This text is based on the entry of Inclusive Democracy published in the year 2001 in the Routledge Encyclopedia of International Political Economy (publishing co.: Routledge).
What is Inclusive Democracy?
Inclusive democracy is a new conception of democracy, which, using as a starting point the classical definition of it, expresses democracy in terms of direct political democracy, economic democracy (beyond the confines of the market economy and state planning), as well as democracy in the social realm and ecological democracy. In short, inclusive democracy is a form of social organisation which re-integrates society with economy, polity and nature. The concept of inclusive democracy is derived from a synthesis of two major historical traditions, the classical democratic and the socialist, although it also encompasses radical green, feminist, and liberation movements in the South. Within the problematique of the inclusive democracy project, it is assumed that the world, at the beginning of the new millennium, faces a multi-dimensional crisis (economic, ecological, social, cultural and political) which is caused by the concentration of power in the hands of various elites, as a result of the establishment, in the last few centuries, of the system of market economy, representative democracy and the related forms of hierarchical structure. In this sense, an inclusive democracy, which involves the equal distribution of power at all levels, is seen not as a utopia (in the negative sense of the word) but as perhaps the only way out of the present crisis.
The conception of inclusive democracy
A fruitful way to define inclusive democracy may be to distinguish between the two main societal realms, the public and the private, to which we may add an "ecological realm", defined as the sphere of the relations between the natural and the social worlds. In this conception, the public realm, contrary to the practice of many supporters of the republican or democratic project (Hannah Arendt, Cornelius Castoriadis, Murray Bookchin et al) includes not just the political realm, but also the economic realm as well as a ‘social’ realm; in other words, any area of human activity in which decisions can be taken collectively and democratically. The political realm is defined as the sphere of political decision-taking, the area in which political power is exercised. The economic realm is defined as the sphere of economic decision-taking, the area in which economic power is exercised with respect to the broad economic choices that any scarcity society has to make. Finally, the social realm is defined as the sphere of decision-taking in the workplace, the education place and any other economic or cultural institution which is a constituent element of a democratic society.
It is therefore obvious that the extension of the traditional public realm to include the economic, ecological and ‘social’ realms is an indispensable element of an inclusive democracy. Correspondingly, we may distinguish between four main constituent elements of an inclusive democracy: the political, the economic,‘democracy in the social realm’ and the ecological . The first three elements constitute the institutional framework which aims at the equal distribution of political, economic and social power respectively; in other words, the system which aims at the effective elimination of the domination of human being over human being. Similarly, ecological democracy is defined as the institutional framework which aims at the elimination of any human attempt to dominate the natural world, in other words, the system which aims to reintegrate humans and nature.
Political or direct democracy
In the political realm there can only be one form of democracy: what we may call political or direct democracy, in which political power is shared equally among all citizens. Political democracy is, therefore, founded on the equal distribution of political power among all citizens, the self-instituting of society. This means that the following conditions have to be satisfied for a society to be characterised as a political democracy:
that democracy is grounded on the conscious choice of its citizens for individual and collective autonomy and not on any divine or mystical dogmas and preconceptions, or any closed theoretical systems involving natural or economic ‘laws’, or tendencies determining social change.
that there are no institutionalised political processes of an oligarchic nature. This implies that all political decisions (including those relating to the formation and execution of laws) are taken by the citizen body collectively and without representation;
that there are no institutionalised political structures embodying unequal power relations. This means, for instance, that where authority is delegated to segments of the citizen body for the purpose of carrying out specific duties (e.g., serving in popular courts, or regional and confederal councils, etc.), the delegation is assigned, on principle, by lot and on a rotational basis, and it is always recallable by the citizen body. Furthermore, as regards delegates to regional and confederal bodies, the mandates should be specific.
that all residents of a particular geographical area (which today can only take the form of a geographical community), beyond a certain age of maturity (to be defined by the citizen body itself) and irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or cultural identity, are members of the citizen body and are directly involved in the decision-taking process.
However, the institutionalisation of direct democracy in terms of the above conditions is only the necessary condition for the establishment of democracy. The sufficient condition refers to the citizens’ level of democratic consciousness, in which a crucial role is played by paedeia --involving not simply education but character development and a well-rounded education in knowledge and skills, i.e. the education of the individual as citizen, which alone can give substantive content to the public space.
The above conditions are obviously not met by parliamentary democracy (as it functions in the West), soviet democracy (as it functioned in the East) and the various fundamentalist or semi-military regimes in the South. All these regimes are therefore forms of political oligarchy, in which political power is concentrated in the hands of various elites (professional politicians, party bureaucrats, priests, military and so on). Similarly, in the past, various forms of oligarchies dominated the political domain, when emperors, kings and their courts, with or without the co-operation of knights, priests and others, concentrated political power in their hands. However, several attempts have been made in history to institutionalise various forms of direct democracy, especially during revolutionary periods (for example, the Parisian sections of the early 1790s, the Spanish collectives in the civil war etc.). Most of these attempts were short-lived and usually did not involve the institutionalisation of democracy as a new form of political regime which replaces, and not just complements, the State. In other cases, democratic arrangements were introduced as a set of procedures for local decision-making. Perhaps the only real parallel which can be drawn with respect to Athenian democracy is that of some Swiss cantons which were governed by assemblies of the people (Landsgemeinden) and, in their day, were sovereign states. The only historical example of an institutionalised direct democracy in which, for almost two centuries (508/7 BC- 322/1 BC), the state was subsumed into the democratic form of social organisation, is that of Athenian democracy. Of course, Athenian democracy was a partial political democracy. But, what characterised it as partial was not the political institutions themselves but the very narrow definition of full citizenship adopted by the Athenians—a definition which excluded large sections of the population (women, slaves, immigrants) who, in fact, constituted the vast majority of the people living in Athens.
If we define political democracy as the authority of the people (demos) in the political sphere—which implies the existence of political equality in the sense of equal distribution of political power—then economic democracy could be correspondingly defined as the authority of demos in the economic sphere —which implies the existence of economic equality in the sense of equal distribution of economic power. And, of course, we are talking about the demos and not the state, because the existence of a state means the separation of the citizen body from the political and economic process. Economic democracy therefore relates to every social system which institutionalises the integration of society and the economy. This means that, ultimately, the demos controls the economic process, within an institutional framework of demotic ownership of the means of production.
