Hare and the Lion
Organizational Information:
Grade: 3rd
Unit: Trip around the world
Lesson Number: 6
Time Required: 50 min
Big Ideas
Enduring Understanding:
Students will understand that the environment and culture affects the teachings of a
community.
Essential Question:
How does a story represent the culture in which it was written by?
Standards Addressed:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2
Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures;
determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed
through key details in the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3
Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain
how their actions contribute to the sequence of events
engageNY S.S 3.4
Each community or culture has a unique history, including heroic figures, traditions,
and holidays.
 3.4a People in world communities use legends, folktales, oral histories,
biographies, and historical narratives to transmit cultural histories from one
generation to the next.
 Students will examine legends, folktales, oral histories, biographies, and
historical narratives to learn about the important individuals and events of
each selected world community.
 Students will examine symbols of each selected world community.
Objectives and Assessments:
Objective 1:
Students will be able to identify elements of a folktale
Assessment 1:
Student will demonstrate understanding by writing the definitions on worksheet
Objective 2:
Students will be able to analyze a folktale.
Assessment 1:
Students will find the lesson of a folktale.
Materials
Students:
Folklore worksheet
Second story
Teacher:
Hare and Lion
Folklore worksheet on overhead
Prep:
Preparation for the lesson:
Learning Activities
Intro:
While we are here in Africa we are going to hear a folktale. A folktale is a story that
makes fun of humans weakness and teaches us a lesson.
Step by Step Explanation of Activities:
Activity 1: Read the Hare and the Lion
http://www.worldoftales.com/African_folktales/African_Folktale_40.html
Using the projector find evidence in the story to determine what the story is about.
Also discuss why the author might have chosen some of the animals in the story.
 Think about where the story is written




What is that animal known for?
Think about the environment.
Have you heard a similar story?
What are the motives of the characters?
Activity 2: Students will fill in chart about the characteristics of a folktale.
Activity 3: Students will independently read a folktale and find the meaning of the
story.
http://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/m11/activity2.php
Closer:
Prepare students for the next trip.