Overview
Caribbean Folktales brings the rich oral tradition of our islands into the classroom. Students will listen to traditional stories like Anansi tales, learn about the cultural significance of storytelling, and develop their own storytelling skills. This activity connects students to their heritage while building listening comprehension, speaking fluency, and understanding of narrative elements.
Learning Objectives
- Listen attentively to Caribbean folktales and identify key story elements
- Understand the moral or lesson in traditional tales
- Retell stories using expressive voice and gestures
- Appreciate Caribbean oral traditions and cultural heritage
- Compare characters, settings, and events across different folktales
- Use both Home Language and Standard English in storytelling
Materials Needed
- Collection of Caribbean folktale books (Anansi stories, local legends)
- Story props: spider puppet, animal masks, simple costumes
- World map showing the Caribbean and Africa (for Anansi origin)
- Story elements chart (Characters, Setting, Problem, Solution, Lesson)
- Audio recordings of folktales (if available)
- Drawing materials for story response activities
Preparation
- Select 2-3 age-appropriate Caribbean folktales to share
- Practice telling the main story with expression and character voices
- Prepare a story elements anchor chart
- Gather props or puppets to enhance storytelling
- Create a cozy storytelling area with cushions or mats
- Invite a family member or community elder to share a traditional story (optional)
Activity Steps
- Introduction (5 minutes):
- Gather students in the storytelling area
- Explain that folktales are special stories passed down through generations
- Show the Caribbean on a map and discuss how stories traveled with people
- Introduce today's tale and its origin
- Story Time (10 minutes):
- Tell the folktale with expression, using different voices for characters
- Use props or puppets to bring characters to life
- Pause at key moments for predictions: "What do you think will happen next?"
- Include call-and-response elements traditional to Caribbean storytelling
- Story Discussion (10 minutes):
- Complete story elements chart together (Characters, Setting, Problem, Solution)
- Discuss the lesson or moral: "What did Anansi learn?"
- Connect to students' lives: "When have you faced a similar problem?"
- Compare character traits: "Was Anansi clever or tricky? What's the difference?"
- Retelling Practice (10 minutes):
- Students work in small groups to retell the story
- Assign different parts: narrator, Anansi, other characters
- Encourage use of expression and gestures
- Groups share their retelling with the class
Featured Folktales
Anansi Stories:
- Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom: Anansi tries to keep all wisdom for himself
- Anansi and Tiger: The clever spider outsmarts the powerful tiger
- How Anansi Got His Thin Waist: A tale explaining Anansi's appearance
- Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock: Anansi's trick backfires
Other Caribbean Tales:
- The Snake King (Dominica): Local legend of the boa constrictor
- Ti-Jean and the Devil: Clever boy outwits evil
- The Soucouyant: Traditional Caribbean folklore (age-appropriate version)
- Compere Lapin (Brother Rabbit): French Caribbean trickster tales
Storytelling Traditions
Teach students these traditional storytelling elements:
- Opening: "Crick Crack!" (Audience responds: "Break my back!")
- Call and Response: Audience participation throughout the story
- Closing: "The wire bend, the story end" or "Jack Mandora, me no choose none"
- Moral/Lesson: Stories teach important life lessons
Differentiation
For students who need additional support:
- Provide picture sequencing cards for story retelling
- Partner with a stronger storyteller for group work
- Allow retelling in Home Language first, then Standard English
- Use puppets to support verbal expression
For students who need additional challenge:
- Research the origin of Anansi stories in West Africa
- Compare different versions of the same folktale
- Write an original ending or sequel to the story
- Create their own folktale with a moral lesson
Assessment
Observe and note students' abilities to:
- Identify main characters, setting, and events
- Explain the lesson or moral of the story
- Retell the story in correct sequence
- Use expressive voice and gestures when storytelling
- Make connections between the story and their own experiences
Extensions
- Create a class book of illustrated folktales
- Record student retellings for a digital storytelling library
- Invite grandparents for a special storytelling session
- Compare Caribbean Anansi stories to African versions
- Research folktales from other cultures and find similarities
- Create puppets and perform folktales for younger students
- Connect to Creole Day activities with stories in Kweyol
