Basic 5 · English Language

Dramatisation, Vocabulary from Reading, Present Tense for Needs, Free Writing and Prepositions

In this topic you will dramatise stories with costumes, build vocabulary through reading, use the simple present to express needs and preferences, write freely on community issues and use prepositions.

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

Use costumes and props to dramatise a story
Learn new words from extensive reading
Use the simple present to express needs and preferences
Write freely on a community issue
Use prepositions to show place, time and direction

What you already know

Speaking Clearly, Two-Syllable Words, Subject-Verb Agreement, Main and Minor Ideas, and Adverbs of Manner

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: Dramatization and Role Play
Indicator: B5.1.5.1.1 – Use costume to dramatize or role-play parts/whole of stories

Introduction

Dramatising a story brings it to life. Costumes and props help the audience believe in the characters.

Dramatising a Story with Costumes

Planning a dramatisation

Element	Example for "The Tortoise and the Feast in the Sky"
characters	Tortoise, birds, host
costumes	a cardboard shell for Tortoise; paper feather wings for the birds
props	bowls of food, a cloth for the "sky"
setting	the feast in the sky
dialogue	Tortoise: "My name is All of You!"

Steps

choose a story and divide it into scenes
assign roles to group members
make simple costumes and props from local materials
write or improvise the dialogue
rehearse and perform for the class

Remember to face the audience, speak loudly and stay in character even when you are not speaking. A narrator can introduce each scene so that the audience follows the story easily.

Pupils acting with paper feather wings and a cardboard shell — Figure 1: Dramatising a folktale Design a costume for one character in a story.Illustration: Sirbus

New words

dramatise: To act out a story.
costume: Clothes worn to play a character.
improvise: To make up lines while acting.

Summary

Costumes, props and dialogue bring a story to life.
Plan scenes, roles and props, then rehearse.

Exercises

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

1. Clothes worn to play a character are…
- A. costumes
- B. props
- C. scripts
- D. stages
Show answer
Answer: costumese.g. a shell.
2. Props are objects used in a play.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: Truee.g. bowls of food.
3. To make up lines while acting is to ______.
Show answer
Answer: improviseWithout a script.
4. Suggest a costume for a lion in a play.
Show answer
Answer: A paper mane and a brown cloth.Local materials.

Lesson 2

Strand: Reading
Sub-strand: Vocabulary
Indicator: B5.2.6.2.1 – Develop a rich vocabulary stock through extensive reading

Introduction

The more you read, the more words you learn. Extensive reading means reading many books for enjoyment.

Building Vocabulary through Reading

Reading extract: "The harmattan arrived early that year. A fine, dusty haze covered the town, and the sun looked pale like a coin. Grandmother rubbed shea butter on our cracked lips and warned us to wrap up warmly at dawn. By afternoon, the air was dry and scorching, and the leaves of the cassava drooped."

New words and meanings

Word	Clue in the text	Meaning
harmattan	dusty haze, dry air	a dry, dusty wind from the Sahara (Nov–Mar)
haze	covered the town	a thin mist of dust
pale	like a coin	light in colour
dawn	wrap up warmly	early morning
scorching	dry air in the afternoon	very hot
drooped	the leaves of the cassava	hung down weakly

Ways to learn new words

use context clues in the sentence
look the word up in a dictionary
keep a vocabulary notebook
use the new word in your own sentences

New words

extensive reading: Reading many books for enjoyment.
context clue: Hints in the text that show a word's meaning.
dictionary: A book that gives the meanings of words.

Summary

Reading widely builds a rich vocabulary.
Use context clues and a dictionary, and keep a vocabulary notebook.

Exercises

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

1. "Scorching" means…
- A. very hot
- B. very cold
- C. wet
- D. dark
Show answer
Answer: very hotFrom context.
2. The harmattan is a dry, dusty wind.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueIt comes from the Sahara.
3. Early morning is called ______.
Show answer
Answer: dawnFrom the extract.
4. Use "drooped" in a sentence of your own.
Show answer
Answer: E.g. The flowers drooped in the heat.Correct use.

Lesson 3

Strand: Grammar
Sub-strand: Verbs
Indicator: B5.3.5.1.3 – Use the simple present form of verbs to express needs or preferences

Introduction

We use the simple present tense to talk about what we need, want or prefer now.

