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How the Elephant Got Its Trunk

By Susan LaBella

Grade Level: 3-6

Story Preview: Long ago in Africa, elephants had short lumpy noses. Then a curious little elephant asks a crocodile a question that almost costs him his life. The result is a new nose for Little Elephant -- and for elephants everywhere.

Roles: Narrators 1-4 (number can be adjusted as necessary for class size), Little Elephant, Aunt Ostrich, Uncle Giraffe, Bird, Crocodile, Snake, Mother Elephant, Father Elephant, Sister Elephant, Frog, Hippo

Setting: Africa, long ago

Theme: Fable

Vocabulary:

• stretched: pulled to make longer

  More Resources For more fables for children, check out Children’s Stories and Fables, by Jan Luthman. These stories, set in England, introduce the many creatures that have made their homes in the meadow near the old farmhouse. Rabbit, snail, mouse, and ant will delight readers with their adventurous tales and the lessons they impart.

• scoop: dip into as if with a scoop
• wily: deceitful or clever

Props (optional): long piece of mural paper to create a river; a log

Follow-Up Questions:

• Who asked why giraffes have spots?
• Which character was described as wily?
• What question did Little Elephant ask about Crocodile?
• How did Crocodile trick Little Elephant?
• Who saved Little Elephant?
• Why do you think Little Elephant asked so many questions?

Follow-Up Activity: Invite students to write simple fiction stories that portray how people might use trunks if they had them. Encourage students to use their imaginations and creativity. You might want to supply students with a sentence frame to get them started. For example, “If I had a trunk, I _________.”

Click here for a printable script.

Article by Susan LaBella
Education World®
Copyright © 2008 Education World

08/12/2008