Lesson Diary: The Smart Monkey

Class: IV
Subject: English
 
Chapter: 5 — The Smart Monkey
Duration: 6 periods × 40 minutes
Method: Panchapadi Method


Teaching Aids: Textbook, pictures of clean and dirty surroundings, dustbin, banana peel/wrapper pictures, flashcards, word cards, blackboard, chart paper, worksheets, colour pencils.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the six periods, I expect learners to be able to:

  • Listen to, read and understand the story The Smart Monkey.
  • Explain why we should use dustbins.
  • Identify clean and unhealthy habits related to waste disposal.
  • Use words such as market, branch, peel, dustbin, empty, and ashamed.
  • Answer comprehension questions from the lesson.
  • Speak about themselves using “I am…” sentences.
  • Pronounce words by breaking them into syllables.
  • Use a/an in simple expressions.
  • Recognise consonant blends such as fl and cl.
  • Develop the habit of keeping home, school and surroundings clean.

Period 1: Cleanliness and Pre-reading

Topic: Good and bad waste-disposal habits
Text Focus: Throwing litter on the ground and using a dustbin

1. ଅଧୀତି (Adhiti — Introduction) — 7 minutes

I will show two pictures:

  • A child throwing litter on the ground.
  • A child throwing litter into a dustbin.

I will ask learners:

  • What difference do you see between the two pictures?
  • Which picture shows a good habit?
  • Where should we throw waste?
  • Why should we use a dustbin?
  • What happens if people throw wrappers and bottles on the road?

I will allow learners to share their experiences of seeing litter in the school, market, road or park.

2. ବୋଧ (Bodh — Conceptual Understanding) — 12 minutes

I will explain that a clean place looks beautiful and keeps us healthy. When people throw waste on the road, it makes the place dirty. Dirty waste can attract flies, mosquitoes and stray animals.

I will introduce the lesson:

“Today we will read a story about Anju, Farida and a smart monkey. The monkey teaches the girls an important lesson about cleanliness.”

I will explain the meaning of dustbin:

“A dustbin is a container used for putting waste materials.”

I will connect it with the school environment:

  • Paper pieces should go into the dustbin.
  • Pencil shavings should go into the dustbin.
  • Biscuit wrappers should go into the dustbin.
  • Empty bottles should be put in the correct waste container.

3. ଅଭ୍ୟାସ (Abhyas — Practice) — 8 minutes

I will say an action, and learners will respond with “Good habit” or “Bad habit.”

  • Throwing a banana peel on the road — Bad habit.
  • Putting a wrapper in a dustbin — Good habit.
  • Keeping the classroom clean — Good habit.
  • Throwing an empty bottle in a pond — Bad habit.
  • Using a dustbin after eating snacks — Good habit.

I will ask learners to repeat:

“Use dustbin, keep the surroundings clean.”

4. ପ୍ରୟୋଗ (Prayog — Application) — 8 minutes

I will ask learners to identify waste items in the classroom, such as paper bits or pencil shavings. Under my guidance, they will collect them and put them into the dustbin.

I will give simple situations:

  • “After eating a biscuit, what will you do with the wrapper?”
    “I will throw it into the dustbin.”
  • “If you see a plastic bottle on the classroom floor, what will you do?”
    “I will pick it up and put it in the dustbin.”

5. ପ୍ରସାର (Prasar — Extension/Sharing) — 5 minutes

I will ask learners to share this message at home:

“We should use dustbins and keep our surroundings clean.”

Assessment: I will observe whether learners can distinguish between clean and dirty habits.

Home Assignment: Write any three ways to keep your home clean.

Period 2: Anju and Farida Go to the Market

Topic: Beginning of the story and shopping
Text Focus: Anju and Farida buy things at the market.

1. ଅଧୀତି (Adhiti — Introduction) — 5 minutes

I will ask learners:

  • Have you gone to a market with your family?
  • What things do people buy from the market?
  • What do you carry when you go shopping?
  • Have you bought a bag, bottle, fruits or snacks from a shop?

I will show pictures of a market, bag, water bottle, groundnuts and juice bottle.

2. ବୋଧ (Bodh — Conceptual Understanding) — 13 minutes

I will read the first part of the text:

“One day Anju and Farida went to the market. Anju bought a bag and Farida bought a water bottle. Later, they went to a shop and bought a packet of groundnuts and a bottle of juice.”