In a more narrow sense, economic democracy also relates to every social system which institutionalises the minimisation of socio-economic differences, particularly those arising out of the unequal distribution of private property and the consequent unequal distribution of income and wealth. Historically, it is in this narrow sense that attempts were made by socialists to introduce economic democracy. Therefore, in contrast to the institutionalisation of political democracy, there has never been a corresponding example of an institutionalised economic democracy in the broad sense defined above. In other words, even when socialist attempts to reduce the degree of inequality in the distribution of income and wealth were successful, they were never associated with meaningful attempts to establish a system of equal distribution of economic power. This has been the case, despite the fact that in the type of society which has emerged since the rise of the market economy, there has been a definite shift of the economy from the private realm into what Hannah Arendt called the "social realm", to which the nation-state also belongs. But, it is this shift which makes any talk about democracy, which does not also refer to the question of economic power, ring hollow. In other words, to talk today about the equal sharing of political power, without conditioning it on the equal sharing of economic power, is meaningless.
On the basis of the definition of political democracy given earlier, the following conditions have to be satisfied for a society to be characterised as an economic democracy:
that there are no institutionalised economic processes of an oligarchic nature. This means that all ‘macro’ economic decisions, namely, decisions concerning the running of the economy as a whole (overall level of production, consumption and investment, amounts of work and leisure implied, technologies to be used, etc.) are taken by the citizen body collectively and without representation, although "micro" economic decisions at the workplace or the household levels are taken by the individual production or consumption unit and
that there are no institutionalised economic structures embodying unequal economic power relations. This implies that the means of production and distribution are collectively owned and controlled by the demos, the citizen body directly. Any inequality of income is therefore the result of additional voluntary work at the individual level. Such additional work, beyond that required by any capable member of society for the satisfaction of basic needs, allows only for additional consumption, as no individual accumulation of capital is possible, and any wealth accumulated as a result of additional work is not inherited . Thus, demotic ownership of the economy provides the economic structure for democratic ownership, whereas direct citizen participation in economic decisions provides the framework for a comprehensively democratic control process of the economy. The community, therefore, becomes the authentic unit of economic life, since economic democracy is not feasible today unless both the ownership and control of productive resources are organised at the community level. So, unlike the other definitions of economic democracy, the definition given here involves the explicit negation of economic power and implies the authority of the people in the economic sphere. In this sense, economic democracy is the counterpart, as well as the foundation, of direct democracy and of an inclusive democracy in general.
A model of economic democracy, as an integral part of an inclusive democracy, is described in the first book-length description of Inclusive Democracy which was published in 1997 (see further reading).
Briefly, the dominant characteristic of this model, which differentiates it from similar models of centralised or decentralised Planning, is that, although it does not depend on the prior abolition of scarcity, it does secure the satisfaction of the basic needs of all citizens, without sacrificing freedom of choice, in a stateless, moneyless and marketless economy. The preconditions of economic democracy are defined as follows:
community (demotic) ownership of productive resources, and
confederal allocation of resources.
The third condition in particular implies that the decision mechanism for the allocation of scarce resources in an inclusive democracy should be based at the confederal rather than the community level, i.e. at the level of the confederation of communities (demoi). This is in order to take into account the fact that in today’s’ societies many problems cannot be solved at the community level (energy, environment, transportation, communication, technology transfer etc.). The mechanism proposed to allocate scarce resources aims to replace both the market mechanism and the central planning mechanism.
The former is rejected because it can be shown that the system of the market economy has led, in the last two hundred years since its establishment, to a continuous concentration of income and wealth at the hands of a small percentage of the world population and, consequently, to a distorted allocation of world resources. This is because in a market economy the crucial allocation decisions (what to produce, how and for whom to produce it) are conditioned by the purchasing power of those income groups which can back their demands with money. In other words, under conditions of inequality, which is an inevitable outcome of the dynamic of the market economy, the fundamental contradiction with respect to the market satisfaction of human needs becomes obvious: namely, the contradiction between the potential satisfaction of the basic needs of the whole population versus the actual satisfaction of the money-backed wants of part of it.
The latter is rejected because it can be shown that centralised planning, although better than the market system in securing employment and meeting the basic needs of citizens (albeit at an elementary level), not only leads to irrationalities (which eventually precipitated its actual collapse) and is ineffective in covering non-basic needs, but it is also highly undemocratic.
The system of allocation proposed by the Inclusive Democracy project aims to satisfy the twofold aim of
meeting the basic needs of all citizens-- which requires that basic macro-economic decisions are taken democratically and
securing freedom of choice-- which requires the individual to take important decisions affecting his/her own life (what work to do, what to consume etc.).
Both the macro-economic decisions and the individual citizens’ decisions are envisaged as being implemented through a combination of democratic planning-- which involves the creation of a feedback process between workplace assemblies, community assemblies and the confederal assembly-- and an artificial ‘market’ which secures real freedom of choice, without incurring the adverse effects associated with real markets. In a nutshell, the allocation of economic resources is made first, on the basis of the citizens’ collective decisions, as expressed through the community and confederal plans, and second, on the basis of the citizens’ individual choices, as expressed through a voucher system. The general criterion for the allocation of resources is not efficiency as it is currently defined, in narrow techno- economic terms. Efficiency should be redefined to mean effectiveness in satisfying human needs and not just money-backed wants. As far as the meaning of needs is concerned, a distinction is drawn between basic and non-basic needs and a similar one between needs and ‘satisfiers’ (the form or the means by which these needs are satisfied). What constitutes a need --basic or otherwise-- is determined by the citizens themselves democratically. Then, the level of need-satisfaction is determined collectively and implemented through a democratic planning mechanism, whereas the satisfiers for both basic and non-basic needs are determined through the revealed preferences of consumers, as expressed by the use of vouchers allocated to them in exchange for their ‘basic’ and ‘non-basic’ work.
Basic vouchers (BVs--allocated in exchange for ‘basic’ work, i.e. the number of hours of work required by each citizen in a job of his/her choice so that basic needs are met) are used for the satisfaction of basic needs. These vouchers-- which are personal and issued on behalf of the confederation-- entitle each citizen to a given level of satisfaction for each particular type of need which has been characterised (democratically) as ‘basic’, but do not specify the particular type of satisfier, so that choice may be secured.
Non-basic vouchers (NBVs—allocated in exchange for non-basic work) are used for the satisfaction of non-basic needs (non-essential consumption) as well as for the satisfaction of basic needs beyond the level prescribed by the confederal assembly. NBVs, like BVs, are also personal but are issued on behalf of each community, rather than on behalf of the confederation. Work by citizens over and above the ‘basic’ number of hours is voluntary and entitles them to NBVs, which can be used towards the satisfaction of non-essential needs. ‘Prices’ in this system, instead of reflecting scarcities relative to a skewed income and wealth pattern (as in the market economy system), function as rationing devices to match scarcities relative to citizens’ desires, i.e. as guides for a democratic allocation of resources. Therefore, prices, instead of being the cause of rationing—as in the market system— become the effect of it and are assigned the role of equating demand and supply in an artificial "market" which secures the sovereignty of both consumers and producers. The ‘prices’ formed in this way, together with a complex ‘index of desirability’ drawn on the basis of citizens’ preferences as to the type of work which citizens wish to do, determine a ‘subjective‘ rate of remuneration for non basic work, in place of the ‘objective’ rate suggested by the labour theory of value.
