directions three times.
1. The first time learners just look at the map and follow.
2. The second time they trace the directions with their fingers.
3. The third time they listen and follow again.
•• Learners work in pairs and do the After you listen activity. They practise giving and following directions
on the map of Windhoek in pairs, using the direction words in the boxes.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to describe the directions to the class.
Answers
Activity 2 Say words and sentences
a) run a race
b) climb a mountain
c) cycle on a bicycle
d) swim in the sea
e) jump over a rock
f) kick a ball
•• Ask learners to stand. Call out action verbs and ask learners to do the actions. For example: jump, bend,
stand on your toes, shake your hands, nod your head, touch your toes, etc.
•• Teach learners the words for this poem. They can mime the actions on the spot while they say the words.
Turn to the right
here we go
not too fast
and not too slow.
Turn to the left
Walk along
And while we go
Let’s sing a song!
Inclusivity
If learners are unable to do the actions in the activities above due to illness or disability, ask them to assist
you in giving instructions, for example calling out action verbs, so they also play an active role.

Lesson 3 Listen, speak and respond
Activity 4 Label a map
Activity 5 Ask for and give directions

Listening and speaking skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • answer questions orally and in writing based on texts heard
9.1.2 listen for specific information and comprehension: directions • speak with clarity to be understood by teachers and peers
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • respond orally to information in English in school contexts
intonation • begin to give simple instructions and directions
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • greet other people
9.2.3 develop understanding of key characteristics of spoken • make simple requests
language. • demonstrate knowledge of using simple grammar.

Explain that you will be using the same map that you used for the street directions in the previous lesson,
but this time the learners are going to find some important places in Windhoek.
Then they will prepare a speaking activity that will be done for continuous assessment. In this activity
they will use the knowledge they have gained to ask for and give directions of how to get from their
classroom to the principal’s office. You will assess the activity in the second period.

Period 1
•• For Activity 3, ask learners to write the letters A – D in their exercise books.
•• Read through the names of the places they must identify.
•• Play the listening text twice.
•• Ask learners to write labels for the places on the map in their exercise books.
•• Go through the answers. Learners swap books and mark each other’s work.
•• For Activity 4, organise learners into pairs. Read through the expressions we use for asking for directions,
and giving directions.
•• Discuss the criteria you will use to assess the activity. Write these on the board. The main criteria are:
❍❍ Use the correct words to say what you mean.
❍❍ Pronounce words clearly and correctly.
❍❍ Use full sentences with correct grammar.
❍❍ Show that you have prepared well and feel confident about what you are saying.
❍❍ Stand in a comfortable position and look at your partner while you are talking.
•• Give learners time to prepare their dialogues. They can do this in writing, but point out that they may not
use notes when they act out the dialogue.
Period 2
•• Call up learners to act out the dialogues in their pairs.
•• The rest of the class can do Activity 6 Work with words on page 12. They do this in writing in their
exercise books. The vocabulary reinforces the direction words they have learnt in this topic. They match

the words with drawings. This technique of associating words with visual images is a useful way of
remembering the meaning of new words. Once they are finished they can read from their prescribed
literature. If you have not managed to assess all learners, continue the assessment in the self-assessment
lesson.
Consolidation
If there is time, ask pairs to volunteer to act out the dialogues.
Formal assessment
Use the Assessment grid for Speaking. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is
also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language CD.
Answers
Activity 4 Label a map

A – Town Square B – Craft Centre C – Kudu Statue D – Christuskirche
Lesson 4 Literature
Prescribed literature texts, for example the Platinum English Second

Language Grade 4 Reader
9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama and novels, and • read and identify title and main ideas key features of a poem
demonstrate understanding of various elements of e.g. title, poet/poetess, lines, stanzas/verses
and understanding
sorrow.
Activities appear at the back of the Reader and suggested answers at the back of this Teacher’s Guide.
•• Running from the Rooster (story)
•• The Great Warrior (poem)

Activity 7 Read a news report

Learners will: • read aloud with appropriate use of pause, to show understanding
9.3.1.1 read aloud authentic texts for a specific purpose and to of the text,
extend vocabulary • identify text features
9.3.1.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • construct meaning from visual texts
texts. • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
9.3.1.6 reading various texts: documents, expository and reading levels when reading a variety of text domains
narrative texts • determine meanings of simple words based on what the rest of
9.3.2.2.1 use effective vocabulary learning strategies the sentence is about
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words • find and use context clues for learning new vocabulary
9.3.2.3.7 use incidental learning • figure out meanings from context
9.3.2.3.8 use context skills • look words up
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • consolidate knowledge of newly acquired vocabulary by
re-reading relatively simple texts
• use new words in their written and spoken forms in written
sentences.

Explain that learners are going to read a news report. Talk about what news is: information about things
that have happened recently. Ask where they would read a news report: in a printed or online newspaper.
Explain that in the first period they will read and prepare the text. In the second period they will do a
comprehension on the text. You will take in this comprehension and use it for continuous assessment.

Period 1
•• In Before you read, find out what learners know about these words: headline, subheading, photograph,
caption. They can use the Word list if they need to.
•• Ask them to identify the different parts of the report in Question 1.
•• In Question 2 they use the heading, pictures and captions to predict what the report will be about.
•• In Question 3 they work out meanings of words by looking at them in context.
•• Asks learners to follow in their books while you read the report. Read it slowly and clearly.
•• Stop at the end of each paragraph and discuss unfamiliar words. Encourage learners to work out the
meanings themselves by looking more carefully at the word in the sentence. If they cannot do this, they
can use the Word list or a dictionary to find the meaning.
•• Read the report again without stopping.
Period 2
•• Ask learners to read the report quietly on their own.
•• Learners answer the questions in writing in their exercise books.
•• Take in the books for marking. Use the memo in the answer section below.

Consolidation
•• Read the report again. Do this as shared reading. Encourage learners to join in while you read. Remind
learners to pause when there is a full stop. They can also volunteer to read some sentences on their own.
•• Do this again, encouraging more readers to read on their own.
Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memorandum provided below. Give a mark out of 10. Check that the mark
achieved reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the Assessment grid for reading comprehension. It is
included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder
on the Platinum English Second Language CD. Record the marks in your continuous assessment record
sheet.
Homework
Learners enter new words they have learnt in this topic so far in their personal dictionaries. This includes
words from the listening and speaking activities. Remind them to write sentences to show the meaning of
the words.
Answers
Activity 7 Read a news report

Before you read
Find these things in the report:
1. a) Headline: Cycling for health and safety
b) Subheading: Another Windhoek on Bike event took place in Katutura last weekend.
c) Photograph
d) Caption: to come once photo is placed.
3. b) supporters: people who like what other people are doing promoting: trying to get people to do
something sessions: the time you use to do something
After you read

1. The event is called Windhoek on Bike. (2)
2. It happened on Saturday last weekend. (2)
3. They started at 7h30 in the morning. (1)
4. The event ended at the Youth Centre in Katutura. (1)
5. Accept any answers that are supported by at least two good reasons, for example:
I think it is a good project because it gives people an opportunity to take part in a group sport and do
exercise which is good for them. I do not think it is a good project because bicycles are expensive and they
often get stolen. It is better to do exercise that does not need expensive equipment. (4)
Total: 10 marks

Lesson 6 Speak, read and respond
Activity 8 Use correct spelling and punctuation

Speaking, reading and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate of the text
intonation • demonstrate understanding of blends: ch
9.3.1.1 read aloud authentic texts for a specific purpose and to • identify and use punctuation correctly (commas)
extend vocabulary • use word clues to remember meanings of new words (an image
9.3.2.3.3 keyword method that readers connect to a word).
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words
9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary.

Explain that learners are going to do some vocabulary work based on the words they read in the news
report.

•• Read the spelling rule in the box. Ask for volunteers to say the words out loud, pronouncing them
correctly. Then ask learners to take turns to read each other the words in their pairs.
•• Explain that in English, sometimes two letters combine to make one sound. Practise saying the –ch
sound with the class. Point out that that the –ch can come at the beginning, middle or end of a word and
it can be a soft sound, or a hard k sound.
•• Learners do Question 2 in their pairs. They write the completed words in their exercise books and match
the words with the pictures. This visual association helps them remember the meaning of words. Then
they take turns to say the words out loud to each other.
•• Ask for volunteers to say the words. Make sure they pronounce the –ch sound correctly: hard k in choir
and school, soft -ch in all the other words.
•• Learners do Question 3 on their own in writing in their exercise books. Before they do this, see if they can
explain when we use commas in sentences: to separate words in a list, or to take a breath in a long
sentence. Make sure they know not to use a comma in a list when a word is followed by “and”.
Consolidation
Learners work in their pairs and read the newspaper report again out loud to each other in their pairs. They
must pay attention to the words that begin with a soft or hard c sound.

Answers
Activity 8 Use correct spelling and punctuation

1. Soft c: cycle centre circle city Hard c: call cut
2. a) Use the letters –ch to complete the words. Match the words with the pictures and say the words
out loud.
b) Is the –ch sound the same in all the words?
chain teacher choir school children church
3. Running, swimming and cycling can help you get fit.
Revise the basic spelling and punctuation rules with the learners.
Inclusivity
Take into account learners who may have problems pronouncing words because of physical reasons.
Encourage them to say the words as best they can. Do not try to correct them.

Activity 9 Read a map and describe a route

9.3.1.1 read aloud authentic texts for a specific purpose and to of the text
texts. • read materials to perform simple tasks
9.3.1.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum • look words up
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words • use new words in their written and spoken forms in written
9.4.5 write short texts sentences
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • write simple texts (directions).

Explain that learners are going read a map and follow directions for a walking trail.

Period 1
•• Organise learners into pairs.
•• Ask them to identify the key on the map.
•• Discuss what a key is: a list of the drawings/symbols on a map, showing what they mean.
•• In Question 1 they find places on the map.
•• In Question 2 they take turns to read directions and follow a route.
•• Remind them to use the Word list or a dictionary to find words that are difficult.

•• In Question 3 they work on their own and make up alternative routes. This is done in writing in their
exercise books. There are several route options on the map they can choose. The exercise also practices
action verbs related to directions such as: follow, continue, turn. They can complete the exercise for
homework.
Period 2
•• Ask for volunteers to read out the alternative routes they wrote. See how many different routes they
managed to find.
•• Learners do the vocabulary exercise in writing in their exercise books. Ask them to first find the direction
words in the text, and then to write words that mean the opposite.
Consolidation
•• Discuss that many dictionaries include words with opposite meanings. They are called antonyms. If your
class has dictionaries with antonyms, ask them to look up words and find the antonym for each word.
Otherwise call out words from your dictionary, for example hot, cold, and ask them to give antonyms for
the words.
•• Remind learners to enter new words from this lesson in their personal dictionaries.
Answers
Activity 9 Read a map and describe a route

5. start – finish, big – small, up – down, left – right.
If learners need more practise with antonyms, they can do the following activity.
Match each word in the first list below with a word from the second list that means the opposite.
1. finish a) long
2. slow b) fit
3. short c) fast
4. unfit d) start

Lesson 8 Literature

9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama and novels, and • read and identify title and main ideas key features
demonstrate understanding of various elements of • of a poem e.g. title, poet/poetess, lines, stanzas/verses
and understanding
sorrow.

Activity 10 Work with proper nouns

Learners will: • identify and use different types of nouns (common, Proper,
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions countable, uncountable, singular, plural)
at word and phrase levels. • identify and use articles correctly (a/an before nouns, ‘an’ is used
only when the noun starts with a vowel, do not use a or an with
uncountable nouns).

Find out what learners know about nouns. Ask: Is a noun a doing word or a naming word? Give examples of
nouns you can see in the classroom. There are different kinds of nouns – can you name some?
Explain that you will be revising nouns in the period, and doing some activities. At the beginning of the
second lesson, explain that you will take in the activities they do during this lesson and mark them for
continuous assessment.

Period 1
•• Discuss Question 1 as a class.
•• Learners do Questions 2 and 3 in writing in their exercise books.
•• Read through the information about singular and plural nouns in the language box.
•• Learners do Activity 11 Question 1 in writing in their exercise books.
Period 2
•• Read through the information about vowels and consonants in the language box.
•• Go through the answers as a class and ask learners to correct their own work.
•• Read through the information about countable and uncountable nouns in the language box.
Period 3
•• Read through the information about using “a”, “an” and “the” with nouns.
•• Learners do Question 2 orally as a class.
•• Learners do Questions 3 to 5 in writing in their exercise books. Ask them to read through the rules again
and to check their work carefully before they hand their work in.
Consolidation
Take in the books for marking.
Answers
Activity 10 Work with proper nouns

1. Common nouns Proper nouns
map Katatura
windmill Monday
route Helaria
Johannes
Youth Centre
Activity 11 Work with more nouns

1. bicycle – bicycles
fax – faxes
brush – brushes
map – maps
windmill – windmills
fish – fishes
beach – beaches
street – streets
avenue – avenues
bench – benches
camp site – camp sites

2. Start with vowels Start with consonants
avenue marathon
insect crowd
organiser street
route
path
Activity 12 Work with countable and uncountable nouns

1. homework, bread, music (3)
3. a) An athlete is someone who does sports.
b) A cyclist is someone who rides a bicycle.
c) Haingura won a medal for coming first in the marathon.
d) Please give me an entry form for the race.
e) A crowd of supporters welcomed the cyclists. (6)
4. a) The cyclist won the race.
b) The event started and ended at the hockey field.
c) The walking route is 5 kilometres long.
d) The marathon begins at 7h30.
e) Supporters welcomed the cyclists at the Youth Centre. (7)
5. a) There is water in the dam.
b) Rain started last night.
c) He runs as slowly as a tortoise.
d) She runs as fast as the wind. (4)
Total: 20 marks

Use the above memo to mark the exercises. Divide the mark and total by 2 to get a mark out of 10. Go up if
there is a half mark, for example 5 ½ would be 6.
Lesson 10 Dictation
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 5: Dictation


Explain that you are going to give the class a dictation. You will read them the map directions they read on
page 15 and they will write them down using the correct spelling and punctuation. You will take in the
books for marking and use the activity for continuous assessment. Learners can use the exercise books they
use for writing activities.

exclamation mark.
•• Give learners about 10 minutes to prepare the dictation on page 15. They must read it carefully, taking
note of the punctuation and paying special attention to words they find difficult to spell.
•• Ask learners to close their books. Explain that you will read the story three times. The first time, learners
must just listen. The second time you will stop at the end of each sentence, and learners must write the
sentence in their exercise books. The third time they must check their work for spelling and punctuation
mistakes.
•• Read the story as specified above.
Consolidation
Learners write the final version of their dictations out neatly. Take in their exercise books for marking.

Use the Assessment grid for dictation to reach a mark out of 10. It is included in the Assessment section of
this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second
Language CD. Record the marks in your continuous assessment sheet.
Lesson 11 Literature

and understanding
• read and identify similes and metaphors
sorrow.

Lesson 12 Write
Activity 13 Write about a news event

Learners will: • apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions (punctuation
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures and spelling)
9.4.4 organise sentences and paragraphs into whole texts. • organise jumbled short sentences into paragraphs (maximum 5
sentences)
• organise and sequence ideas.

If your school has a school newspaper, discuss the different kinds of articles you can read in it, for example
advertisements, news of events that have happened recently. Explain that learners are going to write a news
report about a sports event for a school newspaper.

Period 1
•• Ask learners to read the report. See if they pick up that it does not make sense. Discuss why this is so.
•• Learners follow the writing process to write the report correctly: write in rough, check, write neatly in
their exercise books. Before they start, read through the questions in the checklist.
Period 2
•• Ask for volunteers to read their correct version of the report.
•• Learners check their work and make corrections.
•• Learners copy the mind map and fill in answers to the questions.
•• Go through the answers with the class.
Consolidation
Explain to learners that a news report must always answer the questions: what, who, when, where (and
sometimes how). If there is time, turn back to the news report in Activity 13 of the Learner’s Book and ask
learners to answer the questions about the report.
Answers
Activity 13 Write about a news event

2. Cosmos Fun Big Walk
On Saturday 18 March, there was a Big Walk at Cosmos Primary School. Learners from Grade 4 to
Grade 7 took part. They walked around the soccer field eight times. At the finishing line each learner
got a cooldrink and a packet of chips.
4. a) The event was a Big Walk.
b) Learners from Grade 4 to Grade 7 took part.
c) It happened on Saturday 18 March.
d) It happened at Cosmos Primary School.
e) Learners walked around the soccer field eight times.

Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 3: Reading comprehension
Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 4: Grammar

Reading and grammar usage skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
9.3.6 read various texts reading levels when reading a variety of text domains
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • identify and use different types of nouns (common, Proper,
at word and phrase levels. countable, uncountable, singular, plural)
• identify and use articles correctly (a/an before nouns, an is used
uncountable nouns).

Explain that you are going to hand out the tasks learners did for Continuous Assessment Tasks 3 and 4.

Period 1
•• Read the news report “Cycling for health and safety” on page 13 out loud to the class.
•• Give back the marked comprehensions.
•• Give learners time to look at their marks and go through their work to see what they did well, or not
so well.
•• Go through the answers with the class. Ask for volunteers to give the answers.
Period 2
•• Hand back the exercise books with the marked Continuous Assessment Task 4. Tell the class that you are
going to go through the work together as a class.
•• Give learners time to look at their marks and to go through their work on their own to see where they
made mistakes.
•• Work through the exercises orally as a class. Ask for volunteers to explain the rules behind the correct
words used. For example: An athlete is someone who does sports. Use “an” instead of “a” before a noun
beginning with a vowel.
Consolidation
Learners do their corrections in writing.
•• Continuous Assessment Task 3: For learners who only manage to achieve Levels 1 and 2, ask them to do
the whole comprehension again for homework. Check their work.
•• Continuous Assessment Task 4: For learners who achieved Level 1 and 2, go through the rules again and
give them additional exercises to do for homework. Here are some examples that can be used:
1. The underlined words in the sentences are incorrect. Rewrite the sentences correctly. In some
sentences you need to write the correct word, and in others you need to leave out the word.
a) There is an weather map in the newspaper. (a weather map)

b) A rain started yesterday. (Rain, or The rain)
c) There is a empty bottle. (an empty bottle)
d) Is there a water in the glass? (water – no article)
e) Did you buy a food for supper? (food – no article)
2. Write the words in the plural form.
one lunch – two lunches, one brother – two brothers, one fox – two foxes, one glass – two glasses,
one exercise – two exercises, one question – two questions

Reading, vocabulary and grammar usage skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • read materials to extract information for simple tasks.
9.3.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum • use new words in their written and spoken through multiple
9.3.2 have repeated exposure to words opportunities
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • identify and use different types of nouns (common, Proper,
at word and phrase levels. countable, uncountable, singular, plural)
• identify and use articles correctly (a/an before nouns, an is used
uncountable nouns).

explaining each grammar concept in the topic as they complete the exercises. This will help them to see the
textbook as a resource that they can use as a reference tool.

Period 1
•• Learners complete the exercises on:
❍❍ –ch blends in words
❍❍ meanings of new words learnt in the topic
❍❍ Proper and common nouns
❍❍ directions on a map
❍❍ use of “a” or “an” before nouns.
Period 2
•• Learners mark their own work, using the copies of model answers from the CD. Or you go through the
Assessment
Self-assessment: Learners add their marks up out of a total of 25.
Answers
1. choice, sandwich, stitches, cheer, itch (5)

2. Word Meaning
a) subheading a smaller heading under the headline
b) route the way from one place to another
c) headline the title of a newspaper report
d) pollute to make air, water, or soil dirty in a harmful way
e) caption words below a picture that explain what the picture shows (5)
3. Proper nouns: Sam Nujoma, Windhoek, Sunday, June
Common noun: marathon (5)
4. a) Walk up Field Street.
b) You will see a petrol station on your right.
c) It is on the corner of Field Street and Love Street.
d) If you cross over the road you will find a shop.
e) If you continue along Field Street you will reach the hockey field. (5)
5. a) There is a weather map in the newspaper.
b) Would you like an ice-cream?
c) My brother is an athlete.
d) Here is a bottle of water.
e) There is a waterhole at the farm. (5)
Total: 25 marks



•• The worksheets offer learners a chance to work at different levels, A, B and C. See the note in the previous

Consolidation
•• The answers for this activity are on the CD. Provide copies of the answers, or write the answers on
the board.
•• Learners must do corrections once they have marked the worksheets. This can be done in class or
for homework.

Topic 3: Friends
About this topic
The genre focus in this topic is on plays, dialogues and role plays. This is the first time that learners are
being introduced to plays in Grade 4. The genres centre around the topic of friendship, with its problems
and its strengths.
Learners listen to a play about a friend who says hurtful things, and then read a play about friends who
have a fight. They identify the typical features of a play, and the emotions of the different characters. They
act out the play, showing these emotions. Then they role-play a difficult situation with a school friend, which
includes making apologies.
The writing activity is a letter to a friend.
The grammar focus is on adverbs. Other grammar structures and concepts include: word order in
sentences, stem words and prefixes and suffixes and spelling rules. New words learnt in this topic are added
to personal dictionaries.
There are three formal assessments in this topic. They are:
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 6: Listening comprehension Term 1
Continuous Assessment Task 7: Reading aloud
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 8: Writing: short task (friendly letter).
this TG.
Lesson 1 to 16
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to a play
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Listen
Task 6: Listening comprehension Answer questions
Retell
Lesson 14 Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 6: Listening
comprehension
Speaking Lesson 2 Activity 2 Act out the play
Show feelings and emotions
Lesson 3 Activity 3 Role play a school situation
Apologise
Lesson 4 Activity 4 Work with words and sentences
Sentences: order words
Reading Lesson 6 Activity 5 Read a play
Make predictions
Analyse features of a play
Answer a comprehension on the play
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Lesson 7 Activity 7 Practise reading
Task 7: Reading aloud Read aloud
Lesson 5 Activity 6 Use your vocabulary
Lesson 9 Stems, prefixes, suffixes
Lesson 13 Reader/Prescribed literature
Bob’s Best Friend (story)
54 Topic 3: Friends

Writing Lesson 10 Activity 10 Write a friendly letter
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Read a model of a friendly letter Write own letter
Task 8: Writing: short tasks Follow the stages of planning, drafting and editing
(friendly letter)
Grammar usage Lesson 8 Activity 9 Work with adverbs
Adverbs describe verbs or adjectives. Most adverbs end in –ly.
Some do not. Spelling rules
Lesson 12 Activity 8 Add letters to words
Activity 11 Write new words
Word order in sentences, stems, prefixes, suffixes, lend/borrow,
enter new words in personal dictionary
Self-assessment Lesson 15 Nouns, vocabulary, write directions
Compensatory and extension Lesson 16 Use the worksheets for Topic 3 on the Platinum English Second
teaching Language CD as follows:
Worksheet 3A Remedial for learners who have struggled
with the grammar work
Worksheet 3B Consolidation for extra work for learners who
have managed the work adequately
Worksheet 3C Extension for those learners who did well and
need more challenging activities.
English across the curriculum Reading activities
Learners can apply the lessons about friendship, problem
solving and learning to work together in this topic to all aspects
of their school life.
Writing activities
Learners can add words from other school subjects to their
personal dictionary.

•• Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Learner’s Book Topic 3, pages 22 to 28
•• Worksheets 3A, 3B and 3C from the CD
•• Dictionary
Topic 3: Friends 55

Activity 1 Listen to a play
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 6: Listening comprehension

Listening and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension: directions short answer questions (e.g. what, when, where, who)
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts and respond • retell short stories
appropriately: information text • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
9.1.3 listen to distinguish: mood of speaker; cause/effect • identify moods portrayed as they listen to a text
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • begin to answer simple questions based on cause and effect
• look words up.

Explain that learners are going to listen to a play. Find out what learners know about plays as a genre:
a play is a story that actors perform live on a stage, or on TV and the radio.
Tell learners they will do a comprehension on the play. You will mark the comprehensions and use them
for Continuous Assessment Task 6: Listening comprehension.

Period 1
•• Discuss the questions in Before you listen. Learners use illustrations to make predictions about the play
they will listen to.
•• Play the play three times.
❍❍ After the first time, ask learners to name the boys in the picture.
❍❍ Talk about the predictions they made. How were they correct? How were they different?
❍❍ Discuss words that they find difficult, and that do not appear in the Word list. Ask them to look up
these words in their dictionaries.

❍❍ Before they listen a second time, ask them to read the questions in ‘After you listen’. They must think
about the questions as they listen.

❍❍ The third time they listen they can make notes.
Period 2
•• Play the play a fourth time.
•• Learners complete Questions 1, 2 and 3 in writing in their exercise books. The questions focus on literal
answers using information from the play, and higher order answers, for example the analysis of
characters and personal response to the story. Before they start, give learners the marks for each question
so they know how much information they need to supply. Explain that they must write each answer in a
full sentence, starting with a capital letter and ending with a full stop. Give them an example without
actually giving the answer. Question: Name the three boys in the play. Answer: The three boys in the play
are (full stop).
56 Topic 3: Friends

Consolidation
Ask learners to check their work before you take in the books for marking. Do not play the listening
text again.
Homework
Learners enter new words and meanings in their personal dictionaries. They write a sentence for each word.
Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memo provided below. Divide it by 2 to give you a mark out of …
Mark half marks up, for example 5 = 6.
Check that the mark achieved reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the Assessment grid for Listening
comprehension. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the
Assessment tools folder on the CD.
Answers
Activity 1 Listen to a play

1. a) The three boys in the play are Bennie, Tom and Sindimba. (3)
b) Tom – upset, Bennie – unkind, Sindimba – kind. (3)
c) Tom is upset because Bennie called him “fatty”. (2)
d) Bennie apologises/says sorry to Tom. (1)
2. Accept answers that are backed with good reasons, for example: No, it is not a kind thing to say to
someone./Yes, it is honest; Tom must stop eating so many sweets. (3)
3. These are the main points that must be included:
Tom is eating sweets. Bennie arrives and calls him “fatty”. Tom is upset. (2)
Sindimba arrives and asks what is wrong. (2)
He comforts Tom. (2)
Bennie feels bad and says he is sorry. (2)
(8 – mark allocation indicated in answer. 2 marks per sentence – 1 mark for correct content, 1 mark for
full sentence construction.)
Total: 20 marks

Activity 2 Act out a play

Listening and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • begin to dramatise simple stories heard focussing on main
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure characters
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • begin to show, through role-play feelings
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words. • begin using clear voice qualities e.g. volume, intonation/pitch
• use new words in their written and spoken forms through
multiple opportunities.
Topic 3: Friends 57

Check that learners have entered new words in their personal dictionaries. Ask for volunteers to read out
their sentences.
Explain that learners are going to work in groups of three and act out the play they listened to in the
previous lesson.

•• Learners listen to the play again.
•• Organise learners into groups of three.
•• Read through the guidelines about acting and speaking.
•• Give them 15 minutes to prepare their dialogues.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to act out some of the dialogues.
Circulate while learners are preparing. Work with groups who are struggling to express themselves
in English.
Inclusivity
If learners are unable to express themselves clearly due to speech disabilities, take this into account. Their
use of gestures can indicate that they understand the emotions of the character they are playing.
Lesson 3 Speak and respond

Activity 3 Role play a school situation

Speaking skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • speak with clarity to be understood by teachers and peers
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • begin using clear voice qualities e.g. volume, intonation/pitch
intonation • begin to show, through role-play feelings
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • demonstrate knowledge of using simple grammar.
9.2.3 develop understanding of key characteristics of spoken
language.

Explain that learners are going to act out a situation in which they have to apologise to someone. This kind
of acting is called a role play, because they are given the situation but they have to make up their own words
and actions.

•• Organise learners in pairs. Ask them to read the words that Bennie uses when he apologises to Tom, and
then the expressions in the book.
58 Topic 3: Friends

•• Discuss the expressions with the class. Point out that all the expressions are polite, but that we would
only use “I regret” and “Pardon me” with adults that we do not know well.
•• Read the situation they must role play.
•• Let them prepare and do the role plays in their pairs. Remind them to use their voices to show what they
are feeling when they say their words. They must also remember to swap roles.
Consolidation
10 minutes before the end of the lesson, ask for volunteers to do their role plays in front of the class.
Lesson 4 Write
Activity 4 Work with words and sentences

Learners will: • copy chalkboard notes and text accurately
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions:
9.5.2 apply knowledge of grammatical rules at sentence level. ❍❍ punctuation e.g. full stop, commas and apostrophe
❍❍ spelling
❍❍ capitalisation
• apply knowledge of concord (subject-verb agreement) correctly

• use jumbled words to make sentences.

Explain that learners are going to practise writing sentences.

•• Write this sentence in the present simple tense on the board and ask learners to correct it: bennie walks
into the room (Bennie walks into the room.)
•• Use the corrected sentence to revise the basic rules of sentences. Ask learners to identify the features as
you describe them. A sentence:
❍❍ is a group of words that make sense
❍❍ describes one main action or idea
❍❍ starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark
❍❍ has a subject (Bennie)
❍❍ has a verb. The verb agrees with the subject (walks).
•• Change the subject of the example sentence to illustrate how the subject and verb must agree. Write the
sentences below on the board. Leave the verb out and ask learners to supply the correct form.
❍❍ I/You/we/they walk into the room.
❍❍ He/She walks into the room.
•• Write another sentence on the board, this time in the present continuous tense, for example: Tom is
eating sweets. Go through the same process as described above, including changing the subject of the
sentence. Discuss how the first part of the verb changes, but the second part stays the same. They have
learnt about this in Topic 1. Then write the sentence as a question: Is Tom eating sweets? Talk about how
the word order changes in a question.
•• Ask learners to do Activity 4 in the Learner’s Book.
Topic 3: Friends 59

Consolidation
Go through the sentences with the class. Ask for volunteers to give the correct sentences. Then ask them to
identify the subjects and verbs in each sentence.
Answers

1. My friend is kind. 2. He said a hurtful word.
3. Is Tom cross? 4. Are you eating sweets?
Lesson 5 Literature

and understanding
sorrow.
•• Bob’s Best Friend (story)
60 Topic 3: Friends

Activity 5 Read a play

Learners will: • identify text features
texts. • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
9.3.1.6 read various texts reading levels when reading a variety of text domains
9.3.2.1 read and demonstrate knowledge of and apply acquired • determine meanings of simple words based on what the rest of
reading strategies within any of the 3 reading stages: the sentence is about
strategies for pre-, while- and post-reading • use pictures to predict content of the texts
9.3.2.2.1 use effective vocabulary learning strategies • use post-reading strategies to enhance understanding
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • find and use context clues for learning new vocabulary
9.3.2.3.7 use incidental learning • figure out meanings from context
9.3.2.3.8 use context skills • look words up
sentences.

In Activity 1, learners discussed the genre of a play before they listened to a play. See what they can
remember about the discussion (a play is a story that actors perform live on a stage, or on TV and the
radio). Explain that they are now going to read a play about two friends.

Period 1
•• As a class, work through the questions in Before you read orally. Learners use pictures to make
predictions about what the play will be about and they identify the basic features of a play. Find out what
learners know about these words: headline, captions. They can use the Word list if they need to.
Note: Do not read through the words in the Word list yet. Learners must try to work out the meanings of
unfamiliar words on their own first while you read the play.
•• Read the play out loud to the class. Change your voice for each character, and make sure you show how
they are feeling.
•• Discuss difficult words. Encourage learners to work out the meanings of unfamiliar words on their own
by looking at the whole sentence in which it appears. Then read through the words in the Word list.
Make sure that learners understand the difference between borrow and lend.
Period 2
•• Find out what learners can remember about the play from the previous lesson. Ask: How many characters
are there? What are their names? Who has a fight? Why? etc.
•• Read the play again.
•• Ask learners to read it quietly on their own.
•• Organise learners into groups of four.
Topic 3: Friends 61

•• Read through the questions in After you read. Questions 1 to 4 focus on literal answers using information
from the play. In Question 4 learners express opinions and make judgements about a character’s
behaviour.
•• Ask learners to discuss the questions in their groups.
Period 3
•• Ask learners to read the play again quietly on their own
•• Ask them write answers to the questions. Remind them to use full sentences.
Consolidation
Go through the answers to the questions as a class.
Answers
Activity 5 Read a play

Before you read
3. b) What the people in the play are doing
After you read

1. The names of the four characters in the play are: Leena, Annike, Wetupa and John.
2. a) True
b) False
c) False
d) True
3. John said that girls can’t behave themselves.
4. Accept any answer that is backed with two good reasons, for example: No, it is an unfair thing to
say. Both boys and girls sometimes misbehave.
Lesson 7 Read
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 7: Reading aloud

Learners will: • recognisefrequently used words and punctuation marks found in
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate most texts at their level
intonation • begin using clear voice qualities e.g. volume, intonation/pitch
9.3.1.1 read aloud authentic texts for a specific purpose and to • read aloud with appropriate use of pause, to show understanding
extend vocabulary of the text
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • use new words in their written or spoken forms through multiple
9.3.2.3.5 root analysis opportunities
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity. • identify word roots, prefixes and/or suffixes in simple words
• use mnemonics.
62 Topic 3: Friends

Explain that learners are going to work in the same groups of four from the previous lesson. In the first
period, they are going to practise reading the play. In the second period they will present their readings.
You will call them up one group at a time and use the readings to do Continuous Assessment Task 7. While
each group is reading, the rest of the class will do a vocabulary activity, and then practise reading from their
prescribed books.

Period 1
•• Ask learners to read the play in their groups of four. Each learner reads a character.
•• Remind them to only read the words that the characters say, not the stage directions.
•• Tell them to pay attention to the following points, as you will be using these criteria to assess their
reading aloud. Write them on the board and discuss them so that learners are clear about what is
required:
❍❍ pronouncing words clearly and correctly
❍❍ reading smoothly, pausing only when there are commas, full stops, question and exclamation marks
❍❍ reading with expression: changing voices to show the emotions of the characters.
•• The groups spend the rest of the lesson preparing their readings.
Period 2
•• Learners do the vocabulary exercises in writing in their exercise books. The exercises reinforce
vocabulary learnt in the topic. Before they start, read what the children are saying to each other on
page 24. It is important that learners grasp the concept first, and are not put off by unfamiliar vocabulary.
•• When they have finished Activity 6 they can read from their prescribed books.
•• Call up groups to read the play for formal assessment. If you do not complete this, you can continue in
Lesson 14 during the self-assessment.
Consolidation
10 minutes before the lesson, go over the answers for Activity 6 Use your vocabulary.
Answers
Activity 6 Use your vocabulary

1. The girl asked the boy if he could lend her his book.
2. The boy replied that she could borrow it.
Formal assessment
Use the Assessment grid for Reading aloud. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide.
It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the CD.
Inclusivity
Take into account learners who may have problems pronouncing words because of physical reasons. Be
lenient in your assessment – assess how well they have prepared and the effort they are making to read with
expression. Do not take off marks for words that are not correctly pronounced or clear.
Topic 3: Friends 63

Activity 9 Work with adverbs

Learners will: • identify and use adverbs correctly:
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions ❍❍ adverbs describe verbs or sometimesadjectives
at word and phrase levels. ❍❍ most adverbs end in –ly
❍❍ some adverbs do not end in –ly.

Explain that learners are going to revise what they have learnt in previous grades about adverbs, and learn
more about them.

Period 1
•• Write this sentence on the board: Use my pencil quickly. See if learners can identify the adverb (quickly).
Ask which word in the sentence is “quickly”. It is telling you more about (use). See if learners can identify
the part of speech for use (verb).
•• Read the information about adverbs in the Language box.
•• Learners do Questions 1, 2 and 3 in class in writing in their exercise books. They can finish them for
homework.
Period 2
•• Go through the answers for the exercises on adverbs. Learners mark their own work and do corrections.
•• Write this sentences on the board: Annike is an honest friend. See if learners can identify the adjective
(honest). Discuss how the adjective describes the noun (Annike).
•• Explain that you can change adjectives into adverbs. Write this sentence on the board, under Annike is an
honest friend: Annike behaves honestly. Discuss how you can add –ly to the adjective to make it an
adverb, and how now it describes the verb behave, not Annike. Point out that some adjectives do not
follow the –ly rule.
•• Read the information in the Language box. Make sure learners understand all the spelling rules for
changing adjectives into adverbs.
•• Learners do Question 4 in writing in their exercise books. They can complete it for homework.
Period 3
•• Find out what learners can remember about the spelling rules for changing adjectives into adverbs.
•• Go through the answers for Question 4 with the class.
•• Explain that although most adverbs describe verbs, some adverbs do not work like this. They describe
adjectives.
•• Write this sentence on the board: Leena is really cross. See if they can identify the adverb (really), and
that cross is an adjective. Explain that the adverb tells you about “cross”, not the verb “is”.
•• Read through the information in the language box.
•• Ask learners to do Question 5 in writing in their exercise books.
64 Topic 3: Friends

Consolidation
Learners do their corrections in their exercise books.
Answers
Activity 9 Work with words

1. Dear Leena
I’m sorry that I spoke to you so rudely.
I was very angry with my sister, not with you.
We get on so well together. I hope we can always be friends.
Love Annike
2. again
3. a) Annike easily loses her temper.
b) Do you sometimes fight with your friends?
c) You must treat your classmates respectfully.
d) You are always borrowing my things.
e) Use my pencil quickly.
f) Most of the time Leena and Annike get on well.
Lesson 9 Literature

and understanding
sorrow.
Topic 3: Friends 65

Lesson 10 Write
Activity 6 Write a friendly letter
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 8: Write short tasks

9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts usingEnglish structures and spelling)
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing • apply knowledge of concord
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • write simple friendly letters by showing knowledge of:
at word and phrase levels. ❍❍ own or school address
❍❍ salutation
❍❍ signing off
❍❍ at least two short paragraphs of the body.

