Folklore For Primary Students - Author(s):Sue Sharon and Barbara Vacca - Grade Level: First and Second - Subject Area:Language Arts - This Language Arts unit incorporates English Language Arts Standards 2, 3 and 4. At the end of the unit, students will develop a retelling of a folk tale or an original folk tale. Students will study the story elements as well as the criteria for legends and fairy tales.

Planning Guide
Creating Learner-Focused Schools
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LU Title:Folklore for Primary Students	Author(s):Sue Sharon and Barbara Vacca
Grade Level: First and Second Grade	School Address:Durhamvile Elementary Durhamville,NY
Subject Area:Language Arts	School Phone/Fax:315-363-8065

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
Students will understand setting, character, plot, and theme	Students will be able to use the deduction process
Students will use their personal experience to understand or relate to an author's message	Students will be able to work collaboratively with a partner and a team
Students will understand the criteria for folklore, including fairy tales, folk tales, legends, and fables	Students will be able to use the writing process to develop a character study
Students will understand sequence within a story; beginning, middle, and end	Students will be able to use the writing process to develop a retelling
Students will understand the purpose for writing a friendly letter	Students will be able to use word processing skills as they produce a piece of writing
Students will know the parts of a friendly letter	Students will be able to write a friendly letter
	Students will be able to fill out a rubric or graphic organizer Students will be able to use the Think, Pair, Share strategy Students will be able to give an oral presentation

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
At the end of the learning unit, students will demonstrate through a "Culminating Performance" that they have the knowledge and skills to answer these questions:

How do characters within folklore help us to better understand ourselves as learners?
How can the lessons learned in folklore help us to better understand our own experiences and actions?
How does working in cooperative groups make us better learners

INITIATING ACTIVITY

Mental Pictures - Teachers direct students to close their eyes and get a mental picture of a special event that occurred over the summer. Teachers share an example from their own experience to provide modeling and guidance. As students are forming their own mental pictures, teachers help to refine the mental image with the following prompting questions:
* Where are you right now in your mind? (Setting)
* When did this event take place? (Setting)

Who is there with you? (Characters)
*How did they act? (Characters)
* What did they say? (Characters)

* What is happening? (Plot)
* What are people doing? (Plot)

* How did you feel? (Theme)
*What did you learn ? (Theme)

Think/Pair/Share - Teacher should allow about ten minutes for students to get a clear and precise mental picture in their head. Students should then be directed to turn to a partner and share the images with his or her partner. Teacher should model this with another student prior to directing students to practice the strategy. Students should be directed to give the teacher a signal when they have finished their conversation.

Whole Group Share/Organizing Information - Once students have finished their think/pair/share, they will be invited to share their discussion with the whole class. Teachers will use the prompting questions to help students organize the information they are sharing. Student responses will be recorded on large charts (graphic organizers) labeled setting, plot, theme, character. Teachers will then share and explain the meaning of the terms.

Connection to State Learning Standards

Content Area: Language Arts

Level: Grade One and Two

Benchmarks: Students will develop the following reading and listening competencies:
Select literature based on personal needs and interest from a variety of genre and by different authors.
Engage in purposeful reading in small and large groups.
Recognize the differences among the genre of stories, poems, and plays.
Relate setting, plot, and characters in literature to own lives.
Use previous reading and life experiences to understand and compose literature.
Make predictions, and draw conclusions and inferences about events and characters.
Use specific evidence from stories to identify themes: describe characters, their actions and motivations: and relate sequence of events.
Use knowledge of story structure, story elements, and key vocabulary to interpret stories.
Identify elements of character, plot, and setting to understand author's message and intent.
Connect imaginative texts to previous reading and life experiences to enhance understanding and appreciation.
Compare and contrast ideas of others to own ideas

Benchmarks: Students will develop the following writing and speaking competencies:
Write original imaginative texts.
Use a computer to create, respond to, and interpret.
Write an adaptation of a story.
Present original works to classmates.
Describe characters, setting, and plot.

Standard 2: Students will read and listen for literary response and expression.

Standard 2: Students will write and speak for literary response and expression.

Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

Standard 4: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.

Benchmarks: Students will develop the following reading, writing, listening, and speaking competencies:

Read to compare and contrast characters, plot, and setting in two literary works.
Analyze ideas and information based on prior knowledge and personal experience.
Use prewriting tools to organize ideas and information.
Listen to form a personal opinion about the quality of texts read aloud based on criteria such as character, plot, and setting.
Orally express an opinion or judgment about a character, plot, and setting in a variety of works.
Use personal experience and knowledge to analyze and evaluate new ideas.

