Goals for the Day

• Ease back in to the grind…
• Establish background knowledge about the oral tradition and indigenous storytelling practices

Circle:  Story swap

Tell a partner your best story from break.  Who has the best story?

Read-Around:  Excerpts from Genesis by Eduardo Galeano

Background

1. The “Oral Tradition of Storytelling”

2. Clip from Apocalypto

Work Time:  Explore the Oral Tradition

1.  Reading from website on oral tradition

Questions for reading:

• What are the similarities and differences between the oral tradition and written history?
• What functions does the oral tradition serve beyond the documentation of the past?
• In your opinion, is written history more objective than oral history? Can we view oral histories as “reliable sources”?

 You don’t have to write answers to questions, but you should be able to answer these questions in class tomorrow.

2. When you finish reading, explore PBS website “Circle of Stories” gallery.  Try to read as many of the elements of the gallery as you can.  (If you don’t have the compatible flash player, click around on other links.) 

Exit Ticket:  Note 5 observations, reactions, connections, or profound thoughts you may have after exploring the website.  (What strikes you?  What did you learn that you didn’t know before?  What do you think?)