Abstract of

Teaching Tips
Pourquoi Tales on the Literacy Stage

Karen K. Foster

Deb Theiss

Dawna Lisa Buchanan-Butterfield

Since ancient times, humans have sought explanations for the mysteries of nature's beauty and variety. Like other kinds of folk stories, pourquoi tales can be considered parables about how humans and animals originated in the world or why they look or behave the way they do. This article briefly defines the characteristics of the genre and highlights active strategies for using them in the curriculum so that students can be “up front and center” on the literacy stage, performing through song, digital art, and drama.

Abstract from Foster, K.K., Theiss, D., & Buchanan-Butterfield, D. (2008, May). Pourquoi Tales on the Literacy Stage. The Reading Teacher, 61(8), 663–667. doi: 10.1598/RT.61.8.9

Related ReadWriteThink.org lesson plans:

    Pourquoi Stories: Creating Tales to Tell Why