Stories of Sensational Soups!

Soup
William-Adolph Bouguereau
1825-1905

"Let Omar sing of wine and bread,
But I prefer fine soup instead."
Arab poet, replying to Omar Khayyam

January is National Soup Month and who doesn’t love soup! Soup is as old as cooking, dating back to 20,000 BC. I grew up in the city of New Bedford, which has a rich, cultural food history thanks to the thousands of Portuguese families who immigrated here centuries ago to work in the whaling industry. They brought their amazing recipes with them, including kale soup, which is now a staple in many homes. You will see Kale Soup, on most restaurant menus, as well as New England Clam Chowder or seafood chowder (a rich, creamy soup). In the summer there are even chowder festivals around New England.

“Every culture had its version of soup. From the French Onion to the Russian Borscht, Spanish Gazpacho, New England Chowder, Chinese Won Ton, Campbell’s tomato, Japanese miso, and Italian Minestrone, every soup had its unique flavour regarding its place of origin.”
https://soupmakerguide.co.uk/soup-through-the-ages-the-history-of-soup/

Just like the story of  Stone Soup I have added together some folktales about soup, a dash of activities and crafts, seasoned with some activities, and a few extra items to spice it up! Enjoy!

The above information was gathered from: (This site is now defunct as of November, 2023)
https://soupmakerguide.co.uk/soup-through-the-ages-the-history-of-soup/

STORIES

All-Kinds-Of-Fur – Germany
https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm065.html

Chicken Soup – Russia
https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/fall-2007/chicken-soup

Crossing the Bridge Noodles - China
https://wildchina.com/2013/08/crossing-the-bridge-noodles/

The Emperor and the Cook: The Story of Bird’s Nest Soup - China
http://soupsong.com/sbirdnes.html

The Guest - Inuit
https://www.worldoftales.com/Native_American_folktales/Eskimo_folktale_11.html#gsc.tab=0

Hot Soup, Cold Hands - Turkey
https://voetica.com/voetica.php?collection=4&poet=706&poem=3443

The Legend of Issun-boshi – Japan
https://www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/publicity/book/hlj/html/201408/201408_09_en.html

The Old Man and His Grandson – Germany
http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-27.html

Sliced Sickle Soup – Mongolia
https://www.kidelight.com/2021/02/folk-tale-from-mongolia-sliced-sickle.html

Soup from a Sausage Skewer – Hans Christian Andersen
https://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Hans_Christian_Andersen/Andersen_fairy_tale_36.html#gsc.tab=0

Soup of the Soup – Sufi
https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/soup-soup

The Stolen Soup Aroma – West Africa
http://www.allfolktales.com/wafrica/stolen_soup_aroma.php

The Story of Salt – China
https://archive.gosanangelo.com/news/scene/tell-me-a-story-the-story-of-salt-a-chinese-folktale-ep-883035808-353680851.html/

Stone Soup – European (There are many variants from Russia, Sweden, Belgium, England, and France.)
https://tinyurl.com/yz724w4s

BOOKS

10 Story Books for Kids About Soup
https://food.innerchildfun.com/2013/01/10-story-books-for-kids-about-soup.html

Best Kids’ Books About Soup
https://bookroo.com/explore/books/topics/soups

CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES

20 Recycled Tin Can Crafts
https://artsycraftsymom.com/recycled-tin-can-crafts/

20 Water Sensory Soup Ideas for Kids
https://www.andnextcomesl.com/2015/04/water-sensory-play-ideas-for-kids.html

Dltk-teach.com – Lots of activities here connected to the story Stone Soup, coloring pages, puzzles, word ladders, crafts and more.
https://dltk-teach.com/fables/stonesoup/index.htm

Fairy Soup – Backyard Sensory Activity for Toddlers and Preschoolers
https://happyhooligans.ca/fairy-soup/

CURRICULUM

Agriculture in the Classroom – Lesson plan based on the picture book Who Grew My Soup for grades K – 2. If you don’t have the book, not to worry, there is a link to a read aloud video.
https://agclassroom.org/matrix/lesson/547/

Learning to Give – Lesson plan based on the folktale, Stone Soup.
https://www.learningtogive.org/units/philanthropic-behavior/class-soup

Making Stone Soup
https://elementarynest.com/stone-soup/


RECIPES

30 Best Soup Recipes
https://themodernproper.com/30-best-soup-recipes

SOMETHING EXTRA

Children’s Board Game from Peaceable Kingdom: Stone Soup
https://tinyurl.com/bdfctmvd

History of the Stone Soup Folktales from 1720 to Now
https://stonesoup.com/about-the-childrens-art-foundation-and-stone-soup-magazine/history-of-the-stone-soup-story-from-1720-to-now/

 

 

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links. At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

 

Karen Chace 2022 ©

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 appreciate your support and personal integrity.

