This document contains a reading comprehension activity about the parable "The Story of the Pencil" by Paulo Coelho. In the parable, a grandmother explains to her grandson the qualities of a pencil that she hopes he will embody as he grows up. The five qualities are: having God guide your steps; learning from suffering and mistakes; using an eraser to correct mistakes; focusing on what is inside yourself; and always leaving a sign or impact with your actions. After reading the parable and answering comprehension questions, students must complete an application task related to representing themselves or the lesson of the parable through drawing, song, or chant.

1. Name: _____________________________________________Date: ________________
Grade and Section: ___________________________________
Reading Enhancement Activity: Project TAMBAYAN
GRADE 11
I. MOTIVATION QUESTION:
Before reading the text, answer these questions orally:
Was there ever a time when you made a mistake and were embarrassed?
What did you do to correct that mistake?
II. READING ACTIVITY:
Read the parable with understanding.
THE STORY OF THE PENCIL
by Paulo Coelho
The Grandchild was looking at his grandma writing a letter. Suddenly he asked: “Are you writing a
story about us? Is it by chance a story about me?”. The grandma stopped writing, smiled and said to her
grandchild:
“Indeed I am writing about you, however more important than the words is the pencil I am using.
“I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up”.
The child, looked at the pencil curiously, but could not see anything special. “But . . . it is exactly the
same as every other pencil I saw in my life”.
“It is all in the way you look at things. There are five qualities in that pencil that, if you will be able to
maintain, will make you a man in peace with the whole world.
First quality: you can make big things, but never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. This
hand we call it God, and he will always have to address you towards his will.
Second quality: sometimes I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. This makes the pencil suffer a
little, but at the end it will be sharper. So, learn to bear a little pain because it will make you a better man.

2. Third Quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to cancel mistakes. Understand that to
correct something we did is not necessarily a bad thing, but something fundamental to keep us on the right
path.
Fourth quality: what is really important in the pencil is not the wood or the shape, but the lead
(graphite) that is inside. So, be always careful of what happens inside of yourself.
At the end, the fifth quality is: always leave a sign. In any case, be aware that everything you do in
your life will leave trails; try to be conscious of every single action”.
III. COMPREHENSION CHECK:
Answer the following questions:
1. Who are the characters in the story?
2. What is a parable?
3. Why did the grandmother demonstrate and explain to her grandson the qualities of a pencil?
4. Can you enumerate and describe each quality the grandmother was talking about?
5. Which of these qualities were you able to relate to and why?
IV. APPLICATION OF LEARNING:
Application of the task (Choose any of the given tasks):
1. Draw using a pencil on a bond paper or any paper a symbol or anything that will describe yourself. Explain
why you chose that symbol or thing to represent yourself.
2. Sing a related song that you think is dedicated to yourself.
3. Compose by writing a chant related to the parable you have read and perform it in class.
Task 1 Rubric:
Symbol 10 points
Aesthetic sense 10 points
Overall quality 10 points
TOTAL: 30 points
Task 2 Rubric:
Voice quality 10 points
Song choice 10 points
Performance 10 points
TOTAL 30 points
Task 3 Rubric:
Composition 10 points
Appropriation 10 points
Performance 10 points
TOTAL 30 points