Contextualization
In our daily lives, we are always in contact with different stories, some of them come through books, others through movies and even through popular tales passed down from generation to generation. Many of these stories are classified into specific textual genres called fables, myths and legends. Each of these genres has particular characteristics that define and differentiate them from the others. By understanding these three genres, we can broaden our perception of the narratives that surround us and learn a little more about the culture of different peoples throughout history.
Fables, Myths and Legends: Definitions and Characteristics
Fables are short stories, mostly starring animals with human characteristics, that bring a moral lesson at the end. Generally, fables are used to convey values and teachings in a playful and easy-to-understand way.
Myths, on the other hand, are narratives that seek to explain the origin of the universe, human beings, natural phenomena and society. They are sacred stories of a symbolic nature, which transmit the beliefs and values of a culture or civilization.
Legends are stories transmitted orally over the centuries, with extraordinary characters and events, mixing elements of reality with the supernatural. They are usually related to a specific location and portray the customs, beliefs and traditions of a people.
The Importance of Textual Genres
Through fables, myths and legends, we can better understand how different cultures see the world and how they transmit their values and beliefs from generation to generation. In addition, these textual genres are important tools for the development of critical thinking, empathy, argumentation skills and creativity. History and literature are rich in fables, myths and legends, which have much to teach us about the past and the present, allowing us to reflect on the future as well.
Support Material
Students can explore and learn more about the subject through the following resources:
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Mitos, Lendas e Fábulas do mundo inteiro: This book brings together several representative stories of the three genres, being an excellent source of study and comparison.
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Canal Nostalgia | Mitologia Explorada: YouTube channel that explores diverse myths and legends in a fun and didactic way.
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Sítio do Picapau Amarelo: In the website, it is possible to find several fables told by the characters of the series. In addition, the website provides additional information about each story, broadening the students' understanding of the genre.
Practical Activity: "Creating and Presenting our own Myth, Fable and Legend"
Project Objective
The objective of this project is to create and present an unpublished myth, fable and legend, developing the students' writing, teamwork, argumentation, creativity and communication skills.
Detailed Project Description
Each group, formed by 3 to 5 students, must create a fable, a myth and a legend based on current events, everyday situations or aspects of Brazilian culture. The students must not only create the stories, but also present them to the class in a creative and engaging way.
The activity will be divided into three main parts:
- Research and Creation of the Stories: Students should study the three textual genres and then create their own stories. They should think about characters, settings, conflicts and resolutions that fit each genre.
- Presentation Production and Practice: After creating the stories, students should decide how they will present them to the class. They can create a slide presentation, a play, a comic book, a video or any other form they find interesting and appropriate.
- Presentation: Finally, the groups will present their stories to the class, explaining why they believe their creations fit into the respective genres.
Necessary Materials
- Paper and pen for notes and drafts
- Books, internet, videos and other resources for research
- Presentation materials (may vary depending on the chosen way to present the stories)
Step by Step
- Formation of groups and an initial brainstorm about possible themes for the stories.
- Individual and group study about the three textual genres, based on the indicated materials and other research sources that the group finds relevant.
- Creation of the stories, following the characteristics of each textual genre.
- Decision about how the stories will be presented and production of the materials necessary for the presentation.
- Presentation practice.
- Presentation of the stories to the class.
- Preparation of the final document, including introduction, development, conclusion and bibliography.
Project Deliveries and Connection with the Activities
After the presentation, each group must deliver a written report that includes:
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Introduction: Students should contextualize the project. To do so, they should briefly discuss the textual genres and their importance for society and linguistics. In addition, they should introduce the stories created, relating them to their relevance and application in the real world.
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Development: In this part, students should present the stories in detail, indicate the methodology used for the creation and for the presentation and, finally, discuss the results obtained. Students should also discuss how the stories fit into the presented genres, which characteristic elements of each genre were used and why.
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Conclusion: Students should revisit the main points of the work, explain what they learned from the project, which skills they developed and the importance of the acquired knowledge for their education.
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Bibliography: All resources used for the project's basis should be properly cited. This includes books, websites, videos and any other sources that students used to research and get inspired.
The presentation of the stories, as well as the report, will demonstrate the students' understanding of the three textual genres. In addition, the practical activity will allow students to develop various skills, from research and writing to oral presentation and teamwork.