 

Stor e Telling June July 2016: Reprise

The Storyteller
by
Der Erzahler, 1805

This is the third Stor e Telling installment from 2016. This issue was a reprise of the ‘best of the best’ offered through the years. I did the same with my column and culled through my extensive archives, dating back to 2002, bringing you a reprise of some of my favorite storytelling websites.

4 to 40

Folktales and stories from around the world, including Jakarta, Estonia, Ukraine, and more.
http://tinyurl.com/2965eu 

Absolutely Whootie: Stories to Grow By

Multicultural folktales searchable by continent and country, and play scripts as well. It also offers stories categorized by themes to foster positive behavior and reinforcement.

http://tinyurl.com/j8wkvr4

The Baldwin Project

A comprehensive collection of literature in the public domain; read tales from as far back as 1880.
http://tinyurl.com/jpcpx6m

Chinese Legends, Or, The Porcelain Tower

There are many wonderful myths, folktales and legends from China is this 1848 book by Thomas Henry Sealy, now in the public domain.

http://tinyurl.com/janx2da

Fairy Tales from Brazil: How and Why Tales from Brazilian Folk-lore

Enjoy eighteen pourquoi tales collected by Elsie Spicer Eells from1917.
http://tinyurl.com/k42zduv

The Golden Rod Fairy Book

Published in 1903; stories from England, France, Poland, Bohemia, Russia, India, China, Italy, Denmark, Ireland and Spain are contained within.

http://tinyurl.com/5n6r6a

Learning to Give

Lesson plans, complimentary folktales, and parent resources to involve students in philanthropy and serving their communities.

http://tinyurl.com/yzebyc3

Mysterious Britain

Banshees, selkies, giants and dragons are but a few of the folktales and legends from England, Wales and Scotland.
http://tinyurl.com/ld7gro

Myths, Folktales and Fairytales

Explore folklore with Nina Jaffe, experience a storytelling workshop with Gerald Fierst or a myth writing workshop with Jane Yolen. There are teacher guides, assessments, rubrics, and stories.
http://tinyurl.com/2z2ogy

Orkneyjar - The Heritage of the Orkney Islands

Tradition, folklore and more; enjoy the beauty and history of the Orkney Islands.

http://tinyurl.com/zwu3sak

Sacred Text Archives                    

Explore the world through this amazing collection of texts on religion, mythology, legends, folklore, and more.                                                        

http://tinyurl.com/yvsrl

Scottish Fairy and Folk TalesA lovely collection of Scottish fairy and folk tales from 1901.

http://tinyurl.com/5curxx

Speak Bird, Speak Again

A book of Palestinian Arab Folktales from Ibrahim Muhawi and Sharif Kanaana.

http://tinyurl.com/2lcqn7

Tales of Laughter
A collection tales from Ireland, Spain, France, Russia and other countries from around the globe. They are sure to have you smiling with delight!

http://tinyurl.com/jug4kkx

Tales of the Punjab: Told by the People

A wonderful collection of Eastern Indian tales with notes to the stories.

http://tinyurl.com/gpf9c4s

Teaching with Folklore Index

An entry point for busy teachers who wish to use folklore with their class; the resources are aimed mainly at elementary grades one to six.

http://tinyurl.com/h6ozbyx

Women and the Sea

A valuable collection of resources outlining women’s experiences and contributions as sailors, lighthouse keepers, yachting, mermaid myths, and more. There is also an extensive bibliography.

http://tinyurl.com/gnrbggx

If you missed the first 2016 installment you may access it here:

January February March 2016 – Humor

The theme for this issue was humor so you will find some noddlehead stories to make you smile. Also, there are tales to celebrate Candlemas, St. Patrick's Day, National Pig Day, and a few extra goodies.
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2017/01/stor-e-telling-january-february-march.html 

April Mary 2016 – Storytelling World Awards

This is the second installment of my 2016 Stor e Telling column from Storytelling Magazine. The theme was Storytelling World Awards. You will find downloadable public domain books from around the world, stories to celebrate Red Rose Day and Mother's Day, and a few other resources, including links to all of the other columns, dating back to 2007. Have fun surfing!

