Folktales: Features and Themes of Folktales for JSS 1

Class: JSS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 10
Age: 12 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: English Studies
Curriculum Theme: Literature
Focal competence: Reading and comprehending folktales
Skills:

• Telling/narrating stories

Previous Lesson: Letter Writing: write in
Topic: Folktales
Subject Matter: Application

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Define folktales.
• Explain the oral tradition background of folktales.
• Identify common features of folktales.
• Mention typical characters and events found in folktales.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the cultural values and moral lessons embedded in folktales.
• Show interest in reading and retelling folktales.

Psychomotor Domain

• Describe the features of folktales.
• Retell a short folktale with understanding.

Social Domain

• Participate actively in group discussions about folktales.
• Share personal experiences with folktales from their communities.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• New Oxford Secondary English Course for JSS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Audiobooks of folktales
• Interactive videos showing animated folktales
• Selected printed passages of Nigerian folktales
• Pictorial aids depicting characters and scenes from folktales
• Charts showing features of folktales

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson introduces students to folktales, which are an important part of cultural heritage and literary tradition. Understanding folktales helps students appreciate storytelling, identify moral lessons, and develop their reading comprehension and narration skills. It also connects them to their cultural roots and promotes an understanding of diverse traditions.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have basic understanding of stories and narratives, and some exposure to traditional stories from their homes or communities.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Folktales: Features and Themes

Meaning of Folktales

Folktales are traditional stories passed down orally from generation to generation within a community or culture. They often explain natural phenomena, teach moral lessons, or entertain.

Oral Tradition Background

Folktales originate from oral tradition, meaning they were told by word of mouth before being written down. This oral sharing helped preserve cultural beliefs, history, and values, making them an important part of communal life and education.

Common Features of Folktales

Folktales typically have certain characteristics that make them unique. These include:

1. Simple Plot: They usually have a straightforward storyline that is easy to follow.
2. Repetition: Certain phrases, events, or actions are often repeated, making them memorable.
3. Moral Lessons: Most folktales teach a lesson about good behaviour, wisdom, or consequences.
4. Supernatural Elements: They may include magical creatures, talking animals, or impossible events.
5. Timeless Settings: The stories often take place “once upon a time” or “in a land far away,” without specific historical details.
6. Archetypal Characters: Characters often represent common human traits like greed, kindness, cleverness, or foolishness.
7. Anonymity: The original author is usually unknown.

Typical Characters and Events in Folktales

Folktales feature a variety of characters and events, such as:

1. Characters:

• Animals that talk and act like humans (e.g., Tortoise, Spider, Hare).
• Kings, queens, princes, and princesses.
• Wise old men and women.
• Orphans or common people who overcome challenges.
• Supernatural beings like spirits, witches, or giants.

• Quests or journeys.
• Challenges or tests of character.
• Magical transformations.
• Conflicts between good and evil.
• Clever tricks or acts of bravery.
• Rewards for good deeds and punishments for bad ones.

Cultural Values and Moral Lessons in Folktales

Folktales are rich in cultural values and moral lessons that guide behaviour and reinforce societal norms. Some common themes include:

1. The importance of honesty and truthfulness.
2. The dangers of greed and selfishness.
3. The value of hard work and perseverance.
4. The consequences of disobedience.
5. The wisdom of humility.
6. The power of kindness and compassion.
7. Respect for elders and community.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Storytelling, Guided Practice, Group Work, Interactive Video Presentation.

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Activating Prior Knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them if they have ever heard stories from their grandparents or elders. The teacher then asks them to share some of these stories or what they are generally about.

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond by sharing stories they have heard or describing their content.

Learning Point: Recalling traditional stories

Step 2: Meaning of Folktales

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of folktales as traditional stories passed down orally. The teacher models the week’s skills in ORAL COMPREHENSION and READING PASSAGES FOR MEANING using a short oral or print example of a folktale.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen attentively, ask questions, and attempt to define folktales in their own words.

Learning Point: Definition of folktales

Step 3: Oral Tradition Background

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explaining Concepts

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the oral tradition background of folktales, explaining how they were told by word of mouth and their importance in preserving culture. The teacher uses an interactive video to illustrate this point.

Pupils’ Activity: Students watch the video, listen, and contribute to the discussion on oral tradition.

Learning Point: Oral tradition explained

Step 4: Common Features of Folktales

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Listing/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to identify and describe the common features of folktales, using a chart and examples from a selected folktale passage. The teacher ensures students understand concepts like simple plot, repetition, and moral lessons.

Pupils’ Activity: Students participate in identifying and describing the features, taking notes as guided.

Learning Point: Folktale features identified

Step 5: Typical Characters and Events

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Categorization/Examples

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a discussion on typical characters (e.g., talking animals, clever tricksters) and events (e.g., quests, magical transformations) found in folktales, using pictorial aids and examples from a story.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify and discuss various characters and events, relating them to stories they know.

Learning Point: Characters and events

Step 6: Cultural Values and Moral Lessons

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Analysis/Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the cultural values and moral lessons embedded in folktales, emphasizing how these stories teach good behaviour and societal norms. The teacher asks students to identify a moral lesson from a short folktale they just heard or read.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify and discuss moral lessons, relating them to real-life situations.

Learning Point: Moral lessons understood

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is a folktale?
2. Mention two common features of folktales.
3. Name two typical characters you might find in a folktale.
4. What kind of lessons do folktales often teach?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Folktale concepts assessed

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on the meaning, features, characters, and moral lessons of folktales into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Notes recorded accurately

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 2 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarizes the main points of the lesson, reiterating the importance of folktales as a source of entertainment, cultural knowledge, and moral guidance. The teacher encourages students to read and listen to more folktales.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and reflect on the lesson.

Learning Point: Lesson reinforced

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook.

1. Ask an elder in your family or community to tell you a short folktale. Write down the title and a brief summary of the story.
2. Identify at least two features of folktales present in the story you heard.
3. What moral lesson did you learn from the folktale?

Lesson Keywords

• Folktale – A traditional story passed down orally from generation to generation.
• Oral tradition – The passing down of cultural knowledge, stories, and beliefs by word of mouth.
• Moral lesson – A teaching or principle about right and wrong behaviour found in a story.
• Supernatural – Relating to forces or events that are beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature.
• Archetypal – Representing a typical example of a certain person or thing.

Differentiation

For weaker learners, the teacher will provide simplified definitions and focus on identifying just one or two key features of folktales. They will also be given a very short, simple folktale to retell. For faster learners, the teacher will encourage them to compare and contrast different folktales or research the origins of specific folktale characters.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: “Nigerian folktales for JSS 1” or “Features of folktales explained for kids”.

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have selected an appropriate short folktale (oral, print, or video) that is culturally relevant and engaging for JSS 1 students. Prepare visual aids or charts illustrating the features of folktales. During the lesson, model effective storytelling and reading comprehension. Encourage active participation, especially in sharing and retelling stories. Guide students to copy the Board Summary notes after the main concepts have been taught and evaluated to ensure understanding. Pay attention to common misconceptions about folktales being mere children’s stories, emphasizing their cultural and moral significance. Support weaker learners by simplifying tasks and providing more direct examples, while challenging faster learners with analytical questions or comparative tasks.