The guide to John Steinbeck's The Pearl suggests ways instructors can help readers see below the surface of the novella to the parable beneath. Through a variety of activities, readers come to appreciate the complexity of the tale.

Young scholars create their own festival. In this folk life lesson plan, students research their folklore history by interviewing their parents and grandparents, organizing the data found, and presenting that material to the class. Young...

This activity allows students to explore the elements of traditional folktales in folk music.

High schoolers explore the nuances of Confucianism. In this Korean society lesson, students complete jigsaw reading assignments on the Hyo. High schoolers compare their own reverence for parents to that described in the pieces about Korea.

Students explore world literature through completing several varied exercises. In this compare and contrast lesson students compare and contrast stories and how time and culture impacts the stories.

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.

Students investigate the uses of ceremonial dance in the Pueblo Indian culture by viewing videos of native dances. They listen to folk tales that explain the dances and compare the traditions of the Pueblo culture to their own culture....

Learners compare and contrast the traditional Cinderella to the modern-day fairy tale, Cinder Edna. In this fairy tales lesson plan, students read both stories and construct a Venn diagram to compare the two fairy tales. Learners...

Students investigate cultural traditions. In this multi-cultural instructional activity, students discuss various cultures and research their traditions.

Sixth graders develop an understanding of Christmas traditions of other countries and well as the United States. They discover the meaning of other holiday celebrations and utilize computers and other technology as an integral part of...

Students analyze well-known fairy tale characters to learn about characterization. After choosing two fairy tale characters and determining what the characters most want and most fear, students switch characters and stories. They...

Students examine the importance of oral traditions while reading various fairy and folk tales. Given a piece of clay, they can mold it into any shape they want and pass it to their neighbor which keeps building the object. They use...

Fifth graders review the basic story of the Cinderella fairy tale. In groups, they read various stories of Cinderella from different cultures. They use a compare and contrast chart to examine the differences between the American...

Students examine a Native American Cinderella story. In this Cinderella lesson, students listen to and compare Rafe Martin's, The Rough Face Girl, to other Cinderella stories. They complete the associated worksheets, role play scenes...

Student groups create slides on one of the cultures listed. They view videos that show United States families celebrating Christmas based on their native countries' traditions and a video which tells the story of La Bafana, the old woman...

Young scholars analyze four versions of the Cinderella story. In this fairy tale analysis lesson, students read four versions of Cinderella and work in groups to identify the plot for each. Young scholars illustrate the stories and...

Students read about Viking exploration and complete activities based on the Indigenous people they encountered. In this Viking exploration lesson plan, students compare and contrast stories, write a character sketch, and more.

Here's a fresh take on a mythology unit. Use the myths of the Mayan and Aztec peoples of Mesoamerica instead of the more traditional Greek and Roman stories. This abstract suggests possible approaches and resources that can be...

Guide your class through reading various versions of The Three Little Pigs. Talk about the traditional story line and then discuss a different point of view: Maybe the wolf was just an innocent bystander! This lesson plan, which has...

Students study Japanese folk tales focusing on the traditional values and key elements. They compare the Japanese values with their own. They discuss Japanese art before designing a set of kamishibai on which they write a summary of a...

Seventh graders listen to, recite, and research African folktales. They research African artwork to add to their original folk tales which they write.

Students write an Indian tale explaining a natural event, an animal characteristic,

Young scholars identify formal elements that characterize the scroll, work in a variety of media, from traditional to digital, to create their own scrolls, work into digital printout with at least two media, and engage in meaningful...

Students share social and cultural traditions and values. They develop listening strategies to explain what is heard.