Lesson Note on Folktales – Meaning, Types and Features/Theme

FOLKTALES – MEANING, TYPES AND FEATURES/THEME 

Subject: Literature in English

Class: JSS / SSS (Adjustable)

Duration: 40 – 60 minutes

Topic: Folktales – Meaning, Types and Features/Theme

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES (PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES)

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Define folktales.

2. Identify the types of folktales.

3. Mention and explain the features of folktales.

4. Discuss common themes in folktales.

5. Give examples of folktales from different Nigerian cultures.

 

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS 

1. Storybooks containing African folktales

2. Chart showing features and types of folktales

3. Audio or video recordings of storytelling

4. Pictures of folktale characters (e.g. Tortoise, Hare, Spider)

 

ENTRY BEHAVIOUR 

Students have heard traditional stories told by their parents, grandparents, or teachers.

 

LESSON PRESENTATION 

STEP 1: INTRODUCTION (Teacher’s Activities)

The teacher asks:

1. “Who can tell us a story you heard from your parents or grandparents?”

2. “What was the lesson from that story?”

 

Students’ Response:

They share familiar folk stories, such as “How the tortoise got a cracked shell” or “Why the dog and the cat are enemies.”

 

Teacher’s Remark:

Explains that such stories are called folktales, and they form part of a people’s oral tradition.

 

STEP 2: MEANING OF FOLKTALES 

Teacher Explains:

A folktale is a traditional story that is passed down orally from generation to generation to teach lessons, explain natural events, or entertain people.

It is part of a community’s oral literature and reflects their beliefs, values, and culture.

 

Summary:

A folktale is a traditional story told by word of mouth to educate, entertain, or explain the way things are.

 

Examples:

1. “Why the Tortoise Has a Cracked Shell” (Yoruba)

2. “Why the Dog and the Cat Are Enemies” (Igbo)

3. “How the Chameleon Got Its Colours” (Hausa)

 

STEP 3: TYPES OF FOLKTALES 

1. Animal Tales:

Stories in which animals act and speak like humans.

Teach moral lessons.

Example: The Tortoise and the Birds

2. Trickster Tales:

Involve clever but mischievous characters who use tricks to achieve their aims.

Example: How Tortoise Fooled the Elephant and Hippopotamus

3. Why or Etiological Tales:

Explain how or why something in nature came to exist.

Example: Why the Sky Is Far Away

4. Heroic or Human Tales:

Tell the story of human heroes and their adventures or bravery.

Example: The Brave Hunter Who Killed the Monster

5. Origin or Creation Tales:

Explain the origin of the world, animals, or customs.

Example: How the World Began

 

STEP 4: FEATURES OF FOLKTALES 

1. Oral Tradition: Passed down by word of mouth, not written.

2. Imaginative and Creative: Involve talking animals and magical events.

3. Cultural Values: Reflect the beliefs, customs, and morals of the people.

4. Simple Language: Easy to understand and remember.

5. Moral Lessons: Teach virtues such as honesty, kindness, and wisdom.

6. Repetition: Use of repeated phrases to make the story memorable (e.g. “And the tortoise said…”).

7. Unknown Author: The original teller is not known.

8. Entertainment: Told for fun, especially in the evenings.

9. Setting: Usually set in ancient or unspecified times (“Once upon a time…”).

 

STEP 5: THEMES IN FOLKTALES 

Common themes found in folktales include:

1. Good vs Evil – Good characters are rewarded, bad ones are punished.

2. Wisdom and Foolishness – Wise characters often outsmart the foolish ones.

3. Greed and Its Consequences – Greedy people usually suffer.

4. Obedience and Disobedience – Obedient ones are blessed, disobedient ones are punished.

5. Courage and Bravery – Heroes face challenges bravely.

6. Trickery and Cleverness – The use of wit to survive or succeed.

7. Love and Sacrifice – Acts of love leading to selflessness or heroism.

 

STEP 6: CLASS ACTIVITIES (GUIDED PRACTICE)

Teacher’s Activities:

1. Narrates a short folktale to the class.

2. Leads a discussion on the moral lesson and identifies its type.

 

Students’ Activities:

1. Listen attentively.

2. Retell parts of the story and identify its features and theme.

 

STEP 7: EVALUATION 

1. What is a folktale?

2. Mention three types of folktales.

3. List four features of folktales.

4. Mention two common themes found in folktales.

5. Give one example of a folktale from your culture.

 

Step 8: ASSIGNMENT 

Write a short folktale you know (in about 10 lines).

Identify:

1. The type of folktale

2. The main characters

3. The moral lesson/theme

 

STEP 9: CONCLUSION 

The teacher reviews the meaning, types, and features of folktales, emphasizing their importance in preserving culture and teaching moral values.

 

REFERENCE MATERIALS 

1. Exam Focus on Literature in English

2. Understanding Literature by Dapo Adelugba

3. New Oxford Secondary English Course

4. African Oral Literature by Isidore Okpewho