Basic 4 · English Language

Values in Poems, Comprehension, Quantifiers, Planning and Subject–Verb Agreement

In this topic you will discuss values in poems, construct meaning from texts, use quantifiers, plan writing on local issues and match subjects with verbs.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

Identify values in poems
Construct meaning from a text
Use quantifiers to show quantity
Use singular and plural subjects with the correct verbs

What you already know

Poems and determiners

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Lesson 1

Strand: Oral Language
Sub-strand: Poems
Indicator: B4.1.3.1.2 – Identify and discuss values in poems

Introduction

Poems often teach values such as kindness, respect and honesty.

Values in Poems

"Kindness" (a short poem)

A smile, a hand, a kindly word,

The softest sounds the world has heard,

Give what you can, and you will find,

The best of friends are good and kind.

Discussing values

Question	Answer
What value is taught?	kindness
What can we give?	a smile, a hand, a kind word
What is the reward?	good friends

New words

value: Something important for good behaviour.
kindness: Being friendly and helpful.
reward: Something good you receive.

Summary

Poems can teach values like kindness.
Kindness brings good friends.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. Which value does the poem teach?
- A. Kindness
- B. Greed
- C. Anger
- D. Laziness
Show answer
Answer: KindnessThe title says so.
2. A kind word is something we can give.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueThe poem says so.
3. Being friendly and helpful is ______.
Show answer
Answer: kindnessThat is kindness.
4. Write one way you can show kindness at school.
Show answer
Answer: E.g. help a friend with homework.Kindness is shown in actions.

Lesson 2

Strand: Reading
Sub-strand: Comprehension
Indicator: B4.2.7.1.1 – Construct meaning from texts read

Introduction

To understand a text, ask questions as you read.

Constructing Meaning

Passage: "Ghana's cocoa is among the best in the world. Farmers dry the beans in the sun for about a week. Then the beans are bagged and sold. Much of Ghana's cocoa is sent to other countries to make chocolate."

Questions

Question	Answer
How long are beans dried?	about a week
What is made from cocoa abroad?	chocolate
Why is cocoa important to Ghana?	it is sold to other countries and earns money

Cocoa beans drying on raised mats in the sun — Figure 1: Drying cocoa beans Draw cocoa beans drying.Photo: King Bangaba, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

New words

construct: To build.
meaning: What something means.
export: To send goods to other countries.

Summary

We build meaning by asking questions.
Ghana's cocoa is dried, sold and exported.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. What is made from cocoa?
- A. Chocolate
- B. Bread
- C. Rice
- D. Milk
Show answer
Answer: ChocolateFrom the passage.
2. Cocoa beans are dried in the sun.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueFor about a week.
3. To send goods to other countries is to ______.
Show answer
Answer: exportThat is exporting.
4. Why is cocoa important to Ghana?
Show answer
Answer: It is sold to other countries and earns money.Inferred from the text.

Lesson 3

Strand: Grammar
Sub-strand: Determiners
Indicator: B4.3.2.1.2 – Identify and use quantifiers to show quantities

Introduction

Quantifiers tell us how much or how many.

Quantifiers

Quantifier	Used with	Example
many	countable nouns	many oranges
much	uncountable nouns	much water
a few	countable nouns	a few eggs
a little	uncountable nouns	a little salt
some	both	some rice, some books
all	both	all the pupils

Many oranges, a few eggs, a little salt and much water — Figure 2: Showing quantity Draw and label two quantities.Illustration: Sirbus

New words

quantifier: A word that shows quantity.
countable: Can be counted (books).
uncountable: Cannot be counted (water).

Summary

Quantifiers show how much or how many.
Use many and a few with countable nouns; much and a little with uncountable nouns.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. ___ eggs
- A. a few
- B. a little
- C. much
- D. less
Show answer
Answer: a fewEggs are countable.
2. "Water" is uncountable.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueWe cannot count water.
3. There is ______ salt in the soup. (a little / a few)
Show answer
Answer: a littleSalt is uncountable.
4. Use "many" in a sentence.
Show answer
Answer: E.g. There are many pupils in our school.Countable noun.

Lesson 4

Strand: Composition Writing
Sub-strand: Writing As a Process
Indicator: B4.4.9.1.1 – Select a topic of choice on issues in the immediate environment brainstorm and organize ideas before writing

Introduction

Let us plan writing about an issue in our environment.

Planning Writing on a Local Issue

Plan: "Plastic Waste in Our Town"

Part	Ideas
beginning	plastic waste is everywhere
middle	causes (littering), effects (floods, sick animals)
end	solutions (bins, recycling)

New words

issue: A problem people discuss.
cause: What makes something happen.
effect: What happens as a result.

Summary

Choose a local issue and brainstorm ideas.
Plan a beginning, middle and end.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. Which is a local issue?
- A. Plastic waste
- B. A happy party
- C. Good roads
- D. Clean water
Show answer
Answer: Plastic wasteIt is a problem.
2. Effects are the results of causes.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueCauses lead to effects.
3. What makes something happen is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: causeThat is a cause.
4. Give one cause and one effect of plastic waste.
Show answer
Answer: Cause: littering; effect: floods.Cause and effect.

Lesson 5

Strand: Writing Conventions/ Extensive Reading
Sub-strand: Using Actions Words, Building the Love and Culture of Reading
Indicator: B4.5.4.1.1 – Use the singular and plural subjects and the verb forms that go with them

Introduction

The verb must agree with the subject. Read the passage and check the verbs.

Subject–Verb Agreement

Singular and plural

Singular subject	Verb	Plural subject	Verb
The boy	runs	The boys	run
She	is	They	are
The dog	barks	The dogs	bark

Reading passage: "The girls sing in the choir. Their teacher plays the keyboard. The audience claps at the end. The pupils are happy."

New words

subject: Who or what the sentence is about.
singular: One.
plural: More than one.

Summary

A singular subject takes a singular verb.
A plural subject takes a plural verb.

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

1. The dogs ___ loudly.
- A. bark
- B. barks
- C. barking
- D. is bark
Show answer
Answer: barkPlural subject.
2. "The teacher plays the keyboard." is correct.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueSingular subject and verb.
3. They ______ happy. (is / are)
Show answer
Answer: arePlural subject.
4. Correct: "The pupils is singing."
Show answer
Answer: The pupils are singing.Plural takes are.

Homework

Write five sentences with singular and five with plural subjects.