Folktales

Determine the Theme(Message) of Folktales

Learning Goals-I will be able to understand the distinguishing characteristics of folktales and fables, determine or infer the theme within a text, compare and contrast the treatment of similar topics across two texts.

Themes

Today we'll talk about themes, or messages, of folktales and fables. Then we'll look at how different fables and folktales deal with the topics of kindness and generosity. The messages in folktales and fables are meant to be useful in our real lives.

What can we learn from Sugar Maple? How is he different from the miser?

Determine the Message or Theme

• The message or theme is a lesson the author wants to teach the reader

• The message can be stated or unstated

• Stated: The author directly tells the reader the lesson(example: fable)

• Unstated: The author does not directly tell the reader the lesson. The reader must figure out the message from text evidence in the story.

Does Woodpecker's conflict and resolution support the message of this story?

Annotate the evidence you used to find your answer.

Open Ended

Woodpecker's conflict and resolution support the message of the story because Woodpecker ________, and then Sugar Maple ________.