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K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Story tellers and poets

Students will examine the style, purpose, and organization of folktales and poetry in order to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of both genres. With this knowledge, students will use the word choice and repetition of traditional folktales to transform them into modern poetry.

A lesson plan for grades 8–10 English Language Arts

By Heather Bower and Michele Hicks

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • recognize elements of plot and supporting detail.
  • analyze the style, purpose, and organization of folktales versus poetry.
  • collaborate effectively in cooperative groups.
  • create original poetry and illustrations.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

2 Hours

Materials/resources

  • Folktales (found in the Glencoe World Literature textbook). Other folktales and poems could be used.
  • Paper
  • Crayons
  • Post-its
  • Poetry terms written on the board (stanza, poetic rhythm, rhyme scheme, simile, metaphor, imagery)

Pre-activities

Students must be able to:

  • recognize stanzas, rhythm, and rhyme scheme.
  • recognize similes, metaphors, and imagery.
  • create webs of a plot.

Activities

Day 1

Modeling/Mini-lesson

  1. As students enter, they will write definitions for the following terms in their own words: stanza, poetic rhythm, rhyme scheme, simile, metaphors, imagery.
  2. The class will then review these definitions, correcting any misperceptions and laying the foundation for today’s work.
  3. Read “Coyote Finishes His Work” aloud.
  4. Lead students in a discussion of style, organization, and purpose using the following questions:
    • “This is a folktale. What did you notice was different than a short story?” (repetition, simple language, no imagery, impermanence, overt moral versus a theme)
    • “What is significant about Coyote?” (trickster, impermanence, people’s frustration with him)
  5. Read “The Place Where Ghosts of Salmon Jump” by Sherman Alexie.
  6. Lead students in a discussion comparing the folktale to the poem using the following question: “What is the difference in style, diction, and purpose?” (fewer plot points,imagery, theme)

Guided Practice

  1. Choose another folktale (”Anansi’s Fishing Expedition,” “The Story of the Dress That Sang,” “Edju and the Two Friends,” “Panchatantra,” etc.). Read it aloud.
  2. Students will work in groups of four to five to create webs of the plot and supporting details.
  3. Each group will place their web on the board and present their opinion.
  4. As a class, combine the best elements of each web to create a class web.
  5. Use the web to create a class poem.

Independent Practice

Students individually select a third folktale and repeat the process to create their own poem as homework.

Day 2

Independent Practice

  1. When students enter, they find a box of crayons with a post-it containing their names and the name of their partner on it.
  2. Students will exchange their poems with their partners. Each partner will illustrate the other’s poem.
  3. Each partner will explain his or her drawing to the author.

Closure

Each pair will report to the class. The poems will be compiled into a class anthology.

Assessment

  • Assess student webs for analysis and synthesis of plot.
  • Assess student poetry for style, organization, and purpose.
  • Assess student illustrations for reflection.
  • Observe classroom interactions for acknowledgment and engagement.

Supplemental information

All of the literature referenced can be found in the Glencoe World Literature textbook. Other folktales and poems could be used.

Comments

This lesson was created as part of the NCDPI Writing Lessons for Writing Features Workshop. (Style and Organization)

North Carolina curriculum alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 9

  • Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.
    • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze various literary works by:
      • using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, reflection.
      • recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends, short stories, novels), non-fiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents), poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy).
      • interpreting literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, dialogue, diction, and imagery.
      • understanding the importance of tone, mood, diction, and style.
      • explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
      • explaining how point of view is developed and its effect on literary texts.
      • determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or her.
      • explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
      • making thematic connections among literary texts and media and contemporary issues.
      • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
      • producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate literary devices for that genre.

Grade 10

  • Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of selected world literature through interpretation and analysis.
    • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze selected works of world literature by:
      • using effective strategies for preparation, engagement, and reflection.
      • building on prior knowledge of the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry, and exploring how those characteristics apply to literature of world cultures.
      • analyzing literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, situational irony, and imagery and explaining their effect on the work of world literature.
      • analyzing the importance of tone and mood.
      • analyzing archetypal characters, themes, and settings in world literature.
      • making comparisons and connections between historical and contemporary issues.
      • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.

  • Common Core State Standards

    • English Language Arts (2010)

      • Language

        • Grade 9-10
          • 9-10.L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. 9-10.L.5.1 Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their role in the text. 9-10.L.5.2 Analyze nuances in the...

      • Reading: Literature

        • Grade 8
          • 8.RL.5 Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
        • Grade 9-10
          • 9-10.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and...
          • 9-10.RL.6 Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.