Description
Bring a beautiful piece of Japanese folklore into your classroom with “Green Willow,” a timeless folktale rich with samurai honor, nature spirits, and universal themes students can genuinely engage with.
This standards-based lesson helps students analyze a particular point of view and cultural experience from outside the United States, building a broader understanding of world literature while strengthening core ELA skills. It’s an accessible, meaningful way to introduce cultural perspectives without overwhelming students.
Students begin with a pre-reading activity that builds background knowledge and curiosity before reading the full text of the folktale. As they read, they complete reading comprehension and vocabulary-focused questions that support understanding of both language and meaning. After reading, students dive deeper with literary analysis questions that examine theme, character, and cultural values, followed by a writing prompt that encourages reflection and thoughtful response.
This resource includes a teacher guide, the full text of “Green Willow,” pre-reading activities, reading comprehension questions, vocabulary questions, literary analysis questions, an after-reading writing prompt, answer keys, and an editable copy of all student activities for easy customization.
Perfect for world literature units, cultural studies, or anytime you want students to experience storytelling traditions beyond Western literature while practicing close reading and analysis skills.