Marshallese Folklore

Marshallese Folklore

At the end of this lesson, students will learn about the role of stories in Marshallese culture. They will be able to distinguish between different types of stories and the common structures of some stories. Students will also practice reading comprehension and analysis skills by reading two different Marshallese stories passed down by elders. Students will identify the major aspects of a story, including the characters, plot, and moral. Students will also have the opportunity to view an elder telling one of the stories provided, identifying visual and verbal cues to determine the tone and meaning of the story. Finally, students will be assessed on their comprehension and analysis skills with a fun drawing activity or an alternative quiz assessment.

Lesson Objectives: The students will be able to…

1. Accurately recount at least 2 main plot points of an auditory story in a verbal response;

2. Verbally identify at least 1 potential moral to a Marshallese folktale or story;

3. Demonstrate comprehension by depicting at least 4 major plot points of a Marshallese story in a drawing.

This lesson plan kit includes:

• Slideshow Introduction

• 2 Written Stories from Marshallese Folklore

• 1 Video Storytelling of a Marshallese Folk Story

• 3 Story Discussion Guides

• Alternative Quiz Assessment

• Vocabulary Guide & Activity

• Glossary of Terms

Essential Questions:

1. What defines a culture? Tradition, customs, location? How is it formed and passed on through generations?;

2. What do we have in common with people from the Marshall Islands?; How does where we live impact our culture?;

3. How do visual cues like tone and expression convey feelings in Marshallese storytelling?;

4. What can Marshallese stories teach us about the Marshallese people's belief systems about the creation of the world and how we should live our lives?

Slideshow Preview

The standards covered in this lesson are: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.2; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.3; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.5

Lesson plan created by Kylee Mongold & Valentina Moreno in partnership with OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates

Taught this lesson plan? We’d love your thoughts! Click here to give feedback.