K-2 & 3-5
Topic: Folktales
Corbett, Bob. (n.d.). Haitian Folktales and Proverbs. Retrieved on July 13, 2008 from: http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/literature/folktale.htm
This is a collection of folktales, riddles, jokes and proverbs from Haitian culture. This collection shows the importance of oral wisdom. Because there is a lack of literature in Haitian-Creole teachers can use this collection to help enhance concepts of literacy in the classroom. This collection has riddles, jokes and folktales written in Creole and English. (Geffrard, A, Summer 2008)
Lapierre, B. (1995). Bouk Ak Malis: Kont Ayisyen. Temple Terrace, Florida. Educa vision. Retrieved on July 16, 2008 from http://www.worldlanguage.com/Products/Bouki-Ak-Malis-Haitian-Folktales-Creole-Childrens-Books-102756.htm
A collection of Haitian folktales written in Creole. It is important to include readings in the native language in Bilingual Education and literacy to help promote proficiency in Native language and English. (Geffrard, A, Summer, 2008)
Louis, L. & F. Hay. (1999). When Night Falls, Kric! Krac! Greenwood Publishing. Liliane Nerette Louis' collection taps into that tradition, offering us a glimpse into a beautiful and mysterious country. Through lively tales remembered from childhood, Louis shares with readers and listeners the warmth, fondness, and humor of her homeland. The 28 tales lend themselves to a variety of purposes. The stories can be used for read-alouds with young children or for silent reading and reports by older readers. (Geffrard, A, Summer 2008)
West, Cristy. Spirit of Trees. Retrieved on July 13, 2008 from: http://www.spiritoftrees.org/folktales/folktales.html
This is a collection of folktales from different parts of the world. Children can go on journey from Africa to Zimbabwe. Folktales that are oral traditions that have been handed down over generations. All Folktales have been translated into English. As the site states, “Every tale in this collection involves a tree or forest being in one way or another. Some are cautionary tales about the perils of cutting down forests. In others, humans become transformed into trees. Trees appear in dreams. They sing and talk. They offer consolation and convey special powers. In many of the tales, a tree serves as teacher or guardian of the truth. Characters that sit under a tree or climb up into a tree are suddenly inspired to set out on a journey or receive a decisive insight. Enchanted beings, both helpful and forbidding, emerge from forest places. The world itself is shown to emerge from a tree. And, on a lighter note, noodle heads and fools are snapped to their senses through an encounter with a tree”. Teachers can use these folktales to compare and contrast folktales and cultures. They can also draw text-to-self and text-to-text connections and text to the world. (Geffrard, A, Summer 2008)
Wolkstein, D. (1978). NYC, Shocken. The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales.
When a child is born in the countryside, the umbilical cord may be saved and dried and planted in the earth, with a pit from a fruit tree placed on top of the cord. The tree that grows then belongs to the child, who can barter or sell it. (Young children in Haiti very quickly become economically active.) Trees in Haiti are thus thought to protect children and are sometimes referred to as the guardian angel of the child. However, if the tree should die or grow in a deformed manner, that would be considered an evil omen. This book also has a variety of other folktales that shows the enriched oral storytelling culture of Haiti. Teachers can use this book to help include ELL students in the learning community bringing culture into the classroom and also to get students to write or tell stories about prior experiences in their native country. (Geffrard, A, Summer 2008)
Genre:Poetry Author. (2004). Pwezi an Kreyol. Cambridge, MA: Tanbou Online Press. Retrieved on July 11, 2006 from http://www.tanbou.com/2005/pwezi.htm This collection of poems written by Haitian Youths, is about hope, deliverance, love, and strength. As the text book states, “poetry allows students to explore the use of language to communicate their emotions.” Teachers can use these poems as models for their students to write their own poem and share them with each other. Thus poetry serves as a creative means for students to connect to their language and to each other. (Junie A. Summer, 2006)
