How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Lesson Plan | Class 9 English Kaveri Chapter 1

 

📚 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – Lesson Plan

Class 9 English | Kaveri | Chapter 1 | CBSE 2026–27

“How I Taught My Grandmother to Read” by Sudha Murty is the first prose lesson in the Class 9 Kaveri textbook. The narrative focuses on Krishtakka's determination to learn reading with the help of her granddaughter.

This lesson plan is designed around the CBSE competency-based and experiential learning approach, with emphasis on reading comprehension, interpretation, communication, critical thinking, collaboration, creative expression and application of learning. CBSE's 2026–27 English curriculum specifically encourages experiential, activity-based and discussion-based pedagogy rather than dependence on teacher-led instruction alone.

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🏫 LESSON PLAN – QUICK DETAILS

Particular	Details
School	__________________________
Teacher	__________________________
Class	IX
Subject	English
Book	Kaveri – Textbook of English for Grade 9
Unit	Unit 1
Chapter	Chapter 1
Topic	How I Taught My Grandmother to Read
Author	Sudha Murty
Genre	Personal/Autobiographical Narrative
Duration	3 periods × 40 minutes
Teaching Approach	Experiential + Discussion + Activity-Based
Method	Interactive / Collaborative / Inquiry-Based
Assessment	Formative + Competency-Based

The current CBSE 2026–27 curriculum lists Kaveri: Textbook of English for Grade 9 as the prescribed Class IX English textbook and promotes assessment through multiple forms such as MCQs, constructed responses, discussions, projects, presentations, role plays, portfolios and graphic organisers.

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🎯 SMART LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

S – Specific

• identify the major characters and important events;
• explain the significance of Kashi Yatre;
• describe Krishtakka's transformation;
• identify the central themes and message.

M – Measurable

Students will be able to answer at least 80% of the comprehension and application questions correctly.

A – Achievable

Students will participate in guided reading, discussion, group activities and short written tasks.

R – Relevant

Students will connect the ideas of education, independence and lifelong learning with real-life situations.

T – Time-Bound

Students will demonstrate the expected learning outcomes by the end of the three-period lesson sequence.

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🧠 CBSE COMPETENCY / LEARNING OUTCOMES

The lesson develops the following competencies:

📖 Reading & Comprehension

Students will:

• identify the main idea;
• locate relevant information;
• sequence events;
• infer meaning from the text;
• identify cause-and-effect relationships.

🔍 Critical Thinking

Students will:

• analyse why Krishtakka wanted to learn;
• examine the importance of literacy;
• interpret the change in her attitude;
• evaluate the significance of the grandmother-granddaughter relationship.

🗣️ Communication

Students will:

• express opinions during discussion;
• answer questions using evidence from the text;
• participate in pair/group activities;
• present their ideas clearly.

✍️ Writing

Students will:

• write short analytical responses;
• describe a character;
• express the message/theme of the story;
• connect the story with real-life experiences.

🤝 Collaboration

Students will work in pairs/groups to complete the activities.

These outcomes align with the current CBSE framework's emphasis on comprehension, interpretation, communication, critical thinking, collaboration and literary appreciation.

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🌟 HPC / HOLISTIC COMPETENCIES

The lesson promotes:

• Communication
• Critical Thinking
• Collaboration
• Creativity
• Empathy
• Self-learning
• Respect for others
• Perseverance
• Problem-solving

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🎨 VARK / MULTIPLE LEARNING STYLES

👁️ Visual

• Concept Map
• Character Map
• Story-flow diagram
• Chapter illustrations

👂 Auditory

• Teacher read-aloud
• Student narration
• Pair discussion
• Oral questioning

✋ Kinaesthetic

• Role play
• Sequencing activity
• Gallery walk
• Character/event cards

📖 Read/Write

• Text annotation
• Short answers
• Character sketch
• Exit ticket

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🇮🇳 INDIAN / LOCAL CONTEXT CONNECTION

Students will explore:

Literacy → Education → Confidence → Independence

They will discuss how access to education can influence an individual's confidence and participation in everyday life.

Students can also reflect on the importance of respecting grandparents and learning from people across generations.

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🎭 ART-INTEGRATED LEARNING (AIL)

Activity: “From Dependence to Independence”

Students create a simple visual journey:

Cannot Read
⬇️
Feels Helpless
⬇️
Decides to Learn
⬇️
Practises
⬇️
Learns to Read
⬇️
Becomes Independent

Students can represent each stage using symbols, sketches or small illustrations.

Outcome:
Students visually represent the character's transformation and understand the cause-and-effect relationship in the narrative.