As the above brief description of the model of economic democracy makes clear, the project for an inclusive democracy refers to a future international political economy which transcends both the political economy of state socialism, as realised in the countries of the ex ‘actually existing socialism’ in Eastern Europe, and the political economy of the market economy, either in its mixed economy form of the social democratic consensus, or in its present neo-liberal form.
Democracy in the social realm
The satisfaction of the above conditions for political and economic democracy would represent the re-conquering of the political and economic realms by the public realm-- that is, the reconquering of a true social individuality, the creation of the conditions of freedom and self-determination, both at the political and the economic levels. However, political and economic power are not the only forms of power and, therefore, political and economic democracy do not, by themselves, secure an inclusive democracy. In other words, an inclusive democracy is inconceivable unless it extends to the broader social realm to embrace the workplace, the household, the educational institution and indeed any economic or cultural institution which constitutes an element of this realm.
Historically, various forms of democracy in the social realm have been introduced, particularly during this century, usually in periods of revolutionary activity. However, these forms of democracy were not only short-lived but seldom extended beyond the workplace (e.g. Hungarian workers' councils in 1956) and the education institution (e.g. Paris student assemblies in 1968).
The issue today is how to extend democracy to other forms of social organisation, like the household, without dissolving the private/public realm divide. In other words, how, while maintaining and enhancing the autonomy of the two realms, such institutional arrangements are adopted which introduce democracy to the household and the social realm in general and -- at the same time—enhance the institutional arrangements of political and economic democracy. In fact, an effective democracy is inconceivable unless free time is equally distributed among all citizens, and this condition can never be satisfied as long as the present hierarchical conditions in the household, the workplace and elsewhere continue. Furthermore, democracy in the social realm, particularly in the household, is impossible, unless such institutional arrangements are introduced which recognise the character of the household as a needs-satisfier and integrate the care and services provided within its framework into the general scheme of needs satisfaction.
If we see democracy as a process of social self-institution in which there is no divinely or ‘objectively’ defined code of human conduct there are no guarantees that an inclusive democracy would secure an ecological democracy in the sense defined above. Therefore, the replacement of the market economy by a new institutional framework of inclusive democracy constitutes only the necessary condition for a harmonious relation between the natural and social worlds. The sufficient condition refers to the citizens’ level of ecological consciousness. Still, the radical change in the dominant social paradigm which will follow the institution of an inclusive democracy, combined with the decisive role that paedeia will play in an environmentally-friendly institutional framework, could reasonably be expected to lead to a radical change in the human attitude towards Nature. In other words, there are strong grounds for believing that the relationship between an inclusive democracy and Nature would be much more harmonious than could ever be achieved in a market economy, or one based on state socialism. The factors supporting this view refer to all three elements of an inclusive democracy: political, economic and social.
At the political level, there are grounds for believing that the creation of a public space will in itself have a very significant effect on reducing the appeal of materialism. This is because the public space will provide a new meaning of life to fill the existential void that the present consumer society creates. The realisation of what it means to be human could reasonably be expected to throw us back toward Nature.
Also, at the economic level, it is not accidental that, historically, the process of destroying the environment en masse has coincided with the process of marketization of the economy. In other words, the emergence of the market economy and of the consequent growth economy had crucial repercussions on the society-Nature relationship and led to the rise of the ideology of growth as the dominant social paradigm. Thus, an ‘instrumentalist’ view of Nature became dominant, in which Nature was seen as an instrument for economic growth, within a process of endless concentration of power. If we assume that only a confederal society could secure an inclusive democracy today, it would be reasonable to assume further that once the market economy is replaced by a democratically run confederal economy, the grow-or-die dynamics of the former will be replaced by the new social dynamic of the latter: a dynamic aiming at the satisfaction of the community needs and not at growth per se. If the satisfaction of community needs does not depend, as at present, on the continuous expansion of production to cover the ‘needs’ which the market creates, and if the link between economy and society is restored, then there is no reason why the present instrumentalist view of Nature should continue to condition human behaviour.
Furthermore, democracy in the broader social realm could also be reasonably expected to be environmentally-friendly. The phasing out of patriarchal relations in the household and hierarchical relations in general should create a new ethos of non-domination which would embrace both Nature and Society. In other words, the creation of democratic conditions in the social realm should be a decisive step in the creation of the sufficient condition for a harmonious nature-society relationship.
Finally, the fact that the basic unit of social, economic and political life in a confederal democracy would be the community might also be expected to enhance its environmentally-friendly character. It is reasonable to assume—and the evidence of the remarkable success of local communities in safeguarding their environments is overwhelming—that when people rely directly on their natural surroundings for their livelihood, they will develop an intimate knowledge of those surroundings, which will necessarily affect positively their behaviour towards them. However, the precondition for local control of the environment to be successful is that the community depends on its natural surroundings for its long-term livelihood and that it, therefore, has a direct interest in protecting it—another reason why an ecological society is impossible without economic democracy.
A new conception of citizenship
The above conditions for democracy imply a new conception of citizenship: economic, political, social and cultural. Thus, political citizenship involves new political structures and the return to the classical conception of politics (direct democracy). Economic citizenship involves new economic structures of community ownership and control of economic resources (economic democracy). Social citizenship involves self-management structures at the workplace, democracy in the household and new welfare structures in which all basic needs (to be democratically determined) are covered by community resources, whether they are satisfied in the household or at the community level. Finally, cultural citizenship involves new democratic structures of dissemination and control of information and culture (mass media, art, etc.), which allow every member of the community to take part in the process and at the same time develop his/her intellectual and cultural potential.
Although this sense of citizenship implies a sense of political community, which, defined geographically, is the fundamental unit of political, economic and social life, still, it is assumed that this political community interlocks with various other communities (cultural, professional, ideological, etc.). Therefore, the community and citizenship arrangements do not rule out cultural differences or other differences based on gender, age, ethnicity and so on but simply provide the public space in which such differences can be expressed; furthermore, these arrangements institutionalise various safety valves that aim to rule out the marginalisation of such differences by the majority. What, therefore, unites people in a political community, or a confederation of communities, is not some set of common values, imposed by a nationalist ideology, a religious dogma, a mystical belief, or an ‘objective’ interpretation of natural or social ‘evolution’, but the democratic institutions and practices, which have been set up by citizens themselves.