Talk about why we write letters, and who we write them to. For example: to share news with friends and
family, to apologise to someone, to express an opinion to a newspaper, to find out about something, to ask a
favour from or get permission from someone.
Explain that learners are going to write a letter to a friend. They will prepare their letters in this period,
and complete them in the next period. You will take in the completed letters and mark them for continuous
assessment.

Period 1
•• Ask learners to look at the letter quickly without reading it, and to find the following parts: address, date,
greeting, a paragraph, the ending.
•• Ask learners to read the letter on their own. They must just read the letter, not the notes around it.
•• Ask them to read the notes.
•• Read the letter out loud to the class. Then read and discuss each note.
•• Learners then use the model to start planning their own letters. By the end of this period they should
have started on their rough draft.
Period 2
•• Learners complete the writing process described in the Learner’s Book. Remind them to use the checklist
to check their rough drafts before they write the neat version in their exercise books.
•• Take in the books for marking.
Consolidation
Learners are to enter new words from this lesson in their personal dictionaries. Remind them to write
meanings and example sentences for each word. They can complete this for homework.
Formal assessment
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 8: Write short tasks
66 Topic 3: Friends

Use the Assessment grid for Shorter writing tasks. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s
Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the CD.
Lesson 11 Dictation
Do a dictation

Writing and grammar usage skills Learners should be able to:

Explain that you are going to give the class a dictation. You will read them the model letter that Annike
wrote to Leena on page 28.

exclamation mark.
•• Give learners about 10 minutes to prepare the letter for dictation on page 28. They must read it carefully,
taking note of the punctuation and paying special attention to words they find difficult to spell.
•• Ask learners to close their books. Explain that you will read the letter three times. The first time, learners
must just listen. The second time you will stop at the end of each sentence, and learners must write the
sentence in their exercise books. The third time they must check their work for spelling and punctuation
mistakes.
•• Read the story as specified above.
Consolidation
Learners write the final version of the dictations neatly in their exercise books.
Peer assessment
Learners swap books. They open the Learner’s Books to page 28 and mark each other’s work. They must
take off a mark for each word spelt incorrectly and each incorrect or missing and punctuation. Write the
marking scheme below on the board. They count the mistakes in the dictation and allocate a mark out of 10.
9–10: between 0 and 2 mistakes
1–2: more than 9 mistakes.
Topic 3: Friends 67

Learner’s Book pages 26 and 28 Time: 1 × 40-minute period
Activity 8 Add letters to words
Revise stem words, prefixes and suffixes and new vocabulary

Learners will: • use new words in their written or spoken forms through multiple
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words opportunities
9.3.2.3.5 root analysis • identify word roots, prefixes and/or suffixes in simple words
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity. • use mnemonics.

Explain that learners are going to revise adding parts to words to make new words (stem, prefix, suffix).
They will also revise vocabulary learnt in this topic, and then, as a fun activity, create a poem together as
a class.

•• Write the word friend on the board. Write these word parts around it: un/ly/ship/lines/less. See how
many words learners can make by adding the parts to the beginning and end. For example, friendly,
unfriendly, friendship, friendliness, friendless. Ask which word means the opposite of friendly.
•• Practise the words ‘lend’ and ‘borrow’. Direct questions to individual learners, such as: Will you lend me
your rubber/pencil/ruler/book etc. They must answer: Yes, you can borrow it. Ask for volunteers to make
up sentences using lend and borrow.
•• Write the first six lines of this poem on the board. See how many rhyming pairs of sentences they can
add. Some ideas have been added below.
•• Learners do Activity 11 and add new words to their personal dictionaries.
What is a friend?
Someone to play with
Someone to stay with
Someone to talk with
Someone to walk with
Someone to fly with
Someone to cry with
Someone to share with
Someone to care with
Someone to be with
Someone to see with.
68 Topic 3: Friends

Answers
Activity 8 Add letters to words

1. hurtful
2. friendship
3. dishonest
4. impolite
5. fighting

and understanding
sorrow.

Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 6: Listening comprehension

Listening skills Learners should be able to:
9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension: directions short answer questions (e.g. what, when, where, who)
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts and respond • retell short stories
appropriately: information text • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
9.1.3 listen to distinguish: mood of speaker; cause/effect. • identify moods portrayed as they listen to a text
• begin to answer simple questions based on cause and effect.

Explain that you are going to hand out the listening comprehensions learners did for Continuous
Assessment Task 6.
Topic 3: Friends 69

•• Play the listening text again.
so well.
Consolidation
Continuous Assessment Task 6: For learners who only manage to achieve Levels 1 and 2, ask them to listen
to the play again and then do the whole comprehension again for homework. Check their work.

Grammar usage and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • use new words in their written and spoken through multiple
9.3.3.3.2 have repeated exposure to words opportunities
9.4.2 write short sentences accurately • write simple sentences using visual stimuli
9.4.4 organise sentencesand paragraphs into whole texts • organise jumbled short sentences into paragraphs
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and • identify and use adverbs.
conventions at word and phrase levels.


Period 1
•• sequencing sentences to summarise a story
•• matching sentences and pictures
•• writing own sentences
•• using adverbs
•• stem words, prefixes and suffixes.
Period 2
•• Learners mark their own work, using the copies of model answers from the CD, or you go through the
Assessment
70 Topic 3: Friends

Answers
1. Annike wanted to borrow Leena’s pencil. Leena did not want to lend it to her.
Annike wrote in Leena’s book. The boys said that girls can’t behave themselves.
The girls said the boys were fighting at break time. They all stopped fighting. (6)
2. a) – 4
b) – 3
c) – 1
d) – 2 (4)
3. Accept any sentences that make sense, for example: Friends trust each other, Friends fight
sometimes but they always forgive each other, Friends see each other over weekends. (2)
4. My friend always listens to me when I have a problem. We often do nice things together. Yesterday
we climbed a big tree. Sometimes we get cross with each other, but we always make friends again.(5)
5. a) impossible
b) freedom
c) discover(3)
Letters before Word Letters after

im possible dom
dis free
cover
Total: 20 marks
Lesson 16 Compensation and extension teaching



❍❍ Use Worksheet 3C for more challenging work for learners who have understood this fully and will
enjoy doing some more difficult exercises.

Consolidation
the board.
for homework.
Topic 3: Friends 71

Topic 4: A busy community
About this topic
The genre focus in this topic is on stories, including a story with dialogue, and a diary. The activities centre
around the theme of an accident in a busy street, and road safety.
Learners listen to a story about the accident. They read a dialogue in which someone who saw the
accident describes what happened from his point of view. The dialogue raises issues about road safety.
They also identify road safety signs and read about road safety rules.
Learners write a report about the accident and a letter to the newspaper.
The Language focus is on connecting words and using the apostrophe to show possession. New words
learnt in this theme are added to personal dictionaries.
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 10: Prescribed literature Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 11:
Unprepared speaking
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 12: Directed writing.
this TG.
Lesson 1 to 16
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to a story
Task 9: Listening comprehension Answer questions Retell the story
Lesson 14 Activity 2 Practise new vocabulary
Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 9: Listening
comprehension
Speaking Lesson 3 Activity 4 Do a role play
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Act out a dialogue
Task 11: Unprepared speaking Make requests
Lesson 10 Unprepared speaking
Reading Lesson 2 Activity 3 Read a dialogue
Answer a comprehension on the dialogue
Lesson 5 Activity 5 Talk about road safety
Identify road signs
Read road safety rules
Poems related to road safety
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Lesson 4 Reader/Prescribed literature
Task 10: Prescribed literature Lesson 9 Prescribed literature, e.g. texts from the Platinum English
Lesson 12 Second Language Grade 4 Reader:
The Busy, Busy Bus Stop (poem)
Writing Lesson 13 Activity 8 Write a report, a letter and identify
Term 1 Continuous Assessment traffic rules
Task 12: Directed writing Use own words to complete a report
Use provided words to complete a letter
Write sentences using visual stimuli
72 Topic 4: A busy community

Grammar Lesson 6 Activity 6 Use connecting words (conjunctions)
Conjunctions used to connect words or clauses
Lesson 7 Activity 7 Use apostrophes
Match words and meanings, use punctuation
Self-assessment/Consolidation Lesson 15 Conjunctions, apostrophes to show possession,
using words to complete a paragraph, sequencing sentences to
summarise a story.
Compensatory and extension Lesson 16 Use the worksheets for Topic 4 (on the Platinum English Second
teaching Language Grade 4 CD) as follows:
The information on life in a town and street safety can apply to
learners’ Social Studies as well. This will add to learners’
understanding of population and urban settlements in
geography.
Writing activities
Writing factual reports of events that have
happened is a skill that can apply to science experiments and
other projects they do at school.

•• Dictionary
Topic 4: A busy community 73


9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension short answer questions
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts • filling in missing information
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure (stories, poems, songs, • retell simple stories heard
dramas) • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • listen to initial parts of stories and state what will happen next
(predicting)
• look words up.

Ask learners to look at the picture on page 30. Explain that they are going to listen to a story about the
picture and then answer questions about it. The listening texts are in the Audio section of this Teacher’s
Guide. You will take in and mark the questions as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
In Before you listen, discuss the people above the picture. Ask learners to read the labels describing each
person and then to find the person in the picture.
•• Discuss the work each person does. They can use their dictionaries to help them if they are unsure.
•• Talk about what is happening in the picture. Spend some time on this – there is a lot going on.
•• Point out that there is a four-way stop in the picture. Ask learners to find the stop signs and the lines in
the road (The delivery man is in front of the stop sign on the corner, but the line on the road indicates
that he should stop or yield).
•• Read the words and meanings in the Word list.
•• Play the story. Ask learners to look at the picture while they listen and match what is happening in the
story.
•• Stop when it comes to the question. Learners will probably be able to predict that the taxi and the bicycle
are about to have an accident. Ask them to point to the parts of the picture that suggest this. The speed
lines around the bicycle and the taxi suggest that both are going too fast, particularly because there are
stop streets.
•• Play the story again. Do not stop until the end. Ask: Did you guess what was about to happen correctly?
Period 2
•• Asks learners to read Question 1 in After you listen.
•• Play the story a third time. Ask learners to listen for answers to the questions.
•• Learners write answers for the questions in their exercise books.
•• Ask them to check their work.
•• Take in the books for marking.

Period 3
•• Discuss the connecting words. Point out that they make sentences flow more smoothly, and give a sense
of the time in which events happen. They will learn more about connecting words in the grammar
section.
•• Play the story again.
•• Learners take turns to retell the story in their pairs.
•• They discuss Question 3 in their pairs.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to share their experiences about accidents.
Homework
Learners do Activity 2 on page 31 for homework. It reinforces vocabulary they have learnt in this lesson.
Answers
Before you listen

Note: Learners use their background knowledge from Question 2 to do this activity. Here are some ideas:
•• shopkeeper – runs a shop, sells things like food and clothes to people
•• hawker – sells things to people but does not have a shop – sells on the street or at a market
•• nurse – works in a hospital, helps/looks after sick people
•• police officer – works in a police station, helps keep a town/city safe, reports people or things that
go wrong
•• delivery man – delivers parcels from one place to another
•• taxi driver – people pay him or her to drive them from one place to another in a taxi.
While you listen

The question on the CD is: Find Mr Mbumba in the picture. What do you think is going to happen next?
Accept any answers that make sense – he is going to crash into the taxi, he is going to fall off his bicycle, His
parcel is going to fall off his bicycle, the taxi is going to crash into him, there is almost an accident but
luckily nothing happens, etc.
After you listen

1. a) The story happens in a busy street/at a four-way stop/at a stop street. (2)
b) It is about Mr Mbumba the delivery man, and the taxi driver. (2)
2. a) Mr Mbumba is in a hurry. He has a parcel to deliver.
b) Then a taxi knocks him off his bike at a stop street.
c) After that an ambulance takes him to hospital.
d) Later he is worried. He will not be able to deliver parcels for the next six weeks. (6)
Total: 10 marks

Activity 2 Practise new vocabulary
2. a) –4
b) –6
c) –1
d) –2
e) –3
f) –5
Formal assessment
Continuous Assessment Task 9: Listening comprehension
Mark the answers using the memorandum provided above. Give a mark out of 10.
Check that the mark achieved reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the Assessment grid for listening
Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD.
Extended teaching
Use the picture to discuss in more depth the work that people do, for example: There is a nurse. She works in
a clinic. She helps sick people get better. There is a hawker. He …

Activity 3 Read a dialogue

Speaking and reading skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • begin using clear voice qualities e.g. volume, intonation/pitch
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • recognise frequently used words and punctuation marks found in
intonation most texts at their level
9.3.1.1 read aloud authentic texts for a specific purpose and to • read aloud with appropriate use of pause, to show understanding
extend vocabulary read a range of texts across the of the text, e.g. obeying full stops and commas in a text
curriculum • construct meaning from visual texts
9.3.1.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • read materials. to extract information for simple tasks: true/false
texts • read, write and discuss texts on cross-curricular issues and
9.3.1.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum (road safety) respond to simple language questions
9.3.1.6 read various texts • use pictures to predict content of the texts
9.3.2.2 read and demonstrate knowledge of and apply acquired • predict new events relating to characters while reading
reading strategies within any of the 3 reading stages: • use post-reading strategies to enhance understanding
strategies for pre-, while- and post-reading • consolidate knowledge of newly acquired vocabulary by
9.3.3.2 have repeated exposure to words re-reading relatively simple texts
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • look words up.

Go through Activity 2 that was done for homework. The answers are under the Answer heading below.
Learners mark their own work.
Explain that learners are going to read more about the story from Lesson 1. The story will be in the form
of a dialogue. Ask them to look at the dialogue and compare it to the features of a play. They are very similar.

Period 1
•• Work as a class. Discuss the activities in Before you read. Learners use the illustrations, including the
illustration from page 30, to identify the character and predict what the story might be about.
•• Read the story to the class. Use the correct intonation for questions and exclamations.
•• Discuss difficult words. Encourage learners to first work out meanings by looking at the word in the
sentence it appears. Then they can use the Word list or a dictionary to find the meanings.
Period 2
•• Discuss the different kinds of punctuation in the dialogue.
•• Discuss how to change your voice when you read:
❍❍ Questions – your tone raises towards the end of the sentence and your voice changes
❍❍ Exclamations – your voice is a bit louder than for a question or a statement, and you show what you
are feeling about what you are saying.

•• Ask two strong readers to read the story. Each reads a character’s words.
Period 3
•• Read through the questions in After you read. They include literal questions and higher order questions in
which learners express their own opinions about the accident.
•• Learners write answers to the questions in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Go through the answers to questions with the class. See how many points of view were expressed for
Question 3.
Before you read

1. He is the shopkeeper. The woman is the police officer.
2. Accept any answers that make sense, for example: He is telling the police officer about the accident;
he is complaining that there are always accidents outside his shop, etc.
Answers
Activity 3 Read a dialogue

After you read
1. She uses the word “Sir”.
2. a) True b) False
c) True d) True
e) False
3. Accept any answers that make sense, for example:
a) I think the taxi driver caused the accident because he was not concentrating on his driving; he
was talking on his cell phone.
b) I think Mr Mbumba caused the accident because his parcel was so big he could not see where he
was going.
c) I think both of them caused the accident because they were both doing things you should not do
when you are on the road.

Activity 4 Do a role play

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • speak with clarity to be understood by teachers and peers
intonation • demonstrate knowledge of using simple grammar.
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts
language.

Explain that learners are going to work in pairs and act out part of the dialogue they read in the previous
lesson. They will also practise different ways of asking permission to do something.

•• Ask learners to identify the two questions and the one exclamation in the dialogue.
•• Ask for volunteers to read the sentences, using appropriate pitch and intonation.
•• Ask them to identify the sentence in which the police officer asks for permission to do something: Do you
mind if I ask you some questions about it? Point out that the words “Do you mind if …” is an expression
you can use to ask for permission. There are other words you can use instead of these. Read through the
different expressions you can use in the box.
•• Learners each choose a character to read and role play the dialogue, paying attention to pitch and
intonation.
•• Then they practise making a request, using the different expressions from the box.
Consolidation
Ask pairs to volunteer to act out the dialogues.
Inclusivity
Take into account learners who may have problems with pitch and intonation because of physical reasons.
Encourage them to say the words as best they can. Do not try to correct them.

Lesson 4 Literature
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 10: Literature

and understanding
sorrow.
Use this lesson to do the Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 10: Literature. A template for this task, as well
as a template for the memorandum, appears on the CD that accompanies this Teacher’s Guide. Answers will
be determined by the prescribed story chosen.

Activity 5 Talk about road safety

Learners will: • construct meaning from visual texts
9.3.1.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • read materials to extract information for simple tasks: matching
9.3.1.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum (road safety) respond to simple language questions.
9.3.1.5 read cross-curricular issues:
9.3.1.6 reading various texts
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words

Explain that learners are going to identify traffic sings and read about safety rules. Discuss how the
accident in the story they have been reading and listening to so far in this topic was caused by people not
obeying road safety rules.

Period 1
•• Learners work on their own. Read through Questions 1 and 2. Ask learners to write their answers in their
exercise books. The traffic rules in Question 2 focus on pedestrians. Point out that pedestrians cause as
many accidents as drivers because they do not know the basic traffic rules, or they know them, but do not
obey them.

Period 2
•• Discuss Question 3 with the class.
•• Teach learners this poem about traffic signs. Write it on the board. Say it together as a class.
On my bicycle
I ride my brand new bicycle,
I bought it at a shop,
And when I reach the red robots,
I know I have to stop!
Red light means “Stop!”
Green light means “Go!”
Yellow light means “Careful,”
Slow down when I show!
Consolidation
Go through the traffic rules that have been learnt in this lesson again. Emphasise the importance of obeying
these rules when you are on the road, as a driver or as a pedestrian.
Answers
Activity 5 Talk about road safety

1. a)– no bicycles
b) – stop
c) – watch out for the children
d) – no entry
e) – pedestrians only
f) – no entry
2. a)If there is a pavement, always walk on it.
b) If there is not a pavement, walk on the left side of the road. Walk as close to the side of the road
as you can.
c) When you want to cross a road, always look left, then right, then left again.
d) If there is a pedestrian crossing, always use it.
Homework
Learners enter new words they have learnt in this topic so far in their personal dictionaries. This includes
words from the listening and speaking activities. Remind them to write sentences to show the meaning of
the words.
Extension teaching
Here is another poem you can teach the class. Ask them identify the rhyming pairs.
Big blue bike
I like to ride
On my bike outside
Up and down the street I pedal my feet
On my big blue bike
That’s what I like.

But I’m sorry to say
I went too fast one day I came tumbling down
Down to the ground
Now I’m black and blue
And very sore too
But I still love my bike
That’s what I like.
Lesson 6 Use grammar

Activity 6 Use connecting words (conjunctions)

Grammar skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • identify and use conjunctions.
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions
at word and phrase levels.

Explain that learners are going to learn about words that join sentences.

•• Read about connecting words in the language box.
•• Ask learners to do the activity.
Consolidation
Go through the answers with the class. Make sure they know that the first word in the second sentence does
not start with a capital letter when you use the conjunction.
Answers
Activity 6 Use connecting words
1. a) There was a stop street but the taxi driver did not see it.
b) Mr Mbumba was worried because he was late.
c) The taxi bumped into him and he fell of his bike.
d) You can cause an accident if you talk on your cell phone while you drive.
e) Mr Mbumba was not going fast however he could not see where he was going.
Revise the connecting words “and”, “but”, “because”, “so” and “that”. Write them on the board. Make up
sentences leaving out the connecting words. Ask learners to choose the correct word. Do this orally. Here
are some sentences you can use:
Drivers must stop at stop streets _______ they don’t cause accidents. (so)
The shopkeeper sells sweets _______ fruit at his shop. (and)
The police officer wants to buy some of his fruit _______ it is too expensive. (but)
The shopkeeper says it is expensive _______ it is very good. (because)

Activity 7 Use apostrophes

Learners will: • identify and use different types of nouns: possessive form
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions (e.g. the child’s book, the children’s books).

Explain that learners are going to learn about a punctuation mark that you can use to show that something
(a noun) belongs to someone.

•• Read about apostrophes in the language box.
Consolidation
Go through the answers with the class.
Answers
Activity 7 Use apostrophes

1. a) It is the shopkeeper’s shop.
It is the taxi driver’s cell phone.
It is the girl’s bag.
It is the man’s book.
It is the people’s country.

Revise conjunctions and apostrophes to show possession

Learners will: • join sentences using conjunctions
9.4.3 write long sentences • identify and use different types of nouns: possessive form
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions (e.g. the child’s book, the children’s books)
at word and phrase levels. • identify and use conjunctions.

Explain that learners are going to revise the grammar they have learnt in the previous two lessons.

•• Read the rules about conjunctions again.
•• Write this activity on the board. Ask learners to copy the beginnings of the sentences and write endings
for them.
❍❍ I was on my way to school and …
❍❍ I think the taxi stopped at the stop street but …
❍❍ The shopkeeper is also not sure if …
❍❍ I was sorry for the delivery man on the bicycle because …
❍❍ The delivery man will get better, however …
•• Read about apostrophes in the language box.

•• Write this activity on the board. Ask learners to copy and complete it, adding apostrophes where
necessary.
❍❍ The bicycles wheel is broken.
❍❍ The taxis seats are comfortable.
❍❍ The hawker’s goods are cheap.
❍❍ The nurses uniform is clean.
❍❍ The police officers job is difficult.
Consolidation
Answers
•• Accept any endings that make sense, for example:
❍❍ I was on my way to school and I saw an accident.
❍❍ I think the taxi stopped at the stop street but I am not sure.
❍❍ The shopkeeper is also not sure if the taxi driver stopped.
❍❍ I was sorry for the delivery man on the bicycle because he was badly hurt.
❍❍ The delivery man will get better, however he will not be able to work for a long time.
•• The apostrophes should be inserted as follows:

❍❍ The bicycle’s wheel is broken.
❍❍ The taxi’s seats are comfortable.
❍❍ The hawker’s goods are cheap.
❍❍ The nurse’s uniform is clean.
❍❍ The police officer’s job is difficult.

Lesson 9 Literature

and understanding
sorrow.
The following text from the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader supports this topic.
•• The Busy, Busy Bus Stop (poem)
Lesson 10 Speak
Continuous Assessment Task 11: Unprepared speaking

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • speak with clarity to be understood by teachers and peers
intonation • begin to make simple speeches on familiar topics
language.

Tell learners that they will be making an unprepared speech. They should speak for between 2 and 3
minutes. Choose from these topics that are based on the work they have done in Topic 4.
•• A traffic accident they saw happening
•• A talk giving their opinions on why it is important to obey traffic rules
•• A description of the shops in the main street of a town they know well
You can, of course, supplement these topics with topics that you choose based on what is happening in your
school or area. Choose simple topics that learners will have some experience of, for example, a sports day at
your school, or an event in the community.

•• Write the topics on the board and ask learners to decide on which topic to prepare.

•• Explain to learners that you will assess their speech looking at the following criteria:
❍❍ the content of what they say: whether it is interesting, whether it is presented logically
❍❍ their vocabulary and pronunciation
❍❍ how they speak: Do they read word for word or are they able to speak while referring to their notes
occasionally? Is their voice audible?
Formal assessment
Your approach to this assessment will depend on the class size. If you have more learners than can
complete speaking in two periods, then we recommend that you listen to some learners speak while the rest
of the class complete activities from the textbook. It is not advisable to allocate more than two lessons for
this assessment.
Use the Assessment grid for Speaking to assess each learner’s speaking skills. It is included in the
Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the
Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD. Record the marks as they will be used towards the
Continuous Assessment mark for Term 1.
Lesson 11 Dictation
Do a dictation

Writing and grammar skills Learners should be able to:

Explain that you are going to give the class a dictation. You will read them a paragraph based on the story
they have been following in this topic. They will write it down in their exercise books using the correct
spelling and punctuation.

•• Explain that you will read the story three times. The first time, learners must just listen. The second time
you will stop at the end of each sentence, and learners must write the sentence in their exercise books.
The third time they must check their work for spelling and punctuation mistakes.
•• Read the story below as specified:
The shopkeeper saw a delivery man coming down the street. He had a big parcel on the front of his bike.
The shopkeeper was not sure if he could see where he was going. The delivery man crashed into the taxi
with a big bang. The taxi swerved into a pole. The delivery man was badly hurt.
Consolidation
Write the dictation on the board. Learners swap books and mark each other’s work.


and understanding
• read short poems and identify feelings e.g. happiness and sorrow.
Activities appear at the back of the Reader and the suggested answers are at the back of this Teacher’s Guide.
•• The Busy, Busy Bus Stop (poem)
Lesson 13 Write
Activity 8 Write a report, a letter and identify traffic rules
Term 1 Continuous Assessment Task 12: Directed writing

9.4.3 write long sentences • apply knowledge of punctuation, capitalisation, etc.
9.4.5 write short texts • use verb tenses appropriately
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing • join sentences using conjunctions
9.3.3.3.2 have repeated exposure to words. • write reports
• use new words in their written and spoken through multiple
opportunities.

Explain that learners are going to write three short texts in this lesson. All the texts will link with the themes
they have explored in this topic. You will use the first text, a report, for Continuous Assessment Task 12:
Directed writing.

Period 1
•• Start with Question 1. Discuss the genre of reports. Ask: what is a report? Who needs to write them? Why
do we write them? Responses should include that reports give facts about things that have happened,
they do not include opinions. They are written by police officers to describe accidents and crimes; they

are written by nurses and doctors to describe a sick patient; we write them at school to describe
something that has happened, for example a sports event or an experiment; journalists write them in
newspapers (They are familiar with newspaper reports from Topic 2).
•• Read the incomplete report.
•• Hand out scrap paper. Ask learners to copy and complete the reports using words they have learnt in this topic.
•• Ask learners to write their reports neatly in their exercise books.
•• Take the books in for marking.
Period 2
•• Do Question 2. Read the incomplete letter.
•• Ask learners to complete it in writing in their exercise books.
•• Go through the answers with the class. Ask them to identify the sentence that has a connecting word.
•• Discuss the difference between a report and a letter to the newspaper: the report just gives facts; the
letter expresses someone’s feelings and opinions about something. It includes emotional words such as
“Keep death off our roads”, and exclamations to show strong feelings.
Consolidation
Ask learners to do Question 3, which reinforces a basic traffic rule that they all should know.
Homework
Learners do Activity 9 and write new words they have learnt in this topic in their personal dictionaries. They
add their meanings and write sentences using the words.
Assessment
Use the Assessment grid for Shorter writing pieces. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s
Guide to assess each learner’s writing skills out of a total of 10 marks. It is also included in the Assessment
tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD. Record the marks as they will be used
towards the Continuous Assessment mark for Term 1.
Answers
Activity 8 Write a report and a letter

1. The taxi knocked the delivery man off his bicycle.
Then the taxi driver swerved into a pole.
An ambulance took the delivery man to the hospital.
The shopkeeper thinks that the taxi driver did not stop at the stop street.
The shopkeeper thinks that the taxi driver did not see the stop street because he was talking on his
cell phone.
2. Keep death off our roads!
I have a shop on a busy street corner. There are stop streets there. Often people do not obey the
signs. Last week a cyclist was nearly killed when a taxi crashed into him. This is the fifth accident
this year. People need to learn to drive better! I also think there needs to be a traffic light at this corner.
3. red stop
orange slow down and try to stop
green go
If learners are still struggling with basic writing skills such as punctuation, give them this exercise to do. It
reinforces using commas in lists.

1. Copy these sentences. Add commas in the correct places.
a) The shopkeeper sells cooldrinks sweets fruit and vegetables in his shop.
b) The street is full of people bicycles cars and taxis.
c) The town has a police station a clinic a bank and a library.

Listening text on audio CD
Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 9: Listening comprehension.

9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts • filling in missing information
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure (stories, poems, songs, • retell simple stories heard
dramas) • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • listen to initial parts of stories and state what will happen next
(predicting)
• look words up.

Explain that you are going to hand out the listening comprehensions learners did for the Continuous
Assessment Task 9.

Period 1
•• Read the story out loud to the class.
so well.
Consolidation
For learners who only manage to achieve Levels 1 and 2, give them a copy of the story and ask them to do
the whole comprehension again for homework. Check their work.


Learners will: • identify and use different types of nouns: possessive form
9.3.3.3.2 have repeated exposure to words (e.g. the child’s book, the children’s books)
9.4.4 organise sentences and paragraphs into whole texts • identify and use conjunctions
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and • use new words in their written and spoken through multiple
conventions at word and phrase levels. opportunities
• organise and sequence ideas.

❍❍ connecting words
❍❍ the apostrophe to show possession
❍❍ vocabulary learnt in this topic
❍❍ sequencing sentences to summarise a story.
•• Learners mark their own work, using the copies of model answers from the CD. Or you go through the
Assessment
Answers
1. I was in the taxi and we had an accident. There was a stop sign but the taxi driver did not see it. The
taxi knocked a man off his bicycle and he was badly hurt. I felt sorry for him because he was in a lot
of pain. He wanted to get back on his bicycle, but he could not because his arm was broken. (5)
2. a) The pen belongs to the police officer. It is the police officer’s pen.
b) The taxi belongs to the taxi driver. It is the taxi driver’s taxi.
c) The bicycle belongs to Mr Mbumba. It is Mr Mbumba’s bicycle.(3)
3. Kanune is walking on the pavement. She is on her way to the post office to post a parcel. She is
talking on her cell phone. She comes to a pedestrian crossing. She steps into the road without
looking left or right. A taxi does not stop and there is an accident. Kanune is hurt and an ambulance
takes her to hospital. (8)
4. The bike and the taxi driver got to the stop street at the same time.
Mr Mbumba did not stop at the stop street. The taxi driver also did not stop.
The taxi driver knocked Mr Mbumba off his bicycle. (4)
Total: 20 marks



Consolidation
the board.
homework.

Topic 5: Taking care
About this topic
The genre focus in this topic is on information texts in the form of reports and posters. These centre around
the topic of health, and what we can do to take care of ourselves.
Learners listen to and discuss a report on a patient who visited a clinic. The patient is HIV positive. Treat
the topic of HIV sensitively. Many learners will know people who are HIV positive; some might know people
in whom the disease has developed into AIDS, and who have died. The message in the listening text is, if
you are ill, it is important to eat healthy food and have exercise. Learners have group discussions about
healthy and unhealthy food. The discussion is based on posters that appear in an illustration in this section.
Learners then read a poster with information about another serious disease, TB.
The writing activity is designing a poster about healthy food.
The language focus in the theme is on different kinds of sentences: statements, questions, commands and
exclamations. There is also a spelling rule for the use of i after c. Grammar and vocabulary integrated in
other lessons include syllables, root words, prefixes and suffixes.
There are two formal assessments in this topic. They are:
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 2: Reading aloud.
this TG.
Lesson 1 to 11
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Talk about a disease
Activity 2 Listen to a medical report
Listen
Answer questions
Speaking Lesson 2 Activity 3 Practise giving advice
Term 2 Continuous Lesson 3 Activity 4 Talk about healthy food
Assessment Task 1: Prepared speaking Activity 5 Work with words
Syllables, root words, prefixes, suffixes
Reading Lesson 4 Activity 6 Read a poster
Term 2 Continuous Answer a comprehension on the poster
Assessment Task 2: Reading aloud Analyse features of a poster
Lesson 5 Activity 7 Match words and sounds
Lesson 6 Activity 8 Use your vocabulary
Spelling: Hard and soft g sounds, abbreviations,
idioms, word game, develop your vocabulary: enter new
words in personal dictionary
Reader/prescribed literature
Prescribed literature, e.g. texts from the Platinum English
Second Language Grade 4 Reader:
Be Careful When You Cross the Road (play)
The B-A-B-Y (story)
Topic 5: Taking care 91

Writing Lesson 9 Activity 11 Design a poster
Identify the features of a poster Design a poster
Follow the stages of planning, drafting and editing
Grammar usage Lesson 7 Activity 9 Use punctuation
Activity 10 Spelling: Use ie or ei
include: syllables, root words, prefixes, suffixes
Self-assessment/Consolidation Lesson 10 Questions, commands and exclamations, vocabulary
Compensatory and extension teaching Lesson 11 Use the worksheets for Topic 5 on the Platinum English
Second Language Grade 4 CD as follows:
Worksheet 5A Remedial for learners who have
struggled with the grammar work
Worksheet 5B Consolidation for extra work for learners
who have managed the work adequately
Worksheet 5C Extension for those learners who did well
and need more challenging activities.
The information about diseases such as HIV, and healthy
living habits can apply to learners’ Natural Science and
Health Education as well. This will add to learners’
understanding of the need to live a healthy life, and to
take precautions not to get sick.
Writing activities
The poster activity reinforces learners’ understanding of
the need to live a healthy life.

•• Dictionary
•• Scrap paper for preparing writing activities
•• Sheets of clean paper, preferably A3, for the posters in the writing activity
•• Coloured pencils, old magazines, glue, scissors
92 Topic 5: Taking care

Activity 1 Talk about a disease

9.1.1 Listen for specific information and comprehension short answer questions (e.g. what, when, where, who)
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • demonstrate understanding of blends: gh
9.3.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • do simple word puzzles
texts • look words up.

Find out what the class knows about clinics. Ask: Why do people go to a clinic? Have you been to a clinic?
Learners can share their experiences of visits to a clinic with the class.
Explain that learners are going to listen to a medical report about a patient who is HIV positive. They will
do a comprehension on the report.

Period 1
•• Ask learners to look at the drawing of the HIV/AIDS symbol. Ask: Do you know anyone who is HIV
positive? What did they do to try to get better?
•• Ask learners to look at the illustration and identify the patient, Mrs Shipanga, and the nurse.
•• Ask learners to read through the Word list.
•• See if they can pronounce “coughing” correctly: the gh makes an f sound. Give examples of other words
with this sound, for example: enough, rough.
•• Play the medical report on the CD three times. Follow this process.
❍❍ The first time, learners just listen.
❍❍ Play it a second time. Before you start, ask learners to look at the Word list again.
❍❍ Before you play it a third time, read through the questions in After you listen, so learners know what
information to listen for.
Period 2
•• Play the listening text a fourth time.
•• Ask learners to write answers for the question in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Go through the answers to the questions with the class.

Answers

1. a) Mrs Shipanga was not feeling well/she was coughing and feeling weak/she had lost a lot of weight.
b) She is HIV positive.
c) She can take medicine, she can eat healthy food and she can do exercise every day.
d) Any three appropriate types of exercise, for example: walking, gym, running, cycling, swimming,
hiking, yoga.
Extended teaching
Write the word “medicine” on the board. See how many smaller words learners can make from it. They
should call out the words orally and you write them on the board. For example: me, dice, need, nice, mice,
mend, dine, den, etc.

Activity 3 Practise giving advice

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • make simple requests
intonation • demonstrate knowledge of using simple grammar.
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts
language
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure (song).

Explain that learners will be doing a speaking activity in this lesson. They will use expressions to ask for
advice. They will also learn a song and sing it as a class.

•• Ask: What does the word “advice” mean? (ideas that help people decide what they must do)
•• Refer back to the medical report. Point out that the report gives Mrs Shipanga advice on how to get
better. What advice does it give?
•• Write this sentence on the board: She must eat healthy food and have exercise. Underline the word
“must”. Explain that we often use this word when we give people advice.
•• Read through the other words you can use in Activity 3 in the Learner’s Book.
•• Teach learners this song. Write it on the board. Make sure learners know what “wiggle” means. Sing it to
a well-known tune. Sing the song together as a class. Ask learners to stand up and do the actions while
they sing.
Put your right foot out
Put your right foot in

Put your right foot out
And wiggle it about.
Use your body
To keep healthy
That’s what it’s all about!
Put your left foot out
Put your left foot in
Put your left foot out
And wiggle it about.
Use your body
To keep healthy
That’s what it’s all about!
Consolidation
Divide the class into groups. Ask them to take turns to sing the song while the rest of the class watches
and listens.
Homework
Ask learners to copy the words of the song and learn them.
Inclusivity
If there are learners who are wheelchair bound, encourage them to do the actions. You do not need to be
standing to do them.

Activity 4 Talk about healthy food

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate intonation • begin to make simple speeches on familiar topics
language.

Monitoring of homework done in the previous lesson
Sing the song together as a class, without looking at the words. Learners stand up and do the actions while
they sing.

Explain that learners are going to work in groups and have a discussion about healthy and unhealthy food.
They can use the poster in the picture on page 40. They will present their talks to their group. You will assess
their talks and use this for continuous assessment of speaking skills. Remind them of the criteria you will use
for the assessment: Good use of vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, fluency, ideas clearly presented,
awareness of talking to an audience (they must look at the audience while speaking, not read notes).
Period 1
•• Organise learners into small groups.
•• Ask them to do the activity. They name the food in the posters and discuss the sentences in their groups,
but they must prepare their talks individually. They can write down key words to help them while they
speak, but they may not read notes. They must look at the audience.
•• Let them start presenting their talks to their groups. Remind them to speak slowly and clearly, and to say
your words correctly. Circulate from group to group, assessing learners individually.
Period 2
•• Learners continue presenting their talks in their groups. Continue the assessment.
•• Once a group has been assessed, they can do the exercises in the Work with words vocabulary section.
Question 1 can be done orally in pairs. It revises syllables. Question 2 is done in writing. It revises root
words, prefixes and suffixes. They have not used the terminology “root words” yet. Use the heading in the
table to explain it.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to present their talks to the class.
Formal assessment
also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD. If you do
not have enough time to assess the whole class, continue the assessment during the Self-assessment,
Compensatory and extension learning periods.
Homework
Learners can complete the questions in Activity 5 Work with words.
Compensatory learning
If learners are shy and struggle to present their talks to their peers, call them up and ask them to present the
talk to you. They might feel more at ease with you.
Extension learning
Write the letters of the alphabet on the board. Learners must think of names of food that begin with each
letter. They must say whether they are unhealthy or not.
Answers

2. a) healthy b) treatment
c) impatient d) kilogram
e) illness

Activity 6 Read a poster

9.3.1.6 reading various texts: documents, expository and respond to simple language questions
narrative texts • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
9.3.1.5 reading cross-curricular issues reading levels when reading a variety of text domains
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words • look words up
sentences.

