Reading Informational Texts – English Standard Four

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, a pupil should be able to:

• Explain the meaning of an informational text.
• Read a simple informational text fluently.
• Identify important information from a text.
• Answer questions based on information in a text.

1. Meaning of an Informational Text

An informational text is a piece of writing that gives facts and information about a particular subject. It helps readers learn about people, places, animals, things or events.

Kwa Kiswahili: Matini ya taarifa ni maandishi yanayotoa ukweli au taarifa kuhusu jambo fulani. Lengo lake ni kumsaidia msomaji kupata maarifa.

2. Reading Passage: Keeping Our Environment Clean

Our environment is the place where we live, study and work. It includes our homes, schools, roads, rivers and other places around us.

Keeping the environment clean is important for our health. We should put rubbish in dustbins instead of throwing it on the ground. We should sweep our homes and classrooms regularly.

We should also plant trees and flowers to make our environment beautiful. Trees provide shade and fresh air. We must not throw plastic bags into rivers because they can pollute the water.

Everyone has a responsibility to keep the environment clean. A clean environment helps us to live a healthy and happy life.

3. Vocabulary

Word	Meaning in Kiswahili
Environment	Mazingira
Clean	Safi
Rubbish	Taka
Dustbin	Pipa la taka
Regularly	Mara kwa mara
Plant	Kupanda
Shade	Kivuli
Pollute	Kuchafua
Responsibility	Wajibu
Healthy	Mwenye afya

4. Reading Practice

Read the passage again and practise the following:

• Pronounce each word clearly.
• Pause at commas and full stops.
• Read each paragraph at a suitable speed.
• Identify important facts from the passage.
• Read aloud with a partner.

5. Comprehension Questions

1. What is an environment?
2. Mention three places found in our environment.
3. Why is keeping the environment clean important?
4. Where should we put rubbish?
5. How can we keep our classrooms clean?
6. Mention two benefits of planting trees.
7. Why should we not throw plastic bags into rivers?
8. Who has the responsibility to keep the environment clean?

6. Practice Activities

A. Write True or False

1. Our environment includes our homes and schools.
2. We should throw rubbish on the ground.
3. Trees provide shade and fresh air.
4. Plastic bags can pollute water.
5. Only teachers are responsible for keeping the environment clean.

B. Fill in the Blanks

Use these words: dustbins, trees, clean, rivers

1. We should put rubbish in __________.
2. We should plant __________ and flowers.
3. We must not throw plastic bags into __________.
4. Keeping the environment __________ is important for our health.

C. Identify Important Information

Write three things people should do to keep the environment clean.

7. Answer Guide

Comprehension Questions: 1. It is the place where we live, study and work. 2. Homes, schools and roads. 3. It is important for our health. 4. In dustbins. 5. By sweeping them regularly. 6. They provide shade and fresh air. 7. Because they can pollute the water. 8. Everyone.

True or False: 1. True. 2. False. 3. True. 4. True. 5. False.

Fill in the Blanks: 1. Dustbins. 2. Trees. 3. Rivers. 4. Clean.

Important Information: Any three: Put rubbish in dustbins; sweep homes and classrooms; plant trees and flowers; avoid throwing plastic bags into rivers.

8. Support for Slow Learners

• Let the pupil read one sentence at a time.
• Explain difficult words using familiar examples.
• Use pictures of clean and dirty environments.
• Allow the pupil to repeat sentences after the teacher.
• Ask simple oral questions before written exercises.

9. Learning Outcome

A pupil should be able to read a simple informational text, identify important facts and answer questions using information from the text.