Monkey Sunday - Democratic Republic of Congo

Monkey Sunday: A Story from a Congolese Village
Sanna Stanley
1998 Frances Foster Books
New York, NY

In Monkey Sunday, Luzolo promises her parents that she will sit very still while her father preaches at an important celebration. A Matondo is a gathering of people from nearby villages who bring gifts of food to celebrate thanksgiving. Stanley describes the lively celebrations which involve dancing, singing, and many animals running around getting into the food. The celebration is interrupted by a monkey hanging from the thatched roof who tosses a banana peel down at the crowd. Luzolo manages to sit still through the ceremony, making her parents very proud, but in at the end she is excited to get up and dance and join in the festivities

"Festivities: Story Telling"

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.
2-1.6 Explain the effect of the author’s craft (for example, word choice and the use of repetition) on the meaning of a given literary text.
2-1.7 Create responses to literary texts through a variety of methods (for example, writing, creative dramatics, and the visual and performing arts).
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.
2-2.5 Compare the history and features of the local community with those of different communities around the world.

Objective: The student will recognize the techniques that the author uses to make Monkey Sunday an engaging story and will use this to tell a story about a personal experience.

Materials: Props or craft materials to make props

Procedures: After reading Monkey Sunday the teacher will lead a discussion about the story. The teacher will ask the students to describe the events in the story that were exciting. The students can discuss what the author did to make the celebration come to life in the story. The teacher will tell the students that this story is based on real events that happened when Sanna Stanley was a young girl living in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The class can discuss somethings that happen in the story that reflect the fact that it takes place in Africa (for example, the wild monkey).

Independently, the students will prepare their own stories to tell based on a personal experience they have had. They should make the story related to a holiday or celebration so it can be compared to the story of Monkey Sunday. Their stories should also reflect any family or cultural traditions that are involved in the holiday or celebration they choose.

The students can practice telling their stories to a partner. The partners can give each other advice on how to make their story more lively and exciting, they can use props if they would like. Students can tell their story in front of the class or the class can be split into groups.