School Grade Level Grade 10

Teacher Learning English

Area
Teaching
1 hour Session Quarter
Date/Time THIRD

I. OBJECTIVES
A. Content Standards
B. Performance Standard
Critique a literary selection based on the
structuralist/formalist, moralist, Marxist, feminist,
historical, and reader-response approaches.
C. Learning Competencies Learning Competency Codes: EN10RC-IIIa-22.1;
EN10RC-IIIb-22.2; EN10RC-IIIc-22.3; EN10RC-IIId-
22.4; EN10RC-IIIe-22.5; EN10RC-IIIf-2.18; EN10RC-
IIIg-2.18
At the end of the period, the students are
expected to:
A. distinguish the theme and the subthemes of the
poem
B. make connections between texts to issues,
Objectives
concerns, or dispositions in real life; and
C. analyze literature as a means of valuing other
people and their various circumstances in life;
D. critique a literary selection based on the moralist
approach.

II. CONTENT
Subject Matter Poem Analysis, “A Psalm of Life”
By: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

III. LEARNING RESOURCES

A. References
Teacher’s Guide Pages
Learner’s Material Pages
Textbook Pages
Additional Materials from Learning
Resource (LR) Portal
B. Other Learning Resources
Online:
1. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44644/a-psalm-of-life

Video:

IV. PROCEDURES
TEACHER’S ACTIVITY STUDENTS’ ACTIVITY

A. Reviewing Preliminaries:
previous 1.Daily Routine
 lesson or Prayer
presenting Checking of Attendance
the new House Rules
lesson
(3 minutes) Good afternoon, class! How is your
day? I hope you are all great and A student is asked to recall the
ready for today’s session. previous lesson about poetry.
2. Before we proceed to the core of
our lesson, may I first have a
simple recall of what transpired
during our previous meeting.

B.Establishing a Today, we will be learning a new

purpose for the lesson which I believe is very
lesson. interesting.
(15 minutes)

Having said that, may I briefly lay the

objectives for today’s lesson.

At the end of the period, the students

are expected to:
A. use literature as a way of
understanding one’s life
experiences as well as other (students will read)
people’s lives and circumstances;
B. distinguish the features present in
poetry;
C. make connections between texts
to issues, concerns, or
dispositions in real life; and
D. Analyze literature as a means of
valuing other people and their
various circumstances in life.

“My prediction Ma’am is that the

poem talks about our lives here
on earth.”

C.Presenting Class, I want you to read the motive The students will read as
examples/ question. requested.
instances of the
new lesson. “How can one have a purpose
(15 minutes) driven life?”
I want you to ponder on this question
as we deal with the poem, “A Psalm of
Life,” written by Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow. Later on, as we analyze
this wonderful literary piece, you will
come up with diverse answers.

We cannot get going without knowing

yet the brain behind this poem.

This is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Longfellow was an American poet and

educator. He was born on February
27, 1807, at Portland, Maine, United
States
and died at the age of 75. The poem
“A Psalm of Life” was written in
memory of his loving first wife Mary
Strorer.

This brief background of the poet will

aid us understand better the poem, “A
Psalm of Life.”

Before we delve deeper to the poem,

we will first have an activity called
“The Tree of Life”.

This is to unlock some unfamiliar

terms that are used in the poem. Yes, Ma’am.

Class, are you ready?!

Let us begin!

Directions:
Five volunteer students will
come in front to pick the apples from
the branches of our tree. Each apple
bears an unfamiliar word or idiomatic
expression. They are then asked to
match the apples with their
corresponding meanings posted on
the blackboard.

He seldom went to the park, and

when he did it was usually a
short visit.

They had to put up a tent at night

in a field for them to have a
temporary shelter.

His excellent performance won a

standing ovation from the
audiences.
 The man looks sad standing
alone in the pouring rain.

The soft cries of the woman

could not be heard over the
furnace in the house.

(The teacher will process the answers

of the students.)

Let us give our student volunteers a

“GOOD JOB CLAP”

Okay class. We have reached the

point of unfolding the poem, titled “A
Psalm of Life.”

Listen as I read it first; then, the whole

class will read after.

A Psalm of Life
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and
brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,

In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,— act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
The class will read the poem
following the correct tone, beat,
And there you have it my dear ones! diction, and pitch.
This time I want you to read as how I
read it a while ago.
D.Discussing new At this juncture, let’s analyze and
concepts and interpret the meaning of the poem to
practicing new further appreciate it and connect its
skills #1 message into our life.

This poem is an inspirational piece

since it tells of the sacredness of life. It
is a lyric poem which uses an end
rhyme. Let us together check on the The students are asked to
rhyme scheme of the poem identify the rhyme scheme of the
poem.

What predominant figures of speech

are applied in the poem? Give the The students are asked to give
lines. the lines in ramdom.

What according to the speaker life is

not?

What is our destined end or purpose

according to the speaker?

How can one be a man according to

Longfellow?

What conditions are suggested by the

persona/speaker in order for anyone
to become a man? Give the lines.

E. Discussing Pair-Share Activity

new
concepts This time class, let’s have a pair work
and for a more comprehensive analysis of
practicing the poem.
new skills #2
(15 minutes) Get a partner; then, discuss which of
the lines suggests the following:

1. People should continue to Presentation of outputs follows.

appreciate life on earth as very
important and real.
2. A time to act is NOW, to make
spiritual, moral, and intellectual
marks in this world.
3. People not to waste the short time
that they have.
4. Act as heroes amidst the earth’s
strife.
5. Work toward personal
achievement.
6. Let bygones be bygones.
 F. Developing Stanza 8 tells us that like our great Answers may vary.
mastery heroes, we too can immortalize our
(Leads to existence through our good deeds.
Formative How do you like to be remembered by
Assessment your loved ones.
3)
(10 minutes)

G. Finding Connecting Lives

practical Do you have somebody close to your Answers may vary.
applications heart who made a great impact in your
of concepts life when he/she was still alive. What
and skills in is his/her living legacy?
daily living
( 7 minutes)

H. Making Let us go back to the motive question

generalizations which I posted earlier. Answers may vary.
and abstraction
about the “How can one have a purpose driven
lesson life?”
(2 minutes)

I. Evaluating Comparing and Contrasting Activity

Learning Finding similarities and recognizing differences can help you understand
(10 minutes) your reaction to different persons and information you listened to.

1. Work in small groups of four.

2. Recall another poem or a song which has the same concept with the
poem, “A Psalm of Life.”
3. Choose the basic categories such as; subject, mood/tone, and
viewpoint on general truth in life.
4. Compare the specific points that are similar enough to enable you to
draw effective comparison.
5. Plot your answers in the given chart.

A PSALM OF LIFE (Your chosen poem

or song)
Subject
Mood/Tone
Theme/General truth
observed in life

J. Additional Have an advance reading about the

Activities for poem entitled “If” by Rudyard Kipling.
application or On our next meeting we will
remediation meticulously discuss the poem.
(8 minutes)
 That ends our discussion for today!
God bless, and I hope that you have
learned something for today’s lesson.

V. REMARKS
Objectives are
Attained

Not Attained Reason : ____________________________________

VI. REFLECTION
A. No. of learners who earned 80% in the evaluation
B. No. of learners who require additional activities for
remediation
C. Did the remedial lesson work?
No. of learners who have caught up the lesson
D. No. of learners who continue to require remediation
E. Which of my strategies worked well?
Why did this work?
F. What difficulties did I encounter which my principal or
supervisor can help me solve?
G. What innovation or localized materials did I use/discover
which I wish to share with other teachers?

Prepared by:

_____________________________________

Pre-Service English Teacher