Supplementary Reading: A Play – Basic 2 English Lesson Note (First Term)

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Read and share with other pupils the story read
2. Discuss lessons learnt from the book
3. Relate events in the story to their personal lives

Introduction

A play is a story that is meant to be acted out by people. Plays have characters who speak to each other, and we can learn important lessons by reading and acting them out.

Content Development

What is a Play? A play is a story written for actors to perform. It has:

• Characters: The people in the story
• Dialogue: What the characters say
• Stage directions: Instructions for how to act
• Scenes: Different parts of the story

Sample Play: “The Sharing Tree”

Characters:

• Kemi: A kind girl who loves to share
• Bola: Kemi’s friend who is learning to share
• Ade: A boy who needs help
• Narrator: Tells the story

Scene 1: In the School Playground

Narrator: It was lunch time at school. Kemi sat under a big tree eating her lunch.

Kemi: (happily) What a beautiful day! My mother packed my favorite – rice and chicken.

Bola: (approaching) Hi Kemi! Your lunch looks delicious. I forgot my lunch at home today.

Kemi: (smiling) Oh no! Here, let’s share my lunch. There’s enough for both of us.

Bola: (surprised) Really? You would share your favorite lunch with me?

Kemi: Of course! Friends help friends. My mother always says sharing makes food taste better.

Narrator: Just then, Ade walked by looking very sad.

Ade: (sadly) I wish I had some lunch. My family didn’t have much food today.

Bola: (whispering to Kemi) There’s barely enough for us two. We can’t share with him too.

Kemi: (kindly to Ade) Ade, come join us! We have rice and chicken to share.

Bola: (worried) But Kemi, now there will be very little for each of us.

Kemi: (wisely) When we share with three, the friendship grows bigger, even if the food portions are smaller.

Narrator: The three children shared the lunch happily. Something wonderful happened – other children saw their kindness and came to share their lunches too. Soon there was plenty of food for everyone!

Ade: (gratefully) Thank you, Kemi. You taught me that sharing brings people together.

Bola: (realizing) You were right, Kemi. Sharing did make everything better!

Kemi: (joyfully) See? When we share, everyone wins!

Narrator: From that day on, all the children in the school shared their lunches, and no one ever went hungry again.

Reading and Sharing Activity:

• Students take turns reading different character parts
• Practice reading with expression and feeling
• Discuss what each character learned

Lessons from the Play:

1. Sharing is caring: When we share, we show love for others
2. Kindness grows: One act of kindness leads to more kindness
3. Friends help friends: True friends support each other
4. Small actions, big results: Sharing one lunch helped many people
5. Community spirit: When everyone helps, everyone benefits

Personal Life Connections:

At School:

• Have you ever shared your lunch with a friend?
• How do you feel when someone shares with you?
• What can you share besides food?

At Home:

• Do you share toys with your siblings?
• How does your family help neighbors?
• When have you helped someone who needed something?

In Your Community:

• Have you seen people helping each other?
• What happens when everyone works together?
• How can children make their community better?

Character Analysis:

Kemi: Kind, generous, wise, caring

• Always willing to share
• Thinks of others first
• Believes in helping friends

Bola: Learning, cautious, changes for the better

• Started worried about having enough
• Learned the value of sharing
• Changed her mind when she saw the results

Ade: Grateful, humble, in need

• Accepted help gracefully
• Showed appreciation
• Learned about friendship

Acting Tips for Students:

• Use different voices for different characters
• Show emotions with facial expressions
• Move your body to show how characters feel
• Speak clearly so everyone can hear

Exercise 2: The Sharing Tree Play

Complete these sentences about the play:

1. The three characters were _______, _______, and _______.
2. Kemi shared her _______ with her friends.
3. When they shared, other children _______ too.
4. The lesson is that sharing _______ everyone.

Answer: What would you do if you had lunch and your friend forgot theirs?