Resources: When the Sky Glows by Nell Beckerman,

Anansi and the Sky Kingdom (Animated Stories for Kids)

Activity: Students view both videos and compare the two stories:  “When the Sky Glows” and “Anansi and the Sky Kingdom.” They are asked to retell the story of how Anansi the spider, and his companions ant and fly, succeed in bringing light into the world. They are guided in a class discussion to talk about some of the facts in “When the Sky Glows.”  Teams of two or three are given a limited amount of time to research facts about light, where it comes from, what its properties are, why we have night and day, and so forth. 

Materials needed: the resource video; access to books or online information about the science of light; paper and writing materials 

Resource for teachers: Sample facts about light

• Light from the sun takes about 8 minutes to reach Earth.
• Light travels in waves like sound and water.
• Unlike sound and water waves, light can travel through a vacuum, like space.
• Light can be reflected, from an object like a mirror
• Some objects can absorb light, like dark clothing and solar paneling
• Sometimes light can travel through an object, like glass and water

Directions: The teacher introduces the videos: “Years ago, people made up stories about fascinating things they couldn’t explain or understand. The story of ‘Anansi and the Sky God’ is an example of this. Let’s take a look at how the existence of light is explained in that story and how it compares to ‘When the Sky Glows,’ which is full of facts about light.” Show the videos, pause to ask questions and check for comprehension. Create student pairs, give them paper and pencils, and access to research materials, such as books or online sources. Allow 10 - 15 minutes for research. Tell them to write down as many facts as possible about light, and ask each team to share with their classmates what they found out. 

Wrap it up: Remind them: “Smart and successful people wonder about things they don’t understand and follow it up with research. In this day and age, we have the benefit of science to help us answer our questions. At the same time, it’s always interesting to take a look at how certain ‘mysteries’ were explained before science uncovered evidence that explained the facts.” For an extension of this activity, invite students to be on the lookout for more stories like “Anansi and the Sky Kingdom.” Ask them to add their discoveries (titles of stories) to a list and encourage the class to read them.