Grade 5 EFAL Literature Handout 2024

English First Additional Language
Grade 5
Literature Handout
2022 -2024
Contents Page No.
1. Poetry: Figures of speech 3-4

1.1 Today we had some weather 5-6
1.2 Autumn’s chores 7
1.3 The leaky tap drips day and night 8
1.4 I cooked my homework 9
1.5 My new school 10
2. Story
2.1 Elements of story 11-12
2.2 Temo and the plant thieves 13-16
2.3 Robin Hood and the golden arrow 17 - 18
3. Drama
3.1 Elements of drama 19
3.2 Anansi and the pot of beans 20-22
Answers 23-24
Page | 2
Grade 5 EFAL Literature Handout 2024
ECD & Primary Schools Support: Grades 4-7 Languages
POETRY: FIGURES OF SPEECH
Information about figures of speech:
Comparisons
Metaphor This is a comparison, implied rather than stated, without using words
‘like’ or ‘as.
• The boy is a pig.
Simile This is a comparison, implied rather than directly stated, using the
words ‘like’ or ‘as.
• The boy ran like a cheetah.
Personification An abstract thing, idea or emotion is given human form, personality or
feelings.
• The city sleeps.
• The book is an old friend of mine.
Sounds Devices
Alliteration The same consonant is deliberately repeated for rhythmic or
emotional effect.
• Fikiswa fought Fikile ferociously for food.
Assonance The repetition of the same vowel sound in two or more different
words.
• The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.
Onomatopoeia The deliberate use of words with sounds which express or imitate
the meaning.
• The bees buzzed.
• The hammer clanked on the metal.
Rhyme The repetition of the sound of a word, usually at the end of lines of
poetry.
• Down came spider.
And sat down beside her.
Page | 3
Page | 4
Poems
Today we had some weather
1 Today we had some weather

like I’ve never seen before,
so I pulled on my galoshes
and I headed out the door.
2 It sprinkled, first so lightly,

it could easily be mist.
A tornado then came dancing by,
it swung and did the twist.
3 The fogbanks opened up their vaults

and let out all their fogs,
and the dog pound took a pounding;
it was raining cats and dogs.
4 It started raining buckets,

then the rain came down in sheets.
I had never seen so many
sheets and buckets in the streets.
5 I’d planned to watch the weather

and, though gallantly I tried,
when it started hailing taxis
I gave up and went inside.
by Kenn Nesbitt
Page | 5
Questions
1. What is the title of the poem? _____________________________________________
2. Who is the poet? _______________________________________________________
3. How many stanzas does the poem have?

______________________________________________________________________
4. Write two pairs of rhyming words.

_______________________________
_______________________________
5. Write down two examples of personification from the poem.

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
6. Write down an idiom from the poem.

_______________________________________________________________________
7. What are galoshes?

_______________________________________________________________________
8. What do the following words mean?

8.1 galoshes:
_______________________________________________________________________
8.2 gallantly:
_______________________________________________________________________
9. Write down a word from the poem which means the same as “pounding”.
_______________________________________________________________________
Page | 6
Page | 7
The leaky tap drips day and night
Just fix it right or shut it tight.
It seems the earth with water abounds
But really it’s every drop that counts.
The tap is on, you brush your teeth
The water flows, you soap your feet.
Just think of all the water lost.

To close the tap, what does it cost?
The water bottle you take to school
The water in it is nice and cool.
You drink a bit, the rest you throw,
The water could help a plant to grow.
From CEE – The Green Teacher
Questions
1. What is the title of the poem? _____________________________________________
2. Who is the poet? _______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________
_______________________________
5. What is the theme of the poem?

______________________________________________________________________
Page | 8
I cooked my homework
I cooked my math book in a broth

and stirred it to a steaming froth.
I threw in papers – pencils, too –
to make a pot of homework stew.
I turned the flame up nice and hot

and tossed my binder in the pot.
I sprinkled in my book report
with coloured markers by the quart.
Despite its putrid, noxious gas,

I proudly took my stew to class.
And though the smell was so grotesque,
I set it on my teacher’s desk.
My teacher said, “You’re quite a chef.