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🧩 PERIOD 1 – CONNECT, PREDICT & READ

⏰ Duration: 40 Minutes

1. Entry Activity – “Can You Imagine?” | 5 min

Teacher asks:

“Imagine you have a favourite story, but suddenly nobody is available to read it for you. How would you feel?”

Students respond with words such as:

Helpless – Curious – Sad – Dependent – Frustrated

Teacher writes responses on the board.

💡 Learning Connection

Teacher introduces the question:

“What if you were 62 years old and decided to learn reading for the first time?”

This creates curiosity about the chapter.

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2. Pre-Reading Discussion | 5 min

Ask:

• Why is reading important?
• Can someone learn something new at any age?
• Should age ever stop us from learning?
• Have you ever learnt something from your grandparents?

Students share brief responses.

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3. Title Prediction | 5 min

Write on the board:

HOW I TAUGHT MY GRANDMOTHER TO READ

Students predict:

• Who is the teacher?
• Who is the learner?
• Why might a grandmother need to learn?
• What could have motivated her?

Teacher records 3–4 predictions.

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4. Guided Reading | 15 min

Teacher introduces:

• Sudha Murty
• Krishtakka/Avva
• village setting
• Kashi Yatre
• Triveni
• Karmaveera

Students read the opening portion silently and underline:

🔹 Characters
🔹 Places
🔹 Important events
🔹 Difficult words

The current textbook unit also uses reading followed by comprehension activities, making guided reading and evidence-based responses appropriate for classroom transaction.

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5. Quick Check | 5 min

Teacher asks:

Q1. Who is Krishtakka?
Q2. What did she enjoy listening to?
Q3. Why was Kashi Yatre important to her?

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6. Exit Card | 5 min

Students complete:

Today I learnt ________.

One question I still have is ________.

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🧩 PERIOD 2 – UNDERSTAND, ANALYSE & EXPERIENCE

⏰ Duration: 40 Minutes

1. Recap – 5 min

Teacher displays five keywords:

Krishtakka – Sudha – Kashi Yatre – Karmaveera – Reading

Students explain the connection between them.

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2. Story Sequence Activity | 8 min

Give groups mixed event cards.

Students arrange them in the correct sequence:

1. Sudha reads Kashi Yatre.
2. Sudha goes away.
3. Grandmother cannot read the new episode.
4. She realises her dependence.
5. She decides to learn.
6. Sudha becomes her teacher.
7. Grandmother practises.
8. She learns to read.

Competencies

Sequencing + Collaboration + Logical Thinking

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3. Character Hot Seat | 10 min

One student becomes Krishtakka.

Other students ask:

• Why did you want to learn?
• How did you feel when you couldn't read?
• Was learning difficult?
• Why did you respect Sudha?
• What did education mean to you?

Student answers from the character's perspective.

🎭 Learning Outcome

Students interpret the character instead of simply memorising a character sketch.

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4. Think–Pair–Share | 7 min

Question:

“Why do you think Krishtakka's decision to learn was more than simply learning the alphabet?”

Students:

Think → Pair → Share

Expected ideas:

• independence
• confidence
• dignity
• self-respect
• freedom from dependence

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5. Theme Web | 5 min

Students create a quick web:

EDUCATION

→ Independence
→ Confidence
→ Determination
→ Self-respect
→ Lifelong learning

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6. Exit Ticket | 5 min

Complete:

Krishtakka changed because ____________.

The story teaches me that ____________.

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🧩 PERIOD 3 – APPLY, CREATE & ASSESS

⏰ Duration: 40 Minutes

1. Recap Quiz | 5 min

Five rapid-fire questions:

1. Who wrote the story?
2. Who was Krishtakka?
3. Who was Triveni?
4. What was Kashi Yatre?
5. Who became Krishtakka's teacher?

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2. HOTS Activity | 8 min

Think Beyond the Text

“Was Krishtakka learning only to read a book, or was she learning to become independent?”

Students must support their answer with an event from the story.

This develops reasoning + textual evidence + interpretation, rather than simple recall.

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3. Role Play | 10 min

Scene:

Grandmother asks Sudha to teach her reading.

Roles:

👵 Krishtakka
👧 Sudha
👩 Narrator

Students perform a short 2–3 minute scene.

Skills Developed

• Speaking
• Expression
• Empathy
• Collaboration
• Confidence

CBSE's current pedagogy specifically identifies role play, group discussion, debate, interviews and oral presentation as useful classroom processes.

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4. Competency-Based Assessment | 10 min

Case-Based Question

Imagine that a family member who never had the opportunity to attend school wants to learn reading today. Based on Krishtakka's experience, what three suggestions would you give? Explain why.

Students should provide:

Suggestion + Reason + Connection with the story

This assesses application rather than memorisation.

