Bring a story video into your literacy block and your SEL time in one ready-to-teach lesson.
The Two Crocodiles Who Shared a River is Episode 2 of The Stories Symbols Tell on Teach Between the Lines TV. Bako loves to splash and Sefu loves quiet, and each believes the river belongs only to him. When a storm puts the river's smallest fish in danger, they learn that their strength works best when they pull together. The story is inspired by Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu (foon-toon-foo-neh-foo den-chem-foo-neh-foo), the Adinkra symbol of unity in diversity 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, two characters' points of view, 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.3.6, RL.3.7, W.3.3 and SL.3.1), with grade 2 and grade 4 notes
Cultural background on Adinkra and Funtunfunefu Denkyemfunefu, with the traditional proverb, a pronunciation guide and teaching-with-care notes
A hands-on rope challenge to open the SEL session
11 printer-friendly student pages: word work, story sequencing, a "Two Sides of the River" point-of-view chart, a writing planner, "Pulling Apart or Pulling Together?" sorting cards, design-a-symbol-of-togetherness 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 (10 minutes, captions available): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqP6DBnhqj8
License: one teacher, for use with their own students. Please do not share, post publicly or resell.