But, still you’re going to get an F.
I didn’t ask for ‘homework stew,’
I said, “Tomorrow, homework’s due.”
by Kenn Nesbitt
Questions
1. What is the title of the poem? ______________________________________________
2. Who is the poet? _______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________ ; _____________________________________

______________________________________________________________________
6. What is ‘broth’?
______________________________________________________________________
7. Write down the meaning of the following words:

Putrid: ________________________________________________________________
Noxious: ______________________________________________________________
Grotesque: ___________________________________________________________
8. Is getting an “F” for an assignment good or bad? ______________________________
Page | 9
My New School
You won’t believe the crazy things

I’m learning how to do.
I’m learning how to juggle,
ride a unicycle, too.
I now know how to twist balloons

in many different shapes
and how to make a costume
out of multicoloured drapes.
I’ve learned to run in floppy shoes

and how to dye my hair.
I’ve even learned the graceful art
of dancing with a bear.
For when we moved, my parents looked at many different towns,

but chose a place with just one school:
a school for circus clowns.
by Kenn Nesbitt
Questions
1. What is the title of the poem? ______________________________________________
2. Who is the poet? _______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________
_______________________________

______________________________________________________________________
6. Mention 2 things the speaker learned to do.

__________________________________
__________________________________
7. Are these common things children learn at school?

______________________________________________________________________
8. Why is this school different from schools the speaker has attended previously?
______________________________________________________________________
Page | 10
ELEMENTS OF A STORY
When we teach stories, there are five main elements we should draw learner’s attention to. We
must ask learners questions about all five elements so that they have a broad and deep
understanding of the story. This develops their critical thinking skills and enhances the reading
experience. See the graphic below for the five elements.
Plot
The events that take place in the story
• What happens in the story?

