Story Comprehension Questions: Argument between the Deer and Rabbits

After reading the Terry Gardner Four Directions tale called “Argument between the Deer and Rabbits,” involve your students in responding to the following comprehension questions either in oral or written form or both.

• Click “Argument between the Deer and Rabbits” to read a copy of the target story.

Twelve Story Comprehension Questions

1.  Which two animal groups were arguing?

Students Respond:  The rabbits and the deer

2.  Who were the leaders of each animal group?

Students Respond:  Debbie Deer and Richard Rabbit

3. What was the argument about?

Students Respond:  The rabbits accused the deer of being scaredy cats. The deer accused the rabbit of being scaredy cats.

4. Who came along to stop the argument and get the two animal groups to talk and think reasonably?

Students Respond: Ellen Eagle

5. When Eagle couldn’t get the two animal leaders to calm down, what did she do?

Students Respond:  Eagle got the Wind Beings to blow and dance so that the two animal leaders flew through the air and then got dunked in the pond.

6.  How did the rest of the rabbits and deer react when this happened? 

Students Respond:  It made them laugh so hard they almost forgot all about their argument of a few minutes before.

7. Where did the discussion take place to straighten everything out?

Students Respond:  The Council Ring

8. Why were the rabbits so sure that they were braver than the deer?

Students Respond: The rabbits believed they must be braver than deer as they only would run a little way away and then hide to see what was going on; whereas, the deer would run far away.

9. Why were the deer so sure that they were braver than the rabbits?

Students Respond:  The deer just felt deep inside that they must be the braver ones. They were certain this was the truth.

10. What was the main lesson that Ellen Eagle tried to teach the rabbits and the deer?

Students Respond:  Ellen Eagle tried to teach them that the main point was that they all should be happy, loving, caring, joyful, and fun and not being blameful of others. They should cling to these truths to avoid feeling fear, anger, and hate.

11. What funny thing did the rabbits and deer do that made Eagle laugh?

Students Respond: The deer and rabbits lined up in two lines facing each other. Then the rabbits yelled ‘TRUTH’ at the deer. the deer yelled ‘SINCERE’ at the rabbits.

12. What did you learn from this story?

Students Respond: Accept Reasonable Answers

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 OTHER STORIES BY TERRY GARDNER (Comprehension Question link included)

Four Coyote tales

1. Read-Aloud Story for Grades 2-6: Coyote Meets his Master
2. Read-Aloud Story for Grades 2-6: Courage to Fear
3. Read-Aloud Story for Grades 2-6: Coyote Travels Inside
4. Read-Aloud Story for Grades 2-6: Coyote Becomes Mindful

Story featuring Bear

1. Read-aloud story for grades 2-6: Bear becomes bearable

Seven Stories from the East

1. Read-Aloud Story for Grades 2-6: Dog Learns to Dance
2. Read-aloud story for grades 2-6: Teeter-Totter Eagle reviews her past
3. Read-aloud story for grades 2-6: Beaver Busy
4. Read-aloud story for grades 2-6: Coyote and Fawn learn about growth within  
5. Read-aloud story for grades 2-6: Argument between the Deer and Rabbits  
6. Read-aloud story for grades 2-6: Wise Guy (Coming Soon)
7. Read-aloud story for grades 2-6: Flying Eights (Coming Soon)

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