November December 2011

Wheat Field With Cypresses
by Vincent Van Gogh, 1889

Time continues to fly…the fall hasn’t even finished drifting away and heavy snow has already fallen on some areas of Massachusetts. The rare snowstorm gives new meaning to the pharse, "The frost is on the pumpkin!"

I have been busy with the Massachusetts Humanities FAIR Program these past five weeks and Halloween storytelling, both have been very rewarding. This month I will begin the 10^th year of my student storytelling program at our local elementary school; I am always excited to see what new stories the students will choose to tell.

Soon the holiday season will be upon us but before we begin our regular celebrations we have the chance to enjoy Homemade Bread Day on November 17! Very fitting as I always think of the month of November as a time when we break bread with family and friends and share our thanks for the food before us. With that in mind in this issue you will find bread stories, crafts and curriculum to satiate your hunger. 

November also brings us many Tellabrations around the country. My colleagues have been kind enough to share their events, which you will find listed under the Tellabration link below. The events are always in celebration of story and many of the proceeds go to worthy causes in their respective cities and towns. I hope you will be able to attend one and fall into the magic of stories!

This issue also marks the three year anniversary of my newsletter. It is fitting that it falls during the month of November, a time when we pause and give thanks for wonderful family and friends, and the many blessings in our lives; I count you among them. Thank you for taking this journey with  me.

As always, I appreciate your time and support. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please drop me a note at storybug@aol.com . I wish you all a joyous holiday season. See you next year!

Warm wishes,
Karen Chace
www.storybug.net

“Porque no solo de pan vive el hombre –
Tambien vive del cuento.” 

Translation:  “Because man does not live by bread alone - he also lives by stories.”
~ Motto of a Spanish Storytelling Festival

STORIES

November 17 is Homemade Bread Day and who doesn’t love homemade bread? I offer you some delicious stories to feast upon.

The Dream Bread – Seven stories on the theme by D.L. Ashliman.
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type1626.html

The Dun Horse - Russia
http://tinyurl.com/66tm5m5

The Icon’s Warm Bread – Greece
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/icons-warm-bread/

The King’s Loaves – Afghanistan
http://jhom.com/topics/bread/folktale.html

The Little Red Hen - England
http://www.rickwalton.com/folktale/bryant05.htm

The Ostrich Wife – South Africa
http://tinyurl.com/5uople8

Legend of the Bread-Fruit Tree – Pacific Island
http://www.sacred-texts.com/pac/hloh/hloh08.htm

The Wonder-Working Lock – Croatia
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/sfs/sfs71.htm

November is also Native American Heritage Month. For stories, curriculum and more go to:
http://karenchace.blogspot.com/2011/10/native-american-heritage-month.html

Thanksgiving also visits our homes in the US this month. Here are two of my blog posts offering stories, crafts and curriculum for Thanksgiving and some for Christmas as well.

http://tinyurl.com/36ln97w  

http://tinyurl.com/ydsld4k

December 1 is Eat a Red Apple Day! Here is a bushel of apples stories from my 2008 blog post. Crafts and curriculum links as well.
Storybug.net – http://tinyurl.com/3fcyr27

ARTS AND CRAFTS

Ecuadorian Masapán Bread Dough Sculpting 

http://tinyurl.com/6dtazsn 

Edible Crafts – Bread Bears

http://ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com/bread-bears/2011/02/25/

Family Fun – White Bread Dough Clay Crafts
http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/white-bread-dough-708924/

BLOG

Puppets for Libraries – My storytelling colleague and friend Granny Sue has teamed up with her colleague Nancy to develop some short, easy and fun puppet shows based on folktales.

https://puppetsforlibraries.wordpress.com/

BUSINESS NOTES

10 Ways to Create More Time in Your Day by Lisa Jay
http://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/timetips.htm

Cloud Computing for Small Businesses by Cathy Zimmermann
http://www.businessknowhow.com/technology/cloud.htm

Speakers--Use A Checklist To Make Sure You're Ready by Bill Lampton, Ph.D
http://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/checklist.htm

Using Handouts to Reinforce Your Training Presentations by Bill Lampton, Ph.D.

http://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/handouts.htm

CURRICULUM

“He who has good flour makes good bread.”    Italian proverb

Baking Traditions – Fourth and fifth grade activities along with wonderful recipes and reading suggestions.
http://www.homebaking.org/familyfun/2004_fourth_fifth.htm

Breads All Over the World – For grade 3-4.
http://www.hawaii.edu/hga/GAW98/breadlesson.htm
The Little Red Hen – Lesson plan, crafts, printables for preschool and kindergarten.
http://www.first-school.ws/activities/fairytales/redhen.htm

Science of Bread – Curriculum Activities from Australia
http://tinyurl.com/6hv924q 
Southern Utah University – Books music, lesson plans, recipes and more for the classroom.

http://tinyurl.com/69b3xjf 

Whole Grains Council – Lesson plans for the power of 3: Get Healthy with Whole Grain Foods - “This school-based curriculum available from the University of Minnesota Extension Service is designed to increase intake of whole grain foods by elementary school students in grades 3 to 6.”

http://tinyurl.com/64j9ete 

For more curriculum links on a wide variety of subjects here are two blogs posts where I have listed them all by category.

http://tinyurl.com/63oq6bj 

http://tinyurl.com/6zoco65 

EDUCATION HIGHWAY

I have moved this section to my blog. Every issue the old information will be deleted and new events will be listed. If you have an upcoming event I will be happy to list it for free. Please go to this link http://tinyurl.com/6e5mk9l for the specific directions and format then email it to me at storybug@aol.com with the subject heading “Education Highway.”

SPOKEN WORD/STORYTELLING VENUES

I have also moved this information to my blog. You may find it at this link http://tinyurl.com/5sr7fev. Also, if you have any regular spoken word and storytelling venues such as guild gatherings you would like to list send them to me at storybug@aol.com and I will be happy to add; this is a free service. Directions are at the above blog link.

TELLABRATIONS

Every November storytellers around the world take part in Tellabration events, sharing stories with both children and adults. A list is compiled on my blog by location. I hope you will have time take in a show or two. Follow the link to find your “happily ever after.” http://tinyurl.com/6dn2vjy

SONGS AND FINGERPLAYS FOR TURKEY DAY!

The Holiday Zone

http://www.theholidayzone.com/thanks/songs.html

SOMETHING EXTRA

Life Rolls On – “a subsidiary of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people affected by spinal cord injury and utilizes action sports as a platform to inspire infinite possibilities despite paralysis.”
http://www.liferollson.org/

Remember, if you are seeking stories, curriculum, etc., for other special days or events don’t forget to search the newsletter and blog archives. I have also listed a few below at the end of the newsletter so you just have to point and click. A Google search box is available on the main newsletter site at http://storybugnewsletter.blogspot.com . I also add stories and education resources on my blog as well. You may find it here: http://www.karenchace.blogspot.com/.