• What happens
first…next…then?
• How does the story end?
• What was your favorite part
of the story? Setting
Symbols
Where and when the story takes
place
Objects in the story that carry • Where does the story
meaning and represent happen? (In a city, in a
something village, on a mountain).
Elements
• Which object is special • When does the story
of a story
in the story? happen (ancient times,
• Why is this object modern times, the future,
important? at Christmas)?
Characters
Theme
The people, animals or objects who
are involved in the story
The main issues dealt within the
story • Who is in the story?
• Who are the most
• What lessons did we learn important characters?
from the story? • Who is
• Did you like the story? good/bad/kind/ugly in the
Why? Why not? story?
• What was good/bad about • How did you know the
the story? person was good/bad?
• Would you behave in the
same way as the characters
in the story?
Page | 11
Plot The plot is the basic structure of a story. We must help learners
understand basic story structure so that they can work out which events
are in the story are the most important and makes their reading
experience richer. Being able to apply the story structure to new stories
is a form of problem solving.
Setting Setting is the time, place, and context in which a story happens.
Time The period in history when the story takes place. For example, in the
dinosaur era in the Middle Ages, during World War ii, present day or in
the future.
Place The place where the story happens. For example, in a jungle, on a
farm, in a jail, in Africa, in Texas, on an island in the Indian Ocean, on
an imaginary planet.
Context What the society is like in the book. For example, the oppression of
women, slavery, apartheid, arranged marriages, war.
Mood The general emotion that characters feel at the time. For example, fear,
rebellion, anger.
Characters Characters are the people in the story. They can be real or made up.
Theme Theme is the most important idea(s) or message(s) in a story. Theme is
not the same as the moral of the story. Some stories do not teach us a
lesson – they simply explore an idea.
Page | 12
Temo and the plant thieves.
Author: Kgosi Kgosi
Illustrator: Magriet Brink and Leo Daly
Temo was a clever young girl who lived in the village of Qunu. She loved going to school and
learning new things. One day at school, her class learnt about planting and growing vegetables.
Temo was so fascinated by this idea that she could not wait to get home to tell her parents about
it. BRRRRING! The last school bell of the day rang and all the children rushed out of their
classrooms to make their way home.
When Temo arrived home, her mother and father were in the kitchen having tea.
“Hello, Mama. Hello, Papa,” she said as she walked into the kitchen. “Hello, Temo,” answered
her parents. “How was your day at school today?” asked her mother. “It was good! I learnt
something very interesting,” replied Temo excitedly while making her way to her bedroom.
Temo’s parents wondered what their daughter was talking about, but before they could ask her
to explain, she had disappeared. In her bedroom, Temo took off her school uniform and put on
her other clothes. But these were not her everyday other clothes. She put on her overalls,
gumboots and a hat.
Temo walked back into the kitchen. “Ta-da! Mama and Papa, look!” she said.
Her parents were very surprised. Temo never wanted to do any chores at home, so why was she
suddenly dressed in work clothes? “Why are you dressed like that, Temo?” her father asked.
“Because I want to start growing my own vegetables, Papa,” she said excitedly.
“So, you want to have your own garden here at home?” her mother asked.
“Yes, Mama,” Temo replied. Temo’s parents looked at each other and wondered how Temo would
manage to take care of a garden when she complained about chores as simple as making them
tea. But they decided to have faith in her anyway.
So Temo and her father went outside and chose a piece of land in their
yard where Temo could start her garden. Then Temo’s father went inside
to change into his overalls. First, Temo and her father used a garden fork
to break up the ground they had chosen. This helped make the soil soft for
planting seeds. It also helped loosen unwanted weeds and stones under
the soil.
Next, they raked all the unwanted weeds and stones from the soil. Temo
and her father put all the weeds into big black plastic bags and threw them
into the dustbin. The next day when Temo came back from school, she
quickly changed out of her school uniform and went into her garden with her father. Her father
had bought some seeds for them to plant. So, they planted and planted! They planted spinach,
carrot, tomato and bean seeds. Then Temo watered the soil to help the seeds grow.
Page | 13
Every day after that Temo was excited to come home from school and water her garden. But
there was a little problem: while no one was looking, the animals were starting to eat Temo’s
vegetable plants! One day, when she came home from school, Temo found the goats feeding in
her garden. She chased them away and ran into the house. “Mama! Papa! The goats are eating
my vegetable plants. Why didn’t you watch out for them?” she said, crying. “Sorry, Temo,”
apologised her father. “Mama and I were taking a nap.
Let’s go outside and see what we can do.” So they went into the garden. What a mess the goats
had made! But at least only a small part of the garden had been damaged. “Let’s build a fence
around the garden, Papa,” Temo suggested. “That’s a good idea!” Papa replied. So Temo and
her father built a fence around the garden so the goats could no longer get in. The next day when
she came home from school, Temo found the cows eating her plants. The cows had been clever
enough to open the garden gate with their horns! Temo tried to chase the cows away, but it only
took one cow with large, sharp horns to look at her and she was terrified! The cows looked so big!
So she ran into the house. 5/6 “Mama! Papa! This time the cows are eating my vegetable plants,”
she said.
Temo and her father went outside and found the cows grazing in Temo’s garden. Her father
chased them away. “Papa, why don’t we lock the gate with a padlock?” Temo suggested. “That
way the cows won’t be able to open the gate again.” Her father thought that was a good idea so
they went and bought a padlock and they locked the gate. The next day when Temo came back
from school, she found not the goats, not the cows, but the birds eating the plants in her garden!
She chased them away and ran to tell her parents.
“Mama! Papa! Now the birds are eating my vegetable plants,” she cried.
Temo’s father went outside with her to see what the problem was. “I don’t
know what to do now, Temo,” said her father scratching his head as he
thought hard. “I know what we can do,” said Temo quickly. “We can put
a net over the garden, then the birds won’t be able to get to the plants.”
And Temo was right! She never had to worry about any animals eating
the plants in her garden again. No goats could get in, no cows could get
in and no birds could get in either.
The plants in her garden grew and grew, and soon the vegetables were
ready for picking! Temo’s mother cooked a tasty soup of beans, carrots,
spinach and tomatoes and they all enjoyed a meal that had come from
Temo’s garden.
nalibali.org/story-library/multilingual-stories/temo-and-the-plant-thieves
Page | 14
Page | 15
Questions
1. Where did Temo live? _______________________________________________
2. What did Temo find his parents doing when he arrived home? ___________________
3. Why did Temo wear overall, gumboots and hat?

