Module 4- Folklore

 The Fat Cat: A Danish Folktale
By Jack Kent


Summary
The story of the Fat Cat is a humor Danish Folklore. The Fat Cat is asked to watch over a caldron, but gets greedy and eats the entire thing. He then uses his freedom to eat everything and everyone that enters his path. This continues until the Fat Cat eats a lumberjack who uses his ax to free himself and everyone from the Fat Cat's belly and shames him for being so greedy. 

Personal Reflection
This story is a personal favorite in my household. As I was writing this blog post my oldest son saw the image of the book and yelled 'The Fat Cat!' from across the room and started laughing. This is truly an engaging tale. While it is intended for young readers, I still find it relevant for middle grade levels. The story of a cat growing larger and larger while eating non-traditional foods is surprising and entertaining. To hear the ending of a lumberjack cutting his way out of the cat's stomach is unexpected and quite humorous. (The cat remains unharmed after the unleashing of the contents of his stomach.) It is also quite humorous to hear students try to say the names '“skohottenton and skolinkenlot'. 

Story Elements
The text has repetition of phrases and rhyme creating phenomic awareness. The repetition of phrases involve readers in the story and create a sense of predictability. Readers can become active participants in the text by repeating the phrases aloud as they arise in the text. 

Illustrations
The illustrations within the text occur in sequential order and support the text. Techniques used in the illustrations depict use of lines, outlines, and a warm color pallet. Images of the cat show human like qualities as the cat shown wearing a jacket and pants. 

Activity
Students could participate in a sequencing activity- ordering the events of the story. This could be done as a whole group instruction. The instructor will display an image of the fat cat on the board or posterboard. Images of the things the cat ate will be displayed as icons. Students will raise their hand to demonstrate knowledge of which character the cat ate next. When students answer correctly, they may come to the board to move the icon to the cats belly. 

Other Works by the Author
  




References

Kent, J. (1971). The Fat Cat: A Danish Folklore. Scholastic Paperback.

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