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2017/01/stor-e-telling-april-may-2016.html

If you are interested in the previous Stor e Telling columns you will find them all at the links below. Each section has a short synopsis to make it easier for you to find what interests you.

From 1001 Nights to 2001 Story Resources III: Stor e Tellng 2015
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2017/01/from-1001-nights-to-2001-story.html 

 

From 1001 Nights to 2001 Story Resources II: Stor e Telling 2014

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2016/01/from-1001-nights-to-2001-story.html

From 1001 Nights to 2001 Story Resources: Stor e Telling 2013
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2014/06/from-1001-nights-to-2001-story.html

Stor e Telling Columns: 2007 to 2012 with Synopses

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2013/12/stor-e-telling-columns-2007-to-2012.html

In addition, all of my Stor e Telling columns in Storytelling Magazine from 2002-2006 are listed on the Publication’s Page on my website. One caveat, I have not had the opportunity to recheck all of the links; that is a project for another day. You will find a point and click extravaganza of story research here:http://storybug.net/stor-e-telling.html

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

Karen Chace 2017 ©

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.

Fun in the Classroom with Folktales & Fairytales

School Days
by Jessie Wilcox Smith, 1922

I know we haven’t even finished with spring yet but storytellers and teachers stay busy during the summer, preparing for the upcoming school year.

Storytellers know that oral tradition and literacy go hand in hand but sometimes it isn’t as obvious to others. I have put together a list of resources to hopefully make your job just a little bit easier.




During the school year many teaching artists work with schools in a residency capacity; here are a few sites to give you a step up.

A Few Steps to a Successful Artist Residency - An easy to follow guide to help you create and complete a successful residency. Although the information is from Minnesota, the information is applicable to other states as well. http://tinyurl.com/n9lqap

Glossary of School Artist Residency Terms - While specific to the New Jersey Teaching Artist Roster the terminology applies to other states as well. http://njaie.org/glossary.html

Grantmakers in the Arts – Glossary of Arts and Education Terms.
http://www.giarts.org/article/glossary-arts-and-education-terms

Storytelling: The Heart and Soul of Education - “This briefing paper presents research on the importance of storytelling in human experience, and explores the relevance of storytelling as an instructional tool...” 
http://worldroom.tamu.edu/Workshops/CommOfRespect07/StoryTelling/Storytelling%20The%20Heart%20and%20Soul%20of%20Education.pdf

Lesson plans and resources to help you bring “happily ever after” into the classroom.

LESSON PLANS

A-Z Teacher Stuff – Folktales and Fairytales – Seven lesson plans to learn about folktales

http://tinyurl.com/6r75hqu
Aesop and Ananse Animal Fables and Trickster Tales - “Students will become familiar with fables and trickster tales from different cultural traditions and will see how stories change when transferred orally between generations and cultures.” http://tinyurl.com/8xo4yls

American Folklore – A Jigsaw Character Study for grade 3 – 6.
http://tinyurl.com/85mbyfo

ArtsEdge – Exploring American Tall Tales - Students identify the elements of a tall tale, write a composition/monologue and perform it for the class. For grades 5 – 8.
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/lessons/grade-5/Exploring%20Tall%20Tales.aspx

Bright Hub Education – Fairytales and Folktales Lesson Plan: Exploring Imagination - A six part lesson plan in which students explore fairytales, folktales and legends. “Students will learn the basic elements found in these classic tales. Students will use their imagination to create their own version of a classic tale and a corresponding skit.”
http://tinyurl.com/ckju7zc

Digital Story Writing: Cultural Myths

http://alex.state.al.us/lesson_view.php?id=30065
Dramatizing Folktales, Legends and Myths – Grades 3 – 8.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/00-2/lp2209.shtml

Little Red Riding Hood
by Katherine Cameron, 1910

Elements of a Folktale – “Students will use their understanding of fable elements to create an original fable and present it in dramatic form.”
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/2913

