Social Media: What Are You Bringing to the Party?

"Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the
stories you tell."     Seth Godin

This month I was part of a panel presentation, “Selling Stories, Not Snake Oil” with Linda Gorham and Elizabeth Ellis at the National Storytelling Network’s conference in Cincinnati. Each of us had 20 minutes to speak on a specific subject. Linda’s topic was how to conduct our business in an ethical manner. Elizabeth shared how she successfully manages the different “hats” she wears to run her business.

My piece was on social media and why we should embrace it, or at least a part of it, to move our business forward. To be successful with social media we need to take the “me” out of the equation. This is a different business model than we have been used in the past; it isn’t about our time, it is about their (our clients) time. What can you offer them to add value to their work?

John Battelle, founder and CEO of a media publishing firm states, “Social Media marketing is about brands acting, well, social, which means they need to show up to the party with a nice bottle of wine, if that's what the party calls for. They need to come ready to have a dialog, and add value to the event.”

The question for all of us is, “What are you bringing to the party?” The resources below were part of the handout I offered to the attendees so they could begin to dip their toes in the deep waters of social media. I hope you will consider wading in as well.

5 Best Ways to Expand Your LinkedIn Network
http://socialmediatoday.com/daniel-levine/561801/5-best-ways-expand-your-linkedin-network

5 Little Known Reasons to Use Twitter for Business
http://www.selfemployedcafe.com/5-ways-twitter-business/

5 Ways to Advertise Your Website for Freehttp://www.businessknowhow.com/internet/promote-website.htm

7 Ways to Promote Yourself Without Bragging: To Attract Attention, You Have to Show Off 
http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/self-promotion.htm

10 Tweaks to Give Your Facebook Business Page Greater Impact
http://socialmediatoday.com/carole/507195/10-tweaks-give-your-facebook-business-page-greater-impact

26 Tips for Using Pinterest for Business
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/26-tips-for-using-pinterest-for-business/

30 Social Media Predications for 2012
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-for-2012-from-th

Great Ways to Use LinkedIn for Your Small Business
http://onpointbizbuzz.com/324/great-ways-to-use-linkedin-for-your-small-business

Grovo.com - an online training site and guide to the Internet where users can learn about everything from Amazon to using Facebook Timeline.
http://www.grovo.com/home/whatsnew

HootSuite - A social media dashboard to help you streamline your web activities on Facebook, FourSquare, LinkedIn, Mixi, MySpace, Ping.fm, Twitter, and Wordpress.
http://hootsuite.com/

How Google’s +1 Button Affects SEO
http://mashable.com/2012/02/21/google-plus-1-seo/

Is Pinterest the Right Choice for Your Business?
http://www.mymagneticblog.com/is-pinterest-the-right-choice-for-your-business/

Leverage Technology, Build Relationships - Useful and interesting podcast with acclaimed technology expert Terry Brock, hosted by Championship Communicator, Bill Lampton, Ph.D.
http://thecompletecommunicator.com/?p=1854

Reaching Success with Business Blogging and Hard Work
http://gilygily.com/reaching-success-with-business-blogging-and-hard-work.html

The Top 5 Social Media Managing Tools
http://socialmediatoday.com/jen-eisenberg/549608/top-5-social-media-managing-tools

Top 8 Pinterest Tips
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/09/top-ten-pinterest-tips_n_1265033.html

Top 15 Most Popular Social Networking Websites April 2011 http://www.ebizmba.com/articles/social-networking-websites

The Ultimate List: 40 Social Networking Sites Specifically for Small Business, Entrepreneurs, and Startups
http://smallbizbee.com/index/2010/02/02/ultimate-list-40-social-networking/

Which Social Sites Are Best for Which Marketing Outcomes?
http://mashable.com/2011/03/11/social-media-marketing-chart/

Why Your Small Business Should Check-Into Foursquare
http://onpointbizbuzz.com/332/why-your-small-business-should-check-into-foursquare

Bit.ly – If your small business uses a Twitter account you are only allowed 140 characters per tweet. If the URL you want to share has more you shrink your URL to a more tweet-friendly size. http://bit.ly/
                              
Tinyurl.com – This will also shorten a URL you may want to highlight in your blog posts or newsletters.
www.tinyurl.com

Marketing - It’s Not a Myth! – This link will take you to an article I wrote for the National Storytelling Network’s blog.
http://blog.storynet.org/marketing-not-a-myth

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.

