All Stories Are Anansi ’s All Stories Are Anansi’s 10B

Extensions 20 minutes

On Stage

Remind students how they heard at the end of the read-aloud that spider stories have been kept alive by being retold over and over. Tell students that one way to retell a story is to act it out. Tell them that now you are going to read “All Stories Are Anansi’s” again and they will act it out. Ask students what characters will be needed. (Anansi, Nyame, Aso, Onini, Osebo, Mmoboro) Designate students to be the various characters. You may have other students portray other animals that get tricked to increase active participation.

Ask students what settings will be needed. (the forest, a willow tree, Nyame’s throne, and Anansi’s house) Designate locations in the classroom for the various settings. It will also be helpful to have the following props in the various locations: a branch, a net, and a box.

Encourage the “characters” to listen carefully to know what actions to use, such as (gently) falling to the ground, and where to go, such as to the sky god’s throne, or Anansi’s house. Also, talk about using facial expressions to show how the characters are feeling.

➶ Above and Beyond: You may also have the characters create some of their own dialogue.