Literacy Passport - Folklore and Fairytales

Across North America, Indigenous communities have shared stories for generations that teach lessons, explain natural phenomena, and entertain listeners. Many of these stories feature tricksters—clever characters who use wit, curiosity, and creativity to solve problems (and sometimes create them!). This week we'll explore the role of tricksters in storytelling and discover how stories are passed from one generation to the next.

Related Reading: Coyote Stories from Indigenous Storytelling Traditions

Coyote appears in the stories of many Indigenous nations throughout North America. Sometimes he's clever, sometimes he's foolish, and often he's both at the same time. Through selected age-appropriate retellings, readers will explore how trickster stories use humor and imagination to teach lessons about choices, consequences, and community.

Create a Trickster Tale

Readers invent an original trickster character and create a mini illustrated story page showing how their clever hero solves a problem through creativity and wit.