It is obvious that the above new conception of citizenship has very little in common with the liberal and socialist definitions of citizenship which are linked to the liberal and socialist conceptions of human rights respectively. Thus, for the liberals, the citizen is simply the individual bearer of certain freedoms and political rights recognised by law which, supposedly, secure equal distribution of political power. Also, for the socialists, the citizen is the bearer not only of political rights and freedoms but, also, of some social and economic rights, whereas for Marxists the citizenship is realised with the collective ownership of the means of production. The conception of citizenship adopted here, which could be called a democratic conception, is based on the above definition of inclusive democracy and presupposes a ‘participatory’ conception of active citizenship, like the one implied by the work of Hannah Arendt. In this conception, political activity is not a means to an end, but an end in itself. It is, therefore, obvious that this conception of citizenship is qualitatively different from the liberal and social-democratic conceptions which adopt an ‘instrumentalist’ view of citizenship, i.e. a view which implies that citizenship entitles citizens with certain rights which they can exercise as means to the end of individual welfare.
A well-developed body of knowledge already exists regarding Inclusive Democracy and its applications. Crucial matters such as strategy of transition to an inclusive democracy, the relationship of science and technology to democracy, the significance of the rise of irrationalism with respect to the democratic project, the interrelationship between culture, mass media and democracy have all been explored in D&N , The International Journal of Inclusive Democracy (see further reading).
Takis Fotopoulos (1997) Towards An Inclusive Democracy: The Crisis of the Growth Economy and the Need for a New Liberatory Project, (London: Cassell) pp. 401) [The definitive exposition of Inclusive Democracy]. (Italian and Greek editions of the book have been published in 1999 and a Spanish edition has been scheduled for 2001).
Democracy & Nature, The International Journal of Inclusive Democracy. www.democracynature.org. The journal is published by the Taylor & Francis group three times a year. Five volumes (of three issues each) were published by the end of 1999. [Theoretical articles and dialogue on inclusive democracy and related topics]


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represents an effort to mitigate earthquake losses by developing and applying earth science data and assessments essential for land-use planning, engineering design, and emergency preparedness decisions. Check out the earthquake facts, pictures, games and puzzles.
- Web Weather for Kids (http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/)
offers comprehensive information about what elements in the troposphere interact together to produce the weather and learn about different weather phenomena including tornadoes, thunderstorms, hurricanes and more. Check out the games and the hands-on activities!
- Global Warming Kids Site (http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/index.html)
provides a wealth of materials focusing on the science and impacts of global warming or climate change, and on actions that help address global warming issues. It is designed as a resource for both kids and educators. There are games, animations, events, and links to other relevant sites for kids and educators.
- Biology4kids! (http://www.biology4kids.com/)
is a site designed to serve as an introduction to the science of biology. You can learn about cells, microorganisms, plants, vertebrates, invertebrates, and animal systems. After each section, you can also take a quiz to see if you have understood the material presented in the specific section. There is also a list of related sites if you need more information about a specific topic.
- Passport to the Rainforest (http://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/main.html)
is a unique multiple media teaching and learning website that focuses more on the science of the forests rather than explicit activism to protect or conserve them. It is based on the belief that more people, in nations north and south, will ultimately care about, and act to preserve rainforests, if they understand more clearly what makes them such rare and wonderful places. Whether you teach ecology or biology or general science, PTRF will help you introduce, explain and simulate such key concepts as: photosynthesis, food webs, the recycling of matter and the transfer of energy through an ecosystem, and much more.
- Human Body & Mind (http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/)
offers you very comprehensive information about organs, muscles, bones, and the nervous system of the human body. You can play interactive games; learn facts and features about the different body parts, and look at anatomy diagrams that allow you to organize, flex, assemble, and wire the human body. In the Mind section, you can stretch your memory with fun challenges; learn about your senses and their connection to your personality.
- Playing with Time (http://www.playingwithtime.org/index.html)
allows you to look at how the world around you changes over many different time periods. You will see time sped up and slowed down, and behold the beauty of change. Time will be in your hands to witness, replay, and even create. You never know... you might not look at things quite the same way again. Visit the Gallery of Time to see amazing movies and check out the activities section with exciting challenges and diversions.
- Beetle Science (http://explore.cornell.edu/scene.cfm?scene=Beetle%20Science)
is an interactive site for you to learn about the relative abundances of various life forms on earth. See how Frances Fawcett creates amazing portraits of newly discovered beetles and look at images of different beetle specimens. Watch home videos and tour the labs of Professor Quentin Wheeler and invasive species expert Rick Hoebeke.
- Bridging the Watershed (http://www.bridgingthewatershed.org/students.html)
aims to provide high school students with exposure to science in their watershed by applying science concepts taught in the classroom to water quality and other watershed issues. It provides a wonderful opportunity to teach science in context and provide students with a meaningful watershed field experience. All activities are student-directed, with the teacher acting as the guide/facilitator. All lessons are correlated to national, state, and local education standards.
- Newton's Castle (http://www.tqnyc.org/NYC051308/index.htm)
is replete with inquiry learning, puzzle solving opportunities, and investigative training options. Learn about color, optical illusions, observations from nature, and fascinating facts about how cars roll uphill, and why dogs chase cars. There are several Project Legal (TIPS) lessons included regarding copyright and censorship issues. Take the quiz and get a perfect score to gain access to the treasures contained in the Museum of Modern Art.
- NASAs KSNN (http://ksnn.larc.nasa.gov/home.html)
is a standards-based program that uses the Web, animation, and video to introduce science, technology, engineering, math, and NASA concepts. It also uses animated characters (grades K-2) and web and video technology
(grades 3-5) to explain everyday phenomena of our world, correct misconceptions, and answer frequently asked questions. Each newsbreak includes a follow-up written explanation, inquiry-based activities, related print and electronic resources, and a computer-graded quiz.
- The Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education (http://www.k12science.org/currichome.html)
explores Internet use in K-12 science and mathematics education. CIESE presents concise instructional activities that utilize "real world" data from the Internet to teach a discrete topic such as exponential functions in mathematics or human genetics and the dominant trait in science. The curriculum projects use data from government and commercial databases; engage students in telecollaborative projects using those databases; and provide access to unique and primary source information.
- Journey North (http://www.learner.org/jnorth/)
engages students in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. K-12 students share their own field observations with classmates across North America. They track the coming of spring through the migration patterns of monarch butterflies, bald eagles, robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes -- and other birds and mammals, the budding of plants, changing sunlight and other natural events. Find standards-based lesson plans, activities and information to help students make local observations and fit them into a global context.
- Cool Cosmos (http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/)
involves varied audiences in science with multi-disciplinary educational materials that explain the infrared as well as the multi-wavelength universe. There are short educational videos about astronomy and infrared light in the Video Gallery section. Cosmic Classroom allows you to learn about light outside the visible spectrum through experiments and other classroom activities. In Cosmic Games, you can hunt for hidden animals, solve puzzles, and play games while learning.
