Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
by Verna Aardema
 
Contributed by: Marcia Helgren
 
Grade 1
 
Lesson Created by:

E. Belkengren 

Synopsis of the Book:

This is a cumulative story about aa young boy who ends a draught in a village on Kapiti Plain. It has the same rhythm scheme as The House that Jack Built, after which it is based. It starts by describing the plain, and the cloud "all heavy with rain/that shadowed the ground/ on Kapiti Plain." It goes on to describe the grass, the cows, Ki-Pat, a feather, the arrow, the bow, and the shot that loosed the rain. Finally the rains come, and Ki-Pat is a hero.

Author Information: Verna Aardema

Verna Aardema is an acclaimed storyteller, and the author of several African folktales. Her books, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1976. The story of Kapiti Plain was discovered in Kenya Africa more than 70 years ago. It was published in 1909 as The Nandi House That Jack Built by Sir Claud Hollis. Ms. Aardema adds a cumulative refrain and the rhyme scheme of the original "House That Jack Built."

Pre-Reading Activities

1. As a class, sing the song "I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed A Fly." If this unit is taught in December, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" may also be used.

2. Read the story "The House That Jack Built." Tell students to listen for the rhythm, or "feel" of the poem.

Reading and Re-reading

1. Read the story Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain, using a flannel board. Tell students to pay attention to characters and plot- what happens in the story and to whom. After reading, ask students questions about setting, characters, plot, resolution.

2. Read the story again. Tell students to listen for something that is the same about this story and "The House that Jack Built." After reading, elicit responses from students. Be sure answer shows students' understanding of cumulative stories. Explain that some stories and poems build in steps. Draw a story map as a class.

Vocabulary

Sight Words:

black
brown
green
big
this
who
with
that
all
from
 
Skill Words:
 
African
plain
rain
bow
thunder
 
Vocabulary Activities
 
1. The teacher will introduce the sight words by writing them one by one on the board and saying each word in a call and response style. The teacher will hand out sight word cards to students and ask them to place the cards over the same word on a large reprinting of the story. Reinforce each word as students place cards correctly.
 
2. The teacher will quiz students on sight words using a cloud shaped tachistascope.
 
Drama Activity
 
The students will be divided into eight groups. One representative from each group will stand in front of the class in a line parallel to the wall. They will each be assigned a part from the story: The big black cloud/allheavy with rain; the grass/so brown and dead; the cows/all hungry and dry; Ki-Pat/who watched his herd; the eagle/who dropped a feather; the arrow/Ki-Pat put together; the bow/so long and strong; the shot/that pierced the cloud. As the teacher reads the story with African music in the background, the students will pantomime their parts in an interactive dance as their part is read. When the first group is finished, the next group will perform, and so on. This not only gives each child a chance to perform, but also gets the story firmly in the students' minds.
 
Unit/Lesson of Study: Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: Writing
 
Lesson Objective: Upon completion of this lesson, the students' will have written a poem following the style of Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain.
 
Rationale: By imitating a given style of writing, students will become comfortable in their own writing.
 
Instructional Input:
 
Anticipatory Set: Read the story Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain, telling the students to pay specific attention to the rhyme scheme and rhythm of the poem.
 
Objective/Purpose: "Today we are going to write a poem like Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain. You can use this to write your own version of your favorite stories and poems."
 
Input: "To start, we need pencil and paper." have students take out a sharpened pencil and a piece of paper. As a class, decide on a problem that could develop cumulatively. Have each student write one part of the poem.
 
Guided Practice: The teacher will meet with each student individually to help with the writing process. The students are given time to polish and perfect their sections of the poem.
 
Closure: The individual sheets will be collected and made into a book. The teacher will then read the class book to the class.
 
Integration:
 
Geography:
The teacher will show a world map to the class and point out the United States. Explain that this is where we live. Then point out the continent of Africa, and the country Kenya. Explain that this is where Ki-Pat lives.
 
Music:
 
"What are your favorite songs?" Elicit responses from students. "Ki-Pat lives in Africa. He listens to different music than we do. This is an example of a song that might be Ki-Pat's favorite." Play excerpts of African music.
 

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