Preparation
The teacher will need to have access to internet and interactive board to play videos of stories being told. Printed copies of stories will be needed for children to read. The teacher will need to have an array of visual arts media as per those mentioned in lesson content below. The teacher will need to have recording and playback equipment. The teacher will need photocopies of rubrics for both stories and a comparison rubric also. A copy of the Plot Tracker Activity and the Cuchulainn character profile will be needed for each child in the class.
Sequence of content and activities and an estimate of the time required
1) Brief discussion of the oral tradition in Ireland in order to introduce some of the characteristics of the stories and the contexts in which they were heard and the audiences which listened to them. 15 mins.
2) Brief background given to the children on the story of The Children of Lir Information and specifically on Lough Derravaragh. 7/8 mins.
3) ‘The Children of Lir’ can be told to the children through a variety of means, teacher telling the story, professional telling of it or through use of eBook. It is important that whatever telling of the story is used that the vocal treatment involves feeling and intonation to create the variety of emotions contained in the story. 15 mins.
4) The class analyse the story in the following way-
a) Summary of plot and key events: The teacher discusses the plot or storyline by asking the children to recall key events. A plot tracker sheet can be used to guide this activity. 12 mins.
b) Through further discussion the teacher guides the children to explore the elements of the story. They will
- observe examples of colourful, striking or informative passages or phrases.
- notice examples of exaggeration.
- notice descriptions of ‘super hero’ type qualities in the characters.
- look at the purpose of repetition and number.
- identify interesting plot lines or surprising elements.
- notice examples of mini stories within the story.
- identify a moral/lesson or how good overcomes evil in story
c) Following this discussion the children can work on a rubric sheet which requires the children individually, in pairs or up to groups to find examples of each of the story elements . In a group each person could have a specific element to identify. 20 mins.
d) The individuals, pairs or groups report back giving their examples of the features of the story. 10 mins.
5) ‘The Cattle Raid of Cooley’ can be told to the children through a variety of means, teacher telling the story, professional telling of it or through use of eBook. It is important that whatever telling of the story is used that the vocal treatment involves feeling and intonation to create the variety of emotions contained in the story. 15 mins.
6) The analysis carried out in step 4 is carried out on the story ‘The Cattle Raid of Cooley’. 40 mins.
7) Reporting back on the results. The individuals, pairs or groups report back on the first story. The teacher compiles the results on the whiteboard using a rubric matrix. The second story is attended to in the same manner. 15 mins.
8) The children are given a rubric matrix which allows a comparison of the two stories simultaneously. The children can choose their personal examples under each heading for each of the headings. 15 mins.
9) The children report back on results of the comparison. The children should be encouraged to put expression and intonation in their quoting of examples from the stories. 10 mins.
10) Extension activities:
a) Visual Art responses:
1) Storyboard activity. Key moments as identified in the Plot Tracker Activity are put into a storyboard using a variety of media. 40 mins
2) Clay activity: Creating a clay model of their favourite character from the stories. 40 mins
b) Dramatic responses:
1) Mime activity: The children in groups create a mime of a key event/moment in the story while the passage is read aloud by other members of the group. 20 mins.
2) Freeze frame activity: A key moment/event is frozen in mime by the group. Children guess what scene it is. 20 mins.
3) Hot seat activity: A child in character is interviewed by the other children about their reasons or motivations or actions in the stories. 20 mins.
4) Conscience alley: Conscience alley is based on key moments when characters have to make decisions. 20 mins.
c) Geography exercise:
1) The children use a detailed atlas of Ireland to locate the various places mentioned in the stories. 20 mins.