- exploreMarsnow (http://www.exploremarsnow.org/)
aims at inspiring learning about the space sciences and technology through a web-based Mars simulator. You can explore the Mars Base Habitat and Rover to learn about the science and technology underlying the design of these artifacts as well as the hostile physical environment of the Red Planet itself. You can also enter the greenhouse and go on missions in the pressurized rover to actual locations on Mars.
- NOAA Research (http://www.oar.noaa.gov/k12/index.html)
provides middle school science students and teachers with research and investigation experiences using on-line
resources. There are 6 topic sections ranging from El Niño to oceans. Each one of these includes an introduction to the topic, comprehension questions, interpretation, application, and enrichment activities. Teachers can download materials for each topic. This information includes lesson objectives, interdisciplinary uses, standards, and teacher preparation materials.
- Shape and Space in Geometry (http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/math/geometry/index.html)
offers you a fun and colorful, instructive and practical way to deal with geometry. Experience the geometry of real things: how big they are, whether they fit, how to find them, and what they look like in a mirror. The lab activities included in this site are divided into two broad categories: the section About Shape centers on identifying properties of various shapes and measuring their dimensions, and the activities in the About Space section focus on moving objects-or yourself-around in your imagination, and visualizing how things will look.
- FOSSWEB (http://www.fossweb.com/)
is a research-based science curriculum for grades K-8 dedicated to improving the learning and teaching of science. The materials in this program are designed to meet the challenge of providing meaningful science education for all students in diverse American classrooms and to prepare them for life in the 21st century. FOSSWEB offers modules that include teacher guides containing a Resources folio of annotated listings for nonfiction and fiction books for students, resource books for teachers, software, multimedia, videos, and web sites that extend the hand-on science activities in each module. These modules and games are organized in three main categories: K-2, 3-6, and middle school.
- Exploring the Environment (http://www.cotf.edu/ete/main.html)
is a series of interdisciplinary, problem-based learning (PBL) modules for high school students. ETE engages student teams in addressing real-world problems related to weather, population growth, biodiversity, land use patterns, volcanoes, water pollution, and global warming. The teams analyze remotely-sensed satellite images to come up with solutions to open-ended earth science problems that real scientists are working on today in much the same fashion.
- Interactivate (http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/ )
provides lesson plans, activities, tools, and a dictionary for the exploration of Science and Mathematics. Each lesson includes a script for teachers to follow when using the activities. The lessons and activities are arranged according to the NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics and the NCEE Performance Standards for Middle School. Each activity comes with a What for background information, a How for instructions, and a Why for curriculum context. The tools section offers stand-alone applications that can be used in analyzing or organizing numbers and data.
- Creative Chemistry (http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/index.htm)
has lots of full-color worksheets and teaching notes for fun activities suitable for a chemistry club, over two hundred pages of question sheets and practical guides, power point slides, and a chemistry calculator. There are also fun chemistry puzzles, interactive revision quizzes, molecular models, and the Sc1 Tune-up Garage to help improve your science investigations.
- NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope (http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/)
is a technological marvel featuring many innovations never before used on a space mission. It is a new platform for exploring the universe using infrared light. Astronomers find the infrared to be a valuable tool as it opens an important window into otherwise hidden regions of the universe. This site will give you a general overview of the technology that makes the science of the Spitzer mission possible. Visit the online gallery to see pictures of Spitzer and its components and learn more about the mission and its history in the About Spitzer section.
- NASAs Center for Distance Learning (http://dlcenter.larc.nasa.gov/)
enhances k-16 curricula by offering educators FREE multimedia instructional programs to present math, science, and technology concepts to students. Currently, there are five programs available: NASA's Kids Science News Network, the NASA SCI Files, and NASA CONNECT are grade school programs that include hands-on activities, web activities and other resources. NASA's Destination Tomorrow is a technology-based program for lifelong learners, and NASA LIVE is an interactive videoconferencing program. Teachers can air the program they choose as often as they need and make copies of the educator guides to share with colleagues.
- CERES Project (http://btc.montana.edu/ceres/default.htm)
offers an extensive library of on-line and interactive K-12 science education materials for teaching astronomy. The lessons and materials are closely aligned with the National Science Education Standards and use contemporary teaching strategies. Master teachers, university faculty from Montana State University, and NASA researchers have created three types of classroom-ready activities for K-12 students using NASA resources, data, and images. With these activities, the students construct first-hand knowledge about the astronomical universe, form research teams to solve scientific problems, and explore interdisciplinary science topics within the context of astrobiology.
- Biodiversity and Conservation: The Web of Life (http://www.fieldmuseum.org/biodiversity/)
shows you that people, plants, and animals are all interconnected in a fragile web of life called biodiversity and that every element is essential to maintain a balance. In this site, you can explore the most fragile ecosystems on Earth, find out what you can do to help, travel around the globe in an interactive experience on this planets web of life, and much more. Teachers can download guides and lesson plans about biodiversity and other conservation issues to use in their classrooms.
- Kids Dig Reed (http://www.kidsdigreed.com/default.asp)
discover the Reed Farmstead Archaeological site and learn about archaeology, how archaeologists work. Through a series of games, puzzles, and a virtual site tour, you are introduced to the families who lived on the farmstead over 150 years ago, and how these people were able to make a living in the rugged uplands of eastern West Virginia.
- Access Excellence (http://www.accessexcellence.org/)
offers innovative, successful activities to help students learn scientific concepts and processes. Students can solve interactive mysteries, learn about new developments in science, and ask experts if they have questions with their homework. Teachers can participate in the teaching and learning forum to reflect on new curriculum, assessment tools, and new teaching and learning research affecting the students understanding of science.
- Amazing Space (http://amazing-space.stsci.edu)
explores planets, galaxies, comets, black holes, and more. Keep updated with the most recent discoveries by clicking on The Star Witness News. Engage in adventures, look at pictures and get answers to your questions in the Capture the cosmos section. If you need help with your homework, do not miss the Homework help section.
- POP Goes Antarctica? (http://literacynet.org/polar/pop/html/home.html)
visit the Palmer Station, a small biology lab built in 1965, on Anvers Island in Antarctica and find out how the presence of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) affect the ecosystem of the Antarctic coastal seas.
- Adventures of the Agronauts (http://www.ncsu.edu/project/agronauts)
lets you join Rosy and her team to complete six missions to become an agronaut. Try the three main sections: Glossary, Career Corner, and Teacher Resources. This last section provides you with printable versions of the six missions, the glossary terms and definitions needed, and suggested activities for each mission.
- Environmental Inquiry (EI) (http://ei.cornell.edu)
where you will find a number of resources that can help you develop your environmental science research. If you are a teacher, EI gives you ideas and other resources to use its curricula in the classroom.
