Curated OER
Green Corn Festival
Young scholars reflect in journals how the Green Corn Festival compares to present day holidays and look for ways that the tribes celebrate it differently.
Curated OER
Living Things Depend upon Each Other
Students research animals. They identify the animals' struggle for survival, and internalize the importance of preserving an ecosystem with animal life.They collect information and write a report on their findings. Additional cross...
Curated OER
Women and the Civil War Era
Learners explore feminism and explore the different roles of women and how they have changed over time. They read books about women in this period and evaluate the past, observe the present, and make assumptions about the future.
Curated OER
Legends
Students are introduced to the topic of legends. Using the text of Irving's novels, they gather information on different cultures. They practice using new vocabulary and their listening skills. They retell the stories in chronlogical order.
National First Ladies' Library
Birds of a Feather: Parrots, Pigeons, Parakeets, and More
Students investigate the concepts related to the extinction of birds while conduct research using the internet and a variety of resources. The information is used in order to create a class presentation or set the context for class...
Curated OER
ESL Thematic Unit
Students explore a thematic unit to strengthen literacy skills. The search for literacy is based upon the using of myths and legends to encourage the appreciation for other cultures. The varued activities strengthen literacy by engaging...
Curated OER
Centennial: Have I Got a Story for You
Students identify the clues that folklore provides about Utah's past, and create a piece of folklore for a place or event in or near their community.
Curated OER
Folktales Reflect Daoist and Buddhist Traditions
Tenth graders compare three Chinese folktales for their "messages" and literary techniques to see how they reflect Chinese Confucian and Taoist values. They discuss how folktales share certain subjects, characters, plots and themes.
Curated OER
Sequencing a Chinese Folktale
Students sequence the events of the popular Chinese folktale "The Terrible Nung Gwama" using a graphic organizer. This lesson plan takes 45-minutes and includes two possible enrichment activities.
S.E. Schlosser
American Folklore: Tall Tales
This site provides brief tall tales from many different states. The site also provides what they all have in common.
HotChalk
Hot Chalk: Lesson Plans Page: Native American Legends
A lesson plan for teaching Native American Legends. Well-designed, and applicable to any legend which you might choose to read.
S.E. Schlosser
American Folklore: Pecos Bill and Slue Foot Sue
The tall tale of Pecos Bill and Slue-foot Sue are retold by S.E. Schlosser.
Library of Congress
Loc: American Memory: The Kiowa Collection
Collection contains images and transcripts of the papers of Hugh Lenox Scott, a soldier in Kiowa territory in 1892. He tells of the Kiowa nation, their history, culture and clashes with whites like Kit Carson.
University of South Florida
Educational Technology Clearinghouse: Lit2 Go: George Bird Grinnell: Dun Horse
The text of a Pawnee folk tale, as written by George Bird Grinnell, who was an ornithologist who also had a deep interest in Native American culture. The text can be read online or downloaded in MP3 or PDF format. In addition, the story...
Other
Canku Ota: Newsletter Celebrating Native America
Children of all ages will enjoy reading these authentic Native American legends. Be sure to click on "kids pages" to read other stories written by students!
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Community and the Folk, Making of African American Identity: V. 3
A story that examines African American community in a rural setting. Zora Neale Hurston's (1891-1960) brief tale "Spunk" is provided within this resources and documents the expressions of southern black "folk."
John F. Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center: Lesson Plan: Writing Folktales
With this lesson plan, learners examine the American tradition of folk tales and tall tales, then write and illustrate their own original tale. Provides links to more information, an assessment rubric, extension ideas, and a list of...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Davy Crockett (In Spanish)
Read about one of the most interesting early Americans. From Tennessee to Congress to the Alamo, find out what drove this extraordinary man.
S.E. Schlosser
American Folklore: Pecos Bill Rides a Tornado
This site has the story of Pecos Bill. It explains how he rides a tornado like a bucking bronco and when he fell off the ground sank below sea level and created the Death Valley.
Other
Paul Bunyan: The Giant Lumberjack
This online version of the tall tale of Paul Bunyan features illustrations of this American folk hero.
S.E. Schlosser
American Folklore: John Henry: The Steel Driving Man
At this site read about John Henry, the steel-drivin' man who uses two hand-held hammers to dig a tunnel faster than a steam drill!
Wisconsin Historical Society
[Archived Content]wisconsin Historical Society: Paul Bunyan
Many legends live on in Wisconsin (and elsewhere) about Paul Bunyan, a giant of a lumberjack and a folk hero. This article describes how the legends have survived and grown.
Aaron Shepherd
Aaron's Storybook: Folktales
Many folktale resources are offered here. Texts of stories, "extras" including music and audio files, posters and background information can be found for some stories.
Broward Education Foundation
Broward Education Foundation: The Arts and Crafts of Storytelling [Pdf]
In the Arts and Crafts of Storytelling, American folk heroes come to life, help students expand their vocabulary and increase knowledge of figurative language. Students identify figurative language like similes, idioms and hyperboles....