“They felt tired. They sat on a bench under a tree to rest. There was a monkey on the branch of the tree above them.”

I will explain:

  • Market — a place where people buy and sell things.
  • Shopping — going to shops and buying things.
  • Packet — a small wrapped container.
  • Groundnuts — edible nuts often eaten as snacks.
  • Bench — a long seat.
  • Branch — a part of a tree growing out from the main stem.

I will connect the lesson with real life: when we go to the market, we should carry a bag and avoid throwing waste in public places.

3. ଅଭ୍ୟାସ (Abhyas — Practice) — 8 minutes

I will ask oral questions:

  • Where did Anju and Farida go?
  • What did Anju buy first?
  • What did Farida buy first?
  • What did they buy together?
  • Where did they sit to rest?
  • Who was on the branch of the tree?

Expected answers:

  • “They went to the market.”
  • “Anju bought a bag.”
  • “Farida bought a water bottle.”
  • “They bought groundnuts and a bottle of juice.”
  • “They sat on a bench under a tree.”
  • “A monkey was on the branch.”

4. ପ୍ରୟୋଗ (Prayog — Application) — 9 minutes

I will conduct a small market role play.

Customer: “I want a water bottle.”
Shopkeeper: “Here is a water bottle.”
Customer: “Thank you.”

Another pair may say:

Customer: “Please give me a packet of groundnuts.”
Shopkeeper: “Here you are.”
Customer: “Thank you.”

I will remind learners to carry a bag while shopping and not to throw packets on the road.

5. ପ୍ରସାର (Prasar — Extension/Sharing) — 5 minutes

I will ask learners to tell a family member:

“When we go shopping, we should carry a bag and keep the market clean.”

Assessment: I will assess whether learners can answer who bought the bag, bottle, groundnuts and juice.

Home Assignment: Draw or write the names of five things available in a nearby shop.

Period 3: The Smart Monkey’s Good Habit

Topic: The monkey uses the dustbin
Text Focus: Banana peel, littering and the monkey’s example

1. ଅଧୀତି (Adhiti — Introduction) — 5 minutes

I will revise the previous period:

  • Where did Anju and Farida sit?
  • Who was sitting on the tree branch?
  • What did the girls buy from the shop?

Then I will show a banana picture and ask:

  • What do we remove before eating a banana?
  • Where should we put a banana peel?
  • Should we throw it on the road?

2. ବୋଧ (Bodh — Conceptual Understanding) — 13 minutes

I will read the middle part of the story:

“The monkey had a banana. He peeled the banana and ate it.”

“Farida and Anju took out the groundnuts and started eating. They threw the packet down. Then they drank the juice and threw down the bottle.”

“Just then, the monkey climbed down the tree with the banana peel. There was a dustbin nearby. The monkey threw the banana peel into the dustbin.”

I will explain:

  • Peel — the outer covering of a fruit or vegetable.
  • Threw down — dropped or threw on the ground.
  • Nearby — close to that place.
  • Dustbin — a container for waste materials.
  • Climbed down — came down from a higher place.

I will point out that the monkey showed better cleanliness habits than the girls. He put the banana peel in the dustbin, while the girls first threw the packet and bottle on the ground.

3. ଅଭ୍ୟାସ (Abhyas — Practice) — 9 minutes

I will ask learners to arrange the actions in sequence:

1.     The monkey had a banana.

2.     He peeled the banana.

3.     He ate the banana.

4.     He climbed down the tree.

5.     He threw the banana peel into the dustbin.

I will ask learners to answer:

  • What did the monkey eat?
  • What did Farida and Anju throw down?
  • Where was the dustbin?
  • What did the monkey do with the banana peel?

4. ପ୍ରୟୋଗ (Prayog — Application) — 8 minutes

I will conduct a “Correct Bin” activity using picture cards: banana peel, biscuit wrapper, empty juice bottle, paper, pencil shavings and leaves.

Learners will take one picture card and say:

  • “I will put the banana peel in the dustbin.”
  • “I will put the empty bottle in the dustbin.”
  • “I will not throw the wrapper on the road.”

I will explain that people can slip on banana peels and get hurt. Therefore, waste should never be thrown on roads or pathways.

5. ପ୍ରସାର (Prasar — Extension/Sharing) — 5 minutes

I will ask learners to share one cleanliness habit at home:

“After eating fruit, I will put the peel in the dustbin.”