- ScienceWorld (http://scienceworld.wolfram.com)
makes difficult concepts and ideas easier to understand by using illustrative examples. There are five major content categories: Astronomy, Biography, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics, under which you will find a great variety of resources to consult.
- Bridge (http://www.vims.edu/bridge)
is the ocean sciences teacher resource center. Find out the answers to questions like these: What is an estuarine environment? What do coastal storms bring? What is an olive ridley?, and learn other interesting facts about marine life and related topics of ocean exploration.
- PRISM Polar Explorer (http://ku-prism.org)
find all things related to polar exploration. Keep tabs on current experiments in the Polar Regions. Follow the adventures of the Bears on Ice.
- ActionBioscience.org (http://www.actionbioscience.org)
offers up-to-date information on topics and developments related to biodiversity, genomics, biotechnology, and bioscience research as well as articles, lessons, and resources for classroom use.
- Memory (http://www.exploratorium.edu/memory)
offers useful information on how our memory works and how remembering and forgetting are possible.
- Living Things (http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life)
learn about the anatomy and physiology of plants and animals and about systems for their classification.
- Leveraging Learning (http://ll.terc.edu/toplevel/home.cfm)
gives you great hands-on activities for grades 5-8 science. It also offers teacher guides and assessments.
- Inclusion of Science Education for Students with Disabilities (http://www.as.wvu.edu/%7Escidis)
promotes the teaching of science, the development of curricula and instructional materials for students with any manners of disability in the learning process.
- Saint Patrick's Day in the Classroom (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Forest/848...class.html)
Celebrate St. Patrick's day with a great variety of fun activities to do in the classroom. Choose among creative writing, science, math, and research activities.
- NASA Qwhiz (http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/Qwhiz/libs.html)
by the NASA Johnson Space Center. Great K-12 activities ranging from integers to problem solving. There are also many science activities. Check the Kid Made (http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/Qwhiz/all/list_by_grades.cgi?lib=Kid) and Teacher Made (http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/Qwhiz/all/list_by_grades.cgi?lib=Standards) sections and test your knowledge.
- MBGnet (http://mbgnet.mobot.org)
provides you with information on Biomes of the World, Freshwater Ecosystems and Marine Ecosystems.
- Cool Science for Curious Kids (http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience)
offers you five informative natural science projects to help kids learn to identify, classify and observe things. Great for K-3.
- NASA CONNECT (http://connect.larc.nasa.gov)
a series of FREE integrated mathematics, science, and technology instructional distance learning programs for students in grades 6-8.
- Weather (http://www.learner.org/exhibits/weather)
lots of information and related resources on what forces affect our weather conditions.
- Chem4Kids (http://www.chem4kids.com)
lots of information and activities on matter, atoms, reactions, elements and the like.
- Am. Alliance for Health, Phys Ed, Recreation, & Dance (http://www.aahperd.org)
organization of professionals supporting and assisting those involved in physical education, leisure, fitness, dance, health promotion, and education and all specialties related to achieving a healthy lifestyle.


Mountain Humor in Folktales and Other Media
Intro Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 4 Activities
Whats in a Picture Book?
- To equip students with skills for analysis of picture books
- To encourage sharing of opinions in pairs or groups
- To enable students to synthesize treatments of humor, folktale characteristics, and Appalachian values in picture books
- To focus on the writing process as students develop their own critical analysis of an Appalachian folktale picture book
Notes to the Teacher:
This lesson will probably take a couple of days to complete.
Pages in AppLit that are relevant to this lesson (see also Complete List of AppLit pages on Picture Books):
- Article: Wonder Tales in Appalachia by Grace Toney Edwards
- Article: Oral Traditions and Modern Adaptations: Survey of Appalachian Folktales in Children's Literature by Tina L. Hanlon
- Bibliographies: Lesson Plans and Resources for Teaching Contemporary American Picture Books to Older Students by Tina L. Hanlon
- Bibliographies: Annotated Index of Appalachian Folktales by Tina L. Hanlon
- Bibliographies: Background Resources on Appalachian Folktales and Storytelling by Tina L. Hanlon
- Bibliographies: Appalachian Folktales in Children's Literature and Collections by Tina L. Hanlon and others
- Study Guides: Activities for Teaching Appalachian Folktales and Dramatizations by the Jack Tale Players by Tina L. Hanlon and R. Rex Stephenson
- Study Guides: Notes on Language Use in Alan Schroeder's Smoky Mountain Rose: An Appalachian Cinderella by Stephanie Humphries
- Study Guides: Exercise on Appalachian Language in Jack and the Three Sillies by Ann Fulcher and Tina L. Hanlon
- Study Guides: In Support of Integrating Minority Dialect Literature Into the Classroom by Stephanie Humphries
- Study Guides: Resources on Appalachian Dialects background and teaching guides by Stephanie Humphries
- Study Guides: Some Features of Appalachian Dialects by Stephanie Humphries
The following book and URL are excellent general resources for examining picture books:
Nodelman, Perry. Words About Pictures: The Narrative Art of Childrens Picture Books. Athens: Georgia UP, 1988.
Kay E. Vandergrift Web Pages
Teachers may use any Appalachian folktale picture book for this lesson. A short bibliography is provided for your convenience. (Note: I, personally, do not believe that all of the books contained in this list present positive representations of Appalachia or Appalachians. However, I believe that it is often beneficial to have both good and bad examples of Appalachian literature so that students may form their own opinions while developing objective critical and analytical skills. Others are listed in AppLit's bibliography of Appalachian Folktales in Picture Books.)
Birdseye, Tom. Soap! Soap! Dont Forget the Soap! Illus. Andrew Glass. New York: Holiday House, 1993.
Compton, Joanne. Ashpet: An Appalachian Tale. Illus. Ken Compton. New York: Holiday House, 1995.
Davis, Donald. Jack and the Animals: An Appalachian Folktale. Illus. Kitty Harvill. Little Rock. Arkansas: August House Little Folk, 1995.
Haley, Gail E. Jack and the Bean Tree. Illus. Gail E. Haley. New York: Crown, 1986.
Haley, Gail E. Jack and the Fire Dragon. Illus. Gail E. Haley. New York, Crown, 1988.
Harshman, Marc, and Bonnie Collins. Rocks in My Pockets. Illus. Wendy Popp. New York: Cobblehill, 1991.
Hooks, William H. The Three Little Pigs and the Fox. Illus. S. D. Schindler. New York: Macmillan, 1989.
Hooks, William H. Snowbear Whittington: An Appalachian Beauty and the Beast. Illus. Victoria Lisi. New York: Macmillan, 1994.
Johnson, Paul Brett. Fearless Jack. New York: Margaret K. McElderry, 2001. N. pag.
