UNIT 1: THE LIVING PHOTOGRAPH by Jackie Kay

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM

WORD/ PHRASE MEANING

1 Tall there
2 straight-back
3 Pleated skirt
4 Grey bun
5 White hand
6 Look death in the eye
7 hunched
8 Forgot to boil
9 awful
1 Unknown
0
1 unthinkable
1
1 Crinkled smile
2
LINE/ STANZA MEANING
1 My small grandmother is tall there
2 straight-back, white broderie anglaise
3 shirt
4 Pleated skirt, flat shoes, grey bun,
A kind old smile round her eyes.
5 Her big hand holds mine,
6 white hand in black hand.
7 Her sharp blue eyes look her own
death in the eye
8 It was true after all, that look.
9 My tall grandmother became small
1 Her back round and hunched
0
1 Her soup forgot to boil.
1
1 She went to the awful place
2 grandmothers go
1 Somewhere unknown, unthinkable.
3
1 But there she is still,
4
1 In the photo with me at three,
5
1 The crinkled smile is still living,
6 breathing

THEME EXPLANATION
1
CLOSE FAMILY TIES/
GRANDMOTHER AND
GRANDDAUGHTER
RELATIONSHIP
2
LOVE AND APPRECIATION

3
UNWILLINGNESS TO LET GO OF
SOMEONE CLOSE

4 VALUE OF PHOTOGRAPHS/
MEMORIES ARE TO BE
TREASURED

5 DEATH IS PART OF LIFE

PRACTICE 1
1. Which word in stanza 1 suggests that the grandmother had good posture?
2. Describe the grandmothers skirt and shoes.
3. Why do you think the grandmother forgot to boil the soup?
4. How would you remember someone that you love? Give a reason.
PRACTICE 2
1. What do the sharp blue eyes tell us about the grandmothers race?
2. In stanza 3, which word means creased?
3. According to the persona, where has the grandmother gone?
4. my tall grandmother became small
How did the grandmother look then? Suggest what had happened to her.

How: _________________________________________________________________
What had happened: _____________________________________________________
PRACTICE 3
1. In stanza 2, which word suggests that the grandmother had a bent back?
2. How old was the persona when the photograph was taken?
3. Which line tells us that the grandmother and the persona are of different race?
4. she went to the awful place grandmothers go
Do you think the persona understands about death? Provide a reason for your answer.
Understanding: _______________________________
Reason: ________________________________________________________________
PRACTICE 4
1. What is the main theme of the poem?
2. Suggest two words that show the grandmother is old.
3. In stanza 3, what does the smile tells us about the grandmothers face?
4. But there she is still

How do you think the persona feels when she looks at the photograph? Give a reason
for your answer.
Feeling: _______________________________________________
 Reason: ________________________________________________________________

Would you send your grandparents to old folks home? Give a reason.

What would you do to take care of old people? Suggest two ways.

How do you show respect to old people? Give 2 ways.

UNIT 2: THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE by Alfred Lord Tennyson

UNDERSTANDING THE POEM

WORD/ PHRASE MEANING

1 Half a league
2 Valley of death
3 The six hundred
4 Forward
5 charge
6 dismayed
7 Blundered
8 Not to make reply
9 Not to reason why
1 Do and die
0
1 Volleyed and thundered
1
1 stormed
2
1 Shot and shell
3
1 Jaws of Death
4
LINE/ STANZA MEANING
1 Half a league, half a league,
2 Half a league onward,
3 All in the valley of Death
4 Rode the six hundred
5 Forward, the Light Brigade!
6 Charge for the guns! he said
7 Into the valley of Death
8 Rode the six hundred.
9 Forward, the Light Brigade!
1 Was there a man dismayed?
0
1 Not though the soldier knew
1 Someone had blundered.
1
2
1 Theirs not to make reply,
3
1 Theirs not to reason why,
4
1 Theirs but to do and die.
5
1 Into the valley of Death
6 Rode the six hundred.
1
7
1 Cannon to right to them,
8 Cannon to left of them,
1 Cannon in front of them
9
2
0
2 Volleyed and thundered
1
2 Stormed at with shot and shell,
2
2 Boldly they rode and well,
3
2 Into the jaws of Death,
4 Into the mouth of Hell
2 Rode the six hundred
5
2
6
THEME EXPLANATION/ MESSAGE
1
Warfare and conflict/ Death
and destruction
2 Carrying out a given duty/
We must have loyalty
3 Courage in the face of
danger/ / We must have
courage
4 We must instill the spirit of
patriotism in ourselves

5 Blind respect for authority/

We must at times ask
question for our own sake

PRACTICE 5
1. Which word in stanza 1 means attack?
2. Why did the Light Brigade ride into the valley of Death?
3. Who do you think had given the orders to the soldiers?
4. Into the valley of Death rode the six hundred
What do you think the soldiers could have done if they did not follow the orders? Give a
reason for your answer.
Action: _________________________________________________________________
Reason: ________________________________________________________________
PRACTICE 6

1. What is the main theme of the poem?

2. Which word is Stanza 2 means to feel uneasy?

 3. Why do you think the order was given to the soldiers?

4. Would you admit your mistake or blunder? Give a reason to support your answer.

PRACTICE 7

1. What do you think the poem is mainly about?

2. Which phrase in Stanza 2 means willingness to honour ones duty to ones country?
3. Why do you think the leader had given the wrong order?
4. Would you tell your leader that he/she has made a mistake? Give a reason to support your
answer.

PRACTICE 8
1. Which word in Stanza 3 means to do things with confidence?
2. Which word or phrase shows that the soldiers were brave?
3. What does it mean by the mouth of hell?
4. What would you do to show your love for your country? Why?
How can we celebrate the courage and bravery of our heroes today? Suggest 2 ways.
What emotion does the poem evoke? Give evidence for your answer.
What one quality a good soldier must possess? Give a reason for your response.
How do you feel about war? Provide a reason for your response.

NOVELS: ONLY FORM 5 NOVEL.

DEAR MR KILMER Anne Schraff

CAPTAIN NOBODY Dean Pitchford

SING TO THE DAWN Minfong Ho

1. Choose any ONE of the novels above and answer the question below.
Using the details from the novel you have studied,
Write about a moral value/lesson from the story. Support your answer
with close reference to the text.
2. Choose a character that you admire/ like/ look up to/ can model. Give reasons for your
answer and support your answer with close reference to the text.
3. Choose an event from the novel that you want to change. Give reasons to support
your answer.
4. Choose a theme from the novel you have studied. Show how the theme is portrayed in
the novel.
5. Write an event that is most memorable/interesting/ important to you. Give reasons
why you find it most memorable/interesting/ important.
6. Choose a character that you hate/dislike and give reasons why you hate/dislike him/her.
Support your answer with close reference to the text.

OUTLINE OF ANSWER FOR Q 33:

INTRO: show your understanding of task

PARAGRAPH #2: describe event/ character/ theme
 PARAGRAPH #3 - 4: give your points/ reasons. Provide details from the novel.
Dont forget to sum up the paragraph with reference to the task
CONCLUSION: reiterate all the three points with reference to the task