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5. Exit Card | 7 min

Students complete:

🟢 ONE THING I UNDERSTOOD

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🟡 ONE THING I FOUND INTERESTING

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🔵 ONE THING I CAN APPLY IN REAL LIFE

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📊 ASSESSMENT PLAN

Assessment	Tool	What is Assessed
Diagnostic	Entry questions	Prior knowledge
Formative	Oral questions	Comprehension
Formative	Event sequencing	Logical thinking
Formative	Character Hot Seat	Interpretation
Formative	Think-Pair-Share	Communication
Formative	Role Play	Speaking & collaboration
Competency	Case-based question	Application
Self-assessment	Exit Card	Reflection
Summative	Short written response	Understanding + expression

CBSE's 2026–27 curriculum recommends assessment that goes beyond recall and includes ongoing formative assessment, constructed responses, MCQs, case-based questions, discussions, role plays, projects and self-assessment.

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📝 DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING

🟢 For Learners Needing Support

• Provide keyword cards.
• Use event sequencing.
• Give sentence starters.
• Allow pair reading.
• Use visual organisers.

Sentence Starter:

“Krishtakka decided to learn because __________.”

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🟡 For Average Learners

Ask students to:

• explain the turning point;
• describe Krishtakka's qualities;
• explain the significance of Kashi Yatre.

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🔵 For Advanced Learners

HOTS Question:

“The granddaughter is young, but the grandmother considers her a teacher. What does this tell us about knowledge and age?”

Students write a reasoned paragraph using evidence from the chapter.

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♿ INCLUSIVE EDUCATION STRATEGIES

• Mixed-ability pairing
• Read-aloud support
• Visual organisers
• Large-print keywords where required
• Oral response options
• Peer support
• Multiple ways of demonstrating learning
• Additional time for students who need it

The CBSE framework encourages accommodating student diversity, building on prior knowledge, using varied teaching techniques and providing timely feedback.

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💻 ICT INTEGRATION

Teacher may use:

• Smart Board
• Digital concept map
• Chapter illustration
• Short author introduction
• Interactive quiz
• Digital exit ticket

Suggested Digital Activity

Display the Concept Map and ask students to identify the connection between:

Kashi Yatre → Problem → Realisation → Learning → Independence

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🌱 VALUES / LIFE SKILLS

The chapter provides opportunities to develop:

❤️ Empathy

Understanding the feelings of an elderly learner.

💪 Perseverance

Continuing despite difficulty.

📚 Respect for Education

Understanding the value of literacy.

🙏 Respect for Teachers

Recognising the importance of a teacher regardless of age.

🌟 Self-Confidence

Understanding how learning can build confidence.

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🏠 HOME ASSIGNMENT

Choice 1 – Creative

Create a poster on:

“Learning Has No Age Limit”

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Choice 2 – Writing

Write 100–120 words on:

“What can young people learn from Krishtakka?”

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Choice 3 – Real-Life Connection

Talk to an elderly family member about something they would like to learn.

Write:

• What they want to learn
• Why they want to learn it
• How you could help them

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🔄 INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS

📜 Social Science

Discuss access to education and literacy in society.

🎨 Art Education

Create a visual story sequence or character poster.

💻 Digital Literacy

Discuss how reading and digital skills help people become more independent.

🧠 Life Skills

Connect perseverance and lifelong learning with everyday situations.

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📋 RUBRIC

Criteria	Excellent	Good	Developing
Understanding	Explains ideas accurately with evidence	Understands main ideas	Needs support
Communication	Clear and confident	Mostly clear	Limited expression
Critical Thinking	Gives reasoned interpretation	Gives relevant response	Mainly recalls
Collaboration	Actively contributes	Participates	Needs encouragement
Creativity	Original and meaningful	Appropriate	Basic

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🎫 FINAL EXIT TICKET

Before leaving the classroom, every student completes:

The most important lesson I learnt from Krishtakka is ____________.

One quality I would like to develop is ____________.

One thing I can teach someone else is ____________.

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👩‍🏫 TEACHER REFLECTION

After the lesson, the teacher may reflect on:

• Were students able to understand the central conflict?
• Did students connect literacy with independence?
• Which activity generated the most participation?
• Were students able to support answers with textual evidence?
• Which learners need additional support?
• What should be reinforced in the next lesson?

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🔗 Complete Chapter 1 Study Series

For complete preparation of Class 9 English Kaveri Chapter 1, explore the related posts:

• How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – Summary
• How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – KWL Chart
• How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – Concept Map
• How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – Lesson Plan
• How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – 20 Important MCQs
• How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – Textbook Questions & Answers 
• How I Taught My Grandmother to Read - Quiz

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