EARTH, MOON & SUN - Peoria Riverfront Museum

EARTH, MOON & SUNSTORIES THAT TEACH USLEARNING ABOUT FABLESThe central character in Earth, Moon &Sun—our guide from misconception tounderstanding—is Coyote, a characteradapted from Native American oral traditions.The following pages include an example of aNavajo fable that also features Coyote. Thisexample will provide an opportunity to discussstory-telling traditions and fables as a literaryform. In reading the tale, students can exploresetting), the motives of the two main characters,the lesson the tale teaches, and why such alesson might be important to a society.The activities described here can help teachersaddress several of the new Common Core Standards.For instance, the English Language ArtsReading standards for Grades 2-3 ask studentsto recount stories, including fables and folktalesfrom diverse cultures, and determine theircentral message, lesson, or moral (Standard 2).TEACHER’S GUIDEWoven throughout the Earth, Moon & Sun showare traditional Native American stories basedon observations of the world around us and thesky above us. The stories in the show featureCoyote, who is often the leading character insuch tales. Coyote is known as “the trickster,”because he is sometimes actively mischievous.ways humans can be—greedy, impatient, unreliable,overly ambitious. In Earth, Moon &PLANETS, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599© 2010, 2011 by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center 5