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African Proverbs Extra Credit

Language Arts Extra Credit




Proverbs Extra Credit

African Proverbs - 20 points Language Arts or Social Studies

1. Pick five proverbs from the list below.
2. For each one, write the proverb on the bottom half of a sheet of 8 1/2” by 11” unlined paper.
3. Write the proverb's meaning beneath the proverb.
4. On the top half of the construction paper, draw a picture to illustrate the proverb.
5. Decorate the page with African symbols found in print resources or at Web sites such as African Symbols http://www.symbols.net/africa/ and Andrinka Symbols at http://www.calltoactionquilt.org/africansymbols.html
6. Put the five pages together into a book and turn in before March 11, 2008. Label it Language Arts or Social Studies.


    * Don't set sail using someone else's star.
      Meaning: Just because someone has been successful at doing something does not mean you will be successful at doing the same thing.

    * The best way to eat an elephant in your path is cut him up into little pieces.
      Meaning: The best way to solve a problem is to solve it bit by bit.

    * A sugarcane is sweetest at the joint.
      Meaning: What seems to be hard to achieve in real life is often the best.

    * He who does not know one thing knows another.
      Meaning: No one knows everything, but everyone knows something.

    * It takes a whole village to raise a child.
      Meaning: Everyone in a community should be responsible for helping to raise a child.

    * Rain does not fall on one roof alone.
      Meaning: Trouble comes to everyone at one time or another.

    * After a foolish deed comes remorse.
      Meaning: After you have done something foolish, you feel sorry for doing it.

    * A roaring lion kills no game.
      Meaning: You cannot gain anything by sitting around talking about it. You must get up and work for it.

    * Restless feet may walk into a snake pit.
      Meaning: It is easy for a person to get into trouble when he or she is not busy doing something.

    * Knowledge is like a garden: If it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.
      Meaning: If you do not use the knowledge that you have, you cannot expect to gain anything from it.

    * Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped.
      Meaning: Don't look at your mistakes; look at what caused you to make the mistakes.

    * Only a fool tests the depth of water with both feet.
      Meaning: It is not wise to jump into a situation before thinking about it.

    * Wherever a man goes to dwell, his character goes with him.
      Meaning: Your character follows you wherever you go.

    * Life is like a shadow and a mist; it passes quickly by, and is no more.
      Meaning: Life is short, and you only live it once.

    * If you offend, ask for a pardon; if offended forgive.
      Meaning: If you upset someone, apologize to him or her. If someone upsets you, forgive him or her.
 
· A bird is in the air but its mind is on the ground (Mandinka)
Meaning: Wherever you are it is important to remember where you come from and what is important.

· A ripe melon falls by itself (Zimbabwe)
Meaning: All things happen when their times come

· A student doesn't know about masterhood but a master knows about studenthood (Mandinka)
Meaning: A master was once a student and cannot be fooled easily.

· Lack of knowledge is darker than night (Nigeria, Hausa)

· Do a thing at its time and peace follows it (Mandinka)

· A child who's hand is clean may eat with the elders (Mandinka)
Meaning: Once a child learns proper manners and discipline he may participate with the elders




LANGUAGE ARTS EXTRA CREDIT

You can only earn a maximum of 40 extra credit points from this sheet.  You may only do one of each kind per trimester. (e.g. You cannot do more than one storyteller assignment per trimester).

Ten point assignments:

1. Be a storyteller and use ALL of a week's spelling words in an original story that makes sense.

2. Be an advertiser and use a week's spelling list to create an advertisement for a product. It must contain a picture of the product, and use at least ten spelling words.

Fifteen point assignments:

3. Write a screenplay for a section of your favorite Accelerated Reading book you've read. Be sure to include stage directions for the director and actors to follow.

4. Be a biographer and choose the author of one of your favorite Accelerated Reading book. Research him/her and write a report on his/her life and why they write books.

Twenty point assignments:

5. (This can only be done once a school year. ) Be a children's author, choose 26 pairs of homophones and create a children's ABC book of Homophones. On each "letter page" use a pair of homophones and write a sentence using each word, then illustrate the sentence.  Example, on the "A" page you could write "The aardvark wrote a tale about his long tail."  Check http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/ps4glehomy.htm
for a list of homophones.

6. Pretend to produce a movie of a favorite Accelerated Reader book. Who would you expect to star as the main characters? Why? At what location would you film? What are any special sets you'd have to design and build? What major corporations would you go to for advertising? Create a portfolio you would present to investors and other interested parties that  you would provide to convince them to invest in your idea.

7. Write a sequel to a favorite Accelerated Reader novel you have read.