How the Years were named for the animals

Taken from Anne Pellowski’s The Story Vine

A long time ago the Buddha was sitting under his sacred bo tree. He Knew that his time was about to come to an end. Soon he would attain supreme and absolute wisdom and pass into Nirvana, the highest Heaven.

As he sat, he looked at the beauty of all life all around him especially the animals and the other living creatures.

“Wouldn’t it be fine,” he thought. “if all these livings things could visit me for one last farewell and pay homage to the Enlightened one?”

So he sent an invitation to the four corners of the earth, asking all the animals and creatures of the earth – one of each kind- to come to him on a certain day at a certain time, under the bo tree.

The he sat and he waited.

Biut when the day and the hour arrived, only twelve animals had shown up. For a moment an angry thought welled up in the Buddha.

“What if a flood were to come and destroy the earth and all the creatures on it?” he wondered. The Buddha remembered the flood brought down by the evil God Mara.

But the thought was hardly formed when the Buddha recalled his mission on earth.

“I am here to teach respect for life,” he said. “I do not wish to destory even the tiniest of creatures.

“Rather than calling for the punishment of the careless and indifferent animals who did not come, I must think of some way to honour the animals who did come, I must think of these twelve faithful animals that did come,” decided the Buddha.

He thought and thought then announced his plan; Henceforth, the years would be named for the twelve faithful animals who had answered his call. The years would be named in order that the animals had arrived.

And so, to this very day, in the countries of Asia where the teachings of the Buddha Spread, the people call he years by the names of those twelve animals, according to the order in which they came, to the Buddha.

First, the year of the Rat

Second, the year of the Ox

Third the Year of the Tiger

Fourth the year of the Rabbit

Fifth the year of the Dragon

Sixthe the year of the Snake

Seventh the year of the Horse

Eight the year of the Sheep

Ninth the year of the Monkey

Tenth the year of the Rooster

Eleventh, the Year of the Dog

Twelth the year of the Pig

And when the cycle is completed, it begins over again.

Lesson Plan 1 – VELS Level 1

VELS Oracy Skills for this Level

Level 1

Speaking and listening At Level 1, students use spoken language appropriately in a variety of classroom contexts. They ask and answer simple questions for information and clarification, contribute relevant ideas during class or group discussion, and follow simple instructions. They listen to and produce brief spoken texts that deal with familiar ideas and information. They sequence main events and ideas coherently in speech, and speak at an appropriate volume and pace for listeners’ needs. They self-correct by rephrasing a statement or question when meaning is not clear.

Find the figurines to match the 12 animals. (Chinese shops is a good staring place, or make your own.)

This story will be told at the beginning of each lesson and the then each lesson is planned to concentrate on the 12 successive animals.

For example.

Some Poems to Share

Two little mice sat down to spin Pussy passed buy and he popped his head in. “What are you doing my little men?” “We’re weaving coats for gentlemen” “Can I come in and bight off the thread.” “No, no pussy, you’d bight off our heads.”

Here’s something to incorporate an aboriginal theme

Adapt the action rhyme Pellowski illustrates in her book. My niece Esther was called Muk Muk by the aboriginal people of central Australia, the Jaowyn people, they say she had her big round eyes like an owl. The actions are in the book but this is how I tell it, once children have guessed that Muk Muk is an aboriginal word for Owl.

Muk Muk sat in the branch of a tree, As quiet as quiet can be. It was night and her eyes were open like this She looked all around, not a thing did she see Two mice started creeping up the trunk of the tree And they stopped below the branch To see what they could see The solemn old owl said ‘Twooit Twoooh Up jumped the mice and down they flew.

Or why not try

‘Hickory Dickory Dock, the mouse ran up the clock.’

Okay everyone arms up nice and straight so we can watch your little mice run up them. With developing listeners it is a good idea to involve them with action rhymes, get them to join in, in a focused way.

Taken from Eisabeth Matterson’s This Little Puffin

Here’s a longer story to share, Two Bad Little Mice by Beatrix Potter.

Stuart Little The Movie

Activities for Learning Centres

Lesson 2

How the Years were named for the animals: The Ox

(Ox(en) is a sub-genus of Cattle where as Bull is simply the male form of cattle.)

Level 2

Speaking and listening

At Level 2, students listen to and produce spoken texts that deal with familiar ideas and information.

They demonstrate, usually in informal situations, that they are able to speak clearly using simple

utterances and basic vocabulary. They organise spoken texts using simple features to signal beginnings and endings. They vary volume and intonation patterns to add emphasis. They contribute to group activities by making relevant comments and asking clarifying questions to facilitate communication. After listening to short live or recorded presentations, they recall some of the main ideas and information presented. They listen to others and respond appropriately to what has been said.