Benchmarks: Students will develop the following reading, writing, listening, and speaking competencies:

Share reading experiences to build relationships with peers or adults; for example, reading together silently or aloud.
Write friendly letters.
Write personal journals.
Listen to establish, maintain, and enhance personal relationships in : class and group discussion, role play, conferences with teachers.
Speak to establish, maintain, or enhance personal relationships: formal and informal discussions, small group discussion, teacher conferences.

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE
Students will individually write an original folktale, or a retrelling of a folktale not previously studied. When writing the folktale students will need to include folktale criteria as well as the story elements. Students will develop a visual display to support their folktale. Guidelines for the visual diplay will be provided to students and their parents. Students will be asked to present their story and display to an audience. The presentation will include:

Introduction

My favorite part

Describe at least one story element

Tell how your visual display supports your story

Students will be given time in school to prepare and practice prior to their presentation. The student's culminating performance will be assessed using a rubric. The rubric will address the following areas: organization of materials, content of retelling, visual display, and oral presentation.

Unit Theme:
Folklore: The Lessons They Teach Us

Learning Experiences

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should students will be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…Describe what will be done.
Lesson #1 Students will understand setting, character, plot, and theme. Students will understand the traits of a character within a legend.	Video: Johnny Appleseed , told by Walt Disney	Think/Pair/Share Vocabulary Overview Guide (On chart paper write: Definition Clue Word Have students come up with a clue word that will help them to remember the definition.)	Teacher will review the story elements on the graphic organizer. Teacher will introduce the video. After watching the video, students discuss the story elements using the Think/Pair/Share strategy. The teacher focuses on the main story character, asking students about specific actions. Were all actions humanly possible? Use Think/Pair/Share to identify actions that are beyond human ability. Using the vocabulary overview guide, develop a definition and clue word for "super human" and "heroic".
Lesson #2 Students will understand the criteria for a legend. Characters are superhuman, sometimes heroic, or dangerous, courageous, mighty and strong. Have larger than life qualities. Portrays a struggle of good against evil. Hero always overcomes the problem Happens long, long ago or in the past. Teaches something about human nature and human emotion.	Read aloud, The Story of Johnny Appleseed by Aliki	Story Elements Graphic Organizer Think/Pair/Share Induction Matrix 3 Minute Pause 3,2,1 Closure Strategy	Teacher will read, The Story of Johnny Appleseed aloud. Review the story elements from film. Following Think/Pair/Share, add information to the story elements graphic organizer. Teacher introduces Criteria for a legend. Teacher reads each criterion. Following each, students are asked to signal agreement or disagreement. Using the matrix, students will determine that this is a legend. At the end of the lesson, students will be asked to tell: 3 things that they learned about legends, 2 criteria of a legend, and 1 thing they learned about the story.
Lesson #3 Students will identify the story elements using a graphic organizer.	Video Paul Bunyan by Steven Kellogg	Story Elements Chart (See Figure #1) Before and After Strategy: Anticipation Guide Statements: True or False Paul Bunyan is a very weak man. Paul Bunyan lived long, long ago. Paul Bunyan had a mule. Paul Bunyan teaches us to work hard even when it is difficult.	Teacher will direct students' attention to the statements on the chart. (Anticipation Guide) After reading each statement, students will either agree that the statement is true or disagree that the statement is false. The majority will be the answer. Teacher will continue on through each statement on the guide following this format. Students watch the video. At the end of the video students revisit the Anticipation Guide to review their responses. The students will decide and defend any changed answers. Students will complete story elements chart in pairs.
Lesson #6 Students will identify the parts of a Friendly Letter. Students will understand the purpose of a Friendly Letter	Read aloud Dear Peter Rabbit by Alma Flor Ada	Think/Pair/Share	Teacher will introduce the story, Dear Peter Rabbit, by asking pre reading questions. "Have you ever received a letter?" "Have you ever written or mailed a letter?" Following the discussion, read the selection. After the reading, have students discuss the similarities that they noticed in all of the letters: date, greeting, message, closing, signature. As a group, write a Friendly Letter to another class. Check Friendly Letter format by using cards labeled with the parts.
Lesson #7 Students will understand format of a Friendly Letter.	Discussion	Flow Chart Think Aloud	Students and teacher will develop a flow chart to represent the Friendly Letter format. Teacher uses the "Think Aloud" process. Teacher says, "I know that the date goes in the right hand corner. What can I draw to help me remember where the date goes?" Teacher continues in this manner for all of the parts of the friendly letter. Make sure to elicit student responses.
Lesson #10 Students will understand the criteria of a folk tale/fairy tale: The fairy tale begins "Once upon a time.." The fairy tale happens long ago and far away. Some characters are royalty. Some characters are good; some are evil. There is a problem to solve. Someone makes a plan to solve a problem. There is some magic in the fairy tale. Something happens in threes. Someone gets a reward. There is a "happily ever after" ending. Students will identify the story elements within a folk tale: setting, plot, character, and theme.	Video - The Three Little Pigs Complete Story Element Chart as a class	Think/Pair/Share Anticipation Guide: True or False (See Lesson #3 for procedure.) In the Three Little Pigs, the animals act like people. The character in the Three Little Pigs are super human. In the Three Little Pigs all of the Pigs solved their problem. There is a pattern in the story. Something sad happened at the end of the story. "The Best Test " Closure strategy. Ask four questions with regard to plot, setting, characters, and theme. Question 1: A "how" question relating to plot. Question 2: A"why " question relating to plot. Question 3: a "what " question relating to theme. Question 4: a "who" question relating to characters.	Teacher will lead Think/Pair/Share regarding a folk tale. Have you ever heard or read a fairy tale? How did you know it was a fairy tale? Following this, complete Anticipation Guide with questions specific to the Three Little Pigs. Watch video of the Three Little Pigs. Re-visit the anticipation guide. Complete the story element chart as a class. Closure strategy, "The Best Test".

