Reading Lessons for Folklore Unit

Young ArthurBy: Robert D. San Souci

Meeting #1Assingment: Read pg. 19-34

*Fill out 2 cause and effect sequences.*Answer the following questions:

1. What does Merlin do that shows he is a character with special qualities?

2. Why is the moment when Arthur pulls the sword out of the stone an important moment in terms of the plot?

3. Pretend that you are a writer for the Chelsea Newspaper and that you just heard about Young Arthur becoming king. Write a short article (at least 4 sentences) telling about the event.

4. Vocabulary StudyMy Word: _______________ Page: __________What it means:

My word used in a sentence:

Possum Learns a Lesson: A Cherokee LegendHow Possum Got His Skinny Tail (Cherokee)

Retold by: Sequoya Guess

Meeting #2Assignment: Read Possum Learns a Lesson pg. 50- 51Read How Possum Got His Skinny Tail pg. 88-93 (in packet)

*Fill out Venn diagram-The Venn diagram will help you to compare the

similarities and differences between these two

Cherokee tales. Pay close attention, there are many small details that make the stories different.*Fill out 2 cause and effect sequences. Try to focus on the feelings of the characters and how they affected the story.*Answer the following questions:

1. Why are the animals annoyed with Possum? How do they fix the problem?

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2. Pretend that you are a Cherokee storyteller, and that you are telling the story of how Possum got his ugly tail. What would your story be? Write 4-5 sentences telling the story of how you think Possum got his hairless, skinny tail. Use your imagination!

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3. What do you think is the moral, or message in these stories?

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Mufaro’s Beautiful DaughtersAn African Tale by John Steptoe

Meeting #3Assignment: Read pg. 87-102

~Background information: This is a folk tale. Folk tales often include unusual characters, such as animals that speak. Many folk tales teach a lesson about life.*Fill out Story Map*Answer the following questions:

4. What clue in the first sentence tells you that this is a folk tale? (Think about setting).

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5. Which mysterious character does Manyara meet first on her journey? Who does she meet next? Then what strange thing happens? Who does she meet last? How are Nyasha’s experiences in the forest the same as her sister’s? How are they different? (You fill out a blank Venn diagram if you would like for this one).

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6. Fill in the blanks in the following chart (Hint: For the character’s actions, think about how they act towards others):

Character’s Actions What Happens

Nyasha is _________ and ___________.

Manyara is __________ and ____________.

Nyasha becomes a _____________.

Manyara becomes a _________________.

Message/lesson (what can we learn?):

Yours Truly, GoldilocksBy: Alma Flor Ada


~Background information: This is a fractured fairy tale. A “fractured” fairy tale takes a familiar tale, and puts an unusual and usually humorous twist on them. Differences like the setting, characters, and events might be different depending on who is telling the story. *Answer the following questions:

7. What fairy tale characters do you recognize from this story? What is unusual about the story so far?

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8. Why does Goldilocks think she should bring blankets to the Pigs’ house? Why is this funny? (pg 342)

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4. Most of the characters in this fairy tale shared the problem of the two wolves. In the space below, write a letter to the editor of a newspaper where the fairy tale characters live. In the letters try to persuade (convince) the town government to do something about the two wolves, (without harming them in any way).____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Sally Ann Thunder Ann WhirlwindBy: Mary Pope Osborne


*Fill out the figurative language chart found in the back of the packet.*Answer the following questions:

9. What led to Davy Crockett getting his head stuck in the tree? Tell the events in the order in which they occurred.

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10. Sally’s best friend says: “Sally can laugh the bark off a pine tree.” Compare that sentence to Sally is very funny. Which description is more effective? Why?

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11. How is Sally’s response to Mike Fink’s embrace (hug) typical of a tall tale?

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Aesop’s Fables

Retold By: Saviour Pirotta

Meeting #6Assignment: Read The Lion and the Mouse 16-25The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs 38-45The Jay and the Peacocks 72-79*Answer the following questions:

13. Tell about a situation where someone might have underestimated your ability to do something.

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14. What does it mean that “little friends make great friends?”

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15. What was the gift that the old woman gave to the farmer in “The Goose that Laid Golden Eggs?” Did it end up being a “gift?” Explain.

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16. In The Jay and the Peacocks, what does it mean that “fine feathers don’t make a fine bird?”

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17. What makes you truly happy? Would you trade it for anything in the world?

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Cause and EffectIn the spaces below, write causes and effects for events in your tale. Remember that the cause is why something happened, and the effect is what happens.

Story Title Cause (Why it Happened) ->

Effect (What happens)

Ex:Young Arthur

Arthur rises up against his enemies.

->

Arthur’s sword is shattered.

->

->

->

->

Figurative Language: HyperboleSally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind

Hyperbole: A delicate overstatement or fanciful exaggeration not meant to be taken literally.In the chart below, find at least 4 different hyperboles (exaggerations) in the story. Write the hyperbole in the first column, and then write the real meaning in the second column. *An example as been done for you.

Hyperbole Real MeaningSally can laugh the bark off a pine tree.

Sally laughs long and hard, and probably really loudly.

Possum Learns a Lesson

Different Different

Same

Story: Story:Venn Diagram

How Possum Got His Skinny Tail

Documents

Reading Lessons for Folklore Unit