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This site is no longer active but information is still available via The Wayback Machine at the link below.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 ©
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 newsletter via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

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.

Two Minutes To Tell - StoriesLive!

Stories take on many forms. Some may be long, sweeping Irish epics, comical Appalachian Jack Tales, or pourquoi folktales answering those "Why?" questions young children always seems to ask. Then there are those short, two minute stories that reach in, touch your soul, grab your heart, and momentarily leave the listener speechless. Two minutes? Can it be possible to accomplish all of that as the seconds tick by?

There is a story connected to the famous author Ernest Hemingway. It is said he considers this short story to be his best work, and he did it in just six words:

"For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn."

Today, the founders of massmouth are blazing a new trail for teenagers in Massachusetts. They are doing what might seem to be an impossible task, getting teens to share their stories through the StoriesLive!  program. Granted, two minutes doesn't allow time to add extraordinary imagery, nuance and perfect pacing, the tools professional use to enhance their stories. Yet, the shorter time frame might just be the key these young adults need to unlock and release the fear of public speaking. Two minutes is possible, two is doable, two minutes is safe. 

Listen to Maho share his heartstopping story, just one of the many high school students who are learning to share where they come from!

Would you like a chance to hear these stories live? There will be a public performance at Cambridge Public Library on April 30 at 2:30 P.M. (on Broadway). To listen to more student tellers go to  www.massmouth.ning.com/events .

A World Without Art

"Art is important. We tend to think it is a luxury, but it gives people deep pleasure because beauty is the personification of hope that something grander is at work. Gil Dellinger


"Art programs at Boyertown High School in Pennsylvania are in danger of being cut, so the students made a video to show the School Board Finance Committee how they feel about their art classes - they weren't allowed to show it. Now districts across Pennsylvania and the nation are starting to use it to advocate for their own programs. It's a great video."  From Art Learning, Inc.

These amazing students give me hope!

Three Cups of Tea or a Serving of Honesty

Tea-Drinking by Andrey Ryabushkin
1903



This weekend I was working on a blog post about honesty, based on a discussion during our FAIR Massachusetts Humanities session. We read A Days Work by Eve Bunting and The Empty Pot by Demi. The discussion was rich and families shared personal stories about moments when they chose honesty over deception.

As storytellers and teachers we carry stories of integrity, honesty, generosity, fairness and respect into schools and libraries, and sometimes use real life examples of philanthropic men and women to frame our folktales. Gregg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea seemed to embody all of these ethics and more. Sadly, this weekend there have been questions from many authoritative fronts about the veracity of his work and organization.


 

One insightful article about this new dilemma is at The Book Bench - New Yorker.“Three Cups of Tea” and the Stories We Tell"  by Macy Halford

http://tinyurl.com/68tlblz

I sincerely hope Mr. Mortenson will reconsider and allow an unbiased accounting of his organizations funding, exonerate himself and undo the damage to his reputation.  At a time when too many people place pop musicians, actors, athletes and reality housewives on pedestals, now more than ever we need true heroes to emulate and respect.

STORIES

A Boiled Seed Cannot Sprout - China
http://www.wisdomcommons.org/virtue/76-integrity/parables

The Hidden Treasure – India * The tale is also accompanied by a teacher’s worksheet.
http://tinyurl.com/6bvr54u

The Honest Penny - Norway

http://oaks.nvg.org/ntales46.html

The Honest Thief - India

http://www.pitara.com/talespin/folktales/online.asp?story=37

The Honest Woodcutter

http://www.4to40.com/folktales/index.asp?p=Honest_Woodcutter

Learning to Give - Twelve multicultural folktales about honesty.

http://learningtogive.org/materials/folktales/trait.asp?trait=honesty

BOOKS

Books that foster critical thinking.

http://thinkcritically.weebly.com/childrens-literature-resources.html

CURRICULUM

First-School - http://www.first-school.ws/features/stories/the-cherry-tree.htm

Learning to Give - http://tinyurl.com/42xb7qw

Teacher Planet – Many curriculum links, activities and more.

http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/honesty.php

Character Connection – A useful pdf file filled with stories, activities and a word search.
http://tinyurl.com/3rjsfj3


ACTIVITY

Tall Tales - Parents can use this activity at any time, and while it seems like just a fun story, it can teach children that not telling the truth, or exaggerating the facts in a story can sound silly to someone else. Choose an event that happened while you were with the child, and make it into a story. For instance, you can tell a story of how you went camping last summer. As you tell the story, insert five untruths or exaggerations into the tale. They can be anything from encountering a bear, to changing what color tent you stayed in. See if the child can figure out the five facts that are not true in your story. From http://tinyurl.com/3ochq9n

Mixed Mediums - Fabergé Eggs and Folktales

Russian Faberge Egg

Russian Fabergé Eggs are some of the most exquisite pieces of art in the world. They are intricately designed and hold equally gorgeous surprise inside.

"The story began when Tsar Alexander III decided to give his wife the Empress Maria Fedorovna an Easter Egg in 1885."Made made by the House of Faberge from 1885 through 1917. The majority of these were miniature ones that were popular gifts at Eastertide. They would be worn on a neck chain either singly or in groups.