How the years were named for the animals

The Ox or animal like him, the Bull

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, Illustrated by Robert Lawson

Ferdinand is a little bull who much prefers sitting quietly under a cork tree and smelling the flowers to jumping around and butting heads with other bulls. As he grows big and strong, Ferdinand’s temperament remains mellow – until the day he meets with the wrong end of a bee.

The one day Ferdinand isn’t sitting quietly under the cork tree (due to a frightful sting), is the same day that five men come to choose the “biggest, fastest, roughest bull” for the bullfights in Madrid. Ferdinand’s day in the arena gives readers an education in the historical tradition of bullfighting, and a lesson in staying true to oneself.

Check out this Youtube reading of one of my favourite stories

The Story of Ferdinand http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih5B8ID3zLA

Or the animated Disney version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO7NiqGhsGo&feature=related

Some ideas for lesson activities, taken from

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/fantasy-fiction/childrens-book/52542.html

Make a Hat
Many of the people in this story wear very interesting hats. Your students will enjoy creating and/or decorating hats for themselves. Below, you’ll find links to hat templates or you can encourage your artists to design a new hat on their own.

• A Planet Hat
• Reversible Bird Hat
• Firefighter’s Hat
• Three-Cornered Hat
• Police Officer Hat
• Patriotic Hat
• Leprechaun Hat
• Nurse/EMT Hat

Learn Spanish Words
Use these flashcards to help your students learn the Spanish words for some of the vocabulary from El Cuento de Ferdinando (The Story of Ferdinand in Spanish). Encourage students to color the images on the flashcards.

Count the Animals
In The Story of Ferdinand there are many images of animals. Create a class graph (similar to the one below) with the names and tallies of the animals you find in the story.

A Flag About Me
Children create a flag that celebrates the uniquely wonderful things about themselves.

Popsicle Stick Puppets
Your class will enjoy recreating The Story of Ferdinand as a puppet show after they have drawn and mounted characters or objects from the story on popsicle sticks.

Ferdinand’s Happiness Pasture
Have students draw pictures of what makes them happy on the flower template. Then glue the flowers to a pasture picture you create on butcher paper.

Be True to Yourself Book
Children will enjoy creating a book about themselves that includes pictures of what they like to do, their friends, and family.

Map of Spain
Use this map of Europe to talk about Spain’s location, climate, neighbors, and more.

Other Languages
Your students may speak a language other than English at home or with relatives or friends. Encourage them to share some vocabulary and bring in items from home that are written in a language other than English.

Explore Spanish Culture

• Host a Spanish cooking class. A great dish to try is paella, one of Spain’s most famous dishes. Or how about gazpacho or Spanish rice? If possible, invite students’ parents and/or other classes in your school to join the fiesta!
• Introduce students to Spanish music. Flamenco music and dance are an exciting way to expose your students to Spanish culture. There are numerous websites that have Spanish songs and music for your classto enjoy.
• El Greco, Goya, Picasso, Miró, Dali – these are just a few of the many, exceptional, Spanish artists to introduce to your students. Have them try to imitate the artist’s style and create a masterpiece of their own.

Lesson 3

How the Years were named for the Animals: The Tiger

At Level 3, students vary their speaking and listening for a small range of contexts, purposes and audiences. They project their voice adequately for an audience, use appropriate spoken language features, and modify spoken texts to clarify meaning and information.

They listen attentively to spoken texts, including factual texts, and identify the topic, retell information accurately, ask clarifying questions, volunteer information and justify opinions.

http://www.savethetigerfund.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/Community/KidsandTeachers/TigerStories/default.htm

Korean Stories of the Tiger

by Laurie Baker

The Legend of Dan-gun

A long, long time ago, Hwan-In was ruling over the kingdom of Heaven. He had a son, whose name was Hwan-Ung. Hwan-Ung was a clever, compassionate, and constructive man and Hwan-In treated his son lovingly. One day, Hwan-Ung looked down into the world of mortals and became interested in them. He asked his father to let him go to the beautiful Peninsula of Korea to govern. Hwan In granted his son’s request and sent him along with Pung-Beg (the Earl of Wind), U-Sa (the Chancellor of Rain), and Un-Sa (The Chancellor of Clouds) to supervise the world of mortals, and help maintain their livelihood. The ministers were able to control rain, wind, clouds, and all natural elements so that grain could grow, life would prosper and good and evil would be judged. Hwan-Ung and his ministers ruled wisely.

At that time, a bear and a tiger lived on the earth in a cave near a sandalwood tree. They both wanted to become human. When Hawn-Ung discovered their sincere desire he wanted to grant their wish. Hawn-Ung called them and told them, “If you endure 100 days in a dark cave eating only garlic and mugwort, you will become a human.”