Explain that learners are going to read a poster. Talk about what a poster is: a large notice or picture for
putting in a place where a lot of people can see it, for example on a wall, or a lamppost. It gives information
about things, or advertises things.

Period 1
•• In Before your read, ask learners to look at the poster.
•• Discuss the questions. They focus on design features such as headings, lettering and colour.
•• In While you read organise the learners into pairs. Ask learners to analyse what is happening in the
pictures.
•• Then discuss the pictures as a class.
•• Read through the questions in After you read, so learners know what they need to do in the
comprehension.
Period 2
•• Learners answer the questions in After you read in writing in their exercise books.
Consolidation

Answers

Before you read
1. I read the words “About TB” first.
2. They are the biggest letters and the most colourful.
While you read

In picture 1, there is a boy. He is coughing.
In picture 2, there are many people. They are standing/waiting/looking happy/healthy, etc.
In picture 3, there are two people/there is a girl and a boy. He is sneezing.
In picture 4, there are two people/there is a girl and a woman. The girl is taking medicine/a pill.
After you read

1. b) something important
2. Picture 1 – Paragraph d)
Picture 2 – Paragraph c)
Picture 3 – Paragraph a)
Picture 4 – Paragraph b)
3. a) TB, spread, coughing, sneezing
b) TB, pills, healthy food, exercise
c) Anyone can get, if healthy not as easily.
d) TB, disease, bad germs in lungs, cough, feel weak and tired, sometimes sweat
4. a) TB is a disease you get from bad germs in your lungs.
b) You feel weak and tired.
c) Accept any answer that is backed with logical reasoning, for example:
Yes, because people around us often sneeze and cough, and if they are infected, you can also
become infected. Yes, but if you keep fit and healthy you do not pick up diseases easily. No,
because you can wear a cover over your nose and mouth to prevent you from picking up germs.

Activity 7 Match words and sounds

Vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions (spelling)
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • complete a vocabulary quiz
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • show understanding of and use idiomatic expressions correctly
9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly • use mnemonics.
9.5.4 apply knowledge of a variety of appropriate, imaginative
idiomatic expressions

Explain that learners are going to do some vocabulary work based on the words they have read in this topic.

Period 1
•• Read the spelling rule in the box. Ask for volunteers to say the words out loud, pronouncing them
correctly. Then ask learners to take turns to read each other the words in their pairs.
•• Learners do Question 2 on their own. They write the completed words in their exercise books.
•• Go through the answers with the class. Point out that HIV and AIDS are made up of the first letters in the
words they replace.
•• Revise the spelling rule for soft and hard c that learners learnt in Term 1.
Period 2
•• Write this idiom on the board: Learn this song off by heart. See if learners can identify the meaning: to
learn something very well so you know it without having to look at notes. It does not mean that your
heart is doing the learning. Explain that in most languages you have sayings that have a different
meaning from the actual words in the sentence.
•• Do Question 1 as a class.
•• Explain the word game in Question 2 where learners must match beginnings and endings.
•• Learners complete the game in writing in their exercise books. It revises new words they have learnt in
this topic.
Consolidation
Go through the answers for Question 2 with the class.

Homework
Learners do Activity 12 and enter new words they have learnt in this topic so far in their personal
dictionaries. This includes words from the listening and speaking activities. Remind them to write
sentences to show the meaning of the words.
Answers
Activity 7 Match words and sounds

1. giraffe, gem, geography, gym

1. a) HIV b) AIDS c) TB
2. a) An apple a day keeps the doctor away.
b) Exercise can do you the world of good.
c) Now that I am better, I feel full of beans.
3. a) You have a very bad cough. b) The patient went to the clinic.
c) You must lose weight, you are too fat. d) Tuberculosis is cause by bad germs.
e) You are hot and you have sweat on your skin.
Turn to the back of the Learner’s Book and revise the basic spelling and punctuation rules.
Lesson 6 Literature


and understanding
sorrow.
•• Be Careful When You Cross the Road (play)
•• The B-A-B-Y (story)
Formal assessment

Use the Assessment grid for Reading Aloud. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide.
It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD.
Inclusivity

Activity 9 Use punctuation
Activity 10 Spelling: Use ie or ei

Grammar usage and spelling skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • identify different types of sentences (statement, question,
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions command, exclamation, command giving an instruction).

Explain that you will be revising different kinds of sentences and learning a spelling rule.

•• Read through the information about sentences in the language box.
•• Learners do Activity 9 in writing in their exercise books.
•• Read through the spelling rule in the language box.
•• Learners do Question 1 in writing in their exercise books.
•• Work through Questions 2, 3 and 4 as a class.
Consolidation
Go through the answers of the two exercises that learners wrote in their exercise books. Ask learners to
correct their own work.
Answers
Activity 9 Use punctuation

1. a) Are you feeling better today?
b) Always try to eat healthy food.
c) I am so excited!
d) Exercise is good for you.
e) Oh no, I’ve lost my purse!
f) How much medicine must I take?
g) The clinic is open from 7 am to 4 pm.

Activity 10 Use ie or ei
1. a) thief
b) receive
c) believe
d) deceive
2. Yes, they are the same.
3. The ei come after “w” and “n”, not “c”.
4. The ei in weight and neighbour sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘late’.
Lesson 8 Dictation
Do a dictation

Writing and Grammar usage skills Learners should be able to:

Tell the class that you are going to give them a dictation. You will read a paragraph using vocabulary they
have learnt in this topic.

•• Explain that you will read the paragraph three times. The first time, learners must just listen. The second
time you will stop at the end of each sentence, and learners must write the sentence in their exercise
books. The third time they must check their work for spelling and punctuation mistakes.
•• Read the paragraph below as specified.
TB is a serious disease. People with TB have germs in their lungs. TB can be spread when someone with
TB coughs or sneezes near other people. People with TB feel tired and weak. Sometimes they sweat at
night. They need to take medicine.
Consolidation
Write the paragraph on the board. Ask learners to swap books and mark each other’s work.
Homework
Ask learners to bring old newspapers and magazines to school for the poster writing activity in the next
lesson. They must also make sure that they have the following: coloured pencils, glue and scissors. You will
need to provide sheets of clean paper, A3 if possible.

Lesson 9 Write
Activity 11 Design a poster

9.4.5 write short texts • write simple texts for a variety of purposes (posters)
9.4.6 cooperate with others to produce pieces of writing. • brainstorm ideas and suitable vocabulary for a task
• draft sentences on given topics.

Explain that learners are going to identify the features of the poster from the reading section. They are going
to use this knowledge to make their own posters about healthy and unhealthy food. They will use the
magazines and newspapers they have brought to school. Make sure there are enough scissors, coloured
pencils and glue for the activity.

Period 1
•• Ask learners to look at the TB poster while you read the notes around it.
•• Discuss the notes. They point out important features of a poster.
•• Explain that learners are going to design their own posters about healthy and unhealthy food.
•• Go through the writing process that the learners must use.
•• Ask them to work in pairs and start planning their posters. They can work on a first draft on scrap paper.
It can be A4 – the size does not matter. At this stage, it is the design concept that is important.
•• Ask learners to complete their planning and start on their neat posters.
•• When they are ready to start on the neat poster, they can come and get a sheet of clean paper from you.
Period 2
•• Learners complete their posters.
Consolidation
•• Display the posters on the walls of the classroom.
•• Start the peer assessment process outlined below. This can continue during Lessons 10 and 11, once
learners have completed the tasks they must do in those lessons.
Peer assessment
Learners work in their pairs. Ask them to copy the checklist below. They must choose three of the displayed
posters and use the checklist to assess them. They could do this from their desks if the posters have been
done on big sheets of paper. If not, they might have to move closer, in which case you will need to move
desks to make room for this.
Checklist
•• Is the poster interesting and colourful?
•• Is there one heading that is bigger and brighter than the other words in the poster?
•• Do the pictures go well with the words?

•• Is the information in the poster easy to read?
•• What would you change to make it better?
Compensatory learning
Learners who struggle with basic grammar structures can do this activity which revises using an article
before a noun.
Copy and complete the sentences using “a”, “an” or “the”.
a) My sister had _____ spot on her forehead. _____ spot was itchy.
b) She took _____ pill. _____ pill made her headache better.
c) I had _____ ear infection. _____ ear infection lasted for two days.

Learners will: • identify different types of sentences (statement, question,
9.3.3.3.2 repeated exposure to words command, exclamation, command giving an instruction)
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and • complete a vocabulary quiz
conventions at word and phrase levels • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity. sentences.


•• sentences: statements, questions, commands and exclamations
•• meanings of new words learnt in the topic
•• word building activity based on new words learnt.
Consolidation
Self-assessment
Answers
1. a) What time does the clinic open?
b) Don’t be late!
c) Bananas are good for you.
d) Has the doctor seen the patient yet?
e) I have a terrible headache!
f) Try to do some exercise every day. (6)

2. TB is a serious disease. People with TB have germs in their lungs. TB can be spread when someone
with TB coughs or sneezes near other people. People with TB feel tired. Sometimes they sweat at
night. They need to take medicine.(7)
3. carrots medicine
disease potatoes
exercise sneezing
healthy tuberculosis
illness vegetables
patient headache (12)
Total: 25 marks




Consolidation
•• The answers for this activity are on the CD. Provide copies of the answers, or write the answers on the board.
homework.

Topic 6: Stories and poems about nature
About this topic
The genre focus in this topic is on stories and poems. The genres centre around the theme of the weather
with an emphasis on the sun. This is a long topic. There are more texts and activities than in previous topics,
and they are more challenging. By now learners should be ready for this level of work.
Learners listen to a traditional story about the sun and the wind. They listen to a poem about the wind,
and act it out. They read a Greek myth about the sun, and two poems about the sun and the moon. They
write a story based on the listening text about the Sun and the Moon. The language focus in the topic is on
regular and irregular verbs, and prepositions.
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include: use mind maps to classify
words, rhyming words, spelling (hard and soft c sounds), syllables, word puzzles, enter new
words in personal dictionary.
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 5: Writing Composition.
this TG.
Lesson 1 to 18
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to a story
Task 3: Listening comprehension Answer questions
Lesson 3 Activity 2 Work with sounds
Lesson 12 Activity 3 Listen to a poem
Listen
Answer questions
Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 3: Listening
comprehension
Speaking Lesson 2 Act out a story
Lesson 18 Say rhymes and sing songs
Reading Lesson 5 Activity 6 Read a story
Do a comprehension
Lesson 7 Activity 7 Work with sounds
Lesson 8 Activity 8 Read a poem
Lesson 6 Activity 9 Read another poem
Lesson 9 Activity 10 Work with words
The Jungle in My Dreams (poem)
106 Topic 6: Stories and poems about nature

Writing Lesson 4 Activity 4 Complete a poem
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Activity 5 Work with rhyme
Task 5: Writing composition Lesson 13 Activity 13 Write a story
Follow the stages of planning, drafting and editing Term 2
Continuous Assessment Task 5: Writing composition
Grammar usage Lesson 10 Activity 11 Work with verbs
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Activity 12 Work with prepositions
Task 4: Grammar Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include:
use mind maps to classify words, rhyming words, spelling (hard
and soft c sounds), syllables, word puzzles, enter new words in
personal dictionary
Lesson 15 Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 4: Grammar
Self-assessment/consolidation Lesson 16 Regular and irregular verbs, prepositions, sentences
to make a summary of a story, syllables
teaching Language Grade 4 CD as follows:
Although the texts in this topic are fiction, point out that before
scientific discoveries were made about nature, for example the
sun and the moon, people created their own stories about how
they came to be. They believed their stories were true. Find out
what learners scientific knowledge learners have about these
elements of nature, including the solar system. There are some
extension activities in some lessons which encourage this. Find
pictures of the solar system, to show that the sun moves
around the earth, and the moon moves around the sun.
Writing activities
Learners can enter scientific words from the discussions on
nature outlined above in their personal dictionaries.

•• The Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader
•• Dictionary
•• Scrap paper to prepare writing activities
•• Illustrations of the solar system, including the moon’s orbit around the earth
•• A map to locate Greece and Egypt
•• A selection of myths and folktales that describe how different things in the world began came to be, for
example, how humans got fire, how winter and summer were created, how zebra got her stripes.
Topic 6: Stories and poems about nature 107

Activity 2 Work with sounds

9.1.3 listen to distinguish cause/effect • listen to a text and begin to answer simple questions based on
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure cause and effect
9.3.3.4 vocabulary: word maps. • retell simple stories heard
• use graphic organisers for new word.

Explain that learners are going to listen to a story about the sun and the wind. They will do a
comprehension on the story which you will take in and mark as part of their continuous assessment
programme.

Period 1
•• In Before you listen, ask learners to work in pairs and look at the illustration of the Sun and the Wind.
•• Ask them to try to guess what the sun and wind are saying to each other. They need to be able to interpret
visual details to do this, for example, the expression on Sun’s and Moon’s faces; why there is a man
walking down a road, etc. Accept any ideas that make sense: Here comes a man. Shall we play with him?
Tease him? Teach him a lesson? Look at the man. He looks funny/cold. Look how tightly he is holding his
coat.
•• Play the story four times.
❍❍ The first time, learners can just listen carefully. Remind them to look at the picture while they listen.
Then talk about the guesses they made about the story before they heard it. How are they the same?
How are they different? Also talk about how it feels when the wind blows (cool, fresh, cold, chilly)
❍❍ The second time, ask learners to listen and note down unfamiliar words. Learners can use a dictionary
to find their meanings.
Period 2
•• Play the story a third time. Then read through the questions in After you listen. Question 1 requires literal
answers using information from the story. Question 2 asks learners to identify the message of the story.
•• Play it a fourth time. Learners can listen for details to help answer the questions.

Consolidation
In Question 3 learners take turns to retell the story in their pairs.
Answers

After you listen
1. a) Wind thinks he is stronger than Sun because he can cover Sun with clouds and stop her from
shining on earth. (2)
b) Sun thinks she is stronger than Wind because her heat can burn up the clouds and make them
go away. (2)
c) Wind tries to blow the man’s coat off. (1)
d) In the end, Sun is stronger than wind because she shines so strongly that the man takes off his
coat.(3)
2. b) Don’t think you are better than others. (2)
Total: 10 marks
Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memo provided above. Give a mark out of 10.Check that the mark achieved
reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the Assessment grid for listening comprehension. It is included
in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the
Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD.
Extended teaching
There are many folk tales about the sun and the moon. Ask learners to share stories they know with the
class.
Homework
Learners can do Activity 2 Work with sounds for homework. They use mind maps to classify words
according to the letters they start with. Read through the activity before the end of the lesson so that they
understand what they need to do.


Learners will: • dramatise actions based on environmental texts listened to
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts and respond • begin to dramatise simple stories heard focusing on main
appropriately characters
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure • begin to show, through role-play, feelings.
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate
intonation
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts.

Go through the answers for Activity 2. Copy the mind maps on the board and ask for volunteers to fill them
in correctly.
Explain that learners are going to act out the story they listened to in Lesson 1.

•• Organise learners into groups of three.
•• Each person chooses a character: the sun, the moon, the man.
•• They act out the story. Tell them that:
❍❍ They do not need to use the exact words from the story; they can use their own words – but the events
in the story must be the same.

❍❍ They must use their voices and actions to show how each character is feeling.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to act out their stories in front of the class.
Extension teaching
Play the classification game. Write the seasons on the board: winter, summer, autumn, spring. Write each
word as a mind map with a circle around it and branches. Ask learners for words that tell you what the
weather is like during that season. This will depend on which part of the country you live in. They can use
these words: hot/warm/cold/freezing/dry/wet/windy/sunny/cloudy/rain/snow/hail/storm/drought, etc.
Write the words into the correct mind map on the board.

Activity 3 Listen to a poem

Learners will: • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
9.1.1 listen extensively to a variety of texts • answer simple questions based on simple poems heard
9.1.2 listen to distinguish mood of speaker • identify and role play moods portrayed as they listen to a text.
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure.

Explain that learners are going to listen to a poem about the sun and answer questions about it.

•• In Before you listen, ask the class to look at the illustration of the sun. Discuss the features that make it
look like a person: round face, eyes, mouth, smile.
•• Follow the listening process described in the Learner’s Book. Learners are being slowly introduced to the
concept of personification: describing a thing as though it was a person.
•• Discuss the questions in After you listen as a class. They focus on adjectives that describe feelings. Once
again this reinforces personification – the sun has the same kind of feelings that a person does.

Consolidation
Play the poem again. Learners can enjoy the lovely friendly feelings in the poem.
Answers

1. This person is loving, kind and caring.
2. Accept any answers that are backed with logical reasons. For example: I feel happy and relaxed
because it is warm and I can play outdoors. I don’t like cold weather. I feel sweaty and cross because
when it is too hot I feel uncomfortable. I like it when the weather is cool and fresh.
If learners still struggle to grasp the concept of personification, give them a copy of the poem and ask them
to circle the words that would normally be associated with a person.
Lesson 4 Write
Activity 4 Complete a poem
Activity 5 Work with rhyme

Learners will: • brainstorm ideas and suitable vocabulary for a task
9.4.6 cooperate with others to produce pieces of writing • use new words in their written and spoken forms through
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words multiple opportunities
9.3.2.3.4 word maps. • use graphic organisers for new words.

Explain that learners are going to write their own poem about the sun.

•• Read the frame of the poem.
•• With the class, brainstorm words that you can use to complete each line. Write the words on the board.
•• Learners work in pairs and write a rough draft of the poem, choosing words to complete it.
•• Then they write the poem neatly in their exercise books.
•• When they are finished, they can do the Work with rhyme activity. It focuses on rhyming words. Read the
words out loud and then ask learners to do the exercise.
•• Go through the answers with the class. Point out that the spelling of similar sounds can be quite different.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to read their poems to the class.

Answers
Activity 5 Work with rhyme

2. Copy the table. Write the words that rhyme in the correct places.
sun flow sea
fun go me
run know free
one sew key
For learners who struggle with the concept of rhyme, write these words on the board. See how many words
learners can make up to rhyme with each word. Do this orally. Sun (fun, run, begun, etc.); land (and, hand,
and etc.); best (rest, pest, guest, etc.); sky (my, fly, why, etc.); crown (down, frown, noun, etc.); time (mine,
line, fine, etc.).


Reading and grammar usage skills Learners should be able to:
9.3.1.6 reading various texts: documents, expository and • identify and discuss the title and the role players (characters) in
narrative texts the story
9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama and novels, and • read simple stories to complete tasks
demonstrate understanding of various elements of • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
literature reading levels when reading a variety of text domains
9.3.2.2 read and demonstrate knowledge of and apply acquired • use pictures to predict content of the texts
reading strategies within any of the 3 reading stages: • use post-reading strategies to enhance understanding
strategies for pre-, while- and post-reading • look words up
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words • determine meaning of simple words based on what the rest of
9.3.2.3.7 use incidental learning the sentence focuses on
9.3.2.3.8 context skills • find and use context clues for learning new vocabulary
9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling accurately • use spelling rules to spell correctly
sentences.

Discuss how long ago people did not know as much about the world as we do today. They did not know
about the solar system, and why the sun rises and sets each day, or why the clouds cover the sun sometimes.
So they made up stories about this. The story of Sun and Wind is an example of this type of story. Some of
these stories are called myths. People in Greece made up a lot of myths.

Tell learners that they are going to read a Greek myth about Egypt. Show them a map and ask them to
find Greece and Egypt on the map. Point out how close they are to each other. In those days, the Greeks
knew about Egypt, but they did not know that the world was much bigger than they thought it was.

Period 1
•• In Before you read, ask learners to use the pictures to predict who is in the story.
•• Discuss the word ‘chariot’.
•• Read the story to the class. Ask learners to follow in their books as you read. The story is longer than the
stories they have read so far. Read slowly and clearly.
•• Stop after each paragraph to discuss difficult words. Encourage learners to work out the meanings
without using the Word list or a dictionary. You will also need to repeat some of the Greek names and
ask learners to say them out loud until they are familiar with them.
•• Read the story a second time without stopping.
•• Ask learners to read the story on their own.
Period 2
•• Question 1 requires learners to identify the process of cause and effect in the story.
•• Questions 2 and 3 develop metacognitive skills: learners analyse a character and make a judgement about
his behaviour. They also interpret the message in the story. They are well prepared for this as they have
identified the message in the sun and wind story. This time they do not choose an option, they use their
own words to complete a sentence that gives the message.
•• Ask learners to do Questions 1 to 3 in writing in their exercise books. They can finish them for homework.
Consolidation
Discuss Question 4 with the class. Find out what they know about the solar system. Show them diagrams
and talk about them. Here are some interesting facts:
•• Our earth is a planet that forms part of the universe. There are eight other planets and millions of stars.
•• The eight planets move around the sun in a system called the solar system. Solar means sun.
•• The eight planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. (Pluto, a smaller
planet, was once classified as a ninth planet, but it is no longer considered a planet.)
•• Some planets have moons that move around them. Earth has one moon.
Homework
Learners complete the comprehension questions and do Activity 7 Work with sounds, which revises the
spelling rule for the soft and hard c sound.
Answers

After you read
1. a) Phaeton loved to watch his father drive the chariot because his father looked strong and powerful.
b) Helios did not want Phaeton to take the chariot because it was dangerous.
c) Helios let Phaeton drive the chariot because he had to keep his promise.
d) Parts of Africa became a desert, except for the rivers and forests.
2. No, he did not listen to his father; he only does what he wants to do; he is selfish.

3. Think carefully before you do something that could be dangerous/other people think is dangerous.
4. The sun rises.

Soft c: cities, centre, circle
Hard c: country, colour, catch
Extension teaching
Encourage learners to read other myths or folk tales (including African) about how things came to be.
Give them copies of stories you have managed to find, ask them to look for stories in the library or on
the internet. If there is time available in future lessons, ask them to share the stories they have read with
the class.
Lesson 6 Literature

and understanding
•• The Jungle in My Dreams (poem)

Activity 8 Read a poem

demonstrate understanding of various elements of • read and identify similes and metaphors
literature. • use pictures to predict content of the texts
9.3.2.2 read and demonstrate knowledge of and apply acquired • use post-reading strategies to enhance understanding.
reading strategies within any of the 3 reading stages:
strategies for pre-, while- and post-reading.


Go through the answers to the questions on the story in Activity 6.
Explain that learners are going to read a poem about the moon. In the poem, the moon is compared to
things that look like it.

Period 1
•• Work through the Before you read questions. Draw the different moon shapes on the board and ask
learners to identify them: full moon, half moon, crescent moon and new moon. This activity introduces
learners to metaphors: comparing something to something else that looks like it in some way. Do not use
the term metaphor at this level.
•• Ask learners to identify the different moon shapes in the picture next to the poem. Talk about how each
picture shows a different phase of the moon.
•• Ask learners to identify the following features in the poem: the title, a verse, a line.
•• Read the poem and then ask learners to read it on their own.
Period 2
•• Read the questions in After you read.
•• Ask learners to do the answers to Questions 1 to 3 in writing in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Discuss Question 4. Ask learners what other pictures they have seen in the moon. See how many images
they come up with. Then ask for volunteers to read the poem out loud to the class.
Homework
Learners complete the questions in After you read.
Answers
Activity 8 Read a poem
1. a) The person in the poem compares the moon to a cradle, a granny’s round face, a banana and a cake.
2. b) When you grow up, you start seeing things as they really are.
3. Accept any answers that are backed by good reasons, for example: I like the picture of the cake best
because when it is big and round it reminds me of a cake and I love eating cake.

Activity 9 Read another poem

Learners will: • listen to simple poems and songs and identify words which begin
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure with the same sounds
9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama and novels, and • read short poems and simple stories for pleasure
demonstrate understanding of various elements of • read and identify title and main ideas key features of a poem
literature • read and identify similes and metaphors
reading strategies within any of the 3 reading stages: • use post-reading strategies to enhance understanding.
strategies for pre-, while- and post-reading.

Go through the answers to the questions on the poem in Activity 8.
Explain that learners are going to read another poem. This poem is about the sun, the moon and the stars.

Period 1
•• Talk about the pictures. Ask learners to identify the animals and objects.
•• Ask them to use the pictures to identify which verse is about day, and which is about night.
•• Find out what learners can remember about rhyming words. Ask them to look at the first two lines of the
poem and find two words that rhyme (bright, night). Point out that rhyming words do not always come at
the end of a line. They can be within the line.
•• Ask them to look at the first line and find two words that start with the same letter.
•• Read the poem to the class twice. Emphasise the words that rhyme and the words that start with the
same letters.
•• Ask learners to read it on their own.
•• Read through the questions.
•• Ask learners to discuss them in their pairs. They will continue in the next period.
Period 2
•• Learners continue to discuss the questions.
•• Go through the questions as a class.
•• Do Activity 10 Work with words. Question 1 extends the learner’s knowledge of syllables by showing how
syllables create rhythm in poems. The word “Africa” might pose a challenge.
•• Question 2 is a word game. Write the word “monkey” on the board and ask learners to call out words.
They will probably be able to make more than six words!
Consolidation
Ask learners to take turns to read the poem out loud in pairs.

Answers
Activity 9 Read another poem
Before you read

1. Verse 2 is about the day.
2. Verse 1 is about the night.
The pictures next to each verse of the moon and stars and the sun make this clear.
After you read

1. a) Fruit bats and crickets are awake at night.
b) Crocodiles and monkeys are awake during the day.
c) Accept any answer that makes sense: nervous and scared/it is dangerous/it is ugly/it can kill
you/I don’t trust it/relaxed and interested. It looks unusual/strange/beautiful/it looks like a
dinosaur/I don’t often see them.
d) This depends on the learners’ own experiences.
2. Bright/night, day/play
3. Big/bright, fruit/fly, sun/sky, bright/blue, deep/day.

1. b) The/ fruit/ bats/ fly/ and/ the/ cri/ckets/ sing (9) Deep/ in /the /night/ of /A/fri/ca/ (8)
c) No
2. Some words are: Yes, monk, me, keys, money, my, so, no, on (There could be many more.)
Homework
Learners write down new words they have learnt in their personal dictionaries. They write a sentence to
show the meaning of each word.
Lesson 9 Literature

and understanding
sorrow.

Activity 12 Work with prepositions

Learners will: • identify different types of verbs (regular, irregular)
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • identify different types of prepositions.

Explain that you will be revising regular and irregular verbs, and prepositions. Learners will do the exercises
in writing in their exercise books and you will take them in for marking. You will use these marks as part of
their continuous assessment programme.

•• Read through the information about regular and irregular verbs in the language box.
•• Read through the information about prepositions in the language box.
•• Learners answer the questions in writing in their exercise books. Explain that they must use each word in
the boxes once only.
Consolidation
Ask learners to check their work. Then take in the books for marking.
To reinforce knowledge of irregular verbs, select sentences with irregular verbs in the simple past tense
from The sun chariot story again. For example: Phaeton’s father drove the chariot across the sky every day.
After each paragraph, ask learners to find the verbs and say what tense they are in. See if they can give that
same verb in the simple present tense. (drove/drive)
Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memo provided below. Give a mark out of 10. Record these marks in your
continuous assessment sheet.
Answers

1. a) promise – promised b) give – gave
c) say – said d) throw – threw
e) catch – caught (5)

Activity 12 Work with prepositions
1. His father drove the chariot across the sky.
2. Phaeton climbed into his father’s chariot.
3. The horses galloped towards Africa.
4. Long ago, people thought the sun went to sleep at night.
5. Africa is a continent with many deserts. (5)
Total: 10 marks
Lesson 11 Dictation
Do a dictation

4.1 write in a variety of contexts • use spelling rules to spell correctly
5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly. • apply knowledge of basic writing rules.

Tell the class that you are going to give them a dictation based on the first two paragraphs of The sun chariot
story on page 48.

•• Give learners time to prepare the paragraph. They must focus on the correct spelling of each word, the
correct use of commas and full stops, and capital letters.
•• Explain that you will read the paragraph three times. The first time, learners must just listen. The second
time you will stop at the end of each sentence, and learners must write the sentence in their exercise
books. The third time they must check their work for spelling and punctuation mistakes.
•• Read the paragraphs from The sun chariot story on page 48. Pause when there are commas, pause a bit
longer for the full stops.
Consolidation
Ask learners to swap books and mark each other’s work, using the text from the Learner’s book.
Homework
Give learners a list of 10 irregular verbs to learn off by heart (in their present and past forms). You can find
this in the verb section of the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Grammar Book, or you can draw
up your own list of irregular verbs.
Extension teaching
Write the words in the left column of the table below on the board. They are all words from the texts in this
topic. Ask for volunteers to write a word with the opposite meaning next to each word. For a challenge you
could also ask them to write a word with the same meaning. They can use their dictionaries to find words.

Word Opposite meaning Same meaning
powerful weak strong
angry pleased cross/annoyed
happy unhappy glad/cheerful
dangerous safe unsafe
shining dull bright
tightly loosely firmly/strongly

Feedback on Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 3: Listening comprehension

9.1.2 listen to distinguish cause/effect • listen to a text and begin to answer simple questions based on
9.1.3 listen extensively for pleasure. cause and effect.

Test learners on the irregular verbs you gave them to study as homework. Write the verb in the simple
present tense on the board. Learners must copy them in their exercise books and write each verb in the
simple past tense. Then ask for volunteers to write the correct form of the simple past tense on the board,
next to each verb. Learners correct their own work.
Explain that you are going to hand out the listening comprehensions learners did for Continuous
Assessment Task 3.

•• Play the story to the class again.
so well.
Consolidation
Give learners who only manage to achieve Levels 1 and 2 a copy of the story and ask them to do the whole
comprehension again for homework. Check their work.

Lesson 13 Write
Activity 13 Write a story

9.3.4 organise sentences and paragraphs into whole texts • organise jumbled short sentences into paragraphs
9.4.5 write short texts • apply knowledge of punctuation, capitalization, etc.
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing. • use verb tenses appropriately
• write simple texts for a variety of purposes (narratives)
• writing and organising ideas into short into paragraphs.

Explain that learners are going to write the story they listened to in the first lesson, about the Sun and the
Wind. They will write two paragraphs. Tell them that you will be taking in their stories for marking. The
marks will form part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Play the story to them again. They must listen carefully, but they must not make notes.
•• Read through the story frames for the paragraphs. In the first paragraph they must sequence the
sentences. In the second paragraph they must use their own words to complete sentences.
•• Explain the stages of the writing process they will need to use.
•• Hand out scrap paper. Ask them to begin writing a first draft of the story.
Period 2
•• Learners complete their first draft of the story.
•• Once they have checked the first draft, they can write the story neatly in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Take in the books for marking.
Homework
Give learners another 10 irregular verbs to learn off by heart by the next lesson.
Formal assessment
Use the Assessment grid for Writing composition to assess the stories. It is included in the Assessment
section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English
Second Language Grade 4 CD.

Answers

2. Paragraph 1
•• Wind and sun were arguing.
•• Wind said that he was stronger because he could cover the sun with clouds.
•• Sun replied that she was stronger because she could dry up the clouds.
•• Wind saw a man with a coat and he said he would blow his coat off.
•• He started blowing and blowing but the coat did not come off the man.
•• He got very tired so he stopped blowing.
Paragraph 2
•• Then sun said she was going to make the man take his coat off. She got hotter and hotter and the
man took off his coat. Sun told Wind that she was the strongest. Wind went to another part of the
sky/far away.

and understanding
sorrow.

Feedback on Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 4: Grammar

Learners will: • identify and use different types of verbs (regular, irregular)
9.1.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • identify and use prepositions.

Test learners on the irregular verbs you gave them to study as homework. Write the verb in the simple
present tense on the board. Learners must copy them in their exercise books and write each verb in the
simple past tense. Then ask for volunteers to write the correct form of the simple past tense on the board,
next to each verb. Learners correct their own work. Explain that you are going to hand out the grammar
exercises learners did for Continuous Assessment Task 4.

•• Give back the marked exercises.
so well.
Consolidation
Homework
Provide learners with 10 irregular verbs to learn off by heart. You can refer to the section on verbs in the
Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Grammar Book, or draw up your own list.
Ask learners who only manage to achieve Levels 1 and 2 to do the exercise again.

Grammar usage and writing skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • identify and use different types of verbs (regular, irregular)
9.3.3.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • identify and use prepositions
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
conventions at word and phrase levels sentences
9.4.3 write long sentences. • join sentences using conjunctions.


•• changing irregular verbs from the simple present to the simple past tense
•• using prepositions to complete sentences
•• match sentence beginnings with the correct endings to make a summary of a story.

Consolidation
Self-assessment
Answers
1. a) I slept well last night.
b) We found the lost keys in the box.
c) She gave him the book, but then he lost it.
d) They woke up early this morning.
e) I drank a glass of milk for breakfast. (5)
2. a) Sun said she could dry up the clouds.
b) Wind saw a man with a coat.
c) He was walking along the road.
d) Wind blew but the coat did not come off the man.
e) Wind went to another part of the sky. (5)
3. a) 5
b) 1
c) 4
d) 3
e) 2
4. a) Yes, bright and light rhyme. (5)
b) The second line has 7 beats. (5)
Total: 20 marks





Consolidation
the board.
for homework.

Say rhymes and sing songs; irregular verbs

Learners will: • listen to simple poems and songs and identify words that start
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure with the same letter
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • Identify and use different types of verbs (regular, irregular).

This has been a challenging topic, and learners have worked hard. Explain that now they can have some fun
saying rhymes and singing songs that relate to the theme of the topic.

•• Teach learners these short rhymes. They can also clap the rhythm.
Sun, Sun, please come
So that we can have some fun.
Rain, rain, go away
Come back another day.
•• Teach learners this song. See if they can identify that the words ‘pitter patter’ start with the same letter.
Let them sing it to a suitable tune as a class, with actions. Then organise them into groups, and let them
take turns to perform the song to the rest of the class.
I hear thunder,
I hear thunder (stamp feet on the floor)
Do you too?
Do you too? (Put hand to ear)
Pitter patter raindrops (move hand down slowly, wriggling fingers)
Pitter patter raindrops, I’m wet through – (shake body)
You are too. (Point to someone else)
•• Ask if they know any other songs about the weather, in English or another language. Sing the songs
together as a class.

Topic 7: The powerful sun
About this topic
The focus in this theme is the weather. The genres covered are weather reports, maps, directions, charts and
an experiment using the sun.
Learners look at a map of Namibia and listen to a weather report. They locate positions of places on the same
map, using the directions north, south, east and west. Then they make up and present their own weather report.
Reading activities include a weather chart and an experiment using solar power. They identify the basic
features of a chart and an experiment.
In the Write section they copy and complete a weather chart, and then write a report based on the
information in the chart.
The language focus in the topic is on irregular verbs, focusing on the verb “to be”.
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include: spelling (long and short vowel sounds),
prepositions and antonyms.
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 8: Writing shorter pieces.
this TG.
Lessons 1 to 15
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to a weather report
Task 6: Dictation Answer questions Develop your vocabulary
Lesson 2 Activity 2 Listen to directions
Listen
Answer questions
Develop your vocabulary
Speaking Lesson 3 Activity 3 Present a weather report
Lesson 4 Atlas: Find features on a map of Namibia
Reading Lesson 6 Activity 4 Read a weather chart
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Do a comprehension
Task 7: Reading comprehension Lesson 7 Activity 9 Work with words and sentences
Activity 5 Read an experiment
Lesson 13 Feedback on Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 7: Reading
comprehension
Lesson 15 Do the experiment
Lesson 5 Reader/Prescribed literature
Lesson 9 Prescribed literature, e.g. texts from the Platinum English
Lesson 14 Second Language Grade 4 Reader:
Too Close to the Sun (story)
Fun in the sun (poem)
Rainy days and Mondays (poem)
126 Topic 7: The powerful sun

Writing Lesson 11 Activity 10 Label a chart
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Lesson 12 Activity 11 Write a report
Task 8: Writing: report Follow the stages of planning, drafting and editing
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 8: Writing: report
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 6: Dictation
Task 6: Dictation
Grammar Lesson 8 Activity 8 Use the correct form of the verb
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include:
spelling (long and short vowel sounds), prepositions and
antonyms, enter new words in personal dictionary
Self-assessment/consolidation Lesson 16 The verb “to be”, writing instructions, words and meanings,
long and short vowel sounds
The theme of weather in this topic links with Geography in the
Social Sciences. Learners use vocabulary associated with the
weather, and they read maps. The experiment with solar power
links with Natural Science. Recording data on charts links with
both of these subjects, and they also explore this concept in
mathematics. The topic of solar power has an ecological
message.
Writing activities
Learners write reports and charts. These genres are used in
many subjects, including Mathematics, Natural Science and
Geography.