Silence Makes a Powerful Noise



From Sinbad the Sailor and Other Stories of
the Arabian Nights by
Edmund Dulac, 1914

“The first duty of love is to listen.” 
                                     ~Paul Tillich

Julie,* one of my storytelling students was debilitatingly shy, barely speaking above a whisper, not only to me, but her teachers and peers. Her mother shared, “She's not only shy but struggles with a social disability. It’s a gigantic step for her to even ask to be part of the storytelling troupe.”

Julie* attended all of the storytelling classes, participated in activities, chose a story, and allowed me to coach her, but I had to lean in very close to hear the story. Slowly, she learned to trust me and began to tell me about the things she loved. One day she said, “I love horses!” On the advice on my friend and colleague Mark Goldman, I found her a new, wonderful Scottish story, The Kelpie of Loch Garve, a tale about a magical black horse. I adapted the tale down to very manageable size, and she took to it like, well, like a kelpie to water!

She could tell the tale with “and then what happened” prompting from me but never as one fluid piece. Then, one day while coaching Julie* I noticed a very large ice cream scoop in the room (my coaching space was also storage for PTO supplies).Let’s use this as your microphone” I said. I moved a small desk in front of her, (as her stage front) handed her the scoop, and asked her to tell the story. She thought the scoop was quite funny and this time, with a smile and a giggle, she told it all the way through without prompting!

During another coaching session Julie* agreed to come to the auditorium with me. I took her on stage, positioned her in front the microphone and said, “Will you help me with a sound check for the upcoming festival? I left the stage and standing in front of her walked slowly backwards towards the far wall. Stopping at various intervals, I encouraged her to say her name and the name of her story. Each time she projected her voice just a little bit louder until I reached the back wall. Success!

With all of the troupes in-school performances I made sure Julie* could assist me in some way, pouring the water, arranging the chairs, etc. and assured her that she was our “featured listener.” "After all, how could we tell stories without our listeners?" She sat with the tellers, listening, applauding, but still never told her story.

As the festival night approached I spoke with her mother, and requested that Julie* still attend the festival, emphasizing that she was part of our team. Every year, at the end of each festival the storytellers receive my “Applause Award,” which specifically honors those who take the stage. As I printed out the awards the week before I realized it wouldn’t be appropriate for Julie* and might diminish the award for the other tellers. Yet, I couldn’t leave her out of this significant part of the evening. Hadn’t I been telling her that she was a valuable part of our team? What could I do to honor her contribution as well? My words came back to me…”Julie*, you are the featured listener!” And so, the Featured Listener Award was brought to life!

The night of the festival Julie* arrived beautifully dressed in purple, her favorite color, and took her place with the tellers in the Green Room. Did they tease her for deciding not to tell? I’m delighted and proud to share that they greeted her with love and care, tenderly supporting her choice and thanked her for being there for them.

Although Julie* didn’t step onto the stage that night I truly believe she has begun to rewrite her life story. I applaud her incredible bravery and hope she always remembers how valuable her voice is, no matter how softly she speaks.

*Julie is a pseudonym

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.

Slide into Summer with Skits, Stories and Songs!

Her Name is Summer
by George Sheringhame, 1918

Get ready for all of those campfire storytelling performances this summer. Some sites chock full of songs, skits, finger plays, chants, jokes, riddles, tongue twister and stories to keep the scouts swinging and swaying.

