A Story to share with your students "The Boy who ate stars"

The Boy Who Ate stars

The boy had always wanted to eat stars. At night he would look up at the little areas of the sky, and wish so hard that he may reach out beyond the trees to pluck the twinkling stars, and put them into his mouth.

He lived in a small village deep in the forest. There was nothing much to do at night, except look up at the stars peering through the many leaves and branches and wish that he may reach out beyond the tall trees to pluck the little stars from the sky. He wished so hard and so long, for so many nights, that he finally made it happened.

one day a stranger came to the village. He brought sharp things which could cut trees faster than anything the boy had seen. He promised the people on the village that they would get what they wanted, make all their wishes come true, if they allwed him to cut the trees around them as fast as he could.

At the end of the day many trees had fallen on the ground. There seemed to be so much more of the sky. When evening came there were also many more stars to be seen, and the boy looked up and more strongly that he wanted to taste them in his mouth.

The stranger sensed his wish and approached him. “All you have to do,” said the stranger, “is say your wish out loud for me to hear and I will grant it.”

The looked up at the stranger with pleading eyes, and said, “I want to eat some stars.”

The stranger smiled and nodded. He looked up the sky. Which ones?” he asked the boy.

“That one,” the boy pointed out with a rigid finger.” And that one, and that one, and all those over there.” he swept his arm in an arc across the night sky.

“Go ahead and reach out for them,” said the stranger. ”You may eat as much as you wish.”

The boy believed him in an instant. He reach out towards the stars and caught them in his hand. His wish had come true. He brought the stars to his mouth and ate them in one gulp. He found their taste to his liking.

The next day the stranger cut down more of the trees in the forest. That night more stars shone in the sky.

The boy went up to the stranger and ask if he could eat more stars. The stranger smile and nodded and told him that every night, just as much as he wished, he could reach out for the stars of his choice and put them in his mouth.

The boy flung his arm up into the sky and caught more stars, and ate them as had been his wish.

Each day the stranger cut down more trees. Each night more stars would shine in new parts of the sky, and the boy had his fill reaching out and tasting the stars of his choice.

The people on the village were all happy that the stranger seemed to grant their every wish. They allowed him to cut down as many trees as he wanted, until the view of the sky became larger and larger.

Soon there were no more trees to cut of what had been their forests. And the man said goodbye and went away.

That night the boy ate all the rest of the stars in the whole sky.

In the days and nights to come, the people in the village show how the wishes that had been granted them soon came to a stop.

Even the boy was hungering for more stars to eat, but the entire sky grew dark and not a single star could be seen.

The villagers became restless and more were rendered sick. They began to fight among themselves, over many small reasons. In the day they lamented the loss of their trees, and at night they were saddened by the loss of all the stars.

One day another stranger came. He brought a single tree and told the villagers that they could have it, since they appeared to have lost their forest. They allowed him to plant a tree, and promised to make it grow, to bear more trees, until they had their forest to live in again.

The second stranger also told them that they should stop fighting among themselves. He said that they would remember, he would place a star atop the tree. Each time they looked at the star, they would think of peace, and that would put a stop to all their fighting.

The boy saw the star placed atop the tree. He wished so hard that he could reach out to take the star. He wanted so much to eat it.

The second stranger approached the boy and told him that it was the star of peace. He explained that it was not meant to be eaten, just all other stars now missing from the sky had not been meant to be eaten. He said that they were there to remind people at night, when fears and wishes fought inside them, that peace rained in the sky and should also reign in their lives.

“The stars are like the trees,” said the second stranger to the boy. “Each one reminds us that we should still the greed in our hearts. Each tree, each star, teaches us the ways of peace.”

The boy looked at the star atop of the tree. Tears came to his eyes. He felt so sorry that he had eaten up all the stars in the sky. He began to choke, and felt a fervent wish to gi9ve back the stars so that the tree and the sky would again light up their lives.

The second stranger told the boy to stop crying. “Wish upon a star of peace, and you will get your wish for all the time.”

The boy wished as hard as he could upon the star of peace atop the tree, and soon his mouth tasted the salt of all his tears in the past. He saw the faces around him, all wishing for more trees and more star so they could regain their happy lives in peace.

