Celebrating Akira Yoshizawa - The Grandfather of Origami

Princess Badoura by
Edmund Dulac, 1913

Today, the Google Doodle honors Akira Yoshizawa “considered to be the grandmaster of origami. He is credited with raising origami from a craft to a living art.

According to his own estimation made in 1989, he created more than 50,000 models, of which only a few hundred designs were presented as diagrams in his 18 books. Yoshizawa acted as an international cultural ambassador for Japan throughout his career.

In 1983, Japanese emperor Hirohito named him to the Order of the Rising Sun, one of the highest honors that can be given to a Japanese citizen.”

• Origami or the art of paper folding started in the 17th century AD
• The best known origami model is probably the Japanese paper crane.
• Traditional Japanese origami has has been practiced since the Edo era (1603–1867),
• The principles of origami are also being used in stents, packaging and other engineering structures today.
• In China, traditional funerals include burning folded paper, most often representations of gold nuggets.
• The paper folding has typically been of objects like dishes, hats or boats rather than animals or flowers.
• There is also evidence of a cut and folded paper box from 1440.
• It is probable paperfolding in the west originated with the Moors.
• In Japan, Origami butterflies were used during the celebration of Shinto weddings to represent the bride and groom, a significant aspect of Japanese ceremony by the Heian period (794–1185) of Japanese history.

The information above was found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origami


Joseph Wu’s Origami Web Page -Origami is the art of paper folding. The word is Japanese, literally meaning "to fold" (oru) "paper" (kami). This site includes the history or origami, articles, diagrams and links. http://www.origami.as/home.html

Origami Fun – Wonderful pieces for both children and adults. Of course my favorite is the ladybug!http://www.origami-fun.com/index.html

Origami Instructions.com  - From basic origami folds to more elaborate offerings, this site has an array of designs, complete with easy to follow pictorial instructions.http://www.origami-instructions.com/

Origami Resource Center – Many more projects, including special holiday pieces.

http://www.origami-resource-center.com/

Robert J Lang Origami – You will be astounding by the amazing pieces of art work Robert Lang creates out of paper!
http://www.langorigami.com/



Origami Butterfly - So easy even I can do it!

STORIES

Tales of Japan : Sharing Their Stories – This is a blog post I wrote after the devastating earthquake in Japan one year ago. You will find wonderful stories and more.

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/03/tales-of-japan-sharing-their-stories.html

Folding Cranes: Finding Peace – Another blog post written in December 2010. The story of the peace crane and other resources.

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2010/12/folding-cranes-finding-peace.html

BOOKS

The Complete Book of Origami: Step-by Step Instructions in Over 1000 Diagrams By Robert J. Lang. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Origami-Step-Instructions/dp/0486258378

Easy Origami for Kids by John Montroll

http://tinyurl.com/7omlo5b

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Craneshttp://www.amazon.com/Sadako-thousand-paper-cranes-Eleanor/dp/0698118022

CURRICULUM

Arts of Asia - 1000 Cranes Lesson Plan
http://www.oberlin.edu/amam/asia/crane/Default.html

The Educational Benefits of Origami
http://www.informeddemocracy.com/sadako/fold/edbens.html

Education World: Fun with Origami – Grades 3 – 12.

http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/01-1/lp235_03.shtml 

Karen Chace 2012 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Spring Forward! Stories of Sleep and Light

Sleeping Beauty by
Edmund Dulac

“Spring forward, fall back.” That is the mantra we learned as young children to remember when we turn our clocks ahead, and then back as the darkness of winter sets upon us.

Although we lost an hour of sleep today, turning our clocks ahead is our delightful teaser that spring is just around the corner. As the days move forward we will continue to enjoy more hours of light in the coming months. What will you do with your extra time in the sun?

Here are some stories of light from around the world.

STORIES

The Abode of the Gods: Time and the King of the Elements - Slavic
http://tinyurl.com/6nrxju9
The Blue Light – Germany
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0562.html#grimm
The Buried Moon - England
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/meft/meft24.htm

Light Makes Prosperity - India
http://tinyurl.com/7c4crnt
Crow Brings Daylight – Native American – Inuit
http://tinyurl.com/7zyzudr
The Origin of Light – Native American
http://tinyurl.com/85x6uhg
Raven Steals the Light – Native American
http://tinyurl.com/5lnq26

And of course, some stories to help you regain that lost hour of sleep!