Haitian Times in Kreyol http://haitiantimes.com/pages/column_5_deye_pawol_gen_pawol
K-2 & 3-5
Topic: Folktales
Corbett, Bob. (n.d.). Haitian Folktales and Proverbs. Retrieved on July 13, 2008 from: http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/literature/folktale.htm
This is a collection of folktales, riddles, jokes and proverbs from Haitian culture. This collection shows the importance of oral wisdom. Because there is a lack of literature in Haitian-Creole teachers can use this collection to help enhance concepts of literacy in the classroom. This collection has riddles, jokes and folktales written in Creole and English. (Geffrard, A, Summer 2008)
Lapierre, B. (1995). Bouk Ak Malis: Kont Ayisyen. Temple Terrace, Florida. Educa vision. Retrieved on July 16, 2008 from
http://www.worldlanguage.com/Products/Bouki-Ak-Malis-Haitian-Folktales-Creole-Childrens-Books-102756.htm
A collection of Haitian folktales written in Creole. It is important to include readings in the native language in Bilingual Education and literacy to help promote proficiency in Native language and English. (Geffrard, A, Summer, 2008)
Louis, L. & F. Hay. (1999). When Night Falls, Kric! Krac! Greenwood Publishing. Liliane Nerette Louis' collection taps into that tradition, offering us a glimpse into a beautiful and mysterious country. Through lively tales remembered from childhood, Louis shares with readers and listeners the warmth, fondness, and humor of her homeland. The 28 tales lend themselves to a variety of purposes. The stories can be used for read-alouds with young children or for silent reading and reports by older readers. (Geffrard, A, Summer 2008)
West, Cristy. Spirit of Trees. Retrieved on July 13, 2008 from:
http://www.spiritoftrees.org/folktales/folktales.html
This is a collection of folktales from different parts of the world. Children can go on journey from Africa to Zimbabwe. Folktales that are oral traditions that have been handed down over generations. All Folktales have been translated into English. As the site states, “Every tale in this collection involves a tree or forest being in one way or another. Some are cautionary tales about the perils of cutting down forests. In others, humans become transformed into trees. Trees appear in dreams. They sing and talk. They offer consolation and convey special powers. In many of the tales, a tree serves as teacher or guardian of the truth. Characters that sit under a tree or climb up into a tree are suddenly inspired to set out on a journey or receive a decisive insight. Enchanted beings, both helpful and forbidding, emerge from forest places. The world itself is shown to emerge from a tree. And, on a lighter note, noodle heads and fools are snapped to their senses through an encounter with a tree”. Teachers can use these folktales to compare and contrast folktales and cultures. They can also draw text-to-self and text-to-text connections and text to the world. (Geffrard, A, Summer 2008)
Wolkstein, D. (1978). NYC, Shocken. The Magic Orange Tree and Other Haitian Folktales.
When a child is born in the countryside, the umbilical cord may be saved and dried and planted in the earth, with a pit from a fruit tree placed on top of the cord. The tree that grows then belongs to the child, who can barter or sell it. (Young children in Haiti very quickly become economically active.) Trees in Haiti are thus thought to protect children and are sometimes referred to as the guardian angel of the child. However, if the tree should die or grow in a deformed manner, that would be considered an evil omen. This book also has a variety of other folktales that shows the enriched oral storytelling culture of Haiti. Teachers can use this book to help include ELL students in the learning community bringing culture into the classroom and also to get students to write or tell stories about prior experiences in their native country. (Geffrard, A, Summer 2008)
Genre:Poetry
Author. (2004). Pwezi an Kreyol. Cambridge, MA: Tanbou Online Press. Retrieved on July 11, 2006 from http://www.tanbou.com/2005/pwezi.htm
This collection of poems written by Haitian Youths, is about hope, deliverance, love, and strength. As the text book states, “poetry allows students to explore the use of language to communicate their emotions.” Teachers can use these poems as models for their students to write their own poem and share them with each other. Thus poetry serves as a creative means for students to connect to their language and to each other. (Junie A. Summer, 2006)