Stars tumbled out the boy’s mouth. All the stars he ever ate twinkled back to life. Some flew to the single tree and attached themselves to its many branches. He tree glittered in splendour, and the villagers all fell to their knees and marvelled.

The stars kept coming out of the boy’s mouth they soared in all directions up to the night sky, and took their places until everything again seemed familiar.

The boy was beside himself with joy at the sight of so many stars. He hadn’t realized how much he had wished to satisfy his hunger. But now that they were all back in the sky, he was grateful that the second stranger had given them all a second chance to regain their happy lives.

In days and nights to come, the single tree grew and bore fruit amid its many glittering stars. The stars flew out of the tree to scatter the fruits all around, before they too took their rightful places in the sky.

The fruits grew into trees and more trees, until the villagers regained the happy forest of their lives. At night they saw less of the many stars in the sky, but they had their trees and they knew the stars would remain where they were meant to be.

The boy grew up to be a man, only too happy to see but a few stars. The sight of one was enough to remind him to still the hunger in his heart. And as a man he remembered, that peace came only to boys and girls, and men and women, of good wishes.

A Story to share with your students

The Runaway Princesses

(Mindanao)

Long long in the mist of the time, there lived a datu or a king who had three beautiful daughters, when the youngest of the daughters reached the age of seven years, their mother the queen passed away. The Datu and his daughters were heart brokens at the death of the queen. The datu soon became a very lonely and depressed Man who longed to find a new mother for his three daughters whom he loved dearly. Eventually, the datu found a new wife whom he thought would a good mother to his daughters and leave him time to run his kingdom, which he neglected of late. Unfortunately, the new queen turned out to be a scheaming, mean and evil woman whos only reason for marrying the datu, was to gain control of his kingdom. While the datu was busy running his empire, his new queen made the lives of his three daughters pure mystery. She withdrew all their royal privrledges and they were force to become nothing more than her maids- in- waiting.she made them scrub the floors of the palace, cook her food and washed her c;lothes. If any of the daughters disobeyed the queen, she would beat them and lock them in the dungeon for hours on and without food and without water. The three princesses were very, very unhappy with their new  step mother but said nothing to their father, the kin g in case he did not believe them, or in case they hurt his feelings. When the harsh treatmrnt and abused by the wicked queen became too much for the three princesses to take anymore, they decided to run away from the palce. So, one night, without telling anyone even their father the three daughters silently escaped from the palace under the light of  the full moon they boarded a large kumpit, or sailboat and sailed away from the palace across a peaceful and calm sea. But back at the palace, the queen used the magic powers of her third eye and in her mind, was able to see the three girls escaping across the sea in their boat. This was the perfect time to put her evil plans into action and seize control of the kingdom. First she would use her magic powers to kill the three daughters and then she would kill the father, the king. Then the kingdom would belong to her. Using the concentration of her evil mind and the powers of a magic and, the evil queen summoned up the dark forces of nature over the calm sea. Dark clouds appear out of nowhere and obscured the bright moon. The three princesses become frightened and clung to one another for comfort. A mighty storm raged around the sailboat. Huge waves swelled out of the sea, tossing the helpless wooden boat to and fro. A mighty crash of thunder filled the dark night sky and lightning fleshed from the angry clouds. A strong wind gusted across the undulating sea, venting its anger boats and its three terrified occupants. Then a mighty, fiery thunderbolt roared down from the heavens, hitting the boat which exploded into three pieces. The three helpless princesses were tossed into the raging sea and disappeared beneath the violent waves. When the king returned to the palace that night and saw that his new queen was using her evil power to destroy his three daughters, he became angry. The king snatched an ax from one of the palace guards and with one powerful blow, cut off the queen’s head. The queen fell dead on the floor and her evil powers were no more. The had no idea whether he would ever see his daughters alive again and fell to his knees and with head in his hands. Meanwhile, in the night sea, the storm subsided and the waters once more became calm and peaceful. The three princesses had each manage to cling to one piece of the boat wreckage and were still alive. But they were drifting far, far apart from each other. the eldest princess drifted toward the north, the youngest princess was drifting toward the south, meanwhile the third princess remained in the same place where the the boat was wrecked. All three princesses were exhausted fro their terrifying ordeal and they all closed their eyes as they clung to the drifting pieces of their wrecked boat. When the sun rose in the sky the next morning, the fishermen who had set out to see the daybreak, were amazed to see that three new islands had risen out of the sea during the the night. The island that appeared in the north, they named “Luzon”. The island that had appeared in the south, they named “Mindanao”. And the island that had appeared in the middle they called “Visayas”. Now the king was never really sure of course, but he believed that the three new, beautiful islands that grew from the sea during the night, were created for his three beautiful daughters to live. That made him very, very happy.