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

Folklore and Oral Traditions - This lesson plan “introduces students to the tradition of oral stories…and how culture is transferred from one generation to the next.”

http://www.dloc.com/UF00094880/00001/1j

Folktales Writer’s Workshop - Find your way in the world of folktales with this wonderful writer’s workshop, with Alma Flor Ada and Rafe Martin. They offer tips, challenges and guidelines to help you write an original folktale. When your students are done, they can even publish their stories online. http://tinyurl.com/n81h

Edsitement – Helpful Animals and Compassionate Humans in Folklore – “Through examining several examples of helpful animal tales from around the world, students will learn about humans living in cooperation with the land and sea and with the beasts that inhabit them.” For grades 3-5. http://tinyurl.com/8449x5o
 
Learning to Give – A wonderful site with lesson plans to complement the accompanying folktales, which are plentiful.
http://learningtogive.org/resources/folktales/plans.asp
Lesson Planet: Six Chinese Folk Tales Lesson Plans – This is a subscription site but they do offer a free trial. http://tinyurl.com/6p669mc
The Little Red Hen – Lesson plan, craft and extension activities based on this well-known folktale.
http://www.first-school.ws/activities/fairytales/redhen.htm

The Goose Girl
by Jessie Wilcox Smith

Myth Writing Workshop -An online workshop with author Jane Yolen. Step-by-step instructions on how to write your own myth, coupled with writing strategies and warm-up activities. http://tinyurl.com/n81c

PIZZAZ!  People Interested in Zippy and ZAny Zcribbling - A site dedicated to “providing simple creative writing and oral storytelling activities with copyable (yes, copyable!) handouts for use with students of all ages. Permission is given to use these resources for in-class, non-profit use only.” http://tinyurl.com/kctm3

Tall Tales – Lesson plan for 3 – 5 grade including activities and rubrics. http://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/stone/staff/lessons/bennett/tales.asp

Ten Characters from American Folklore –Students learn about Pecos Bill, Daniel Boone, Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan, John Henry, and five other characters from America's folk history. Student work sheet included. For grades 3 – 12.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/02/lp279-04.shtml

Lesson plan on the folktale Tops and Bottoms

http://www.entre-ed.org/_network/forum2011/b.1.cohen.pdf

Middle Eastern Folk Tales Lesson Plan -  “In this lesson plan, elementary students will take a magic carpet journey into a different time and place through folk tales, legends, and fables from the Middle East… East and its connection to their own worldview.”
http://tinyurl.com/6zn62qe
Myths, Folktales and Fairy Tales – Lesson Plans for Pre-K – 12.
http://tinyurl.com/77n4fxu

Additional resources from my website, blog and newsletter.

School Daze, School Daze

http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/08/school-daze-school-daze.html
School Daze, School Daze II
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/10/school-daze-school-daze-ii.html

Teacher’s Porch – Resources that combine storytelling and educational resources on my website.

http://www.storybug.net/teachers.html
Teaching Tools – Additional websites I have collected through the years and listed on my website.
http://www.storybug.net/links/teaching.html

Lois Sprengnether Keel, fellow storyteller, former librarian, fabulous researcher and friend recently blogged about fairytale activities for the classroom. When you are finished here please pop over to her blog post; you will be happy you did!
http://www.storytellingresearchlois.com/2012/05/15-five-star-fairy-tale-activity.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.

Water, Water Everywhere...

Water Babies by Jessie Willcox Smith, 1916

"When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.”  

                            ~ Benjamin Franklin

Today is World Water Day and here in the United States most of us enjoy it with simple a turn of the faucet. However, sadly that not the case is many parts of the world. Here are just a few facts:

• Worldwide, 790 million people do not have access to an improved water source.
• An estimated 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation (more than 35% of the world’s population).
• In 2006, 7 out of 10 people without access to improved sanitation were rural inhabitants.
• Today, women around the world will spend a collective 200 million hours collecting water. 

Perhaps the next time turn on the tap you might remember those who are not so lucky and find a few ways to conserve this priceless gift in your own home.

