Act!vated Folk Tales for Reading Out Loud
Here are stories for you to read aloud. These stories have been adapted from some of the stories that were performed on stage. Grab a friend and check out a book to read right here on your computer.
Folktale Lesson Plans for teachers
Read Stories Online
Jack and the Beans Talk Yes, the beans really talk!
Hover your mouse over the beans to see what they say.
Davy Crockett the man and the legend (You decide where to put the animals on your screen as you read.)
The Golden Pitcher from Mongolia. A tale of age and wisdom. Bonus slide show!
Orpheus a Greek Myth. Orpheus and Eurydice journey to the underworld of Hades and his three headed dog Cerberus, features artwork by students. Read the Chorus parts aloud with a group.
Vasalisa and Baba Yaga The Russian Cinderella faces the nasty ole ogre Baba Yaga. Features photos from the stage production. Bonus slide show!
Simple Ivan a simpleton story from Russia - with suggestions for acting it out.
Old Stormalong a great American hero from the sea
Follow the Buzz - A story from Japan, also known as "The Bee and the Dream" told in the narrative style of "Unfortunate Events".
Toyama no Kin-san - A "Robin Hood" story we learned during our trip to Japan.
Are you in the mood for a ghost story? Try Gettysburg Ghosts and see if you can find the ghosts hiding on the page.
Read along with the Act!vated Actors
Listen to the podcast and read along as we tell you the story.
- The Ugly Duckling: or as we like to say the somewhat less than attractive duckling, Hans Christian Andersen's beloved fable about judging people (or fowl) by their plumage.
- The Four Dragons: A tale about how four dragons in very ancient times tried to persuade the Jade Emperor, the supreme god of ancient Chinese folklore, to send water to earth.
- Rumplestiltskin: one of the classic fairy tales about a supernatural creature who comes to the aid of a damsel in distress and demands a stiff payment unless the damsel can guess his name. Originally told by the Brothers Grimm.
Act!vated Stories Podcast
Listen to your favorite stories being Act!vated! Plug in your earphones and listen to a story.
Subscribe with iTunes. You will find show notes over at Libsyn.com.
Reader's Theatre Scripts
- A free Reader's Theatre Version of Orpheus is available for classroom use (pdf)
- The Egyptian Cinderella a 25 minute play for school theatre productions.
Slide Show Stories
The following stories are in slide show format. Click the link to watch the story. They are set to loop so just hit the back button when it gets to the end.
- How the Ice Cream Cone was Invented - It's the World's Fair in 1904 and there are no ice cream cones, yet.
- The Golden Pitcher - after banning all of the old people from the kingdom an emperor looses his beloved golden pitcher. How will he ever find it?
- Vasalisa and Baba Yaga - Vasalisa's Kookla doll helps her escape the eccentric Baba Yaga.
More Act!vated Folktales on CD
Act!vated Story Park
Enter a mystical Aztec temple to discover yourself in whisked away to scenes from your favorite stories. You'll even get to see one of Anasi's tricks first hand when he sends you over a 30-foot drop backwards into the Act!vated Story Park lagoon. Take on the role of a falcon carrying the shoe of Rhodopis (the Egyptian Cinderella) as you soar high above Egypt.
Come play at the Activated Story Park. Roller Coaster Tycoon 2 enthusiasts can explore rides and attractions based on folktales from around the world.
"This group really appeals to the elementary crowd; they incorporate dance, tumbling, gymnastics, sing, slapstick, etc. in their performance!" ~Joy Lear, Children's Librarian, Snoqualmie, WA
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Bring Act!vated Folktales to your school
Print out this flier to share with your PTO/PTA or Principal. (PDF format) 
We perform anywhere kids and their families gather.