1. Folk Literature in the Classroom

2. Folk Literature as Traditional Literatures: Comparing Cultures  Folklore: a reflection of people  Subgenres of Folk Literature Poetry FormsProse Narrative Forms Animal Tales Nursery rhymesMythsPourquoi Tales Childhood rhymesLegendsTrickster Tales BalladsTall TalesFables Folk songsFolk Tales EpicsFairy Tales (marchen)

3. Fables FABLES

4. Benefits Gained from Experiences with Folk Literature  Experiencing pleasure in the language of folk literature  Increasing students’ literary options  Negotiating fantasy and reality  Transacting with literature on a personal basis  Widening the view of the world

5. Pourquoi

6. Concerns over Folk Literature  “unacceptable literature for children” Children are incapable of understanding the differences between real and fantasy worlds. Children should not escape the real world. Tales cause haunting, disabling, and pathological fears.  C. S Lewis insists otherwise: Fantasy world is more orderly than the real world.

7. Transactional Model of Reading Create Construct Connect

8. Themes for Instructional Units Overcoming Odds Unit Changing the Situation Molly Whuppie Unanana and the Elephant Small Heroes The Tailor and the Giants Rags to Riches The Princess and the Pea The Cobbler and the Banker Astonishing Animals Unit Animal Tricks Billy Goats Gruff The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story Animal Disguises Little Red Riding Hood Lon Po Po Wolf and Seven Kids Helpful Animals The Lion and the Mouse The Frog Prince The protagonists, through their cleverness or “gifts,” overcome almost impossible situations. Objectives: 1.Compare fantasy elements with realistic elements. 2.Recognize themes. 3.Observe justice systems that reward “good” over “evil.” Animal characters use “trickery,” allowing children to analyze and compare the tricksters’ motivations and cleverness. Objectives: 1.Recognize story grammars. 2.Note language differences as observed in literature. 3.Analyze character motivations.

9. Stories: a universal tradition  Tales reflect a people’s concept of themselves: (Miller, 1995).  Same stories: different audiences

10. Worthy Resources Related to Folk Literature  Bourke, R. T. (2008). First graders and fairy tales: One teacher’s action research on critical literacy. The Reading Teacher, 62(4), 304-312.  EDSITEment Lesson Plans. National Endowment for the Humanities. http://edsitement.neh.gov/. http://edsitement.neh.gov/  Florentine, M., & Smith, R. (2006). Collaborating on a fairy tale newspaper. Book Links, 19-21.  Goforth, F. S., & Spillman, C. V. (1994). Using folk literature in the classroom: Encouraging children to read and write. Phoenix: Oryx Press.  Grebin, M. (2002). Fairy tales get real. November/December 2002. www.TeachingK-8.com/. www.TeachingK-8.com/  Winner, M. C. (2008). The great fairy tale mix-up. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 24(8), 12-14.  Young, T. A. (2004). Happily ever after. Newark, DE: IRA.