The above information was gathered from https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/global/wash_statistics.html and https://water.org/

STORIES

The Boat That Went on Land and on Water – French

http://www.mordent.com/folktales/french/boat/

Crocodile’s Treason – South Africa
https://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/saft/sft18.htm 

The Dance for Water or Rabbit’s Triumph – South Africa  
https://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/saft/sft20.htm

The Dancing Water, the Singing Apple, and the Speaking Bird – Italy |https://fairytalez.com/dancing-water-singing-apple-speaking-bird/

The Drop of Water -Danish
http://hca.gilead.org.il/drop_wat.html  

The Fish and the Leopard’s Wife – Nigeria  
http://www.fairytalenight.com/2019/01/13/the-fish-and-the-leopards-wife-or-why-the-fish-lives-in-the-water-folk-stories-from-southern-nigeria-west-africa-1910-by-elphinstone-dayrell/

The Hare and the Water – Africa
https://www.peacecorps.gov/educators/resources/hare-and-water/?_ga=2.87504216.1932906224.1613432072-164032501.1613432072 NEW

How Water Lilies Came to Be – Wales

This site will lead you to the story and also an educational packet with lessons plan connected to this story. You will find the story within the lesson plan.

http://eps.schoolspecialty.com/external/read_write_think/folktales.pdf

The New Water – Sufi

http://www.rodneyohebsion.com/sufi-folktales.htm

Tortoise Finds Water - South Africa 
https://tambani.co.za/venda-folktales/folktales-in-english/tortoise-finds-water-2/

The Water of Life – Italy  
https://fairytalez.com/water-life-catalan-fairy-tale/

The Water Fairies – Native American/Mic Mac Nation
http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TheWaterFairies-Micmac.html

The Water of Life - German

http://www.authorama.com/grimms-fairy-tales-51.html

The Water Spirit – German 
https://www.worldoftales.com/European_folktales/German_folktale_5.html#gsc.tab=0

Water Spirit Legends

http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/water.html

Why the Fish has Scales
http://folktales.webmanila.com/folktales/water/?fish-scales 

Why the Hippo Lives in the Water – Nigeria   

https://folkli.com/why-the-hippo-lives-in-the-water-a-efik-folktale

Why the Sea is Salty – Philippines 

http://folktales.webmanila.com/folktales/water/?saltysea

Why the Sun and Move Live Up in the Sky – Africa

http://worldoftales.com/African_folktales/African_Folktale_10.html

Water Mythology – Background on a number of mythological creatures associated with water.
http://www.lenntech.com/water-mythology.htm

STORY COLLECTION

SEED (Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development) – An Ocean of Stories
https://web.archive.org/web/20111129022623/http://www.planetseed.com/node/22911  (Note this link is from the Wayback machine as the original link is no longer active. You may still access the stories via the link) from Algeria to Yemen, adapted and retold by renowned storyteller Laura Simms. There are also seven activities to complement the stories, but registration is required.

ACTIVITIES

4 Easy Ways to Celebrate World Water Day with Kids of All Ages|
https://www.heifer.org/blog/cheers-to-clean-water-easy-ways-to-celebrate-world-water-day-with-kids.html

6 Easy Ways to Teach your Kids About World Water Day
https://worldhelp.net/6-easy-ways-to-teach-your-kids-about-world-water-day/

BOOKS

10 Children’s Books That Celebrate World Water Day
https://blog.leeandlow.com/2017/03/21/10-childrens-books-that-celebrate-world-water-day/

CURRICULUM

6 Fun Classroom Ideas To Celebrate World Water Day
https://www.trueeducationpartnerships.com/schools/classroom-ideas-to-celebrate-world-water-day/

From Learning to Give 

• Measure It Up!
  http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit370/lesson3.html
• Save That Water!
  http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit370/lesson4.html
• Water, Glorious Water
  http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit370/lesson1.html
• Where Does Our Water Come From?
  http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit370/lesson2.html

Earth’s Water: A Drop In Your Cup – Grade 3 – 5
https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans/earths-water-a-drop-in-your-cup

Geology.com – Lots of lesson plans and activities.
http://geology.com/teacher/water.shtml

Water: A Never Ending Story 
http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/pilot/water_cycle/teacherpage.html

Water Cycle Poster
http://trcabcwww.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/Water-Cycle_color.pdf

Water Mythology – Background on several mythological creatures associated with water.
http://www.lenntech.com/water-mythology.htm

MUSIC

Sit back, relax, and listen to the enchanting music of Patrick Ball: Song of the Water Kelpie.





