STORIES WITH KELLY
Sample Videos and Supplements
Story Summaries and Supplements
Monkey and Crocodile
Grades K-2
In this folktale from India, a mischievous monkey is lured down from the safety of her tree by a hungry crocodile. Can she trick the crocodile and get back to safety? And what will she do if she meets the crocodile a second time?
Monkey and Crocodile Supplement
Discussion prompts:
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What did you like best about the monkey? About the crocodile? Why?
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Was it okay for the monkey to tease the crocodiles? Why or why not?
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This story has two parts, and they both end with a trick! What is the monkey’s first trick? What is the monkey’s second trick?
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Where do you think the crocodile goes after the end of the story?
Activity prompts:
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Have students each draw their favorite scene from the story. Using two student drawings at a time, play the “which came first, which came second” game, putting the pictures in sequential order.
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As a class, learn five facts about monkeys and five facts about crocodiles. Create booklets of monkey facts and/or crocodile facts using illustrations and words as students are able.
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Movement: stand up in a circle. Walk like a monkey! Walk like a crocodile! Laugh, dance talk, sleep, etc. like a monkey/crocodile.
The Boy who Drew Cats
Grades 3-5
A folktale from Japan, thought to be loosely based on legends about a 15th century artist named Sesshu, this story was translated into English in 1898 by Lafcadio Hearn. A boy whose frequent illnesses make life with his farming family difficult is sent off to become a priest. Unfortunately, the boy has a habit of drawing cats everywhere. He is expelled from the temple. Where will he go next? A spooky encounter with a goblin-rat finally lets him find his place in the world.
The Boy Who Drew Cats Supplement
Discussion prompts:
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The boy in this story has trouble fitting in. What makes it hard for him to fit in with his family? What makes it hard to fit in at the first temple? People seems to care about him and like him. Why isn't this enough?
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The boy’s family sends him away. How do you feel about this? Are they kind? Unkind? Do they have another choice?
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The main character in a story is sometimes called the PROTAGONIST. Whoever or whatever works against this character is called the ANTAGONIST. These words come from ancient Greek athletic competition. Protagonist means “first contestant.” Antagonist means “opposing contestant.” "Agony" originally meant physical struggle in an athletic contest. Now of course it means physical or mental pain! In some stories, the protagonist is “the good guy” and the antagonist is “the bad guy,” but in lots of stories and life it's not this simple! Sometimes a person can be their own opponent. Who causes trouble for the boy at home? Who is the antagonist at the first temple? Who is the antagonist at the second temple? Do you think the boy is still the "protagonist" even if he is hiding in the cupboard during the actual physical struggle? Why or why not?
Activity prompts:
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WRITE: Imagine you are lying in that cupboard in the haunted temple. Write a sensory description. How does it feel in there? What does it smell like? What do you hear? Do you taste anything? What can you see—and beyond that, what do you imagine happening beyond your view?
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WRITE Alone or with a friend, write a story about a kid who drew ______________. You choose! Who is your character? Where do they live? What do they draw? How does this become a problem? What happens because of the problem? How can their drawing (which caused the problem) also become the solution?
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ENACT: In groups of 3 or 4, decide on one important scene in the story. Using only your bodies (no props) create a TABLEAU, or frozen representation of that scene.
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DRAW: First, draw a cat from your imagination. Next, using a photograph of a real cat, draw again, paying attention to the shape of the body, the position of the cat, and any details you did not consider in your first drawing. Take your time. Don’t worry about perfectly copying the second cat! notice what changes in your ideas about how to draw a cat.