Schroeder, Alan. Smoky Mountain Rose: An Appalachian Cinderella. Illus. Brad Sneed. New York: Dial Books, 1997.
Sloat, Teri. Sody Sallyratus. Illus. Teri Sloat. New York: Dutton Childrens Books, 1997.
Wooldridge, Connie Nordhielm. Wicked Jack. Illus. Will Hillenbrand. New York: Holiday House, 1995.
Wright, Jill. The Old Woman and the Willy Nilly Man. Illus. Glen Rounds. New York: Putnam, 1987.
1. Prepare and Distribute Handout 1 "Exploring the Connection Between Text and Illustrations" using the following information. Have students read the handout as homework in preparation for the following activity. (You may want to select from the following study questions that are most relevant to the books your class is examining.)
EXPLORING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN TEXT AND ILLUSTRATIONS
(From: Nodelman, Perry. Words About Pictures: The Narrative Art of Childrens Picture Books. Athens: Georgia UP, 1988, and Tina Hanlons Handouts for Childrens Literature classes.)
Assumptions we carry with us as we look at books:
- Is it hardback with textured, one-color covers (more forbidding and respectable), hardback with luridly colored plastic coatings (conventionally popular material), or softback (disposable and unthreatening)?
- Is it large (rambunctious, energetic) or small (fragile, delicate)?
- Is the paper stock glossy (distancing, making it difficult to focus on specific objects; implying a sense of serenity, stillness) or roughly textured (supporting atmosphere of involvement, intimacy)?
- Is the type large or small? It often conveys information about the intended audience (large print for children, small for adults).
- Of what significance is the size or shape of picture books? Beatrix Potter's original small books and Maurice Sendak's Nutshell Library have been very popular with young children for decades. Large formats are also popular in picture books (e.g., Dr. Seuss, Babar books). Do horizontal or vertical formats work better for certain types of texts? Should editions of picture books be published and sold that vary from the original size and shape? Do you know of other books for which size, shape, structure, or format are especially important?
- What difference does it make for an artist to illustrate a text written by someone else, and his or her own text? (Sendak and many others have done both.)
- What do you see as the essential ingredients of a "true picture book"? How does the function of the illustrations, and their relationship to the text, differ in illustrated books (longer books with illustrations of selected scenes) as compared to picture books? Are retellings of folktales ever found in "true picture books"? What do you think of Sendak's 1970 comment that it is "offensive" and "insane" to publish illustrated versions of adult novels?
- Does it matter whether the author or illustrator of a tale from a particular cultural tradition is a native of that culture? Pay attention to whether the books give background on the author or illustrator and their research, on the origins of the stories, or on the art work.
Questions for folktale analysis:
- The legends and folktales retold in many picture books are derived from ancient oral traditions; in some cases, such as Native American tales, they were told in languages that had no written forms. In what ways do they seem different from literary stories that are composed in written form by individual authors?
- Do the folktales contain the types of well-developed individual characters we find in other story traditions? How do the characters function in these tales?
- Myths and folktales are not realistic stories about nature or about life in a particular culture. But they do reflect realities of life that were important to the people who told the tales. One modern view of myth is that it means true story, and in addition, a story that is a most precious possession because it is sacred, exemplary, significant. What are some of the concerns or realities of life and belief that we learn about from reading tales originating in different cultural traditions? In what sense are the tales exemplary (representative), significant, or true?
- Modern analysis of folktales involves tracing common motifs or themes found in tales from around the world. Do any of these folktales contain motifs or themes that you see in other folktales, legends, fairy tales, myths or stories that you are familiar with? Notice how often people, events, and objects occur in threes in folktales from around the world. Some other examples of very common folk motifs are sibling rivalry, parent-child conflict, wicked stepmothers, a quest or journey, tests of the heros abilities or character traits, help from magical characters and objects, trickster characters who use their wits to overcome obstacles, old or poor characters who need help and often offer a reward in return, transformation of people into animals or objects, rewards for deserving characters (often involving money and/or marriage).
- Often in myths and folktales magic and supernatural elements and creatures reflect basic human fears and desires. How do magic and the supernatural function in the tales you have read?
- Do the books you have read contain culturally specific content? That is, do they contain material that is specific to a particular cultural tradition? How much significance is there in the cultural or ethnic background of the characters or setting?
In-depth questions for analysis:
- How do words and pictures interact in picture books? Look for examples in which elements of character, plot, setting, or point of view that are not revealed in words are portrayed through pictures. What details or scenes from the text has the illustrator chosen not to depict? What is the difference between perceiving various details through words and through pictures? How is the flow of the story (or progression of concepts or impressions if it is not a narrative) affected by the placement of pictures? In picture books with a substantial story line, are the pictures or the words the first to indicate what is happening in the plot, or do they work together on the same two-page spread at about the same pace?
- How do wordless books convey character, plot, setting, point of view, tone, theme or plot? Are wordless picture books just for very young children? Why has the author chosen to put words on some pages and not others in picture books like David Wiesner's Tuesday (Caldecott winner, 1992) or The Knight and the Dragon by Tomi de Paola?
- How is action conveyed in picture books? Do different individuals, including children of different ages, read books and the actions they depict differently from the usual left to right and top to bottom? Perry Nodelman (in Words About Pictures) observes that action usually progresses from left to right, and pictures in which characters face left, or the picture is oriented toward the left, often indicate some interruption or obstacle in the action.
- Does amount of white space, use of borders (doorways, windows, arches of trees, white space) or no borders, placement of text (in boxes, superimposed on pictures, placed in different parts of pages), variations in size of pictures or words, or use of pictures overflowing outlined borders contribute to the meaning of the book? Do frames make it seem tidier, less energetic, invite the reader into another world? (Notice how Maurice Sendak manipulates these elements.)
- How is perspective conveyed or varied in pictures as well as text? Do we get a child's-eye view, or animal's-eye view in some pictures? If the illustrator shows certain characters looking straight out at us from the page, what is the significance of their gazing at us?
- Some contemporary picture books incorporate postmodern techniques like those found in other postmodern art and literature, including various experimental literary and artistic techniques such as multiple and shifting points of view, exploration of the unconscious mind and different ways of viewing reality, parody and blending of previous literary or artistic styles and stories, blending of influences from different media (such as film, comic books, painting, folk literature, etc.), drawing attention to the artificiality of fiction and art, questioning or satirizing or violating our usual expectations about the form and nature of books, fiction, art, etc. Do you see any of these techniques in the picture books you have read?
- What significance can be attached to the choice of cover picture? Are there pictures on the end pages, title page, dedication page? Do these pictures contribute to the essential nature of the story? Do they convey tone or mood? Do they present a color, shape, etc. that will be repeated throughout the story?
