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Storytelling In America
Grade Appropriate: 3 - 8 Objectives:
National Standards Connections: This lesson plans meets the following learning standards as organized by the Mid-Continent Regional Education Laboratory (see Links for web address). Language Arts (K - 12): Applies reading skills and strategies to a variety of familiar literary passages and texts (e.g. folktales, legends, fables, myths). Both New York State Department of Education and the Mid-Continent Regional Education Laboratory suggest Washington Irving's legends as appropriate texts for readers in K - 12 . History (K - 12): Understands the folklore and other cultural contributions from various regions of the United States and how they helped to form a national heritage. Art (K - 12): Understands connections among the various art forms and other disciplines. Suggested Time Allowance: Background for Teachers: (See About WI and Links for more information) Washington Irving enjoyed visiting different places and a large part of his life was spent in Europe, particularly England, France, Germany, and Spain. He often wrote about the places he visited. For example, Bracebridge Hall (1822) is a view of life in England, and The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1828), is about the Italian explorer who sailed under the Spanish flag. However, in spite of his foreign travels, Irving's imagination frequently drew upon his childhood memories of New York State. These memories are reflected in letters that he wrote to family and friends from Europe, as well as in the stories from his most famous work, The Sketch Book. Published in 1819 under another pen name, "Geoffrey Crayon, Gent," The Sketch Book includes the short stories The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. The fictional Sleepy Hollow is actually the lower Hudson River area near Tarrytown, N.Y., and Rip Van Winkle sleeps through the entire Revolutionary War in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. Irving is perhaps best known for writing The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This story has been told and reinterpreted in various formats including childrens' books, videos, and puppet shows. The following lesson plan suggests ways to engage students in thinking about how stories can be passed on in various formats. Suggested activities will help students understand the differences among these formats and how stories can convey historical information. Vocabulary: (Complete list) legend:
Activities / Procedures: 1. Discussion: Reading exercise: Have all students participate in reading aloud a version of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (see References for suggested books). You might ask your students to act out some of the plot. Although the story is fiction, Irving included highly descriptive information about America--particularly New York State--in the late 18th century (e.g. description of Hudson River area, schools, and community life). Ask your students to describe what America was like in the 18th century based on The Legend. Suggested questions: What information is historically accurate and which did Irving embellish? How does the story make you feel? Scared? Angry? What aspects of the story make you feel this way?
2. Discussion: Discuss the different mediums in which stories can be told (e.g. orally, in books, newspapers, paintings, video, plays, puppet shows). Compare and contrast the different mediums. Suggested questions: Why are stories told in different formats? How are these formats similar/different? Which way do you prefer to learn a story? Video: Watch a video version of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (see Reference list for suggested videos). Suggested questions: How is the video different from the book? Do the characters look different from what you imagined? Do you feel the same way about the story?
3. Discussion: Discuss how stories can be expressed in artwork. Talk about how some artists may choose to depict actual historical events and experiences, while other will use their imaginations to create stories for their artwork. Paintings and drawings that are purposefully created to share a story often include a lot of visual details and viewers have to closely examine the works in order to construct meaning. After reading The Legend, ask your students to view three different artists' renditions of scenes from the story available on this web site. --(Click Here for Images)-- You might want your students to work in groups and view the images on the computer as the quality will be better than if you were to print out the images. Ask them to determine which scene in the story is being depicted in the paintings and lithographs. Suggested questions: What clues are provided that tell us that these scenes are from The Legend ? Are there any differences or similarities among the artwork? What aspects of the different renderings affect the mood of the scences? Drawing: Ask your students to create their own version of a passage from The Legend. You might choose the passage or have your students select one that is of interest to them. Remind them to include as much details as possible.
Assessment: Through their involvement in several discussions, students will demonstrate their understanding of the multiple ways in which The Legend can be interpreted. They will apply their "reading" skills to a variety of mediums. Criteria for assessment include:
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