Learning Experience
Folk Tales
Title of Learning Experience: Folk Tales
Jean Kosina
Remington Elementary School
Ilion Central Schools
Intermediate Grades: Grade 6 ;Other Grades: if adapted.
Typed on Microsoft Word
LEARNING CONTEXT
This learning experience incorporates the following learning standards:
English Language Arts, Social Studies, Technology, and Mathematics.
ELA Standard 1: Read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding: *interpret and analyze information from books * compare information * organize and categorize information * relate new information to prior knowledge and experience. Standard 2: Read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression: *produce oral and written reports * provide references * compare and contrast * process writing * use standard English. Standard 3 Read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation : texts of different genres. Standard 4: Read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction: *present responses.
Social Studies Standard 2:demonstrate understanding of geography: *develop and use maps * understand cultural differences in the world
MST Standard 3: mathematics:* use maps to scale real objects. Standard 5: Technology: * use a computer to connect and access needed information from various Internet sites.
The experience can fit in with the sixth grade curriculum in the social studies area dealing with geography and cultures. By exploring other "subject folktales" any grade level could be adapted.
The purpose of this learning experience is to incorporate literature and culture. This will show children both similarities and differences between cultures. Through this experience students will be incorporating technology, language arts, social studies, and mathematics.
Students will need to know the importance of following directions and be able to work in cooperating groups.
I work as a consultant teacher with a push-in model. This lesson and its extensions could be team-taught; or used as a special project.
PROCEDURE
The teacher will explain what a folk tale is. The teacher will then introduce the experience of various cultures through literature. The following folk tales will be read: Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott (Pueblo), The Greatest of All by Eric A. Kimmel (Japan), and Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by Elphinstine Dayrell (Africa). A multiple/comparison diagram will be shown as the comparison graphic organizer to compare the tales. A comparison essay will then be assigned. A review of what a folk tale includes will be done before assigning the class to write an original folk tale. She will assign the groups for cooperative learning, as well as the assigned country to research via the Internet. A research organizer will be assigned. The information researched could include, but is not limited to religion, employment, family structure, customs, and leisure activities (your research organizer should be set up for this. A web with these categories would be the simplest to construct, but use your own favorite graphic organizer.). This report can then be used for the own country comparison.
The class will read the following folk tales (you can choose your own for the countries of your choice) Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott (Pueblo), The Greatest of All by Eric A. Kimmel (Japan), and Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky by Elphinstone Dayrell (Africa). Each student will compare and contrast the three folk tales read. The class will make salt dough maps of their country and research its culture, then compare it to our own. Each student will then develop their own folk tales about the sun, moon, and/or stars.
Multiple/comparison diagram: a three-circle version of a Venn diagram with the common union for similarities and the nonunion area for the differences.
Salt Dough Recipe: 1 cup of salt, 1 cup of flour, add water to form a doughy consistency.
Upon completion of the students learning experience, students will orally present their maps, story comparisons, country research, and original folk tales to a selected audience, for example, own class, younger grades, or parent day.
INTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS
Students will be placed in heterogeneous groups so those children can pair read the material. The computer word processor will be used to write up the report. Pictorial reports with oral presentations will be accepted for the research and folk tale as needed for mainstreamed students.
The classroom should have a large open floor space for working on the maps.
MATERIALS & SUPPLIES
Students will bring in cardboard, a cup of salt and a cup of flour for the salt dough maps.
The teacher will provide the graphic organizers or instruction on developing their own organizers with the information necessary to complete the task. Information on how to use the Internet to pull off information and maps will also be given. The teacher will give the class the three folk tales to compare.
ASSESSMENT TOOLS & TECHNIQUES
The techniques used to collect evidence of student data are observation checklists, completeness of graphic organizers, questioning, and reports and original folk tale.
The tools used to document the progress are rubrics on writing, and checklists on sections completed.
Rubric for map:
2 points: The map is accurate, specifically labeled, and neat
1 point: The map is somewhat accurate, generally labeled, and slightly messy
0 points: The map contains inaccurate or misinformation, incorrectly labeled, and sloppily done
Rubric for the original folk tale:
3 points: original, engages the audience, has order, and elaborates detail
2 points: original, somewhat engaging, has order, some detail
1 point: uses existing idea, appears to engage little order, little detail
0 points: uses existing idea, no engagement, no order or details
Rubric for comparisons and research:
2 points: thorough understanding of information gathered, organized in paragraphs, accurate, and complete
1 point: clear understanding of information, somewhat organized, some correct information, too general
0 points: confused understanding of information, unorganized, failed to respond
Rubric for presentation:
3 points: speaks directly to audience, shows good posture and voice control, uses notes without detracting, organized, audible
2 points: speaks generally toward audience, shows good posture and voice control, notes are slightly detracting, organized, waivers minimally from audibility
1 point: speaks away from audience, lacks good posture and voice control, notes are detracting, somewhat disorganized, audibility fluctuates.
0 points: speaks into notes, poor posture and voice control, notes are detracting, unorganized, inaudible
Checklist:
1) Working within the group
2) Working independently
3) Completed the following tasks:
a) book comparisons
b) research report
c) own country comparison
d) original folk tale
e) salt dough map
f) oral presentation of products
TIME REQUIRED
Planning time: 3 hours
Implementation time: 2-3 weeks, an hour per day
Assessment: Continual over the 2-3 weeks plus 3 hours for writings or oral presenters
STUDENT WORK
Student samples will include:
research reports on the assigned country
salt dough maps
original folk tales
comparison of folk tales
comparison to own country's culture
oral presentation of final products
REFLECTION
This lesson incorporates the use of the multiple intelligences. It broadens the learners knowledge beyond his own home, yet incorporates prior knowledge of the learner.
This lesson was developed to integrate the social studies and language arts curriculums. It helps the student investigate different cultures while incorporating their own culture within the experience.
As a consultant teacher this lesson allows me to assist the "special" student in more than one curricula area at a time, giving them a well-rounded in education.
This experience can be expanded into the standards of music and art, also. Each country's "arts" can be investigated through the Internet and by recreating its styles. Drama can also be explored by acting out the students' original folk tales. Science can be explored through the differences of climate and vegetation of the countries in relationship to the equator.
Other Considerations:
If the students do not have the prior knowledge of how to search the Internet, this should be presented to the class. One of the easiest and readable search engines for children is Yahooligans. Instruction should be taught in the following steps:
Always monitor your students’ sites or bookmark ahead of time. Sites change constantly.