Flying Pigs Campfire Songbook

This cyber songbook will have your campers and scouts swinging and swaying between stories.
http://www.orpheusweb.co.uk/flying.pigs/frames.html

Loowit Campfire Songs

Summer is just around the corner. Get ready for those scouting camp gigs with songs that
will have them merrily singing long.
http://ymcacamploowit.com/song/index.html


The Netwoods Virtual Campfire
This site will help you put together a roaring campfire program before you can say, “Pass the s’mores please.” Unfortunately, this site is no longer available but the resources can still be accessed at the Wayback Machine here: https://web.archive.org/web/20110430222746/http://netwoods.com/d-campfire.html )

USScouts – Over 20 campfire skits to add to the fun!
http://usscouts.org/skits.asp#campfire

Sing Along With Me – A collection of Traditional Guide, Scout and Campfire Songs. Note: This site is no longer working but you may still access the resources via the Wayback Machine here: https://web.archive.org/web/20080320065018/http://songs-with-music.freeservers.com/alphabetical.html
http://songs-with-music.freeservers.com/alphabetical.html

STORIES

Some sites to help your summer storytelling sizzle!

Summer Legends by Rudolph Baumbach, Translated by Helen B. Dole, c.1888. Twenty-two legends to celebrate the season including The Legend of the Daisy, The Clover Leaf, and more.
http://tinyurl.com/6jxsqhc

Creation of Summer and Winter 

http://tinyurl.com/67gnn2v 

How Glooskap Found the Summer

https://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/ne/al/al32.htm 

How the Summer Birds Came – Zuni Folktale – This story is in part of a collection of Zuni folktales. You may find it on page 65 of the text.

http://tinyurl.com/5rkaqkw

SOMETHING EXTRA

The National Parks Service – Links to the Past

Brush up on your park history, cultural resources, and programs for your summer venues. The website also offers information on grants and a helpful search engine. This site is no longer working but you may still access the resources via the Wayback Machine here: https://web.archive.org/web/20050108093121/http://www.cr.nps.gov/

Bees, Birds and Butterlfies - A blog post celebrating spring from April 2012. Lots of stories that will help you fly through summer!
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2012/04/birds-bees-and-butterflies.html


CRAFTS

Crayons, Crafts and Coloring Oh My!
A compilation of crafts categorized by holiday and occasions including summer.
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2010/11/crayons-crafts-and-coloring-oh-my.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 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 other social media please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Wondertales and Weddings: Stories of Love and Enchantment



Princess Badoura
by Warwick Goble, 1913

The month of June derives its name from Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage. In ancient times it was believed that couples who married in June would be blessed with prosperity and happiness.

This Friday I had the pleasure of attending a wedding and so my thoughts turned to love stories and one of my favorite memories, my son Christopher's wedding. In 2010 I had the amazing honor of sharing a love story at the church for his marriage to Stephanie; definitely my favorite storytelling moment.

Below I have compiled a list of  love stories from around the world, some end with the traditional "happily ever after" and others, not so much! This is by no means an exhaustive list but one that might help begin your journey down the aisle to a new storytelling program.

Insight behind some wedding traditions:

• Wedding bouquets were originally made of such strong herbs as thyme and garlic, which were meant to frighten away evil spirits.
• In ancient times, it was believed that a Bride was especially lucky on her wedding day. The Bride's tossing of her bouquet grew from her desire to offer a good luck souvenir.
• Early Brides and Bridesmaids wore similar dresses in order to confuse evil spirits.
• Placing a penny in the bride’s shoe is a European tradition to bring the Bride good luck, fortune, and protection against want.
• Prior to the 5th century, the ring finger was actually the index finger. Later, it was believed that the third finger contained the "vein of love" that led directly to the heart.
• By believing that newlyweds brought good luck, guests used to shower them with nuts and grains to insure a bountiful harvest, and many children to work the land. During years of a poor harvest, rice was tossed instead.
• During the days of the Roman Empire, wedding cakes were baked of wheat or barley. At the reception, they were traditionally broken over the head of the new Bride by the Groom as a symbol of her fertility. The above information and more may be found at: http://www.chicagomarriage.com/wedding_traditions.htm

STORIES

The Clever Girl – Italy

http://www.italiansrus.com/etexts/clevergirl.htm

The Girl Who Married a Snake – India
http://tinyurl.com/6uy9kqz

Dorani - Pakistan
https://storiestogrowby.org/story/dorani/

Green Willow - Japan
https://spiritoftrees.org/green-willow 

Greyfoot - Denmark
https://storiestogrowby.org/story/greyfoot/

The Glass Mountain – Poland
https://tinyurl.com/y38o2rlf 

How Frog Went to Heaven

http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/044.html

The Knell at the Wedding – United States
http://tinyurl.com/7a4udrj 

The Lute Player - Russia
http://learningtogive.org/materials/folktales/luteplayer.asp

