K12 Reader
Storytelling and Folklore
Stories are passed down orally in many cultures. Learn about the ways that storytelling can shape a society with a reading passage about Native American folklore and myths. After they finish reading, kids complete five reading...
Curated OER
Family Folklore
Young scholars complete activities to explore family folklore. In this folklore lesson, students define in writing family folklore, identify aspects of family folklife through discussions of their own traditions. Young scholars identify...
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
Understanding Folklife and Folklore
Student examine the basic characteristics of folklore. In this folklore lesson, students complete activities to identify two kinds of folk, folk groups, and folklife. Students list daily activities in their home, identify folk groups...
Curated OER
How Does Ancestry Affect Folklore?
Students break into groups of 4 or 5 and choose an option to demonstrate a different cultural perspective in a fairy tale or other folklore that they are familiar. Possible choices are: PowerPoint presentation, video, digital...
Curated OER
The Magic Apple
First graders read The Magic Apple and complete interdisciplinary activities related to the book. In this folktale instructional activity, 1st graders answer comprehension questions, recognize and record short /i/ sound...
Curated OER
The Drum
Students complete a variety of activities related to the folktale from India, "The Drum." They listen to the story and answer comprehension questions, construct a coffee can drum, and complete a phonics and matching worksheet.
Curated OER
Out and About: King Arthur
Young scholars explore the legend of King Arthur. In this folklore lesson, students visit King Arthur's Great Halls, King Arthur's Labyrinth, and Glastonbury Abbey online or in person to discover details about the...
Curated OER
Chinese Shadow Puppet Play
Students experience through role-play the art of shadow puppetry and appreciate the role of oral traditions in Chinese history. They research the origins and history of puppetry as a part of a unit on China. They discover what Chinese...
Curated OER
African Myths
Students discover the role of storytelling in the African culture. In this multicultural lesson, students discuss the elements of the African myth and record them on the board. Students visit an African folktale website and read examples...
Curated OER
Children's Literature Across the Curriculum Ideas
You can keep this printable idea sheet and use when you're in a tight spot. It contains cross-curricular ideas that span every subject while relating to the African tale, "Anasazi the Spider." Learners will act, write, move, count,...
Curated OER
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
Young scholars appreciate African folktales, make "connections" between geography and literature, and research facts about Africa's animals and present findings through art and writing.
Walters Art Museum
The Symbolism of Allegorical Art
Introduce learners to allegorical art with four bronze sculptures by Francesco Bertos. After modeling how to recognize bias and allegory in Bertos' Africa, class groups examine the other three sculptures in the series before creating...
Curated OER
Folktales: Uncle Cricket, the Soothsayer Lesson Ideas
Students read the Nicaraguan folktale, "Uncle Cricket, the Soothsayer," prior to participating in various activities. Among the ideas presented here are completing story maps, analyzing characters, summarizing the plot, writing...
University of Northern Iowa
Additional Folklife Information
Use a packet packed with ideas for how to celebrate the traditions of your country, state, community, and pupils's families. Suggestions for how to draw on oral and material traditions, customs, beliefs, music, and stories all find...
Curated OER
African American Poetry: Family and Traditions
Learners are introduced to the elements of African-American poetry. As a class, they are read different types of poems to discover there are different styles of poems and practice rhyming words. They share information on their family...
Activated Story Theatre
Orpheus- A Greek Myth: Reader's Theatre Script
Is this any way to treat a Greek Myth? By all means, turn the tale of Orpheus into a reader's theatre exercise.
Curated OER
Where Am I?
Second graders listen to a Japanese folk tale called "The Traveling Frogs". They role play the story using puppets or costumes. They locate Japan on a map and discuss several geography topics. They independently write about ways they...
Curated OER
Marvelouw Mongolia
Students are able to: tell basic information about Mangolia: locate it on a world map, locate its capital, name the countries surrounding Mongolia, read a Mongolian folk tale, and explore about the balalaika.
Curated OER
Teaching Creation Myths
Students examine various creation myths from around the world. They compare/contrast the myths, write their own creation stories, and present their myths to the class in the form of storytelling, role-playing, dance, or a puppet show.
Curated OER
Literature: Porgy and Bess
Students examine the various portrayals of African-Americans in literature, focusing on the opera, Porgy and Bess. They conduct Internet research on African-American culture between the two World Wars. Students write fictional or...
Curated OER
Folk Groups and Community Folklife
Students explore folk groups and traditions in their local community. In this folklife lesson plan, students list the folk groups they belong to and its traditions. Students write about their favorite tradition and may complete extension...
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Living History - Civil War
Eighth graders, after researching antebellum North Carolina and the role of North Carolina in the Civil War, write, edit, publish, and produce their own plays.