Curated OER
Lesson Plan: Musical Myths
Create musical myths in this West African tales lesson plan. Middle schoolers read myths from African Myths and Legends as well as West African Trickster Tales. They note when music could be used to enhance the tales, and then write...
Curated OER
Myth, Legend and Folklore
Students examine the role of myths and folklore in the Native American culture. They listen to examples of oral history and write their own. They share their story with the class.
Curated OER
Masks of Africa
Students explain the purpose of masks to various cultures in Africa. They recognize the conceptual patterns used to create African masks and illustrate their understanding by creating their own masks
American Museum of Natural History
Make Your Own Mythic Mask or Puppet
No need to wait until Halloween to create a mask. Young anthropologists get involved in the centuries-old tradition of mask and puppet making with the help of an engaging resource that shows them how to craft their own masks or puppets.
Curated OER
Legends and Myths: Trickster Tales
Students work in groups to research the characteristics of various myths and legends. They read tales, illustrate them, record oral storytelling efforts and write an original folktale. Students then invite parents to a dramatic...
Curated OER
African Folktales
Students read African folktales. In this literature lesson, students share prior knowledge about South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria. Then students work in groups to read an assigned African folktale and answer response questions about...
Curated OER
African American Traditions: Cameroonian and African-American Folktales
Learners compare Cameroonian and African-American folktales. In this folktales lesson, students participate in a jigsaw activity that requires them to read "The Owl Never Sleeps as Night," "Why the Lizard Often Nods," "Tappin, the Land...
Curated OER
Storytelling
Students explore the origins of folktales, fairytales, myths, legends, fables, and folktales in the ten lessons of this unit. A storytelling festival is held to feature the results of the variety of activities presented in the unit.
Curated OER
Heart of Darkness: List Group Label Strategy
Heart of Darkness can challenge even the best readers. Here's a pre-reading strategy that will engage class members and provide background and context for Conrad's study of racism, savagery and imperialism. Class members brainstorm,...
Curated OER
Introduction to African Folklore
Students are read "Anansi the Spider" to begin their discussion on continents. Using a map, they locate the continent of Africa and the country of Ghana. They discover who the Ashanti people are and view examples of their artwork. They...
Curated OER
Transforming Anansi Folktales Into Storyboards
Students work in small groups to illustrate a story board of a folktale. They develop the meaning of a trickster as a humor device in folktales by listening to several about Leprechauns and the Coyote of Native American tales. They then...
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Minneapolis Institute of Arts: World Myths and Legends in Art
Fully comprehensive site that dives into world myths and world cultures. View art that expresses mythological themes from various cultures around the world and learn about cultural similarities and differences. Key words for learning,...
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Minneapolis Institute of Arts: African Myths in Art
This site offers three African myth symbols and artwork, along with the stories and background information that go with them, plus discussion questions and answers.
Sacred Text Archive
Internet Sacred Text Archive: Myths and Legends of the Bantu Index
The Bantu of South Africa passed down stories from the past. Some myths and legends range from "Legends of the High Gods" to "Brer Rabbit in Africa". There are stories of "Heroes and Demi-Gods" and stories of monsters.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Myths From Around the World: Africa
Learn about Hare the wily animal trickster from the African myth. Discover how Africa spreads myths, legends, and tribal history throughout storytelling.
Encyclopedia Mythica
Encyclopedia Mythica
The home page of Encyclopedia Mythica from which you can access its full range of content on myths from throughout the world. Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Japanese, and Chinese mythology are the site's most popular areas, but many...
Other
Victoria Falls Guide: African Culture
An informational site by two people who grew up in Zimbabwe. Covers facts, art, customs, culture, history, myths, traditions, and religions of Zimbabwe and Africa. Also has a news sections with links to articles on Zimbabwe.
Other
Database of Award Winning Children's Literature
This is a phenomenal resource. It allows the user to create a reading list of quality children's literature based of choices such as reading level, type of book, genre, ethnicity, gender, etc. In addition, one can determine if a book won...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Leon Forrest
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Leon Forrest, an African-American author of large, inventive novels that fuse myth, history, legend, and contemporary realism.