The bear and the tiger took the mugwort and the garlic into the cave and began their ordeal. They prayed that their wish might be granted. But the tiger was extremely restless and dissatisfied, as it could not control its energy. The tiger said, “I can’t endure these days of sitting quietly in the cave.” And the tiger ran away. But the bear held fast to the end, and after 21 days her wish was granted and she became a beautiful woman.

The bear-woman was overjoyed and visited the sandalwood tree, where she prayed that she might have a child. Hwan-Ung married the beautiful bear-woman and made her Queen. Soon she gave birth to a prince, which they named Dan-gun, or the Sandalwood King. When Dan-gun grew up, he reigned as the first human king of the peninsula. He established a new capital at Pyongyang (now in North Korea) and named the kingdom Zoson (Choson—Land of the Morning Calm). This all happened 4,283 years ago.¹

Even today, there is a monument in the Taebaek Mountains near the 48^th parallel of the Korean Peninsula where Dan-Gun was believed to be born. All Koreans know that the tiger still roams the mountains. While bears are known to have the patience and fortitude to sleep in caves for long periods of time, the dramatic, active tiger is not. Though the poor tiger was not turned into a human, its plight has vibrated in the Korean people’s hearts and even today their affection for the tiger is special. The Korean tiger is depicted as frightening, yet familiar; brave and almost sacred, but at the same time rather slow-witted. He sometimes repays debts, and scolds the hypocrisy of human society; but other times he is the thief and hypocrite himself, as in the following story:

The Tiger and Dried Persimmons

A long, long time ago, a tiger who was proud of himself lived in a mountain valley. The tiger thought he was most powerful and wise, so he was very arrogant.

One day the tiger came down to a village for food. The tiger walked into the garden of a small house where it heard a child crying. The grandmother scolded the child, “Stop crying this very minute! The tiger is here!” But the child took no notice and went on crying. The tiger, surprised, said to himself, “This child must be very brave. He is not the least bit afraid of me. He must be a hero.” So went the thinking of the arrogant tiger.

Then the grandmother said, “Here is a dried persimmon. Stop crying!” And the child stopped crying immediately. This time the tiger was frightened and said to himself, “The persimmon must be a terrible creature.” And he crept away quietly, giving up his plan of attacking the child.

The tiger went to an outer house to get an ox to eat instead. There was a thief in the outer house also trying to steal the ox. The thief thought the tiger was the ox so he jumped on the tiger’s back. The tiger jumped up, terrified, and ran off as fast as it could go. “This must be the terrible persimmon attacking me!” it thought. The thief still rode the tiger and whipped it so that he could get away before the villagers saw him stealing the ox.

When it grew light the thief saw that he was riding on a tiger and jumped off and ran away. But the tiger kept running to the mountains without looking back at the dreaded persimmon!²

There are dozens of folk tales about the tiger. One collection divides the stories into chapters which reflect people’s attitudes about the tiger: The Personality of the Korean Tiger, Patron of Filial Piety, Tiger’s Gratitude, Tiger the Matchmaker, Tiger with Famous Historical Personages, Tigers as Divinities, Greedy and Stupid Tiger, Tips for Catching Tigers, and even Tiger Dung which features two scatological stories.³

The Mountain Spirit

In ancient times (and probably even now) the tiger was the messenger of the mountain spirit, San Shin. In paintings at Buddhist temples San Shin has a shrine behind the main buildings, up on the mountainside. The tiger always lies quietly at the side of the old mountain god, waiting to do his bidding, as in the following story:

named Ok-bun. Her beauty was often compared to the rising moon. Pak, a commoner, lived in the same village, and had a son whose named was P’al-bong. It was said that he was as bright as the rising sun.

These two young people were of different class, but they were very close, and they had been playing together since they were children. They often went hiking together in the mountains, Ok-Bun with her herb basket, and P’al-bong with his jige, or A-frame pack.

As they got older, Ok-bun’s father could see the inevitable…they were getting serious about each other, and he did not want his daughter to get any mischievous ideas about marrying some commoner. He was determined to marry his daughter to Tol-swae, who was also a nobleman. He told his daughter to stop meeting P’al-bong, scolding that was not proper for a young noblewoman to wander around with a common no-account like P’al-bong.

Ok-bun was not rebellious and did not have the heart to disobey her father, but at the same time she despaired over her impending marriage and separation from P’al-bong. She lost her appetite, and in time, started wasting away. Her father was not worried, though, since he knew she would forget P’al-bong when she married and settled down. He wanted to get her married quickly, however, before she got sick. So he arranged for the engagement and set an early wedding date.

P’al-bong felt awful. Whenever he thought of losing Ok-bun, just because of the class system, he gnashed his teeth and his eyes became fiery balls of pure fury. But neither P’al-bong nor his father had the power to do anything to prevent Ok-bun’s marriage.