The Dragon After His Winter Sleep - China

http://tinyurl.com/7qhhf6q
The Dreaming Tree - Brazil
http://tinyurl.com/6wcdckj
The Legend of the Sleeping Lady
http://adam.shand.net/library/the_legend_of_sleeping_lady/
Sleeping Beauty - France
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0410.html#perrault
Sleepy John – Czechoslovakian
http://tinyurl.com/6wcdckj

BOOK

Go To Sleep Gecko by Margaret Read MacDonald
http://www.amazon.com/Go-Sleep-Gecko-Balinese-Folktale/dp/0874837804

CRAFTS

Alphamom.com – Cute crafts for the young ones.
http://alphamom.com/family-fun/crafts/daylight-savings-crafts/

Enchanted Learning – Time and calendar activities.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/calendar.shtml

CURRICULUM

 Animated Tales of the World – Lesson plan for Raven Steals Daylight
 http://www.libraryvideo.com/guides/V6941.pdf

National Geographic – Get the Facts on daylight savings time!
http://tinyurl.com/849wwuv

Karen Chace 2012 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Take a Leap Into Leap Year With Stories!

Maiden Song by
Emma Florence Harrison, 1910

2012 is a Leap Year and I for one am delighted to have an extra day!  We can thank Julius Caesar for the extra 24 hours. In some cultures Leap Year is also a time when a woman may turn the tables and propose to the man she wishes to marry. Here are just a few of the interesting customs around the world.

 

• In the British Isles, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years.
• A 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation ranged from a kiss to a silk gown, in order to soften the blow.
• Later, women looking to take advantage of their opportunity to proposal marriage were expected to wear a scarlet petticoat as fair warning.
• In Denmark, the tradition is that women may propose on the bissextile leap day, February 24, and that refusal must be compensated with 12 pairs of gloves.
• In Finland, the tradition is that if a man refuses a woman's proposal on leap day, he should buy her the fabric for a skirt.
• In Greece, marriage in a leap year is considered unlucky.

  

The information above was found at the following links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_year http://inventors.about.com/cs/inventionsalphabet/a/leap_year.htm

STORIES

Below are some stories that will hopefully make you “leap” for joy!

Two Feasts and a Leap Day – Ukraine

http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/two-feasts-and-a-leap-day/

The Death Leap of Tikawe – Maori

http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-Pom01Lege-t1-body2-d1.html

The Leap – Aesop

http://www.pitara.com/talespin/folktales/online.asp?story=86

The Leap-Frog – Danish

http://www.classicreader.com/book/109/7/

Leap the Elk and Princess Tuvstarr (Cottongrass) – Sweden

http://amber-vixen.livejournal.com/2623.html

And of course, if we are talking about leaping we can’t leave out our friendly frogs! Here is a blog post I wrote in April of 2010 to celebrate National Frog Month.

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2010/04/april-is-national-frog-month-so-get.html

CRAFTS

Child Fun – Leap year crafts, songs and activities.
http://tinyurl.com/7ytovbr

Leap Year Party Games and Printables – Lots of fun things here including a frog puppet, maze and more.
http://www.tipjunkie.com/leap-year-party/

CURRICULUM

Leap Year Math Quiz
http://tinyurl.com/8yqwb2z

Lesson Plans Page.com – For grades 6 through 7.
http://tinyurl.com/7gbpzvm


Jump Rope RHYME

Leap Year, Leap Year
When will you be?
Every four years
Then you'll see.
You want more?
We do too!
How many more
can you Leap to?

Copyright: To Steal or Not to Steal...Is that Really a Question?

As part of my mission to share my storytelling work with colleagues and educators  I leave my self open to copyright infringement. Through the years resources from my workshops, magazine columns, newsletters, blog and website have been used without attribution.
Surprisingly, some of the worst offenders have been educational institutions, those who should be on the front lines, teaching their students about respecting copyright.

Happily, there are also those who respect the work of others and their professional reputation is important to them. They are the ones who take the extra step and request permission, and to them I am thankful.

Through the years I have asked a number or storytellers and visual artists to use their work, with attribution. Each one has said, "Yes" and the common thread between them all is that they were grateful to be asked.

I hope you never have to worry about your work being pirated, but if you do, here are some resources to help through the copyright maze.

Copyright Management Center
Lots of useful information on copyright, ownership, fair use, etc., from Indiana University.
http://www.iupui.edu/~webtrain/web_samples/cmc.html 
* This site was last updated in 1998 so some information may be out of date.