Assessment: I will check whether learners can explain why the monkey is called smart.

Home Assignment: Write two things that should be put into a dustbin.

Period 4: Realisation, Vocabulary and Comprehension

Topic: Feeling ashamed and correcting mistakes
Text Focus: Farida and Anju learn from the monkey.

1. ଅଧୀତି (Adhiti — Introduction) — 5 minutes

I will ask learners:

  • What did the monkey do with the banana peel?
  • What did Farida and Anju do with the packet and bottle at first?
  • Was their action correct?

I will ask, “How do we feel when we realise that we have made a mistake?” I will guide them towards the word ashamed.

2. ବୋଧ (Bodh — Conceptual Understanding) — 12 minutes

I will read the final part:

“Farida and Anju saw this and felt ashamed. They picked up the packet and the empty bottle and threw them into the dustbin.”

I will explain:

  • Ashamed — feeling sorry or embarrassed because one has done something wrong.
  • Empty — having nothing inside.
  • Picked up — lifted something from the ground.

I will explain the important message: making a mistake is not good, but understanding the mistake and correcting it is a good habit. Farida and Anju learned from the smart monkey and cleaned their surroundings.

3. ଅଭ୍ୟାସ (Abhyas — Practice) — 10 minutes

I will explain the new words through examples:

Word

Meaning

Example

Shopping

Going to shops to buy things

“My mother goes shopping on Sunday.”

Branch

Part of a tree

“The bird sits on a branch.”

Peel

Outer covering of fruit

“Throw the banana peel in the dustbin.”

Dustbin

Container for waste

“Use the dustbin after eating.”

Empty

Having nothing inside

“The empty bottle has no juice.”

Ashamed

Feeling sorry for a wrong action

“The girls felt ashamed after seeing the monkey.”

I will ask comprehension questions:

  • Where did Anju and Farida go?
  • What did Anju buy?
  • What did Farida buy?
  • What did they buy together?
  • Where did they sit?
  • Who was on the tree branch?
  • What did the monkey do with the banana peel?

4. ପ୍ରୟୋଗ (Prayog — Application) — 8 minutes

I will give situations and ask learners how they will correct the mistake:

  • “You accidentally throw a paper on the floor.”
    “I will pick it up and put it in the dustbin.”
  • “You see your friend dropping a wrapper on the ground.”
    “I will politely ask my friend to use the dustbin.”
  • “Your classroom has paper pieces near the desk.”
    “We will collect them and keep the classroom clean.”

5. ପ୍ରସାର (Prasar — Extension/Sharing) — 5 minutes

I will ask learners to tell their family:

“If I make a mistake, I will correct it.”

Assessment: I will assess whether learners can use ashamed, empty and picked up in suitable sentences.

Home Assignment: Learn the meanings of branch, peel, dustbin, empty, and shopping.

Period 5: Listening, Speaking and Self-introduction

Topic: Syllables, “I” sentences and personal introduction
Text Focus: market, monkey, packet, dustbin, and self-introduction

1. ଅଧୀତି (Adhiti — Introduction) — 6 minutes

I will begin with clapping for word parts. I will say a word slowly, and learners will clap for each syllable:

  • Mar — ket = market
  • Mon — key = monkey
  • Pack — et = packet
  • Dust — bin = dustbin
  • Class — room = classroom
  • Ba — na — na = banana
  • Fa — ri — da = Farida

I will ask learners to clap their own names and count the claps.

2. ବୋଧ (Bodh — Conceptual Understanding) — 10 minutes

I will explain that long words can be spoken easily when we break them into smaller sound parts.

I will introduce the self-introduction pattern from Sudha’s example:

“I’m Sudha.”
“I’m from Bhawanipatna.”
“Mr. Raghunath Mahapatra is my father.”
“Mrs. Sabita Mahapatra is my mother.”
“I’m in Class IV.”
“I like Kho-Kho.”
“I’d like to be a soldier.”

I will explain that I is used when we talk about ourselves. It is both a letter and a word.

3. ଅଭ୍ୟାସ (Abhyas — Practice) — 10 minutes

I will ask learners to practise the pattern orally:

  • “I’m .”
  • “I’m from .”
  • “I’m in Class IV.”
  • “I like .”
  • “I’d like to be a .”

Example:

“I’m Raju. I’m from Puri. I’m in Class IV. I like football. I’d like to be a teacher.”

