Trickster Tales

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Trickster Tales

• Theme Two Focus on Genre
• Mr. Brumfield
• Lawnton Elementary, Grade Three

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What are Trickster Tales?

• A trickster tale is a kind of folktale told all
  over the world.
• The trickster is a clever animal or person who
  plays tricks on other characters.
• Often its because the trickster is greedy or
  boastful.
• Sometimes though, another character outwits the
  trickster!

Can you think of any trickster characters of
whom you are familiar?
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Teacher Read Aloud

• Tyl Eulenspiegel and the Three Questions
• Retold by Matt Grace

What country or culture might this folktale have
been started? Clue Look at the characters name.
Challenging Vocabulary
Burgomaster the mayor of a German town Rascal or
Scoundrel someone who is tricky or
dishonest Impudent acting rudely or being
disrespectful
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Questions about Tyl Eulenspiegel

• What problem does Tyl have to solve?
• How does the burgomaster try to outsmart Tyl?
• How does Tyl try to outsmart the burgomaster?
• How would you describe Tyls character?

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Genre Vocabulary

• Boastfulness
• Clever
• Culture
• Folktale
• Greediness
• Mischief
• Qualities
• Trickster

Being full of praise for yourself
Smart
A group of peoples customs, beliefs, and
traditions
A traditional story handed down by generations
Selfishness
Bad behavior
Features that make a person special
A character who plays tricks or pranks on others
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Applying the Vocabulary
boastfulness culture clever trickster greedin
ess
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Applying the Vocabulary
culture mischief folktale qualities clever
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Independent Vocabulary Practice

• Complete the vocabulary chart on page 177 of
  your practice book.

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Hungry Spider
Trickster Tale One
A Tale from Africa and the Ashanti Tribe
Based on the title and the genre, what do you
predict will happen in this story? When else
have we read or learned about the Ashanti people?
Told by Pleasant DeSpain
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Character Traits

• Characters in folktales often have exaggerated
  traits or personalities.
• Authors reveal character traits through
• descriptions
• dialogue (conversations)
• the characters actions and reactions

Pay attention to the authors of character traits
throughout the story.
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Hungry Spider Story Map
Steps Used in the Trick
Setting
Trickster
Tricksters Character Traits
Problem Trickster Needs to Solve
Results
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Critical Thinking

• Why does the author begin the story with a
  description of the Spider?
• Why does Spider invite Turtle to dinner, even
  though he doesnt want to share his food?
• Why do you think Turtle invites Spider to dinner
  after Spider treated him so badly?

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Lesson to be Learned

• What lesson can we learn from this story?

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Rabbit Races with Turtle
Trickster Tale Two
Have you heard any versions of this trickster
tale?
Told by Gayle Ross
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Problems and Solutions

• Trickster tales always have a problem and
  solution.
• As you read, think about the different problems
  and how each is solved.

Problems
Solutions
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Critical Thinking

• How can you tell that this story is a trickster
  tale?
• In Hungry Spider, how does politeness cause
  both Spider and Turtle to be tricked?
• What details in Rabbit Races Turtle a good
  trickster tale?

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Compare Contrast
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Genre Enrichment
Look for details about this story that make it a
trickster tale.
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Aunt Fox and the Fried Fish
Trickster Tale Three
What will be the trick in this trickster tale?
Told by Rafael Rivero Oramas
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Descriptive Language

• This author uses descriptive language, or words
  that paint vivid pictures in the readers minds.
• When we get to page 295 we will identify the
  different examples of descriptive words.

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Descriptive Language Enrichment
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The Purposes of Descriptive Language
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Critical Thinking

• What details does the author provide to show why
  Aunt Fox eats the fish?
• How is this story similar to and different from
  the other two trickster tales?
• Does this trickster tale teach a lesson or is it
  written just to be entertaining?

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Trickster Chart

• Complete the story chart on page 180 of your
  practice book
• You will be identifying the main parts of the
  three trickster tales we have read.

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Wrapping up our Focus

• Compare the tricks played by the characters
• Which do you think was the cleverest?
• Which one was the funniest?
• Do you think the characters had good reasons or
  bad reasons for playing tricks?
• Who was your favorite trickster and why?

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Independent Comprehension