____________________________________________________________________
4. Who asked Temo if she wanted to have her own garden at home?
____________________________________________________________________
5. What helped to make the soil soft for planting seeds?

____________________________________________________________________
6. Which vegetables did Temo and her father plant?

___________________________________________________________________
7. What was Temo’s problem at the garden when no one was watching?
_________________________________________________________
8. What did Temo and her father do to stop the goats from entering her garden?
_________________________________________________________
9. Who said that the cows would not be able to open the gate again?
_________________________________________________________
10. Did you enjoy the story? Yes/ No

Give a reason for your response.
________________________________________________________
Page | 16
Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow Story
This is the Tale of Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow, a Legend Story for Kids.
In all the land, none was better with a bow and arrow than Robin
Hood. He lived with his band of Merry Men in Sherwood
Forest. That was the King's woods where King John kept his royal
deer.
A few years before, King Richard had ruled the land. This King let
the poor come into Sherwood Forest to hunt the deer to feed their
families. But the time had come for King Richard and his army to
leave England. And then King John stepped up to the throne.
"Bad King John," as this king would become known by, did not want anyone to come into
Sherwood Forest. Why should he - when he wanted to be able to hunt the royal deer whever he
wanted? From then on, he made it known throughout the land that anyone seen hunting in
Sherwood Forest would be grabbed at once and thrown into prison.
Robin Hood did not like that one bit. That is why he had moved into Sherwood Forest. He dressed
in green from cap to boots so the trees of Sherwood Forest could hide him as he hunted the King’s
deer. Other brave men came into Sherwood Forest, too. One by one they joined Robin Hood and
became his Merry Men.
Robin Hood and his Merry Men would hide when rich nobles and dukes passed through the
woods. Then all at once, they would jump out and rob those rich men. Then he would give the
money to the poor.
But the rich men who were robbed were not happy about it! They told Bad King John what was
going on in Sherwood Forest. "Something must be done!" they roared. The King put the Sheriff
of Nottingham in charge of Sherwood Forest. It would be his job to catch Robin Hood - once and
for all!
But the man in green was too quick. His Merry Men would warn him each time they saw the
Sheriff of Nottingham or one of his guards in the woods, and Robin Hood would escape or hide.
So the Sheriff came up with a new plan. “I will call for a great contest,” he said, “to find out who
is the best in the land with a bow and arrow. The winner will go home with a Golden Arrow.”
The Sheriff said in a low voice, “If I know Robin Hood, he will not be able to stay away from such
a contest. And when he comes, we will catch him!”
“Robin Hood, don’t go to the contest!” said Little John. Of all the Merry Men, Robin Hood trusted
Little John the most. “Can't you see this is a trap? When they see you, they will grab you.” Robin
Hood said nothing. In his heart, he wanted to go.
On the day of the contest, ten fine bowmen lined up. The round target was so far away it was
almost impossible to see its black and red circles. One by one, each young man shot his best
arrow. Most of them missed. Some landed on the target, but none came close to the center. The
Sheriff turned to one of his guards. “Do you see him? Is he here?”
“No, Sire. Robin Hood has red hair. None of the ones who are shooting has red hair.”
Page | 17
“That wimp!” said the Sheriff. “He fears me! He didn't have the guts to come.”
Two bowmen were left. The first was William, the Sheriff's man. With care, William, took
aim. His arrow landed at the very center of the target - a bull’s eye! The crowd cheered for
William.
It was time for the last bowman. He too, took careful aim, and his arrow also sailed through the
air. It landed right through William's bull’s eye arrow, cutting it in half! In a flash, the bowman
let go of two more arrows. Each one flew to where the Sheriff sat, pinning him to his seat, one
arrow on each side!
The Sheriff did not know what was going on. Then the man in green pulled off his disguise and
threw it on the ground.
“Get him, you fools!” shouted the Sheriff. “It's Robin Hood!”
But our hero jumped over the wall to a horse waiting for him. He was gone - he had escaped!
This tale is one of the many adventures of Robin Hood, the most loved hero in all of England, and
one of the most loved heroes in all the world.
[Source - https://storiestogrowby.org/story/robin-hood-and-the-golden-arrow-story-legend]
Questions
1. What is the title of the tale about Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow?
2. Where does Robin Hood live with his Merry Men?
3. Who ruled the land a few years before King John, and what was his policy regarding
Sherwood Forest?
4. Why did Robin Hood move into Sherwood Forest?
5. Who are the Merry Men, and why did they join Robin Hood?
6. What did Robin Hood and his Merry Men do when rich nobles and dukes passed through
the woods?
7. Who did Bad King John put in charge of Sherwood Forest, and what was his mission?
8. Why did the Sheriff of Nottingham organize a contest, and what was the prize?
9. What advice did Little John give to Robin Hood about the contest?
10. Despite the warning, what did Robin Hood decide to do on the day of the contest?
11. How many bowmen lined up for the contest, and what was the target like?
12. Why was the Sheriff disappointed during the contest?
13. Who won the Golden Arrow, and how did he achieve it?
14. How did Robin Hood manage to escape from the Sheriff's trap?
15. In the conclusion, how is Robin Hood described in terms of his popularity and hero status
in England?
Page | 18
DRAMA
Elements of drama
➢ Script: The text of a play, movie, or show, including the dialogue the characters speak
and the stage direction.
➢ Setting: The time and place the play, movie, or show takes place in.
➢ Cast of characters: All the characters, usually portrayed by actors.
➢ Narrator: The person who tells what happens during the play.
➢ Scene: The action that takes place in a single setting.
➢ Act: A chapter in a play that contains more than one scene.
➢ Dialogue: The lines the characters speak. What the characters say. The story is told
through dialogue.
➢ Stage Direction: Direction telling the actors what to do in each scene.
Page | 19
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(https://s3.amazonaws.com/prod-hmhco-vmg-craftcms-private/documents/3re_pr_rdtheater_anansi.pdf)
Page | 21
Questions
1. What is the title of the drama ______________________________________________
2. Who is the author of the drama?

