From Southern Africa To Your Classroom...
A Collection of Folk Tales and Activities!

The folktales included in this unit were shared by Elizabeth Dlamini and iNoksi Mozibuko of Isandlwana Nquiu, South Africa with Kathy Hart Smith of the Educational Division at Maggies Earth Adventures. We adapted them for use in classrooms and developed activities to accompany them. As we prepared the folktales for your students, it was our goal to bring the animal characters to life. You can set the stage for reading these folktales by sharing the Social Studies article "Models of Leadership" with your students. This article, found in the Teachers Lounge section of "Herd of Elephants?" Part 2, shows students how the characters described in the folktales are used in leadership training sessions today by the Zulu people. The tales are illustrative of many human traits and reflect for listeners and readers the consequences of certain traits and actions.

Following each story are activity choices. We encourage an assortment of response choices including drama, art, and physical education along with a strong writing component. The folktales were purposely adapted using expressive language, and as a result, many activities are designed for students to reflect selected language styles in their own writing.

To enhance personal growth, we suggest students keep a journal of the lessons they derive from the folktales. There are various journal entry ideas to correlate with the stories. Journal entries could be read and discussed during class "round table" sessions.

It is our hope that these folktales from the southern tip of Africa will illustrate for students worldwide, shared human characteristics and traits. Perhaps your students will "see" themselves and their friends in the animal characters they will encounter.

Folktales from Isandlwana, South Africa
Shared by people of the Zulu Tribe

• A Sneaky Plan
• The Donkey, the Cock, and the Lion
• The Jackal and the Baboon
• The Jackal and the Turtle
• The Lion and the Jackal
• The Mighty Rabbit
• The Monkey and the Crocodile
• The Rabbit and the Crocodiles
• The Rabbit and the Deer
• Who Has the Better Plan?
• Why Dogs, Cats, and Mice Are Enemies

These folktales were adapted by Kathy Hart Smith.
The Monkey and the Crocodile was shared by iNoksi Mozibuko. All other stories were told by Elizabeth Dlamini to the adapter.