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Folktales

 

Discover a variety of folktale resources, including online books, writing prompts, interviews with storytellers, international folktale exchanges, ideas for units and lesson plans, and much more! INCLUDED: Folktales from all 50 U.S. states and more than 20 foreign countries.

Are you just browsing the world of folktales? Are you looking for a particular folktale? Or, are you looking for ideas on how to teach students to create their own folktales? Whatever your purpose, be sure to check out these wonderful and comprehensive online resources for folktale activities for grades K-12. From online books to writing prompts to international folktale exchanges -- and more -- you're bound to find more than a few resources that will fit your needs.

Myths, Folktales and Fairy Tales
This site by Scholastic contains a wealth of teaching resources. Start by inviting students to click the Writing with Writers link under Folktales, and read or listen to a story written by one of the guest authors. Then, have students follow the steps provided -- from brainstorming to publishing online -- to write their own folktales. Encourage students to read some of the student writing posted at the site. Next, check out Exploring Everyday Folklore, at which students can discover what folklore is, learn how it is passed down within families, and find out how they can share their stories with others. Finally, help students learn how to become storytellers by inviting them to watch a Flash story told by another guest author and then following the steps to learn to tell stories themselves. The site is appropriate for students aged 5-15, although K-6 students might need teachers to summarize and present materials for them.

Absolutely Whootie: Stories to Grow By
Check out this Web site to find short folktales for students to read. The site contains -- in addition to other stories -- a dozen folktales from around the world. Appropriate for ages 6-12, the tales include student-created illustrations, comprehension questions, and free writing assignments. (Click Teaching Materials.) Estimated reading times -- ranging from 3-25 minutes -- also are included.

Folktale Unit
This online unit contains seven lesson plans about folktales, for students in grades 1-2 or 3-5. Each lesson provides a reading or project-based (not online) activity, and uses a popular American folktale (such as Johnny Appleseed or Pecos Bill) to improve reading, writing, and vocabulary skills. For early childhood classrooms, take a look at the Folktale Unit Ideas for grades K-2. (Click the "What is a Folktale?" lesson and scroll to the bottom of the page.) Here, you can find 16 easy-to-implement ideas for incorporating folktales into your classroom.

American Folklore
Looking for an exhaustive list of folktales from every state and region in the United States? This is it! User-friendly American Folklore offers stories in almost every folktale genre imaginable including historical, ethnic, weather-related, campfire, ghost, famous characters, and legends stories. Students in grades 3-12 can search for a specific story or browse the categories. Other helpful sections include further resources for teachers, homework help, ESL materials, stories for scouting, and storytelling links.

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Article by Lorrie Jackson
Education World®
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Updated 10/08/2012