______________________________________________________________________
3. Who is the narrator?

______________________________________________________________________
4. Where is the setting of the drama?

______________________________________________________________________
5. What is the plot?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6. Who are the characters?

___________________________ _______________________
___________________________ _______________________
___________________________
7. What is your opinion about the drama?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Page | 22
SUGGESTED ANSWERS
TODAY WE HAD SOME WEATHER (POEM)
Title of the Poem:
1. "Today We Had Some Weather"
2. Kenn Nesbitt
3. The poem has four stanzas.
4. lightly - twist
fogs - dogs
5. "A tornado then came dancing by..."
"The fogbanks opened up their vaults..."
6. "It was raining cats and dogs."
7. Galoshes are waterproof overshoes worn to protect shoes from rain or snow.
8. Galoshes: Waterproof overshoes worn to protect shoes from rain or snow.
Gallantly: In a brave and heroic manner.
9. The word from the poem that means the same as "pounding" is raining.
I COOKED MY HOMEWORK (POEM)

1. "I Cooked My Homework"
2. Kenn Nesbitt
3. The poem has four stanzas.
4. froth - broth
hot - pot
5. The theme of the poem is humor and mischief, as the speaker describes cooking their
homework in a comical
way.
6. Broth: A liquid in which meat or vegetables have been boiled; a soup.
7. Meanings of Words:
• Putrid: Decaying or rotting and emitting a fetid smell.
• Noxious: Harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant.
• Grotesque: Comically or repulsively ugly or distorted.
8. Getting an "F" for an assignment is bad, as it indicates a failing grade.
TEMO AND THE PLANT THIEVES (STORY)

1. Temo lived in the village of Qunu.
2. Temo found his parents having tea in the kitchen.
3. Temo wore overalls, gumboots, and a hat because she wanted to start growing her own
vegetables.
4. Temo's mother asked if she wanted to have her own garden at home.
5. Using a garden fork helped make the soil soft for planting seeds.
6. Temo and her father planted spinach, carrot, tomato, and bean seeds.
7. Temo's problem in the garden was that animals (goats, cows, and birds) were eating her
vegetable plants.
8. Temo and her father built a fence around the garden to stop the goats from entering.
Page | 23
9. Temo suggested putting a net over the garden to prevent birds from eating the plants.
ROBIN HOOD AND THE GOLDEN ARROW (STORY)
1. The tale is titled "Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow."

