Folklore for Primary-Age Children (5)

FOLKLORE FOR PRIMARY-AGE CHILDREN

Folklore is defined as "traditional stories, myths, legends, nursery rhymes, and songs from the past (Galda et al., 2017, p. 13)." This literary genre is grounded in oral tradition and typically has no known original author. The stories' history, tradition, and meaning keep them circulating even centuries later. Folklore children's books are prevalent in early childhood classrooms; however, it is up to you to recognize quality age-appropriate folklore and incorporate it into regular lessons.

 

BOOK SUMMARY

Paul Bunyan is an example of children's folklore. The story follows the life of Pual Bunyan, an impressively sized baby that grew faster and bigger than any other child has ever before. Paul Bunyan was larger than life in his person and his abilities. He was a strong, helpful, and considerate lumberjack that worked tirelessly cutting down trees and improving logging camps along the way. Tradition states Paul Bunyan cleared forests across the northeastern plains of North America, and he even singlehandedly dug out the Great Lakes. 

BOOK EVALUATION

The story of Paul Bunyan has been echoed as North American folklore over 100 years ago. The inclusion of a heroic and kind main character supports the story's overall purpose. It repeats a spoken story that has been passed down through generations while maintaining cultural integrity and respect. Paul Bunyan also examines universal themes while explaining natural structures in a fun and exciting way. Additionally, the illustrations help the reader understand the grandness of Paul Bunyan's stature. The bright colors and cartoon images complement the story to target the intended audience. 

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Make Pancakes and watch a video on how Maple syrup is made- Get children baking and forming connections with Pual Bunyan's story. After, invite children to explore how we get maple syrup with this educational video.

2. Track Paul Bunyan's journey and find the Great Lakes on a map- Explore North America and the landmarks that make it unique while allowing children to visualize Paul Bunyan's journey. 

 

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS

1. What was unique about Paul Bunyan as a baby?

2. What would you do if you were as big as Paul Bunyan?

3. If you could ask Paul Bunyan one question, what would it be?

OTHER CHILDREN'S FOLKLORE STORIES

1. Johnny Appleseed by Jodie Shepherd

2. Kissimmee Pete and the Hurricane by Jan Day 

3. Cut From the Same Cloth by Robert D. San Souci

4. Fin M'Coul: The Giant of Knockmany Hill by Tomie dePaola

References

Day, J. (2008). Kissimmee Pete and the hurricane. Pelican Pub. Co. 

DePaola, T. (1997). Fin m'coul: The giant of knockmany hill. Dowakan Shuppan. 

Galda, L., Liang, L. A., & Cullinan, B. E. (2017). Literature and the child. Cengage Learning. 

Phidal Publishing. (2017). Paul Bunyan Little Classics. 

San Souci, R. D. (2000). Cut From the Same Cloth. 

Shepherd, J. (2010). Johnny Appleseed. Scholastic. 

YouTube. (2019). YouTube. Retrieved December 6, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9LNyxqv5Lo.