Fables and Folktales in the PreK - 3 Classroom
Teaching Valuable Life Lessons Through Story
Fables and folktales are timeless treasures that offer teachers and parents a fun and engaging way to transmit essential life lessons to young people.
Master storyteller Odds Bodkin relates in his introduction to the Story Preservation K-3 Learning Lab that “These old, time-worn stories, such as folktales, fairy tales, and fables, carry universal virtues of kindness and responsibility, determination, honesty, perseverance, and courage. It doesn’t matter what ethnic background students may come from; these are things that in all cultures, for all people, are important in every family and every healthy community on Earth.”
To listen to Odds’ introduction, click here. And to listen to his stories uploaded to SPI’s K-3 Learning Lab, click here. His stories include The Evergreens, a folktale from Denmark; The Name of the Tree, a folktale from Africa; The Wise Little Girl, a folktale from Russia; and The Little Shepherd, a folktale from Italy.
Shown: An SPI-developed class-wide mural-making project that accompanies The Name of the Tree, developed to encourage collaborative fun.
In her SPI collection, Diane Ferlatte brings three Aesop Fables alive with music and song. Story Preservation has curated the site with recommended teacher/parent read-alouds and question prompts that further involve kids in the story and reinforce Aesop’s lessons. (Five 30-minute learning sessions per story).
Poor Crow (Aesop’s The Crow and the Jug)
In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the Crow could not reach the water. The poor thing felt as if he must die of thirst.
Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one. With each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it was near enough so he could drink.
In a pinch, a good use of your wits may help you out.
Synposis and image, Library of Congress.
SPI curated books and related class discussions address creative problem-solving skills.
The Shepherd Boy (Aesop’s The Boy Who Cried Wolf)
A Shepherd Boy tended his master's Sheep near a dark forest not far from the village. Soon he found life in the pasture very dull. All he could do to amuse himself was to talk to his dog or play on his shepherd's pipe.
One day, as he sat watching the Sheep and the quiet forest and thinking what he would do should he see a Wolf, he thought of a plan to amuse himself.
His Master had told him to call for help should a Wolf attack the flock, and the Villagers would drive it away. So now, though he had not seen anything that even looked like a Wolf, he ran toward the village shouting at the top of his voice, "Wolf! Wolf!" And you know the rest.
Liars are not believed even when they speak the truth.
Synopsis and image, Library of Congress
SPI curated books and related class discussions address the importance of truth-telling.
The Big Race (Aesop’s The Tortoise and the Hare)
A Hare was making fun of the Tortoise one day for being so slow.
"Do you ever get anywhere?" he asked with a mocking laugh.
"Yes," replied the Tortoise, "and I get there sooner than you think. I'll run you a race and prove it."
The Hare was much amused at the idea of running a race with the Tortoise, but for the fun of the thing he agreed. So the Fox, who had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started the runners off.
The Hare was soon far out of sight, and to make the Tortoise feel very deeply how ridiculous it was for him to try a race with a Hare, he lay down beside the course to take a nap until the Tortoise should catch up.
The race is not always to the swift.
Synopsis and image, Library of Congress.
SPI curated books and related class discussions address the importance of believing in yourself, perseverance, and overcoming obstacles.
Story Preservation Initiative makes its work available to all, free of charge. We work to positively impact the lives of young people through the sharing of ideas, the transformative power of stories, and the development of educational materials that engage the hearts as well as the minds of children of all ages.
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