The Village Headmaster Chapter 3 Summary

LESSON PLAN PRESENTATION

Subject: Literature
Table of Contents
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Class: Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS 3)
Term: First Term
Week: 9
Age: 13–15 years
Topic: The Village Headmaster – Chapter 3: The New Term
Sub-topic: Characterization, Themes, and Setting
Duration: 45 minutes

Behavioural Objectives

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

Narrate the major events in Chapter 3 of The Village Headmaster.
Describe the characters of Ishmael, Tunji, and Mr Mozie with evidence from the text.
Identify the key themes (e.g. tradition, friendship, school life).
Discuss the setting and its cultural significance (e.g., flogging Judas during Easter).
Express personal opinions about the actions of characters using classroom discussion.

Keywords

Effigy
Betrayal
Good Friday
Innovation
Tradition
Jealousy
Continuity
Characterisation
Discipline
Setting

Set Induction (Warm-Up Activity)

Teacher Activity:
Walk into the classroom with a raffia sack and a makeshift stick. Say:

“Imagine you were betrayed by someone you trusted. How would you feel? What if every year, your community acted out revenge for that betrayal?”

Tell students this activity was traditionally practiced in some Nigerian communities on Good Friday using a figure called Judas. Invite them to describe any Easter traditions in their community, then connect it to the chapter’s events.

Instructional Materials

Textbook: The Village Headmaster
Excerpt printouts of Chapter 3
Visuals: photo or drawing of an effigy
Flashcards with keywords
Whiteboard/marker

Lesson Presentation

Step 1: Introduction (5 mins)

Brief recap of Chapter 2.
Ask: “Who remembers how Chapter 2 ended? What do you expect in a new term?”

Step 2: Reading & Narration (10 mins)

Read a selected portion of the text aloud (students may take turns).
Highlight Ishmael and Tunji’s dialogue about Judas and the railway escapade.

Step 3: Analysis (15 mins)

Character Study:

Ishmael – Curious, expressive, a little jealous.
Tunji – Adventurous, imaginative, possibly exaggerates.
Mr Mozie – Strategic, resourceful, avoids conflict for long-term gain.

Themes:

Tradition vs. Modern Education – “Flogging Judas” vs. “Better teaching without the cane”
Friendship & Envy – Ishmael envies Tunji’s experience
Adaptation in School System – Mr Mozie making do with what he has

Setting:

Railway compound, village life, Easter time.

Step 4: Discussion (5 mins)

Prompt questions:

“Why do you think the boys enjoyed flogging the Judas effigy?”
“How does Mr Mozie handle the teacher shortage?”
“Have you ever exaggerated a story like Tunji?”

Class Activities

Group Work (10 mins):
- Group 1: Dramatize the flogging of Judas.
- Group 2: Draw and label a scene from the railway compound.
- Group 3: List challenges Mr Mozie faced and his creative solutions.

Evaluation (5 mins)

Ask students the following questions orally or in their notes:

What does the flogging of Judas represent?
Who is Mr Dewar and what is his role?
How did Ishmael react to Tunji’s story?
Describe one theme in the chapter.
Why was Mr Mozie short one teacher?

Assignment

Write a short diary entry from the point of view of:

Ishmael, narrating his feelings about not being part of the Judas celebration.

Chalkboard Summary

Judas Tradition
Ishmael & Tunji’s Friendship
Mr Mozie’s Leadership
Themes: Tradition, Friendship, Education Reform
Setting: Village, Railway Compound, School

FAQs (for your site SEO block)

Q1: What is the significance of flogging Judas in this story?
It represents community justice and a playful way to engage children with history and tradition.

Q2: Why was Ishmael jealous of Tunji?
Because Tunji participated in a fun tradition that Ishmael missed out on.

Q3: What theme is shown in Mr Mozie’s approach to solving problems?
Leadership and adaptability in difficult circumstances.

Q4: What makes Standard Four difficult to teach?
It’s a challenging academic year, and Mr Agomuo also has a stammer.

Q5: How is discipline handled differently in this chapter?
There’s a shift towards “Better teaching without the cane,” a new educational philosophy.

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Meta Description: Dive into the summary and themes of The Village Headmaster Chapter 3 – The New Term. Explore traditional Easter practices, school life, and character development in this engaging JSS 3 Literature lesson plan.
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Tags: Village Headmaster, Nigerian Literature, JSS 3, Literature Notes, Easter Tradition, Judas Effigy, School Stories