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African Folktale - Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears

published on: 2/28/2003

Contributing Teacher(s): Rebecca Bradford

Subject Area: Communication Arts/English grammar/usage, Science/Integrated, Social Studies/Integrated, Fine Arts/Performing Arts/Integrated, Math/Integrated, Social Studies/World History

Grade Range: Lower Elementary (K-3)

Materials Needed:

• Copy of "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People''s Ears" by Verna Aardema
• Copy of a map of Africa for each child
• A bulletin board size map of the World
• Crayons or markers
• Construction paper
• A yam or sweet potato

Instructional Strategy: Front-load Vocabulary

Process Standards:

• Goal 1.7 evaluate the accuracy of information and the reliability of its sources
• Goal 3.6 examine problems and proposed solutions from multiple perspectives
• Goal 4.4 recognize and practice honesty and integrity in academic work and in the workplace

Content Standards:

• Communication Arts 7. Identifying and evaluating relationships between language and culture
• Science 3. Characteristics and interactions of living organisms
• Social Studies 6. Relationships of the individual and groups to institutions and cultural traditions

  G.L.E.:
  

  • CA - Re - 2 - C - 03
    (Reading, Develop and apply skills and strategies to comprehend, analyse and evaluate fiction, poetry and drama from a variety of cultures and times, Text elements, Grade 3.)

  Time Allowance: 2-3 days

  Description: Students use various subjects from this book by Verna Aardema to learn about science, communication arts, and social studies.

  ---

  Classroom Component: Day One:

  As an introduction, students will discuss the definition of a folktale. The discussion will include reasons for telling tales instead of writing them. Students will be told that this week they will be studying an African folktale. A map of the world will be displayed to show the continent of Africa. Students will be invited to share knowledge or ideas about Africa. Each student will be given a map of Africa to color. It will consist of many countries, some smaller than our state. They will be encouraged to use a variety of colors on the map.

  The students will be given a list of vocabulary and story words. The class will look up words together and discuss meanings. Volunteers will be asked to use words in a sentence. Vocabulary will be reviewed daily.
  Day Two:

  Students in each group will be given a yam to examine. They will be asked to give speculation on where it grows and what its use is. After reading the story, a comparison of the size of the mosquito and a yam will be discussed. Students will be encouraged to voice opinions as to why the iguana became so angry.

  Cause and effect will be discussed. Students will assess where the blame for the death of the baby eaglet lies. Each student will be given a flow chart to complete by drawing in a picture of each animal.
  Day Three:

  Students will be given a vocabulary page to complete. A list of words will be provided to fill in the sentence blanks. The diets of animals in the story will be discussed. Each student will choose three or four animals to construct a food chain.

  Read other folktales as time permits.

  SCORING GUIDE

  3	2	1
  Map of Africa is neat, variety of colors	Map is neat, 2 or 3 colors used	Map is sloppy
  Animal sequence is correct and attractively done	Done neatly but 2 animals are out of sequence	More than 2 animals are in the wrong sequence, sloppy
  Vocabulary words are all used correctly in sentences	2 or 3 words are placed incorrectly in sentences	4 or more words are incorrect in order
  5 animals were correctly positioned in the food chain	3 or 4 animals were correctly positioned in the food chain	2 animals were correctly positioned in the food chain
  Student participation in daily class discussion on this unit	Student made some contributions to class discussions	Student made little or no effort to participate in any discussions on this unit

  Further Projects

• Social Studies lesson to include worksheets on the features of African continent.
• Center project to include a folder with Bantu flash cards.
• Center project to include math problems using African animals.
• Oral reading of a different African Folktale each week for a quarter.
• Growing a yam or sweet potato vine and charting the growth on graph paper.
* Resources needed:
• The Map Book, HBJ Publishers, p. 147, 173
• Teacher Created Materials, #230 Thematic Unit - Multicultural Folktales

The King said to the council:

"So, it was the Who frightened the Who scared the

Who startled the

Who alarmed the Who killed the And now Mother Owl won''t wake the So that the day can come."

Vocabulary words from: "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People''s Ears" Choose one of the following words to fill in the blanks in each sentence:

annoyed	plotting	terrified
duty	council	punish
whining	satisfy	compared

• The rabbit was so _______________________ that she ran away.
• The animal must find food to _______________________ its hunger.
• The snake thought the animal was _______________________ something bad when he didn''t speak to him.
• The animal was so _______________________ he plugged up his ears.
• The King _______________________ the answers of the two animals so he could decide whom to _______________________ for the crime.
• The mosquito''s buzz sounds like someone is _______________________ in your ear.
• It was the _______________________ of all the animals in the _______________________ to tell the truth.

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For additional information contact :
Rebecca Bradford
Vineland Elem.
DeSoto 73
(636) 586-1010
EMAIL: pozark@aol.com