Focus/Context

During the past while, the class has been discussing tall tales and urban legends as an introduction to the unit What a Story!. In that time, the students have been exposed to some new terminology, including folklore, urban legends and motif, etc. This lesson is intended to expand on some of what they have learned, particularly the idea of motif and help to develop their understanding of how texts from different genres can be related to one another through similarities in their constituent parts.

Specific Curriculum Outcomes

1. Students will be expected to examine others' ideas and synthesize what is helpful to clarify and extend their own understanding.
   
2. Students will be expected to read widely and experience a variety of literary genre from different provinces and countries.
   
3. Students will be expected to respond critically to a range of texts, applying their understanding of language, form and genre.
   
4. Students will be expected to respond personally to a range of texts.
   
5. Students will be expected to describe how cultures and reality are portrayed in texts.

Activities

• Class will begin with the taking of attendance and the addressing of any questions or concerns the students may have about previous classes and/or other relevant topics. *Note, homework will be checked and discussed at the beginning of this lesson. (5-10 min)
  
• Students will revisit the previous lesson Urban Legends to refresh their memories on the relationship between tall tales and urban legends. (5-10 min)
  
• Students will be given overheads on some of the new terminology (i.e. Folklore, genre, motif, tall tale and urban legend; 10 min).
  
• Students will listen and read along as the short story The Wife's Story by Ursula K. Le Guin. (5-10 min)
  
• Students will participate in a class discussion about the short story, focusing on:
  • the surprising twist and how it changes the assumed nature of the characters and plot
    
  • the notion of horror and why this short story can be considered to be a horror
    
  • the motif of shapeshifting in literature, oral tradition and other contexts. (10-15 min)
  
  
• Students will listen and read along as the folk tale The Hunter and Rainbow Woman, retold by Gretchen Will Mayo is read aloud. (3-5 min)
  
• Students will participate in a discussion about the motif of shapeshifting as it exists in this narrative and the possible functions that the narrative may have had to the people who held/hold it as a traditional story. (5-10min)
  
• Closing: a brief summary of what has been learned and discussed, homework will be assigned (above) and class will be dismissed. (5 min)
  
• Students will be given a homework assignment requiring them to identify the motif of shapeshifting as it exists in some other story, picture, (i.e. any text), from personal experience or invented and write a brief paragraph or two telling why they feel that the author/creator used this particular motif - what function/purpose does it serve?

Resources

• The Wife's Story Written by Ursula K. Le Guin (What a Story! : Anthology)
  
• The Hunter and Rainbow Woman, retold by Gretchen Will Mayo (What a Story!: Magazine)
  
• Overheads provided by teacher.