Myth Paired Selections Anansi/Stories

Use "How Anansi Got His Stories" to answer questions 1 and 2.
Anansi's main problem is that he -

• wants to become friends with Nyame, but the snake is dangerous
• struggles to win the trust and respect of the people in his village
• must find a way to get the world's stories from Nyame
• has to figure out a clever way to trap the stinging hornets in the gourd

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

This myth explains how the -

• Ashanti people began to worship spiders
• powerful snake gained control of an Ashanti village
• Ashanti people came to believe in fairies
• custom of storytelling developed among the Ashanti

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.8.9

Use "How Stories Came to the World" to answer questions 3 and 4.
Which earlier event hints at how the people will respond to the boy's first story?

• The boy agrees to trade the sack of food for a story.
• The people gather around the hear the boy retell the Great Stone's story.
• The boy thanks the Great Stone for telling him the story.
• The boy forgets his cold and hunger while listening to the Great Stone.

Tags

CCSS.RL.1.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.K.5

This Native American myth most likely comes from a time when -

• a magical stone spoke to a child
• food was scarce for the tribe
• people did not know any stories
• snow fell for the first time

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.8.9

Use "How Anansi Got His Stories" and "How Stories Came to the World" to answer questions 5 through 8.
Look at the chart on your handout.
Which sentence belongs in the box?

• Myths were told only to children.
• Myths contain many obvious lies.
• Myths explain what the world used to be like.
• Myths contain unusual characters.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.9

Which of the following best summarizes these two selections?

• In these myths, characters trick each other to get what they want. There is a lot of magic in each story, and they are both very entertaining.
• People in these myths are very sad until someone tells them a good story. All people enjoy stories if they are entertaining and have interesting characters.
• These myths each include a character who brings the art of storytelling to his or her people. The community finds wisdom and entertainment in the stories.
• Characters in a myth are not real people. Animals and stones are more important than people because the stories are about magic, not about real life.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.9

Which theme is found in both selections?

• Animals can be as clever as people.
• Stories are an important part of a culture.
• A young person can be as wise an older person.
• It is best to use your mind, and not force, to solve problems.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.9

A difference between the two selections is that the Anansi story -

• tells how a custom began
• is set in the distant past
• has a third-person narrator
• involves playing a trick

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RI.6.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.9