Maid Maleen - German

http://www.grimmstories.com/en/grimm_fairy-tales/maid_maleen

Marriage of Robin Redbreast and the Wren

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/sfft/sfft08.htm

The Pigeon's Bride - The Story of a Princess Who Kissed and Told – Yugoslavia

http://tinyurl.com/7oes8tx 

The Professional Wedding Guest - Kashmir

https://ikashmir.net/folktales2/24.html 

The Rat’s Wedding - India
http://www.amritsar.com/punjabtales/punjabitales.shtml

The Robber Bridegroom – German
https://tinyurl.com/y2mmwcwa

Specter Bridegrooms – A collection of folktales from around the world, courtesy of D.L. Ashliman.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0365.html

The Star Lovers - Japan
http://worldoftales.com/Asian_folktales/Japanese_folktale_37.html

The Story Spirits - Korea
http://www.aaronshep.com/stories/060.html

The Three Fayes - Sweden

https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/three-fayes 

The Wedding Secret: The Tale of the Royal Bridegroom - China

https://storiestogrowby.org/story/royal-bridegroom/ 

The Werewolf’s Bride – United States
http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/the_werewolfs_bride.html

And if you need some more “love” head over to this blog post from 2010.

Tales of Love to Warm the Winter Nights 
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2010/01/tales-of-love-to-warm-winter-nights.html

BOOKS

Happily Ever After: Folktales That Illuminate Marriage and Commitment by Meliss Bunce.

https://www.amazon.com/Happily-Ever-After-Meliss-Bunce/dp/0874836743  

The Heart of the Wedding by Gerald Fierst.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=9781935166221&i=stripbooks&linkCode=qs

WEDDING TOASTS

Will you be offering a blessing or a toast at a wedding this year? Here is one of my favorites.

Irish Wedding Blessing

May the road rise to meet you and the

wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your

face, the rains fall soft upon your fields.

May the light of friendship guide your

paths together.

May the laughter of children grace your home.

May the joy of living for one another

trip a smile on your lips and twinkle in your eye.

And when eternity beckons at the end of

a life heaped high with love.

May the good Lord embrace you with

the arms that have nurtured you the

whole length of your joy filled days.

May the gracious God hold you in the

palm of his hands.

And today may the spirit of love find a

dwelling place in your hearts.

Additional toasts to help you make the moment memorable.

Wedding Toasts

http://quotations.about.com/cs/weddingtoasts/a/bls_wed_toasts.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.

Meet Me In Ohio for A Conference to Remember!

Please join me this month at the National Storytelling Conference in Ohio. I will present Story by Story: Building a Student Storytelling Troupe at the YES Pre-conference on June 27, 2012. I will also be part of a panel discussion, Selling Stories, NOT Snake Oil, with Elizabeth Ellis and Linda Gorham on Saturday.

Be sure to check out the many other amazing master classes with Syd Lieberman,  Elizabeth Ellis, Sherry Norfolk, Jane Stenson and Diane Wolkstein along with workshops, and the  the Special Interest Groups Preconference. And the keynote speakers...oh my goodness, each and every speaker is amazing. What's not to love about Kevin Kling, Bill Harley and MaryGay Ducey?

From newcomer to  experienced tellers and teachers there is something for everyone! Along with learning to increase your storytelling skills there will be fabulous concerts, story swaps, fringe performances, and of course, time to meet new friends and reconnect with with others. Like the poster states, this will be a conference to remember!

Below is a little taste of what I will be sharing during my workshop for the YES Preconference. I hope to see you there!

Story by Story – Building a Student Storytelling Troupe

                     

Inspire and mentor the next generation of storytellers while building rapport with teachers and administration. Using lecture, PowerPoint,
Q & A I will share information and resources on how she successfully implemented and maintains a school storytelling troupe, producing their student storytelling festival over the past ten years. I will offer resources on enlisting and maintaining administrative and staff support, and share successful storytelling tools and activities to guide students through story selection and the telling process.

