Grade 7 Additional Language – Exploring South African Folklore Through Storytelling

Lesson Plan Title: Grade 7 Additional Language – Exploring South African Folklore Through Storytelling


1. Materials Needed

  • Copies of selected South African folklore stories (printouts or digital access)
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Chart paper and markers for group work
  • Audio-visual equipment for storytelling (if available)
  • Projector (optional for displaying visuals)
  • Notebooks and pens for students
  • Art supplies for creative expression (colored pencils, scissors, glue)

2. Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
1. Understand and appreciate various South African folklore tales.
2. Identify key elements of storytelling, such as character, setting, and moral.
3. Retell a South African folklore story in their own words.
4. Create a visual representation related to their chosen folklore story.


3. Vocabulary

  • Folklore
  • Culture
  • Moral
  • Character
  • Setting
  • Narrative
  • Tradition
  • Oral tradition
  • Parable

4. Previous Learning

Students have previously learned about various text types, narrative structures, and the significance of cultural stories within their communities. They should be familiar with basic storytelling vocabulary and concepts.


5. Anticipated Challenges and Solutions

  • Challenge: Some students may struggle with reading comprehension.
    • Solution: Use guided reading strategies and pre-teach challenging vocabulary to ensure understanding.
  • Challenge: Varied levels of storytelling ability among students.
    • Solution: Encourage group storytelling, allowing more confident storytellers to assist and support their peers.
  • Challenge: Lack of interest or cultural connection to the folklore.
    • Solution: Introduce stories from a range of South African cultures to engage all students and highlight the diversity within folklore.

6. Beginning Activities (10% of time)

  • Hook Activity (10 mins): Initiate with an engaging oral storytelling session where the teacher narrates a well-known South African folktale, employing voice modulation and gestures to enhance the storytelling experience. Pose reflective questions to students about how the story made them feel and whether they have heard similar stories from their families, fostering a personal connection to the content.

7. Middle Activities (80% of time)

  • Introduction to Folklore (10 mins): Briefly discuss what folklore entails and highlight key elements such as morals, characters, and settings. Encourage students to share any folk tales they are familiar with, creating a space for cultural exchange and participation.

  • Group Work (30 mins): Break students into small groups, assigning each group a different South African folklore story. Students will read and analyze their story, focusing on identifying the story’s moral, characters, and setting. Each group will prepare a brief summary to share with the class.

  • Creative Task (20 mins): Each group will create a visual representation of their folklore story (e.g., a poster, storyboard, or digital presentation). Encourage them to illustrate key scenes, characters, and morals of the story to deepen their understanding of narrative elements.

  • Class Presentations (20 mins): Groups will present their stories and visuals to the class. Facilitate a session for peer questions and discussions after each presentation to foster deeper understanding and engagement.


8. End Activities (10% of time)

  • Reflection (10 mins): Prompt students to write a short paragraph in their notebooks reflecting on what they learned from the folklore stories and how they relate to their own lives.

  • Allow students to share some reflections with the class, encouraging connections between their insights and personal experiences.


9. Assessment and Checks for Understanding

  • Monitor group discussions and participation during activities to assess engagement.
  • Collect and review group presentations and visual creations to evaluate comprehension of story elements and creativity.
  • Assess the written reflections at the end of the lesson for understanding and personal connection to the material.

10. Differentiation Strategies

  • For advanced learners: Encourage them to seek out additional folklore stories to compare and contrast with the story they analyzed.
  • For struggling learners: Provide a graphic organizer to help outline the story (characters, setting, moral) before group discussions to support comprehension.
  • Allow for varied modes of expression (e.g., oral presentation, artistic creation) to accommodate different learning styles and preferences.

11. Teaching Tips

  • Be prepared to adapt the lesson based on students’ responses and interests, remaining flexible in your approach.
  • Use real-life connections by encouraging students to share personal stories from their own cultures, considering incorporating those stories into future lessons for inclusivity.
  • Foster a supportive environment by ensuring all students feel welcomed and valued during discussions and presentations.

This lesson plan adheres to the South African CAPS curriculum, emphasizing cultural literacy, respect for diversity, and the compelling role of storytelling in preserving culture and heritage. The lesson encourages active participation, critical thinking, and creative expression, aligning with educational best practices.