1. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears
Name ______________________________
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears
Verna Aardema
Pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon
Prediction
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Author’s Purpose
inform persuade entertain

2. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears
Focus Skills:
To summarize important information in a text
To read and understand a folktale
To compare two folktales
Genre
Folktale- West African Tale: A tale is a story that has been passed down through time.
Summary
King Lion calls a meeting to find out what led to an accident. The reason why mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears is revealed.
Reading Strategy
Make and Confirm Predictions
When reading a folktale, readers often don’t know what will happen until the very end of the story. They must often make a prediction about what might happen next in a story. Good readers use story clues and what they know to make predictions about a story, then read on to see if their predictions are correct.

3. Why does Iguana put sticks in his ears?
Page 64
Why does Iguana put sticks in his ears?
Why does Iguana say that Mosquito’s story about the yams is nonsense?
Page 66
Why doesn’t Iguana answer Python? Draw it.
What does Python do after Iguana ignores him? Why?

4. What happens after Monkey hears Crow?
Page 68
What happens after Monkey hears Crow?
How do you know Mother Owl is sad?
Page 70
How can you tell?
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How does Monkey feel when she stands before King Lion? Draw it.
What mistake did Python, Rabbit, Crow and Monkey all make?

5. What reason does Crow give King Lion for spreading the alarm?
Page 72
What reason does Crow give King Lion for spreading the alarm?
King Lion agreed. Why?
Do you agree? Why?
Page 74
How does the way Rabbit acts compare to the way Crow acted? What does that tell you about each character?
Crow comes ______________________. He is ______________________.
Rabbit comes ______________________. She is ______________________.
Page 76
Did it surprise you that King Lion called Python? Why or why not?
Page 78
Why didn’t Iguana hear the summons to attend the council meeting?
Summarize what has happened at the council meeting.

6. What makes Mother Owl hoot for the sun?
Page 80
If you were King Lion, what would you have said to Iguana when you heard his story abut Mosquito?
What makes Mother Owl hoot for the sun?
What lesson do you think this story teaches?
Think and Respond
How do the iguana’s actions lead King Lion to call a council meeting?
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Why does the mosquito have a guilty conscience?
Do you think the mosquito meant to do harm?
What kind of tale is this? Why do you think it is still being told today?

7. Why does the iguana think that the mosquito’s story is nonsense?
Use the graphic organizer to answer the following questions. Highlight the answers on the organizer.
What is a yam?
Why does the iguana think that the mosquito’s story is nonsense?
Why does the iguana put sticks in his ears?
What are the words mek and krik?
Who warns the other animals of danger?
If the monkey leaps “kili wili through the trees,” what does kili wili mean?
How does King Lion find out why the sun is still sleeping?
Why doesn’t Iguana speak to Python?
Why did the author repeat some lines in this story?
What was the mosquito doing at the end of the story?
What does KPAO stand for?
What is the same about “Coyote Places the Stars” and “Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears”?
How does Mother Owl wake the sun?
Why do mosquitoes buzz in people’s ears?