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Frogs: Fact or Folklore
Students discover how frogs are adapted to their environment. They view and discuss a Discovery Channel video on frogs and the myths surrounding frogs. In small, groups they compile data on frogs from the internet to create a Frog Fact...
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Splendid China
Sixth graders gain an appreciation for the traditions and vast contributions of the Chinese culture in this unit of lessons.
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Everybody Has a Story
Students read short stories and folk stories to explore oral history and story. They interview elderly family members and/or others in the community and record these stories and histories. They evaluate in a final essay what they have...
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Tall Tale Introduction
Students explore folk tales by completing a graphic organizer with classmates. In this tall tale lesson plan, students read the famous story Paul Bunyan and identify the many characteristics of a fictional tall tale story. Students...
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Men of Steel
Learners explore early 20th century steel making. In this U.S. history steel making lesson, students view and describe a postcard and a picture depicting exaggerated aspects of the steel industry. Learners listen to a poem about Joe...
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Folk Groups
Students study the characteristics of a folk group, themselves and their folk groups, and write about a folk group that is meaningful to them. They identify various folk groups within the school community and discover that everyone,...
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Spin Me a Story
Students examine the motif of spinning and weaving in myths and folktales. They read various myths, complete a WebQuest, develop a mind map of story elements, and write an original "spider" story.
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Can You Stretch the Truth?
Students study folk tales. They write a class folk tale and then one of their own using a famous character or known celebrity as their main character. They put on a class play of one of the student's folk tales.
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Social Studies: What Is Folklife?
Students read an essay about folklife and record their thoughts in journals. After discussing the terms associated with the topic, they complete worksheets on types of folklife, pop, elite, and folk cultures. Depending on the age group,...
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Writing a Tall Tale
Learners study the various aspects of tall tales. They read various tall tales and discuss the characteristics and literature aspects of tall tales. Students write their own unique tall tales.
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Citizenship
Learners reflect on characteristics of good citizens, examine democratic symbolism, create an award and choose an individual to receive the award as part of this lesson on citizenship. Lesson ties together social studies, language arts,...
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Trickster Tales
Students study folk tales and moral lessons from cultures around the world. In this character traits lesson, students study moral lessons through the character traits in various cultures folk tales. Students complete 11 activities...
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What's in a Picture Book?
Students analyze Appalachian folktale picture books. They read and analyze various Appalachian picture books, answer discussion questions, and in small groups complete a handout, and write an essay analyzing the text and illustrations of...
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Spiders
Students study spiders. In this spider lesson plan, students divide into four study groups, research their topic, and give a report over their findings. The four topics are Characteristics of spiders, life cycles of spiders, fun facts...
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Tall Tales
Students read tall tales and then write their own tall tales. In this tall tales lesson plan, students read tall tales, write their own, produce plays, and watch videos of their tall tales.
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Arkansas Black Pioneers: A History of African-American Colonies in Arkansas
Students research regions of early Arkansas as they relate to African American colonies in Arkansas after the Civil War. They discuss the characteristics of the regions, view a Powerpoint presentation, and write reflective journals.
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Native American Cultures
Students investigate the Native American Heritage and explore their customs cultures. They discover characteristics of the Native Americans through the study of their art, artifacts, stories and symbols.
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Tell Me a Whopper!
Sixth graders investigate tall tales as a literary genre. They listen to a number of tall tales to discover how exaggeration is used as a story element. They write and publish a tall tale using word processing software. They illustrate...
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Cinderella Folk Tales: Variations in Character
Learners read a variety of Cinderella tales from different cultures. They discuss the differences in character, plot, and conflict resolution in the stories from different countries.
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California Native American Basket Weaving
Fourth graders consider the role that baskets play in the traditional lives of Native Americans in California. Students investigate types of baskets and their various uses and then weave their own baskets.
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Learning About the Kumeyaay Indians
Third graders research the Native American nation of Kumeyaay. Scholars use the internet to research past history. Through email, 3rd graders communicate with a Kumeyaay child to discover life on a present day reservation. They create a...
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To Tell the Tale
Students explore how themes common to the human condition can be found in literary and oral traditions across cultures. They compile traditional folk tales around these themes and write their own tales to reflect their own cultural context.
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Introduction to Traditional Oral Narratives
Students are introduced to the idea of traditional oral narratives and divide them into genres. They explore the genres of context, motifs and variants. Each student finds oral narratives in their own lives and practice retelling them in...
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Native American Indians: Wampanoags
Students understand the contributions of the Native American tribes. In this Native American lesson, recognize Native American names, words and cultures. Students understand that different tribes lived in different parts of the country....