Copyright Resources for Schools and Libraries -  Lots of resources here with additional links.

http://dpi.state.wi.us/lbstat/copyres.html
 

Flowchart for Determining When U.S. Copyrights in Fixed Works Expire

http://www.sunsteinlaw.com/practices/copyright-portfolio-development/flowchart.htm

Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, The Copyright Term Extension Act (S. 505) as P.L. 105-278. The full text of the Act may be found here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c105:s.505.enr:

Washington State University

This site should be titled, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Copyright and More! There is a wealth of information here at your fingertips, for artists, librarians, teachers and Internet Users:

• Promotion of the Arts
• Artists Exclusive Rights
• How Copyright Protects
• Public Domain and Duration of Copyrights
• Music and Copyright
• Internet and Copyright
• Library and Copyright
• Fair Use
• Getting Permission

However, what is truly useful is that the information is dispensed using plain English, no legalese allowed if you please. There is even a Public Domain Chart that highlights all of the recent changes in copyright law. In addition, you will find a long list of other web sources should you need to investigate further.  http://publishing.wsu.edu/copyright/

When Works Pass Into the Public Domain

An easy to understand chart to help answer the public domain question.
http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm


It seems redundant to add a copyright notice to a blog post on the subject but nonetheless, here it is.
 

Karen Chace 2012 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Celebrate Mardi Gras - Let the Good Times Roll!

February 21 ushers in Mardi Gras. Laissez les bons rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

• Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday” and” Shrove Tuesday” from the ancient custom of parading a fat ox through Paris on this day. The ox was to remind the people that they were not allowed to eat meat during Lent.
• The Tuesday that Mardi Gras falls on is also known as Shrove Tuesday. The name comes from the custom of confessing on the day before lent. Shrove means "to be forgiven one's sins."
• Mardi Gras parades happen throughout the world. Biloxi in Mississipi, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Nice in France, Binche in Belgiun and Viareggio in Italy are j a few examples.
• Mardi Gras came to America in 1699 with the French explorer Iberville. Mardi Gras had been celebrated in Paris since the Middle Ages, where it was a major holiday
• The first documented parade occurred in 1837. 
• A very popular custom is the making of the "King's Cake" which represents the three kings who brought gifts. A plastic baby is baked inside the King Cake, and the tradition is whoever receives the baby in their piece of cake must buy the next King Cake or throw the next party.
• The cake glazed and then sprinkled with colored sugar. The three colors of the sugar are Purple (representing Justice), Green (representing Faith) and Gold (representing Power).

The above information found at the following websites:
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/mardigras/history.htm
http://www.eastjeffersonparish.com/culture/MARDIGRA/HISTORY/history.htm  

In honor of the “King’s Cake” I offer you some delicious folktales about cakes from around the world.

Earth Cakes, Sky Cakes – Vietnam

http://tinyurl.com/83nvup4

The Cake is Mine – Korea
http://tinyurl.com/7ohwqzw

Epaminondas and his Aunt – United States

http://tinyurl.com/7lg6g9h
Johnny Cake – English Folktale
http://tinyurl.com/7mr63z9

The Story of the Cake Tree – Ceylon

http://tinyurl.com/6rjyxkj

The Story of Chung Cake - Vietnam

http://tinyurl.com/769kazm
The Two Cakes - Italy
http://tinyurl.com/6ras3wz

Here are some additional folktales from Louisiana to put in you a partying mood!

American Folklore: Louisiana - Meet Foolish John, a riverboat captain and opossum in these three delightful tales.

http://tinyurl.com/3us4w4

Louisiana Folk-tales - From Google books, a downloadable book of public domain folktales by Alcée Fortier shared in both French Dialect and English Translation.
http://tinyurl.com/3ttzqs

CRAFTS

Celebrate Fat Tuesday - Fun crafts, games and coloring pages. 

http://www.dltk-kids.com/Crafts/mardigras/index.htm

Crayola.com – Lots of interesting crafts, coloring pages and additional lesson plans await.
http://tinyurl.com/7awzb68

Mardi Gras Coloring Pages 

http://www.holidays.net/mardigras/pix.htm

Mardi Gras Masks 

http://tinyurl.com/6vfl4c3

CURRICULUM

LessonPlansPage.com - Mardi Gras activities designed to help your students celebrate Mardi Gras, oriented around Pancake Day, known in many countries as "Shrove Tuesday". http://www.lessonplanspage.com/mardigras-htm#4

