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Storytelling lesson plan
Preparing to tell After telling
While rehearsing this tale, focus on distinct voices 1. Say ‘Next time it’s full moon, look for Rabbit
and gestures for Rabbit and Jaguar, the quick- lying on his back and laughing about how he
thinking trickster and the rather more slow-witted tricked Jaguar.’
and vain predator.
2. Ask students to stand and make still images
from moments in the story, for example ‘Show
Before telling
me Jaguar holding up Rabbit’s cave, 3-2-1 still!
Say ‘I’m going to tell you a Mayan story told in Now show me Rabbit bouncing on the elastic
Mexico and Guatemala about a rabbit and a jaguar vine and laughing about tricking Jaguar, 3-2-1
who live in the same house. Before you listen, still!’
what do you imagine Jaguar wants and what do ‘Now stand facing a partner. One of you is
you imagine Rabbit wants? Tell your partner.’ Rabbit in the cage, the other is Jaguar outside
Inviting students to predict before they listen will the cage ready to tell Rabbit that he’s going to
help them focus on the story to find out how be cooked and eaten, 3-2-1 still! In a moment
accurate their predictions are. you’re going to bring this scene to life using
your bodies and words. Jaguar, you tell
While telling Rabbit that the old man and the old woman
Stop at the moment when Jaguar is about to attack are going to cook and eat you and give
Rabbit from the long grass and say ‘The story is some to me. Rabbit, you tell Jaguar that
nearly at its end. What’s going to happen to they’re making hot chocolate and you can
Rabbit? Listen to your partner’s ideas.’ After a have some if you come in the cage. 3-2-1
minute bring the class together to listen to different Action!’
ideas from some different students. Then say ‘I After a couple of minutes ask students to act
wonder if any of you guessed the traditional Mayan out the scene again, say ‘Now you know what
ending.’ Now students are ready to listen to the you’re going to say, do it again focusing on
original ending. how you say it, your feelings, your voice, your
body. Afterwards we can enjoy watching some
different pairs act out the scene.’
After they act out the scene again, invite
volunteer pairs to show their peers their scene.
Say ‘After you watch this pair’s scene, tell
them
Image retrieved from http://www.worldstories.org.uk/
stories/story/37-the-rabbit-and-the-jaguar/english
what
you
enjoyed
about
their
performance.’ Encourage comments about
content, posture, voice, humour, feelings,
movement (the main focus is not on accuracy
here).
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