Teaching Instructions

Left Side of the Notebook Paraphrase or clarify items Enter a drawing, photo, sketch, or magazine picture that illustrates the concept, ideas, or facts Pose questions about the information Form and express an opinion Predict outcomes or next steps Create a metaphor that captures the essence of the information/issue Formulate and record a contradictory perspective Write a reflection on the information or experience Find a quote that connects to the concept; record it and explain your rationale Make connections between the information/text and your own life, another text, and/or the world Create a mind map that captures the main topic and key concepts and supportive detail Create an acronym that will help you to remember the information covered Make connections to the content/processes of other courses

Right Side of the Notebook Notes on a: mini-lesson lecture lab reading film/video/documentary small group or large group discussion collaborative group process a copied excerpt of a text

Interactive activies

Reading Strategies Scaffolding Students' Interactions with Texts

Interactive Notebook

Reading Outcomes Video Resource Link to Other Reading Strategies Tools for Reading, Writing, & Thinking ELA Home Page Search the ELA Web Pages:		Use this Strategy: Before Reading During Reading After Reading		Targeted Reading Skills: · Condense or summarize ideas from one or more texts · Distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information · Compare/contrast information from one or more texts · Make text-to-text, text-to-self, and/or text-to-world connections
		What is it? The interactive notebook began as a strategy in Addison Wesley’s program, History Alive!  Since then, many teachers and students have expanded and added to the repertoire of ideas and ways to use this strategy.  Generally, the way it works is that each student has a spiral notebook that he/she uses for recording information for the class; each pair of pages is designated for different purposes.  The right side of the notebook is used to record notes on a mini-lesson, lecture, reading, class discussion, etc.  The left side of the notebook is used solely for the purpose of the student’s individual interaction with the information on the right page.   This interaction is not directed by the teacher in any way other than a list of possible options for the various methods from which a student may want to choose.  Below is a partial list of some of those options, but I’m sure you and your students will add to this list when you use this strategy. Left Side of the Notebook Paraphrase or clarify items Enter a drawing, photo, sketch, or magazine picture that illustrates the concept, ideas, or facts Pose questions about the information Form and express an opinion Predict outcomes or next steps Create a metaphor that captures the essence of the information/issue Formulate and record a contradictory perspective Write a reflection on the information or experience Find a quote that connects to the concept; record it and explain your rationale Make connections between the information/text and your own life, another text, and/or the world Create a mind map that captures the main topic and key concepts and supportive detail Create an acronym that will help you to remember the information covered Make connections to the content/processes of other courses Right Side of the Notebook Notes on a: mini-lesson lecture lab reading film/video/documentary small group or large group discussion collaborative group process a copied excerpt of a text    . How could I use, adapt or differentiate it? ·         If you have used interactive notebooks before, you probably already have several options to add to the lists; if you haven’t used them before, I’m sure you and your students will be adding to the lists almost immediately. ·         These interactions can be done at the end of class as a closure activity or as a great way to engage kids in a homework assignment that is individualized and practical. ·         As students become more comfortable with this type of processing, it may be a useful tool to help each of them examine and reflect on their metacognitive skills in relation to processing information.  This reflection may even become a part of their final reflection for portfolio assessment.

What are the types of learners and how can you adjust to the different types?

What are the types of learners and how can you adjust to the different types?

