Bring a story video into your literacy block and your SEL time in one ready-to-teach lesson.
The Ram Who Learned to Bend is Episode 1 of The Stories Symbols Tell on Teach Between the Lines TV. Kobi, a proud ram, learns that real strength sometimes means lowering your head: to listen, to help and to work together. The story is inspired by Dwennimmen (jwin-nee-men), the Adinkra symbol of strength and humility from the Akan peoples of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire.
What's inside (24-page printable PDF):
3 sessions of 40–45 minutes each, with timed video pause points and discussion questions
ELA focus: story order, character change, central message, nonliteral language and picture clues
SEL focus: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making
Common Core reading, writing and speaking standards (RL.3.1, RL.3.2, RL.3.3, RL.3.4, RL.3.7, W.3.3 and SL.3.1), with grade 2 and grade 4 notes
Cultural background on Adinkra and Dwennimmen, with a pronunciation guide and teaching-with-care notes
11 printer-friendly student pages: word work, story sequencing, a character chart, a writing planner, "Bend or Stand Firm?" decision cards, design-your-own-symbol and exit tickets
Differentiation for emerging readers, multilingual learners and advanced students
Writing rubric, SEL observation checklist, family take-home page and answer key
Works with the free video on Teach Between the Lines TV (8 minutes, captions available): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq254zR5Hoo
License: one teacher, for use with their own students. Please do not share, post publicly or resell.