Borreguita and the Coyote: A Tale from Ayutla, Mexico

In the classroom/library:

Lesson Topic: Utilizing Borreguita and the Coyote as a tool for the discovery of the character, setting, and plot of a book, followed by generation of a script and subsequent performance production.

Subject: Reading, writing and theater
Grade Level: Early elementary
Topic(s)/theme(s): Story elements

Domains:

Cognitive: Analysis
Affective: Organization
Psychomotor: Basic

Prerequisite lesson (definitions):

Character - a person in a play, story, novel, etc.
Setting - the time, place, environment, and surrounding circumstances of an event, story, or play, (etc.)
Plot - the plan or action of a play, novel, poem, short story, etc.
Skit- a short piece of writing

Objectives:

1. Analysis and employment of character, setting, and plot.
2. Invention and performance of a script

Materials:

Chalkboard or dry erase board
Book: Borreguita and the Coyote By Verna Aardema
Index cards individually listing a variety of characters, settings, and story events
Writing utensil and paper

During Instruction:

Introduction: After listening to the story, the students will distinguish the characters (coyote, lamb, farmer), setting (at the foot of the mountains, at a pond, in the mountains), and plot (coyote's quest to eat the lamb, lamb avoids being eaten by the coyote) of the piece

Sequence of learning activities: After the introduction activity, students will count off by numbers and split up into teams. Each team will draw one index card from the character, setting, and plot cards. The students' will then work out a brief script based on their cards and present it to the class. The characters language, behaviors, actions and exchanges should tell the story. Each group will present their skit for the class and the class will be expected to recognize the characters, setting and plot of the skit.

Evaluation: The character, setting, and plot should be discernable from each presentation. The students should be able to successfully identify the characters, settings, and story events from the group skits.

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