I encourage teachers to tell, rather than read the following folktales. The images are clear and the sequence of events is simple. Read through the stories several times in advance, constructing a web or map in order to become more familiar and comfortable with them. and construct a web or map of them to assist you in the telling. Since students will be asked to compare and contrast different aspects of these stories, both should be presented in one sitting. For more suggestions on storytelling tips and techniques refer to bibliography.
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1) “Talk”, a West African folktale
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An African hunter encounters a human skull in the bush. When it ‘speaks’ to him he rushes back to his village, telling everyone of what he has seen. The king requests that the hunter show him the skull and the hunter enthusiastically obliges. This time, however, the skull will not speak and the hunter learns a hard lesson. (See Roger D. Abrahams,
African Folktales
, p. 1)
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2) “The Talkin’ Cooter’’, an African-American folktale
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Jim, a slave boy who dreams of freedom, enjoys a stroke of luck when he befriends a talking, playing, and singing cooter mud-turtle who indirectly helps Jim to realize his dream. (See Virginia Hamilton,
The People Could Fly
, p. 151)
ACTIVITIES
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1)
Compare and contrast the following:
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* The teller of each story,
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* Their intent or reason for telling the story
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* The audience for which the tale is intended.
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2) Explore the following questions:
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* How did the original story, “Talk”, change?
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* In what ways are the stories different?
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* In what ways are they the same?
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* Why do you think they changed?
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* Why might we share these stories now?
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* Who would we share them with?
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3) ‘The Letter”
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A month or so has passed since Jim was awarded his freedom. He is trying to make a life for himself within his new status of ‘freed-man’ Jim decides that it is time to write his former owner. He has so much to tell him. Using the first person, students will write a letter to Jim’s former owner as if they themselves were Jim. They should include;
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* A description of Jim’s current living quarters
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* Whether or not he is living in a ‘free’ state
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* The kind of work available to him,
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* How he is treated by other Blacks and Whites.
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They should explain the circumstances under which the letter was written;
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* Was Jim was able to write it himself ? If so, explain how he learned to read and write.
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* Did he get someone else to write it for him?
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-Finally, have students include any comments or words of advice that Jim would like to share with the slave owner about the institution of slavery, the kind of life slaves were forced to lead, prospects of freedom, or even the hope that soon there would be no more slaves and no more slave owners.
NOTE
Activities 1 and 2 can be approached in a variety of ways. I recommend that teachers use several strategies with their students to ensure a more interactive and end engaging lesson. These include: cooperative learning groups, class brainstorming, Venn diagrams, webbing, and semantic mapping. Students can be encouraged to respond personally through writing activities, art work, and dramatizations.
‘The Letter’ activity is particularly significant because it will provide a base for both teacher and student to assess their collective prior knowledge regarding the period of slavery.
KWL Plus would be an ideal technique to apply here. As it will stimulate a sense of inquiry among the students and create a genuine interest in the material to be presented.