Lesson Preparation
Grade Level: 4th Grade.
Unit/Subject: Literature – Folktales from Around the World.
Instructional Plan Title: “Cultural Folktales and Language Development.”
Lesson Summary and Focus
In this lesson, students will explore folktales from different cultures. The focus is on understanding and appreciating cultural diversity represented in the stories while developing English language skills. Students will read and discuss a folktale from a specific culture, identify cultural values and beliefs within the story, and practice skills related to summarizing and retelling the story.
Classroom and Student Factors/Grouping
The classroom includes a mix of students: seven ELL learners with varying proficiency, two gifted learners, and two students with individualized education plans (IEPs). Differentiation strategies are necessary to provide ELLs with language support, and extension activities are employed for gifted students and students with IEPs to cater to their needs.
National/State Learning Standards
ELA standard: “Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text” (English language arts standards, n.d.).
ELP Standard: “Textual analysis through reading, including reading aloud, summarizing or retelling the story, distinguishing facts from fiction, and responding to the text” (Arizona English language proficiency standards & levels, 2017).
Specific Learning Target(s)/Objectives
4th-grade students:
- After reading a selected folktale, the students will identify at least three cultural values or beliefs specific to the culture presented in the story.
- Students will summarize the folktale using key events and details in a written paragraph.
ELLs:
- ELLs will be able to discuss with a partner the values they identified within the folktale using appropriate academic language structures, such as “In this culture, it is believed that…”
Gifted students:
- Gifted students will be able to compare and contrast the values presented in the folktale with those from a different culture, creating a chart or a presentation to illustrate their findings.
Academic Language
General academic vocabulary:
- Summarize
- Culture
- Values
- Beliefs
- Compare
- Contrast
Content-specific vocabulary:
- Folktales
- Setting
- Plot
- Theme
Before reading, I will introduce the terms and provide students with clear definitions and examples. Then, I will encourage them to use these terms in the course of reading and provide visual aids for better understanding.
Resources, Materials, Equipment, and Technology
Resources:
- Folktales from various cultures (“The Tortoise and the Hare” Fable from Greece, “Momotaro the Peach Boy” from Japan)
- Copies of the selected folktale (“Anansi the Spider” from West Africa)
- Whiteboard and markers
- Chart paper
- Art suppliers for creative response
Materials:
- Copies of the folktale for each student
- Graphic organizers for summarization
- Visual aids for vocabulary
- Folktales for extension activities for gifted students
- Tools for creating charts and presentations
Equipment and technology:
- Overhead projector
- Computers
Instructional Planning
Anticipatory Set (10 minutes)
- I will display a globe or a world map to visually represent the diversity of cultures worldwide.
- I will ask open-ended questions such as “Have you ever heard a story from a different culture?” or “What do you think a folktale is?” to prompt students to share their prior knowledge.
- I will showcase a selection of folktales, enticing students to explore and generate interest.
Multiple Means of Representation (10-15 minutes)
For ELLs:
- I will provide graphic organizers and images to help you understand the folktale.
- I will allow them to use bilingual dictionaries and digital translation tools.
- I will offer sentence frames and templates to help them express their thoughts.
- I will encourage them to work with a partner to discuss their ideas and share their thoughts.
For students with special needs:
- I will provide a simplified version of the reading.
For students with gifted abilities:
- I will offer them additional folktales to compare the values across the stories.
For early finishers:
- I will provide them with additional folktales to analyze.
Multiple Means of Engagement (15-20 minutes)
- I will engage the class in a discussion to explore the novel’s plot, characters, and themes.
- I will have students work in pairs and small groups to discuss the cultural values.
- I will model summarizing the folktale and then guide students in writing their own summaries.
Formative questioning strategies:
- I will pose questions that encourage critical thinking and deeper analysis.
- I will use open-ended questions to stimulate discussion.
Differentiation:
- ELLs will work in pairs to receive peer support.
- Children with special needs will receive simplified text and individualized discussion prompts tailored to their needs.
- Gifted students will have an extended task involving comparative analysis.
- • Early finishers will have the option to choose from a variety of creative response activities.
Multiple Means of Expression (15-20 minutes)
- Students will complete a one-paragraph written reflection in which they will express their understanding of the cultural values presented in the folktale.
- Gifted students will have the option to present their comparative analysis through a multimedia presentation.
- ELLs can complete the reflection with the support of sentence frames and vocabulary assistance.
- Students with special needs will receive extra time for completion.
- Early finishers can use artistic means to extend their responses.
Extension Activity and/or Homework (15-20 minutes)
For the extension activity, students will delve deeper into the study of folktales. This activity aligns with the learning targets as it encourages students to delve deeper into the content and broaden their understanding of the topic.
Students will be given a list of folktales and will select one that interests them. They will read it and use a graphic organizer to compare the beliefs presented in the tales. They will then prepare a presentation to explore the similarities and differences.
Reflection
In the lesson plan I designed, the focus was on engaging students in discussions about cultural values and beliefs embedded in diverse folktales. The lesson exposes students to cultures worldwide, allowing ELLs to connect with stories that may resonate with their own background. Pair-share discussions provide them with a platform to share their experiences and engage with the content, which allows them to contribute their unique cultural perspectives.
Visual aids support their comprehension and communication, enabling them to express their ideas in a visual manner. There is a differentiation for all elements of the lesson, including the expression part, which considers the language proficiency levels of the learners. Moreover, the linguistic needs of the children are accommodated through vocabulary support, assisting the learners both with written reflections and oral discussions. In summary, the lesson plan integrates ELLs’ cultural values and beliefs by providing a culturally diverse context for language development.
If the lesson were developed as a targeted ELD lesson, the focus would shift towards English language development. The emphasis would be on building language skills, which would be reflected in the lesson objectives. Specifically, the targets would focus on building vocabulary and improving language proficiency. The activities would involve vocabulary-focused exercises as well as listening, speaking, and grammar tasks.
The lesson would also provide structured language support, such as sentence modeling, word banks, and language games, to reinforce language learning. Finally, an ELD lesson would incorporate activities that focus on improving oral production skills, including pronunciation, fluency, and comprehension of spoken English.
References
Arizona English language proficiency standards & levels. (2017).
English language arts standards. (n.d.). Common Core State Standards Initiative.