My Reading Activity

Ronald Dahl's

Anansi and Turtle

Looking at the title and image on the first page, what do you think the story is about?

I think the story is about a turtle and Anansi the spider

What are some of the features of traditional tales and fables? What makes them different from other stories we read?

Anansi and the turtle  was and old traditional story  

Where is the story set? You need to identify and look up where this country is.

In the beginning of the story we see that they are telling tales under the moonlight, why are tales often told under moonlight?

The story was set under the moon in Nigeria

We know that this story is ‘retold’ what does the word ‘retold’ mean and can you give an example/ explain further?

It mean a story has been told to you and then you tell your son or daughter that what the word retold means  

What does the word ‘customary’ mean? What is customary in your culture? (Maybe sharing a meal, or giving someone a compliment)

customary means if your mums friends came over your mum may have to prepare some food for them

Predict what you think will happen next in the story?

I think Anansi will give turtle some of his food

hat are tricks and how might Anansi trick turtle?

Anansi trick turtle by telling him to go wash his hand because it was dirty and when turtle came back Anansi told him to go wash his hand again

Tuesday:

4-6

Summarise what has happened in the story - this needs to be in your own words.

Anansi was cooking his yams for lunch and then turtle came from a log way. Turtle was hungry for some food and he saw Anansi hand just cooked his yams so turtle ask Anansi the spider “if he could have some food” with Anansi the spider. Anansi had no choice to no then Anansi said no so Anansi said “yes” so turtle went to have a meal but his hand was not clean. So Ananias told turtle to go wash his hand down the river. so turtle went down to the river well Anansi was eating but turtle didn't know.when turtle came back Anansi had eat. Anansi said “sorry to turtle for eating without him” The turtle went to have some yams but his hand was still dirty then Anansi said “go and wash your hand properly”. So turtle went and washed his hand then he went back but there were no food left for him.                                

shaking their hands? When do you wash your hands?

After your play,after you had finish being in the toilet,before you eat,

What might happen next? Why do you think that?

turtle may feel sad after having nothing to eat after his long walk.

because he was tricked by Anansi the spider.

Tell me about manners and family routines –  We know that in the story Anansi apologises in the first line then tells Turtle off again for having dirty hands.

manners mean like if you hurt one of you friends you have to say sorry and you may say I will not do that again.

“What might happen next?” “Who is the cleverer of the two?” Think about the fact that Turtle has worked out that Anansi knows Turtle’s hands will get dirty. What might Turtle do?

Anansi is the cleverer one because she hand trick turtle by telling him to go and wash his hands before he eat.  

Wednesday:

What does the terms “All the same” mean on the new page? Think about the fact that the writer has begun the new page with “all the same”

“All the same means” having to do stuff again and again after you have did it.

Have a look at careful language of manners – Turtle thanks Anansi and invites him to dinner. Why do you think Turtle is so polite?

Because he looked like a good person and so he could teach Anansi the spider a liesen after having nothing from Anansi the spider.  

Anansi’s eyes “bulged” – discuss what this means and why his eyes would bulge. What does this tell us about the character of Anansi?

Anansi eyes bulged because she had told turtle to come back over and she will prepare a feast for him.

Identify the setting and how it is different from the place Anansi lives. What do think may happen next?  Anansi lives up top of turtle. next I think that turtle will trick Anansi  

Use the words and illustrations to consider the food Turtle has prepared and how this fits with the traditional story feature of animals with human characteristics.

turtle spotted some food under the water.

Anansi needs food, how will Anansi get down? What will Turtle do?

Anansi could try and look for a heavy jumper to fall down in the river. Turtle should just move his food to another place.  

After reading the story who was smarter? Why do you think this?

I think that turtle was smarter than spider because he went under the river and found some food for him to eat spider wanted some but he could not swim so he putted some rocks into his pocket and he went down but turtle took off spider jacket and up went spider .

What are the features of traditional tales and how does story fit the familiar patterns, including the ending?

people past on the story by herring it from there mother or father so they could tell there own kids .

Thursday:

How did Anansi tricked Turtle – “What did he use?” Turtle used the same trick on Anansi?

Anansi tricked turtle by telling him to go and wash his hand so she could eat all of her food

Traditional stories often have a message or moral. think, pair, and share their ideas for what the message might be?

the message was about been smart and sharing your food to your mate and when your friends comes over you may give her or him some food

Write a story of their own based on a traditional tale format; use a known tale and turn it into a Turtle/Anansi story; or create a fable around a problem scenario.

OR you can retell this or other stories from the point of view of another character.

Anansi was cooking his yams for lunch and then turtle came from a log way. Turtle was hungry for some food and he saw anansi hand just cooked his yams so turtle ask Anansi the spider “if he could have some food” whti anansi the spider. Anansi had no choice to no then Anansi said no so Anansi said “yes” so turtle went to have a meal but his hand was not clean. So Ananias told turtle to go wash his hand down the river. so turtle went down to the river well Anansi was eating but turtle didn't know.when turtle came back Anansi had eat. Anansi said “sorry to turtle for eating without him” The turtle went to have some yams but his hand was still dirty then Anansi said “go and wash your hand properly”. So turtle went and washed his hand then he went back but there were no food left for him.  So turtle went for a walk to the river and dive under and he found some food under the river and he had eat it.