Curated OER
Don't Stop the Weaving
The importance of oral tradition is evident throughout time and across space. Introduce your learners to some interesting stories and then test their knowledge with these questions. Ten multiple-choice questions focus on characters and...
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Characteristics of Imaginative Stories
Third graders explore genre characteristics. In this genre literacy lesson, 3rd graders listen to a variety of fiction stories and classify them according to genre. Students identify common features in each genre and complete a chart by...
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Busting More Myths Using the Scientific Method
Use the Mythbusters model to jazz up your scientific method lessons!
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Introduction to African Folklore
Young scholars 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....
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Archaeology and Storytelling
Young scholars identify and interpret both individual families and whole cultures learn about their pasts by collecting and analyzing stories and artifacts. Then they identify that not all archaeological finds readily reveal their...
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Storytelling In America
Students discuss how Washington Irving is considered an important 19th century-American storyteller. They create their own version of a passage from 'The Legend' after listening to the story.
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Personal Experience Narratives
Help your middle schoolers identify personal experience narratives in their own lives through telling stories themselves and from family members or other adults. They study personal experience narratives in Swapping Stories and compare...
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History or Mis-story?
Students explore some of our country's founding myths and legends by participating in an online poll. For example, did George Washington really chop down a cherry tree, then confess to his father about the deed, saying, I cannot tell a lie?
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What is a Folktale?
Students are read an apache folktale and discuss the characters in the story. Using the text, they identify the factors that make it a folktale and not a fairy tale. On a map, they locate where the Apache people live. As a class, they...
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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.
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ESL Thematic Unit
Learners 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...
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A Walk in the Woods: The Legacy of the Haudenosaunee
Fourth graders explore folktales and legends to investigate the life and culture of the Haudenosaunee Indians. The stories and food of the six Nations are experienced as the lesson proceeds.
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A Fish Story
Students closely examine and analyze an American tall tale. They find the key features of a tall tale and compose a tall tale of their own. Student groups write, edit and present their tales to the class.
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Where the Buffalo Roam
Second graders explore what life in the Chicago area was like hundreds of years ago. They discuss how settlers impacted the environment, and why there are no longer herds of buffalo in the Chicago area today. They read an article and...
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Bunyan, Appleseed, and More
Ninth graders listen to a variety of tall tales and compose their own tall tale. In this tall tale lesson, 9th graders complete KWL chart about tall tales. Students discuss the elements of tall tales and then read example tales....
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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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Historical Background of Nightjohn Lesson Plan
Eighth graders use first-hand slave narratives that show conditions of slavery. They paste text into Appleworks and publish with a picture clipped from web sites. They create a group account of life during slavery to prepare for reading...
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Analyzing the Use of Irony in a Short Story
Ninth graders examine how literature connects to real-life and see how irony aids in the development of theme. They read Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, and discuss elements of foreshadowing and situational irony. Then learners will write...
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Making Connections
Students identify the main ideas in a passage from literature, and in a painting, and justify their conclusions using logic and language arts skills.
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Create A Genre Crossword Puzzle
In this create a genre crossword puzzle worksheet, 8th graders make a puzzle on the grid provided, using 21 terms, then create clues for each term using a definition or an example; grading rubric included.
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Enchanting Egypt
After reading the Magic Tree House book Mummies in the Morning, learners talk about Ancient Egypt. They identify the plot, characters, setting, etc., explore vocabulary terms, and construct a pyramid. This will motivate your class...
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Tales From Around the World
Students read stories. In this culture lesson plan, students read stories from different regions around the world. Students look for each region on the map and listen for interesting cultural details in the story. Students then discuss...
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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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How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun
Students explore U.S. history by reading a Native American tale in class. In this cultural storytelling lesson plan, students read the story How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun and discuss the characters and themes of the Native...