The most famous eggs produced by the House were the larger ones made for Alexander III and Nicholas II of Russia. Of the 50 made, 42 have survived. The eggs are made of precious metals or hard stones decorated with combinations of enamel and gemstones. The term "Fabergé egg" has become a synonym of luxury and the eggs are regarded as masterpieces of the jeweler's art." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faberg%C3%A9_egg

Since Easter is a few weeks away on the Roman Catholic calendar I offer you a few stories that are sure to turn you “sunny side up!”

"EGG"CELLENT STORIES

The Boiled Eggs - Danish
http://oaks.nvg.org/danetales3-4.html

The Talking Eggs – Creole/United States
https://storiestogrowby.org/story/talking-eggs/

Gollywhopper’s Eggs – A New England Legend
http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/08/gollywhoppers_eggs.html

The Magic Egg – Ukraine
https://www.worldoftales.com/European_folktales/Ukrainian_folktale_24.html#gsc.tab=0   

The Ostrich-Egg Wife - South Africa

https://www.learningtogive.org/resources/ostrich-egg-wife 

Rumble-Mumble Goose-Egg - Norway
http://oaks.nvg.org/ntales19.html

Story of the Duck with the Golden Eggs - Russia
http://worldoftales.com/European_folktales/Russian_Folktale_9.html

The Story of Swet-Basanta – From Folktales of Bengal by Lal Behari Day, 1912. The story of a beautiful young girl who is hatched from an egg; it is the fifth story in the book.
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/38488/38488-h/38488-h.htm#ch5

The Uncooked Eggs - Haiti
http://www.newworldstories.com/search?q=The+Uncooked+Eggs  

CURRICULUM

The Talking Eggs Discussion Guide – This discussion guide is connected to the book by Robert San Souci, an adaptation of the Creole folktale.
https://bealearninghero.org/book/the-talking-eggs/

The Incredible Egg – 4-H seventy-three-page classroom curriculum guide for grades 4-5. 

https://tinyurl.com/4ch7kjf8 

The Case of the Uncooked Eggs – Lesson plan for grade six to complement the Haitian story above.

https://tinyurl.com/ybs2nm8c

Education World: Egg Theme Unit  – Elementary science lesson plans.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson058.shtml

CRAFTS

Golden Eggs.com – From Australia a colorful site full of fun activities, printables, magic tricks and jokes to keep them 'yolking' it up!
http://www.goldeneggs.com.au/

Parents.com – Eight egg carton crafts.

http://www.parents.com/fun/arts-crafts/kid/creative-egg-carton-crafts/?slideId=34853

RECIPE

April 16 happens to be Eggs Benedict Day. Who knew? Here is a recipe to help you celebrate. Any reason for a party works for me!

Eggs Benedict

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/eggs-benedict-recipe

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  2011 ©
This blog post was painstakingly 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 newsletter via your website, blog, newsletter, Facebook page or Twitter please feel free to do so; I greatly appreciate your support and personal integrity.

Northlands Storytelling Conference - Party Till the Cows Come Home!

Did you receive your income tax refund before the impending government shut down? Don't know how to spend it? Well here's a fabulous idea! Make your way to Wisconsin this month for a weekend filled with workshops to help you bring your performance and business to the next level.

I have attended the Northlands Storytelling Conference since 2000 and it is one of the best ways to connect with your colleagues, network, learn new skills, hear amazing stories, make new friends, AND be pampered at the beautiful Grand Geneva Resort and Spa.

I can't wait to fly in and share the fun with my Midwest friends! I will present a new workshop on Saturday, Enhance Your Online Presence: Blog It Baby! as well as participating in a panel discussion with two award-winning storytellers, Linda Gorham of IL and Elizabeth Ellis of Texas. The topic will be Selling Stories, Not Snake Oil.

Elizabeth will be sharing her vast and valuable expertise on the business of storytelling, Linda on business ethics related to our work, and I will share ideas on how to use social networking carefully and creatively. Linda and I will also be in the Saturday night concert and Elizabeth will grace the stage for the Friday night concert. There will be a story slam and amazing fringes on both nights as well.

Whether you are an experienced storyteller or beginner, a librarian looking to spice up your programs, or an educator who wants to reinvigorate their curriculum, this is the place to be! Stop by the Northlands Storytelling Conference website to learn about the workshops and extra activities offered this year. We'll party till the cows come home! Join us, you won't regret a moooooment!

Wordle - Patterns of Prose

I was researching tonight for my upcoming workshop, Enhance Your Online Presence - Blog It Baby! at the Northlands Storytelling Conference and found this fun tool. I spent way too much time playing around with it  but the above is an example of my first wordle, a tool for generating word clouds.  This one was very easy. All I had to do was input the URL for my blog and voila, the above was generated, using words from my blog posts.

I've always wondered how others managed to do these designs when I've found them on other websites or blogs and now I know. I can think of many ways to use this tool and I am sure you will too. If you want to have some fun as well go to http://www.wordle.net/ . But make sure you do it when you aren't in a rush because you won't want to walk away too quickly once you fall down this rabbit hole!