Tikki Tikki Tembo

 Tikki Tikki Tembo

Written by Arlene Mosel

Illustrated by Blair Lent

Published in 1968

Grade Level: 2nd-3rd grade

Synopsis: Tikki Tikki Tembo is a story set in ancient China and based on Chinese folk lore.  The story claims that it was custom during this time period in ancient China for parents to honor their first-born son with long and intricate names.  People were supposed to call the first-born son by his given name and not allowed to give him a shorter nickname.  The second son on the other hand was usually given a shorter, less important name.  The sons in Tikki Tikki Tembo are named Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo and Chang.  One day, the brothers are playing near a well, despite being warned not to.  Chang, the younger brother, falls into the well and his older brother runs to their mother for help and Chang is quickly rescued.   Obviously not learning anything from their previous experience with the well, the brothers play near the well a second tie.  This time the first-born son falls in the well and Chang runs to his mother for help.  He shouts, "Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo has fallen into the well" over and over again because she cannot hear him.  Chang stops shouting for his mother and runs to get the Old Man with the Ladder.  He uses the ladder to get Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo, first-born son, out of the well in the nick of time.  The lesson or moral that is intended to be taken from the story is that one reason current Chinese names are typically short and only one syllable long is because of the time it took for Chang to explain to people what happened to his older brother, Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo as a result of his ridiculously long name.

Theme/Skill:  The story gives the message that every person is important. The story starts off with the view that the first born son being all important, while Chang, the second son is cast aside. Yet, after the heroic actions of the second-born son, Chang becomes appreciated and both children are loved and finally seen as important. However, in the end Chang is the hero and both children are important and loved. 

Pre-reading activity: Talk about names; why people are given names, how people are named, the benefits of long and short names.  Students can reflect on their own names (how they got them, what people call them (nickname), why they do or do not like their name.  This discussion will prepare students for what the story is about.  They can use their own feelings about the opinions of their peers to help them interpret the moral of the story of Chang and Tikki Tikki Tembo-no Sa Rembo-chari Bari Ruchi-pip Peri Pembo.

Post-reading activity: The teacher will use descriptive language and details to describe a hidden object to students without using the object's name.  The teacher could bring in a barrel or large bucket and put random objects, appropriate and familiar to students, in the barrel, which represents the well that Chang and his older brother fell into.  The teacher will model how to do this and the student who guesses correctly will be the next describer.  (Idea adapted from Scholastic).

Assessment: During the activity with the barrel (well) each student will be given a rubric to assess their peers.  They will assess their peers using smiley faces in which the surprised face represents the highest score (4), a smiley face (3), a confused face (2), and a sad face (1).  Students will assess their peers on presentation and effectiveness of descriptions.  They will also give them one positive comment and one thing that they could improve upon. 

Reflection: In 1997, Tikki Tikki Tembo was selected by The New York Times as a part of its list of the 50 best children's books of the previous 50 years.  This just shows how enduring the story is.  Since its publication in 1933, the story of the two Chinese brothers who fell in a well has been a classic.  Whether at home or at school, Tikki Tikki Tembo is a great story to read to children.  Recently a film version, narrated by Ming Na and B.D Wong, has been released.  "Tikki Tikki Tembo and More Stories to Celebrate Asian Heritage" is a wonderful media version to accompany and reinforce the text version.  I would suggest that both versions of the story be on the shelves of all elementary school teachers.  

Where the Sidewalk Ends

 Where the Sidewalk Ends

Written and Illustrated by Shel Silverstein

Published in 1974

Grade Level: 3rd-4th grade

Synopsis: Where the Sidewalk Ends is a compilation of poems by talented writer and illustrator, Shel Silverstein.  He wrote many poems that would be appealing and relatable to young readers.  The poems in the book are often playful and are about unusual or far-fetched situations.  "Where the Sidewalk Ends" is the poem that the book is named for.  It is printed below for your reading pleasure.

Where the Sidewalk Ends 

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends. 

Theme/Skill: The poems in Silverstein's book do not directly relate to one another, yet they all create similar feelings of silliness and childhood.  This book of poems could easily be used to teach various elements of poetry such as personification, hyperbole, simile, metaphor, alliteration, etc. 

Pre-reading activities: Students will be given poems that exemplify a particular poetic element.  The teacher will guide the students to an understanding of that element and provide them with various examples of poems that incorporate that element.  Students will work in partners or small groups as they read poems and identify the poetic elements. 

Post-reading activities: After the students have had time to work with the poetic elements (this may take several days/lessons) they will begin reading selections from Where the Sidewalk Ends.  Students will read poems and identify the poetic elements.  Students will then write poems of their own that include elements of poetry.  These will be compiled into a portfolio that will monitor students' progress. 

Assessment: The poetry porfolios will be graded on neatness and presentation, a definition page of the poetic elements used, ten of their best poems (at least five different elements must be utilized), and a typed reflection in which students will talk about what they learned, what best helped them learn it, the meaning behind their poems, and how they will use poetry again in their future lives. 

Reflection: Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up are three books by Shel Silverstein that I remember being on the bookshelves of my classrooms in elementary school and high school.  They were books that you could pick up and enjoy again and again.  You could read one poem at a time or read several in one sitting.  His poems could be silly, totally far fetched, relatable, or portray the childish concerns that we all had at some point in time.  That is what I like best about how Silverstein wrote and organized this book.  Some titles that I remember and suggest for any readers unfamiliar with Where the Sidewalk Ends are "The Edge of the World," "Eighteen Flavors," and "Dancing Pants."  If you purchase the thirtieth anniversary edition of the book, released in 2004, you will receive not only the original version, but twelve new poems included as well.