The wedding day came. After a splendid feast the bridegroom entered the bridal chamber, where Ok-bun was waiting for him. And then.….What?!?!? A tiger in the bedroom!!!

There was such a commotion that everyone in the house was soon scrambling and running in all directions. In the turmoil the tiger escaped with the new bride.

Grief stricken, P’al-bong and his father had not attended the wedding. They were at home, fast asleep. But then they were wakened by a loud thump in the next room. When they went to see what was going on, they discovered none other than Ok-bun lying there unconscious on the floor.

In the meantime, Tol-swae had gotten a search party together to look for Ok-bun. He thought she had surely been killed by the tiger. They all went looking for the tiger and the poor bride. P’al-bong’s father, who was a righteous man, felt obliged to report what had happened and he went immediately to Ok-bun’s father and explained everything that he could. On hearing this everyone nodded and said that it was the mountain spirit, San Shin, at his matchmaking again, and that no human should interfere. What else could Ok-bun’s father do but go along with this? Even the bridegroom saw that their marriage was not to be.

So a marriage between the two childhood sweethearts was arranged and they lived happily every after.⁴

In this story, the sometimes fierce tiger plays the romantic go-between, restoring order to the village and happiness per the instructions of the mountain spirit.

In other folk paintings, the tiger is accompanied by a magpie. One interpretation states that the magpie is the village spirit that announces good omens, and the tiger is the servant that does his bidding; another that the tiger is a yangban (aristocrat) and the magpie is the representative of the common people, scolding him for his insensitivity to their plight. According to another folk tale a woodcutter saves a tiger from a trap but the ungrateful tiger tries to eat his benefactor. The magpie intervenes and saves the woodcutter, and in the paintings he is berating the tiger for his meanness to the woodcutter. In the pictures the magpie sits above the tiger and the tiger seems gaze at it with an indifferent, comical or almost crazed expression.

References

1. The Dan-gun Legend has been told often with slight variations. I have used two written sources for this article: Folk Tales from Korea, 3^rd edition, by Zong In-Sob, 1982, Hollym International Corp: New Jersey and Tiger, Burning Bright: More Myths than Truths about Korean Tigers, by Kathleen J. Crane Foundation, 1992, Hollym International Corp: New Jersey
2. Folk Tales from Korea, 3^rd edition, by Zong In-Sob, 1982, Hollym International Corp: New Jersey.
3. Tiger, Burning Bright, Kathleen J. Crane Foundation, 1992, Hollym International Corp: New Jersey
4. ibid.

Here are some Activities about tigers from the Save the Tiger Website

The link to it is

http://www.savethetigerfund.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/Community/KidsandTeachers/Teacherresources/default.htm

Teachers should try these fun activities with their kids

Watch this great“Jungle Warriors” video from ACAP. It’s You tube Link is

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzV-MVBr6eM

Download the New Amur Tiger Book For Children from the Wildlife Alliance website – a downloadable adventure book originally written for kids in Russia, is now available in English.

Tiger Coloring Sheet -  a great tiger coloring sheet that comes with a fun tiger factsheet that can be printed out for the whole class.

Geoguide/Tigers—Classroom Ideas (Kindergarten-Fourth Grade)
From National Geographic: In this lesson, students will learn some of the threats to tigers in the wild and some of the challenges of keeping them in wildlife preserves and zoos. They will then sketch and explain their designs for sensible tiger enclosures in zoos

Kids For Tigers (elementary grades)
a page from India with some lesson plans, interactive games, tiger news, and information on why tigers are endangered and what kids can do

Geoguide Lesson Plan: Tigers (Grades 5–9, but adaptable to lower and higher grades)
Another guide from National Geographic, in Adobe Acrobat format. Includes use of another National Geographic interactive Internet feature at Geoguide Tigers

India’s Endangered Tigers
From WNET Public Television a lesson plan for older students that uses the Internet, videos of Nature, a vocabulary list, a globe—4 to 5 class periods

Wild Wildlife: Exploring the Moral, Economic and Ecological Impacts of Animal Extinction (Grades: 6-8, 9-12)
From the New York Times Learning Network, Subjects: Geography, Language Arts, Science
Overview of Lesson Plan: In this lesson, students investigate the moral, economic and ecological impacts of the extinction of various animal species

Cats! Wild to Mild – Teacher Curriculum (you must scroll down the index on the left, then click on Teachers’ Curriculum) This guide of background information and instructional lessons is written for students in grades 3-8 who are interested in exploring the world of cats. It is designed to help them investigate wild and domestic cat biology, behavior and environment. The curriculum was designed by the Natural History Museum’s Education Division as a companion guide for the traveling Cats! Wild to Mild Exhibit and to supplement the Cats! website.

Do you know of other great tiger resources? Tell us about them.