•• Dictionary
•• Scrap paper for preparing writing activities
•• Atlases for Lesson 4 – enough for learners to work in small groups. The atlases must have a map of
Namibia with neighbouring countries. The map of Namibia must have the following features: borders
with neighbouring countries, National route numbers, Namib-Naukluft Park, Skeleton Coast National
Park, Etosha National Park, Fish River Canyon. If you do not have access to atlases, use a big map that
you can display.
•• Equipment for the solar power experiment in Lesson 15: apples, paper cups, tin foil, sticky tape.
Topic 7: The powerful sun 127

Activity 1 Listen to a weather report

9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension short answer questions (matching, wh- questions)
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure • answer questions orally and in writing based on texts heard and
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures respond to long and shorter questions (make lists of items heard)
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions
• look words up
• define and use new words.

Write these words on the board: sunny, cloudy, rain, lightning, wind, thundershowers. Ask: What is the
weather like when it is cloudy? Answers could include: The sky is not clear./There are clouds in the sky./
Sometimes the clouds cover the sun./It is not as hot as on a sunny day, etc. Do this with the other words.
Explain that learners are going to listen to a weather report. They will do a comprehension on the report
and then a dictation. You will mark the dictation as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Read through the words and meanings in the Word list. They introduce learners to words that are
commonly used to describe temperature.
•• Read the words again, without the meanings. As you say each word, ask learners to say it out loud after
you. The words are long. Some learners might struggle to say them correctly. Let them repeat each word
until it is easy to say.
•• Point out the shorter forms we can use for the words minimum (min) and maximum (max).
•• Discuss the meanings of the words.
•• Ask learners to read the names of the places on the map. Locate more or less where you are on the map.
•• Learners prepare for the listening activity by listing the places in their exercise books.
•• Play the weather report twice. Follow the instructions for Questions 1 and 2 in the Learner’s Book.
Explain that learners must write down two temperatures for each place – a maximum temperature and a
minimum temperature.
Period 2
•• Play the weather report again. Learners check the notes they made.
•• Learners can do the After you listen activities in pairs, using their notes that they made. They can take
turns to ask and answer the questions.
•• Make sure they understand that in Question 3 they must use the details from report about the place that
is the nearest to where they live. (They identified this in Before you listen.)
Consolidation
Go through the answers to the questions with the class.

Period 3
•• Ask learners to look through the words in the Word list again. They must be able to spell them correctly.
They must do the same with the list of places on the map. Explain that they can write the numbers as
numbers, not words, for example 7, not seven.
•• Explain that you will read the weather report three times. The first time, learners must just listen. The
second time you will stop at the end of each sentence, and learners must write the sentence in their
exercise books. The third time they must check their work for spelling and punctuation mistakes.
•• Read the report below as specified. Pause for the full stops.
Here is the weather report to read for dictation:
Windhoek, cloudy with a minimum temperature of 7 degrees and a maximum of 22 degrees.
Swakopmund, cloudy with a minimum of 5 degrees and a maximum of 19 degrees. Otjiwarongo, sunny
with a minimum of 9 degrees and a maximum of 26 degrees.
Oshakati, sunny with a minimum of 12 degrees and a maximum of 30 degrees.
Katima Malilo, sunny with a minimum of 14 degrees and a maximum of 31 degrees.
Keetmanshoop, cloudy and rainy with a minimum of 3 degrees and a maximum of 16 degrees.
Consolidation
Ask learners to check their dictations. Then take them in for marking.
Answers
Activity 1 Listen to a weather report

1. Katima Malilo will be the hottest at 31 degrees.
2. Keertmanshoop will be the coldest at 3 degrees.
3. This will depend on where learners live.
4. This will depend on own experience.
5. This will depend on own experience.
Formal assessment
Mark the dictation using the Assessment grid for dictation. It is included in the Assessment section of this
Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language
Grade 4 CD.

Activity 2 Listen to directions

9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension short answer question (filling in missing words, matching)
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts and respond • make drawings while listening based on the weather
appropriately • use mnemonics.
5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity.

Explain that learners are going to listen to a text that gives directions on the map of Namibia.

•• Play the text.
•• Learners point to the correct direction on the map in the pause that follows each question.
•• They say the missing words in the pause after each sentence.
•• They match the abbreviations to the correct direction words.
•• Finally, they use the abbreviations to label a compass.
Consolidation
Ask for a volunteer to draw the labelled compass on the board.
Answers
Activity 2 Listen to directions

•• Oshakati is in the north of Namibia.
•• Katima Malilo is to the east of Oshakati.
•• Swakopmund is on the west coast.
•• Keetmanshoop is in the south of Namibia.
Extended teaching
Play the antonym game. Call out words to do with the weather and ask learners to say words that mean the
opposite. For example: cloudy/sunny, hot/cold, warm/cool, dry/wet, windy/still, quiet, drought/flood, etc.

Activity 3 Present a weather report

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • demonstrate knowledge of using simple grammar
intonation • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.2.3 develop understanding of key characteristics of spoken sentences.
language
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words.

Explain that learners are going to make up their own weather report and present it as a news report on
television.

Period 1
•• Read through the instructions of what they must include in their weather report.

•• Let them prepare their weather reports. They must write them down.
Period 2
•• Learners take turns to present their reports to each other. Read through the guidelines of how to do this.
•• Remind them that they are presenting a report on television, so they need to look at their ‘audience’.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to present their reports to the class.
If learners struggle to say the words “maximum” and “minimum”, work with them individually. Break up the
words into syllables. Learners say the syllables separately and then put them together again to form the
whole word. For example: max/i/mum – maximum.

Atlas: Find features on a map of Namibia

Learners will: • construct meaning from visual texts
9.3.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • read materials to extract information for simple tasks.
texts
9.3.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum.

Explain that learners are going to look at a map of part of Namibia and talk about the countries around it.
They will also look at some of the big roads in Namibia.

•• Organise learners into groups, according to the number of atlases available or display the map on the
board and work as a class.
•• Find out if learners know what a border of a country is (a line between two countries).
•• Ask learners to look at the map of Namibia and do the following:
❍❍ Identify the symbol used to indicate borders.
❍❍ Name the countries that border on Namibia (South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Angola).
❍❍ Name the national road that runs from the south to the north of Namibia.
❍❍ Follow the route from south to north, naming the big towns it passes through.
❍❍ Name the five big roads that branch off this central road. Which of these roads head east? Which head
west?
❍❍ Name the rivers that run along the Namibian borders (north and south): Orange River, Kunene River,
Kavango River, Zambezi River.

❍❍ Find these places on the map: Namib-Naukluft Park, Skeleton Coast National Park, Etosha National
Park, Fish River Canyon.
Consolidation
If learners worked in groups, have a class feedback session.

Lesson 5 Literature


and understanding
sorrow.
•• Too Close to the Sun (story)
•• Fun in the Sun (poem)
•• Rainy Days and Mondays (poem)

Activity 4 Read a weather chart

Learners will: • read materials to extract information for simple tasks:
9.3.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum • consolidate knowledge of newly acquired vocabulary by
9.3.2.3.2 repeated exposure to words re-reading relatively simple texts
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and • use new words in their written and spoken forms in written
conventions at word and phrase levels sentences
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • use antonyms
• identify and use prepositions correctly.

Find out what learners know about charts. What is a chart? (It is a drawing that shows information.) Have
they used charts in any of their other subjects? If they have textbooks with examples of charts in them, let
them show them.

Period 1
•• Work as a class. Discuss the questions that introduce them to the main features of a chart.
•• Use the Word list to discuss unfamiliar words.
•• Asks learners to use the information they have just learnt to read the graph.
•• Read through the questions.
•• Ask learners to discuss them in pairs.
Period 2
•• Ask learners to write answers to the questions in their exercise books.
•• Go through the questions with the class.
•• Ask them to answer the questions in Work with words and sentences in writing in their exercise books.
They revise prepositions and antonyms.
Homework
Learners complete Activity 9 Work with words and sentences.
If learners struggle to say the words “horizontal” and “vertical”, break the words up into syllables; let them
say the syllables separately and then put them together to say the whole word. For example: ho/ri/zon/tal.
Use classroom situations to practise the prepositions. For example, walk towards me, sit with a partner,
play games during break, put your books on the table.
Extension teaching
Teach learners these short poems.
Storm
Listen can you hear the rain? See the lightning flash.
Now it’s thundering again.
Can you hear the crash?
Red sky
Red sky in the morning
Farmers warning
Red sky at night
Farmers delight.
Discuss the meaning of this poem – some people think that if there is a lovely red sunrise the weather will be
good that day. But if there is a lovely red sunset, the weather is often bad the next day.
Answers
Activity 4 Read a weather chart

Before you read
1. The chart tells us about sunrise times
2. a) The vertical side shows the time.
b) The horizontal side shows the months.

After you read
1. a) The sun rises the earliest in October.
b) The sun rises the latest in June.
2. The chart shows us the times the sun rises in winter.

1. a) It was a sunset with a lovely red sky.
b) It can get very cold during winter.
c) We will do the washing on a sunny day.
d) See you on Thursday.
e) I play a lot of soccer during the summer holidays.
2. early – late
hot – cold
rise – fall
summer – winter
maximum – minimum
North – South


9.3.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • read materials to extract information for simple tasks
texts • read and respond to simple instructions
9.3.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum • read, write and discuss texts on cross- curricular issues and
9.3.4 read and respond to instructions appropriately respond to simple language questions
9.3.5 reading cross-curricular issues • use spelling rules to spell correctly.
9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly.

Go through the answers to Activity 9.
Explain that learners are going to read an experiment about using the energy of the sun. They will do a
comprehension based on the experiment. You will take in and mark the comprehension, and use the marks
as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Work as a class. Ask learners to look quickly at the text and find the headings: You will need/Follow these
steps. Talk about other texts that they have read that use the same headings (They will have done
experiments in Natural Science.).

•• Point out the typical features of this kind of text: list under You will need sentences that start with a verb
under Follow these steps, with numbers for each step.
•• Discuss the questions in Before you read. Learners use the illustration to predict the You will need list.
•• Read the experiment.
•• Discuss unfamiliar words. Learners can use the Word list or a dictionary to find the meanings.
•• Ask for volunteers to read it again. One person can read You will need, the other Follow these steps.
Period 2
•• Ask learners to read the experiment on their own.
•• Learners to do Question 1 in writing in their exercise books. Remind them to use full sentences.
•• Take the books in for marking.
•• Let them work in pairs and take turns to tell each other the Follow these steps part of the experiment.
Consolidation
•• Tell learners you will be doing the experiment next week. Once they have done the experiment, they will
complete the sentence in Question 4.
•• Ask them to start collecting as many of the following items as they can: apples, paper or polystyrene cups,
sticky tape, tin foil.
Homework
Learners do the exercises in Activity 6 and Activity 7. Read through the rule about long and short vowels
and make sure they understand what they must do. They also add words to their personal dictionaries.
Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memo provided here. Give a mark out of 10.
Check that the mark achieved reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the Assessment grid for Reading
Answers

Before you read
1. You need four things.
2. It closes to a point on one side, is open on other side, opens into a circle on other side, has sloping
sides, etc.
After you read

1. a) It must be sunny. (1)
b) an apple, a paper cup, tin foil, sticky tape (4)
c) We are going to try to cook an apple. (1)
d) We make the cone by folding tin foil. (1)
e) We use sticky tape to hold the cone and the cup together. (1)
f) We put the cone in a paper cup. (1)
5. The tin foil in the cone (stops/reflects) the sun’s rays onto the apple and makes (fire/heat). (1)
Total: 10 marks

cone, pole, tube, kite, make, like, cube

Activity 8 Use the correct form of the verb

Learners will: • identify different types of verbs (different forms of the verb ‘to
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions be’).

Go through the exercise from Activity 6 Work with words and Activity 7 Use your vocabulary. Check that
learners have updated their personal dictionaries. Ask for volunteers to read their sentences.
Explain that you will be revising the irregular verbs “to be”.

Period 1
•• Read through the information about the irregular verb “to be” in the language box.
•• Learners do the exercises in writing in their exercise books.
Period 2
•• Go through the answers with the class. Learners swap books and mark each other’s work.
Consolidation
•• Write this paragraph on the board, but leave gaps for the underlined verbs. Write the list of verbs at the
side. Ask learners to copy and complete the paragraph using the verbs supplied. Go through the
completed paragraph with the class:
We have been enjoying sunshine for the last two months, but a cold front is heading towards Windhoek.
There will be thunderstorms this weekend. Temperatures below 10 degrees are expected. Farmers are
being warned that their crops could be damaged.
Extension teaching
Ask learners to read the cartoon. Find out what learners know about using solar power to generate
electricity.
Answers
Activity 8 Use the correct form of the verb

1. a) Namibia is a hot country.
b) It has been raining for two days.
c) It will be warm tomorrow.

d) The temperature was 30 degrees yesterday.
e) The sun’s rays can be dangerous.
f) People are being more careful about the sun.
2. For many years, we have been using coal to make electricity. Electricity was cheap, but now it is
expensive. We can use the sun to make energy. We are being foolish if we do not.
Lesson 9 Literature


literature. • read simple and short poems aloud with appropriate expression and
understanding
Lesson 10 Dictation
Feedback on Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 6: Dictation


Tell the class that you are going to give them back the dictations they did for continuous assessment.

•• Give learners time to look at their marks and see where they have made mistakes.
•• Read the dictation again and ask learners to follow the sentences in their books.
•• Ask for volunteers to write the dictation on the board, one sentence at a time.

Consolidation
Ask learners to rewrite the dictation correctly in their exercise books.
Lesson 11 Write
Activity 10 Label a chart

Learners will: • write simple texts for a variety of purposes.
9.4.5 write short texts.

Explain that learners are going to copy a chart and fill in some information on the chart.

•• Copy the chart onto the board.
•• Revise the basic features of a chart that learners were introduced to in Lesson 6 (vertical and horizontal
sides, what information each side gives).
•• Read through the information in Question 2. Ask learners to volunteer to come up and point to the height
that the column should go for each month.
•• Ask learners to copy the chart into their exercise books, using a ruler to make the lines straight.
•• Ask learners to fill in the information and complete their charts.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to draw the column onto the chart on the board.
Learners check their own graphs against this.
Lesson 12 Write
Activity 11 Write a report
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 8: Writing shorter pieces

9.4.5 write short texts • apply knowledge of punctuation, capitalization, etc.
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing. • use verb tenses appropriately
• write simple texts for a variety of purposes
• write reports.

Explain that learners are going to write a report based on the information in their charts. Tell them that you
will marking their reports and using the marks as part of their continuous assessment programme.

•• Ask learners to look at the charts that they did in Lesson 11.
•• Talk about the information in the chart. Ask: Does the chart tell you about sunset time in summer or in
winter? In which month does the sun rise the latest? In which month does it rise the earliest?
•• Read through the paragraph.
•• Ask them to use the information from their charts to complete the paragraph. They must do this on scrap
paper first and then neatly in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Ask learners to check their work. Take in their books for marking.
Answers
The chart tells us about when the sun sets. It gives the time on the vertical side and the months on the
horizontal side. The information in the chart tells us that in the middle of winter, the sun sets the earliest.
Formal assessment
Use the Assessment grid for Shorter writing pieces to assess the reports for Term 2 Continuous Assessment
Task 8: Writing shorter pieces. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also
included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD.

Feedback on Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 7: Reading comprehension

9.3.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • read materials to extract information for simple tasks
texts • read and respond to simple instructions
9.3.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum • read, write and discuss texts on cross-curricular issues and
9.3.4 read and respond to instructions appropriately respond to simple language questions.
9.3.5 reading cross-curricular issues.

Explain that you are going to hand out the reading comprehensions learners did for Continuous
Assessment Task 7.

•• Ask learners to read the experiment quietly in their own.
so well.

Consolidation
Compensatory teaching:
Ask learners who only manage to achieve Levels 1 and 2 to do the whole comprehension again for
homework. Check their work.


and understanding
sorrow.
Homework
Ask learners to bring as many as they can of the following items to school: apples, paper or polystyrene
cups, sticky tape, tin foil. They will be doing the sun experiment in the next lesson. If necessary, you will
need to provide these items. Leaners will do the experiment in pairs so assess how many of each item you
need. You will also need to bring a cutting board and a knife to cut the apple into sections.

Do an experiment

Learners will: • read materials to extract information for simple tasks
9.3.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum • read and respond to simple instructions
9.3.4 read and respond to instructions appropriately • read, write and discuss texts on cross-curricular issues and
9.3.5 reading cross-curricular issues. respond to simple language questions.

Explain that learners are going to do the experiment they read on pages 60 and 61. If it is not a sunny day,
you will need to delay the experiment until the weather is suitable.

•• Learners follow the steps of the experiment to set up the equipment. Make sure they set it up correctly.
You might need to help them fold the foil into a cone shape and attach it to the cup with sticky tape.
•• Give each pair a slice of apple.
•• Take them to a sunny spot outside and let them do the experiment.
•• Once they have completed it, they can go back inside and complete the paragraph in writing in their
exercise books.
Consolidation
Discuss the results with the class. Ask for volunteers to read the paragraph. Make sure they understand
what ‘reflect’ means. Talk about how we can use the power of the sun to generate electricity.
Inclusivity
Learners with co-ordination problems may need extra help with setting up the experiment.

Learners will: • read and respond to simple instructions
9.3.4 read and respond to instructions appropriately • organise and sequence ideas
9.3.3.3.2 repeated exposure to words • identify and use different types of verbs (the verb to be)
9.4.4 organise sentences and paragraphs into whole texts • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and sentences.


•• Use the verb “to be” in sentences.
•• Order instructions to make something.
•• Match word with meanings.
•• Sort long and short vowel sounds
Consolidation
•• Learners mark their own work as you go through the questions with the class using the answers below.

Self-assessment
Answers
1. The weather will be good tomorrow so we are going to visit my aunt. She is my mother’s sister.
She has been ill for a while. (4)
a) 1. Draw the shape of the sun on some cardboard.
2. Cut out the shape.
3. Draw a face on the shape. Use colour.
4. Fix the head onto the stick with sticky tape.
b) See underlined verbs above. (8)
2. a) – 2
b) – 3
c) – 4
d) – 1
3. Long vowel sounds: blade, mine, pole, rise (4)
Short vowel sounds: hat, hot, set, wind (8)
Total: 20 marks




Consolidation
the board.
for homework.

Topic 8: Namibia has talent!
About this topic
The main theme of this topic is Namibians who are talented, especially in music and drama. The genre focus
is on radio broadcasts, reviews and articles.
Learners listen to, read and discuss talented Namibians. In the ‘Write’ section, they write a review of the
film or show they have seen.
The language focus is on helping verbs and idioms. Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons
include: words with more than one syllable, using context to work out the meaning of words, root words
and suffixes.
show the meanings of these words.
There are four Continuous Assessment Tasks in this topic:
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 12: Unprepared speaking.
this TG.
Lessons 1 to 17
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 2 Activity 2 Listen to a radio broadcast
Task 9: Listening comprehension Lesson 14 Answer questions
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 9: Listening
comprehension
Feedback on Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 9: Listening
comprehension
Speaking Lesson 1 Activity 1 Talk about a photograph
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Lesson 3 Activity 3 Say what you think
Task 12: Unprepared speaking Lesson 12 Activity 4 Work with words
Unprepared speech
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 12: Unprepared speaking
Reading Lesson 4 Activity 5 Read an article
Task 10: Literature Lesson 10 Activity 6 Use your vocabulary
Lesson 5 Activity 7 Work with words and sentences
Lesson 9 Activity 10 Read and write a review
Lesson 13 Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 10: Literature
Reader/prescribed literature
Silas Stephanus Superstar (story)
Topic 8: Namibia has talent! 143

Writing Lesson 11 Activity 10 Read and write a review
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 11: Directed writing
Task 11: Directed writing
Grammar Lesson 7 Activity 8 Use helping verbs
Lesson 8 Activity 9 Use idioms
words with more than one syllable, using context to work out
the meaning of words, root words and suffixes, enter new
words in personal dictionary
Self-assessment/consolidation Lesson 16 Helping verbs, words with more than one syllable
The reading texts in the topic focus on Namibians who are
talented in the field of the arts, particularly drama and music.
This links with the subject of the Arts in the curriculum.
Writing activities
Word wheels are useful tools to learn new concepts and terms
across the curriculum. Learners can use this method to learn
and revise related concepts and terms in all their subjects.

•• Dictionary
144 Topic 8: Namibia has talent!

Lesson 1 Speak, listen and respond
Activity 1 Talk about a photograph

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • share personal information and experiences.
intonation

This lesson introduces learners to the main theme of the unit in which learners will find out about talented
fellow-Namibians in the arts of theatre and music.

•• Work as a class. Learners look at the photograph and try to identify the well-known Namibian singer and
his band.
•• Learners identify the lead musician in the photograph and interpret the message on his t-shirt.
Consolidation
Let learners contribute what they know of Namibian music – they can name other Namibian bands or
musicians or singers, and discuss the music they enjoy listening to. Much of the music they will enjoy will be
produced by America or Britain; share ideas about why we don’t listen to local music as much as
international music.
Answers
Activity 1 Talk about a photograph

2. Elemotho
His full name is Elemotho Gaalelekwe Richardo Mosimane. He is giving a message about peace in
the world.

Lesson 2 Speak, listen and respond
Activity 2 Listen to a radio broadcast

9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension (multiple choice)

Tell the class that they are going to listen to a radio broadcast about Elemotho and his band and answer
questions on it. They are then going to use some of the words they have learnt in the lesson.
Period 1
•• Ask learners to turn to page 66 and read through the Word list in pairs. They can then take turns to
explain to another pair what each word means. Let learners write new words and their meanings in their
personal dictionaries.
•• Ask learners to then read through the questions so that they know what information they should listen
for.
•• Play the recording or read the text twice.
❍❍ The first time, learners just listen – they should try to identify the words they read in the Word list.
❍❍ The second time, learners should listen for the answers to the questions.
Period 2
•• Play the text a third time.
•• Learners answer the questions in their exercise books.
•• Take in their books for marking.
Consolidation
If there is time left, they can start on Question 2 of Activity 4 Work with words. Learners work individually
to copy and complete the wheel on page 67. This tests their ability to use the words they have learnt, in
context.
Homework
Learners complete Activity 4 Work with words.
Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memo provided below. Give a mark out of 5. Double it to get a total out of 10.
Check that the mark achieved reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the Assessment grid for listening

Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD. Record the marks in your
continuous assessment record sheet.
Answers
Activity 2 Listen to a radio broadcast

1. c) beautiful(1)
2. a) the desert region of Namibia (1)
3. c) Setswana, English and other Namibia languages (1)
4. b) listen to stories around the fire. (1)
5. c) in different countries in the world. (1)
Total: 5 x 2 = 10 marks

Activity 3 Say what you think

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • pronounce words up to two syllables
intonation • share personal information and experiences

Explain that learners will give their opinion on other talented Namibians. They will also practise words with
more than one syllable and complete a word wheel.

Period 1
•• Organise learners into groups.
•• First, read the sentence with the class: I think Elemotho is a talented person who loves Namibia because
he sings beautiful songs about this country.
•• Discuss the main elements of the sentence with the class: the words that show that this is an opinion (‘I
think’); the words that give the opinion (‘Elemotho is a talented person’ and ‘who loves Namibia’); the
words that give the reasons ‘he sings beautiful songs’ and ‘about this country’).
•• In their groups, learners choose a talented Namibian whom they know of, and write a sentence giving
their opinion with reasons about that person.
•• Each group reads their sentence to the class. Let the class work out what is the opinion, and what is the
reason.

Period 2
•• Read through the exercises in Activity 4 Work with words:
❍❍ Remind the class how to break a word into syllables (clap each syllable).
❍❍ Show learners how to complete a word wheel, on the board. Choose a word such as ‘classroom’ and
add spokes with words that are related (such as ‘desk’, ‘books’, ‘blackboard’ etc.). Learners complete a
word wheel on music, in pairs.
❍❍ Walk around checking that learners understand the concepts of syllable and word wheel and that they
are able to do the exercise.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to draw their completed word wheel on the board.
Answers

2. Words with one syllable: dance
Words with two syllables: spotlight, music, guitar, message
Words with three syllables: popular

Activity 5 Read an article

Learners will: • read, write and discuss texts on cross-curricular issues and
9.2.5 reading cross-curricular issues: respond to simple language questions
9.2.6 reading various texts • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly reading levels when reading a variety of text domains
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • use spelling rules to spell correctly
• look words up.

Tell the class that in this lesson, they will read and respond to an article about a Namibian theatre producer,
Sandy Rudd.

Period 1
Learners work in pairs to talk about the questions in Before you read. They discuss plays or films that they
have watched, and they look at the words in the Word list. This will help them prepare for the reading
passage.
•• Read the article to the class.
•• Let learners read the article silently.
•• Then ask individual learners to read aloud a paragraph each from the passage.
Period 2
•• Ask the learners to read the article once more, silently.
•• Learners write the answers to the questions in After you read in their exercise books.
•• Learners can do Activity 6 in pairs.
❍❍ Learners write the answers to Question 1 in their exercise books and swap books with a partner to
mark each other’s work.

❍❍ In pairs, learners create words using the root words and suffixes; they compare their words with
another pair’s.
•• In Activity 7, read the explanation and words (silent ‘b’ at the end of words that end in ‘mb’) with the
class. Make sure the learners understand the words.
Consolidation
Let learners mark their own answers to the questions in After you read. Ask a few learners to read out their
answers to 3 b), and write some of the answers on the board as model answers.
Homework
Let the learners complete Question 2 of Activity 7 at home.
Answers
After you read
1. She has enjoyed the theatre for more than fifty years.
2. Sandy acted as a bee in a pantomime, and she saw ‘Aladdin’ when she was five years old.
3. Learners’ own response.
4. It is hard work to get the play ready for an audience, but it is rewarding when you get to that point.

1. a) audience – people who watch or listen to a performance
b) actor – someone who performs in a play or a film
c) producer – someone who is in charge of making a play or a film
2. producer, production, actor, action, performance, performer

2. a) The little lamb is crying for its mother.
b) That bird is looking for a crumb to eat.
c) I heard on the news that there was a bomb and many people died.
d) Use this comb to make your hair look neat.
e) My thumb is very sore because I hit it with a hammer.
Lesson 5 Literature


and understanding
sorrow.
Use this lesson to do the Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 10: Literature. A template for this task, as
well as a template for the memorandum, appears on the CD that accompanies this TG. Answers will be
determined by the prescribed story chosen.
Lesson 6 Write
Dictation

Monitoring of homework done in previous lessons

Go through Activity 7 Work with words and sentences on page 69 with the class. Answers are in the answer
section below. Let learners mark each other’s work. Ask for volunteers to read the sentences with the “mb”
words out aloud.
Tell the class that you are going to give them a dictation based on the reading text on page 68.

•• Ask learners to turn to page 68. Tell them which part of the story you will be using for the dictation. Give
them about 10 minutes to prepare it. Remind them to pay attention to spelling and punctuation. Then
ask them to close their books.
•• Read the text three times.
❍❍ The first time, learners just listen.
❍❍ The second time, stop at the end of each sentence while learners write it in their exercise books
❍❍ The third time they check their work for spelling and punctuation.
Consolidation
Ask learner to swap books and correct each other’s work, using the text on page 68.
Homework
Learners rewrite the dictation correctly.

Activity 8 Use helping verbs

Learners will: • identify and use verbs (auxiliary, main).
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structure and conventions
at word and phrase level.

Monitoring of homework done in previous lessons
Check that learners have written the dictation neatly.
Tell the class that they are going to revise main verbs and helping verbs.

•• Read through the information about main verbs and helping verbs, and the examples. Ask learners to
make up more examples, and act them out with the class (I am reading./They are standing./We are
smiling./He is sitting, etc.). Do this in present and past tenses.
•• Learners copy and complete Questions 1 and 2 in their exercise books, by choosing the correct words.
While they are working, walk around and make sure that learners understand the task, and help
individual learners as necessary.
Consolidation
When they have completed the activity, learners swap books and mark each other’s work.
Helping verbs in English can be very confusing. Give learners as much practice as possible. Start by
practising the present tense until learners are confident; then add in the past tense and the future tense.

Answers
Activity 8 Use helping verbs

1. a) Music can make you happy or sad.
b) As a child, he would listen to stories around the fire.
c) Sandy Rudd and Elemotho both have got talent!
d) Yesterday, we went to the pantomime, Aladdin, and we really did enjoy it.
e) If I want to be a good piano player, I should practise every day.
f) Yesterday, my mother was dancing in the kitchen.
2. a) Your baby sister a) does look like you. She b) has got eyes like yours. I wonder if she c) is as
talented as you are? I wish that I d) could dance as well as you do. I e) will practise every day.

Activity 9 Use idioms

Learners will: • show understanding of using idioms correctly.
9.5.4 apply knowledge of a variety of appropriate imaginative
idiomatic expressions.

Write this idiom on the board (do not use the term idiom, just ask learners to look at the words): Susan, get
your act together! See if learners can explain what it means.

•• Read through the information about idioms, and the example. Ask learners if they know any more English
idioms, or if they can think of idioms in their home languages.
•• Let learners work in pairs to do Questions 1 and 2.
Consolidation
Read out the answers and let learners mark their work.
Answers
Activity 9 Use idioms

1. Idiom Meaning
a) all that jazz all that stuff or nonsense
b) as fit as a fiddle very fit and well
c) music to my ears very pleasant to hear or discover
d) face the music accept punishment for something you have done wrong
e) march to the beat of your own drum do things the way you want to
f) get the show on the road begin an activity
2. a) If you don’t do your homework, you will have to face the music.

b) We are going on holiday! Those words are music to my ears.
c) My grandpa can climb a mountain because he is as fit as a fiddle.
d) Come on, the shops will close soon. Let’s get the show on the road.
e) I was so bored because we stayed there for hours listening to Aunty talking about her problems
and all that jazz.
f) My dad says you should listen to the advice of others and not always march to the beat of your
own drum.
Lesson 9 Literature

and understanding
sorrow.
•• Silas Stephanus Superstar (story)

Activity 10 Read and write a review

Learners will: • read, write and discuss texts on cross-curricular issues and
9.3.1.5 read cross-curricular issues. respond to simple language questions.

Tell learners they will read a review. Talk about what a review is, and where it can be found. (It is a report in
a newspaper or magazine or on the internet, in which a writer gives an opinion about a book, play, art
exhibition, etc.) Talk about who will read the review and why they will read it. (The people who are
interested in art, drama, etc. and therefore in what the writer is writing about.)

Period 1
•• Read the review with the class.
Point out the labels and talk about each one and why that detail is important in a review.
•• Read through the questions about the review.
Period 2
•• Ask learners to write answers for the questions in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Work through the questions on the review with the class.
Answers

2. a) The Magic Paintbrush
b) At the National Theatre of Namibia
c) 1–4 August at 10h00
d) Linekla, her three wicked sisters, a fairy
e) It makes things come alive.
f) Yes, because he or she says it will delight people from all age groups.
Lesson 11 Write

Learners will: • use new words in their written and spoken form in more complex
9.3.2 have repeated exposure to words sentences
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing. • write reports.

Tell learners they will write a review based on what they have learnt in Lesson 11. Explain that you will be
taking the reviews in and using the marks for continuous assessment.

Period 1
•• Work through the instructions on page 72 with the class. Emphasise that learners can make up a play or a
film, if they want to.
•• Ask learners to plan what they will write a review on. Remind them that it is very important that they
plan, draft and revise their writing.

•• Once they have decided on a topic, they begin to write a first draft on scrap paper.
•• Write these points on the board for learners to use as guidelines.
❍❍ What is the name of the play or film?
❍❍ Where did it take place?
❍❍ When did it take place?
❍❍ Who was in it?
❍❍ What is it about?
❍❍ What did you think about it?
Period 2
Learners complete their first drafts and check them. They write their neat reviews in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Take learners’ work in for assessment.
Homework
Learners write new words learnt in the lessons in this topic in their personal dictionaries, together with
sentences to show the meaning of each word.
Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memo for directed writing provided below. Give a mark out of 10.
Check that the mark achieved reflects the learner’s ability as reflected in the Assessment grid for Shorter
writing tasks. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the
Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD. Record the marks in your
continuous assessment record sheet.

Time: 2 × 40-minute periods
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 12: Unprepared speech

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • begin to make simple speeches about self, family members and
intonation on familiar topics.

Tell learners they will be giving a short, unprepared speech to the class. You will be marking the speeches
for continuous assessment.

Period 1
•• Pair all the learners up, and explain that they are going to each give a two-minute speech on their
partner’s talents.

•• Tell the learners that they will be marked on the following: range of vocabulary, correct grammar, clear
ideas and opinions that flow easily, good pronunciation, confidence.
•• Learners ask questions to find out what their partner enjoys doing and is good at (for example, sport,
cooking, sewing). They can use these questions as guidelines:
❍❍ What do you enjoy doing?
❍❍ How do you do it?
❍❍ Why do you enjoy it?
Period 2
Call learners up in their pairs to present their speeches.
Formal assessment
Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 12: Speaking unprepared
Give a mark out of 10. Check that the mark achieved reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the
Assessment grid for Speaking. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also
included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD. Record the
marks in your continuous assessment record sheet.

and understanding
sorrow.
•• Silas Stephanus Superstar (story)


9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension (multiple choice)

Explain that you are going to hand back the comprehensions learners did in Lesson 2.

•• Play the radio broadcast again.
•• Hand out the marked comprehensions.
•• Give learners time to look at their marks and see where they went wrong.
•• Go through the questions and answers orally with the class. (They are given in Lesson 2.)
Consolidation
Ask learners to do their corrections in writing in their exercise books.
Lesson 15 Write
Feedback on Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 11: Directed writing

Learners will: • use new words in their written and spoken form in more complex
9.3.2 have repeated exposure to words sentences
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing. • write reports.

Explain that you are going to hand back the reviews that learners did in Lesson 11.

•• Hand out the marked reviews.
Consolidation


Learners will: • identify and use different types of verbs
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • define and use new words into sentences.
at word and phrase levels
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity.


•• main verbs and helping verbs
•• vocabulary development
•• writing sentences.
Consolidation
•• Learners mark their own work, using the copies of model answers from the CD or you go through the
Self-assessment
Answers
1. a) I have done my homework, so now we can play a game on the computer.
b) Ben wished he could show his father how good he was at soccer.
c) They will get into trouble if they do that.
d) Please tell me what time I should arrive at your house. (7)
2. a) performance
b) production
c) pantomime
d) audience
e) enthusiastic
f) energetic
g) spotlight
h) popular
i) album
j) idiom
k) children
l) paintbrush(12)
3. Learners choose three words and use each in a sentence. (6)
Total: 25 marks

Worksheets 8A, 8B and 8C (available on the Platinum English Second language Grade 4 text CD)



Consolidation
the board.
for homework.

Topic 9: Animals from Africa
About this topic
This topic focuses on the genres of stories and poems. The stories are traditional African stories about
animals. The poems are also about African animals.
Learners listen to and discuss a story of how zebra got her stripes. They then read and do a
comprehension on a story about how the porcupine got quills. Both these stories are similar in structures
and have messages. Learners explore the basic features of stories: characters, setting and plot.
They also listen to and read poems about animals. These poems extend what they learnt in Topic 6 about
making comparisons. Here they explore the concepts of personification, metaphors and similes, and they
revise rhyme, rhythm and words that start with the same sound (alliteration).
The writing activity is an animal story based on a picture. Learners use a flow chart to plan their
paragraphs.
The language focus in the topic is on adjectives.
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include: word games, syllables and synonyms.
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 3: Writing composition.
this TG.
Lessons 1 to 12
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to a traditional story
Task 1: Listening comprehension Lesson 3 Answer questions
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 1: Listening
comprehension
Activity 3 Listen to poem
Listen
Answer questions
Listening and Speaking Lesson 2 Activity 2 Act out a story
Lesson 4 Activity 4 Listen to a rhyming poem
Reading Term 3 Continuous Lesson 5 Activity 5 Read a traditional story
Assessment Task 2: Reading aloud Do a comprehension
Lesson 10 Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 2: Reading aloud
Activity 7 Read animal poems
Reader/Prescribed literature
Bird Brain (poem)
160 Topic 9: Animals from Africa

Writing Lesson 8 Activity 9 Write a story
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 8: Writing composition
Task 8: Writing: composition
Feedback on Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 1: Listening
comprehension
Grammar Lesson 7 Activity 8 Use adjectives
word games, synonyms, enter new words in personal dictionary
Self-assessment/consolidation Lesson 11 Adjectives, antonyms, order sentences to make a summary
of a story
The traditional stories in this topic form part of our cultural
heritage and therefore link with History in the Social Sciences.
Over years they have been passed down orally from generation
to generation. Only in the last few hundred years, were the
stories written down. The texts also raise learner’s awareness
of the wildlife in Africa, and link with environmental themes in
Geography and other subjects.
Writing activities
Learners write a story based on a picture and use a flow chart
to plan the story. Interpreting visual texts is a skill that can help
them in most of their subjects. Flow charts are a useful
technique to organise information when studying.

•• Dictionary
•• Examples of other traditional African animal stories
Topic 9: Animals from Africa 161

Activity 1 Listen to a traditional story

9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension short answer questions (true/false, wh- questions)
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts • rearrange cartoons and pictures in the correct order as they listen
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure to a text.
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. • listen and match the correct descriptions of the characters in
stories
• look words up
• define and use new words.

Explain that learners are going to listen to a traditional story. Traditional stories are told all over the world.
Stories like this form part of a country’s cultural heritage. Over years they have been passed down orally
from generation to generation. The stories were only written down in the last few hundred years.
Each country or continent has its own stories. They have read some of these stories in Topic 6, for
example the Greek myth about Phaeton. The story they will listen to is an African animal story.
Learners will do a comprehension on the story. You will mark the comprehension as part of their
continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Ask learners to look at the pictures 1 to 7. Explain that they tell the story they are going to listen to but
they are not in the correct order.
•• Discuss the questions in Before you listen. Learners use the pictures to predict the characters and setting.
By guessing a title they predict what might happen in the story they will listen to.
•• Read the meanings of the words in the Word list.
•• Play the story How Zebra got her stripes. Ask learners to match the order of the pictures to the events in
the story. They must just listen and think, they must not write notes yet.
•• Play the story again. This time learners can write down the correct sequence of numbers for the pictures.
Period 2
•• Read through Questions 1 to 6 in After you listen.
•• Ask learners to write answers for Questions 1 to 4 in their exercise books. They can use a dictionary to
look up the adjectives if they are not familiar with them.
Consolidation
Ask learners to check their work. Take their books in.

Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memo provided here. Give a mark out of 10. Check that the mark achieved
reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the Assessment grid for listening comprehension. It is included
in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the
Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD.
Answers
Activity 1 Listen to a traditional story

Before you listen
1. a) The two characters are Zebra and Baboon.
b) They are at a water hole.
c) It does not have stripes.
After you listen

1. d) g) c) f) e) b) a)(7)
2. a) False
b) True
c) False
d) True(4)
3. Zebra and Baboon started fighting because Baboon told Zebra that the water belonged to him so
Zebra could not drink it. (3)
4. a) Baboon: selfish, unfair
b) Zebra: brave, proud (4)
5. b) If you know you are right, don’t let others tell you what to do. (2)
Total: 20 marks

Activity 2 Act out a story

Learners will: • begin to dramatise simple stories heard focusing on main
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure characters
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • retell simple stories heard
intonation • begin using clear voice qualities
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • begin to show, through role-play feelings
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words. • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
sentences.

Explain that learners will act out the story. To help them they will first retell it.


•• Ask learners to take turns to tell the story to each other, using the order provided on page 75.
•• Let them dramatise the story in their pairs. Each learner chooses a character. They must use their voices
and face and body gestures to show how the character is feeling when they say their words.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to act out the story to the class.
Extension teaching
Encourage learners to give opinions about the story, and to give personal responses. For example, ask these
questions:
•• Do you think that Zebra was right to fight with baboon, or should he have walked away?
Zebra was right to fight because baboon was being unfair. He had no right to stop him from drinking.
Zebra should have walked away because it is not good to fight; fighting does not make things better.
•• Think of a time when someone did something to you that was unfair. What did you do?


Learners will: • listen to the title of the poem and guess what it is about.
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure • answer simple questions based on simple poems heard
9.1.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • listen to simple poems and songs and identify words which begin
intonation with the same sound
9.1.2 use English in appropriate contexts • begin using clear voice qualities
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words. • begin to show, through role-play feelings
• use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
sentences.

Explain that learners are going to listen to a poem and answer questions about it.

•• Work as a class. Discuss the first question in Before you listen. It draws on the learners own experience.
•• In Question 2, learners use the illustration to predict what they will read about.
•• Before you play the poem, find out what learners can remember about rhyming words. Remind learners
to listen for words that rhyme and words that begin with the same sound.
•• Play the poem twice.
•• Read through Questions 1 to 4 in After you listen.
•• Play the poem a third time.
•• Organise learners into pairs. Ask them to discuss the questions.
•• Go through the answers with the whole class.
•• Read the first verse out loud and ask learners to identify the repeated sounds and rhyming words.
Consolidation
•• Write the poem on the board.

•• Learners perform it in their pairs.
•• If there is time, ask volunteers to perform it for the class. Otherwise they can do this at the beginning of
the next lesson.
Extension teaching
Practise breaking up words from the poem into syllables to work out the number of beats (rhythm) in each
line. Then ask the class to clap the rhythm of each line.
Line 1: 6 beats: Two /tin/y /tor/toi/ses/
Line 2: 6 beats: Try/ing /to /cross /the /road /
Line 3: 7 beats: A /long /comes /a /ten /ton /truck/
Line 4: 5 or 6 beats: Carr/ying /a /big/ load/ or Carr/y/ing /a /big/ load/.
Answers

After you listen
1. The tortoises are trying to cross the road.
2. A big/ten ton truck comes along.
3. Yes, the truck puts on brakes just in time/before it gets to the tortoises.
4. The people in the truck feel shocked when they see they are about to hit the tortoises.
5. a) two, tiny, tortoises, trying, ten, ton, truck
b) road, load, brakes, waits

Activity 4 Listen to a rhyming poem

Learners will: • listen to songs for pleasure
9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure • listen to songs and fill in the missing words
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • begin using clear voice qualities.
intonation.

Explain that learners are going to listen to a song about animals.

•• Ask learners to close their books. Play the song.
•• Play the song again, asking learners to listen for words that rhyme.
•• Ask learners to open their books to page 77 again.
•• They read the song while they listen.
•• Let them match the animals in the poem with the pictures.
•• Then they copy the song and fill in the missing words.
•• Discuss the rhyming pattern: the words at the end of every two-line rhyme.
•• Explain that the class is going to sing the song and do actions.

•• To give them ideas, read the instructions below out loud and ask learners to do the actions.
❍❍ Flap your arms up and down.
❍❍ Make ‘s’ shapes with your arms.
❍❍ Raise your arm high; bend your hand down.
❍❍ Put your head on your hands as if you are going to sleep.
❍❍ Wiggle your fingers like a scorpion scuttling
❍❍ Make your fist into a tight ball.
Consolidation
Sing the song together as a class, with actions.
If learners are still struggling to identify rhyming words and words that begin with the same sound, here are
some activities you can do with them.
•• Practise rhyming words. Learners must make up lists of words that rhyme. There must be at least one
animal in the list, for example, fly, sky, why, cry.
•• See if learners can use these words to make up short rhyming sentences, for example:
Why does the bird cry/While it flies in the sky? Why can we not fly/like birds do in the sky.
•• Practise words that start with the same letter: fly, fox, finch. Try to include as many animal names
as possible.
Answers
Activity 4 Listen to a rhyming poem

4. a) sky
b) ground
c) all
d) asleep
e) around
f) ball

Activity 5 Read a traditional story

extend vocabulary • construct meaning from visual texts
9.3.1.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
texts reading levels when reading a variety of text domains
9.3.1.6 reading various texts: narrative texts • read simple stories for pleasure
9.3.2.1 read short stories and demonstrate understanding of • identify and discuss the title and the role players (characters) in
various elements of literature the story
reading strategies within any of the 3 reading stages: • predict new events relating to characters while reading
strategies for pre-, while- and post-reading • use post-reading strategies to enhance understanding
9.3.2.3.1 have repeated exposure to words • recognise frequently used words and punctuation marks found in
9.3.2.3.2 keyword method most texts at their level
9.3.2.3.6 restructuring reading materials • use synonyms to access meaning of unfamiliar words
9.3.2.3.7 use incidental learning • determine meaning of simple words based on what the rest of
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and the sentence is about
conventions at word and phrase levels • use an image to remember meanings of new words
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity. • use new words in their written or spoken forms through multiple
opportunities
• create associations and connections to remember meanings of
new words.

Explain that you will be reading an animal story and doing a comprehension. While learners are doing the
comprehension and a vocabulary task you will call learners up to read part of the story aloud. You will
assess their reading and use it as part of the continuous assessment programme. You will give them time to
prepare the passage before they read it.

Period 1
•• Discuss the questions in Before you read. They develop the skill of using pictures to predict what a text is
about.
•• Read the story to the class. Stop after each paragraph to discuss unfamiliar words. Encourage learners to
work out the meanings by looking at the sentences more carefully. If they cannot do this, ask them to use
the Word list or a dictionary to find the meaning of the word. Ask them to predict what might happen in
the next paragraph.
•• Read it a second time. This time, stop and ask questions about what you have just read, for example,
“Why was Jackal cross with Porcupine?” Also ask questions that predict events, for example, “What
happens next?”

•• Talk about the pictures. What parts of the story do they show?
•• For homework, ask them to prepare the story for the reading aloud. Tell them to pay attention to the
following points, as you will be using these criteria to assess their reading skills.
❍❍ Pronouncing words clearly and correctly
❍❍ Reading smoothly, pausing only when there are commas, full stops, question and exclamation marks.
❍❍ Reading with expression: changing voices to show the emotions of the characters. Remember,
exclamations show that a character feels strongly about the words he or she is saying.
Period 2
•• Read through Questions 1 to 5 in After you read.
•• Read through Questions 2 and 3 in the Activity 6 Work with words. Make sure learners know what to do.
•• Ask them to do the questions and exercises in writing in their exercise books.
•• Call up learners to read aloud while they are doing this work.
Period 3
•• Continue the reading aloud assessments while the rest of the class completes their written tasks. When
they finish, they can read traditional animal stories from books you have available, or they can read from
their prescribed books. Select a text, or part of a text, for them to read.
•• About fifteen minutes into the lesson, stop the assessments. You can complete them during the next few
lessons. If learners have not finished the written work, they can complete it for homework.
Consolidation
•• Organise learners into pairs. They take turns to read the story to each other.
•• Organise learners into groups. Let them play the word games in Activity 6 Work with words.
Homework
Ask learners to complete their written work and to add new words and their meanings to their personal
dictionaries. They must write a sentence to show the meaning of each word.
Formal assessment
Use the Assessment grid for Reading aloud. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide.
It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD.
Inclusivity
Answers
Activity 5 Read a traditional story

After you read
1. a) He told him that he had a horrible brown coat. He told him that if he had a black coat he would
hunt better/the animals would see him.
b) He had thorns all over his body.

2. No, he laughed and told porcupine that he was ugly and stupid.
3. a) Do not to think that you are better than others.
4. a) Porcupine: vain
b) Jackal: clever

3. spiky: lots of thin hard sharp points (or any other suitable description)
4. a) – 3
b) – 5
c) – 1
d) – 4
e) – 2


literature • read and identify similes and metaphors
9.3.2.2 read and demonstrate knowledge of and apply acquired • read short poems and identify feelings
reading strategies within any of the three reading stages. • use pictures to predict content of the texts.

Go through the answers to the comprehension in the previous lesson.
Explain that learners are going to read two short poems about animals. Ask them how many verses there
are in each poem? (There is only one verse).

•• Work as a class. Ask learners to look at the picture of the tortoise without reading the poem. What does it
look like? Can they compare it to anything?
•• Read the first poem and discuss unfamiliar words.
•• Read and discuss the questions. They reinforce comparisons. The tortoise’s shell is compared to a house
(metaphor). The tortoise is compared to an old man (simile). Learners do not need to know the figures of
speech. It is important that they understand the concepts behind them.
•• Repeat the process above for the second poem, which gives an excellent example of personification.
•• Discuss Question 5, which draws learners’ attention to the difference between figures of speech like
personification and metaphors on the one hand, and then similes.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to read the two poems out loud.

Extended teaching
Here is another animal poem that you can teach the learners for fun.
Way down south where potatoes grow
A grasshopper stepped on an elephant’s toe.
The elephant said, with tears in her eyes,
“Pick on somebody your own size”.
Answers

2. a)The word “house” describes the shell of the tortoise?
b) The words “creep” and “carefully” describe the way the tortoise moves.
4. a)The fish is compared to a queen.
b) The word “scare” describes the way the fish feels.
5. a)Tortoise. Like a very old wrinkled man: the tortoise is compared to a very old man.
Carries his house on his back: his shell is compared to a house.
b) The fish. The fish is queen of the water: the fish is compared to a queen

Activity 8 Use adjectives

Learners will: • identify different types of adjectives (fact, opinion, order).

Find out what learners know about adjectives. Write this sentence on the board and see if they can identify
the adjective and the noun it describes: Baboon has big teeth. Explain that you will be revising adjectives
and learning more about them.

Period 1
•• Read through the information about adjectives that give facts, and adjectives that give opinions. Make
sure they understand the difference between fact and opinion.
•• Learners answer Question 1 in writing in their exercise books.
•• Read through the information about the order of fact adjectives before a noun.
Spend some time on it as it is complicated and they might not have come across these rules before.
Consolidation
Ask learners to close their books and list the order of adjectives before nouns. Write the list on the board.
Homework
Learners do Question 2 on ordering adjectives in writing in their exercise books.

Answers
Activity 8 Use adjectives

1. a) Baboon landed on a rocky mountain. (fact)
b) You should have a nice coat like mine. (opinion)
c) Zebras white coat had black stripes in it. (fact)
d) A warthog is an ugly animal. (opinion)
e) Porcupine now has a spiky coat. (fact)
2. a) Zebra landed on big hot black sticks.
b) Porcupine has long pointy black and white quills.
c) Look at the tiny young yellow meerkat babies.
Lesson 8 Write

Learners will: • apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • join sentences using conjunctions
9.4.3 write long sentences accurately • write simple sentences using pictures
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing. • writing and organising ideas into short into paragraphs
• write short narrative essays of at least three paragraphs based on
simple topics.

Monitoring of homework done in previous lesson
Go through the answers for the exercise on ordering adjectives.
Explain that learners are going to write a story based on the picture on page 82. Ask them to identify the
animals in the picture (lizards). Talk about lizards in the picture, and encourage learners to add what else
they know about these animals: they are reptiles; have a scaly skin, long tail, short feet, claws, long tongues;
they like lying on rocks in the sun; they can lie very still for a long time but they move away quickly and hide
when you come near them; they eat insects.
Explain that learners are going to write a story about the lizards in the picture. You will take in the stories
for marking and use the marks as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Hand out scrap paper.
•• Read through the planning section. This is the first time learners are using a flow chart to plan their
writing. Check that they draw the boxes correctly on the scrap paper. They must be big enough to
accommodate the planning sentences.
•• Learners start on their rough drafts on scrap paper.

Period 2
•• Learners check their work and then write it out neatly.
Consolidation
Ask learners to check their final stories a last time. Then take the books in for marking.
Formal assessment
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 3: Composition
Use the Assessment grid for Shorter writing tasks to assess the compositions. It is included in the
Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the
Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD. Record the marks in your continuous assessment
record sheet.
Lesson 9 Write
Dictation
Feedback on Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 1


Tell the class that you are going to give them a dictation based on the porcupine story. Then you will hand
back the listening comprehensions they did for continuous assessment.
Ask learners to listen while you read the dictation below. Read it twice. They must not write anything yet.
(The dictation is an adaptation of the second half of the story. It does not include direct speech, which
learners have not yet done this year. Learners will be familiar with the vocabulary by this stage.)
Dictation
Porcupine took off his coat and walked into the bush. The next moment he was covered with long black and
white thorns. He cried with pain and ran around in circles. He was angry with Jackal because he had tricked
him. Jackal laughed and told him that he was very stupid and very ugly. To this day Porcupine has a spiky coat.
•• Read the dictation a third time. Stop at the end of each sentence and pause while learners write the
sentences.
•• Read the dictation again. Ask learners to check their writing.
•• Learners mark their own work.
•• Hand out the listening comprehensions.
•• Give learners time to look at their marks and see where they have made mistakes.
•• Go through the answers with the class. (The answers are provided in Lesson 1).
Consolidation


9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama • read and identify title and main ideas key features of a poem e.g. title, poet/poetess,
and novels, and demonstrate lines, stanzas/verses
understanding of various elements • read simple and short poems aloud with appropriate expression and understanding
of literature. • read and identify similes and metaphors
•• Bird Brain (poem)

Grammar usage and vocabulary skills Learners should be able to:
Learners will: • organise and sequence ideas
9.3.3.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • identify and use adjectives
9.4.4 organise sentences and paragraphs into whole texts • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions sentences
at word and phrase levels • use antonyms to expand vocabulary knowledge.


Period 1
❍❍ Use adjectives in sentences.
❍❍ Write adjectives in the correct order.
❍❍ Write antonyms for words used in this topic.
❍❍ Order sentences to make a summary of a story.
Consolidation

Self-assessment
Answers
1. a) Porcupine thinks he has a beautiful coat of smooth fur.
b) He says that Jackal has a horrible coat of brown fur.
c) Porcupine walked into a thorny bush.
d) The next moment he was covered with long black and white thorns.
e) To this day porcupine has a spiky coat. (8)
2. An eagle has big round golden eyes. (3)
3. early – late
horrible – nice
cross – pleased
cried – laughed
stupid – clever
spiky – smooth
hot – cold (7)
4. d, g, a, f, b, e, c. (7)
Total: 25 marks




Consolidation
•• The answers for this activity are on the CD. Provide copies of the answers, or write the answers on the
board.
homework.

Topic 10: Animals that can harm
About this topic
The genre focus in this topic is on information texts and instructions. The themes of the texts mainly focus
on common illnesses or discomforts caused by animals. Most learners will have experienced some of these
illnesses.
Learners listen to an information text about animals and use a mind map to classify the animals into
groups. They listen to instructions for a stomach remedy, and take turns to give instructions.
They read an information text about malaria, and they read instructions on how to treat itchy bites
caused by mosquitoes.
They write instructions on how to treat a scorpion bite. The language focus in the topic is on nouns and
pronouns.
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include: spelling rules, antonyms, verbs, syllables,
idioms and a word puzzle.
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 5: Grammar: pronouns
this TG.
Lessons 1 to 17
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to an information text
Listen
Record information in a mind map
Listening and Lesson 7 Activity 2 Listen to instructions
Speaking Lesson 6 Activity 5 Give instructions
Lesson 15 Activity 6 Play a word game
Poems and games
Reading Lesson 2 Activity 3 Read an information text
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Lesson 3 Do a comprehension
Task 4: Reading comprehension Lesson 5 Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 4: Reading comprehension
Lesson 4 Activity 4 Read main ideas in paragraphs
Lesson 9 Develop your vocabulary
Lesson 14 Activity 8 Read instructions Reader/prescribed literature
Lesson 11 Prescribed literature, e.g. text from the Platinum English Second
Language Grade 4 Reader:
The Terrible Tiger (story)
Feedback on Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 4: Reading
comprehension
Writing Lesson 12 Activity 12 Write instructions
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 6: Directed writing
Task 6: Directed writing
Topic 10: Animals that can harm 175

Grammar Lesson 8 Activity 9 Work with nouns (gender and age)
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Lesson 13 Activity 10 Work with possession
Task 5: Grammar: pronouns Activity 11 Work with pronouns
spelling rules (long and short vowels), antonyms, verbs,
syllables, idioms, a word puzzle, enter new words in personal
dictionary
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 5: Grammar: pronouns
Feedback on Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 5: Grammar:
pronouns
Self-assessment/consolidation Lesson 16 Nouns (age and gender), pronouns, idioms, use a chart
to summarise information
Compensatory and extension Lesson 17 Use the worksheets for Topic 10 on the Platinum English
teaching Second Language Grade 4 CD as follows:
Worksheet 10B Consolidation for extra work for
learners who have managed the work adequately
Worksheet 10C Extension for those learners who did well
and need more challenging activities.
curriculum The theme of health and common illnesses links with Natural
Science and Health Education.
Malaria is a common illness in the northern parts of Namibia,
and anyone living there are travelling to these parts must be
aware of the dangers of the illness, and how to take
precautions against getting it.
Writing activities
Learners use mind maps to classify information. This is a useful
skill to use, particularly in the natural sciences. The genre of
instructions links with many subjects. Scorpions are widely
found in Namibia and it is important to know how to treat
them.

•• Dictionary
•• Equipment and ingredients to make the:
❍❍ stomach remedy in Activity 2: clean drinking water, a jug, a glass, a teaspoon, sugar
❍❍ itchy bite remedy in Activity 8: clean water, soap, a cloth, a small cup and teaspoon, baking soda.
176 Topic 10: Animals that can harm

Activity 1 Listen to an information text

Learners will: answer questions orally and in writing based on texts heard: filling
9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension in missing information
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts • complete various simple tasks by drawing, labelling drawings
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary. while listening to simple texts
• look words up.

Explain that learners are going to listen to an information text about different groups of animals. Learners
will use the mind map to make notes about the animals and organise them into their groups.

Period 1
•• Read the information in the mind maps with the class.
•• Ask learners to copy the mind maps on scrap paper.
•• Play the listening text twice.
❍❍ The first time learners must just listen and look at their mind maps.
❍❍ The second time they can make notes.
Period 2
•• Play the listening text a third time.
•• Learners check their notes and make changes.
•• Ask them to copy their completed mind maps into their exercise books.
Consolidation
Work as a class. See how many examples of animals for each group the class can come up with. Write the
animal names on the board.
If learners struggle to classify information, play this classification game with words from the same lexical
field. Ask learners to call out names of parts of animals, for example: head, tails, legs, ears, eyes, feet, horns,
hooves, claws, beaks, paws, trunk, wings, tusks, scales, fur, feathers. Write these words on the board. Call
out names of animals, for example: “elephant”. Learners must name the parts of this animal (trunk, tusks,
ears, eyes, legs, tail, feet).
Answers
Animals
Birds
•• All have two legs
•• All have two wings.
•• All have feathers.

Insects
•• All have six legs
•• Some have wings.
Reptiles
•• All have scales on their skin
•• Some have long tails.
•• Some don’t have legs.
•• One has a hard shell.
Mammals
•• All have hair.
•• Some have four legs.
•• Some have two arms and two legs.

Activity 3 Read an information text

Learners will: • share personal information and experiences
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • identify text features
9.3.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • read, write and discuss texts on cross-curricular issues and
texts respond to simple language questions
9.3.5 reading cross-curricular issues • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words. sentences.

Find out what learners know about malaria (it’s an illness you get from a mosquito bite.) Explain that
learners will read an information text about malaria and do a comprehension. You will take in the
comprehensions for marking and use the marks as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Organise the class into pairs.
Ask them to discuss the questions in Before you read. They use the pictures and headings to predict what
the text might be about.
•• Read the text about malaria three times.
•• The first time, read without stopping.
•• The second time, stop at the end of each paragraph and ask learners to identify unfamiliar words, for
example, parasites. Encourage them not to use the Word list at this stage, but to try to work out meanings
from details in the text. For example, in the sentence with the word “parasite”, there is also the word
“tiny”, which means that they are very small; the word “live” means that they must be some type of
animal.
•• The third time, ask for volunteers to read some of the paragraphs.

Period 2
•• Ask learners to read the text quietly on their own.
•• Read through Question 1. Ask learners to write answers to the questions in their exercise books.
•• Take in the books about ten minutes before the end of the lesson.
Consolidation
As a class, discuss Questions 2 and 3. They include learners’ own experiences of illnesses.
Formal assessment
Mark the answers using the memo provided here. Give a mark out of 10.
Check that the mark achieved reflects the learner’s ability as reflected on the Assessment grid for Reading
comprehension. It is included in the Assessment section of the Teacher’s Guide. It is also included in the
Answers

After you read
1. a) It drinks people’s blood. (1)
b) Parasites live in people’s blood. (1)
c) The mosquito carries the parasites from one person to another when it bites them. (2)
d) You feel too hot or too cold. You sweat. Sometimes you vomit. (3)
e) Yes, many people have died from it. (1)
f) You can take medicine and sleep under nets. (2)
Total: 10 marks
2. Feelings would include: hot and then cold, fever, headache, sweat, weak, high temperature.
3. Examples of other harmful insects and spiders: tsetse fly, button spider, scorpion

Activity 4 Read main ideas in paragraphs

Learners will: • read a paragraph with familiar vocabulary and identify the main idea
9.3.3 read a range of texts across the curriculum • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple sentences.
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words.

Ask: What is a paragraph? (a group of sentences about a common/same idea). Explain that learners are
going to learn more about paragraphs.

•• Read through the information in the box.

•• Ask them to read Question 1 and to look up unfamiliar words.
•• Discuss the sentences. The main sentence is given. It comes at the beginning of the paragraph. It gives
you the main idea in the paragraph: the illness called malaria. Do the second sentence in the paragraph
together as a class: it tells you what causes malaria.
•• Ask learners to work through the rest of the sentences in the same way. They can do this orally.
•• Have a feedback session with the class.
Consolidation
Learners do Question 2, individually, in writing in their exercise books.
Homework
Learners complete Question 2.
If learners struggle to make the connection between the main sentence and supporting sentences, work
through all the paragraphs in the text in the same way as they did in Question 1.
Answers
Activity 4 Read main ideas in paragraph

1. Sentence 2: Malaria is caused by tiny creatures called parasites: it tells you what creatures cause malaria.
Sentence 3: They live in people’s blood: it tells you where the creatures live.
Sentence 3: The malaria mosquito bites people and drinks their blood: It tells you about another
creature that likes people’s blood .
Sentence 4: This is how it carries parasites from one person to another: It tells how this creature
spreads the illness.
2. Paragraph 2: People who have malaria feel very sick.
Paragraph 3: A lot of people die of malaria.
Paragraph 4: There are things you can do so you don’t get malaria.
Lesson 4 Literature

9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama and • read and identify title and main ideas key features of a poem e.g. title, poet/
novels, and demonstrate understanding of poetess, lines, stanzas/verses
various elements of literature. • read simple and short poems aloud with appropriate expression and
understanding
•• The Terrible Tiger (story)

Activity 8 Read instructions

Learners will: • read and respond to simple instructions
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • begin to give simple instructions
9.2.3 develop understanding of key characteristics of • and directions
spoken language • demonstrate knowledge of using simple grammar (formulaic
9.3.4 read and respond to instructions appropriately expressions)
9.3.2.3.1 use effective vocabulary learning strategies • consolidate knowledge of newly acquired vocabulary by re-reading
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words. relatively simple texts
• consolidate knowledge of newly acquired vocabulary by re-reading
relatively simple texts
• use new words in their written and spoken form in simple sentences.

Talk about itchy bites. Ask: How do you get them? (mosquitoes, fleas, spiders). What do they look like? How
do they feel? Talk about what happens if you scratch itchy bites (They get bigger and sore.). Explain that
learners are going to read instructions to make a paste that can help itchy bites feel better.

Period 1
•• Work as a class. Discuss the questions in Before you read. Learners use the pictures to predict the
ingredients. They also focus on the typical features of an instructional text (headings, lists).
•• Read through the instructions. Remind learners to check the ingredients against the predictions
they made.
•• Discuss unfamiliar words.
•• Select a strong reader to read the You will need list.
•• Select another strong reader to read Follow these steps.
•• Ask learners to read the instructions quietly on their own.
Period 2
•• Ask learners to do Questions 1 and 2 in After you read in writing in their exercise books.
•• About ten minutes before the end of the lesson, ask them to stop, and do the activity under
Consolidation. They can complete the comprehension for homework.
Consolidation
Ask learners to work in pairs. They must close their books and take turns to tell each other the instructions.
Remind them to use the headings: You will need/Follow these steps. Remind them to list the ingredients
and to start sentences under Follow these steps with a verb.
Homework
Complete the comprehension questions.

Extension teaching
Provide the equipment and ingredients to make the paste. Either ask two learners to demonstrate how to
make it themselves, and how to apply it, or if you have enough of everything, learners can work in groups
to do this.
Answers
Activity 8 Read Instructions

After you read
1. a) False
b) False
c) True
d) False
e) True
2. a) You need two ingredients to make the paste.
b) You must clean the itchy bites with soap and water.
d) You must keep the paste on for two hours.
3. Each sentence starts with a verb.

Activity 6 Play a word game

Learners will: • pronounce one and two syllable words
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • use new words in their written or spoken forms through multiple
intonation opportunities
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • identify and use nouns
9.5.1 Apply knowledge of grammatical structures and • identify and use verbs
conventions at word and phrase levels • use spelling rules to spell correctly
9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly • show understanding of and use idiomatic expressions correctly
9.5.4 apply knowledge of a variety of appropriate, imaginative • complete a vocabulary quiz
idiomatic expressions • use antonyms.

Go over the comprehension answers for the instructions with the class. Emphasise that when you write
instructions, your sentences should start with a verb.
Explain that you will be doing vocabulary and grammar activities based on the words they have learnt in
the instruction text.

•• Organise learners in pairs.
•• Read through Questions 1 to 3 under Activity 6 Play a word game and Questions 1 and 2 under Activity 7
Use your vocabulary. They cover verbs, syllables, spelling (short and long vowel sounds), antonyms, and a
word puzzle. Remind learners that nouns name objects (things).
•• Learners work in pairs to discuss the questions, but they work individually to write answers in their
exercise book.
Consolidation
About ten minutes before the lesson ends, ask learners to stop writing. Read the instructions in Activity 6
for how to do the word puzzle. Make sure learners are clear about what to do.
Homework
Ask learners to complete the questions for homework.
Answers
Activity 6 Play a word game
1. clean, put, add, mix, rub, leave, wash
2. Words with one syllable: soap, bites, cup, paste, hours
3. Words with two syllables: water, soda, teaspoon
4. soap, paste, time, sweat

1. bite, shake, tone, file, bake
2. clean – dirty often – never
add – subtract small – big better – worse thick – thin

Activity 2 Listen to instructions
Activity 5 Give instructions

9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension (wh- questions)
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts • respond briefly to simple instructions
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
intonation • speak with clarity to be understood by teachers and peers
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • begin to give simple instructions
9.2.3 develop understanding of key characteristics of spoken • demonstrate knowledge of using simple grammar (formulaic
language. expressions).

Go through the answers to the vocabulary and sentence exercises in the previous lesson.
Learners have read instructions giving a remedy for itchy bites. Explain that now they are going to listen to
instructions for how to cure an upset stomach.

Period 1
•• Discuss the questions in Before you listen. Learners use the photographs to predict the ingredients and
the steps of the instructions.
•• Play the instructions three times.
•• The first time, learners just listen and think about what is happening in the pictures.
•• The second time, ask learners to listen for unfamiliar words.
•• Discuss the words. Play back the relevant sentences to them. Ask learners not to use the Word list or a
dictionary at this stage. Play back the relevant sentences to them. (You can also read them – they can be
printed from the CD). Encourage them to try to work out meanings from details in the sentence. Only
then, if necessary, they can look them up.
Period 2
•• Play the text a third time.
•• Discuss the questions in After you listen as a class. Questions 1. a) to c) require literal answers using
information from the listening text. The last two questions require metacognitive skills – learners use the
information in the text to make a conclusion. They also use a photograph to analyse feelings.
Consolidation
Learners work in pairs for Activity 5 Give instructions. They take it in turns to give each other the
instructions. Encourage them to interrupt each other if anything is unclear, using the expressions provided.
To reinforce the structure of the genre of instructions, ask learners to look at the instructions on page 89.
Discuss in which ways they are the same (headings are the same):
You will need, Follow these steps. List for You will need, sentences with numbers for Follow these steps,
sentences start with a verb (command form of the verb).
Extension teaching
Provide the equipment and ingredients to make the solution. Either ask two learners to demonstrate how to
make it, or if you have enough of everything, learners can work in groups to do this.
Answers
Activity 2 Listen to instructions

After you listen
1. a) You need water, sugar, a jug, a glass.
b) You must mix the water and the sugar together.
c) You must drink the mixture every ten minutes
d) No, water and sugar are not expensive.
e) Yes, he is smiling.

Activity 9 Work with nouns
Activity 10 Work with possessions
Activity 11 Work with pronouns

Learners will: • identify different types of nouns (age, gender, possessive form)
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • identify different types of pronouns.

Find out what learners remember about nouns. (They revised them in Lesson 6). Explain that they will be
learning more about nouns. They will also learn about words you can use to replace nouns. See if they can
identify these words as pronouns – they have learnt them in the previous grade. You will take in the exercise
they do on pronouns for marking and use the marks as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
Read through the information about nouns that tell you about gender and age.
Learners do Activity 9 Work with nouns, Questions 1 and 2 in writing in their exercise books.
Read through the information about using nouns as adjectives.
Learners do Activity 10 Work with possession in their exercise books.
Period 2
Read through the information about pronouns.
Ask learners to do Activity 11, Questions 1 and 2 in writing in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Ask learners to check their exercises. Then take in the books.
Formal assessment
Use the memo provided below to mark the exercises in Activity 9 out of a total of 10. Record the marks in
the continuous assessment record sheet.

Answers
Activity 9 Work with nouns
1. a) cow – bull
b) girl – boy
c) actress – actor
d) hero – heroine
e) mare – stallion (5)
2. a) goat – kid
b) bird – chick
c) frog – tadpole
d) sheep – lamb
e) cow – calf (5)
Total: 10 marks
Activity 10 Work with possession
1. a) The bird’s nest fell out of the tree. b) The girl’s writing is neat.
c) The lamb is drinking its mother’s milk. d) The dog’s tail is very long.
e) The whale’s calf is sick.
Activity 11 Work with pronouns

1. a) I need help. Please help me. b) We need help. Please help us.
c) They need help. Please help them. d) He needs help. Please help him.
e) She needs help. Please help her.
2. a) He is sicker than her. b) It chased them.
c) They had a fight. d) She needs it.
Lesson 9 Literature

understanding of various elements of • read simple and short poems aloud with appropriate expression and understanding
literature. • read and identify similes and metaphors

Lesson 10 Write
Dictation


Tell the class that you are going to give them a dictation based on the malaria information text.

•• Ask learners to prepare the text on page 86. Explain that you will not use the headings in the dictation.
You will use the paragraphs beneath each heading.
•• Ask learners to close their text books.
•• Read the dictation once. Learners must not write anything yet.
•• Read the dictation a second time. Stop at the end of each sentence and pause while learners write the
sentences in their exercise books.
Consolidation

Feedback on Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 4: Reading comprehension

9.3.5 reading cross-curricular issues • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple

Tell the class that you are going to give back the comprehensions they did for continuous assessment.

•• Ask learners to read the information text again quietly on their own.
•• Hand out the comprehensions.

•• Go through the questions and answers orally with the class.
Consolidation
Homework
Ask learners to add new words from this topic to their personal dictionaries. They must write sentences to
Lesson 12 Write
Activity 12 Write instructions

9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • write simple sentences using pictures
9.4.3 write long sentences • write instructions.
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing.

Explain that learners are going to write instructions of how to treat a scorpion sting. You will take in the
instructions for marking and use the marks as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Hand out scrap paper.
•• Read through the activity which outlines the writing process that they must use. If this is the first time
they have come across the word draft, explain that a draft is a piece of writing that you will change before
you write your finished work.
•• Ask them to prepare their first draft on scrap paper, using the frame and the words provided. Point out
that the pictures will help them decide which words to use.
Period 2
•• Learners complete the writing process. They write their neat instructions in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Write this checklist on the board. Ask learners to use it to check their work. Then take the books in.
Checklist for instructions

•• There are two headings.
•• There is a list of words under Heading 1.
•• There are sentences under Heading 2.
•• Each sentence starts with a verb.
•• The missing words are filled in correctly.

Formal assessment

Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4
CD. Record the marks out of a total of ten in the continuous assessment record sheet.
Answers
Activity 12 Write instructions

This is what the final instructions should look like.
You will need:
•• a bowl
•• cloth
•• dishcloth
•• ice
•• a dishcloth
Follow these steps:
1. Wash the area where you were stung with soap and water.
2. Lift it up your arm or leg if the sting is there.
3. Wrap ice in a dishcloth.
4. Press it onto the sting.
5. Leave it there for 10 minutes. Do it again if you need to.
6. Go to the nearest doctor or clinic if you do not feel better in 20 minutes.

Feedback on Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 5: Grammar

Learners will: • identify different types of nouns (age, gender, possessive form)
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • identify different types of pronouns.

Explain that you are going to hand back the exercises learners did on pronouns for continuous assessment.

•• Read through the information about pronouns in the language box again.
•• Hand out the marked exercises.
Consolidation

Time: 1 × 40 minute period

and understanding

Poems and games

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • respond orally to information in English in school contexts
intonation • read short poems for pleasure
9.3.2.1 read a poem new words
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity. • complete a vocabulary quiz.

Explain that you are going to do some fun activities on the theme of animals.

•• Ask learners to talk about and imitate animals sounds. For example: bee – buzz/bzzzzzzz, cat – purr/
purrrrr, dog – growl/grrrrrr/arf/woof, etc.
•• Teach learners this poem. They must say the animal sounds.
Dogs growl and bark – grrrrrrr
Snakes spit sand hiss – sssssss
Mosquitoes whine in the dark – eeeeeee
Doves coo and kiss – coo-coo-coo-coo
Bees buzz busily – bzzzzzzzzzz
Elephant’s cry is loud – terrrum-terrrum-terrrum
Creatures calling everywhere
Soft and loud.

•• Ask learners to make up more lines to the poem, with sounds. For example: Lion’s roar is proud … ,
hyena’s laugh is … , crows shout and screech.
•• Learners can make up animal riddles in small groups. Give them these instructions:
❍❍ Each person thinks of an animal. Write it down. Do not show anyone.
❍❍ Think of at least three clues to give the group. For example:
❍❍ Clue: It is long. It does not have legs. It is often poisonous. (snake)
❍❍ Clue: It has sharp teeth. It has a long tail. It has a long snout (crocodile) and a long tail.
❍❍ Each person in the group gets a chance to give clues. The rest of the group must try to guess the animal.
For example:
– It has sharp teeth.
– Is it a lion?
– No. It has a long tail.
– Is it a crocodile?
– Yes.

Learners will: • read to extract information for simple tasks
9.3.1.1 read a range of texts across the curriculum • identify and use nouns (age and gender)
9.3.3.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • identify and use pronouns
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and • show understanding of and use idiomatic expressions correctly
conventions at word and phrase levels • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.5.4 apply knowledge of a variety of appropriate, imaginative sentences.
idiomatic expressions


•• using nouns for age and gender
•• using pronouns
•• using animal idioms
•• using a table to summarise an information text.
Consolidation
Self-assessment

Answers
1. pig – piglet, adult – child, goat – kid, goose – gosling, frog – tadpole (5)
2. a) lion – lioness
b) girl – boy
c) hen – rooster
d) doe – buck
e) tiger – tigress (5)
3. a) They have not seen each other for donkey’s years.
b) My brother can really get on my goat.
c) I smell a rat.
d) She would never hurt you; she is as gentle as a lamb.
e) My cousin steals money from his mother. He is the black sheep in the family.(5)
4. a) They have scales on their skin.
b) He/She told her she had malaria.
c) She nursed him when he was sick.
d) It carries them from one person to another.
e) They visited him in hospital. (9)
5. Disease How you get it How you feel
malaria from mosquitoes hot and cold, headache
sleeping sickness from tsetse fly tired and weak
cholera from dirty water runny tummy and vomiting (6)
Total: 30 marks




Consolidation
the board.
for homework.

