~I WONDER~

I WONDER

By: Jeannie Kirby

I wonder why the grass is green,

And why the wind is never seen?

Who taught the birds to build a nest,

And told the trees to take a rest?

O, when the moon is not quite round,

Where can the missing bit be found?

Who lights the stars, when they blow out,

And makes the lightning flash about?

Who paints the rainbow in the sky,

And hangs the fluffy clouds so high?

Why is it now, do you suppose,

That Dad won’t tell me, if he knows?

Before starting the lesson, I asked a few questions to students:

1. Have you ever wondered how the chair that you sit on is made?
2. Have you ever wondered how plants eat?
3. Have you ever wondered why you can feel the wind but cannot see it?

After discussing the questions to students, I showed the following video (Lemon Tree - Fool's Garden):

After showing the video (my students love the song and ask for a repeat), I asked students, "What is the person in the video wondering about?".

Then, I told the students briefly that the person / the man in the video is waiting for his true love but she never came. Maybe, the girl has said and made a promise to him that love is as beautiful as a blue sky. So, he waits, and waits for her - she never came - and he only sees a lemon tree. So, the song basically tells us about a man who is wondering when his true love is going to come to him.

I didn't go really deep into the song.

Okay (I told my students), actually the song is related to the poem that we are going to learn today. The poem is also about a person who is wondering or pondering about something that he/she doesn't understand.

I modeled how to recite the poem with the correct pronunciation and enunciation. Then, I asked students to choral read the poem. Normally, I would ask the boys to recite the first stanza followed by the girls until they recite all stanzas. I will always remember what my literature lecturer, the lovely Ms Hendon of IPBA, told us that poems are meant to be read aloud.

Next, I told students the meaning of the poem:

Lines from the poem	Meaning
I wonder why the grass is green,	The persona wonders why the grass has to be green.
And why the wind is never seen?	The persona wonders why she can feel the wind but cannot see it.
Who taught the birds to built a nest,	The persona wonders how the birds know how to build a nest.
And told the trees to take a rest?	The persona wonders why the trees are always standing straight and tall, never once sitting down to have a rest.
O, when the moon is not quite round, Where can the missing bit be found?	At night, the persona sees the crescent moon and wonders why it is not always round.
Who lights the stars, when they blow out,	During the day, the persona cannot see the stars. So, the persona wonders who light the stars at night.
And makes the lightning flash about?	The persona wonders who causes the lightning to flash.
Who paints the rainbow in the sky,	The persona wonders how the colourful rainbow appears in the sky.
And hangs the fluffy clouds so high?	The persona wonders who hangs the fluffy clouds up so high in the sky.
Why is it now, do you suppose, That Dad won’t tell me, if he knows?	Finally, the persona wonders why his father does not answer his questions. Maybe, his father does not know the answers.

After that, the discussions lead to the persona, themes and moral values of the poem.

The persona of the poem:

• The persona is the voice in the poem (the person who might say the lines in the poem)
• The persona might be an inquisitive child who observes the world around him.

Themes: (What the poem is mainly about)

• A child’s curiosity (Sifat ingin tahu kanak-kanak). Children loves to ask questions about anything that they do not understand.
• The wonders of nature (Keajaiban alam semulajadi). People who take time to stop and appreciate nature will find that nature is amazing.

Moral values : (What can we learn from the poem)

• There is an existence of God (Terdapat kewujudan Tuhan)
• Care for our environment (Pelihara persekitaran)
• We must have a strong desire to learn a lot of knowledge. (Mempunyai keinginan yang tinggi untuk menambah ilmu pengetahuan)

MODEL QUESTION

Flipping Fantastic written by Jane Langford

Section C: (Short Stories)

1. Flipping Fantastic by Jane Langford

2. One Is One and All Alone by Nicholas Fisk

Based on one of the short stories above, in not less than 50 words, write on one of the character that you like most. Give an evidence to support your answer.

Model Answer

I choose the short story, Flipping Fantastic written by Jane Langford. The character that I like most is Tristan. He is 12 years old and he has a twin brother, James. Tristan was born with a disability. Unlike his brother, Tristan cannot do things on his own such as dressing up, walking, playing football. He thinks James is much smarter than him. He is so sad to leave James to study in another school.

Tristan is good in Mathematics and he can solve the Mathematics problems faster. He always gets A’s in his homework. He is also good at computer and swimming despite of his disability. Tristan is very determination. He also involves in plays and acts as Tom Sawyer. His English teacher always encourages him to act in plays and dramas. This is my evidence why I choose him as my favourite character.