- Is the use of color symbolic (eliciting specific emotions from the reader) or non-symbolic (characters talk of red and the foliage contains red)? Is there a predominate use of color? Is there an overall darkness or lightness to the pictures? Is there an absence of color, the use of black and white with lines creating texture?
- Do the media chosen by the artist convey or impose certain moods upon the pictures? For example: crayon, supplemented with pen and ink, is pleasantly childlike; collage inhibits creation of depth; watercolor, in its translucency, creates the impression of light more readily than tempera. However, even though the characteristics of media influence the way they are used, they do not limit the artists to particular effects.
- What object offers the most visual weight? (The more we notice them, the more weight they have.) People tend to focus on people; however, size, particular objects, symbols, etc. can alter visual weight. Those familiar with Christian imagery will understand a shadow of a cross differently than those not familiar with Christian imagery. Are various symbols from various sources combined? Is the reader's reaction subconscious? (We are conditioned to associating physical ugliness with spiritual evil—we may ignore the plot of "Snow White," which indicates that the evil queen is the fairest in the land.) Are animal stories symbolic of human characteristics such as the fox/craftiness, lion/arrogance, peacock/pride, pig/gluttony, mice/timidity, rat/nastiness, or do they purposefully distort these classifications?
- Is there irony existent between the text and the pictures (words are different from the pictures)? For example, is there a fox following a hen that is never mentioned in the text? Does the tone of the words match the situation the picture shows us? For example, we see a boy chasing a dog with a fork but all the text says is that he was causing mischief.
(From Kay E. Vandergrift Web Page):
"Illustrations perform various functions with reference to the text in which they are embedded. At the simplest level they decorate the text and dramatize the action. . . . Illustrations can also interpret the text by portraying characters as dismayed or joyful, weeping or brave. . . . Illustrations may even reformulate the text by supplying information different or absent from the text. For the reader who glances at the illustration and even more for the listener whose eyes linger on pictures while someone else reads, the power of pictures to recast the text into memorable images is formidable."
Questions to consider when examining a picture book:
- How many of the key incidents from the text are pictures? Which ones? How does it affect the book?
- How do different sequences of pictures create different rhythms in the telling of the tale? What is the effect?
- Does the choice of incidents presented in visual images influence interpretation? How?
- Are omissions of particular incidents significant? How?
- How are specific compositional elements (character, mood, setting, etc.) enhanced or changed by their visual images? In other words, is the specific content of the story altered in any way by the illustrations–by the colors used by the type of illustration, etc.?
- How does the illustrator manage details from the text? Do they add to or detract from the book?
- How do illustrators use additional background details? Do they add to or detract from the book?
- How does the placement of pictures on the page and from page to page contribute to the spirit and movement of the story?
- Why might a particular image have been chosen? What does it convey to readers? If presented prior to the telling of the tale, can the illustration influence reader's interpretation?
2. Choose an Appalachian folktale book to use as a model for discussing Handout 1. Read aloud and show the pictures to the class. Allow for open discussion that relates to Handout 1. Be sure that students understand that the text and illustrations should work together, adding to each other. Encourage students to comment on Folktale Characteristics, Appalachian Values, and Appalachian Humor. Because many students may be unfamiliar with picture books in general, and because Appalachian students may be particularly sensitive to comical texts or illustrations, teachers need to help students see that not all comic illustrations are stereotypes (a log house is not; a shack with trash around it, pigs and chickens running in and out of the house, moonshine jugs, etc. is) and that use of regional dialect is not necessarily stereotyping (students need to learn to be proud of their dialect; however, if eye-dialect is used, it may indicate little more than an attempt to show ignorance). (Refer to Lesson 2, Handout 3: Modified).
3. Bring in as many Appalachian folktale picture books as you can locate. (Check your school and public libraries.) This will allow in-class time for students to work.
4. Pair students and provide one book for each pair. (If you do not have enough books to pair students, have them work in small groups.) Pairing students will allow them to discuss and learn from each other. Advise students to use notes and handouts from Lesson 2, along with Lesson 3, Handout 1 to analyze their book.
5. Prepare and Distribute Handout 2 "Appalachian Picture Book" using the following information. Students will be writing individual essays. Advise students to follow the writing process. Allow for in-class time for revision and editing workshops.
APPALACHIAN PICTURE BOOK
Directions: Use notes and handouts from Lesson 2, Handout 3: Modified, along with Handout 1 from Lesson 3.
1. Working in pairs, or small groups, analyze an Appalachian folktale picture book, writing down notes as you read and discuss. Be sure that you analyze both the text and the illustrations of the book.
2. Write an essay exploring one of the suggested questions, or choose another topic of interest to you.
3. Final paper should be typed or word-processed. Include internal citations and Works Cited page.
Write an essay that includes the following:
- The title (underlined), author, and illustrator
- A brief summary of the book
- The answer to one of the following questions:
Does this book reveal something about Appalachian values?
Does this book reveal something about Appalachian humor?
Does this book accurately represent Appalachia, its culture, and its people?
- Support your answer by incorporating information obtained from your analysis of the book. Use specific details and information from the text and illustrations of the book to support your thesis.
Suggestions for structuring your paper:
- Start with your introduction/thesis paragraph. Begin with an interesting opening sentence that attracts the reader's attention.
- Be sure to include the title of the book (underlined), the author, and the illustrator somewhere in the first paragraph, possibly integrated in the first sentence.
- Then, transition smoothly into a brief summary of the book (3-4 sentences). Again, transition into your thesis statement, which will be the last sentence. "For Appalachians, the land is . . . ." OR "Rylant's book presents one of the most positive qualities of Appalachians, that of . . . . " OR "Mama is a Miner is an accurate representation of women working in the coal mines, especially . . . ." OR "There are times when the text and illustrations of a book contradict each other, presenting both a positive and a negative picture of the region . . . ."
Body Paragraphs (at least three):
- Each paragraph should support your thesis.
- Each paragraph should begin with a topic sentence (controlling idea) which limits the content of the paragraph. (Choose three points of analysis from Lesson 2, Handout 3: Modified. Be sure to incorporate Lesson 3, Handout 1 into your analysis.)
- Primary support sentences answer the questions "how?" and "why?" for each of the topic sentences (they elaborate upon the basic idea put forth in the topic sentence). Secondary sentences give details—examples to explain or clarify the primary sentence.
- The first sentence begins with the specific point of the thesis statement (sums up everything said in the paper in a precise way).
- The second and following sentences should effectively make general statements about the subject.
- OR You can summarize the main points; give your personal opinion, why you enjoyed or did not enjoy the book; explain whether or not you would recommend it, why or why not, to whom; and offer any suggestions you feel might be relevant to others.
Mountain Humor in Folktales and Other Media: Intro
Complete list of AppLit pages on Folklore
This Page Created: 11/08/2001
Last Update: 7/13/05