Figure #1

After reading/watching______________________use the chart below to describe the elements of the story.

Story Elements	Describe
Characters
Plot
Theme
Setting

Learning Experiences

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Lesson #5A

Students will use the writing process to develop a character study.

Paragraph Graphic Organizer
(i.e.,Hamburger, Hand....)

Rubric for A Good Paragraph

Teacher will lead students in brainstorming specific character traits relating to Johnny Appleseed or Paul Bunyan. As traits are suggested, students will be asked to support their ideas , citing specific details from the story. Following the brainstorm, students will develop a rough draft. When the rough draft is complete, students will use the good paragraph rubric to assess their own writing.

Lesson #5B
Modified Writing Lesson

Students will write several sentences relating to a story character.

Cluster of Ideas (Brainstorming Web)

3 Minute Pause

Teacher will begin lesson by asking students to think about the story of Johnny Appleseed.
What did he do? How would you describe him? Give students 3 minutes to think about responses. On chart paper, write responses to describe Johnny Appleseed in phrases. Students will use the phrases to develop complete sentences that describe Johnny Appleseed. Students will write their sentences in the Cluster of Ideas.

Lesson #8

Students will write a Friendly Letter.

Flow Chart

Friendly Letter Rubric

Teacher will have a Friendly Letter written on the chart to the class. Students will use the flow chart to check Friendly Letter format. Teacher will direct students attention to message. Discuss what do we say in our message in a Friendly Letter? Students will then write a Friendly Letter to a folktale character. Students will ask questions about the the character's actions and feelings in the story. Students will use the Friendly Letter Rubric to check format.

Lesson #9

Students will develop a retelling of a folk tale.

Story Element Chart

Story Map (Title, Character, Event 1, Event 2,...)

Think/Pair/Share

Students will listen to several versions of the same folk tale. After listening to each one, the class will complete the Story Elements chart. Students will work together using Think/Pair/Share. For this experience, teacher will introduce the story map. If we were to write a version of this folk tale, what information would we include? (Title, character, ...) The class will break up into groups of 4 to complete story maps. After completing story maps, students should share.

Closure Strategy: Mrs. Potter's Questions:

What were you expected to do today?
In this assignment, what did you do well?
If you had to do this over what would you do differently?
What help do you need from me?

Lesson #13

Students will write a retelling of a fairy tale that reflects their understanding of the story elements and the fairy tale criteria.

Think Aloud

Train Track Graphic Organizer

A Quality Retelling Rubric

Teacher will model developing a retelling by using the Think Aloud strategy. Teacher will talk through steps of writing a retelling. Teacher should record her ideas on the Train Track Graphic Organizer. Teacher's retelling should include story elements and most of the folk tale criteria. After teacher's retelling is complete, she will use the overhead projector to introduce the Quality Retelling Rubric.
Working individually, students will develop their own retellings. When a student's retelling is completed, the rubric is used as an assessment tool..

Lesson #14

Students will use the IBM program "Write Along" to save and retrieve written work.

Flow Chart

Flip Cards

Teacher will model the process to students through the use of the CTV adapter with the television. Following the demonstration students will be given time to practice saving and retrieving information. Students will use a story provided by the teacher. As a reference, the flow chart will be displayed. Students will have access to flip cards. (The flip cards give step by step instructions for saving and retrieving work.)