I will sing the “I” song with learners:

“I is both a letter and a word…”

I will encourage them to clap to the rhythm.

4. ପ୍ରୟୋଗ (Prayog — Application) — 9 minutes

I will arrange learners in pairs. Each learner will introduce himself or herself to a partner.

Example:

Learner A: “I’m Sita. I’m from Bhubaneswar. I like drawing.”
Learner B: “I’m Rina. I’m from Puri. I like singing.”

Then learners will ask one another:

  • “What do you like?”
  • “What would you like to be?”

5. ପ୍ରସାର (Prasar — Extension/Sharing) — 5 minutes

I will ask learners to introduce themselves to a family member in English using at least three sentences.

Assessment: I will observe pronunciation, syllable clapping and confidence in self-introduction.

Home Assignment: Write five sentences about yourself beginning with “I”.

Period 6: Reading, Writing and Cleanliness Pledge

Topic: Blends, revision, written exercises and cleanliness habits
Text Focus: fl, cl, a/an, fill in the blanks and clean-home activity

1. ଅଧୀତି (Adhiti — Introduction) — 5 minutes

I will revise the story through quick questions:

  • Where did Anju and Farida go?
  • What did they buy?
  • Where did they rest?
  • What did the monkey do with the banana peel?
  • Why did the girls feel ashamed?
  • What should we use to throw waste?

2. ବୋଧ (Bodh — Conceptual Understanding) — 10 minutes

I will teach consonant blends:

Blend

Words

fl

flag, flower, floor

cl

cloud, clap, clock

I will ask learners to repeat the words clearly.

I will also revise a/an:

  • an inch
  • an inkpot
  • an igloo
  • a pin
  • a list
  • a fish
  • a bin
  • a ring
  • a ship

I will explain that an is used before vowel sounds, while a is used before many other words.

3. ଅଭ୍ୟାସ (Abhyas — Practice) — 10 minutes

I will give written exercises.

A. Encircle the correct spelling

  • Juice
  • Packet
  • Bottle
  • Banana
  • Monkey

B. Fill in the blanks

  • Farida and Anju sat on a bench under the tree to rest.
  • There was a monkey sitting on the branch of the tree.
  • The two girls had a packet of groundnuts and a bottle of juice.
  • The monkey threw the banana peel into the dustbin.
  • Anju and Farida went to the market.

C. Complete the cleanliness sentences

  • Sweep the house.
  • Throw the wastage into the dustbin.
  • Keep things in proper place.
  • Work together with friends to keep your school clean.
  • Help your mother to keep your home neat and clean.

4. ପ୍ରୟୋଗ (Prayog — Application) — 10 minutes

I will organise a short “Clean Classroom Promise” activity. Learners will observe their classroom and identify ways to keep it clean.

They will say:

  • “I will use the dustbin.”
  • “I will not throw paper on the floor.”
  • “I will keep my desk clean.”
  • “I will help keep my classroom clean.”
  • “I will tell my friends to use the dustbin.”

I will ask learners to draw or paste pictures of things they like in a nearby shop, such as fruits, bags, bottles, biscuits or toys. They will say one sentence about their picture.

Examples:

  • “I like bananas.”
  • “I like a water bottle.”
  • “I like colourful toys.”
  • “I like biscuits.”

5. ପ୍ରସାର (Prasar — Extension/Sharing) — 5 minutes

I will ask learners to take the cleanliness message home:

“Use dustbin, keep the surroundings clean.”

I will end the lesson with a class pledge:

“I will use a dustbin.
I will keep my home and school clean.
I will not throw waste on the road.”

Assessment: I will assess learners through oral answers, spelling, fill-in-the-blanks, self-introduction, cleanliness pledge and participation in activities.

Home Assignment: Write five sentences on “How I Keep My Home Clean.”

Teacher’s Reflection

After completing the six periods, I will reflect on the following points:

  • Were learners able to understand why the monkey was called smart?
  • Did they identify the difference between littering and using a dustbin?
  • Could learners answer questions about Anju, Farida and the monkey?
  • Did learners understand and use new words such as branch, peel, dustbin, and empty?
  • Were learners able to clap syllables and pronounce lesson words correctly?
  • Could learners introduce themselves using “I am…” sentences?
  • Did learners develop the habit of keeping their home, classroom and surroundings clean?