Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Manaoag

Manaoag, Pangasinan

A Semi-Detailed Lesson Plan in

English 7
December 18, 2018

I. Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
a. unlock the meaning of the words through context clues;
b. interpret their own understanding of the narrative poem; and
c. show appreciation on people who influenced and shaped their life.

II. Subject Matter

Topic: “Digging’ by Seamus Heaney
Textbook: English and American Literature by Milagros G. Lapid, page 34-35.
Materials: Handouts and Pictures (family, friend, teacher, etc.)

III. Procedure
Teacher’s Activity Student’s Activity
A. Routinary Activities
 Opening prayer
 Checking of attendance
 Review

B. Motivation
Who are worthy to imitate or try to be like, and
what makes these people admirable?

C. Unlocking of Difficulties
Directions: Read the following sentences and
determine the meaning of the underlined words
through context clues.

1. The diaper was just the right snug around the 1. fit
baby’s waist.
(fit, dark, fast)
2. I was kept awake at night by the rasping sound 2. rough
of a snoring partner.
(rough, soft, smooth)
3. A synthetic turf was installed in the playing field 3. grass
instead of authentic grass.
(meadow, grass, land)
4. Going to the bog got my shoes all muddy and 4. wetland
wet.
(wetland, river, sand)
5. The lug of a spade is the part you would rest
your foot on. 5. an edge to increase balance
(a. projected part of a something
b. an edge to increase balance)

D. Lesson Proper
Seamus Heaney was an Irish poet,
playwright, translator and lecturer.
He was a son of a farmer in
Ireland. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in
Literature.

Digging
by Seamus Heaney

Between my finger and my thumb

The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.

Under my window, a clean rasping sound

When the spade sinks into gravelly ground:
My father, digging. I look down

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds

Bends low, comes up twenty years away
Stooping in rhythm through potato drills
Where he was digging.

The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft

Against the inside knee was levered firmly.
He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep
To scatter new potatoes that we picked,
Loving their cool hardness in our hands.

By God, the old man could handle a spade.

Just like his old man.

My grandfather cut more turf in a day

Than any other man on Toner’s bog.
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away
Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
Over his shoulder, going down and down
For the good turf. Digging.

The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and

slap
Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
Through living roots awaken in my head.
But I’ve no spade to follow men like them.
Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I’ll dig with it.

E. Discussion
1. Who are the main characters in the selection?
2. What is the occupation of the father and the
grandfather?
3. What similarities are there between writing and
digging?
4. What is the general attitude of the speaker
towards his family and their chosen livelihood?
1. In the poem, the characters were the
author (the son), his father, and
grandfather.
2. The occupation of his father and his
grandfather were potato farmers.
3. "Digging" certainly takes skill, physical
overworking and a tool – a spade or shovel.
This also applies to writing which demands
the skill, talent hard work if one wishes to
succeed and tool- the pen.
4. The general attitude of the poet towards
his family and their chosen livelihood in
the poem "Digging" is reverence. Heaney
shows a great respect for his father and
grandfather. Although he does not
necessarily want to follow in their
footsteps, he realizes that they picked a
tough job and he commends them for it.
Heaney looks up to his father and
grandfather. "My father digging, I look
down Till his straining rump among the
flowerbeds Bends low" "By God, the old
man could handle a spade. Just like his old
man." Instead of Heaney carrying on his
family tradition of digging, he is saying
that he will dig with his pen. He would
strive to become the best writer he could be
in order to make his father proud.

IV. Evaluation
Draw a symbol that best describes who has helped you in shaping who you are today.
Below the drawing, write at least 5 sentences that explain your symbol.

V. Assignment
Search and write the definition of the elements of poetry in a one whole sheet of paper.

Prepared by: Rose Angela M. Uligan