Animal Act

Language Arts

Students will create original tales that use animals to portray human behavior.

What You Need

What to Do

  1. Have students bring in—from home or the library—tales in which animals are the major characters. Bring in a stack of your own, and have the class pass them around and leaf through them.
  2. Ask the class if the animals in these tales are similar in character or behavior to people, and if so, how? For example:
    • fox: sly and pompous
    • hare: skilled and flashy
    • tortoise: steady and persevering
    • ugly duckling: unseen potential
    • wolf: evil
    • mouse: shy, but courageous

    Then invite volunteers to suggest other animals that they think might represent particular human traits especially well.

  3. Tell the class that they are each going to write a new tale in which animal characters tell us something about human nature. Suggest they try one of these prewriting strategies:
    • First, sketch out a simple plot, and then brainstorm animal characters that will serve your story well.
    • Create the animals first, writing several character sketches. Then devise a story line that will suit them.
  4. When first drafts are complete, divide the class into groups of three to five, for peer conferencing. Then have students revise their tales.
  5. Have students share their tales with the class. Discuss the whole experience: What was it like to create animal characters with people in mind? Does the use of animals in folktales make it easier or more difficult to convey the story's message? Explain.

Teaching Options