TRICKSTER TALES

Grade Levels  6-8
Subject Language Arts, Math

Learner Outcomes
Students will be introduced to tricksters through character study and will be able to identify tricksters in Native American folk tales.

Time Frame
2 (50 minute) class periods - Language Arts
1 (50 minute) class period - Math

Materials
Stories (see teacher notes and resources)

Technology Tools/Courseware
Data Projector/Computer
Student Computers/Lab
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel

Teacher Notes

• This lesson is an introduction to tricksters. The unit builds on comparisons.
• Thought Dots may be useful for introducing the unit.
• We are using books that should be readily available, however other trickster tales may be substituted.  (See bibliography)
• Since these stories are from a storytelling tradition they should be read aloud or performed as skits.

1. Introduce tricksters with PowerPoint.  Character traits will be discussed and Bio-Poem modeled.
2. Read "Earth-maker and Coyote" - Native American, Maidu
3. Students will create Bio-Poem for coyote.
4. Read "Rabbit and Fox" - Native American, Iroquois
5. Students will create Bio-Poem for rabbit.
6. Put together a vocabulary list of character traits from Bio-Poems.

Modifications

• Students may work in pairs to do Bio-Poems.
• Teacher may provide pre-formatted disk with spreadsheet information.

• Invite a storyteller to visit your class.
• Students may present the stories as skits.
• Students may make a survey of classmates' character traits and make a spreadsheet to tally results.

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives(IGO's)
Language Arts
    Listening/Speaking 6.8  7.9  8.6
    Reading Comprehension 6.16  6.26  7.19  7.25  8.15  8.20
Math
    Computer and Technology 6.59  6.56  6.58  7.55  7.56  8.57  8.58

National Standards
Language Arts Standard 6, Grades 6-8, Benchmark 5
Mathematics Standard 6, Grades 6-8, Benchmark 4

Workplace Process Skills
GOAL II:    Skills to interact with others.

References
Philip, Neil.  "Earth-maker and Coyote."  The Illustrated Book of Myths:  Tales & Legends of the World.  New York:  DK Publishing, 1995.

Bruchac, Joseph.  "Rabbit and Fox."  The Boy Who Lived With the Bears:  and Other Iroquois Stories.  New York:  Harpercollins, 1995.

Created By
Mary Hansen
Sally McCumbee
Susan Thomas
Warm Springs Middle School, Berkeley Springs, WV
 
 

Lesson 1 whatsup.doc/	Lesson 2 Fearless and Foolish	Lesson 3 Where in the World	Lesson 4 How in the World	Lesson 5 From Stories to Graphs

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