Sherry Norfolk ~ "Happenin' Holidays"
Study Guide

Program Description

Happenin’ Holidays is not your usual holiday fare! These stories are inspired by traditional folktales, but each has received a Winter Holiday makeover that turns it into an interactive celebration of multiple intelligences! Add a song here, a chant there, lots of kinesthetic fun and a bit of imagination -- and the magic happens! For school audiences, Sherry quickly introduces the original tale, then reveals to the audience the creative writing tricks that give a plain old story a holiday twist. (If requested, Sherry will lead the audience in creating their very own Holiday Tale!)


Artist Bio

Sherry Norfolk is an acclaimed performer, appearing in Hong Kong, Anchorage, the Bahamas, Honolulu, Grand Canyon National Park and hundreds of points in between. With a B.A. in Elementary Education and a Masters in Library Science, she performs and teaches storytelling residencies through Young Audiences Woodruff Arts Center, Springboard to Learning / Young Audiences of St. Louis, and several state arts councils. Sherry is co-author with her husband Bobby of The Moral of the Story: Folktales for Character Development, 2nd Ed. (August House, 2006), and co-editor of The Storytelling Classroom: Applications Across the Curriculum (Libraries Unlimited, 2006).

Background on Art Form

Storytelling is the art of using words, gestures, facial expression, and body language to bring a story to life in the listener’s imagination. From the beginning of time, storytelling has been the way cultures have preserved and celebrated their memories, passed on their values and belief systems, entertained, instructed and reported. Today, storytelling is recognized as one of the most effective brain-compatible teaching strategies, accessible for children with diverse abilities and disabilities, and applicable to all “ways of knowing.” Storytelling continues to invite us all to “Enter the Theater of the Mind-the Imagination!”

Pre/Post Activities

Prepare (Pre- or pre-performance)

Teachers, please read this to your students:

In our assembly today, we’re going to participate in a storytelling performance by Sherry Norfolk. PARTICIPATE means that you’ll be part of the program – as good listeners, using your imagination to “see” the characters, setting, and action. Sometimes, you may be invited to use your brains, voice and hands to help bring a story to life. Sherry says that storytelling is the most fun when the storyteller and the listeners work together to create the story – so let’s make this a fun experience for everyone!

Warm Up Questions to set the stage for engaging students:

  • What is a folktale?
  • The storyteller may tell a story that is similar to one that you have read or heard before. Listen for familiar patterns and try to figure out what story you are reminded of.
  • Compare the new story to the one you remember. What stayed the same? What is different?
  • Listen for the message in the story: what do you think the original tellers of this story want their children to learn?
  • Does everybody hear the same message? Why or why not?

Reflect (Post- or post-performance)

Quick Writes: take 5 minutes to write about the story that was most memorable to you. What made it memorable?

Connections: choose one story you heard today and discuss with a partner how it relates to your own experiences, how it relates to something you have read or watched on TV or the movies, and how it relates to the school, community or the world.

Making it Personal: Write a journal entry about the scariest thing you can think of. Why does it scare you so much? Would it be as scary for others as it is for you?

Additional Activities

The stories told during this program are all based on the patterns of traditional folktales. Lead the class in creating their own original holiday story, using these questions:

Too Noisy!
Where does the new story take place?
Who thinks it’s too noisy there?
What three noises does s/he hear? (Who makes the sounds, what sounds are made?)
Who does s/he go to for advice?
What three noises does the advisor add? (Who makes the sounds, what sounds are made?)
After the new story is complete, tell it with the class providing the sounds, then do it as a play, with everyone involved! You can use this format to create stories about almost any curriculum topic.

Vocabulary

Winter Holidays – Collective term for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s
Hanukkah -- Jewish holiday celebrated for eight days and nights. In Hebrew, the word "Hanukkah" means "dedication."
Latke -- Potato pancakes made from grated potatoes mixed with eggs, onions, and flour, then fried in vegetable oil.
Kwanzaa -- African American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement. Celebrated from December 26th to January 1st.
Nguzo Saba -- (seven guiding principles), one for each day of the observance:
Umoja
(oo-MO-jah) Unity
Kujichagulia (koo-gee-cha-goo-LEE-yah) Self-Determination
Ujima (oo-GEE-mah) Collective Work and Responsibility
Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah) Cooperative
Nia (NEE-yah) Purpose
Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah) Creativity
Imani (ee-MAH-nee) Faith

Resources for Teachers & Students
Websites

www.childrenstory.com -- this website provides a place for kids to get their holiday stories published online!

Video

Winter Holiday Stories. Weston Woods, 1999.

Books

Walter, Mildred Pitts, Kwanzaa : a Family Affair.
Johnson, Lois S. ed. Christmas Stories 'round the World.
Manushkin, Fran. Latkes and Applesauce : a Hanukkah Story.

  Georgia  Performance
  Standards

Listening/Speaking/Viewing

Warm Up Questions for “Listening/Speaking/Viewing”:

  1. Describe the perfect audience.
  2. What are some of our class rules for being good listeners?
  3. How do we show someone we appreciate their visit to our school or classroom?
  4. How does being part of an audience help make you a good citizen?
  5. What are some examples of bad audience behavior or attitudes?
  6. How does a negative audience member effect your enjoyment of a show or performance?
  7. How would this make the performer feel?
  8. How do we want the performer to feel when they leave our school or classroom?