2. Robin Hood lives with his Merry Men in Sherwood Forest.
3. King Richard ruled the land before King John, and he allowed the poor to hunt in
Sherwood Forest to feed their families.
4. Robin Hood moved into Sherwood Forest because he opposed King John's restriction on
hunting in the royal deer forest.
5. The Merry Men are brave men who joined Robin Hood. They joined him to resist the unjust
laws and help the poor by robbing the rich.
6. Robin Hood and his Merry Men would hide and then rob rich men when they passed
through the woods, redistributing the money to the poor.
7. The Sheriff of Nottingham was put in charge of Sherwood Forest, and his mission was to
catch Robin Hood.
8. The Sheriff organized a contest to find out who was the best with a bow and arrow, and the
prize was a Golden Arrow.
9. Little John advised Robin Hood not to go to the contest, warning him that it might be a trap
set by the Sheriff.
10. Despite the warning, Robin Hood decided to go to the contest.
11. Ten bowmen lined up for the contest, and the target was a round one with black and red
circles.
12. The Sheriff was disappointed during the contest because Robin Hood did not appear, and
he wanted to catch him.
13. William, the Sheriff's man, won the Golden Arrow by hitting the bull's eye on the target.
14. Robin Hood, disguised as one of the bowmen, revealed himself after winning and escaped
when the Sheriff recognized him.
15. In the conclusion, Robin Hood is described as the most loved hero in all of England and
one of the most loved heroes in the world.
Page | 24

Grade 5 EFAL Literature Handout 2024

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English First Additional Language

1. Poetry: Figures of speech 3-4

1 Today we had some weather

2 It sprinkled, first so lightly,

3 The fogbanks opened up their vaults

4 It started raining buckets,

5 I’d planned to watch the weather

1. What is the title of the poem? _____________________________________________

2. Who is the poet? _______________________________________________________

3. How many stanzas does the poem have?

4. Write two pairs of rhyming words.

5. Write down two examples of personification from the poem.

6. Write down an idiom from the poem.

7. What are galoshes?

8. What do the following words mean?

Just think of all the water lost.

1. What is the title of the poem? _____________________________________________

2. Who is the poet? _______________________________________________________

3. How many stanzas does the poem have?

4. Write two pairs of rhyming words.

5. What is the theme of the poem?

I cooked my math book in a broth

I turned the flame up nice and hot

Despite its putrid, noxious gas,

My teacher said, “You’re quite a chef.

3. How many stanzas does the poem have?

4. Write two pairs of rhyming words.

5. What is the theme of the poem?

7. Write down the meaning of the following words:

You won’t believe the crazy things

I now know how to twist balloons

I’ve learned to run in floppy shoes

For when we moved, my parents looked at many different towns,

3. How many stanzas does the poem have?

4. Write two pairs of rhyming words.

5. What is the theme of the poem?

6. Mention 2 things the speaker learned to do.

7. Are these common things children learn at school?

The events that take place in the story

• What happens in the story?

Illustrator: Magriet Brink and Leo Daly

1. Where did Temo live? _______________________________________________

3. Why did Temo wear overall, gumboots and hat?

5. What helped to make the soil soft for planting seeds?

6. Which vegetables did Temo and her father plant?

10. Did you enjoy the story? Yes/ No

2. Who is the author of the drama?

3. Who is the narrator?

4. Where is the setting of the drama?

5. What is the plot?

6. Who are the characters?

7. What is your opinion about the drama?

I COOKED MY HOMEWORK (POEM)

TEMO AND THE PLANT THIEVES (STORY)

ROBIN HOOD AND THE GOLDEN ARROW (STORY)

1. The tale is titled "Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow."

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