The Microbe

The Microbe is so very small
You cannot make him out at all,
But many sanguine people hope
To see him through a microscope.
His jointed tongue that lies beneath
A hundred curious rows of teeth;
His seven tufted tails with lots
Of lovely pink and purple spots,
On each of which a pattern stands,
Composed of forty separate bands;
His eyebrows of a tender green;
All these have never yet been seen--
But Scientists, who ought to know,
Assure us that they must be so....
Oh! Let us never, never doubt
What nobody is sure about! 

----- Hilaire Belloc

We are thinking about how to plan classroom process so as the learners can analyse the poem. Testing of their analysis of the poem is also included.

There are two sections below. First one is mainly intended for teachers who plan the classroom teaching of the poem at the level, senior secondary and above.

Section two targets teachers, self-learners and evaluators.

Now read both.

1.    Classroom process for the poem

Time required: 2 hours (in a day or two)

Objectives:

a)   Students make an attempt to write certain lines of a poem on the theme suggested by the teacher.

b)   They understand the satiric nature of the poem.

c)    They analyse the present poem to appreciate it.

A.   First hour/day

Teacher takes the students to the science lab.

They have note books with them to note whatever they observe.

Individually they observe microbes on the microscope.

(In order to happen this, teacher should have taken measures to contact the lab-in-charge)

They draw the picture of the microbe that they observe.

Teacher interaction:

            What is the shape of the microbe?

            What is the size of the microbe that you saw?

            What is the colour?

After they come into the class, teacher says:

            You saw the microbes, didn't you?

            Now you write certain lines to form a poem on microbes.

They open note book and get ready to compose.

Pace out the following questions so as to get the mental picture.

            What is the shape of the microbe?

            What is the colour?

            Has it body parts?

            Is it horrific?

            What does it look like?

            …………..

(If there is no chance to observe microbes on the microscope, show the following picture)

They write two/three stanzas.

Teacher invites presentation of two/three.

Loud reading of the poem by the teacher.

Teacher helps them to overcome the barrier of new words/idioms/phrases.

They read the poem silently.

A.   Second hour/day

Following is a funny picture of the microbe.

(Show the print-out of the picture or project the picture on the screen)

Can you compare this picture with the one drawn by the poet in the poem?

Teacher draws the following table;

Features of the microbe as described by the poet	Features of the microbe as described in the funny picture
1.	1.
2.	2. Looks like a monster
3. It has tail with purple spots	3.
4.	4.

Reading the poem, they fill-in the table.

They write a paragraph describing the differences of features.

Two or three students present the differences.

The poem ‘The Microbe’ came out in the year 1900, that is, about 115 years ago, immediately after Robert Koch showed that microorganisms caused diseases.

Teacher interaction:

This poem might have enlightened several, those who were interested in science, as well as laymen to think on the features of the microbes.

Still there is a question.

Does it arise a thought against the real spirit of science?

Science presents evidences and empirical knowledge.

That is, knowledge based on experimentation and observation.

Does this poem questions that philosophy and spirit of science?

Or confirms the philosophy and spirit of science?

Teacher continues the interaction:

If it questions, write ‘ yes, it questions the philosophy’

If it confirms the philosophy, write ‘yes, it confirms the philosophy.’

Whatever be your opinion write your reasons.

Teacher asks any one to say her/his opinion.

Teacher invites another one to counter the argument said by the first one.

Thus the class glides into a debate.

(Don’t sensitise them that, it is a debate)

Read the last five lines of the poem:

(Teacher shows the five lines on a chart or on the screen)

All these have never yet been seen--
But Scientists, who ought to know,
Assure us that they must be so....
Oh! Let us never, never doubt
What nobody is sure about! 

What is the fun in it?

Many say these five lines are uncomfortable. What is the discomfort with the lines?

2. Testing your analysis of the poem

a)   Describe the microbe as the poet describes it in the poem.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

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b)   What makes the work a comic verse?

………………………………………………………………………………………….

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c)    Following is a bacteria poem in which you can read the usefulness of bacteria. Try some lines to show the helpfulness of bacteria.

What Bacteria Means to Me

--- La Cynthia Barnett

When I think of bacteria

I think of all sorts of things.

Like the fact that they are

Among the smallest living things.

Some cause all sorts of disease

Like boils and syphilis, too

But many other bacteria are helpful to us, too.

It helps turn milk into cheddar cheese

And helps us come up with

Different types of vaccines.

So when I think of bacteria

And what it means to me

I think of the helpful things it does for you and me

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