In a classroom, there are different types of students. It is important that a teacher is ready to face consequences different cultures that students bring inside the classrooms. However, students are mostly categorized in two different types these re the passive and the other is the active students. Passive students are the ones who most of the time is silent; they prefer to stay in one corner of the room. They are believe to follow the teacher and obey the rules inside the classroom because they are behave and do not want to mingle. Somehow they are also believed to be absent-minded and irritable. The other type is what we call the active students, active students are believed to be intelligent students but usually they are the students who misbehave in the class and pick up a war with other classmates. When the teacher is out they are most of the move from one place to the other, especially if the teacher was not able to attend to the needs of the students.

There are different types of students that’s why there are also different strategies especially designed to meet their needs. As a practice teacher, I must be armoured with the following strategies. I must know how to deal with the different types of students and their behaviours. I must look after what culture they belong so I may know what to do, how I deal with my students is very much important.

As a teacher I must prepare the lesson carefully, and prepare effective strategies so I may deliver it successfully. The things I teach to my students should first come out from me; I should a role model to my students. In this way may earn respect and thrust so that next time they will follow and abide by with the rules I give. As I teacher it is also important that I read one-hundred pages ahead to my students, I should know more so I may explain things to them whenever they questions about the lesson and clarifications about other things. It is also important that I understand how they feel, I must be able to reflect on what I do and what they do.

As a teacher, I should deal with my students with respect. I should treat them all as intelligent and fully functional humans. In a way I should see my students as a blank sheet of paper who comes in the school that has to go back home with a new writings in them. As a teacher, I am entitled to give my students only the best of what I have. I am to teach them the right, the proper and the things they need to know.

As a teacher, I am responsible in moulding my students to become a qualified human being who is capable of living. My students should be able to face life and its consequences. I must prepare them for the future, As a teacher I should explain the lesson eligibly. I must involve myself in the lesson so I may help my students learn the subject matter and of course my students would understand the lesson better. As a teacher I must be an enabler I should share control over my students or I may hand it to them.

As a teacher I must be capable of deciding for my students and the whole class. My actions should determine my personality as a teacher. The way I manage my students and the classroom would be definitely be affected by my attitude, intentions, beliefs and values. I should control over all these things instead I should utilized it for the benefits of my students. As a teacher I know I am an important element inside classroom, I believe that I have an important role in the lives of my students. I know that I have a control over what atmosphere should prevail inside the classroom, a ridiculous thing that as a teacher I possess a tremendous power on the lives of my students. I can make students’ life happy or miserable, I am a also a tool for torture or an instrument of inspirations. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal. 

Interactive Story Telling for students

Interactive Story

This is the story of the Duck (quack!) the Bee (bzzzz), the water (shhh) and coke (ahh)

One day the two friends duck and bee went to the park. They brought with them some food, a pitcher of water and a bottle of coke, as they went along they passed by a small sari-sari store and they bought another bottle of coke. The duck said to the bee, why are you fond of drinking coke instead water? Don’t you know that it is not good for your health. The bee answered telling: I love coke and I hate water, coke is sweeter than water and water is tasteless (huh) coke is like the honey I used to eat. Oh, so sweet I want some more. Coke can even give you illnesses the duck said, I don’t care said the bee, well it’s your choice said the duck. As they reached the park the duck whisper to the bee…Do you hear that? What? A rustling water, oh water, water said the duck as she run fast. Do you see that? What said the bee. It’s a river let’s go and see said the duck. I’ll go with you provided that you’ll give me your coke as my payment because I’ll be utilizing much of my energy flying. Huh! Said the duck, ok my coke is all yours I don’t drink coke said the duck. Oh, a very nice place the duck said the river is so peaceful and clean. There are flowers and many trees and see several fishes inside the water said the duck. I don’t want you to swim said the bee but why said the duck, you might find new friends inside the water and you’ll forget me…. NO NO NO my friend of course not! Assured the duck. While the duck is swimming she heard the bee burst out with pain as she fell down the water the duck quickly swam and saved the bee. What happened? The duck asked my stomach is swelling said the bee, but why maybe because of the coke. Didn’t you eat a meal before you drink the coke? No I did not said the bee. I hate that coke, from now on I wont drink coke again that coke, that coke that made me swell, I hate that coke. So you’ll now drink water ask the duck, yes replied the bee. From then on the duck and the bee love water but hate coke.

