A long time ago in the valley of the Brahmaputra River in

India there lived six men who were much inclined to boast
of their wit and lore. Though they were no longer young
and had all been blind since birth, they would compete with
each other to see who could tell the tallest story.
One day, however, they fell to arguing. The object of their
dispute was the elephant. Now, since each was blind,
none had ever seen that mighty beast of whom so many
tales are told. So, to satisfy their minds and settle the
dispute, they decided to go and seek out an elephant.
Having hired a young guide, Dookiram by name, they set
out early one morning in single file along the forest track,
each placing his hands on the back of the man in front. It
was not long before they came to a forest clearing where a
huge bull elephant, quite tame, was standing
contemplating his menu for the day.
The six blind men became quite excited; at last they would
satisfy their minds. Thus it was that the men took turns to
investigate the elephant's shape and form.
As all six men were blind, neither of them could see the
whole elephant and approached the elephant from
different directions. After encountering the elephant, each
man proclaimed in turn:
First man cried out: 'O my brothers, is as sure as I am wise
that this elephant is like a great mud wall baked hard in the
sun.'
Second man exclaimed: 'Now, my brothers, 'I can tell you
what shape this elephant is - he is exactly like a spear.'
The others smiled in disbelief.
Third man shouted: 'Why, dear brothers, do you not see,'
'this elephant is very much like a rope!'
Fourth man declared: 'Ha, I thought as much, 'This
elephant much resembles a serpent.'
The others snorted their contempt.
Fifth man called out: 'Good gracious, brothers, even a blind
man can see what shape the elephant resembles
most. Why he's mightily like a fan!'
At last, it was the turn of the sixth old fellow and he
proclaimed,
Sixt man: 'This sturdy pillar, brothers' mine, feels exactly
like the trunk of a great areca palm tree!'
Of course, no one believed him.
Their curiosity satisfied, they all linked hands and followed
the guide, Dookiram, back to the village. Once there,
seated beneath a waving palm, the six blind men began
disputing loud and long. Each now had his own opinion,
firmly based on his own experience, of what an elephant is
really like. For after all, each had felt the elephant for
himself and knew that he was right!
And so indeed he was. For depending on how the
elephant is seen, each blind man was partly right, though
all were in the wrong.
(Riordan, 1986, pp. 30-33)

Procedure:
1. Group the pupils assigning a role to each member.
2. Let the pupils read the story Six Blind Men and the Elephant.
3. Discuss the story by asking the following questions.
1) Who are the characters in the story?
2) What can you say about the characters?
3) What was the object of the characters dispute?
4) How did the characters want to settle their argument?
5) Where they able to resolve their disagreement? Why? or Why not?
6) What is the general mood of the story?
7) What lesson can we get from the story?
4. Make each group recreate/illustrate the events as they happen in the story by
role play or drawing. Acknowledge the group with the best performance.
5. Give each pupil an activity card and a separate answer sheet for each group.
6. Tell the pupils to read the instruction on the activity card.
7. Tell them to start and end at the same time.
8. Let each group reporter read the answers to check if they are correct.
9. Give acknowledgment to the group who gives the most answer.

Integration:
Mathematics

The concept of Ordinal Numbers - 1
st
, 2
nd
3
rd
, 4
th
6
th
man

The concept of Vertical, Horizontal, Diagonal. - Words maybe formed vertically,
horizontally or diagonally.

Science and Health
The importance of taking care of the eyes - As all six men were blind,
neither of them could see

Animal Habitat - It was not long before they came to a
forest clearing where a huge bull elephant,
quite tame, was standing contemplating his
menu for the day.



Rationale:
Reading Comprehension is one of the most important skills that should be
mastered by a pupil. It is fundamental to achieve higher performance in all subjects.
Poor reading comprehension skills is one of the problems seen among the pupils.
Hence, this TSM is designed to provide pupils with varied classroom activities that will
help them comprehend the lessons easily and enjoyably while addressing also Multiple
Intelligences of the pupils.
Skill Focus: Reading
Objective:
1. Sequence the big concepts and ideas to show the wholeness of the story. (English
PELC no. 5 p.23)
2. Infer traits of character and the general mood of the selection. (English PELC no.5
p.24)
3. Identify Nouns found in the story. (English PELC no.9 p.24)
4. Identify verbs used in the story. (English PELC no. 8 p. 24)

Materials:
Activity cards, answer sheets, story Six Blind Men and An Elephant
Strategy: Cooperative Learning is a strategy that ensures the learning of the pupils
through group interaction. Members of the group are assigned individual roles making
them responsible for their learning. Interpersonal and group skills are enhanced and
every pupil is given the chance to contribute his/her talent and capability for a common
purpose LEARNING.
Background information:
This word game is one of the suggested activities in phase 5 of concentrated Language
Encounter( CLE) Teaching of Beginners, Stage 1. This activity involves word
recognition and analysis. Pupils are grouped and each pupil is given one activity card.
In a given period of time each one hunts for the words in the puzzle of letters printed
on the activity card. Then they write these words on paper. Words maybe formed
vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The first group to give the most number of words
becomes the winner. This activity may well be introduced with the concepts on noun
and verbs.












A Teacher Support Material
Elementary English
Grade VI

Miguel B. Arizo NCS
Zylla Flor D. Billones NCS
Jake G. Conog Tagbalogo ES
Kristine Ann G. Dadole Mat-i ES
Maricel A. Dulay NCS
Gerlyn S. Fabrigas Maputi ES
Julieta C. Gabe Lubilan ES
Steve Marc M. Gallega Linangkayan ES
Myra A. Liwagon NCS
Estella L. Pacamalan NCS
Judith B. Sacabin Mapulog ES
Welvie P. Sancho Patag ES


SPOT THE WORD 1
(NOUNS)

Spot for words in the story Six Blind Men and the Elephant. In this
puzzle, find the names of the things or objects that each of the six blind
men compared the elephant to. List them in a separate sheet. These
words are called nouns.
Words maybe formed horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Some
words are spelled backwards.


C S P E A R X A B A M
O B W N R A S E N T P
D R A G O F A N Q I E
E A L A U S S U T T W
T R E E K R E E D A A
A R O U N D O T H E L
S E L F O I N P T U L
G H R T N E P R E S J
I D N O A B Y S S E D
G O I N P I G G E S T
R O S E S E O O S S E
SPOT THE WORD 2
(VERBS)

Spot for words in the story Six Blind Men and the Elephant. In this
puzzle, look for words that denote action. List them in a separate
sheet. These words are called verbs. There are eight in this puzzle.

Words maybe formed horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Some
words are spelled backwards.


I N V E S T I G A T E
B O X M R T I I E X P
E O S M E M S M C S R
M R A A Y R E I E Y O
P A P S Y R T E S W C
Q O U M T E S E A W L
O R U I D Y A E A M A
D E L L A C M A Y E I
S A Y E B S C A A D M
W T X D E R I H H E E
W B U D E C L A R E D


















spear serpent
fan rope
wall tree

Investigate proclaimed
Declared smiled hired
called boast excited