(125 words)

Form 1 Literature - Synopsis Flipping Fantastic-

'Flipping Fantastic' is an enlightening story about twin brothers Tristan and James. Both have just completed their primary education at Peter Hill Primary School. Tristan is a special child who is wheelchair bound but is smart and confident. James is shy and fearful about life. The boys are worried because they are going to different schools. Their mother is also concerned about how they will cope. All three write down their thoughts in their diaries. Tristan tells his mother that he does not want to go to the new school. James is happy at first but then he knows that going Chesterlea Grange would do Tristan good, so he talks to his brother about the benefits of going to Chesterlea Grange. To their mother's relief, Tristan changes his mind and decides to go Chesterlea Grange. The twins go to their separated schools and find it a 'Flipping Fantastic' new experience.

THE RIVER (LITERATURE COMPONENT FORM 1)

The river’s a wanderer,
a nomad, a tramp.
He doesn't choose any one place
to set up his camp.

The river’s a winder,
through valley and hill.
He twists and he turns,
he just cannot be still.

The river’s a hoarder
and he buries down deep
Those little treasures
that he wants to keep.

The river’s a baby,
he gurgles and hums
And sounds like
he’s happily sucking his thumbs.

The river’s a singer,
as he dances along
The countryside echoes
the notes of his song.

The river’s a monster,
hungry and vexed
He’s gobbled up trees
and he’ll swallow you next.

Review:

The poem personified the river as a living object, which has attitudes and wants. The poem also shows the river as a thing with two nature, good and evil, just like humans. Human can be good and sweet sometimes, but other times, human can be evil and vexed. Thus that is a balance of natural order, as each complete things has both sides, coins have head and tails, life has yin and yang and earth has days and nights. The same with human, if in good nature, can be sweet and polite, but if vexed, can be evil and mean. This understanding is the referred back to the poem, as the river is personified to be as what it choses to be. Human do not have the capacity to control the river. It is up to it whether the river wants to be a baby or be a monster.

Notes-RUMPELSTILTSKIN-Form Two Drama

Synopsis

The King was making his rounds around his kingdom. The King visits Lisa’s cottage. Lisa’s parents began to praise Lisa and claim that she can bake the best pies in the world. In order to make himself appear more important, Lisa’s father lies to the king that his daughter could spin straw into gold. The King knows that his kingdom is poor, thus, the king called for the girl, shut her in a tower room with straw and a spinning wheel, and demanded that she spin the straw into gold by morning or be executed. She had given up all hope, when a strange little man appeared in the room and spun straw into gold for her in return for her necklace; then again the following night for her ring. But on the third night, with nothing left, the strange creature spun straw into gold for a promise that the girl’s first-born child would become his.

The greedy king was so impressed that he married Lisa, but when their first child was born, the strange little man returned to claim his payment. The queen was frightened and offered him all the wealth she had if she could keep the child. The strange little man refused but finally agreed to give up his claim to the child if the queen could guess his name in three days. At first she failed. Later, Lisa’s parents follow the little man and see him dance around a small fire and they hear him say out loud, “Tricks and riddles are my game, Rumpelstiltskin is my name.”

Plot

(Introduction) Exposition This is first stage of a fictional or dramatic plot, in which necessary background information is provided. It introduces characters, scene, time, and situation	The King visits a cottage. The cottage belongs to Lisa’s parents. The King was lured by the smell of freshly baked apple pie. Lisa’s parents praised Lisa in an attempt to make the King marry their daughter. They tell the King that she bakes the best pies in the world. To impress the King further, they also tell the King that Lisa can spin straw into gold. The King brings her to his palace and asks her to turn straw into gold. If she fails she will be beheaded.
(Action Starts) Rising Action This is a set of conflicts and crises that constitute the part of a story’s plot leading up to the climax.	Lisa sits and cries in the high tower. Then she hears scratching noise. A strange little man appears and promises to spin the straw into gold in exchange of her necklace. The King was impressed and takes her to another bigger room filled with straw. The King asks her to turn the straw into gold. If she fails she will be beheaded. That night the strange little man appeared again and promises to spin the straw into gold in exchange for her ring. The King was impressed and takes her to another bigger room filled with straw. This time he promises to marry her. Lisa has nothing else to offer to the little man. Her parents advised her to give whatever he asks for. That night, when the strange little man appeared, she promises her first born child.
Climax This is the turning point of the action in the plot of a story. The climax represents the point of greatest tension in the work.	A year passed. Lisa is the queen and she has a baby boy. The strange little man suddenly appears and reminds her of her promise. Lisa pleaded to the little man not to take her baby away as she is willing to give him all her money. The little man refuses but finally agrees to give her three days to guess his name. She fails to guess his name on the first and second day. Lisa’s parents follow the little man and find out his name.
Falling Action In the plot of a story, the action following the climax of the work that moves it towards its denouement or resolution.	On the third day, the little man comes to the nursery. Lisa guesses his name as “Rumpelstiltskin”. The strange little man gets angry and stamps his feet hard on the floor and disappears in a puff of smoke.
Resolution The ending of the story, the final stage or unraveling of the plot; usually very brief. Here the tension is over, and unanswered questions may be explained. The resolution is reached following a major crisis and climax.	Lisa’s baby boy is now safe. Lisa’s parents promises that they will never boast again.

