Shadow puppetry has an ancient past, it is also a great way to build oral expression and reading fluency. Young thespians research folk tales, compare and contrast reality and fantasy, then create and perform a shadow puppet play based...

Learners create and perform folktale plays. In this reader's theater and Asian literature instructional activity, students work in groups to rewrite Asian folktales into scripts and perform the folktales for their class in a Reader's...

Learners complete activities to explore family folklore. For this folklore lesson, students define in writing family folklore, identify aspects of family folklife through discussions of their own traditions. Learners identify examples of...

Young scholars 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...

Students explore folktales. In this folktale lesson, students listen to a story from another country and discuss the characters. Students retell the story using puppets and do coloring sheets. Students do a sequencing cut and paste...

First graders read The Magic Apple and complete interdisciplinary activities related to the book.  In this folktale lesson, 1st graders answer comprehension questions, recognize and record short /i/  sound words and...

Students interpret and identify the elements of folktales, with an emphasis on tall tales, in this lesson. Students utilize brainstorming techniques to list ways people communicate. Students also read and create a time line and present...

Students analyze Mongolian and Native American folktales and compare the two types. They discuss the importance of storytelling in nomadic cultures and read a story in small groups. Following the story, they answer questions and...

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.

Second graders read the story Anansi Goes to Lunch and complete language arts activities connected to the story. For this language arts lesson plan, 2nd graders complete activities including discussion, reading, writing, drawing, and...

Students develop an idea about American Folk heroes. Individual slideshows are going to be made by each student to be viewed by their peers. Students also have an opportunity to take part in role play situations from various folklores.

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...

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.

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...

Learners explore the native cultures of the Americas, to learn some aspects of oral storytelling, and to share their knowledge with others. They, in groups, write a story that should say something important about the culture from which...

Using the folk tale "The Man, The Boy, and The Donkey" (linked in the lesson) and a SMART board, teachers can help pupils access multiple skills. Reading the story allows learners to create a timeline of the sequence of events based on...

Students 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...

Fourth graders view song lyrics and identify similes in the song text.  In this similes lesson, 4th graders define and identify similes on a worksheet.  Students write their own similes using various adjectives.

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...

Young scholars explore various genres of spoken and written expression. While considering the era of the shipyard and sailing, students describe and document a favorite ship, captain, crew, or life of a sailor. Using this information,...

Second graders identify story elements in familiar stories from their lives. In this story elements lesson, 2nd graders act out familiar activities  by following directions. Students read a story and discuss the story elements....

Students create a PowerPoint about the community they live in now and long ago. In this community lesson plan, students fill out graphic organizers about town events that have happened and create timelines as well.