Folktales: Purpose of Folktales for JSS 1

Class: JSS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 8
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: Features of
Topic: Folktales
Subject Matter: Purpose

Specific Objectives

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

Cognitive Domain

• Define a folktale.
• Identify common features of folktales.
• State the purpose of folktales, focusing on moral lessons.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the cultural value of folktales.
• Show interest in listening to and telling folktales.

Psychomotor Domain

• Identify the moral lessons in folktales.
• Retell a simple folktale.

Social Domain

• Share a folktale with peers.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Studies textbook for JSS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Audiobooks (if available)
• Interactive Videos (if available)
• Selected passages of short Nigerian folktales
• Pictorial aids depicting scenes from folktales
• Charts showing features of folktales

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps students understand folktales as an important part of oral tradition and cultural heritage. It enables them to extract valuable moral lessons and cultural values from stories, promoting critical thinking and character development. Understanding folktales also enhances their oral comprehension and storytelling skills.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have basic listening and comprehension skills and may have heard simple stories or fables before.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Folktales: Purpose of Folktales

Meaning of Folktale

A folktale is a traditional story that has been passed down orally from generation to generation within a particular culture or community. These stories often feature animals, people, or supernatural beings and usually carry a message or lesson.

Oral Tradition Background of Folktales

Folktales are part of oral tradition, meaning they were originally told aloud rather than written down. This oral transmission helped preserve cultural beliefs, history, and values before widespread literacy. They were often shared during gatherings, by elders to younger generations.

Common Features of Folktales

Folktales typically have certain characteristics:

1. They often begin with phrases like “Once upon a time” or “In a certain village.”
2. They feature common characters such as wise animals, cunning tricksters, brave heroes, or wicked villains.
3. They usually have simple plots that are easy to follow.
4. They often involve repetition of phrases or events.
5. They usually contain a moral lesson or teach a cultural value.

Typical Characters and Events in Folktales

Characters in folktales often represent human qualities or types, such as:

1. Animals: Tortoise (cunning), Lion (strength), Hyena (greed).
2. Humans: Kings, queens, hunters, farmers, children, wise elders.
3. Supernatural Beings: Spirits, deities, magical creatures.

Events often include:

1. Challenges or problems that characters must overcome.
2. Journeys or quests.
3. Encounters with magical elements or talking animals.
4. Consequences for good or bad actions.

Purpose of Folktales: Cultural Values and Moral Lessons

The main purpose of folktales is to:

1. Teach Moral Lessons: Folktales often illustrate the difference between right and wrong, teaching virtues like honesty, kindness, hard work, patience, and courage. They also warn against vices like greed, pride, and disobedience.
2. Preserve Cultural Values: They transmit the beliefs, customs, traditions, and history of a community from one generation to another.
3. Entertain: Folktales are engaging and enjoyable stories that provide amusement.
4. Explain Phenomena: Some folktales explain natural occurrences or the origins of things (e.g., why the sky is far away).
5. Instill Wisdom: They offer practical advice and insights into human nature and life experiences.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Narration, Question and Answer, Explanation, Guided Practice, Group Work, Individual Practice.

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 introduces the topic of folktales, explaining that they are traditional stories.

Pupils’ Activity: Students respond to the teacher’s questions and listen attentively.

Learning Point: Prior story knowledge

Step 2: Meaning of Folktale

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of a folktale, emphasizing that it’s an oral story passed down through generations. The teacher uses simple examples to illustrate.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and contribute simple definitions based on their understanding.

Learning Point: Folktale definition

Step 3: Oral Tradition & Features

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Elaboration/Identification

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the concept of oral tradition and discusses the common features of folktales, such as opening phrases, simple plots, and repetition. The teacher may use a chart to display these features.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify features as the teacher explains and ask questions for clarification.

Learning Point: Folktale characteristics

Step 4: Characters & Events

Time: 7 minutes

Teaching Skill: Description/Categorisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher describes typical characters (animals, humans, supernatural beings) and common events found in folktales, giving examples from well-known stories.

Pupils’ Activity: Students identify and name characters or events from stories they know.

Learning Point: Typical folktale elements

Step 5: Cultural Values and Moral Lessons

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Analysis/Interpretation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher narrates a short, simple folktale (e.g., “The Tortoise and the Dog” or “Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky”) and guides students to identify the moral lessons and cultural values embedded in the story. The teacher explains that this is the main purpose of folktales.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen to the story and, with guidance, identify the moral lessons and cultural values.

Learning Point: Moral lesson identification

Step 6: Retelling a Selected Folktale

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Application

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher encourages students to work in pairs or small groups to briefly retell a folktale they know or the one just narrated, focusing on the moral lesson. The teacher provides support and feedback.

Pupils’ Activity: Students practice retelling stories and identifying morals in pairs or groups.

Learning Point: Story retelling practice

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. Why are folktales important?
4. Identify the moral lesson from the story of ‘The Tortoise and the Dog’.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Folktale purpose understanding

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, and purpose of folktales into their notebooks.

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

Learning Point: Folktale notes recording

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds students that folktales are not just for entertainment but are powerful tools for teaching valuable lessons and preserving culture. The teacher encourages them to listen to and share more folktales.

Pupils’ Activity: Students listen and reflect on the importance of folktales.

Learning Point: Folktale importance consolidation

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read a folktale from your local community or ask an elder to tell you one. Then, write down:

1. The title of the folktale.
2. A brief summary of the story (3-5 sentences).
3. The moral lesson(s) you learned from the story.

Lesson Keywords

• Folktale – A traditional story passed down orally.
• Oral tradition – The passing of cultural information from one generation to another through spoken word.
• Moral lesson – A teaching or message about right and wrong behaviour.
• Cultural values – The beliefs, customs, and practices that are important to a group of people.
• Narrate – To tell a story.

Differentiation

For students who struggle, the teacher will provide simpler folktales with very clear moral lessons and offer more direct guidance during group activities. For advanced learners, the teacher can encourage them to compare the moral lessons of two different folktales or to create their own short folktale with a specific moral.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, search on YouTube for: purpose of folktales JSS1 English

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, select a short, engaging Nigerian folktale that clearly illustrates a moral lesson. Prepare any pictorial aids or charts displaying key features of folktales. Begin by engaging students with questions about stories they know to activate prior knowledge. Clearly explain what a folktale is and its connection to oral tradition. When discussing the purpose, particularly moral lessons, use the chosen folktale as a concrete example, guiding students through identifying the moral. Encourage active participation during the retelling activity. Students should copy the Board Summary notes after the evaluation to ensure they have grasped the main concepts. Pay attention to students who might struggle with identifying abstract moral lessons, providing simpler language and more direct prompts. Fast learners can be challenged to articulate the cultural significance beyond just the moral.