Learning Experiences

Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…	What reasoning process will they be using?	Describe what will be done.
Lesson #4 Students will be extending and refining their knowledge of Criteria of a Legend.	Comparing Classifying Inductive Reasoning -Students will be using an Induction Matrix Deductive Reasoning Error Analysis Analyzing Perspectives Constructing Support Abstracting Other: Collaborative Pairs	Teacher will display graphic organizer of the story elements for Johnny Appleseed and Paul Bunyan. Teacher will then tell the students, "Now that we have learned about two different stories, we are going to decide what type of story they are." Teacher introduces the Induction Matrix (See Figure 2) to the students. Using the Think Aloud process teacher demonstrates how to use the matrix. The teacher will say out loud,"Was Johnny Appleseed heroic, super human, or larger than life? Well, let's see.. I know that he walked hundreds of miles in his bare feet throughout the seasons. Could someone really do that? No!" "I do think that Johnny Appleseed was Super Human." Teacher continues in this manner for the remaining criteria. Try to elicit student responses. Upon completion of the matrix, have students get into pairs. They will complete their own matrix with regard to Paul Bunyan.
Lesson #11 Students will compare the Story Elements of two folk tales using a Comparison Matrix.	Comparing - students will be using a comparison matrix	Teacher will begin the lesson by introducing the Comparison Matrix. Students will discuss the story elements of two folk tales previously read in pairs. Teacher will ask Focus Questions: How were the stories similar? How were the stories different? Summarizing Strategy 3-2-1 Tell three ways that the stories are the same. Tell two ways that the stories are different. Tell one thing that was surprising to you.
Lesson #12 Students will use the criteria matrix to test a fairy tale in terms of the given criteria. Using the strategy Numbered Heads Together, students will work cooperatively in small groups	Inductive Reasoning-students will be using an inductive matrix,( "A Fairy Tale Criteria Matrix")	Teacher will provide the criteria matrix, " Fairy Tale Criteria Matrix". (See Figure 4.) Teacher will read each listed criterion. Students will work in assigned small groups to determine if a fairy tale read includes the given criteria. Each small group will discuss one assigned criterion. (i.e., Group 1, Did the fairy tale begin "Once upon a time..." Group 2, The fairy tale happens long ago and far away.) At the end of a given time period, students will share their findings. Using the information collected, students will be able to determine if the story read is a fairy tale. Following the lesson, the class will use the same procedure each time they read a fairy tale.
Lesson #12A Students will use the criteria matrix to test a fairy tale in terms of the given criteria.	Inductive Reasoning - Students will be using an inductive matrix, "A Fairy Tale Recipe"	Students will individually read "The Little Red Hen" using the IBM Stories and More Program. Prior to and following reading, students will follow program directions to complete related activities. When all of the students have read "The Little Red Hen". they will complete the criteria matrix with regard to the story.

Figure #2

Use the induction chart to draw conclusions a bout which stories are truly legends.

Criteria for Legends:	*The characters* are heroic, superhuman, dangerous, courageous or larger than life.**	*The plot* shows a struggle between good and evil.**	*The theme* teaches us about human nature and human emotion.**	*The setting* is in the past, long, long ago.**
Story 1 Examples
Story 2 Examples
Story 3 Examples
Conclusion

Figure #3

Use the following matrix when comparing the Story Elements in two different stories.

Story 1

Story 2

Elements:	How are they the same?	How are they different?
Characters
Plot
Setting
Theme

Figure #4

Fairy Tale Criteria Matrix

Story 1 Story 2 Story 3 Story 4	1	2	3	4
Criteria for Fairy Tale:
The story begins "Once upon a time..."
The story happens long ago and far away.
Some of the characters are royalty.
Some of the characters are good; some of the characters are evil.
There is a problem that needs to be solved .
Someone makes a plan to solve the problem.
There is some magic in the story.
Things happen in threes.
Someone gets a reward.
The story has a "happily ever after" ending.

