5 Introduction to Arkansas Legends
Time Requirement: 80 minutes.
Learning Objectives
- Students will be introduced to Arkansas legends.
- The purpose of introducing legends is to show how folklore is transmitted in community, to provide an example of one type of folklore and to allow for discussion of other community-generated information such as festivals or events, stories, places, and groups.
Materials:
- Printed handouts or access to online resources about Arkansas legends and ghost stories.
- Appendix of Arkansas Legends (provided).
- Map of state of Arkansas (available online).
Strategies and Activities:
Introduction: Ask students if they’ve heard any stories or legends specific to Arkansas. Invite them to share any anecdotes or experiences they may have. Provide a brief overview of Arkansas legends, explaining that they encompass a variety of tales and stories passed down through generations in the state.
Exploration of Arkansas Legends: Present information about the Fouke Monster, animal legends (e.g., the Ozark Howler, Snawfus), ghost lights (e.g., the Gurdon Light), and other notable Arkansas legends. Provide background information, historical context, and key characteristics of each legend. Visuals: Use the provided appendix to introduce students to Arkansas legends.
Exploration of Arkansas Ghost Stories: Introduce the concept of ghost stories as a subset of narrative folklore, explaining that they often involve supernatural encounters, eerie events, and haunted locations.
Discussion: Facilitate a discussion about the elements of ghost stories, including setting, characters, plot, and atmosphere. Encourage students to share their reactions and interpretations of the stories. Compare and contrast elements of ghost stories from around the state, country, and in popular culture.
Reflection and Conclusion: Ask students to reflect on what they’ve learned about Arkansas legends and ghost stories during the lesson. Prompt them to consider the cultural significance of these stories and their role in shaping local identity.
Assignments and Assessments:
Small Group Discussion: Encourage students to answer questions and engage in discussions about the legends. Explore the cultural significance and enduring popularity of these stories within Arkansas folklore in preparation for discussion of folk culture and popular culture in the next lesson.
Examples of questions:
(1) Which Arkansas legends connect with other widespread legends around the country?
(2) What is the connecting theme of the animal legends of the Ozarks and Arkansas?
(3) How are ghost stories in Arkansas similar to or different from each other?
Assignment: Assign students to research and write their own Arkansas ghost story or legend, drawing inspiration from the stories discussed in class. Students could also create a story about an encounter with an existing Arkansas legend. Encourage them to share summaries of their stories with the class in the next session. Alternative: Students will produce an artwork based off an Arkansas legend. Students will share artwork with class and critique each other’s work. Artwork could be based on photographs, videos, illustrations in primary source materials such as newsprint.
Reading or Listening Activity: Have students listen to or read aloud a selection of ghost stories related to Arkansas folklore. Ask students to share main themes of text through computer-based assessment or through creating a summary outline or map. Summary/Map should include connections among similar stories or legends in region, state, or country.
Folk Group Flower
This flower worksheet represents you and all the communities you live and participate in. Communities can be as small as your friend group and as large as the state or country you live in. This flower will help you identify all the communities important to your identity.
Instructions:
- Write your name in the center of the flower (the white circle).
- Inside ring of petals: For the dark gray petals closest to your name, think of eight groups you belong to that are most important to your identity. If you are having trouble thinking of groups, consider thinking first of descriptive words you might use to describe yourself. Once you decide on a description, think about who else shares that description with you. Is it your classmates? Your family members? Examples of groups might include your family, the place that you live, the school you attend, your age or grade, your family, or your religion.
- Outside ring of petals: We all have groups we belong to that are important to us, though maybe not as important as the groups we listed in the dark gray petals. For the light gray petals, list eight additional groups that you belong to. Examples might include hobbies, clubs, and sports.
Vocabulary
Legend
Definition: A folklore legend is a traditional narrative that has been passed down through generations within a culture or community. Legends often feature extraordinary events, heroic figures, supernatural beings, or explanations for natural phenomena. These stories are deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of a particular group and serve to convey moral lessons, preserve historical memory, or explain the origins of customs and traditions.
Common Ways They Are Shared: Folklore legends are commonly shared through oral tradition, where they are passed down from storyteller to audience in informal settings such as family gatherings, community events, or cultural celebrations. They may also be preserved and disseminated through written literature, theatrical performances, visual arts, and digital media platforms. Additionally, legends may be perpetuated through rituals, festivals, and reenactments that bring the stories to life and reinforce their cultural significance within a community.
Ghost Story
Definition: A ghost story is a narrative that revolves around supernatural occurrences, often involving encounters with spirits, apparitions, or otherworldly entities. These stories typically evoke feelings of fear, suspense, or unease and may find their origins in folklore, contemporary/urban legends, and/or personal experiences.
Common Ways They Are Shared: Ghost stories are commonly shared through oral tradition, written literature, film, television, and digital media platforms. They are often told around campfires, during sleepovers, or as part of traditional storytelling events. Additionally, ghost stories may be disseminated through books, magazines, podcasts, and online forums, where enthusiasts share their own tales of paranormal encounters or explore fictionalized accounts of hauntings and supernatural phenomena.
