Come rain or drought

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema is based on a Kenyan tale belonging to the Nandi tribe, which was discovered more than 70 years ago. The tale’s cumulative refrain is based on the English nursery rhyme, The House that Jack Built. The simplicity of the folktale provides a story that is accessible to all Key Stage 2 children (see small poster). The language is unsophisticated, the rhythm and rhyme are appealing and the happy ending is quite satisfying – yet the content is of a serious nature and the subject matter is closely linked to the National Curriculum and Unit 11 of the QCA Scheme of Work for geography. The story is concerned with the impact that a drought has on animals, land and people, and the relief that rain can bring. The book offers the opportunity to discuss climate, how water is used around the world and how these issues affect people. The book also provides children with the opportunity to use an atlas, to examine the human and physical features of Kenya and to study weather patterns. Children will need a copy of the story to complete most of the activities in this article.

Activities: Here comes the rain Y3-4