Creating Your Own Folktale

The Heart of a Culture

After learning about the importance of folktales and legends to a culture, your job for the next two days is to create your own folktale. Here are your requirements:

1. Choose a culture
The folktale that you create should be reflective of a particular culture around the world.

2. Write a folktale
Your folktale should have some type of moral lesson/value. It should teach us something, just as a real folktale teaches the young of a culture.

3. Make a picture book that illustrates your folktale
Just like a children's book has pictures to illustrate the story, you need to create illustrations for your folktale.

4. Write a one-page, double spaced report (First person okay)
Your report should explain the following questions about your folktale you create:

A. What culture did you choose?
B. Why did you choose that culture?
C. How did your folktale reflect that culture?
D. Explain the folktale you created.
E. What was the lesson/value of your folktale?

Clash of Cultures

Imperialism and Colonization

                                                                     













When does patriotism and nationalism go too far? To what extent should a culture try to reach out and help another? Is it important to try to "change the world" or should every culture be allowed to stay within its own beliefs, way of life, etc.?

Folktales Around the Globe

The Heart of a People

Folktales are simply defined as a tale or legend originating among a people or folk. It forms a large part of the tradition of a culture. A folktale can be a mixture of legends, oral history, proverbs, fairy tales, superstitions, etc. They can provide a picture into a culture's morals and values. Cultures all across the world have their share of folktales. Read each folktale aloud in your group:

1. North America (US) Folktale: The Baker's Dozen

2. European (UK) Folktale: The Old Woman and Her Pig

3. Asian (Chinese) Folktale: The Four Dragons

4. South American (Mayan) Folktale: The Rabbit and the Coyote

5. Australian Folktale: The Bunbundoolooeys

Quick Grading Rubric for Group Assignment

I will handout a more detailed grading rubric soon, but for now here is how you will be graded on your first group assignment:


40%    1.5 Page Written Report
                * At least two authentic and reliable sources used
                * Contains correct parenthetical citation
                 

20%    Keynote Presentation
            * Slide design: balance of information vs visuals


20%    Group Presentation
                  * Presentation is smooth and organized
                  * Not simply reading off of the slide
                  * Familiar with material; eye contact with audience
                  * Speaking loudly and clearly


20%    Group Accountability 
                  * Your other group members will decide 20 points of your final grade. Any disputes will be
                     discussed and handled.

Family Ties

Exploring Personal Identities within the Family

Your first group project will be to explore the different personal identities within the family unit. In our novel so far, we've read about many strained and seemingly dysfunctional relationships in Okonkwo's family. The relational issues in his family are present in our world today. Here are your requirements:

1. Written Report 
    A. Each member of the group needs to write a 1.5 page, double spaced report. Times New Roman,
         font size 12
    B. Each member needs to choose one of the letters under their group's section  to write a report on
        (see below)
    C. You need to find TWO AUTHENTIC SOURCES. The types of sources you want to find are
         STUDIES, STATISTICS, and  EXPERT OPINIONS.
    D. You need to use PARENTHETICAL CITATION

2. Presentation
   A. Your group needs to create a Keynote presentation of your written reports to the class
   B. Remember slide design (main ideas only, just pictures, etc.)
   C. Practice your group's presentation - don't just read off of your reports. Become familiar with
       your information and have a smooth, organized presentation.


Each group will be assigned one of the following familial personal identities to research. Underneath each section are the letters you need to assign to your group. Each member writes their 1.5 page report off of their letter:

1. Child under Abusive/Alcoholic Parents (Nwoye and Okonkwo, Unoka and Okonkwo) 
A. Describe Nwoye and Okonkwo's relationship
     What is life like for a child under abusive/alcoholic parents? (emotionally, physically, mentally)?

B. Describe Unoka and Okonkwo's relationship
     What do children under alcoholic parents grow up to become? Do they become like their parents?

C. Explain what you think Nwoye's future will be like after growing up under Okonkwo's abuse.
     What is the future careers and lives like for children who grew up under abusive/alcoholic
     parents?
     How does their horrible childhood affect their future families?

D. Explain where you think Nwoye could run to if he wanted to leave his abusive father. Could he?
     What happens to children who are rescued from abusive homes?
     Where do they go? What are their lives in their new homes like?
     

2. Problem Child in a Foster Home (Ikemefuna and Okownkwo)
A. Describe how and why Ikemefuna was sent to Okonkwo's home.
     What is the definition of a foster home?
     Why are some kids even in foster homes in the first place?

B. Describe how Ikemefuna felt being sent to Okonkwo's home.
     What is life like for a kid in a foster home?
     Do they become used to the family or feel alienated?
    
C. Describe how Ikemefuna was treated in Okonkwo's home.
    How are foster children treated in their new homes?
    What are the future lives like? How often do trouble kids move from home to home?


3. Child under the Burden of Parent's Success (Nwoye and Okonkwo)
A. Describe how Nwoye did not live up to Okonkwo's expectations.
     What is life like for a child living under their parent's heavy expectations/success?

B. Describe how Okonwkwo's parenting style with Nwoye.
     What are the different parenting styles? (Controlling, etc.)
     Which seems to be the best? Why?

C. Explain how you think Nwoye will grow up living under his father's heavy expectations.
     What is the future life like for a child growing up under their parent's expectations?
      Do they grow up to become happy people? content with their lives?
    
4. Wife in an Abusive Relationship (Okonwkwo and his wives)
A. Describe how Okonkwo treats his wives.
     What is an abusive relationship? What are the different types? (emotional, verbal, physical)

B. Describe how Okonkwo's wives act in his family.
     What is life like for a woman in an abusive relationship? How do they live? (mental, emotional
      state)

C. Explain why you think Okonkwo's wives do not leave his family.
     Why do some women continue to stay in abusive relationships? Why don't they leave?

D. Explain what you think the future of Okonkwo's wives will be.
     What happens to women who refuse to leave an abusive relationship?
     How many women eventually leave? What makes them finally leave their abusive partner?

5. Wife in a Polygamous Marriage (Okonkwo and his wives) 
A. Describe Okonkwo's family with multiple wives. How does that work with more than one wife.
     What is a polygamous marriage? What is the history of it?

B. Explain how Okonkwo's wives must feel being one of many. Does he play favorites?
     How do women end up in a polygamous marriage? Why would they choose this lifestyle?

C. Explain how Okonkwo treats his multiple wives. How does he have a relationship with all of them
    at once?
    How are women in polygamous marriages treated? What is their life like?

Cultural Identity

Exploring the Dark Continent

What role does one's culture play in their identity? How important is it to the person they are? Or the person they become? To the rest of the world in the 19th century, Africa was known by the romantic and mysterious name of "the Dark Continent." Even today, the image of Africa from space gives the impression of a land without lights. Though this title may have reflected the hidden, unexplored regions of the continent in centuries past, ignorance of the peoples and tribes in Africa largely led to crude stereotypes of its indigenous people - an issue that Achebe sought to remedy.

Today, your task is to research the life of a tribe/village located in Africa. Here are your requirements:

1. Use the following link to choose a tribe: African Tribes

2. Write a one-page report of the tribe you choose using PARENTHETICAL CITATION.

Personal Identity

What makes us who we are? Is it our actions, our family heritage, our beliefs, our nationality, our ethnicity, our culture...? Leave a comment of THREE to FIVE sentences defining what you think makes up a person's identity.