In 6th grade language arts we read folk stories at the end of the year. The kids love the magic, romance and danger found in fairytales, folk tales, legends, myths, and tall tales. Humans love stories and folk tales are a true testament to that. These stories have been passed down from generation to generation mostly told aloud, only to be recorded on paper relatively recently. It's great seeing students discovering universal themes, archetypal characters, and similar plots as we read stories from around the world. It helps us realize that even though we humans are different, we are also the same.
I realize that it seems cliche to tie in global awareness with a folk tale unit, and if it is the only time in the year that this is done, it is not enough, but it definitely makes sense to explore the questions
With that in mind, here's a lesson for 6th grade language arts in which students research, write a folk story, and share their work on a website. The students used personal devices to access Culture Grams and research the climate, geography, history, religion, government, diet, and population of a country. I modeled this process during a writing workshop using Kuwait as an example as I am going to be moving there to teach next year.
I shared my notes with my students and together we brainstormed ways to integrate these details into a folk story. Perhaps I could write a myth about how sandstorms came to be or why it is so hot in the summer. Students suggested mentioning traditional foods and spices, a few words or phrases in Arabic, descriptions of traditional clothing in order to add local customs to the story. This got the kids thinking about the countries that they chose and they started picking out details from their research to use in their stories.
Unfortunately, this year the district dragged its feet on rolling out Google Apps for the students, but in the past I have used Google Docs for the purpose of peer review and revision. It is a great tool for the students to work simultaneously on projects, to get and give authentic, specific feedback, and for me to track the students' changes. After finishing peer editing and revision, the students would work together to create a weebly site to house their group's stories. Groups can be chosen to represent each of the continents or even create a website containing several different stories from one country or region. Here is a site that I created with an AG class last year. It contains a Google map (also below), and the students' stories organized by country or region. If I could do this project over again, I would add a multimedia component in which students should create something to accompany their stories. Some ideas include
Click on the pins!
Standards
NC Common Core Standards
W 6.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. (Especially relevant is sub-standard D: Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.) W 6.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 6 on page 53.) W 6.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting. ISTE NETs Standard 2: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. (Especially substandard A: Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.) Tech Tools
Personal Device
Culture Grams Google Docs Google Maps Weebly (Additional Tech Tool of the Student's Choosing. Options include Storybird, Animoto, Voki, GoAminate, iMovie, Stopmotion, etc.) Helpful Materials
Here are the instructions and a rubric for this project so you can use them with your own students if you would like.
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Jill Zappiateacher, grad student, bibliophile Archives
October 2015
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