Folklife in Louisiana - This site offers a wide range of information on collecting local, folklore, exploring communities and traditions, adaptable lesson plans, and stories!

http://tinyurl.com/cgythp

Louisiana Voices - An Educators Guide to Exploring Our Communities and Traditions. http://tinyurl.com/crme4l

Mardi Gras - Filled with information on the traditions of Mari Gras, included the Krewes, parade, the King Cake, music and more.

http://tinyurl.com/ygmsutc

BOOK

Cajun Folktales by J.J. Reneaux – This is a must have for every storyteller’s bookshelf!

http://www.amazon.com/Cajun-Folktales-American-Storytelling-Reneaux/dp/0874832829/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329015671&sr=8-1

Karen Chace 2012 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Alphabet Soup Story Relay - A Storytelling Troupe Activity

The storytelling troupe I've been teaching for ten years continues to evolve. Initially, it was during the school day but for the past two years it is held as an after school program. Since the students have been confined to the classroom for most of the day I want our time together to strike a balance between any written work, i.e. story boards, story pyramids with "up and out of the chair" activities.  Of course, I want the children to have fun but I still want these activities to enhance their storytelling skills.

I believe that movement can enhance a child's ability to remember and retell details of a story. I try to create items that will touch upon a variety of learning styles. Recently, I created the following activity and we tried it for the first time today. The student's had a blast and asked to play it again and again.

I offer it here for your personal use whether you are teaching students or adults. I only ask that you offer attribution and honor the copyright.

ALPHABET SOUP STORY RELAY

The process not only requires the students to think about the setting and characters in their stories but also reinforces alliteration. In addition, the game will access a variety of learning styles on the Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Chart: Kinesthetic, Verbal-Linguistic, Interpersonal and Visual-Spatial.

Directions:

• Bring in two large bowls. Fill them with plastic alphabet letters A-Z. You will find these in most toy stores and you will need two sets.
• Place one set in each bowl on two separate chairs in the front of the room.
• Divide the class into two groups; line them up in a straight line.
• The object is for one student from each group to run to the front of the class, reach into the designated bowl and draw out a letter.
• The student must then choose two descriptive words that begin with that letter and relates to their story.

For example: If the student is working on the story of Little Red Riding Hood and the following letters:

• B they might say "brown basket."
• G they might say "green grass."
• W they might say "wicked wolf."
• Or they could say two completely separate words that begin with the letter but aren't directly connected. For Example: Using the folktale The Three Little Pigs and the select the letter "P" is chosen they might say "pigs and puff."

Once they finish their descriptive phrase they drop the letter back into the bowl, run back and tag the next student in line who repeats the process. The team that finishes first wins the Alphabet Soup Story Relay!

For a variation on this game purchase two sets of  plastic numbers from 1-9. Place those in separate baskets and set up the relay teams. Each student runs up, picks out a number and must name the same number of things associated with their story i.e. names of characters, details of setting, descriptive phrases or words, whatever comes to mind. You could also forgo the relay portion and just have students sit in a circle and take turns selecting a number and sharing that number of details about their stories.

Below are links to four other activities I have created to use with my storytelling students. While these are writing activities they have been very successful in helping them sequence their stories and visualize the characters. Feel free to use them in your work but I do ask that you offer attribution and honor the copyright. Your professionalism is greatly appreciated.

• What's Driving Your Story
  http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/03/whats-driving-your-story.html
• Story Snapshot
  http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/12/click-story-snapshot.html
• Character Creation
  http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/03/character-creation-story-troupe.html
  Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Story Right Over
  http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2010/03/red-rover-red-rover-send-story-right.html

Karen Chace © 2012

Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Celebrate with Tell a Fairy Tale Day!

From The Iron Stove
by Warwick Goble

As a child I was a huge fan of the old movies, you know the type, with Fred Astaire twirling Ginger Rogers around as volumes of taffeta swirled around her, Gene Kelly's athletic dancing while singing in the rain, and Doris Day's forever sunny disposition. Yes, I have always been a sap for happy endings so I am delighted there is a special day set aside for fairy tales.

February 26 is “Tell a Fairy Tale Day" so lets celebrate and fall into a fantasy world where the wicked get their comeuppance and everyone else steps into a future filled with "happily ever after!"

