8th Class English Notes (Unit-5) Federal FBISE and KPK Board
Unit #5 “Fiction And Poetry” of 8th Class English Book (New Edition) is designed to develop the four skills of English language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Exercise
Stories can be classified into ‘genres’ or types. Which genres do you know? Can you think of a few samples of each? Use the mind map below to brainstorm ideas. Extend your ideas by making a separate mind map for each of the story genres.
Listen to some stories, poems and short plays. You can ask a partner to read it aloud. This will help you improve your pronunciation and speaking skills.
Answer
The mind map given in the book has four boxes to complete by writing story genres in each box. While the first one is filled with “Fairy Tales”, here I write the other story genres for you to complete the boxes.
Note: I have added more examples into it for you to choose from.
Story Genres with Examples
- Fantasy
- “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien
- “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling
- Science Fiction
- “Dune” by Frank Herbert
- “The War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells
- Romance
- “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
- “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare
- Adventure
- “Treasure Island” by Robert Louis Stevenson
- “Around the World in Eighty Days” by Jules Verne
- Fairy Tales
- “Cinderella” by Charles Perrault
- “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by The Brothers Grimm
While the second task is to make a separate mind map for each of the story genres, here I have provided it for you. I have listed down the sub-genres of the major story genres listed above. Each comes with an example.
Sub Genres of Story with Examples
- Fantasy
- High Fantasy: “The Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan
- Urban Fantasy: “The Dresden Files” series by Jim Butcher
- Epic Fantasy: “Mistborn” series by Brandon Sanderson
- Sword and Sorcery: “Conan the Barbarian” series by Robert E. Howard
- Magical Realism: “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel García Márquez
- Science Fiction
- Hard Science Fiction: “The Martian” by Andy Weir
- Cyberpunk: “Neuromancer” by William Gibson
- Space Opera: “Foundation” series by Isaac Asimov
- Dystopian Fiction: “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood
- Post-Apocalyptic Fiction: “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy
- Romance
- Historical Romance: “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon
- Contemporary Romance: “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion
- Paranormal Romance: “Twilight” by Stephenie Meyer
- Romantic Suspense: “The Witness” by Nora Roberts
- Regency Romance: “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
- Adventure
- Action Adventure: “Die Hard” by Roderick Thorp
- Historical Adventure: “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe
- Survival Adventure: “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer
- Sea Adventure: “Moby-Dick” by Herman Melville
- Treasure Hunt Adventure: “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” by B. Traven
- Fairy Tales
- Folktales: “Aesop’s Fables” by Aesop
- Fables: “The Tortoise and the Hare” by Aesop
- Mythical Fiction: “Percy Jackson & the Olympians” series by Rick Riordan
- Retold Fairy Tales: “Ella Enchanted” by Gail Carson Levine
- Modern Fairy Tales: “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Exercise
Discussion Questions:
1. In groups, develop a story. Discuss the following with your group members:
a) genre
b) plot-line
c) characters
d) the setting
- Develop the story ensuring that each character has some dialogues, One student must be the narrator of the story.
- Role-play your story to the whole class.
Story Creation
Genre: Adventure
Plot-line:
A group of friends embark on a journey to explore an ancient fort in Pakistan. They uncover hidden secrets, learn about the history, and face unexpected challenges along the way.
Characters:
- Ali – The curious leader of the group.
- Sara – The history enthusiast.
- Bilal – The tech-savvy friend.
- Ayesha – The cautious but brave one.
Setting:
The story is set in the ancient Rohtas Fort, located near the city of Jhelum, Pakistan.
The Adventure at Rohtas Fort
It was a bright and sunny morning in Jhelum. Ali, Sara, Bilal, and Ayesha met at the bus stop, excited for their trip to Rohtas Fort. Ali, the group’s leader, had been planning this adventure for weeks. “This fort is full of history and secrets,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
As they arrived at the imposing fort, Sara, the history buff, couldn’t contain her excitement. “Did you know Rohtas Fort was built in the 16th century by Sher Shah Suri to defend against the Mughal Emperor Humayun?” she exclaimed.
The friends began exploring the massive fort, marveling at its tall walls and mysterious passageways. Bilal, the tech-savvy friend, used his drone to get a bird’s-eye view. “Guys, there’s a hidden section behind that old gate!” he pointed out.
Their curiosity piqued, the friends made their way to the hidden section. The gate was old and rusty, but with some effort, they managed to open it. Inside, they found ancient artifacts and inscriptions. Ayesha, the cautious but brave one, felt a shiver run down her spine. “This place feels eerie,” she whispered.