Topic 11: Make the world a better place
About this topic
This theme covers several genres: an interview, cell phone messages, e-mail messages, an information text
and posters. The activities centre on the theme of people who work towards making the world a better
place. This includes communicating well with people around us, treating people equally, addressing
problems, reacting when we see people being treated unfairly (this includes bullying), and recognising the
need for setting up and respecting rules for common behaviour.
Learners listen to and discuss an interview about how learners made a happy face. They listen to a cell
phone message to a friend, and then make up their own cell phone messages. They read a poster about
making school a happy place. They read an e-mail message from children to a hospital, offering some help.
They read an information text about Martin Luther King, a famous civil rights leader.
Writing activities include writing an e-mail message offering to help the community and designing and
producing a poster.
The language focus in the topic is on direct and indirect speech.
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include: idioms, root words, prefixes and suffixes.
this TG.
Lessons 1 to 15
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to an interview
Task 7: Listening comprehension Do a comprehension
Lesson 12 Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 7: Listening comprehension
Speaking Lesson 2 Activity 2 Talk about children’s rights
Listening and Speaking Term 3 Lesson 3 Activity 9 Listen to and give cell phone messages
Continuous Assessment Task 8: Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 8: Prepared speaking
Prepared speaking
Task 9: Literature Lesson 6 Activity 5 Read an e-mail message
Lesson 4 Activity 6 Read an information text
Lesson 7 Activity 7 Work with idioms
Lesson 13 Activity 3 Build new words
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 9: Literature Reader/prescribed literature
Prescribed literature, e.g. texts from the Platinum English Second Language
Grade 4 Reader:
The B-A-B-Y (story)
The Litter Monster (story)
Topic 11: Make the world a better place 193

Writing Lesson 10 Activity 10 Write an e-mail message
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 9: Writing smaller pieces
Task 10: Writing smaller pieces Lesson 11 Activity 11 Design a poster
Grammar Lesson 8 Activity 8 Use direct and indirect speech
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include: idioms, stem
words, prefixes and suffixes, enter new words in personal dictionary
Self-assessment Lesson 14 Direct and indirect speech, stem words, prefixes,
/consolidation suffixes, use a chart to summarise an information text.
Compensatory and extension Lesson 15 Use the worksheets for Topic 11 on the Platinum English Second Language
teaching Grade 4 CD as follows:
work
Worksheet 11B Consolidation for extra work for learners who have
managed the work adequately
English across Reading activities
the curriculum The theme of human rights, communicating with each other and working
together to make the world a better place links with Social studies (History) and
Religious Studies. Martin Luther King is famous in history for being an
American pastor, activist and human rights campaigner. His work contributed
to Human Rights, including the rights of children, being adopted by the United
Nations and becoming an international law. The need for rules to protect us,
and the right not to be bullied falls under this law.
Information technology (cell phones and e-mail messages) as a form of
communication between people links with Basic Information Science.
School rules links with all subjects, in that they must be respected at all times.
Writing activities
The e-mail message links with Basic Information Science. The poster reinforces
the need to work together in a community.

•• Dictionary
•• Information about other famous people from history who have contributed to human rights and
freedom, both locally and internationally, for example Anton Lubowski, Samuel Maharero, Ghandi,
Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandela
•• Big clean sheets of paper (A3 if possible), old magazines, coloured pencils or kokis, scissors, glue for the
poster activity in Lesson 11.
194 Topic 11: Make the world a better place

Activity 1 Listen to an interview

9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension • look words up.

Ask learners to look at the happy face on page 94. Find out what learners know about the symbol of a happy
face. For example, we often use them when we write a message to a friend. We can draw them or use the
symbol on a cell phone or computer. If we are writing bad news, then we can use a sad face.
Explain that the face was made by learners at a primary school. They are going to listen to an interview
about how the face was made. Ask if they know what an interview is (an interview is a dialogue between two
people. One person asks the questions and the other person answers them).
Explain that learners will be doing a comprehension on the interview. You will take their books in for
marking and use the marks as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Work as a class. Discuss the questions about the face in Before you listen. They introduce the positive
ideas that run through the theme.
•• 1. d) is challenging. It requires learners to estimate the number of learners who make the face. Use the
guidelines to help learners make their guesses.
•• Play the interview without stopping. Ask learners to look carefully at the photograph while they are
listening.
•• Discuss the guesses learners made about the face. How were they the same? How were they different?
•• Play the interview again. Ask learners to identify unfamiliar words. Ask learners to use the Word list and a
dictionary to look up the meanings.
•• Play it a third time.
Period 2
•• Read though the questions in After you listen.
•• Play the interview a fourth time. Ask learners to listen for details that will answer the questions.
•• Learners write answers in their exercise books.
Consolidation
Ask learners to check their work. Then take the books in.
Formal assessment
Mark the answers for After you listen using the memo provided below. Give a mark out of 10.

Answers
Activity 1 Listen to an interview

Before you listen
1. b) Outline of face: orange. Eyes: blue. Mouth: red. Hair: black
c) It’s mouth is smiling.
d) The answer is 500 – learners will come up with different numbers. Accept realistic answers.
For example, 20 is not acceptable, neither is 5 000!
After you listen

1. a) To raise money for children who need operations on their faces. (2)
b) They made it on a field/sports field. (1)
c) 500 children did it. (1)
d) They wore red, orange, blue and black T-shirts. (4)
e) They crouched on hands and knees, to show the colours of their t-shirts. (2)
Total: 10 marks

Activity 2 Talk about children’s rights

Learners will: • speak with clarity to be understood by teachers and peers.
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate
intonation.

Find out what learners know about the word “human rights”. Use the information below to guide the
discussion.
Human rights are rights that all human beings have, whatever our nationality, sex, colour, religion,
politics and language. We are all equal in the eyes of the law. This law is international – many countries in
the world have accepted it. Some have not. It is against the law to treat people unfairly because of their
nationality, sex, colour, religion, politics and language.
Human rights laws have not always existed. They were only established in the last century. There is a
special section of the law that protects children.
Explain that in this lesson, learners will find out about some of the laws that protect children.

•• Organise the class into groups.
•• Ask them to look at the pictures and use them to discuss what children need.
•• Ask them to think of other things that children need. Point out that this is not a “wish list”; they must
focus on realistic basic needs.

Consolidation
Have a feedback session with the class. Write the rights on the board. The pictures illustrate the following
children’s rights:
Children need a home where they can sleep.
Children need healthy food to eat.
Children need exercise/to play.
Children need fresh/clean water.
Children need to go to school/an education/to learn to read and write. These are some other needs:
Children need to be protected from violence.
Children need to have time to relax and play.
Children need to be able to express opinions.
Children need to live without fear.
Extension teaching
Teach learners this song. Sing it as a class to a well-known tune.
Let’s work together
If we all work well together It’s my work, it’s your work.
If we all work well together It’s hard work, it’s good work.
If we all work well together If we all work well together
How much better the world will be. How much better the world will be.

Activity 9 Listen to and give cell phone messages
Lesson Objectives Basic competencies

9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts • identify and role play moods portrayed as they listen to a text
9.1.3 listen to distinguish: mood of speaker; cause/effect • identify and role play moods portrayed as they listen to a text
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words. • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
sentences.

Discuss how cell phone answering services work. (If someone does not answer the phone, there is a message
which says: Leave a message after the beep.) Discuss how we can listen to messages that have been left on
our cell phones. (Dial in a code, press digits/numbers on the phone.)
Explain that learners are going to listen to a cell phone message from a girl called Turimuje, to her friend,
Tom. Then they will work in pairs and make up a cell phone conversation. You will assess the conversations
as part of their continuous assessment programme.

Period 1
•• Ask learners to look at the picture, identify the characters and guess what the message is about. (The girl
in the thought bubble is Turimuje. She was mean to the boy Tom. She teased him about his glasses. She is
phoning him to say she is sorry and to talk about it.)
•• Play the message. Ask learners to think about how the character giving the message is feeling. Also ask
them to listen for the words used at the beginning and the end of the message.
•• Read the instructions in Question 3. Explain that learners are going to work in pairs and make up
conversations in response to the message. You will be assessing the conversations in the next period.
•• Play the message again.
•• Learners work in pairs to prepare their conversations.
Period 2
•• Give learners 10 minutes to practise their conversations.
•• Explain that you will start calling them up in their pairs for the assessment. The class will do the
comprehension in writing in their exercise book while this is happening.
•• Read through the questions in Activity 9. Question 2. a) to g) focuses on literal answers using information
from the message. Question g) develops higher order thinking skills: inferring what Tom’s reaction might
be to the message.
•• Play the message again, reminding learners to listen for details in the questions.
•• Start the assessments. You will probably not be able to assess the whole class within the lesson.
•• Continue the assessments in Lesson 14 and 15, when learners do their self- assessments and worksheets.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to present their conversations to the class.
Formal assessment
also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 CD.
Homework
Learners can complete the comprehension questions in 2. a) to g).
To reinforce the use of conjunctions, write this exercise on the board. Leave out the conjunctions in bold
and ask for volunteers to fill them in.
1. Turimuje is jealous because Tom has new glasses.
2. She teased Tom but/and now she is sorry.
3. She still has her old glasses but/and she wants new ones.
4. She wants them to get together so that they can finish their project.

Lesson 4 Literature

9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama and novels, and • read and identify title and main ideas key features of a poem e.g. title,
demonstrate understanding of various elements of poet/poetess, lines, stanzas/verses
understanding
Use this lesson to do the Term 2 Continuous Assessment Task 10: Literature. A template for this task, as well
as a template for the memorandum, appears on the CD that accompanies this TG. Answers will be
determined by the prescribed story chosen.

Go through the answers for the listening comprehension in Question 2 of Activity 9 with the class.
Answers
Activity 9 Listen to and give cell phone messages

2. a) The message is from Turimuje.
b) The message is to Tom.
c) Hello
d) Bye
e) She is phoning to say she is sorry she was mean to him.
f) She hopes they can get together over the weekend.
g) He is pleased because he was hurt and it makes a difference if she feels bad about it./He is cross
because even if she says she is sorry, she did something to hurt him.

Activity 5 Read an e-mail message

9.3.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of • construct meaning from visual texts
selected texts • read, write and discuss texts on cross-curricular issues and
9.3.5 reading cross-curricular issues respond to simple language questions
9.3.1.9.3.1 use effective vocabulary learning strategies • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple

Introduction
Explain that learners are going to read a poster. Remind them that they have read and made posters before.
Find out if they can remember. (In Topic 5 they read a poster about TB and made a poster about healthy
food.) They will also read and answers questions on an e-mail message.

Period 1
•• Work as a class. Begin with Activity 4. Discuss the questions in Before you read.
•• They revise the important features of a poster: headings, colours, lettering and pictures.
•• Read the words in poster, but not the notes around it.
•• Then read the notes.
•• Ask learners to read the poster and the notes on their own.
•• Remind them to think about what happens in their own school while they read.
Period 2
•• Ask learners to discuss them in their pairs.
•• Question 4 should be done individually in their exercise books.
Consolidation
•• About 15 minutes before the end of the lesson, ask learners to stop.
•• Begin Activity 5. Discuss how we can send messages to our friends. (Sms/e-mail/telephone. Remind
learners that you are not allowed to use Twitter, Facebook and other social networks until you are 13.)
•• Talk about e-mail messages and sms messages – messages that you send from a computer to computer,
sms – messages that you send from cell phone to cell phone.)
•• Find out if anyone sometimes sends letters or postcards. Discuss why people do not do this much
anymore. (It is quicker and easier to use technology.)
•• Read the e-mail in Activity 5, and the notes around it.
•• Let them practise writing e-mail addresses using the @ sign. Point out that there is no space between
the letters.
•• Learners answer the questions on it in writing in their exercise books for homework.
Homework
•• Learners complete Activity 4 Question 4 and Activity 5 Question 1 for homework.
To reinforce writing the format of letters and messages, remind learners that they wrote a message in Topic
3 (a thank you letter). Turn back to the letter on page 28. Ask them to point out what is the same about a
letter that is written by hand, and a message that is written on a computer (address/greeting/paragraphs/
ending). What is different? (In an e-mail message, the address is on the left; it uses e-mail style addresses; it
includes the words From, To, Subject.)

Answers

1. a) Make your school a happy place. b) It has the biggest writing and the brightest colour.
c) There are three smaller headings. d) Learners describe the pictures.
After you read
1. All can read it, but it is mainly for learners.
2. All answers are correct, but they only tell you about parts of the poster/pamphlet. The one in bold
tells you about all the information in the poster/pamphlet.
c) It tells you what you can do to make your school a better place.
3. This will differ from learner to learner/school to school.
4. Try, Arrive, Do, Prepare, Look, Respect, Line up, Walk, Keep, Do no, Treat, Say, Be, Do, not.
Activity 5 Read an e-mail message

1. a) The matron of a hospital/Central Hospital.
b) Kaveto Indongo, the class captain/monitor of Grade 4.
c) They want to visit the children’s ward at the hospital.
d) They want to put pictures on the wall to make the ward nice for the children.

Learner’s Book pages 95, 98 and 99 Time: 3 × 40-minute periods
Activity 7 Work with idioms
Activity 3 Build new words

Learners will: • recognise frequently used words and punctuation marks found in
9.3.1 read aloud authentic texts for a specific purpose and to most texts at their level
extend vocabulary • construct meaning from visual texts
9.3.5 reading cross-curricular issues: Human Rights • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words sentences
9.3.3.3.5 root analysis • examine and share ideas of word roots, prefixes and suffixes
9.3.3.3.8 vocabulary: use contextual skills • look up words
9.5.4 apply knowledge of a variety of appropriate, imaginative • find and use context clues for learning new vocabulary words
idiomatic expressions • show understanding of and use idiomatic expressions correctly
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity. • figure out meanings from context.

Go over the comprehension answers in Activities 4 and 5 for the poster and e-mail message with the class.
Explain that you will be doing vocabulary and grammar activities based on the words they have learnt in
the information text.

Period 1
•• Find out what learners know about famous people who have worked hard for human rights. Some ideas
are: Anton Lubowski (a Namibian who was assassinated before Namibia became independent), Ghandi,
Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela.
•• Introduce Martin Luther King if his name has not come up in the discussion. Explain that he was a civil
rights leader. (a leader who fought for people to have equal rights, the right to vote, to live where you
want to and do what you want to as long as it does not harm others). He was also a religious man, the
pastor of a christian church.
•• Discuss the questions in Before you read. Ask learners to locate the city of Atlanta on the map.
Question 3 develops the skill of scanning a text for specific information.
•• Read the information text to the learners.
•• Discuss unfamiliar words. Ask learners to try to work out their meanings themselves first by reading the
word in the sentence it appears. Then they can use the Word list or a dictionary to find the meanings.
Period 2
•• Read the text again.
•• Ask learners to read it quietly on their own.
•• Discuss Question 1 and 2 in After you read.
•• Ask learners to answer the questions in writing in their exercise books.
Period 3
•• Discuss Question 3 as a class.
•• Organise the class into pairs.
•• Read Question 3.
•• Ask learners to retell the information. It challenges them to convert direct speech into indirect speech.
See if they can work this out themselves.
Consolidation
•• Read through the questions in Activity 7 Work with idioms. They revise idioms, stem words, prefixes and
suffixes, based on the vocabulary in the topic.
•• Ask learners to do Activity 7 questions in writing in their exercise books.

Homework
Ask learners to complete the questions for homework.
•• Play a game with prefixes and suffixes.
•• Write these word stems on the board: agree, patient, music, comfort, obey, popular, lock, correct, tidy,
hope. Also write a list of prefixes (un, im, in) and suffixes (ful, al, able, ly, ment).
•• Organise the class into pairs. Ask learners to make words by adding parts before or after the stem:
disagree/ment, impatient/ly, comfortable/discomfort, disobey, unpopular, unlock, incorrect/correctly,
untidy, hopeful.
•• The first pair that finishes comes up to the board and writes the words. The rest of the class corrects them
if necessary.
•• Learners can do Activity 3 Build new words.
Answers
1. Martin Luther King was born in 1929 in Atlanta, North America. He was famous for helping black
people have better lives. He said that we must not judge people by the colour of their skins. He
believed in peace, not violence. He died in 1968.
2. a) The Nobel Peace prize.
b) He made life better for black people. He did not think people should be judged by the colour of
their skin.
c) They thought that black people should be judged by the colour of their skin./They did not think
that black people should have the same rights as white people.
3. Possible answers: Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, Mother Theresa, etc.
Activity 7 Work with idioms

1. – d) Give someone a hard time: Make life difficult for someone.
2. – a) Hold your own: Stand up for yourself in a difficult situation.
3. – b) Give someone the cold shoulder: Ignore someone.
4. – c) Do someone a good turn: Help someone.
Activity 3 Build new words

1. peaceful
2. information
3. return
4. quickly
5. surname
6. interview
7. poster

Lesson 7 Literature

and understanding
sorrow.
•• The Litter Monster (story)

Activity 8 Use direct and indirect speech

Learners will: • identify and use direct and indirect speech.

Introduction
Turn back to the Martin Luther text on page 98. See if learners can identify the sentence with direct speech.
Ask them to point out the punctuation that we use for direct speech. Discuss how they changed the direct
speech when they retold the story of Martin Luther in their pairs.
Explain that they will be learning more about direct speech in this lesson.

Period 1
•• Read through the information about indirect and direct speech. There are a lot of rules, so go through
it slowly.
Period 2
•• Read through the information about indirect and direct speech again.
For more practice of direct speech, refer back to texts in previous topics where this device has been used,
for example, Topic 6 (the story of Phaeton and Helios), and Topic 9 (the story of Porcupine and Jackal).
Ask learners to identify the sentences in direct speech. See if they can change them into indirect speech.
Consolidation
Answers
Activity 8 Use direct and indirect speech

1. a) “What’s wrong Tom?” his mother asked.
b) “I feel upset!” answered Tom.
2. a) His mother asked, “Has someone been mean to you?”
b) “Yes, Turimuje teased me about my glasses,” said Tom.
c) “You must tell her how you feel,” said his mother.
3. a) Turimuje said that she was sorry she teased Tom.
b) She said that she hoped he was not cross with her.
c) She asked if they could get together at the weekend.
d) She said that she looked forward to seeing him soon.

Lesson 9 Write
DictationTime: 1 × 40-minute period

9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly. • apply knowledge of basic writing rule.

Introduction
Tell the class that you are going to give them a dictation based on the Martin Luther text.

•• Ask learners to prepare the text on page 98. Remind them to look at the punctuation used in the direct
speech.
Consolidation
Preparation for the next lesson

Learners will be writing e-mail messages in the next lesson for continuous assessment. Do not tell them this
yet. Prepare them for the task so that they can start writing at the beginning of the lesson. Discuss some of
the ways we can help in our community, for example, visiting sick people at home or in hospitals, or old
people in retirement centres, picking up litter in public places, helping paint/fix swings in a playground, or a
community building, adopting a homeless pet etc. Write these options in a corner on the board and leave
them there for the next lesson.
Homework
Ask learners to add new words from this topic to their personal dictionaries. They must write sentences to

Lesson 10 Write
Activity 10 Write an e-mail message
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 10: Writing shorter pieces

9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • write simple texts for a variety of purposes: messages.
9.4.5 write short texts.

Introduction
Explain that learners are going to write an e-mail message. Ask learners to choose something they would
like to do and write an e-mail message offering their help. They can use the options on the board, or
something they have thought of themselves.
You will take in the messages for marking and use the marks as part of their continuous assessment
programme.

•• Go through the model of the e-mail on page 97 again. Remind learners to include the different parts. Also
remind them that in an e-mail address there is no space between the letters.
•• Learners follow the writing process. They use the checklist to write a first draft, check it and then write
their messages neatly in their exercise books.
Formal assessment
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 10: Writing shorter tasks

Guide. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4
CD. Record the marks out of a total of 10 in the continuous assessment record sheet.

Lesson 11 Write
Activity 11 Design a poster

Learners will: • apply knowledge of basic writing rules/conventions.
9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • write simple texts for a variety of purposes: posters
9.4.5 write short texts • brainstorm ideas and suitable vocabulary for a task (whole class,
9.4.6 cooperate with others to produce pieces of writing. in pairs and groups) on given ideas
• draft sentences on given topics.

Introduction
Explain that learners are going to design and produce their own posters. They will work in pairs and do this
task over three periods.

Period 1
•• Revise the features of a poster. Read the poster from page 96. Discuss the notes.
•• Discuss the word “bully”. Use the Word list to help explain.
•• Read the paragraph about bullies to the class.
•• Ask them to read it quietly on their own.
•• Organise learners in pairs. Explain that they are going to make a poster about bullying, using the ideas
from the paragraph. They can also use their own ideas.
•• Read through the guidelines for the writing process.
•• Write the checklist below on the board. Tell them to use it to help them with their planning and checking.
❍❍ Size of letters: Which words will be the biggest? Which words will be the smallest?
❍❍ Shapes of letters: Use different shapes. Which words will have the most interesting shapes?
❍❍ Colours: Use bright colours. Which words will be the brightest?
❍❍ Words: Keep your headings and sentences simple. Try to start with a verb.
❍❍ Pictures: Do they go well with the words?
•• Ask learners to start planning their posters on rough paper.

•• Ask them to bring old magazines for the next period if they have them. They can use them to cut out
pictures for their posters if they want to. You can also supply copies if you are able to.
•• Make sure that there are enough coloured pencil crayons, kokis, scissors and glue for the next period.
Each pair will also need a big sheet of clean paper, preferably A3 size.
Period 2
•• Read through the writing process again.
•• Ask learners to continue with their first drafts.
•• Hand out the sheets of clean paper. Ask them to start on their neat posters.
Period 3
•• Learners complete their posters

Consolidation
Display the posters on the board. Ask learners to work in their pairs. Give each pair two posters to assess.
They do this orally, using the checklist.


9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension • look words up.

Introduction
Explain that you are going to hand back the comprehensions learners did in Lesson 1.

•• Play the interview again.
•• Hand out the marked comprehensions.
Consolidation
•• Ask learners to do their corrections in writing in their exercise books.

understanding of various elements of • read simple and short poems aloud with appropriate expression and understanding
literature. • read and identify similes and metaphors


Learners will: • read to extract information for simple tasks
9.3.1.1 read a range of texts across the curriculum • identify and use direct and indirect speech
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and sentences
conventions at word and phrase levels • examine and share ideas of word roots, prefixes and suffixes.

Introduction

Period 1
❍❍ direct and indirect speech
❍❍ stem words, prefixes and suffixes
❍❍ use a table to summarise an information text.
Consolidation
Self-assessment
Answers
1. a) “Can I help you?” asked Olga.
b) “Yes, that would be nice thank you,” answered Andimba. (2)
2. The teacher said, “Open your book to page 65.”
b) “Have you done your homework?” asked the mother.
c) “Give me your sweets!” shouted the bully. (3)
3. a) The principal told us that we must not bully others.
b) Olga asked Andimba if she could help him.
c) Kaveto asked the matron if she wanted the pictures.
d) I told the teacher that I had finished my homework.
e) My friend said that she could help me. (5)

4. friendship
pronoun
unlock
helpful
kindness
adverb(6)
Total: 20 marks
1. Date Event
1929 He was born
1953 He married Coretta Scott.
1964 He received the Nobel Peace Prize.
1968 He was shot and killed. (4)
Total: 20 marks


Introduction


Consolidation
the board.
for homework.

Topic 12: Protecting our planet
About this topic
In this topic the genre focuses on information and visual texts. The activities centre on environmental
themes: pollution, recycling and climate change. Learners listen to a short talk on recycling. They take part
in a conversation about how they can recycle containers at home. They listen to a song about litter. They
read and do a comprehension on a text about climate change. They also read a poster about litter.
Writing activities include a paragraph giving information about litter, and a poster about pollution.
The language focus in the topic is on sentence structure (subject, verb, object) and reflexive pronouns.
Grammar and vocabulary integrated in other lessons include: parts of speech, classifying types of words
into groups, word games, prefixes and suffixes.
There are two formal assessments in this topic. They are:
•• Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 11: Dictation
•• Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 12: Unprepared speaking.
this TG.
Lessons 1 to 15
Topic overview
Listening Lesson 1 Activity 1 Listen to an information text
Listen
Do a comprehension
Speaking Lesson 2 Activity 2 Give a short talk
Term 3 Continuous Assessment Lesson 11 Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 12: Unprepared speaking
Task 12: Unprepared speaking
Activity 4 Read and sing a poem
Lesson 5 Activity 6 Read an article
Do a comprehension
Lesson 6 Prescribed literature, e.g. texts from the Platinum English Second
Lesson 12 Language Grade 4 Reader:
The B-A-B-Y (story)
The Litter Monster (story)
Writing Lesson 10 Activity 8 Write a descriptive paragraph
Term 3 Continuous Assessment
Task 11: Dictation
Lesson 13 Feedback on Continuous Assessment Task 11: Dictation
Grammar Lesson 8 Activity 7 Work with parts of a sentence
Activity 8 Work with reflexive pronouns
Play a word game
Self-assessment Lesson 14 Words and meanings, complete sentences and a paragraph, identify
/consolidation subject, verb and object, enter new words in personal dictionary
212 Topic 12: Protecting our planet

Compensatory and Lesson 15 Use the Worksheets for Topic 12 on the Platinum English Second
extension teaching Language Grade 4 CD as follows:
Worksheet 12A Remedial for learners who
have struggled with the grammar work
Worksheet 12B Consolidation for extra work for learners who have
managed the work adequately
Worksheet 12C Extension for those learners
who did well and need more challenging activities.
curriculum The environmental theme links with Social Studies (Geography) and
Natural Science. It includes information about protecting our
environment by picking up our litter, recycling waste and being aware
of the issues around climate change.
Writing activities
The descriptive paragraphs focus on the damage that can be done to
our environment if we do not take care of it.

•• Dictionary


9.1.1 listen for specific information and comprehension • begin to express own simple ideas on information heard
9.1.2 listen extensively to a variety of texts (information texts) • look words up.

Ask: What is pollution? Find out what the learners can tell you about it. Then read the definition in the
Word list.

Period 1
•• Read the paragraph about waste in Before you listen.
•• Ask learners to look at the photographs and identify things that we often throw away once we have used
them (plastic bag, cool drink tin).
•• Discuss the questions about what the people in the photographs are making.
•• Play the text about waste. Learners just listen.
Topic 12: Protecting our planet 213

•• Play the text again. Ask them to listen for unfamiliar words.
•• Discuss the unfamiliar words. Ask learners to use the Word list or a dictionary to find the meanings of
the words.
Period 2
•• Read through the activities in After you listen.
•• Play the text a third time. Ask learners to listen for the information in the activities.
•• Ask them to discuss the activities. They can copy the table and complete it in writing in their exercise
books, but the other activities should be done orally.
•• Activity 1 requires a literal answer using information from the text. They identify the main message in the
talk: Recycle where you can; don’t just throw away. In the other activities, learners interpret this message
in terms of their own lives. They think of ideas of how to recycle the kind of food containers they have
at home.
Consolidation
Extended teaching
Write this word on the board. See how many smaller words learners can make from it. Pollution: tin, no, on,
pot, lot, in, not, pill, to, not, top etc.
Answers

Before you listen
1. The people are making a chicken/a toy/decoration, candle holder/bowl.
2. They are using paper, plastic, tin cans scissors
After you listen

1. We can recycle our waste.
1. a) milk – plastic bottle fizzy cool drink – tin can chips – plastic packet peanut butter – glass jar
b) other options could include: biscuits/cereal etc – cardboard box margarine – plastic box/tub
pilchards/tuna, etc. – tin can
1. All of them can be taken to a place that recycles.

Glass jar – use it to store food like flour, sugar. Plastic bottle – use it to store other liquids; use it to
make containers by cutting off the top part; make jewellery with the lids. Plastic bag – use it when
you go shopping instead of buying new bags, use it to make objects such as the chicken in the
picture, cut it into strips and use it to make hats, bags etc. Tin can – use it to make objects such as
the candle holder, a car, a cup.

Lesson 2 Speak
Activity 2 Give a short talk

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • begin to makes simple speeches
intonation • demonstrate knowledge of using simile grammar
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts (formulaic expressions)
9.2.3 develop understanding of key characteristics of spoken • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
language sentences.
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words.

Explain that learners are going to have a discussion about how to recycle food containers. They have been
well-prepared for this in Lesson 1.

•• Organise the class into groups. Read through the activity.
•• Explain that each learner in the group must get a chance to ask and answer at least two questions.
•• Go through the different question forms they can use: How can you?/Explain how/Do you think?/What
do you think?
•• Ask them to begin their discussions.
Consolidation
10 minutes before the lesson, a person from each group presents their information.

Learner’s Book pages 106 to 108 Time: 3 × 40-minute periods
Activity 3 Read a poster, Activity 4 Read and sing a poem, Activity 5 Work with words

9.1.4 listen extensively for pleasure (true/false)
9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • listen to a text and begin to answer simple questions based on
intonation cause and effect
9.2.2 use English in appropriate contexts • construct meaning from visual texts
9.3.2 read silently and aloud to understand a range of selected • listen to songs for pleasure
texts • listen to songs and fill in the missing words
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.3.2.3.5 vocabulary: root analysis sentences
9.5.5 acquire and expand vocabulary capacity. • examine and share ideas of word roots, prefixes and suffixes’ use
in common words
• complete vocabulary quiz.

Explain that learners are going to read and talk about a poster and read and sing a poem. Both of them
warn us about litter.

Period 1
•• Ask learners look at the poster in Activity 3 and to point out the basic features: Sentences are short,
lettering is big and bright and pictures are simple and colourful.
•• Discuss the questions as a class. See if they can make the association with the traffic sign: it tells people
not to do something, so it is a good symbol/picture to use in this poster.
Period 2
•• Ask learners to identify the forms of litter in the picture in Activity 4.
•• Play the poem/song. Ask learners to close their books and just listen.
•• Play it again. This time learners can open their books and read the poem while they listen. They must
think about the missing words.
•• Ask them to do Question 1 in After you read. They copy the poem and fill in the missing words.
Period 3
•• Play the song a third time. Ask learners to listen for the answers and discuss the questions.
Consolidation
Sing the song together as a class.
Homework
Learners do Activity 5. Read through the questions so they are clear about what they need to do.
Extension teaching
Play this language game with compound words.
Write these word parts on the board. See how many compound words learners can make with them. Write
down the words as they call them out: stand, every, book, card, fly, tea, play, pea, word, one, nut, ground,
under, board, cool, drink, spoon, text, search, butter.
Answers
1. Litter is another word for waste.
2. Don’t litter! – The bin with the red line through it/litter on the ground.
Put it in the bin! The bin with the lid on – no litter, sun.
3. They are circles, they have red around the outside of the circle, the one with a line through it tells
you what not to do.
4. It is reminding us not to litter.

Activity 4 Read and sing a poem
After you read
1. a) True b) False c) False d) True
2. Accept any answers that make sense, for example: I feel angry because it is selfish to litter. If we all
make an effort not to, it will no longer be a problem. We need to work together.
3. everywhere/care, mess/best, street/feet, do/you, tin/bin, floor/anymore.

1. litter – rubbish – help – pollution – nature – equal – law – water, etc.
2. everyone, landfill, playground, photograph
3. a) dirty
b) unhealthy
c) container
d) recycle
c) electricity
Lesson 4 Literature

and understanding
sorrow.


9.3.2 read silently and aloud to understand arrange of selected • construct meaning from visual texts
9.3.5 reading cross-curricular issues respond to simple language questions
9.3.6 reading various texts: documents, expository and • demonstrate success to various questions set on the eight
narrative texts reading levels
9.3.2.3.1 use effective vocabulary learning strategies • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
Monitoring of homework done in the previous lesson

Go through the answers to the Activity 5 Work with words questions.

Ask: What does the word climate mean? Use the Word list to help explain the meaning. Then ask: What is
climate change? Find out what learners know about this. Don’t explain what it is at this stage.
Explain that learners are going to read about climate change. Ask: Where would you find the article on
page 109? Would you find it in a book, a magazine or on the internet? (It is an internet article).

Period 1
•• Ask learners to find the words in the text. This develops the skill of scanning a text for specific details.
Do not discuss the meanings of the words yet.
•• Ask learners to find examples of some of the words in the picture.
•• Read the article. Ask learners to follow in their books. Stop and use the picture and the Word list to help
explain some of the words and ideas, for example, the atmosphere, which is like a blanket around the
earth.
•• Read the article again.
•• Ask two or three strong readers to read. They can read a paragraph at a time.
Period 2
•• Ask learners to read the text quietly on their own.
•• Read through Questions 1, 2 and 3. Ask learners to do them in writing in their exercise books. These
activities require literal answers based on information from the text.
•• Discuss the questions once they have finished.
•• Organise learners into pairs. Read through Questions 4, 5 and 6. Ask them to discuss the activities in
their pairs. These activities develop metacognitive skills. The information needed is not given in the text.
Learners need to analyse what they have read, and make suggestions based on background knowledge
and their own ideas.

Consolidation
Have a class feedback session on Questions 4, 5 and 6.
Answers
After you read

1. a) There have always been hotter/warmer and colder/cooler periods on Earth.
b) Scientists are worried about the way the climate is changing because some parts are getting
warmer/hotter and other parts are getting colder/cooler.
2. There have always been colder and warmer periods on Earth. But now the climate is getting colder
and warmer at the same time. Scientists have found that there is too much carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere. They think it is because we are burning coal to make electricity and oil when we drive
out cars. We need to find better/safer/more healthy/other ways of producing these fuels.
3. a) They used fires.
b) They walked, rode animals like horses, donkeys, and camels.
4. We use electricity, cars, busses and aeroplanes.
5. Use solar power and wind power. (They have explored this earlier in the book.) Walk/ride bicycles
when we can, instead of taking a taxi.
Lesson 6 Literature

and understanding
sorrow.

Lesson 7 Write
Dictation


Tell the class that you are going to give them a dictation based on the text on climate change on page 109.
You will take the dictations in for marking and use the marks as part of their continuous assessment
programme.

•• Ask learners to prepare the text on page 109.
Consolidation
Read the dictation again. Ask learners to check their writing. Take in the books.
Formal assessment
Guide to mark the dictations and record the marks on your record sheet. The grid is also included in the

Activity 7 Work with parts of a sentence

Learners will: • construct and use sentences
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and conventions • identify and use reflexive pronouns.

Explain that learners will be learning more about sentences. Revise the basics of a sentence: A sentence is a
group of words that has a clear meaning. Find out what learners remember about the following parts of
speech: nouns (naming words), verbs (doing words), pronouns (replace nouns).

Period 1
•• Start with Activity 7. Read through the information about subject and predicate. These are difficult
concepts to grasp at this level, so work slowly and thoroughly.
Period 2
•• Read through the information about subject and predicate again.
•• Write these sentences on the board.
❍❍ The sun makes plants grow.
❍❍ The buck has big horns.
❍❍ I ate an apple.
❍❍ We picked up litter.
❍❍ My brother plays soccer.
❍❍ She is doing her homework.
•• Ask leaners to copy them. They must draw a straight line under the subject, circle the verb, and draw a
wavy line under the object.
•• Go through the sentences with the class. Ask for volunteers to draw the necessary marks into the
sentences on the board.
Period 3
•• Do Activity 8. Turn back to page 91 to revise pronouns.
•• Read through the information about reflexive pronouns in the language box.
Consolidation
•• Do Activity 9 with the class. It revises parts of speech, and also develops the skills of categorising.
Answers
Activity 7 Work with parts of a sentence

1. a) She/Helga/the woman, girl throws her litter in the bin.
b) His mother/father/aunt/uncle/cousin is a scientist.
2. a) Carbon dioxide is a gas. b) You can recycle waste.
3. a) Food is kept in containers. b) We burn coal to make electricity.
4. The sun – subject
heats – verb
the earth – object

1. Nakamwi and Moses bought themselves cooldrinks.
2. We must protect ourselves and help keep the environment clean.
3. You must be careful not to cut yourself with the scissors.
4. The earth cannot protect itself unless we also help.
5. He cleaned up the litter himself.

2. Nouns: climate, earth, sun, scientists
Verbs: protect, burn
Adjectives: colder, warmer, different
Adverb: quickly

Play word games

Learners will: • use spelling rules to spell correctly.
9.5.3 apply knowledge of punctuation and spelling correctly.

Explain that learners are going to have a fun lesson practising spelling words they have learnt this year.

•• Organise learners into pairs. Explain that they are going to work through the Word lists in all eleven
topics. They will do it like this.
❍❍ Topic 1: Person A learns how to spell all the words in the wordlists in this topic. They have five minutes
to do this. Monitor the time. Tell them when the five minutes starts and stops.
❍❍ After five minutes, Person A closes his/her book. Person B reads each word, and Person A writes the
word in his/her exercise book.