SOMETHING EXTRA

100 Ways to Conserve Water

http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/index.php

10 Health Benefits of Waterhttp://www.top10homeremedies.com/kitchen-ingredients/10-health-benefits-of-drinking-water.html

Water Mythology
https://www.lenntech.com/water-mythology.htm

Please note, websites change at a rapid pace and weblinks may change or break without notice. I cannot be responsible for redirected or broken links.  At the time of this posting all links were in working order. Thank you for understanding.

 

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. 

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.

Preserving Our Roots - Collecting Family History

For a while I've had this picture, trying to decide the best place for it. You see, it was my mothers.  Birch trees were her favorite and about 30 years ago a lovely neighbor painted it for her.

Back then we lived in a house just a short walk from the beach. I remember that brilliant summer afternoon. The clean scent of ocean air softly drifted our way on the breeze. We were sitting on the back deck of her friend Eileen's house, enjoying the easy laughter that always seems to flow on those "life is good" days. Eileen stepped into the house and when she returned she was carrying the painting in her hands. I still recall the look of pure delight in my mother's eyes. No one had every done anything like that for her before and she treasured it.

When she passed away my step-father kept the painting, and now that he is also gone, it has been passed down to me. Yesterday, I decided to hang it in my office on the wall just over my shoulder. It makes me feel as if she is watching over me.

The memory of that summer day started me thinking about family and traditions, and so I decided to put together some resources for you.  Later today I will again host one of our family traditions, the Easter Egg Hunt. Although my son is 24 years old he still insists on the hunt, and of course, his Easter Egg Basket.  Family traditions can come from all kinds of moments, Easter Egg hunts, summer days, and paintings of birch trees...what's important is that you remember them.

RESOURCES
Center for Studies in Oral Tradition
http://oraltradition.org/

Indian Country Wisconsin - Ojibwe Oral Tradition
http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/ICW-141.html
Oneida Oral Tradition http://www.mpm.edu/wirp/ICW-136.html

Kentucky Bacon Oral History Project - "In Kentucky, curing bacon and hams has been a necessity of life for generations. In more recent years, this tradition has been in retreat. ... There remain, however, a select few artisans who cling faithfully to family traditions." This site provides audio clips and edited transcripts of oral histories of some of these artisans.
http://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/kentucky-bacon-oral-history-project/
Copyright http://lii.org/cs/lii/view/item/24156

In The First Person - Over 2,500 collections of oral history from around the world: personal narratives, letters, diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, and oral histories; a goldmine of information.
This site is no longer active but information is still available via The Wayback Machine at the link below.
https://web.archive.org/web/20111020195552/http://www.inthefirstperson.com/firp/index.aspx


Oral Tradition Journal -This is one fabulous resource you will return to again and again. The Center for Studies in Oral Tradition at the University of Missouri has generously placed twenty-two years of their journal online. The site contains nearly 500 articles and 10,000 pages with the contents downloadable as pdf files. The site is also searchable by keyword or author name.  Thanks to Jo Radner for passing this site along. http://journal.oraltradition.org/

Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide -A 35 page guide for collecting oral histories from family and community members, including tips, forms and questions to get you started.
http://tinyurl.com/3hjt7r4

Family Folklore: How to Collect Your Own Family Folklore - Every family needs a Tradition Bearer so why not you? Produced to accompany the exhibition, The Grand Generation, Memory, Mastery’, and Legacy, this guide will lead you through the process of discovering and recording your own family traditions and folklore. http://tinyurl.com/3lmntw8


CRAFTS

Ancestry Chart
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/familytree/semicircle/

Family Tree
http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/miscellaneous/families.htm

My Grandfather's Book
http://tinyurl.com/3ee9z5b

My Grandmother's Book
http://tinyurl.com/3bdjnfm

CURRICULUM

Family Traditions - UNC Education - Grade 1
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/2856

Family Traditions - Utah Education Network
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=599

Learning to Give - Traditions of the Family
http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit67/lesson1.html

Read Write Think - My Family Traditions: A Class Book and a Potluck Lunch
http://tinyurl.com/2d96by6



Karen Chace  2011 ©
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