Suddenly, they heard a faint sound, like someone whispering. Ali, being the fearless leader, decided to investigate. They followed the sound and discovered a hidden chamber with a beautiful old map on the wall. “This map looks like it leads to something important,” Sara said, examining it closely.
Bilal quickly took a picture of the map with his phone. “Let’s follow it,” he suggested. The map led them to different parts of the fort, revealing stories of bravery and battles. They learned about the fort’s strategic importance and the people who once defended it.
As they followed the map’s clues, they stumbled upon an old treasure chest. Inside, they found ancient coins, jewelry, and a scroll. The scroll was a letter from a soldier who had fought bravely to defend the fort. It spoke of courage, sacrifice, and love for the homeland.
Ayesha, moved by the letter, said, “This fort is not just stones and walls. It’s a symbol of our history and heritage.”
The friends decided to leave the treasure in the fort’s museum, ensuring that the history would be preserved for others to learn from. They left Rohtas Fort with a sense of accomplishment and a deeper connection to their country’s rich history.
On their way back, Ali said, “This adventure has taught us so much. Pakistan is full of wonders waiting to be explored.”
Sara nodded, “And it’s our duty to preserve and respect our heritage.”
Bilal added, “Let’s plan our next adventure soon!”
Ayesha, now braver and more confident, smiled and said, “Count me in!”
And so, the friends returned home, their hearts full of memories and their minds buzzing with the stories of Rohtas Fort. They knew this was just the beginning of their many adventures together.
2. In pairs, select a story. Read the story carefully and retell it to the whole class. Remember when you are retelling a story, you need to capture the attention of your audience. Try to make it interesting by:
a) speaking clearly
b) making eye contact
c) vary the tone and pitch of your voice to match the meaning of each sentence.
Creation and Selection of Story
I have developed the following story for you. You can use it to complete the given task in your class.
The Lost Kite
In a small village in Pakistan, there lived a young boy named Ahmed. Ahmed loved flying kites. Every year, he eagerly awaited Basant, the kite-flying festival. The sky would be filled with colorful kites, and Ahmed’s kite was always one of the best.
One bright and breezy morning, Ahmed set out to fly his new kite. It was a beautiful kite, with vibrant colors and a long, fluttering tail. He ran to the open field where other children were already flying their kites. With a big smile, he launched his kite into the sky.
As the kite soared higher, Ahmed’s heart filled with joy. He skillfully maneuvered it, making it dance in the wind. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind pulled his kite away. Ahmed tried to control it, but the string snapped, and the kite drifted away, disappearing over the trees.
Ahmed felt a pang of sadness as he watched his kite vanish. He searched the village, asking everyone if they had seen his kite, but no one had. His friends tried to cheer him up, but Ahmed couldn’t stop thinking about his lost kite.
Days passed, and Ahmed continued to search for his kite. One afternoon, while walking near the river, he spotted something caught in the branches of a tree. It was his kite! Excitedly, he climbed the tree and carefully untangled it.
With his kite in hand, Ahmed felt a rush of happiness. He repaired the string and headed back to the field. This time, he made sure the knot was secure and the string was strong. As his kite soared back into the sky, Ahmed’s smile returned.
The other children gathered around, cheering for Ahmed and his kite. He felt proud and grateful. He learned that sometimes, even when things go wrong, perseverance and hope can lead to a happy ending.
Exercise
What are your favorite stories of all time?
Answer: One of my favorite stories is “Heer Ranjha,” a famous Punjabi love story. It’s about the deep love between Heer and Ranjha and the challenges they face. I also love the tales of “Mullah Nasruddin,” which are full of wisdom and humor.
Have you ever experienced being cheated?
Answer: Yes, I have experienced being cheated so many times in my life.
How did you feel about it?
Answer: When I realized I had been cheated, I felt very upset and hurt. It was a mix of sadness and anger. I felt betrayed and disappointed, especially because I trusted the person who cheated me.
It took some time, but I learned to be more careful and not to lose trust in others completely because of one bad experience.
Conclusion
In this particular unit, the students will listen:
- About “The Farmer and The Well”
- Different stories
After listening to these stories, they will speak about the characters in the stories. Similarly, they will also learn about the elements of a story.
In addition to this, the students will read about:
- The Farmer and The Well
- The Happy Prince
- I’ll Tell You How The Sun Rose
The purpose of this is to teach students the following:
- Comparative and superlative adjectives
- active and passive voice
- synonyms and antonyms
- homograph
- use of metaphors
Moreover, the students will also learn to write:
- character sketch
- essay on “Effects of poverty on human life
- creating a story with morals
The new textbook of English for class eight is based on the National Curriculum 2022. It is now included in the syllabus of the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) and all boards under the Elementary and Secondary Education Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).
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