Use the classic story of Rikki Tikki Tavi to teach your students some vocabulary lessons, says Playbooks, Inc. Introduce the concept of onomatopoeia, which is the formation of a word that describes sounds, such as kerplunk or splash. Rikki Tikki Tavi boasts that his name originates from the scratching sound that his tail makes as he prepares for battle, referring to the "Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk" swish. In addition, coach your students to identify some new words that they hear in the story, like "rambunctious," which means very active.
Kipling's classic is rich with history. Guide your students as they step back in time to British rule over India in the 19th century, which is the setting for "Rikki Tikki Tavi." The opening chapter makes reference to the Segowlee cantonment that was a British military base in northern India until that country obtained independence in 1947, according to EDSITEment, a website sponsored by the National Endowment of the Humanities. Kipling himself represents a colorful figure in history. Born in India, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907.
Rudyard Kipling is hailed as a master at mixing historical and scientific details into vivid but believable imagery. Assign students to separate fact from fiction. Their answers should capture the realistic details surrounding the animal characters in "Rikki Tikki Tavi." For example, a mongoose really is native to India and hunts snakes. But, these ferret-like animals cannot declare warfare on a pair of cobras, as the story's hero does. At the same time, animals cannot converse aloud with each other and plot to destroy their mammal rivals.
Encourage readers to better understand the natural food chain system that exists all over the planet, suggests Playbooks website. For example, Rikki Tikki Tavi thwarts the menacing cobra named Nag by savoring every bite of the snake's baby egg. Likewise, the villainous Nag devours his fill of bird eggs. Lead your students through a discussion of the overall ecosystem and ask them how Kipling's classic fits into this natural phenomenon.