AESOP'S FABLES

Aesop's Fables

Why are Aesop’s Fables called Aesop’s Fables? Why Aesop? I wondered about the word ‘ Aesop’ and googled it. Oh, so Aesop is a person. So they are his fables then. Could Aesop be Usop?

Aesop Fables is a collection of tales from the Greek story teller, Aesop. So, Aesop has nothing to do with Usop. Aesop was a slave in ancient Greece. He was a keen observer of both animals and people. Most of the characters in his stories are animals personified in ways of speech and emotions. His stories focus on human traits and wisdom with one or more moral values to be learned.

Other than to be grateful to those who have helped us, the other moral value in “Androcles” is kindness. To instill kindness in students, I would like to start a “Good Deeds Jar” after the story. Students are to write the good things they have done or write about someone who has done a kind thing and drop the notes in the jar. After a duration (eg. Maybe weekly), I’ll get each of the notes opened and the student who has written the note will have to explain it. Imagine the joy and the bond they share among them as their kind acts being revealed or get ‘caught’ doing kind things!

Actually there are many online sources (with lesson plan & interesting activities) available to use these fables in teaching which we can adapt or modify based on the students’ levels and abilities. Try these links.

http://www.webenglishteacher.com/aesop.html

http://www.thatresourcesite.com/printables_for_homeschoolers_colouring_aesop.htm

http://www.businessballs.com/aesopsfables.htm

http://www.aesopfables.com/lessons.html