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I. You must have read poems and songs related to childhood fascination about different vocations in English and in your own language. Now, read and enjoy the poem given below.
The Lamplighter
My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky;
It’s time to take the window to see Leerie going by;
For every night at tea-time and before you take your seat;
With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street.
Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,
And my papa’s a banker and as rich as he can be;
But I, when I am stronger and can choose what I’m to do,
O Leerie, I’ll go round at night and light the lamps with you!
For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,
And Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more;
And O! before you jurry by with ladder and with light,
O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him to-night!
R.L. Stevenson
What is this poem about?
[Note]
How to answer:
Find who the child watches each evening and what the child wants to become.
View Answer
In one line: a little child watches
Leerie the lamplighter
light the street lamps every evening and dreams of growing up to do the
same vocation
— a childhood fascination with everyday work, exactly the spirit of
Gifts of Grace
.
II. Visit the website https://www.msde.gov.in/
Collect information on any one vocation of your choice. Prepare a presentation explaining the following.
Collect information on any one vocation of your choice. Prepare a presentation explaining the following.
- Reason for your choice
- How is it helpful to the society and self?
Model presentation outline: the welder
[Activity]
How to answer:
Pick ONE vocation from the website, then build 3-4 slides: the vocation, your reason, help to society, help to self.
View Answer
Sample outline (vocation: welder, from the Skill India / MSDE website):
- Slide 1 — My vocation: Welder — a person who fuses metal parts together using heat.
- Slide 2 — Reason for my choice: I see welders building gates, bridges and bus bodies in my town; the MSDE website shows free welding courses under the Skill India Mission, so this skill is easy to learn and always in demand.
- Slide 3 — Helpful to society: Welders build and repair the things everyone uses — school gates, water tanks, railway coaches, factory machines. Without them, construction and transport would stop.
- Slide 4 — Helpful to self: A trained welder earns a steady income, can start his or her own workshop, and feels the pride of building things that last.
III. Now, create a Haiku poem and share with your classmates and teacher.
A Japanese Haiku
Make up your mind, Snail!
You are half inside your house,
And halfway out!
Haiku is a traditional Japanese poetry form. A very short poem consisting of 17 syllable verses divided into three lines, with five syllables in the first, seven syllables in the second, and five syllables in the third.
Sample original Haiku on a vocation
[Creative Task]
How to answer:
Choose one worker, picture one moment of their work, and fit it into 5-7-5 syllables — count on your fingers.
View Answer
Sample Haiku (on a potter):
Wet clay on the wheel (5)
the potter’s hands turn slowly (7)
a new pot is born (5)
the potter’s hands turn slowly (7)
a new pot is born (5)
Why:
Count the syllables: 5 in the first line, 7 in the second, 5 in the third — 17 in all, on a single vocation, just like the snail Haiku.
