Was it Fair for the Elephant's Child

Was it Fair for the Elephant's Child?

Florence Blackwood
Liberty Elementary School
Franklin, Tennessee
89032

GRADE: 1 - 3

GOAL: Students will use literature to explore ideas of justice.

OBJECTIVES: Students will select specific examples of justice/fairness and specific events that are not fair. They will discuss what makes something fair or unfair. They will demonstrate their understanding of the idea of justice by drawing and explaining cartoons that tell the story.

MATERIALS:

Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling
Paper and crayons
pencils or magic markers for drawing

ACTIVITY: Introduce the story "The Elephant's Child" from Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling. Discuss where the story takes place Africa and what the climate would be, what animals will be in the story. Introduce words that would be important to the students' understanding of the story such as 'satiable curiosity. The teacher may want to be sure students know what a python is. Crocodile can also be discussed.

Read the story to the class. Review the events of the story. Lead students in a discussion of what was fair and what was not fair.

Sample questions:

Was it fair when the Elephant Child's aunt spanked him? Why or why not?
Was it fair when his mother spanked him? Why or why not? (Continue with the other animals.)
Was it fair when the crocodile pulled his nose?
What is different about that and when the Elephant's Child was spanked?
Was it fair when the Elephant's Child spanked all his relatives?
Is punishment always fair?
Is it sometimes fair? What makes it fair?
Who has authority in this story? Do they use it in a fair way?

Encourage discussion, asking students if they agree with statements made by others. Guide students to establish criteria for fair consequences. Then divide students into groups to make cartoon panels about the story. Suggest that they choose four events to illustrate. As they work, the teacher circulates, asking students if the events they are showing illustrate fair or unfair parts of the story. When groups have completed the cartoons, let students show them to the class. Use this time to lead students to summarize understandings about fairness.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY: Other Just So Stories which can be used for further discussion of this theme are "How the Camel Got His Hump" and "How the Whale Got His Throat." Students are also able to write similar type stories. They may do this alone or with partners. The class could write such a story together. Students can then discuss how their stories show fairness.

EVALUATION: During discussion of the questions and during the summarization of the cartoons, the teacher can determine the students' understanding of the concept of fairness.

RESOURCE:

Kipling, Rudyard, Just So Stories for Little Children, Seacuacus, N.J.: Castle Books, a Division of Book Sales Inc.,1981.