Learning Coach — Celtic Folktales

Objectives

Students will:

Interpret the Celtic folk tale "Fair Exchange."
Make paper in the Celtic tradition.

Skills Needed

Students must be able to:

A basic knowledge of the Celts.

Materials Needed

Students will need:

Optional: Colored pencils or crayons
Optional: Newspaper
Optional: Food processor or blender
Optional: Glue
Optional: Old pantyhose
Optional: Coat hanger

Keywords

traditions
beliefs
stories

Learning Coach Notes

In this lesson, there is a story retell assignment. The story is presented in video, audio, and written text. Choose one or more delivery formats of this story for the student to watch or listen to. The student may watch the video, listen to the text, or have you read the story to him or her. In their Social Studies notebook have them write a summary of the story they read in the lesson.

Further Study

The Celts divided their year into four parts.

The Celts divided their year into four parts, and the beginning of each part was marked by a festival. Samhain was the festival for the New Year; Beltane celebrated the beginning of May. It marked the time when the cattle were sent out to graze in the open again after being sheltered and fed in the farmhouse all year. Bonfires were part of this festival as the cattle were driven between them. Imbolic was celebrated on February 1st to note the start of lambing season and Lugnasad (August 1st) celebrated the time the crops began to ripen in the field. Check these festivals out!

Experiential work: Most Celts were farmers who relied heavily on the seasons and the forces of nature for survival, so their religion was closely related to their natural surroundings. Many of their gods and goddesses were associated with trees, stones, lakes and springs. Over all these deities reigned the Earth Mother. The oak tree was the most sacred tree and certain groves of trees were as sacred to the Celts as churches or temples are to us. With this in mind, go explore nature today. Find a place near you that can serve as your "sacred" place. If an ancient Celt came to your area, where might you take him in nature? Go there. Sit quietly together. Experience this place with all your senses. What do you see? Hear? Taste in the air? What does the ground feel like where you are? What would the Celts say about it?