Forum: 1
Topic outline
- General
- UNIT 1: MY SECONDARY SCHOOLUNIT 1: MY SECONDARY SCHOOL
A. Listening and speaking
Introduction
In the following conversation, Kajuga and Uwase are new Senior 1 students at Amahoro Friends Senior School. Read the conversation aloud in pairs.KAJUGA: Hello, Uwase.UWASE: Hello, Kajuga.KAJUGA: I’m happy to see you. I never thought I’d see you again after our days at HopePrimary School. Congratulations on passing with flying colours.UWASE: I’m happy to see you too. It is so exciting to be here. I am a bit frightened though...KAJUGA: I understand. Many new students feel that way sometimes. However, youfeel better after awhile. Tell me, do youstill love Agriculture?It is offered here, you know.UWASE: Yes, I do. I like itbecause we practiseit every day at home.We prepare theland for the plantingseason. We also lookafter animals like cowsand goats. I love thatsubject. I love Mathtoo. I am told thisschool offers Physics. Iwould like to study it.KAJUGA: Yes, they do. We havefour physics lessonsevery week. You mightend up as an engineer. Personally, my favourite subject is History. I read itevery day. I would like to be a lawyer or historian. I love English too. I practisepublic speaking in the evenings. I know I will meet and address many artlovers.UWASE: How many English lessons do you have in a week?KAJUGA: We have five of them in a week.UWASE: I must take them too. After all, other subjects are taught in English. I am gladwe are talking. I feel more confident. Thank you.KAJUGA: You are welcome.The conversation that you have just read is about the subjects that you study when you join Senior 1.
QUESTIONS
Working in groups of five:1. Name all the subjects that you are studying this year.2. What is the importance of each of the courses that are being offered in your school?3. Which are your favourite subjects? Why are they your favourite subjects?DISCUSSION
ACTIVITY 1
Read the following passageFriends
As Uwase and Kajuga were walking towards the library, Gasaro ran to them. She happilytapped Kajuga on the shoulder. Kajuga turned around and excitedly gave Gasaro a ‘highfive’.“Sorry, I forgot to tell you I wasleaving for the library!” Kajuga said.“It is okay, Kajuga. Mr. Gasana keptme longer than I expected.”“Were you discussing Biology?”“Yes, we ...”“I knew it!”Uwase cleared her throat and said,“Hello ...”“Pardon me Uwase. Please meet my friend Gasaro. Gasaro, meet Uwase,my friend from Hope Primary School.” Gasaro and Uwase shook hands.“It is nice to meet you,” Uwase said.“The pleasure is mine,” Gasaro replied.Gasaro pulled Kajuga aside and whispered, “She is taller than you. How old is she?”Uwase overheard the conversation. She smiled and said, “My height makes me lookslightly older than I am. I am 12 years old.Gasaro was embarrassed.“I am I ...”“It’s alright Gasaro.”“Thank you, Uwase.”“Oh, Gasaro, don’t worry. Uwase is a nice person. She is polite and friendly. I am sureshe hasn’t taken offence. By the way Gasaro loves Agriculture the same way you do.”“That is really nice. May I ask how old she is?”They all laughed loudly.“Gasaro is 14 years old. She loves Agriculture, Chemistry and Biology. She hopes to bean agronomist in the future and she lives in Rusororo.”“You know so much about her ...”“Uwase, she is my best friend, isn’t she?”“Now you have one more friend in this school!” Gasaro shouted happily, “Uwase, comewith us to the library please. We read ahead of the teachers every day, and we borrownew storybooks every week.”“That is amazing. I will enjoy my time in this school with you two as my friends.”Questions
1. Describe Gasaro.2. Write a short description of your best friend and read it to the your group members.Use the following table
3. What do you think is the importance of being friendly to your schoolmatesB. Reading and comprehension
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
My amazing school
My school is Uwamahoro Secondary School. It was set up in 1945. Calitas Uwamahorodonated five acres of land and money to build it. It is located ten kilometres from MuhangaTown.A man-made forest, a garden and playground surround my school. The school is madeup of two beautiful rows of a three-storey building. This is where the classes are. There isanother big structure that houses the staffroom and the library. The staffroom structuremakes the school landscape, from the sky, look like a perfect letter U.The Head Teacher’s Office and the Clerk’s Office are at the back of the building. Also,there is a Laboratory, Teachers’ Common-rooms and Scouts Room. We also have a hostelwhere we sleep.We have twenty-three teachers, a storekeeper, a librarian, an accounts clerk, three cooksand two guards. All the teachers in the school are highly qualified and experienced. Thehead teacher teaches History and Geography. Her deputy teaches English and Literature. Ilike studying Mathematics and English.We have about four hundred and fifty students in our school. Our school uniformconsists of white shirts and brown trousers for boys. The same colours apply for the girls:white blouses and brown skirts.Classes begin at 8 a.m. after the assembly, and run up to 5 p.m. We have a total of nineperiods of forty-five minutes each. We usually get a short break of fifteen minutes and alonger one of thirty minutes. We usually have a library period in our weekly routine. Weborrow books from our library and return them after a week.We learn English, Literature, Mathematics, Kinyarwanda, Geography, History,Entrepreneurship, Biology, Physics, French and Religious Studies. After end-of-term exams,we are ranked according to our subject scores. I love my school very much.Comprehension Question
Answer the following questions.
1. Match the words in A with their correct meanings in B
Make correct sentences using the words in column A.
2. The name of the school in the passage is ......................3. The school was started in .....................4. Which of the following options best describe the school?A. Old, organised and friendlyB. U-shaped, big and landscapedC. A big, friendly, girls’ schoolD. A mixed day and boarding school5. Which subjects are taught in the school of the person telling the story?A. English and Literature, Mathematics, Kinyarwanda, Geography, History,Entrepreneurship, Biology, Physics, French, Religious Studies and KiswahiliB. English and Literature, Mathematics, Kinyarwanda, Geography, History,Entrepreneurship, Biology, Physics, French and Religious StudiesC. English and Literature, Business Studies, Mathematics, Kinyarwanda, Geography,History, Entrepreneurship, Biology, Physics, French and Religious StudiesD. English and Literature, Mathematics, Kinyarwanda, Geography, History,Entrepreneurship, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, French and Religious Studies6. Which subjects does the narrator like?7. Which subjects do you like and why?8. What can you do to perform well in the subjects you do not like?9. In about thirty words, explain why the person likes that school.Think about this
What do you think is the importance of learning Entrepreneurship?C. Language use
You have come across the sentences below. Study them carefully.
1. I practise public speaking in the evenings.2. I draw every weekend.Tell your desk mate what you think is common in the two sentences.
The present simple tense
The present simple tense is sometimes referred to as present tense. It can be used in anumber of ways.I. It is used to express habit/routine. For example,a) I walk to school every day.b) Jean eats bananas for breakfast.c) We hoist the flag every Monday and Friday morning.d) The students come to school every morning.Practice Exercise 1
Use the table below to make correct sentences of your own