Literature: Features of Prose for JSS 3

Class: JSS 3
Term: First Term
Week: 8
Age: 14 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Literature
Previous Lesson: Grammar/Structure: Using Adverbs, Conjunctions and Prepositions in Sentences
Topic: Literature
Subject Matter: Features of prose e.g. Plot, Character etc; Story line in short stories

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• State and explain features of prose.
• Describe relevant prose features such as plot, characters, setting, theme, and style.
• Discuss the storyline in short stories.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the elements that make up a good story.
• Participate actively in discussions about literary texts.

Psychomotor Domain

• Identify features of prose in a given short story excerpt.
• Outline the storyline of a simple short story.

Social Domain

• Collaborate with peers to discuss literary features.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2014 Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for JSS 3
• FCT ERC/NAPPS Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• A whiteboard or blackboard
• Markers or chalk
• A selected short story or an excerpt from a prose text
• Charts illustrating features of prose

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding the features of prose helps students to better comprehend and appreciate narrative texts. It equips them with analytical skills to dissect stories, identify key elements, and grasp the author’s message. This knowledge is fundamental for literary analysis and improves overall reading comprehension.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of what a story is and have read various simple stories in the past.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Literature

Features of Prose

Prose refers to written or spoken language in its ordinary form, without metrical structure. It is the most common form of writing, found in novels, short stories, essays, articles, and everyday conversation. Understanding its features helps in appreciating how stories are constructed.

Key Features of Prose

The main features of prose that contribute to its structure and meaning include:

1. Plot: This is the sequence of events in a story. It typically includes an exposition (introduction), rising action (events leading to the climax), climax (the turning point), falling action (events after the climax), and resolution (the conclusion).
2. Characters: These are the individuals, animals, or entities that perform actions and speak dialogue in a story. Characters can be protagonists (main character), antagonists (opposing force), round (complex), flat (simple), static (unchanging), or dynamic (changing).
3. Setting: This refers to the time and place in which the story occurs. It includes the physical location, historical period, social conditions, and even the weather. The setting often influences the mood and atmosphere of the story.
4. Theme: This is the central idea, message, or underlying meaning that the author wants to convey. It is often a universal truth about life, society, or human nature. Themes are usually not stated directly but are revealed through the plot, characters, and setting.
5. Style: This is the distinctive way an author uses language to tell a story. It includes elements such as word choice (diction), sentence structure, tone, imagery, and narrative voice. An author’s style contributes to the overall effect and impact of the prose.

Storyline in Short Stories

The storyline, often synonymous with the plot, is the narrative thread or sequence of events that make up a short story. It describes what happens from the beginning to the end, showing how one event leads to another and how characters develop or react to situations. In short stories, the storyline is usually concise and focused, concentrating on a single main event or a limited number of characters.

A typical storyline in a short story follows these stages:

1. Introduction/Exposition: The beginning where characters, setting, and the initial conflict are introduced.
2. Rising Action: A series of events that build tension and lead to the climax.
3. Climax: The most intense or turning point of the story, where the main conflict reaches its peak.
4. Falling Action: Events that occur after the climax, leading towards the resolution.
5. Resolution/Denouement: The conclusion where the main conflict is resolved, and loose ends are tied up.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Guided Reading, Question and Answer, Group Work, Individual Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them about their favourite stories or books. The teacher then asks what makes a story interesting or easy to understand.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond by mentioning their favourite stories and discussing what they like about them.

Learning Point: Story elements recall

Step 2: Introduction to Prose Features

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces the concept of prose and its main features. The teacher explains that prose is ordinary language used in stories, articles, and conversations, and highlights that stories have specific parts that make them complete.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and ask questions for clarification.

Learning Point: Meaning of prose

Step 3: Explaining Plot and Characters

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Elaboration/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains “plot” as the sequence of events and “characters” as the people or beings in the story. The teacher uses a simple, well-known story to give examples of its plot and main characters.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the plot and characters in the example story and contribute their own simple examples.

Learning Point: Plot and characters

Step 4: Explaining Setting and Theme

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Clarification/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains “setting” as the time and place, and “theme” as the main message or idea of the story. The teacher uses the same or another simple story to illustrate its setting and possible themes.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify the setting and theme in the given examples and discuss their understanding.

Learning Point: Setting and theme

Step 5: Explaining Style

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Description

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains “style” as the author’s unique way of writing, including word choice and sentence structure. The teacher gives a brief example of how different authors might describe the same event differently.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and try to identify differences in writing styles from short examples.

Learning Point: Author’s writing style

Step 6: Discussing Storyline in Short Stories

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Connecting Concepts

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher connects the discussed features to the “storyline” in short stories, explaining that the storyline is essentially the plot, but often more focused and concise in short stories. The teacher outlines the typical stages of a storyline.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils discuss how the features combine to form a complete storyline.

Learning Point: Short story storyline

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What are the five main features of prose we discussed today?
2. Briefly explain what “plot” means in a story.
3. How does “setting” contribute to a story?
4. What is the difference between a story’s “plot” and its “storyline”?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Prose features understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on features of prose and storyline into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Features of prose notes

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Summarising/Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the key features of prose and reiterates their importance in understanding any story. The teacher encourages students to pay attention to these features when reading.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and ask any final questions.

Learning Point: Lesson consolidation

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read a short story provided by your teacher or from your textbook. Then, answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. Identify the main characters in the story.
2. Describe the setting (time and place) of the story.
3. Briefly summarise the plot of the story.
4. What do you think is the main theme or message of the story?

Lesson Keywords

• Prose – Ordinary language, not poetry.
• Plot – Sequence of events in a story.
• Characters – People or beings in a story.
• Setting – Time and place of a story.
• Theme – Main idea or message.
• Style – Author’s way of writing.
• Storyline – The narrative thread of a story.

Differentiation

For students who grasp the concepts quickly, encourage them to analyse a more complex short story excerpt and identify more nuanced aspects of character development or thematic elements. For students needing additional support, provide simpler stories or graphic organisers to help them identify and list the features of prose.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: features of prose jss3 english