I will describe successful student coaching techniques, including peer group and individual coaching methods. Using Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences research she will discuss ways to connect storytelling with individual learning styles. 

These are the areas I will touch upon during the presentation. In addition, there will be a handout, which will include original writing activities to help your students visualize and dress the "bones" of their story, along with comprehensive bibliography and webliography.

o   Obtaining Administrative and Staff Support

o   Obtain Program Funding

o   Researching Books and Website Sources

o   Linking with the Curriculum

o   Demonstrating Story

o   Outside Support

o   Storytelling Activities/  Story Selection

o   Learning Their Stories

o   Visualization 

o   Group Coaching Methods

o   Coping with Stage Fright

o   Using a microphone

o   Individual Coaching Methods

o   Self Evaluation - Video Enhanced Coaching

o   Organizing and Providing Opportunities for Performances

o   Additional Performance Opportunities

o   Organizing the Student Storytelling Festival

o   Generating Publicity

o   Producing the Festival: Setting the Stage and Arranging the Space

P.S. The first person to wish me “Happy Birthday” at the conference on 6/27 wins a copy of my Story by Story – Building A School Storytelling Troupe book. :)

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.

Wild Things & Warm Memories: Remembering Maurice Sendak

Where the Wild Things Are
courtesy of www.arts-wallpaper.com

 "I believe there is no part of our lives, our adult as well as child life, when we're not fantasizing, but we prefer to relegate fantasy to children, as though it were some tomfoolery only fit for the immature minds of the young. Children do live in fantasy and reality; they move back and forth very easily in a way we no longer remember how to do." ~ Maurice Sendak

NPR– Fresh Air Remembers Maurice Sendak - The interviews are a delight. Listen through the years as NPR interviews this amazing man.
http://www.npr.org/2012/05/08/152248901/fresh-air-remembers-author-maurice-sendak

Sadly, the wild rumpus is a bit quieter tonight; Maurice Sendak, author and illustrator of “Where the Wild Things Are” died today. The news reports shared that he was an author and illustrator of over 50 books and a frequent collaborator on operas, television programs, films and theaters, but to my family he was so much more. Here is my small tale of our connection to Maurice and the wild things. What's your story?

Like many young boys when my son Christopher was in kindergarten he began to ask for a puppy. I was in college at the time and wasn’t sure if I had the time to care for and train one properly so we hadn’t yet made the decision. And then one day, while standing at the end of our driveway waiting for his school bus, the “decision” came bounding down the road in the guise of a large black lab. Since there was a leash law in town we rarely saw dogs loose in the neighborhood.  I was cautious at first, making sure Christopher stood behind me until I could make sure he was “friend” rather than “foe.”  It turned out he was a huge bundle of lovable mush and Christopher immediately fell head over heels in love with him.  

Every day, for almost a week, the dog reappeared. He had a collar but no name tag. With a bit of investigation we found out he belonged to a neighbor down the road. Even though Christopher had been asking for a puppy, the minute he laid his eyes on Max no puppy could compare. So when the neighbor told us we could keep him that was it! Chris quickly decided to change the dogs name from Bud (short for Budweiser Beer) and without hesitation he picked the name “Max” after the boy in his favorite book, “Where the Wild Things Are.”

Max was with us for twelve more years; a faithful companion to all, a guardian of Christopher, protector of the home, lover of freshly fallen snow and the best frisbee catcher around!  He could also create some of his very own "wild rumpus" whenever storms filled with thunder and lighting would race across the sky. Some nights Max would sleep at the top of the stairs, ready to challenge anyone who might enter the home in the middle of the night and try to make their way upstairs. Other nights, he would be right at the side of Christopher’s bed, making sure he was safe from “the wild things!”

Maurice Sendak's loveable "wild things" came to life for a young boy in a small town twenty years ago in the form of our beloved Max. Sendak was a man who left his mark in the literary world but more importantly, in the hearts and minds of millions of children (and adults) around the globe; certainly a life well-lived. May the wild rumpus he began so many years ago continue in our memories forever.

 “Live your life. Live your life. Live your life.”  ~ Maurice Sendak

Karen Chace 2012 ©

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