Interactive Teaching "Why The Moon Shines at night?"

Why The Moon Shines at night

(Mindanao)

In the beginning, ta the dawn of time, God created the world’s first man and the world’s first woman. He man was called Andraw, whose name means “the sun” and the man was Bulan, whose name means “the moon”. Andrew’s body was covered with blazing, hot fire, to symbolize his superior power and his bravery. The bright and powerful flames from Andrew’s body, could be seen for miles and miles. Bulan’s body was cool and gave off a mild, bluish glow, to symbolize her gentleness and her calm temperament.

For many years, Andaw and Bulan were very happy together, but being the only two for them. And so they decided to have a child. After a few months, Bulan gave birth a beautiful baby boy. The baby boy was neither hot like his father, nor cool like his mother, but somewhere in between. Andaw and Bulan were both very happy, BUT Bulan forbade her husband Andaw from touching her child for fear that his touch would burn their new son. Andaw was very sad that he could not hod and cuddle his child, but was content to love him from a safe distance.

One day, Bulan was busy ain the fields collecting vegetables for dinner. Her sleeping baby son was alone in the house, far away from the fields. The baby the woke up, hungry and thirsty and began crying for his mother. But Bulan was so far away in the fields that she could not hear the desperate cries of her baby son. The frustrated Andaw could see that the baby was so agitated that it was about to fall from its cot and injure itself. Andaw shouted to his wife, but the busy Bulan did not hear his cries for help. Himself and grabbed the baby before it hit the floor. But the hot flames on Andaw’s hand, burned the baby and it died instantly.

When bulan returned from the fields and saw that andaw had killed their baby son, she went wild and began arguing with her husband for being so careless. She could never forgive Andaw for what he had done. The only solution was for them to separate forever. So that their did not die in vain, Bulan cut her baby into many pieces and threw them high in the sky. These pieces of the baby became the planets, including the planet earth.

Before Bulan  left him, Andaw wanted to embrace her child and tell her how sorry he was for the death of their son and that he never meant any harm to come to their child. He would do anything to gain Bulan’s forgiveness and to their son back to life. But  Bulan would not forgive Andaw and told him that they must stay apart for all eternity and must not even meet one Another ever again. “from now on,”said Bulan, “I will sleep during the day and come out only at night.” You, Andaw must sleep through the night and come out during the day. That wauy, we will still see one another again. “ those were Bulan’s last words to Andaw and she left him. Andaw was sad to see his wife go but knew that her suggestion was right one.

And so, everyday since that time, Bulan has come out everynight and her husband Andaw has come out  during the day. And they have never seen one another to this very day.

A atory to share with your students

The Tambuli

Alvaro L. Martinez

Nanoy sat one of the big boulders on the hillside overlooking extensive rice fields below. To hi ears came the sound of tambuli, long and mellow. Three times it sounded and he knew that it was Kuyang Endong who was blowing the horn, calling back the carabao and cattle from beyond the creek.

How he longed to have a horn which he could call his own – one which he could carry along with him and show to his friends and playmates! He had long dreamed of having one which he could blow as much as he wished. But his father had time again said that was too young to own a tambuli. To hill people, the tambuli was a precious piece of property. They used it for gathering their domestic animals together, and, on stormy nights, in locating a lost or belated member of the family.

He recalled the day when he received a severe scolding and spanking from his father on account of tambuli. He had sneaked into his father’s bedroom and, placing a chair near the wall and standing tiptoe on it, he reached for the tambuli which was hanging from a bamboo peg. He had carefully taken it down, and out of the house, and once in the field, began blowing it with all his might. The sound which he produced scared the carabaos and caused them to run away instead of gathering together. His father, coming home from the cockfight, caught him unaware, and putting him over his knee, beat him till he shouted for mercy. He was given a long sermon and made to promise not to touch the tambuli again.

But Nanoy was not daunted by this. So strong was the fascination of the tambuli over him that the spankings and the warning did not deter him from learning how to blow it properly. He continued to his father’s room and get the tambuli from its hanging place. He would sit for hours softly blowing it. Patience brought him his reward, foe he soon found himself capable of producing the desired sounds. But this made him long all the more for tambuli which he could claim as his own.