The Three Gifts
Polish Fairy Tale
Found in The Goldenrod Fairy Book, by Esther Singleton

A very rich widow had three children, a step-son, a fine young fellow, a step-daughter of wonderful beauty, and a daughter who was not so bad. The three children lived under the same roof and took their meals together. At length the time came when the children were treated very differently. Although the widow’s daughter was bad-tempered, obstinate, vain, and a chatterer, her mother loved her passionately, praised her, and covered her with caresses. She was favoured in every way. The step-son, who was a good-natured lad, and who did all kinds of work, was for ever grumbled at, checked, and treated like a sluggard. As for the step-daughter, who was so wonderfully pretty, and who had the disposition of an angel, she was tormented, worried, and ill-treated in a thousand ways. Between her sister and her step-mother her life was made miserable.

To read the rest of the story click on the link: http://www.elfinspell.com/GoldenrodThreeGifts.html

STORIES 

Celtic Fairy Tales

Twenty-seven stories from Joseph Jacobs.
http://tinyurl.com/4rbw2p 

Fairytales and Stories by Hans Christian Anderson, 1872.

http://hca.gilead.org.il/

Japanese Fairy Tales by Teresa Peirce Williston, 1911.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/jft2/index.htm

Romanian Fairy Tales - Three traditional fairytales retold and beautifully illustrated by Marguerite Wolf. http://www.dragonrest.net/romanian/fairytales.html

Swedish Fairy Tales and Legends – Fifty six stories to enjoy.
http://tinyurl.com/26qk4jp

CURRICULUM

Cinderella in Africa – Early Elementary Lesson Plan.
http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-africa/elieil/index.html

Fairy Tale Writing Unit – Elementary Level - From Teachers.net a two to three week unit offering suggestions for whole, small and independent work.

http://tinyurl.com/6duz6v

Fairy Tales From Life - Two fairy tales are used in this lesson plan, which also provides a number of resources to guide your students through the process. The lesson plan is aligned with the NCTE and IRA standards for grades 3 – 5.  http://tinyurl.com/l7cmvl

Fractured Fairy Tales – From Read, Write, Think and interactive lesson plan that helps children write their own fractured fairy tales.

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/fairytales/
The Realm of  Fairy Tales – Wonderful teaching tool for those discussing fairy tales in the classroom.
http://www-ma.beth.k12.pa.us/jhoke/jhwebquest/jhwebquest.htm

CRAFTS

Cardboard Box Castle – An inexpensive craft and we all know how children love to play with boxes! http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/Boxcastle.shtml

Fairy Tale Crafts for Kids – There are a number of adorable crafts here but some will definitely require parent/teacher supervision for the little ones.
http://www.fantasyjr.com/fairy-tale-crafts-for-kids/

Fairy-folktale Diorma – A craft for older students and a great way to connect with a lesson plan. http://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/detail/fairy-folktale-diorama-lesson-plan/

Paper Crown – It’s good to be King…and Queen!
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/mcrown.htm

Paper Mache Dragon Shield – What child doesn’t love a shield to ward off evil wizards and dragons? http://www.dltk-holidays.com/halloween/mshield.htm

Princess Paper Bag Puppet – I never met a child who didn’t love puppets, even if they are made out of a paper bag.  http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/princessandfrog/mprincessbag.htm
Rapunzel Tower – Make this cute crafts using a toilet paper roll.
http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/rapunzle/craft.htm

And if you missed the previous blog posts of public domain stories offering additional fairy tale collections go to:

Wit, Wisdom and Wonder – Fabulous Fairy Tales
http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/12/wisdom-wit-and-wonder-fabulous-fairy.html

Public Domain IV - Folktales, Fairytales, Myths and Legends
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/10/public-domain-iv-folktales-fairytales.html

Public Domain III Folktales and Fairytaleshttp://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/09/public-domain-iii-folktales-fairy-tales.html

Public Domain II -Folktales, Myths and Legends Oh My!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/06/public-domain-ii-folktales-myths-and.html

Public Domain Folktales, Myths and Legends Oh My!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/05/public-domain-folktales-myths-legends.html

Tell A Fairy Tale Day - For another wonderful discussion on Fairy Tales please visit the blog of my friend and colleague Lois Sprengnether Keel at:
http://www.storytellingresearchlois.com/2012/02/february-26-is-tell-fairy-tale-day-or.html

Karen Chace 2012 ©

This blog post was researched and compiled by Karen Chace. Permission for private use is granted. Distribution, either electronically or on paper is prohibited without my expressed written permission. For permission please contact me at storybug@aol.com. Of course, if you wish to link to my blog via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

o