African

NativeAmerican

Mexican

Folktales

African American Fables, Folktales, and Legends

African American folktales originated with the people brought from Africa to this country against their will. African American folktales came about in hopes of keeping their culture alive. The storyteller, the story, and the audience are very important to the African American folktales. The storytellers are dressed in costume and use different voices to captivate the audience. The audience is encouraged to participate. The story never ends because the audience takes it home with them to pass on to others.

Activities Activities ActivitiesActivities

How Monkey Looked For Trouble

Activity 1: In your writing journal, write about what you would do if you were monkey. How would youhave helped the old lady?

Activity 2: Write your own ending to this folktale.read it to your partner and tell your partner howyou changed it and why.

Anansi and Firefly

Activity 1: Go to Kidpix and create a mural of Anansi and thefirefly. Write a short paragraph describing what the fable meansin your own words.

Activity 2: Which character are you most like? Describe how you are like that character.

How Coyote Stole Fire

Activity 1: Choose an animal from the folktale and write eithera poem or paragraph about that animal.

Activity 2: Re-tell the story from the fire being’s point of view.

Tiger and the Big Wind

Activity 1: Answer the following questions: At thebeginning of the folktale, we find out that tiger was verymean. What do you think had happened to the tiger to cause him to become so mean? What do you think happened at the end of the story?

Activity 2: Choose one of the following:1. Write a chapter to this folktale about what had happened to between the tiger and the other animals before the folktale took place. Illustrate your chapter.2. Write a chapter to this folktale about what happenedAt the end of this folktale. Illustrate your chapter.

What is a folktale??A folktale is a story that, in its plot, is pure fiction and that

No particular location in either time or space. However, despiteIts elements of fantasy, a folktale is actually a symbolicWay of presenting the different means by which humanBeings cope with the world in which they live. FolktalesConcern people—either royalty or common folk—or animalsWho speak and act like people.

Native American Folktales

“The American Indian is of the soil, whether it be the region of forests, plains, pueblos, or mesas. He fits into the landscape, for the hand that fashioned the continent also fashioned the man for his surroundings. He once grew as naturally as the wild sunflowers, he belongs just as the buffalo belonged....”

-Luther Standing Bear Oglala Sioux

Activities

At the following website, pick one Native American folktaleto read. After reading, select one of the following activities to complete.

1. Create a comic strip to re-tell your chosen folktale.

2. Choose an animal from your

folktale and research the animal. Turn in at

least a half page paper on your animal.

3. Research the tribe of your chosen folktale and

Create a PowerPoint about that particular tribe.

Native American Folktales

Mexican Folktales T

The Smiling Rabbit

Twenty bushels of Corn

Cuca

The burro from another world

Activities

Choose 1 from below to complete

Activity 1: Tell and illustrate a Mexican folk story that you chose. Draw some animal figures from your Mexican folktale.

Activity 2: Click here to create your own folktale. You will be instructed to pick a character and setting.

Activity 3: Research an author of a Mexican tale. Create a poster or book cover telling about that author. Be sure to include details about the author’s family, background, and tales written.