The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela - Ethiopia

The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela
Christina Kessler
Illustrated by Leonard Jenkins
2006 Holiday House
New York, NY

In The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela, a young girl named Almaz decides that she wants to make the best honey in Lalibela, Ethiopia. Honey is very important to the people of Lalibela as they use it for many different purposes. Some men challenge Almaz and tell her that she can’t be a beekeeper because she is just a little girl. But Almaz shows her dedication and manages to harvest very sweet honey after overcoming several obstacles. Printed at the end of the book is "The Legend of Lalibela" which tells the story of an important King of Lalibela and his relationship with bees.

"A Study on Lalibela"

Standards:
English Language Arts
2-1 The student will read and comprehend a variety of literary texts in print and non-print formats.
2-1.1 Analyze the details that support the expression of the main idea in a given literary text.
2-1.8 Classify works of fiction (including fables, tall tales, and folktales) and works of nonfiction (including biographies) by characteristics.
Social Studies
2-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the local community and the way it compares with other communities in the world.
2-2.2 Recognize characteristics of the local region, including its geographic features and natural resources.
2-5.4 Identify the relationships between trade and resources both within and among communities, including natural, human, and capital resources.

Objective: The student will recognize that “The Legend of Lalibela” is a folktale and observe its connections to contemporary life in Ethiopia.

Materials: Paper, writing materials, a world map on which Ethiopia is labeled.

Procedure: The teacher will read The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela and “The Legend of Lalibela” aloud to the students. During center time the book will be in one center with the following questions. The students can work on their own or with a partner to come up with answers to the following questions and write their answers down.
• Lalibela is located in Ethiopia. Find Ethiopia on the map. In what continent is Ethiopia located?
• Is “The Legend of Lalibela” a biography or a folktale? Why do you think so?
• Why do you think the author of The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela decided to include “The Legend of Lalibela” at the end of her book?
• Why do you think it was so important to Almaz to make her own honey?