Simple Present for Needs and Preferences

Expressing needs and preferences

Purpose	Example
need	I need a new exercise book.
want	We want more time for sports.
preference	Esi prefers rice to banku.
liking	Kojo likes reading comics.
dislike	My father dislikes noise.

Remember: with he, she, it or a singular noun, add -s or -es to the verb: "She needs", "He prefers", "It wants".

Dialogue: "Waiter: What would you like? Ama: I prefer waakye to rice, please. My brother likes kelewele. We both need cold water."

Two children ordering food at a chop bar — Figure 2: Expressing preferences Write three sentences about foods you prefer.Illustration: Sirbus

New words

preference: Something you like better than another.
prefer: To like one thing more than another.
simple present: A tense for habits, facts, needs and likes.

Summary

Use the simple present to express needs, wants and preferences.
Add -s or -es with he, she and it.

Exercises

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

1. Choose: She ___ rice to banku.
- A. prefers
- B. prefer
- C. preferring
- D. preferred
Show answer
Answer: prefersAdd -s with she.
2. "I needs water" is correct.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: False"I need water."
3. My brother ______ (like) kelewele.
Show answer
Answer: likesSingular subject.
4. Write two sentences about what your class needs.
Show answer
Answer: E.g. We need more chairs. Our class needs a cupboard.Simple present.

Lesson 4

Strand: Writing
Sub-strand: Creative Writing
Indicator: B5.4.11.1.1 – Write freely on topics of choice on issues in the community

Introduction

Free writing lets you express your thoughts on a topic you care about. Write freely, then improve your work.

Free Writing on Community Issues

Sample free writing: "Our Town Needs a Library. In my town, Atebubu, many children love stories, but we have no library. After school, some of my friends sit at home doing nothing, while others wander around the lorry station. A library would give us a safe place to read, study and learn computer skills. The assembly could use the old post office building, and people could donate books. If we had a library, our town would have more readers, better results and brighter futures."

Tips for free writing

choose an issue you feel strongly about
write without stopping for about ten minutes
do not worry about mistakes in the first draft
read it again, then improve ideas, order and language

New words

free writing: Writing freely without stopping to correct.
issue: A problem or concern in the community.
donate: To give freely.

Summary

Free writing helps you express ideas on issues you care about.
Write first, then revise and edit.

Exercises

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

1. What does the writer want for Atebubu?
- A. a library
- B. a market
- C. a stadium
- D. a bank
Show answer
Answer: a libraryThe title says so.
2. In free writing, you stop often to correct mistakes.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseWrite freely first.
3. The assembly could use the old ______ building.
Show answer
Answer: post officeFrom the sample.
4. Name two benefits of a library mentioned in the sample.
Show answer
Answer: A safe place to read and study, and learning computer skills (or better results).Any two.

Lesson 5

Strand: Writing Conventions/ Extensive Reading
Sub-strand: Building the Love and Culture of Reading
Indicator: B5.5.7.1.1 – Use prepositions to convey a variety of meanings

Introduction

Prepositions show the relationship between a noun and other words. They tell us where, when and how.

Prepositions

Prepositions and meanings

Meaning	Prepositions	Example
place	in, on, under, beside, between, behind	The cat is under the table.
time	at, on, in, before, after, during	We meet at 8 a.m. on Monday in June.
direction	to, into, towards, across, through	She walked across the bridge.
means	by, with	We travelled by bus.

Time rules: "at" for exact times (at noon), "on" for days and dates (on Friday), "in" for months, years and parts of the day (in March, in the morning).

Reading extract: "During the holidays, Kojo travelled by train from Takoradi to Tarkwa. He sat beside a window and looked across the green fields. In the evening, the train passed through a dark forest and arrived at the station before midnight."

New words

preposition: A word showing the relationship between a noun and other words.
direction: The way something moves.
relationship: A connection between things.

Summary

Prepositions show place, time, direction and means.
Use at, on and in correctly for time.

Exercises

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

1. Choose: The book is ___ the bag.
- A. in
- B. at
- C. by
- D. during
Show answer
Answer: inPlace.
2. We say "on Monday".
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: True"On" for days.
3. Kojo travelled ______ train.
Show answer
Answer: byMeans of transport.
4. Find four prepositions in the extract.
Show answer
Answer: during, by, from, beside (or across, through, at, before).Any four.

Homework

Write a free-writing piece on an issue in your community, then revise it.