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https://www.test.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/rikki-tikki-tavi-by-rudyard-kipling/personification
Rikki Tikki Tavi Personification
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Activity Overview
Template and Class Instructions
Rubric
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Activity Overview


The personification is the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form. In this short story by Rudyard Kipling, "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi", the animal characters all have actions and emotions that can be considered human-like.

Each of the animal characters in the book speaks and feels, in one manner or another, like a human. All of the animals interact with one another, share information, and make plans. Have students find an example of this for different characters by making a spider map or Frayer Model. Students should use a quote from the story and explain it to prove that the author has personified the animal in some way.

Personification Examples

CHARACTERQUOTEEXPLANATION
Rikki Tikki Tavi"Angry as he was, Rikki-tikki was very frightened as he saw the size of the big cobra."Kipling describes his emotions like a human.
Chuchundra"Chuchundra sat down and cried till the tears rolled off his whiskers."Humans cry for emotional reasons; animals do not.
Nag and Nagaina"When the house is emptied of people," said Nagina to her husband...Marriage is a human institution. Animals do not actually get married.
Darzee & His Wife"We are very miserable," said Darzee. "Our babies fell out of the nest yesterday."Darzee and his wife understand the causes of their feelings in a way most animals do not.


Template and Class Instructions Accordion Arrow

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)



Student Instructions

Create a storyboard illustrating how each character is personified in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi".

  1. Use the template provided by your teacher.
  2. Type "Personification" in the middle of the frayer model.
  3. Identify four characters, putting the names in each title box.
  4. In the description, type a quote and explain why it's personification.
  5. Illustrate each character with appropriate animals, colors, and scenes.
Blank Frayer Model Template with Title and Description Boxes
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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-8

Difficulty Level 1 (Introducing / Reinforcing)

Type of Assignment Individual, Partner, or Group

Type of Activity: Frayer Models


Rubric Accordion Arrow

Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)


Personification in a Story
Create a storyboard that shows three examples of personification from the story. Add appropriate descriptions and illustrations for each.
Proficient Emerging Beginning
Examples of Personification
There are three examples of personification.
There are two correct examples of personification.
Only one of the examples of personification is correct.
Illustrations
Illustrations depict the example of personification from the story with clear visuals of appropriate scenes, characters, items, etc.
Illustrations depict the example of personification from the story but are unclear or incomplete.
Illustrations do not make sense with the examples chosen.
Descriptions
There are descriptions for all three example of personification that correctly explain what the personification means in the context of the story.
One of the descriptions is missing or the descriptions do not fully explain what the personification means in the context of the story.
Two or more descriptions are missing or they do not explain what the personification means.


Activity Overview


The personification is the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form. In this short story by Rudyard Kipling, "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi", the animal characters all have actions and emotions that can be considered human-like.

Each of the animal characters in the book speaks and feels, in one manner or another, like a human. All of the animals interact with one another, share information, and make plans. Have students find an example of this for different characters by making a spider map or Frayer Model. Students should use a quote from the story and explain it to prove that the author has personified the animal in some way.

Personification Examples

CHARACTERQUOTEEXPLANATION
Rikki Tikki Tavi"Angry as he was, Rikki-tikki was very frightened as he saw the size of the big cobra."Kipling describes his emotions like a human.
Chuchundra"Chuchundra sat down and cried till the tears rolled off his whiskers."Humans cry for emotional reasons; animals do not.
Nag and Nagaina"When the house is emptied of people," said Nagina to her husband...Marriage is a human institution. Animals do not actually get married.
Darzee & His Wife"We are very miserable," said Darzee. "Our babies fell out of the nest yesterday."Darzee and his wife understand the causes of their feelings in a way most animals do not.


Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)



Student Instructions

Create a storyboard illustrating how each character is personified in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi".

  1. Use the template provided by your teacher.
  2. Type "Personification" in the middle of the frayer model.
  3. Identify four characters, putting the names in each title box.
  4. In the description, type a quote and explain why it's personification.
  5. Illustrate each character with appropriate animals, colors, and scenes.
Blank Frayer Model Template with Title and Description Boxes
More options

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 6-8

Difficulty Level 1 (Introducing / Reinforcing)

Type of Assignment Individual, Partner, or Group

Type of Activity: Frayer Models


Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)


Personification in a Story
Create a storyboard that shows three examples of personification from the story. Add appropriate descriptions and illustrations for each.
Proficient Emerging Beginning
Examples of Personification
There are three examples of personification.
There are two correct examples of personification.
Only one of the examples of personification is correct.
Illustrations
Illustrations depict the example of personification from the story with clear visuals of appropriate scenes, characters, items, etc.
Illustrations depict the example of personification from the story but are unclear or incomplete.
Illustrations do not make sense with the examples chosen.
Descriptions
There are descriptions for all three example of personification that correctly explain what the personification means in the context of the story.
One of the descriptions is missing or the descriptions do not fully explain what the personification means in the context of the story.
Two or more descriptions are missing or they do not explain what the personification means.


How Tos about Personification in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"

1

Choose a new passage from the story for personification practice

Select a short excerpt from "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" not already used in your lesson. Fresh passages help students engage with new text and recognize personification in different contexts.

2

Guide students to identify personification in the new passage

Ask students to read the passage closely and underline words or phrases where animals show human feelings, actions, or speech. This hones observation skills and deepens understanding of figurative language.

3

Discuss as a class and model your thinking

Share your own annotations and explain why each example is personification. Verbal modeling helps students learn how to justify their answers with text evidence.

4

Have students write their own explanation sentences

Ask students to write a short sentence explaining how the author personified an animal in their passage. This reinforces comprehension and meaningful use of literary terms.

5

Encourage creative illustration of the scene

Invite students to draw or digitally illustrate the animal acting in a human-like way, based on the passage. Visualizing personification makes the concept memorable and enjoyable.

Frequently Asked Questions about Personification in \"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi\"

What is personification in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"?

Personification in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" is when animal characters are given human emotions, actions, or speech. For example, Rikki-tikki feels fear and anger, Darzee expresses sadness, and Nag and Nagaina talk and plan together like people, all showing human-like qualities.

How can I teach personification using "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"?

To teach personification with this story, have students find quotes where animals act or feel like humans. Use a spider map or Frayer Model. Each student identifies a character, gives a quote, and explains why it’s personification, then illustrates the scene.

What are some examples of personification in "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"?

Examples include: Rikki-tikki being frightened and angry, Chuchundra crying with tears, Nag and Nagaina discussing plans like a married couple, and Darzee and his wife feeling misery about their lost babies. Each shows human emotions or actions in animals.

Why does Rudyard Kipling use personification in animal characters?

Kipling uses personification to make animal characters relatable and engaging for readers. By giving them human traits, he helps students connect emotionally and understand the story’s themes more deeply.

What is a Frayer Model and how do I use it for personification lessons?

A Frayer Model is a graphic organizer with four sections for definition, characteristics, examples, and non-examples. For personification, students put the term in the center, then fill out each section using quotes and explanations from the story.




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