Lessons from Anansi the Spider

Lesson 7
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ELA

Alternate Unit 3

2nd Grade

Lesson 7 of 19

Objective


Explain if Spider had been helpful or not by explaining how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The Adventures of Spider: West African Folktales by Joyce Cooper Arkhurst  — "How Spider Got a Bald Head"

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Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

Is Spider helpful? Defend why or why not.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


  • Why does Spider go to help his mother-in-law?

  • Is Spider being helpful? Why or why not?

  • Even though he tried to, Spider could not stop himself from eating the beans. Why?

  • Model fluent reading. “I’m going to read this page with expression so that you can better understand what Spider is feeling. I want you to notice what I do as a reader.”  What did you notice?

  • Why did Spider tell the people that he was doing the hat-shaking dance?

  • Spider says he is ashamed. Why is he ashamed?

Vocabulary


appetite

n.

a desire to eat

disgrace

n.

a loss of respect

commotion

n.

a noisy confusion

ashamed

adj.

feeling shame or guilt for doing something wrong or foolish

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Common Core Standards


  • L.2.6 — Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids are happy that makes me happy).
  • RL.2.2 — Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
  • RL.2.3 — Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
  • RL.2.9 — Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures.

Supporting Standards

L.2.1.e
L.2.1.f
L.2.4.a
RL.2.10
SL.2.1
SL.2.2

Next

Retell “How Spider Got a Bald Head” and determine the central message or lesson.

Lesson 8
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Lesson Map

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