❍❍ Person B marks the words.
❍❍ Topic 2: This time Person B learns the words, and Person A gives the test.
❍❍ They continue swopping until ten minutes before the end of the lesson.
Consolidation
Discuss he words they have written. See if they can identify, in some of the words, the spelling rules they
have learnt this year. For example:
•• Soft g: message, giraffe, germs, energy
•• Hard g: getting, ingredients,
•• Soft c before I or y: medicine, recycle, electricity
•• Hard c: crash, climate
•• Short vowel: fit, tin
•• Long vowel: stripe, cone

Lesson 10 Write
Activity 8 Write a descriptive paragraph

9.4.1 write in a variety of contexts using English structures • apply knowledge of punctuation, capitalisation, etc.
9.4.3 write long sentences • write simple sentences using visual stimuli
9.4.5 write short texts • use verb tenses appropriately
9.4.7 produce well organised, coherent pieces of writing. • write simple texts for a variety of purposes (descriptions)
• writing and organising ideas into short into paragraphs
(maximum 2 paragraphs of 3–4 sentences).

Explain that learners are going to write paragraphs to describe the two pictures on page 112.
Ask them to describe orally what they see in each picture. See if they recognise that it is the same scene
(before and after environmental situation).

Period 1
•• Ask them to describe orally what they see in each picture. See if they recognise that it is the same scene (a
before and after environmental situation showing the dangers of not taking care of the issues).
•• Read through the words in the boxes. Ask them to identify examples for each word in the pictures.
•• Read through the frame for the two paragraphs.
•• Learners start on their first drafts.
Period 2
•• Learners follow the writing process. They check their drafts and then write them neatly into their
exercise books.
Consolidation
Ask for volunteers to read the completed paragraphs.
Answers
Activity 10 Write a descriptive paragraph
Picture 1
This picture shows a healthy environment.
The sky is clear/blue and the sun is shining. The trees and the grass are growing well/healthy/long/yellow.
There are animals, for example birds and goats. There are people living in huts/small houses. Under the tree
some children are playing. I feel happy when I look at this picture because the environment looks healthy,
the people and animals look healthy, it is a place I would like to live in, etc.

Picture 2
This picture shows an unhealthy environment.
The sky is dirty/smoggy/smoky/cloudy/grey. It is full of smoke/fumes/pollution that comes from cars and
factories. The trees and grasses are dead/destroyed. There are no people or animals. Instead there are cars
and factories.
Under the tree there is litter/waste. I feel sad/unhappy when I look at this picture because if we don’t
start taking care of our environment, this is what sort of world we will live in etc.
Extension teaching
Continue the spelling game from the previous lesson. If learners did not manage to complete all 11 topics,
they can pick up where they left off, but this time they include the words in Topic 12 as well.

Time: 2 × 40-minute periods

9.2.1 speak with accurate pronunciation and appropriate • begin to make simple speeches.
intonation.

Tell learners that they will be making an unprepared speech. They should speak for between 2 and 3
minutes. You will assess the talks and use the marks as part of the continuous assessment programme.

•• Choose from these topics that are based on the work they have done in Topic 12.
•• A description of how to make an object using recycled materials.
•• A talk giving their opinions on why it is important to recycle waste, and not just throw it away.
•• You can of course supplement these topics with topics that you choose based on what is happening in
your school or area. Choose simple topics that learners will have some experience of, for example, a
sports day at your school, an event in the community.
Explain to learners that you will assess their speech looking at the following criteria:
•• the content of what they say: whether it is interesting, whether it is presented logically
•• their vocabulary and pronunciation
•• how they speak: do they read word for word or are they able to speak while referring to their notes
occasionally? Is their voice audible?
Explain that you will give them this lesson to prepare, and you will start assessing them at the beginning of
the next period.

Assessment
Use the assessment grid for Speaking. It is included in the Assessment section of this Teacher’s Guide to
assess each learner’s speaking skills. It is also included in the Assessment tools folder on the Platinum
English Second Language Grade 4 CD. Record the marks as they will be used towards the continuous
assessment mark for Term 3.

9.3.2.1 read a poem, short stories, drama and novels, and • read and identify title and main ideas key features of a poem e.g. title,
demonstrate understanding of various elements of poet/poetess, lines, stanzas/verses
understanding
Lesson 13 Write
Dictation
Feedback on Term 3 Continuous Assessment Task 11: Dictation


Explain that you will be giving back the dictations they did in Lesson 7.

•• Hand out the books.
•• Ask learners to look at their work and see where they went wrong
•• Ask them to do their corrections.
•• In the time left in this lesson, build a rhyme with numbers with the class.

Write these lines on the board.
One two,
Who are you?
Three, four, Open the door.
Five, six, pickup sticks.
See how many numbers you can get up to before the bell rings.

Learners will: • construct and use sentences
9.3.2.3.2 have repeated exposure to words • write simple texts for a variety of purposes
9.4.5 write short texts • use new words in their written and spoken form in simple
9.5.1 apply knowledge of grammatical structures and sentences.


❍❍ words and meanings
❍❍ completing sentences and a paragraph
❍❍ identifying the subject, verb and object in a sentence.
Consolidation
Self-assessment
Answers
1. a) environment – the world around us
b) pollution – things that harm the earth, air and soil
c) recycle – to use something again
d) climate – the type of weather a place has
e) fuels – substances that you burn to produce heat or power (5)

2. a) Smoke from factories causes pollution.
b) You can recycle tins to make candle sticks.
c) We use fuels like petrol and diesel to drive cars.
d) The climate in Namibia is sunny and hot.
e) Do not litter. Protect the environment.(5)
3. Litter is any paper, plastic, glass or other rubbish that is thrown away. It is a good idea to have two
bins for your litter. You can use one bin for containers that can be recycled, for example plastic
bottles, cardboard boxes and glass jars. You can use the other bin for things that cannot be recycled
but you must know what these things are. Light bulbs and batteries cannot be recycled.(9)
4. a) People: subject, can: verb, recycle glass: object.
b) We: subject, cannot: verb, recycle batteries: object. (6)
Total: 25 marks




Consolidation
the board.
•• Learners must do corrections once they have marked the worksheets.

Assessment guidelines and tools
The curriculum for English Second Language specifies two modes of assessment: formative continuous
assessment and summative assessment.
•• Formative continuous assessment is any assessment made during the school year in order to improve
learning and to help shape and direct the teaching-learning process.
•• Summative assessment is an assessment made at the end of the school year based on the accumulation of
the progress and achievements of the learner throughout the year in a given subject, together with any
end-of-year tests or examinations. The result of summative assessment is a single end-of-year promotion
grade.
Continuous assessment will count 50% towards the final year grade (promotion) and an internally set
end-of-year examination will count 50% [50 marks + 50 marks = 100].
Conducting and recording continuous assessment

Assessment should consist of both informal and formal continuous assessment. These continuous
assessments must be carefully planned and marked according to a marking scheme, marking criteria or
memorandum.
The criteria used to assess the activities other than tests should be given to the learner before the
assessment activity. At the end of this section, assessment grids for the different skills are provided. These
grids are also available on the CD that is supplied with this Teacher’s Guide.
The syllabus specifies a minimum number of tasks to be completed per term for the continuous
assessment mark. The syllabus also specifies how many marks to be allocated to each task. These specified
tasks are included in the continuous assessment record sheet, which teachers should use to record learners’
marks for every trimester. A blank continuous assessment record sheet is provided at the end of this
section. It is also available for printing on the CD that is supplied with this Teacher’s Guide.
The continuous assessment marks for one term (trimester) add up to 100. This mark should be used for
the report at the end of term 1 and 2. Schools wanting to organise a short end of term test series, can let the
learners write one Reading and Directed writing task, plus a dictation, during the test series. The marks for
these tasks will then form part of the formal continuous assessment marks. It should be entered on the
continuous assessment record sheet and, along with the continuous assessment marks for the other
components, will make up the report mark.
The syllabus outlines different specifications and criteria for assessing the different skills, as described
below.
Listening
Learners’ listening comprehension should be assessed formally at least twice per term. The marks are
recorded in the column for Listening comprehension on the continuous assessment record sheet. An
assessment grid for Listening follows at the back of this section.
Speaking
Learners’ speaking proficiency should be graded at least twice per term: once for a prepared speech and
once unprepared. The marks are recorded in the appropriate columns on the continuous assessment record
sheet. An assessment grid for Speaking follows at the back of this section.
Reading and literature

Reading (aloud) proficiency should be assessed at least once per term. It should preferably be done by
means of a text that the learners have prepared beforehand. The teacher may assess reading comprehension
228 Assessment guidelines and tools

by asking a few questions which the learner should answer orally, but the formal assessment of reading
comprehension is done in the Reading and Directed writing exercises.
At least one short task/test on the prescribed literature should be marked per term and the marks
recorded in the appropriate column on the continuous assessment record sheet.
Assessment grids for Reading aloud and for Reading comprehension follow at the back of this section.
Grammar
Grammar and vocabulary are the building blocks of language and therefore learners must acquire a sound
knowledge of the sounds, words and grammar of the language in order to be able to communicate
effectively. Therefore the assessment of grammar has now been included pertinently in the continuous
assessment schedule as well as in the end-of-year examination paper. Despite the fact that Reading and
Directed writing tasks may include grammar questions, at least one comprehensive grammar test should be
written per term and the marks entered on the continuous assessment record sheet. Also in this case it is
important to note that grammar should be assessed within context.
Although the continuous assessment record sheet makes provision for only one Reading and Directed
writing task per trimester, tasks containing reading texts on which various question types are set should be
taught and assessed regularly throughout the term. These questions may include questions testing
knowledge of grammar. It is, however, important to note that knowledge of grammar should be assessed
within context. Questions should also assess reading comprehension. At least one task should be marked by
the teacher and entered on the continuous assessment record sheet.
Dictation and Spelling

Dictation in the form of sentences or a paragraph which is read to the learners will assess learners’ spelling
proficiency in the language. It is important that learners get regular exercise in writing dictation tests. The
paragraphs (or sentences) should include words that were encountered and deliberately taught during the
course of a week/term/year. It could be marked by the learners themselves. At least one dictation test per
term should be marked by the teacher for purposes of formal continuous assessment and the marks
recorded on the continuous assessment record sheet.
Continuous writing
At least one essay and one shorter piece of writing should be marked per term and the marks recorded on
the continuous assessment record sheet. In Grade 4, learners will be expected to write essays of
approximately the following length:
•• Compositions/essays: 60–80 words
•• Shorter tasks: 40–60 words
Continuous assessment in the Platinum English Second Language course

In this course we provide, for every term, a set of continuous tasks which conform to the criteria of the
syllabus. This includes the type of task, the number of tasks and the marks allocated. These tasks are
included in the Lesson Guidelines in the Teacher’s Guide, and they are also available to print out one task at
a time on the CD. Memoranda for every task is also provided on the CD.
This table indicates how these tasks are included in the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4
course. The programme is structured in such a way that teachers can start with Task 1 and work in
sequence through to Task 12 in each term.
Assessment guidelines and tools 229

Skills Area Marks Term 1 Term 2 Term 3
1. Listening
Listening comprehension 10 Task 6 Task 3 Task 1
(Topic 3, Lesson 1) (Topic 6, Lesson 1) (Topic 9, Lesson 1)
Listening comprehension 10 Task 9 Task 9 Task 7
Total: 20
2. Speaking
Prepared speech 10 Task 2 Task 1 Task 8
Unprepared speech 10 Task 11 Task 12 Task 12
Total: 20
3. Reading & Literature
Reading aloud 10 Task 7 Task 2 Task 2
Reading comprehension 10 Task 3 Task 7 Task 4
Literature 10 Task 10 Task 10 Task 9
Total: 30
4. Reading & Directed writing
Reading & Directed writing Task 10 Task 1 Task 11 Task 6
Total: 10
Grammar 10 Task 4 Task 4 Task 5
Dictation 10 Task 5 Task 6 Task 11
Total: 20 ÷ 2 = 10
5. Continuous Writing
Composition Task 12 Task 5 Task 3
Shorter piece Task 8 Task 8 Task 10
Total: 20 ÷ 2 = 10
TOTAL 100

NAME
TERM
3
1
Listening
10
Listening
Listening
10
TOTAL
20
Prepared
10
Speaking
Unprepared
10
TOTAL
20
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT RECORD SHEET

Reading aloud
10
Reading & Literature

Reading Comp.
10
Literature
10
TOTAL
30
Grammar & Spelling

Grammar
10
Spelling
10
Average
10
Directed writing
DW
10
task
Continuous Writing
Composition
10
Short task
10
TOTAL (20 ÷ 2)
10
100
Term Mark
300
Total Term mark
Average Term Mark (300 ÷ 6)

50
Examination Mark
50
100
Promotion Mark

END-OF-YEAR EXAMINATION
The syllabus specifies an internal end-of-year examination in English Second Language. The purpose of this
examination is to assess the extent to which each learner has mastered the learning objectives for that year.
Preparing for and conducting this examination should not take up more than two weeks altogether right at
the end of the year. The end-of-year written examination should consist of two papers:
GRADE 4 END-OF-YEAR EXAMINATION STRUCTURE Time Marks
1 Paper 1: Reading and Directed Writing 1 hour 30

Paper 1 consists of two parts. The range of questions in paper 1 could include: 30 min
multiple choice questions; true/false questions, matching questions and
sentence length questions.
Part 1: Reading Skills and Part 2: Directed Writing and

Grammar (15 marks) Literature (15 marks)
Questions should be set on two or Three tasks will be set. Task 1 will be
three unseen narrative, informative a form filling or questionnaire
or document texts and can include completion exercise (1 × 5 marks).
visual materials. Do not use two texts
of the same type. Questions will Task 2 will be another directed
assess detailed comprehension writing task based on lexical and/or
(10 marks) and grammar (5 marks) visual information and requiring a
and will include a range of question range of types of answers (1 × 5
types. marks).
Task 3 will consist of literature

questions based on an extract from
2 Paper 2: Continuous Writing 1 hour 20

Two tasks will be set. Task 1 will be a selection of 4 topics including
descriptive, narrative and simple explanation information, of which learners
must choose one and write a composition on. Stimulus materials will be
provided where necessary. See page 19 of this syllabus for information on the
length of compositions for different grades. (10 marks)
Task 2 will be a selection of 3 topics. Stimulus material will be provided where

necessary. Learners will write on one of the topics and will be required to use
language for a specific purpose, e.g. informal letter writing, report writing,
dialogue. See page 19 of this syllabus for information on the number of words
required of each grade. (10 marks)
50

End-of-year examination in the Platinum English Second Language course
At the back of the Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Learner’s Book, there is a sample examination
paper which follows the correct structure. The memorandum for this examination paper follows below. We
suggest that this paper is used for examination practice
On the CD that accompanies this Teacher’s Guide, there is another sample paper and memorandum,
which can be printed out and used as an end-of-year examination paper.
Memorandum for the sample exam in the Learner’s Book

Paper 1
Part 1: Reading skills and Grammar (15 marks)
Task 1: Use the memo below to mark the questions.
1. a) There are three characters in the story. True. (1)
b) Leopard wished for black and white stripes on his fur. False.(1)
c) Snake was sad because she had no friends. True (1)
d) Leopard was scared of Snake because she might bite him. False. (1)
e) i) Give others a chance before you judge them. (1)
2. a) Snake was feeling sad because she had no friends. (1)
b) Leopard trusted Snake so he let her bite him. (1)
[7]
Task 2: Use the memo below to mark the questions.
2. A – cotton wool in neck of bottle (1)
B – sand (1)
C – small stones (1)
D – big stones (1)
E – half a plastic bottle (1)
F – glass of dirty water (1)
3. a) Cut off the top half of a plastic bottle. (1)
b) Hold the bottle over a glass bowl. (1)
c) Pour some water over the stones. (1)
[8]
Part 2: Directed Writing and Literature (15 marks)

Task 1
Use the Assessment grid for Shorter writing tasks on page 239 of this Teacher’s Guide to give a mark out
of 10. Divide the mark by 2 to get a mark out of 5.
Task 2
Use the memo below to give a mark out of 5.
•• Cut off the top half of a plastic bottle.
•• Put some cotton wool in the neck of the bottle.
•• Put some sand on top of the cotton wool. (1)
•• Put some small stones on top of the sand. (1)
•• Put some big stones on top of the small stones. (1)
•• Hold the bottle over a glass bowl. (1)
•• Pour some dirty water into the bottle. (1)
[5]

Task 3
Answers will depend on the story chosen. Use the memo below to allocate marks.
1. ___________ is a character in the story. He/She is ___________ and ___________. (3)
2. Learners write a sentence about something important that happens in the story. (2)
[5]
Paper 2: Continuous writing

Total: 20 marks
Task 1
Learners choose one of the four topics. Use the assessment grid for composition on page 237 of this
Teacher’s Guide to give a mark out of 10. Check that the extent is within the 60–80 words. Deduct a mark if
it is much less, or much more.
Task 2
Learners choose one of the three topics. Use the assessment grid for shorter writing tasks on page 239 of
this Teacher’s Guide to give a mark out of 10. Check that the extent is within the 60–80/40–60 words.
Deduct a mark if it is much less, or much more.

Marking and assessment grids
ASSESSMENT GRID FOR LISTENING COMPREHENSION
Mark Uses strategies Understand Comment on Sequence Make Form and
to comprehend main ideas characters and events predictions support opinion
events
Level 5 Uses Identifies key Uses inference Retell the Locates and uses Identifies
(Very good) comprehension features, themes and deduction to sequence of words and appropriate
9–10 strategies, and characters. give detailed events clearly phrases to back words and
including Identifies all explanations of and concisely predictions phrases to
inference and essential points events and support opinion
deduction to characters
establish
meaning
(e.g. emotions,
moods)
Level 4 Listens to a text Grasps main idea Explains most Shows a good Makes informed Gives opinions
(Good) independently of a text and events and understanding of predictions and with some
7–8 using explains it. Has describes sequence of gives some support from text
comprehension no difficulty in characters events reasons for them
strategies identifying
appropriately to information
establish words
meaning
Level 3 Uses more than Understands Identifies and Understands and Makes some Gives opinion on
(Average) one strategy to what the main comments on retells the sensible aspects of text
5–6 comprehend the idea of a text is some characters sequence of predictions using
passage finds some and events events evidence from
information the passage
words
Level 2 Uses knowledge Displays some Has limited Connects some Predicts some Forms opinion
(Below average) of sounds to understanding of ability to identify events immediate events but without
3–4 listen to words main ideas has events and reference to text
and establish difficulty in characters
meaning finding
information
words without
prompting
Level 1 Guesses at Displays little Has difficulty in Needs prompting Makes limited Gives very
(Poor) immediate events understanding of identifying events to connect events predictions with general opinion
1–2 from the context main idea. and characters prompting about the events
of the passage Needs support to or information in
find content the text
words
Marking and assessment grids 235

ASSESSMENT GRID FOR SPEAKING TASKS
Mark Accuracy Fluency Appropriateness
Level 5 • Very good range of • Communicates independent • Appropriate language for the
(Very good) vocabulary used appropriately thoughts with confidence topic and audience in a
9–10 • Virtually no grammar • Develops ideas and personal variety of interactions
mistakes feelings well
• Clear ideas, opinions and • Easy and effective flow of
pronunciation of words ideas, feelings and
information
Level 4 • Good range of vocabulary • Speaks with some confidence • Uses largely appropriate
(Good) • Occasional grammar mistakes and ease to get message vocabulary and structure in
7–8 • Few pronunciation errors across most interactions
– speaks clearly • Develops ideas and personal
feelings well
Level 3 • Satisfactory vocabulary • Speaks with some hesitancy • Uses satisfactory language in
(Average) • Some grammar mistakes but gets message across everyday familiar interactions
5–6 • Reasonable pronunciation • Occasional development of
– speech clear ideas
Level 2 • Limited vocabulary and many • Speech hesitant, difficulty in • Sometimes uses appropriate
(Below average) mistakes in language usage communicating meaning language for the given task or
3–4 • Many grammar mistakes fluently audience
• Can be understood, but poor • Ideas muddled
pronunciation – occasionally
unclear
Level 1 • Very limited vocabulary, • Needs much prompting to • Uses appropriate language
(Poor) needs much support from the communicate only in very familiar situations
1–2 teacher • Speaks with hesitancy and with considerable support
• Speech very unclear (makes
understanding difficult)
236 Marking and assessment grids

MARKING GRID FOR COMPOSITION
LANGUAGE; STYLE AND 1 2 3 4 5
ACCURACY Sentences show Sentences quite Simple sentences Errors of idioms Virtually no
a variety of well structured. and linking and syntax can control of the
appropriate Appropriate use structures used cause confusion. language.
structures. of vocabulary correctly. Vocabulary is Frequent and
Creative use of and idioms. Occasional sense limited and may serious errors
vocabulary, Some evidence of register. Some be inappropriate. may force the
idioms and of style. Some more serious There is much reader to use
syntax. Fluent minor mistakes. errors do not inaccuracy which deduction in
and appropriate impede may impede order to glean
style. Few understanding. communication. meaning.
mistakes.
CONTENT AND ACCURACY
STRUCTURE
1. Imaginative, creative, 9–10 8 7 6 5
factually interesting. Mature
thought and well structured
paragraphs arranged in
convincing order.
2. Some interesting and 8 7 6 5 4
effective content. Fairly
imaginative, well structured
with some detail and
development.
3. Content adequate but 7 6 5 4 3
unadventurous. Ideas are
partly undeveloped and
structure is apparent, with a
recognisable beginning and
end.
4. Content is limited. Little 6 5 4 3 2
attempt to develop ideas
although main ideas are
comprehensible; some
examples of wrong order.
5. Little understanding of the 5 4 3 2 1
topic. Poor structure leads to
some confusion. Random,
simple ideas.
Use this grid as follows:
First assess learners’ LANGUAGE; STYLE AND ACCURACY, using the top horizontal row. Choose from the descriptions and allocate a
mark from 1 to 5. Choose the appropriate column, according to the mark of 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. Secondly, move down the column you have
chosen. Choose a mark that corresponds with the descriptors in the vertical row on the left for CONTENT AND ACCURACY STRUCTURE.
That is the mark out of 10 to record.

ASSESSMENT GRID FOR READING ALOUD
Levels Pronunciation Fluency Tone
Level 1 Good pronunciation with clear Reads with fluency and very good Variation in pitch and tone.
9–10 articulation. pace.
Level 2 Pronunciation good with very few Mostly fluent and good pace. Very few errors of intonation and
7–8 errors – articulation mostly clear. phrasing
Level 3 Satisfactory ability in Adequate pace and fluency. Tone and pitch varies sufficiently
5–6 pronunciation. to aid fluency.
Level 2 Pronunciation is not quite Frequency not quite satisfactory. Sometimes tone varies.
3–4 satisfactory. Pace halting, this Needs a few prompts.
makes reading unclear.
Level 1 Incorrect pronunciation interferes Reading is hesitant. Needs Little or no variation in tone.
1–2 with pace and clarity. frequent prompting.
ASSESSMENT GRID FOR READING COMPREHENSION

Mark Uses strategies Understand main Comment on Sequence events Make predictions Form and
to comprehend ideas characters and support opinion
events
Level 5 Uses • Identifies key Uses inference Retell the Locates and uses Identifies
(Very good) comprehension features, themes and deduction to sequence of words and appropriate words
9–10 strategies, and characters give detailed events clearly and phrases to back and phrases to
including • Select all explanations of concisely predictions support opinion
inference and essential points events and
deduction to characters
establish meaning
Level 4 Reads a text • Grasps main Explains most Shows a good Makes informed Gives opinions
(Good) independently idea of a text events and understanding of predictions and with some
7–8 using and explains it describes sequence of gives some support from text
comprehension • Has no difficulty characters events reasons for them
strategies in identifying
appropriately to information
establish meaning words
Level 3 Uses more than • Understands Identifies and Understands and Makes some Gives opinion on
(Average) one strategy to what the main comments on retells the sensible aspects of text
5–6 comprehend the idea of a text is some characters sequence of predictions using
passage • Finds some and events events evidence from the
information passage
words
Level 2 Uses knowledge • Displays some Has limited ability Connects some Predicts some Forms opinion but
(Below of letters to read understanding of to identify events events immediate events without reference
average) words and main ideas has and characters to text
3–4 establish meaning difficulty in
finding
information
words without
prompting
Level 1 Guesses at • Displays little Has difficulty in Needs prompting Makes limited Gives very general
(Poor) immediate events understanding of identifying events to connect events predictions with opinion about the
1–2 from the context main idea needs and characters prompting events or
of the passage support to find information in in
content words the text
238 Marking and assessment grids

ASSESSMENT GRID FOR SHORTER WRITING TASKS
SENSE OF AUDIENCE/ 1 2 3 4 5
REGISTER, STYLE, Original and Appropriate Language ordinary Simple and not Language
LANGUAGE AND imaginative use of selection of but satisfactory; a very effective insufficient
ACCURACY language and language for task; little sense of language which is for task though
style; clear sense some sense of audience. Some only rarely suited understandable in
of audience/ audience/register more serious errors to task or places. Frequent
register. Few and style. Some to impede audience. Errors of serious errors force
errors. minor mistakes. understanding. idioms and syntax the reader to use
may cause the deduction in
confusion. order to glean
meaning.
TASK ACHIEVEMENT,
COMMUNICATION,
CONTENT AND LAYOUT/
FORMAT
1. Task clearly achieved; good, 9–10 8 7 6 5
perhaps detailed, selection of
contents; layout appropriate
and positively helpful to
communication.
2. Task partially achieved; 8 7 6 5 4
selection of content
appropriate (but not
adventurous); some
understanding that layout
can assist understanding.
3. Understanding of task 7 6 5 4 3
shown; some use of simple
but appropriate contents; a
little evidence of appropriate
layout.
4. Task not satisfactorily 6 5 4 3 2
achieved; some content may
be appropriate; layout plain
and likely to communicate
purpose.
5. Minimal effectiveness of 5 4 3 2 1
task; very simple and very
little content; sense of
presentation lacking.
Use this grid as follows:
1. First assess learners’ sense of audience/register, style, language and accuracy, using the top horizontal row. Choose from the
descriptions and allocate a mark from 1–5
2. Choose the appropriate column, according to the mark of 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
3. Secondly, move down the column you have chosen. Choose a mark that corresponds with the descriptors in the vertical row on the
left for task achievement.
That is the mark out of 10 to record.

Audio CD and listening texts
The Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 course includes a CD of listening material to support the
classroom language learning experience.
The content of this CD has been designed to promote the development of auditory skills and the learners’
ability to: listen and respond to information; recognise instructions and directions; comprehend feelings,
intentions, emotions and attitudes of speakers; and develop an awareness of the structure of language and
vocabulary.
Exposure to authentic listening texts in the target language will encourage your learners to develop
fluency in the correct use of language structures; communicate more confidently and effectively using
appropriate vocabulary convincingly in different situations with an understanding of audience and
purpose.
Listening to the target language also allows learners to experience the intonation and rhythm of that
language as well as the correct pronunciation of words which will improve their speech clarity and
communication skills, showing a sense of audience and purpose.
Included on the CD are:
•• a wide variety of listening texts with supporting questions and answers (Listening Skills LO1).
•• authentic, dramatised dialogues which allow learners to experience the mood of the speaker as well as
exposure to useful situational vocabulary. (Listening Skills LO2).
•• specific pronunciation drills which draw attention to nuances in English pronunciation and the
intonation used to express mood or questions. (Listening Skills LO3).
•• age-appropriate stories, plays and poems, some sad, some funny but all certain to give learners listening
pleasure and entertainment. (Listening Skills LO4).
Texts supplied on the CD

Below are printed texts of the listening texts supplied on the CD. Page references to the Learner’s Book will
guide you to activities in the Learner’s Book based on the listening texts.
Track Title Text
1 Dialogue: Family Sylvia: Hello Peter!

Peter: Hello Sylvia!
Sylvia: Are you from England?
Peter: Yes I am!
Sylvia: I am from Namibia. May I tell you about my family?
Peter: Yes, please tell me about them.
Sylvia: My mother makes delicious cakes.
Peter: Do you like eating cakes?
Sylvia: Yes I do!
Peter: So do I!
Sylvia: And then there is my father.
Peter: Tell me about him!
Sylvia: My father is very funny and he makes us laugh.
Peter: Me too! I also like to make people laugh.
Sylvia: And then there is my sister.
Peter: Tell me about her.
Sylvia: My sister likes dogs and sheep and goats and horses.
Peter: Me too! I also love animals.
Sylvia: And then there is my brother.
Peter: Tell me about him.
Sylvia: My brother is a big soccer fan.
Peter: Me too! I also like soccer.
240 Audio CD and listening texts

Track Title Text
Sylvia: Now, tell me about your family, Peter.
Peter: I live with my Grandmother.
Sylvia: Tell me about her.
Peter: She reads me stories which I like.
Sylvia: Me too! I also enjoy stories.
Peter: And then there is my Grandfather.
Sylvia: Tell me about him.
Peter: He sings songs which I like to hear.
Sylvia: Me too! I also enjoy songs.
Peter: And then there is my Uncle Ben.
Sylvia: Tell me about him.
Peter: He takes me to the sea and I love swimming.
Sylvia: Me too! I also enjoy swimming.
Peter: And finally there is my Aunt Josephine.
Sylvia: Tell me about her.
Peter: She takes me to the shop to buy sweets.
Sylvia: Do you like doing that?
Peter: Yes! I love sweets.
Sylvia: So do I!
2 Language Asking questions politely

practice: Asking May I – May I?
questions politely May I go to the bathroom? May I go to the shop?
May I go home? May I drink my tea? May we – May we?
May we do our homework in class?
May we get into our soccer clothes early? May we go outside and play?
Could you – Could you?
Could you help me open the door? Could you read my poem?
Could you lend me some money? Could you tell my mother to fetch me?
Responding to polite questions. (Jordan asks the questions.)

May I go to the bathroom? YES, you may.
May I go to the shop? YES, you may.
May I go home?
No, I’m sorry, you may not. May I drink my tea?
No, I’m sorry, you may not
Could you help me open the door? YES I can.
Could you read my poem? YES I can.
Could you lend me some money? No, I am sorry. I cannot.
Could you ask my mother to fetch me?
No, I am sorry. I cannot.
Audio CD and listening texts 241

Track Title Text
3 Language Starting sounds SH AND CH

Practice: Starting sound Sh
sh- and ch- Shoes – shoes I have shoes on my feet.
Ship – ship There is a ship on the sea.
Shine – shine I see the sun shine.
Shop – shop We buy sweets at the shop.
Shed – shed We keep a spade in the shed.
Shoot – shoot I can shoot a gun.
Shut – shut Please shut the door!
Shake – shake When you say “no” you shake your head.
Sheep – sheep The sheep live at the farm.
Show – show Show me your new pen.
Ch
Chair – chair I sit on the chair.
Cheese – cheese I like to eat cheese.
Chocolate – chocolate Mmmm chocolate is my favourite sweet.
Chicken – chicken The chicken laid an egg.
Child – child The small child cried for her mother.
Chips – chips I like to eat chicken and chips.
Choose – choose Choose which colour shoes you want – blue or white?
Chapter – chapter I have read a chapter of my book.
Listen to sh- and ch- together.
1. We buy chips at the shop.
2. The chicken sat in the shed.
3. Show the child the sweets and let her choose a sweet to eat.
4. Shut the door and sit on a chair.
4 Listening Text: My Family

Topic 1 (Story) My My name is Okeri (o-KERR-ee) and I am ten years old. I live with my family in a nice house.
Family I live with my parents, my older brother and sister, my baby brother and my grandmother. There
LB page 4 are seven of us altogether.
We all share the housework. I usually set the table for supper.
Last year, we had bad times. My father did not have a job, so we had very little money and we
lived in a very small house. It was hard, but we looked after one another.
This year is better because both my parents have jobs. Now we live in a nice house. It is bigger
than our last house.
My home is where my family is. It is where I feel safe, and where I can trust everyone.
5 Listening Text: The Sam Nujoma (nu-YO-ma) half marathon will take place in Windhoek
Topic 2 (VINT-hoek) on Sunday the 8th of June.
(News Report) The race begins and ends at the Doc Jubber (jubb-ah) Hockey Fields in Olympia.
LB page 10 The route is 21 kilometres long.
The race starts at 07:00 in the morning.
More than 400 runners will take part in the race.
6 Listening Text: A good place to watch the marathon runners go by is Zoo Park.
Topic 2 (Directions) Start from the train station.
LB page 11 Turn right and walk down Mandume Ndemufayo (mun-doo-may deh- moo-ie-oh) Avenue until
you get to Frans (france) Indongo Street.
Turn left and walk up to Werner (Verner) List Street.
Turn right and walk until you get to Fidel Castro Street.
Turn left and walk up to Independence Avenue.
Cross over Independence Avenue.
Zoo Park is on your left.

Track Title Text
7 Listening Text: The Christuskirche (Christos-kier–gah) is on the corner of Robert

Topic 2 (Street Mugabe Avenue and Fidel Castro Street.
Directions) LB The Town Square is on the corner of Fidel Castro Street
page 11 and Mandume Ndemufayo (mun-doo-may deh-mu-fie-oh) Avenue.
The Kudu Statue is on the corner of Agosthino (a-gos-tino) Neto Street and Independence
Avenue.
The Craft Centre is on the corner of Sam Nujoma (nu-YO-ma) Drive and Tal Street.
8 Listening Text: Words hurt

Topic 3 (Dialogue) (Jordan does intro.) Listen to a conversation between Bennie and Tom and Sindimba.
Words hurt Bennie: Hi Tom. Eating sweets again?
LB page 22 Tom: Leave me alone! I can eat what I want!
Bennie: But you eat so many sweets I should call you Fatty!
Sindimba: Hey! What’s the matter Tom? You look upset!
Tom: Bennie called me Fatty.
Sindimba: That’s not very kind, Bennie.
Bennie: I was only joking!
Sindimba: Yes, but it is not good to say hurtful things.
(Jordan says) Sindimba comforts Tom. Bennie feels bad. He knows he must apologise.)
Bennie: Tom, I’m sorry that I called you Fatty. It is not a kind thing to say.
Tom: Promise you won’t do it again?
Bennie: Promise!
Sindimba: How about a game of soccer, everyone!
9 Listening Text: Topic 4 Mr Mbumba is worried

(Story) Mr Mbumba is a delivery man. He rides around town on his bicycle, taking parcels from one
Mr Mbumba’s Accident place to another. Today he has a big parcel to deliver. He is worried because he is late and town
LB page 32 is very busy. There are cars, buses and people everywhere. Everyone is in a hurry.
[narrator pause, ask, “Can you find Mr Mbumba in the picture?” [count silently to 5]
[narrator pause, ask, “What do you think is going to happen next?” [count silently to 5]
Listen to what happens next.
Suddenly there is the screech of brakes. The next moment Mr Mbumba is knocked off his bicycle.
He is badly hurt and cannot move.
An ambulance fetches him and takes him to hospital. His arm is broken! Mr Mbumba is very
worried. He will not be able to deliver parcels for the next six weeks.
10 Listening Text: Report on a sick patient

Topic 5 (Report) Report The patient has been coughing a lot. She feels weak. She has lost a lot of weight. We did tests.
on a sick patient They show she is HIV positive. We have given her medicine. She must eat healthy food every
LB page 38 day. She must also exercise every day.
11 Listening Text: The Sun and the Wind

Topic 6 (Story) The Sun Sun and Wind lived up in the sky together. But they were not good friends.
and the Wind Wind always said to Sun, “I am very strong. I can cover you up with clouds!”
LB page 46 And Sun always replied: “No, I am stronger than you. My heat burns up the clouds and they
go away.”
One day, Wind saw a man with a big coat walking along a road. He said to Sun, “I’ll show you
who is strongest. I’ll make this man take off his coat.”
Wind started to blow and blow. But the man did not take his coat off! Wind got tired and
stopped blowing.
Then Sun had an idea.
“I’ll make the man take off his coat,” she said. And Sun started to shine and shine, sending all
her heat down to Earth. “It’s too hot!” said the man, and took off his coat.
Sun turned to Wind with a big smile and said, “You see, I am stronger than you!”
Wind was angry, and went off to another part of the sky, far away from Sun.

Track Title Text
12 Listening Text: Happy sun

Topic 6 (Poem) Happy face
Happy sun That lights up the sky You never sleep.
LB page 47 You smile down at the world And keep us warm and dry.
13 Listening Text: And finally, here is the weather report.

Topic 7 (Weather Windhoek, (VINT-hook) cloudy with a minimum temperature of 7 degrees and a maximum of
Report) 22 degrees.
LB page 56 Swakopmund, (swa-kop- mond) cloudy with a minimum of 5 degrees and a maximum of
19 degrees.
Otjiwarongo, (oh-gee-wah RONG-o) sunny with a minimum of 9 degrees and a maximum of
26 degrees.
Oshakati, (o-sha-KAH-tee) sunny with a minimum of 12 degrees and a maximum of 30 degrees.
Katima Malilo, (gah-tee-mah mah-lee-lo) sunny with a minimum of 14 degrees and a maximum
of 31 degrees.
Keetmanshoop, (kiet-mans-hoep) cloudy and rainy with a minimum of 3 degrees and a
maximum of 16 degrees.
14 Listening Text: Read the direction words in the margin.