Planning Guide

Unit:

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
*What knowledge* will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to...........**	What reasoning process will they be using?	Describe student's products and performances and the criteria for evaluation.
write an original folk tale, or a retelling of a folk tale not previously studied apply knowledge of folk tale criteria as well as the story elements when writing a folk tale organize materials and information needed to write a folk tale	*[ ] Decision Making (selecting from seemingly equal alternatives or examining the decisions of others) [ ] Problem Solving (seeking to achieve a goal by overcoming constraints or limiting conditions) [ ] Invention (creating something to meet a need or improve on a situation) [ ] Experimental Inquiry (generating an explanation for a phenomenon and testing the explanation) [ ] Investigation (resolving confusions or contradictions related to a historical event, a hypothetical past or future event, or to the defining characteristics of something) [ ] Systems Analysis (analyzing the parts of a system and how they interact) [ * ] Other:Critical Analysis** (analyzing criteria needed to develop their own original folk tale)	Products/Performances: Students will use a "Culminating Project" flow chart to complete an original folk tale or retelling. Final drafts will be completed using the word processor. Student will also develop a visual display to support their retelling. Students will be asked to present their folk tale and visual display to an audience. The presentation will include: Introduction Description of student's favorite part Description of at least one story element Description of how visual display supports student's story
		Criteria for evaluation: Students will use the flow chart and the rubrics for "A Good Paragraph" and "A Quality Retelling". Teacher will monitor progress through the student/teacher conferences. Student's Culminating Performance will be evaluated using the performance/product rubric.

Rubric:

Key Questions:

What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be evaluated?

Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed differently?

	Element #1	Element #2	Element #3	Element #4
Elements	Organization of materials	Content	Visual Display	Presentation
4	All materials are together: flow chart, graphic organizer, rough draft, revisions, final draft	Retelling includes many folk tale criteria All story elements are included All events are in the correct order For each event there are many details and describing words There are many descriptions of characters, including what they say and how they felt	All elements of the display support the story	Presentation includes all of the following elements: introduction, description of favorite part, description of at least one story element, and description of how the visual display supports the story
3	Most materials are together	Retelling includes some of the folk tale criteria Most story elements are included For each event, there are some details and describing words There are some descriptions of characters, including what they say and how they felt	Most elements of the display support the story	Presentation includes most of the above elements
2	Some materials are together	Retelling includes few of the folk tale criteria Some story elements are included For each event there are few details and describing words There are few descriptions of characters	Some elements of the display support the story	Presentation includes some of the above elements
1	Few materials are together	Retelling includes none of the folk tale criteria Few of the story elements are included For each event, there are simplistic details There are simplistic descriptions of characters	Few elements of the display support the story	Presentation includes few of the above elements

NOTE: Rubric or other performance assessment instruments may be used.

Friendly Letter Format Rubric

Goal	Self	Friend	Teacher
My date is in the right corner on the first line.
My greeting is on the left and has capital letters and a comma.
I skipped a line between my greeting and the body.
I indented the first line of my body.
The rest of the lines in my body line up with my greeting.
I skipped a line between the body and the closing.
My closing lines up with my date.
I put a comma after my closing.
I skipped a line between my closing and my signature.

A Good Paragraph Rubric

Self Teacher	Yes	No	Yes	No
My paragraph has a topic sentence that tells the reader the topic.
My paragraph includes a body with three facts and details that explain or describe the topic.
My paragraph has a concluding sentence that reminds the reader of what the paragraph was about.
I reread my paragraph to make sure my body is in order and makes sense to the reader.

A Quality Retelling

Goal	Yes	No
I retold the events of the story in the correct order.
For each event I included some details and describing words.
I included what the characters said and how they felt.
My retelling has all of the story elements.
My retelling has a beginning, middle, and end.
My retelling has many folk tale criteria.

Have You Considered These Yet?

Learn to Learn Skills:
Some students may be unable to read a folk tale independently. These students will then listen to a selected folk tale in order to develop their retelling. The folk tale may be read several times, or a cassette should be provided.
Since this may be the students' first experience in saving and retrieving a writing piece on the computer, the students should be given practice time. When completing their retelling, students should be monitored closely.

Assessment Modifications:
The following modifications would be provided for students with written language or fine motor difficulties:

Retelling may be dictated and recorded for the student.
Individual assistance in using the word processor.
Provide modified writing experiences.

All students would be expected to develop a retelling and visual display to be presented to the class. Rubrics are used to assess students on an individual basis.

Unit Schedule/Time Plan:
To prepare for this unit it is important to gather reading materials and prepare charts beforehand. The unit may be completed over a 20 week period as follows:

Weeks 1-4:Story Elements
Legends

Weeks 5-10: Fairy Tales
Introduce Friendly Letter

Weeks 10-15: Practice writing Friendly Letters
Work on writing experiences

Weeks 15-20 Culminating Performance

Written Overview:
This Language Arts unit incorporates English Language Arts Standards 2, 3 and 4. At the end of the unit, students will develop a retelling of a folk tale or an original folk tale. Students will study the story elements as well as the criteria for legends and fairy tales. Since this unit is written for Primary students, it also addresses specific learning and discussion strategies(Think/Pair/Share), learning how to use graphic organizers, and practicing word processing skills.