The shrill voice of his mother stirred him from his silent reverie and sent him scampering down the narrow path. He found his mother standing at the head of the stairs, shading her eyes with her hand.

“Where have you been, Nanoy?” She greeted him. “I have been calling for you a long time.”

“I was just down there, Inay,” Nanoy replied with downcast eyes.

“Run down to Dikong Juan’s house.” You are wanted there. They have killed a cow and Dikong Juan wants you to help in skinning it,” came his mother’s command.

Nanoy’s face lighted up with a smile. There was a twinkle in his eyes. a cow. A sudden thought entered his mind, which made him happy. Away he went, his legs carrying him at top speed, while his heart beat in wild expectations. He found the house in great excitement. Everyone was busy. In the yard lay the cow with its throat cut.

“Get the sharp kampilan from the batalan,” commanded his Dikong. With what ease and willingness Nanoy did all the work, for his father was a believer in the need of preparing children for the struggle for existence in early life. How skilfully helped remove the hide! How adept he was I cutting! His hands were guided by the great purpose brewing in his mind.

At last the work was ended. The beef had been distributed among the different members of the family. The things which had been used were cleansed, and the space where they had worked was cleared of refuse. Nanoy blushed and fumbled with his clothes. But his eyes were set on the pairs of horns which hung dangling from the beam of the shed in front of the house. His Dikong divined his thoughts and patted him on the back, smiling.

“So you want one of those horns, eh?” his Dikong said, looking at him in the face.

Nanoy nodded.

“Go and get it then,” Dikong Juan said.

Nanoy  did nt wait for a second command. He was off, and in a moment was standing on the bamboo bench beneath the shed where the horns hung. He looked them over and after much hesitation made his choice. Jubilant he ran home after thanking his Dikong, and went to fetch his sharp knife and his father’s chisel. He knew where the chisel was hidden, and did not meet with any difficulty in obtaining it.

“Where did you get this tambuli?” asked his mother. “How many times must ypu be told not to play with this?”

“I made it, Inay,” answered nanoy timidly.

“Go upstairs and stay there. You will ear from your father when he comes home,” she said.

“But Inay, I did not….” protested Nanoy.

“Shut up and do as I tell you,” interrupted his mother.

Nanoy was very sad after that. His sorrow heightened when he saw his precious tambuli handed to tandang sora as present. How he wanted to burst out in protest; but caution got the better of him, and he kept quiet. He became secretive and often wore a guilty look.

“I wonder what the child is up to now,” his mother once remarked.

But no amount of spying or scolding could make Nanoy come out into the open. He became still more mysterious in his actions.

One night a sudden storm descended over the hills. The farmers, including Nanoy’s father, were all out in the fields, belated by a season’s heavy work. It became so dark that it was impossible for them to find their way home without a light or sound of a tambuli to guide them.

The women’s lamp were blown out as fast as they were out infront of the windows.

“ A tambuli…..A tambuli……” was everyone’s  cry.

But who had a tambuli? The farmers had taken their tambulis with them and none were left in the little settlement.

Nanoy sat at the head of the stairs staring into the darkness before him. His thoughts was of his father who was out in the storm. His mother sat beside him, his thoughts in line with his.

“Nanoy,” she said, misgivings in her voice, “how I wish you had your tambuli tonight.”

“if I had, Inay, would you let me blew it?” asked Nanoy peering into her face.

“it would help your Itay find his way home,” she replied.

“would you take my tambuli again, if I had one Inay?” he asked.

She shook her head. Nanoy stood up abruptly and was gone. After a while he came back and stood beside her mother. A long, mellow sound issued forth from the tambuli eagerly pressed to his lips.then came another, longer and louder. From the distance came the reply. On and on, again and again, Nanoy blew his tambuli, each timeto be answered by his father. The sound of the tambuli from the field came nearer and nearer.

“My son, you have done well this night,” said his father, clasping Nanoy in his arms.

Nanoy said nothing, but held his tambuli, made of the butchered cow’s other horn,closer to his breast.