Pre-reading Teacher’s Guidelines:
Ask students some of the following questions to activate their prior knowledge:
a) What do you want to be when you grow up?
b) Can you think of some other professions?
c) What kind of work do people in the villages do?
Reading Text
Pottery Making My aunt Sadori and uncle Jumman are potters. One day, I went to visit them. When I got there, I saw that Aunt Sadori was shaping a pot on a wheel. She was pushing the wheel. It went round and round. While the wheel was moving, she shaped the pot with both hands. It was fun to watch her smooth and lovely movements. After making each pot, she put it out in the sun to dry.
Some pots and bowls were drying outside in the sun. My cousin Sara was sitting under the neem tree nearby. She was making patterns on a bowl with a pointed bone. She said, “Hello Raja, I’ll come and play with you for a while. I have to make the pattern before this bowl is completely dry.”
My cousin Saleh said, ‘I also want to play with you. But first, I must colour the vase.’
Uncle Jumman said, ‘Okay, I’ll take Raja to see our kiln in the meantime.’ The kiln was outside. It was about eight feet high and twenty feet wide. A little smoke was coming out of the kiln.
Uncle Jumman said, ‘Raja, do not go too near the kiln. It’s very hot.’
I said, ‘What’s inside it?’
Uncle Jumman replied, ‘The pots are baking inside. They’ll bake for three days. Then we’ll take them to the market.’
We were standing near the kiln when I saw Alam.
He was coming towards us with his donkey.
I asked Uncle Jumman, ‘What is Alam bringing?’
He said, ‘Alam is bringing some clay. Tomorrow I’ll make some paste from the clay and then your aunt will make some pots, vases, and toys.’
Post Reading Activity
Read the text and complete the sentences to show how Uncle Jumman and his family made pottery.
Example: First, Alam brought some clay to the donkey.
1. Then, uncle Jumman made some
2. Next, aunt Sadori shaped the
3. After that, she put the pots in the
4. Then, Sara made some
5. After that, Saleh coloured
6. Finally, uncle Jumman put