Setting

Place:

• Cottage where Lisa lives with her parents.
• Castle where the King lives
• Nursery where Queen Lisa looked after the baby and where the strange little man appeared.
• Woods where the strange little man lives.

Time:

• Medieval Times
• The story is set at a time when people talked about magical creatures.

Characters:

Lisa: She is a young, sweet girl. She lives with her parents in a cottage. She loves to do household chores such as baking. She is very obedient as she listens to her parents.

Rumpelstiltskin: A strange little man. He has magical powers. He is able to help Lisa by spinning the straw into gold. He likes riddles. Rumpelstiltskin is a fairy tale character, not a real person.

The King: He is an opportunist. He uses Lisa to get him gold. He is rather cruel as he keep Lisa alone in a tower and he threatens to kill her if she cannot spin the straw into gold. However he is very gullible as he believes that straw can be turned into gold.

Lisa’s Father : He is rather foolish as he goes to far to boast about his daughter. He is also greedy as he is willing to sacrifice Lisa’s life in order to get wealth. He was remorseful when he promised Lisa that he will not make the same mistake. Nevertheless, he is a loving father as he tries to solve the riddle for Lisa.

Lisa’s Mother: She is very proud of her daughter. She is kind hearted as she invites the King into her house and offers food. She is rather silly as she agrees with her husband that Lisa can spin straw into gold. She is also remorseful and promised never to boast again. It cannot be denied that she is a loving mother as she helps Lisa to solve the riddle.

Themes

Telling lies

When people lie they are often trapped by their own deceit. In this story, claiming to be able to weave gold from straw got Lisa the attention of the king but also got her locked in a dungeon with a haystack and a spinning wheel.

Using one’s survival skills

Persistence pays off in the long run and to never give up. Lisa tried her best to find the answer to the strange man’s riddle. She did not give up.

Moral Values

We must be more careful of what we say, and think of the consequences.

• Lisa’s father lied to the king, just to impress him.
• Lisa lost her head and promised something without realising the implications of her promise, just to save herself.
• Rumpelstiltskin is so confident that the queen will not guess his name that he makes the terrible mistake of saying it out loud.

Honesty and Integrity

We must always keep our promises. It is when we are able to keep our promises that people will respect us. Although the King was greedy, he kept his promise to marry Lisa once she was able to spin the straw into gold. Even the strange little man kept his promise to Lisa when she was able to guess his name. He did not try to cheat her.

Point of view

Since this is a drama, the author uses the third person point of view. He is omniscient- this means that he knows everything in the story. However, the characters do think aloud when they are thinking. Thus, the readers are able to understand what the characters are doing.

Language and Style

The style of writing is very simple, uncomplicated and straightforward. The language is simple reflecting the lifestyle of the village people.

Literary Devices

Repetition	Spin straw into gold	These words are repeated constantly throughout the story. The writer wants to highlight the idea of spinning straw into gold
	Cut off your head	These words are also used with “spin straw into gold’. The King reminds Lisa that if she cannot spin straw into gold, he will cut off her head.
Rhyme	Page 81- the rhyme scheme is aa,bb	Sit and cuddle your darling son, For tomorrow you’ll have none. Riddles and tricks are my game. You won’t ever guess my name.
	Page 83- the rhyme scheme is also aa,bb	Wife and family I have none. But tomorrow I’ll have the King’s own son. Tricks and riddles are my game, Rumpelstiltskin is my name.

Tone and Mood

There are two contrasting tones. Firstly, there is an ordinary tone when the writer shows the ordinary lifestyle of Lisa’s family. The second tone is the extraordinary tone. It is used when describing the events related to the King. It shows things that are magical. It shows the readers that straw can be spun into gold. It shows a mood of fantasy. The drama ends with a positive note that is all’s well that ends well.