Topic 7 Look at the map of Namibia. Where is the north? Point to it on the map. Where is the south?
(Map Directions) Point to it on the map. Where is the east? Point to it on the map. Where is the west? Point to it
LB page 57 on the map.
Look at the map while I read some sentences. There is a word missing in each sentence. Say the
missing words. Use the words in the margin.
• Oshakati is in the ___________ of Namibia.
• Katima Malilo is to the ___________ of Oshakati.
• Swakopmund is on the ___________ coast.
• Keetmanshoop is in the ___________ of Namibia.
Write down the letters: N, S, E, W. Write them one below the other.
Which letter shows north? Point to it. Which letter shows south? Point to it. Which letter shows
east? Point to it. Which letter shows west? Point to it.
Write the correct word next to each letter.
15 Listening Text: Hello listeners. Today the news is about the talented musician Elemotho, whose beautiful song,
Topic 8 (Radio “Kgala! Namib” you just heard.
broadcast) Elemotho Elemotho Mosimane was born in the Kalahari. He plays a guitar and sings in Setswana, English
Mosimane and other Namibian languages.
LB page 66 When he was growing up, he used to listen to storytelling around the fire.
Music, like stories, can have a message for the person who hears it.
Elemotho says he likes to play music that can make you dance as well as listen, and can make
you smile as well as cry.
Elemotho loves Namibia and the people who live here. As the line in his song goes: “It’s the
land of wide open spaces, so many beautiful faces.”
This popular musician has played his music in South Africa, the United Kingdom and many
European countries, as well as in Namibia.
We will now play the track “Free” on the album “Ke Nako (It’s time)”. Enjoy it!
16 Listening Text: How Zebra got her stripes

Topic 9 (Story) How Long ago, Zebra did not have stripes. Her coat was white.
Zebra got her stripes One evening, Zebra went to the water hole to drink. Baboon was sitting there. He had made a
LB page 74 big fire.
“This water belongs to me.” Baboon said to Zebra, “You may not drink here.”
“Nonsense,” replied Zebra, “it belongs to all of us.”
And Zebra and Baboon started to fight. The fight went on and on.
Then Zebra kicked Baboon. He went up high into the sky and landed on a rocky mountain.
The hard kick made Zebra fall backwards into Baboon’s fire. She landed on the hot black sticks.
From then on, her white coat always had lovely black stripes on it.

Track Title Text
17 Listening Text: Two tiny tortoises

Topic 9 (Poem) Two tiny Two tiny tortoises
tortoises Trying to cross the road
LB page 76 Along comes a ten ton truck
Carrying a big load.
Truck sees the tortoises
And slams on the brakes
(slow down)
Tortoises go on crossing
While everyone waits!
18 Listening Text: Here are the animals

Topic 9 (Song) Here are Here are the eagles that fly so high
the animals Spreading their wings across the sky
LB page 77 Here is the long snake on the ground
Wriggling under a warm stone that it found.
Here is the ostrich, straight and tall
Nodding his head above us all
Here are the meerkats fast asleep
Curled up in a hole safe and deep.
Here is the scorpion scuttling around
Treading so lightly on the ground.
Here is the porcupine, with spikes and all,
Rolling itself into ball
19 Listening Text: Facts about animals

Topic 10 (Facts sheet) Animals belong to different groups. These are some of the groups: insects, mammals, birds and
Facts about animals reptiles.
LB page 84 All insects have six legs. Some insects have wings.
All mammals have hair. Some mammals have four legs,
Some have two legs and two arms.
All reptiles have scales on their skins. Some reptiles have long tails. Some reptiles do not have
legs. One reptile has a hard shell.
All birds have feathers, wings and two legs.
20 Listening Text: You will need:

Topic 10 (Instructions) • a bottle of clean water
Mixing some medicine • six teaspoons of sugar
LB page 85 • a jug
• a glass
Follow these steps:
1. Pour the water into a jug.
2. Add the sugar.
3. Mix it all together.
4. Drink a glass of the mixture.
5. Drink another glass every 10 minutes, until the mixture is finished.

Track Title Text
21 Listening Text: The smile photograph

Topic 11 (Interview) The Tom: Why did you make this face?
smile photograph LB Annie: We wanted to raise money for children who need operations on their faces.
page 94 Some children have a problem with their faces, and they cannot smile.
Tom: Where did you do it?
Annie: On the sports field at our school.
Tom: How many children did it?
Annie: There were 500 children.
Tom: What did you wear?
Annie: We wore red, orange, blue or black t-shirts.
We all crouched on hands and knees, to show the colours of our t-shirts.
Tom: How did you work together?
22 Listening Text: Phone message voice – The person you have just dialled is unavailable.
Topic 11 (Telephone Please leave a message
conversation) Hello Sam, it’s Turimuje (too-rih-moo-yeah) speaking.
LB page 101 I’m phoning to find out how you are.
You didn’t come to school today.
I hope you are not cross with me.
Hey, ummm… listen, I’m sorry I teased you about your new glasses. Umm … uh… You know I
was just jealous because I still have my old glasses and I also want new ones.
So, hey, we need to present our project next week.
Maybe this weekend we can get together so that we can finish it?
I’ll phone again later. Bye Sam!
23 Listening Text: We are producing too much waste.

Topic 12 (Advice) One way that you can help is to recycle things. This means that you use things again, rather
Recycling than throw them away.
LB page 104 Most of the food you eat comes in containers. These containers are made of plastic, tin,
cardboard or glass. When you have finished the food in them, you can use the containers again.
For example, you can use glass and plastic containers to store food like sugar.
You can use tin containers like cool drink cans to make useful objects like candleholders.
You can use plastic bags and paper to make decorations.
24 LISTENING FOR Home from School

ENJOYMENT (POEM) I open the door And what do I see?
Home from school Granny cooks chicken And white pap for me.
I open the door
And what do I smell? Chicken and cabbage And hot tea, as well.
I open the door
And what do I hear? Songs on the radio Sing to my ear.
I open the door And what do I say?
“I’M HOME! HELLO KUKU!”
I’m happy today.

Track Title Text
25 LISTENING FOR Little Red Hen and Friends

ENJOYMENT (STORY) On a beautiful farm in Otavi lived a pig, a sheep, a cat and a little red hen. One day, the Little
Little Red Hen and Red Hen saw some maize seeds on the ground near the farm house. She was very happy.
Friends “Look what I have found!” she said to the other animals.
“Who will help me plant the maize seeds in the garden?”
“Not me,” said Pig. “Not me,” said Sheep “Not me,” said Cat.
“Then I will plant them myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And she did. Little Red Hen knew that
maize seeds need water to grow.
“Who will help me water the maize seeds?” she asked the other animals.
“Then I will water them myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
Little Red Hen watered the seeds and was happy when she saw the small green leaves growing.
Little Red Hen knew that she must weed the garden because small plants need sun to grow.
“Who will help me weed the maize?” she asked the other animals. “Not me,” said Pig.
“Not me,” said Sheep “Not me,” said Cat.
“Then I will weed them myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
The maize plants grew tall and green. Little Red Hen watered the plants and weeded the garden.
The maize plants turned yellow. Little Red Hen knew that it was time to harvest the maize.
“Who will help me harvest the maize?” she asked the other animals. “Not me,” said Pig.
“Then I will harvest it myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
Little Red Hen filled a big basket with maize.
She was happy. She wanted to grind the maize to make soft white maize meal.
“Who will help me grind the maize?” she asked the other animals.
“Then I will grind the maize myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
When the maize was ground into a fine white flour, Little Red Hen wanted to make maize bread.
She put the maize meal and one egg and one cup of milk and two spoons of oil and four spoons
of sugar into a bowl.
“Who will help me mix the dough?” she asked the other animals. “Not me,” said Pig.
“Then I will mix it myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
Now the maize bread must be cooked on a fire. Little Red Hen took a big ball of dough out of
the bowl.
“Who will help me make a fire?” she asked the other animals. “Not me,” said Pig.
“Not me,” said Sheep
“Not me,” said Cat.
“Then I will make the fire myself,” said the Little Red Hen. And she did.
Cat and Pig and Sheep were asleep in the sun when, suddenly, a lovely sweet, warm smell came
to their noses. They ran to the fire and danced around the hot maize bread which was golden
brown and cooked.
“Mmmm mmmm! Who will help me eat the bread?” she asked the other animals.
“I will,” said Pig.
“I will,” said Sheep. “I will,” said Cat.
“No you will not,” said the Little Red Hen. “You did not help me. You are not my friends. I will
eat the bread myself!” And she did.
Next time when Little Red Hen found some maize seeds, all the other animals helped her. Cat
planted and watered the seeds, Sheep weeded and harvested the maize and Pig mixed the flour
and cooked the bread. When the bread was ready to eat, ALL the animal friends sat and ate the
bread together.

Track Title Text
26 Dialogue: Asking questions

Asking questions Tom: When? Where? What?
Simon: Hello.
Ezra: Hello
Simon: Are you new?
Ezra: Yes, I am new.
Simon: Where do you come from?
Ezra: I come from South Africa.
Simon: When did you come to Namibia?
Ezra: I came to Namibia yesterday.
Simon: Why have you come here?
Ezra: I came here because I have a new job in Swakopmund.
Simon: What is your name?
Ezra: My name is Ezra. What is your name?
Simon: My name is Simon. Welcome to Namibia, Ezra!
Ezra: Thanks, Simon. Where do you come from?
Simon: I come from Windhoek.
Ezra: Why are you here in Swakopmund?
Simon: Oh, I am in Swakopmund because I came to see my mother.
She lives here.
Ezra: When are you going home to Windhoek?
Simon: I am going home tonight.
Ezra: It was good to meet you, Simon.
Simon: Good to meet you too, Ezra. Goodbye.
Ezra: Bye.
27 Language Long and short vowel sounds.

Practice: Pronunciation Long “ee” sound. Sheep
– long and short vowel Eat Sweet Green
sounds The sheep eat the sweet green grass. ×2
I eat meat and dream sweet dreams.
Short “i” sound Sip
Lick Pill Rid
I sip and lick the sweet ice-cream. ×2
I get rid of the pill in the bin. ×2
Listen to the different sounds: ee and i
Rid/read ×2
I get rid of the TV so I can read a book. ×2
Pill/peel. ×2
Don’t take a pill – peel an orange and eat it! ×2
Lick/leak ×2
Lick the ice-cream with your tongue or it will leak down your arm. ×2
Ship/sheep ×2
The flock of sheep sailed on the ship. ×2

Track Title Text
28 LISTENING FOR Silas Stephanus Superstar

ENJOYMENT (STORY) Silas Stephanus was not a happy boy. He was not good at school work. He did not play soccer
Silas Stephanus for the school team and he did not like school.
Superstar Teachers said, “Silas, you are not working well, my boy.”
Girls said, “Silas, have you heard the news? We love Simon and Lukas and Jonas and Tu. We
love Salte and Bernard but no-one loves you.” At home, Tatekulu asked, “Silas, what is wrong?
How can you get a job when you are a big man if you are not good at anything and you have no
talent?”
Kuku shouted, “Silas! You sing when you eat and you smell your food. Silas, my boy, you are
very rude!”
Mem’ just looked sad, “Silas, how can you look after me when I grow old if you have no
money?”
One day Silas Stephanus came home from school feeling happy. He had good news for Mem’.
“Mem’,” he said, “I have got talent. I am going to be a star!”
“A STAR!” said his mother in surprise. She watched TV a lot and read magazines all the time so
she knew many stars. “A star?” she asked.
“Yes,” said Silas, “a real star in a play that we are having at school in December.”
Meme knew that stars had lots of money and were very rich. They wore beautiful clothes and
lived in Hollywood, America. Stars drove BMW cars and ate with knives and spoons made of
gold. If Silas Stephanus was going to be a star then Silas Stephanus was also going to be rich.
“What car will you buy, Silas?” she asked. “A BMW, a Ferrari or a Mercedes?”
“Definitely a Ferrari!” said Silas Stephanus, smiling.
“Will you buy a house in London or New York or Cape Town, Silas?” she asked.
“Definitely New York!” said Silas Stephanus, smiling.
Mem’ crossed her arms and hugged herself and smiled from ear to ear. “Can I come and live in
New York with you?”
“Definitely!” said Silas Stephanus, smiling.
Time passed slowly. September came and September went.
Mem’ dreamed big dreams about her star, Silas Stephanus. “Movie stars have beautiful hair
and very white teeth,” she said.
Time passed slowly. October came and October went. Meme dreamed bigger dreams for her
star, Silas Stephanus. “Movie stars have beautiful homes and big fat wallets,” she said.
Time still passed slowly. November came and November went. Meme dreamed the biggest
dream of all for her star, Silas Stephanus. Silas Stephanus will be a bigger star than any other
movie star or celebrity in Namibia, in Africa, in the world!
“Silas Stephanus, my son,” she said, “will be a SUPER STAR!”

Track Title Text
Silas stayed at school every afternoon to practise the play. He did not tell Mem’ or Kuku or
Tatekulu about the play. All he would say if anyone asked is, “I am a star in the play! A very big
star!”
Finally – November came. It was the night of the school play. This was the most important night
of the school year – the School Play and Prize Giving. Meme was so excited that she bought
tickets for all her friends and for Kuku and Tatekulu to come and watch Silas Stephanus, the star
of the school play.
Mem’ sat on a chair near the front of the stage. She wanted to see Silas
Stephanus, the star! The play started.
It was a Christmas play. First the girls sang a song. Meme did not see Silas Stephanus. He was
not an angel in the play.
“Silas is not an angel. He must be someone more important,” she whispered to Kuku. “I think
he will be Joseph.”
Joseph and Mary walked onto the stage. No! Silas Stephanus, the star, was not Joseph.
There were shepherds and sheep but Silas Stephanus did not come. There were donkeys and
cows but no, Silas Stephanus, did not come.
Meme sat sadly in her chair. Where was Silas Stephanus, the star?
Her friends whispered to each other and laughed with their hands over their mouths. Where
was Silas Stephanus, the star?
“Where is this big star you talk about?” they asked. Meme said nothing.
Suddenly, a drum began to beat and the angel girls sang new song.
Hear the drum! Hear the drum! (tune “jingle bells”)
Coming from so very far.
And can you see the Kings, they come,
Fol/low/ing the Christ/mas STAR!
Onto the stage, smiling and shining and dressed in gold and silver walked Silas Stephanus.
He was dressed to look like a star!
He was the Star of Bethlehem!
The angels sang their song and Silas Stephanus danced. All the mothers and fathers watching
the play clapped and shouted! All the old people watching the play stamped their feet. All the
children watching the play stood on their chairs to see.
Silas Stephanus heard the angels sing!
Silas Stephanus heard the feet going stamp stamp.
Silas Stephanus heard the hands clapping and then Silas Stephanus heard his mother’s voice.
“Silas Stephanus you really are a star! You are my SUPER-STAR!”
29 LISTENING FOR Clever Chicken and the Hungry Wolf

ENJOYMENT: Narrator: This story is about a very Clever Chicken and an apple tree.
(A Play) Clever Chicken Every morning, Clever Chicken opened the window of her house.
and the HUNGRY Wolf And she opened the curtains.
And, every morning, she put her head out and she said…
Clever Chicken: Good Morning! Today is a beautiful hot day!
Narrator 1: Then she would put on her best dress,
And clean her house. And make her breakfast.
(Slowly) But one day …
(Slowly) She opened her window … (slowly) And said,
Clever Chicken: Good Morning! Today is a beautiful hot day!
Narrator 1: Then she went to put on her best dress but …
She stopped and came back to look out of the window … And she said,
Clever Chicken: (surprised) What is that? A tree? Yes! An apple tree!
Narrator 1: She was very surprised!
She scratched her head. And she said …
Clever Chicken: There was no tree yesterday!
Narrator 1: She put her head out of the window.
Suddenly the apple tree spoke. And the tree said …

Track Title Text
Hungry Wolf: (GROWLY GRUFF VOICE) Good Morning, Chicken!
Clever Chicken: (surprised) You were not there yesterday!
Hungry Wolf: I grew in the night so that you can sit in my shade on this hot day.
Clever Chicken: (surprised) I did not know that apple trees can grow so big in one night.
Hungry Wolf: Some apple trees can grow in one night. Yes, some of us can!
Narrator 1: Clever Chicken shook her head and the apple tree said …
Hungry Wolf: Come and sit in my shade, Clever Chicken.
Narrator 1: Clever Chicken looked carefully at the apple tree.
She saw that the apple tree had two long grey ears and she said …
Clever Chicken: I did not know that apple trees have big ears.
Hungry Wolf: Oh yes, we do. Some of us do have big ears. Come and sit in the shade.
She saw two grey feet under the leaves of the apple tree. And she said …
Clever Chicken: I did not know that apple trees have big feet like a dog.
Hungry Wolf: Oh yes, we do! Some of us do have big feet. Come and sit in the shade.
Narrator 1: Clever Chicken looked carefully at the apple tree again.
She saw a long grey tail under the leaves of the apple tree. And she said …
Clever Chicken: I did not know that apple trees have a long grey tail like a dog.
Hungry Wolf: Oh yes, we do! Some of us do have long tails.
Come and sit in the shade.
She saw a wet black nose in the leaves of the apple tree. And she said …
Clever Chicken: I did not know that apple trees have a black nose.
Hungry Wolf: Oh yes, we do! Some of us do have black noses.
Come and sit in the shade.
Narrator 1: Clever Chicken was quiet for a long time.
She thought about the long grey ears and the big feet.
She thought about the long tail.
She thought about the wet black nose and she said…
Clever Chicken: You are not a REAL apple tree!
Hungry Wolf: Oh yes, I am! I am a real apple tree.
Narrator 1: Clever Chicken smiled to herself.
She had a clever idea. She said …
Clever Chicken: If you WERE a real apple tree would know that apple trees have NO leaves at
this time of the year.
Narrator 1: The apple tree said nothing. There was no talking for a long time.
Then the apple tree said …
Hungry Wolf: You are right! (begins to shake arms) My leaves are falling off ! Look!
Narrator 1: And the apple tree started to shake.
Shhhhhh! Swish! Swush! SSSSSSSS!
(swaying) The leaves started to fall off the apple tree.
The apple tree shook and shook until all the leaves were lying on the ground
And Clever Chicken was not surprised to see a wolf standing there.
A wolf with long grey ears and a long grey tail.
A wolf with big feet and a black nose AND VERY BIG TEETH!
Clever Chicken: (squawks) I KNEW IT! YOU ARE NOT AN APPLE TREE!
Then she quickly closed the window. And shut the curtains. And the wolf ran away.

Platinum English Second Language Grade 4
Grammar Book answers
Page 3
1. a) cat, tree b) players, team c) seasons, summer, autumn, winter, spring
d) happiness, sadness e) Windhoek, Namibia
2. Accept any suitable nouns. Examples:
a) Things we eat and drink: apples, oranges (any fruit), cabbage, onions (any vegetable), bread, cake
(any baked goods), rice, flour (any ingredients), cheese, butter, sausages (any proteins), juice,
milk, tea (any liquids)
b) Things we wear: skirt, shirt, dress, shorts (any clothes), boots, sandals shoes (any footwear)
c) Games we play: football, table tennis (any ball games), cards, play-station (any board or
electronic games)
d) Places you know: Namibia, Johannesburg (any countries or towns), shop, flats (any kind of building)
e) People who help us: nurse, dentist, teacher (any people or family members who can help us)
Page 4
3. watches clocks dresses shirts boxes bags bushes flowers shops trees branches
ticks crosses smiles chairs couches books atlases cats buses
4. a) benches, trees b) sandwiches, apples (not lunches) c) dogs, cats, gardens
d) shirts, hats, dresses, suitcases e) plates, dishes, cups
5. bench, tree, bus, aunt, packet, box, phone, handbag, call, friend
6. a) teacher, bag, box b) a broom, a brush, a duster, room c) cow tree
d) a doctor, a nurse, clinic e) a bird, bush
Page 5
7. Countable: cups bags cars story spoons houses road
Uncountable: sugar rice hair sand tea
8. a) petrol b) milk tea c) rain d) rice e) water
9. a) some milk b) spaghetti c) hair d) grass e) tea
f) oil g) rice h) soup i) petrol j) furniture
Page 6
10. Proper nouns: Otjiwarongo, Kunene, Jonas, Utetza, English, Portugal Common nouns: boy, girl,
town, river, language, football
11. a) Namibia, Angola, Atlantic Ocean b) English, Portuguese, Oshikananwa, Herero
c) Lulu, Wolfgang d) Tokyo, Japan e) Park Primary School, Monday, January
12. Learners write own information.
Example:
Surname: Kloppers First names: Herman
Date of birth: 20 March 2009 Place of birth: Windhoek
Address: 20 Flower Street, Oranjemund My school: Park Primary School
My country: Namibia
Page 7
1. Pronouns: she, he, her, him
2. a) cock/cockerel b) uncle c) daughters d) cow e) prince
f) Queens g) lioness h) nephew i) husband j) He
252 Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Grammar Book answers

Page 8
2. Usual size: hen, part, book, cat, horse, goat, lion, dog, sheep, cow
Diminutive: cub, kid, calf, lamb, puppy, booklet, particle, chicken, kitten, foal
3. a) calf b) ducklings c) tadpole d) kittens e) lambs
Page 9
1. a) dog’s b) brother’s c) Mwale’s d) teacher’s e) Kamwi’s
f) cat’s g) friend’s h) giraffe’s i) man’s j) country’s
2. Accept any suitable sentences. Examples:
a) Tuafini’s school is big. b) Rauna’s brother is ten years old. c) My sister’s uniform is clean.
d) The cow’s horns are long. e) My father’s hat is brown. f) The juices’ flavours were delicious.
g) The pupils’ low grades showed an improvement. h) The clocks’ hands all show 12.
i) The girls’ sports in our school are netball and football.
j) Ten owls’ eyes shone when the headlights lit up the trees.
Page 10
1. a) She b) He c) He d) She e) It
f) They g) They h) they i) They j) We
Page 11
3. a) It (accept he or she) b) They c) We d) She e) We
f) He g) she h) He i) It j) They
4. a) It b) She c) He d) They e) They
Page 12
6. a) myself b) yourself c) herself d) ourselves
e) themselves f) yourselves g) himself
h) herself i) himself j) ourselves
7. a) themselves b) ourselves c) myself d) herself e) himself
8. a) herself b) itself c) themselves d) herself e) himself
Page 13
1. Accept any suitable words. Examples are: a big building, a small puppy, a tiny ant, a little boy, a huge
elephant, a happy day, a strong ox, a bad smell, a naughty child, a beautiful tree, a red pen, a blue sky, a
white cloud, a round ball, a square table, two horses, ten fingers, more food, less energy, enough money
2. big, happy, sick, blue, small, sad, healthy, grey, huge, angry, wide, square, tiny, naughty, narrow, round
3. brown soil, green leaf, pink flowers, while snow, blue sky, orange carrots, red blood, yellow lemon
Page 14
1. a) ripe yellow b) hot dry c) excited cold d) pink long blue e) short blunt
f) hungry big g) tall high h) left right i) useful top j) brown white
2. a) old b) cold c) difficult d) sour e) sweet
f) round g) hot h) fast i) straight j) long
3. a) small round yellow b) big old square c) thin tiny green
d) long ripe yellow e) large young brown
Page 15
1. a) jump b) run c) walk d) wait e) turns f) cross h) wave h) come
Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Grammar Book answers 253

2. swim drive ride fly shout write read play give listen think
Page 16
1. a) talks b) looks c) work d) drives e) run
f) lives g) cooks h) walk i) help j) wear
2. a) looks b) was c) is d) Is e) are
f) are g) has h) obeys i) is j) were
Page 17
1. a) are learning b) are singing c) do not sing d) did not sing
e) were drawing f) have put g) likes
2. a) rises b) sets c) have d) don’t e) wake
f) don’t g) doesn’t h) boils i) does j) read
Page 18
1. a) play, play, practise, go, enjoy b) is, flies, goes, does not come, enjoys
Page 19
1. walk – walked, do not arrive – did not arrive, do – did
2. a) opened closed b) played talked laughed c) stroked jumped
d) cooked washed e) stayed watched
3. a) did not stay, did not watch b) did not play, did not have
c) did not turn on, did not work d) did not make, did not know e) did not rain, did not see
4. a) Did you like … b) Did she enjoy … c) … did you want …
d) … did you buy … e) … did it get …
5. lived, started, ended, stopped, needed, arrived, greeted, played, did not cook, watched
Page 20
8. a) did you get b) got c) did not get d) did she drink e) drank
f) did not drink g) did he wear h) wore i) did not wear j) did they go
k) went l) did not go
Page 21
9. built, bought, put, had, got, painted, did not use, liked, looked, came, said, wanted
10. a) will open b) will catch c) will watch d) will learn e) will buy
f) will live g) will rain h) will be i) will get j) will take
Page 22
11. a) won’t be ready b) won’t catch c) won’t worry d) won’t leave e) won’t miss
12. a) won’t play/will not play b) won’t be happy c) won’t be staying
d) won’t happen e) won’t bake
13. played, did not play, did – play? play, plays, do not play, does not play, do – walk? does –walk?
Will walk, wont/will not walk, will—walk?
Page 23
14. a) do b) do c) does d) did e) will
f) did g) does h) will i) did j) will
15. lived, made, got, did not want, wanted did not have, decided, will make, will get, will stick, will fly

Page 24
1. a) slowly b) quickly c) happily d) softly e) badly
2. a) quickly b) hungrily c) well d) politely e) wonderfully, horribly
3. a) happily b) softly c) slowly d) badly e) quickly
Page 26
1. A: doctor, farmer, teacher, scientist, nurse, bus driver, pilot, fire fighter
An: author, actor, electrician, artist
2. Any suitable words. Examples:
a table, chair, desk, clock, book, bag, calculator, drawer, cupboard, shelf, picture an assignment,
artwork, envelope, exam paper, ornament, umbrella
3. a) an b) a c) an a d) an, a e) a, an
4. a) the, an b) the c) the, the d) a e) a , an
f) the g) an h) an i) the, a j) a
Page 27
1. Prepositions of place: from at, in, in. Prepositions of time: in, during
2. a) in b) under c) next to/beside d) before e) over
f) next to/beside/behind g) up down h) up/down i) from j) behind
Page 28
3. a) A b) C c) B d) C e) A f) C g) A h) B
4. a) on b) during c) In d) after e) at f) for g) under
h) down i) on j) in
Page 29
1. a) … a burger and she is … b) … an ice-cream if I behave …
c) … my dinner but I still … d) … sick because I forgot …
e) … town and we bought … f) … can’t fly because they don’t …
g) … beautiful but I am … h) … go if it does not rain
2. a) if b) because c) before/after d) because/when
e) but f) and g) because/as h) if
3. He fell over so/but/and we helped him up. I’ve got a pencil but I don’t have paper. You can go home
when/if you finish your work. I would like a cheese sandwich and (I would like) a glass of water.
Page 30
4. a) while b) because c) but d) but e) although/but
f) although g) because h) but i) if j) so
Page 32
1. a) command/order/request/exclamation b) question c) statement
d) statement e) request f) question g) command/order
h) command/order/request
2. a) Who are you? (question) b) He likes bananas and apples /apples and bananas. (statement)
c) That is amazing! (exclamation) d) Write your name on the book. (command)
e) What is the matter? (question)
3. Any suitable sentences. Examples:

a) He ran well in the race. (statement) Did you run home? (question) What a fast run!
(exclamation) Run fast! (command)
b) We eat dinner every day. (statement) When do you eat dinner? (question) They eat so much
dinner! (exclamation) Eat your dinner now. (command)
c) You don’t always do your homework. (statement) How often do you do your homework? (question)
3. You do your homework in here/at midnight! (exclamation) Do your homework immediately.
(command)
Page 33
4. a) Ndeshi /baked /a cake. b) The dog /chased /the rat. c) I /caught /a cold.
d) The old man /bought /a hat. e) She /has /a new pencil.
a) biscuits b) my grandmother c) his phone
d) our homework e) stories
6. a) The cat /eats fish. b) She /walks home.
c) My mother /drives a blue car. d) My friends /enjoy games. e) The girls /ran to the station.
Page 34
7. The birds fly very high.
The fireman puts out the fire.
The teacher shows us how to do maths.
I write about sentences.
She likes her new dress.
a) The man swims well. b) The teachers like the children.
c) Monkeys climb trees. d) Many children enjoy maths.
e) The gate is open. f) My grandmother lives with us.
g) The big cow is eating grass. h) Mbeumuna lives next door to me.
i) The tall trees give us shade. j) The new learner feels shy.
a) My uncle lit a fire. b) Plants need water.
c) My little brother goes to bed early. d) My parents go to bed late.
e) I fell out of bed. f) My friends slept late.
g) We ran away. h) The women will open a new shop.
i) My cousin gave me a present. j) The thirsty animals drank water.
Page 36
1. a) Chicco Windhoek b) Sea View Mansions c) I Moses
d) Park Primary e) Saturdays Sundays
2. a) Who lives next door to you? b) The Smith family.
c) There is a mother, a father, a daughter and two sons. e) What is your address?
f) It is 43 Milton Street. g) Do you like living there? h) Yes, it is a friendly place.
i) Can I come and visit you? j) Yes, I would like that. k) Yay! See you tomorrow.
3. a) I live in Botswana. b) My birthday is on Tuesday. c) She speaks German.
d) There is a red car outside. e) Ruth has lost her keys.
Page 37
1. a) “Hi. How are you?” he asked. b) “I’m fine thanks, and you?” she said.

c) “I’m okay. What did you do on Saturday?” asked Gifta.
d) “I went to the pool and we had a picnic,” said Levy.
e) “Oh, that’s nice. We did the gardening and then we played ball,” said Gifta.
Page 38
1. a) 6 b) 3 c) 5 d) 1 e) 4 f) 2
2. Note: the word ‘that’ may be left out.
a) The girl says that she likes ice cream.
b) The boy says that he does not/doesn’t like ice cream.
c) My brother says that he wants to study.
d) My sister says that she does not/doesn’t want to watch TV.
e) My mother says that she is at the shop.
f) My father says that he is not at work.
g) Mr Jones says that he buys the Saturday newspaper.
h) Mrs Jones says that she buys the Sunday newspaper.
i) My grandmother says that she eats meat.
j) My grandfather says that he does not/doesn’t eat meat.
Page 39
1. a) chief b) piece c) niece d) ceiling e) receive f) deceive
Page 40
1. a) sh wh bl gr gr b) th th br c) pr sch ch pr st
2. Any suitable words. Examples: sheep ship shade; white when whether; black blue blend; green grey,
great; this thin thing; brick brown bright; prize pretty proud; school schedule scholar; cheap teacher
beach; best sting fast
Page 41
1. a) cold feet b) a piece of cake c) raining cats and dogs
d) as cool as a cucumber e) spill the beans f) like two peas in a pod
g) broken heart h) having second thoughts i) feeling blue
Page 42
2. a) huge b) paste/stick c) starts d) cold e) mistake
f) hurry g) courageous h) cried i) keep j) ending
Page 43
1. Information given
2. a) cold b) last c) sour d) dry e) strong f) false
Page 44
3. a) sweet b) won c) high d) laughed e) yes
f) enemy g) cold h) easy i) old j) fast
no, strong, low, cold, cry, lose, dry
4. Synonyms: big enormous, unhappy sad, hope wish, end finish, pick choose
Antonyms: old new, true false, yes no, early late, friend enemy

Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader
suggested answers to activities
Home from School
1. Ask the class to share responses.
2. a) sees e.g. food cooking, Kuku cooking, chicken, pap, radio, vegetables
b) smells e.g. cabbage/pap/chicken cooking and also tea
c) hears e.g. songs on radio d) touches Kuku
3. a) four b) open the door c) “Chicken and cabbage” is the B. Third line of the second verse.
4. A. The poet says “I open the door” four times because:
He likes to open the door to his home.
Our House and Home

2. pride and outside, door and floor, mothers and brothers, love and above
3. Little star in the sky
I can see you up so high
You shine like a light
In the dark at night
4. a) fat b) bat c) sat
Good morning! Good morning!

1. Personal responses
2. a) desks, chairs, blackboard, books, a table
b) Any suggestions, for example table, balloons, a cake, candles, presents etc
3. a) Mother b) Abel
Running from the Rooster

1. Personal responses
2. Isak was worried about Sports Day because he was small and had little legs.
3. When Isak started to run the race he thought about the rooster chasing him and he ran fast.
The Great Warrior

1. Count the raised hands and put the scores on the board for each type of story
2. a) B: Grandfather tells stories about warriors b) 8
3. a) shield, spear, battles, victories, brave, fighting b) Because of the child going to sleep
Bob’s Best Friend

1. The stronger reader should read the black words as the vocabulary in the blue words is repeated.
Alternatively you can read the black lines and the class can read the blue words together.
2. Treat this as a general discussion – vote for the best names at the end.
3. Any words or adjectives from the story. For example: Bob says that his friend, Bella, is happy, loving,
and brave.
The Busy, Busy Bus Stop

1. Learners’ personal responses.
2. Be open to suggestions and ask learners WHY, for example – “No thanks” the man who looks like he
does not want to ride on the motor bike tells the motorcyclist “No thanks”. The lady selling tea near
the bus might say “Buy my tea”.
3. a) boys b) choices
258 Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader suggested answers to activities

Be Careful When You Cross the Road
1. The mime activity can be performed in front of the class. Call learners up and whisper what they
must act. Allow the class to guess.
2. Right boys, Left girls, Right girls
3. Act out a play.
You can use this small observation schedule to assess the class as a whole and report back to them.
Teacher Observation No Sometimes Yes
1 Class divided into two lines
2 Class faced each other making a “road” between the two sides
3 Each chorus group read its lines correctly (Left boys/Right girls, etc.)
4 Each chorus followed directions (e.g. look left)
5 Mimed actors were good
The B-A-B-Y
1. a) He is LONELY – he says “Nobody asked me to play” and “I sat alone” and “I was lonely” and we
see that he is alone when he opens the door.
b) He is SAD – when no-one plays with you, you feel sad. He wanted to go home.
c) ANGRY – he says “what is THIS” crossly. We read that “he was feeling angry” and he “has no time
for a baby”.
d) SAD – he “wanted to cry too”; SCARED – maybe he did not think he could care for a baby on his own.
e) TIRED – he could not sleep; SAD – he felt unhappy at home and unhappy at school.
f) SAD; SCARED
3. a) Allow general discussion on the difficulties and pleasure on having a baby at home.
b) You could allow the class to vote for a name for the B-A-B-Y.
The Jungle in My Dreams

1. a) forest b) green, wet, cool
c) rainbows, Christmas lights , jewels
2. a) Birds are like jewels b) butterflies are like rainbows
c) frogs are like Christmas lights
3. a) Cold like ice b) Hot like fire
c) Old like a tortoise d) Fast like lightning
e) Thin like a stick f) Big like a mountain
4. Clouds in the sky like sheep on a hill.
When the wind stops, they all stand still.
Bird Brain
1. Allow general discussion but make sure the point is that different people have different skills
and talents.
2. We are all talented (good at) at different things.
3. It means that we all have different skills and talents and if we judge people on ONE thing only,
and they are not good at that thing, they will always feel bad about themselves.
Too Close to the Sun

1. He drowned/he died/maybe he even swam to the land. Discuss all possibilities.
2. Allow groups to share their innovative ideas.
Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader suggested answers to activities 259

3. “The man and the boy
flew over the sea like birds”
“Soon it was raining f
e a t
h e r
s.”
Fun in the Sun
Rainy Days and Mondays

1. Allow general discussion.
2. a) Climbing trees, playing with a ball, skipping etc.
b) The children are laughing, they are playing, the sun shines. etc
c) Hot – Hot short sleeves, the sun shines d) No, only the sad girl is unhappy.
e) The girl in the pink shirt who looks sad. f) Cold – rain, boots, warm clothes.
3. happy words sad words

fun sun play
happy words sad words
warm dry pain wet mud dirty
cry tears flood

5. She gets dirty and cold and wet.
6. Her teeth chatter and she is wet.
7. B. The rain water on the window looks like tears.
Silas Stephanus Superstar

1. a)–d) Allow general discussion. e) Star as in celebrity actor/singer OR star in the night sky
f) He was an actor in a play and he was acting dressed like a star.
g) A movie/TV star h) Yes
2. a) correct b) correct c) correct d) incorrect e) correct

f) incorrect g) incorrect h) incorrect i) incorrect j) correct
3. a) NO – she shouted happily at him and clapped and called him a SUPERSTAR great famous
big movie star
The Terrible Tiger

1. a) seven times b) 27 c) No, it was in India in a village called Junipah.
d) Monkey – he got the tiger back in the trap and saved the man’s life.
3. a) He was killed. The man took him to another country. They put him in a zoo.
b) Lived with the man. Went back to live in the forest. c) Thank you!
d) I will eat you when I get out of this trap. e) Allow general discussion.
The Litter Monster

1. a) litter b) a tape recorder or a radio
c) To scare the bad man who is dropping litter. Personal response. d) Personal response
e) Night – we see the moon, the girls are in shadow, the house light is shining. f) Own idea
2. a) 12 b) No c) 9, 10
260 Platinum English Second Language Grade 4 Reader suggested answers to activities

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English Second Language

P Baker • M Edwards • C Galloway • L Sparg

9789991617404_plt_lag_g04_tg_eng_na.indb 1 2015/10/13 11:49 AM

© Pearson Education Namibia (Pty) Ltd

First published in 2015

ISBN 978 999 161 7404

Cover design by Mark Standley

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Lesson plans and topic-by-topic coverage

Topic 1: People we love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Topic 2: All about sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Topic 4: A busy community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Topic 5: Taking care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Topic 6: Stories and poems about nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Topic 7: The powerful sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Topic 8: Namibia has talent! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143

Topic 9: Animals from Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

Topic 10: Animals that can harm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

Topic 11: Make the world a better place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193

Topic 12: Protecting our planet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

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Audio CD and listening texts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240

Platinum English Second Language Grammar Book answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Platinum English Second Language Reader suggested answers to activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

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The structure of the course

Support for learners

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Support for teachers

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Methodology and teaching approaches

Oral activities include conversations, discussions and short presentations.

Spelling and punctuation

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Organising same-ability groups

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Group guided reading

Levelled intervention worksheets

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The Grammar Book

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Note to the teacher

Topic 1: People we love 19

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Teaching materials and resources

Lesson 1 Listen and speak

Activity 1 Listen to a story