Understand Pourquoi Tales
Understand Pourquoi Tales
Pourquoi tales are fables that explain natural phenomena, like why lions roar or why snow falls. Have the student read a selection of pourquoi tales, like Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears, Cat and Rat, The Legend of the Lady Slipper, or Dragonfly's Tale. Have the student make a list on chart paper or in a notebook of the similarities across the pourquoi tales they have read. For example, the student might notice that all of the stories explain why something is the way it is, that they all teach a lesson or have a message, and that they tell about animals or nature. The student should also note that the explanations in these tales are not scientific — they are made-up explanations rooted in fantasy. Talk about why people created these stories, and how having a shared explanation for things might have brought people together.