The Crowded, The Noisy House House

Introducing the Read-Aloud 10 minutes

What Have We Already Learned?

Begin with a brief review of yesterday’s folktale by asking the following questions:

1. Do you remember the name of the folktale we heard yesterday? (The “Little Half-Chick” or “Medio Pollito”)

2. What is a folktale? (a story that someone made up a long time ago and has been told again and again)

3. Is a folktale true or make-believe? (A folktale is fiction or make-believe.)

4. What was the lesson that Medio Pollito learned yesterday? I will give you a hint: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Students should explain this saying in the context of the story. Medio Pollito should have been kind and helped the water, the fire, and the wind.)

Essential Terms and Background Information

Ask students if they know what a rabbi is. Ask them to repeat the word rabbi. Explain that a rabbi is a person who is trained to be a teacher or advisor in the Jewish religion. Tell students that Yiddish was the language used long ago by Jewish people, and many Yiddish phrases are still common today. Tell students that there is a rabbi and two Yiddish phrases in today’s story: kvetches—a Yiddish word for complains or whines oy vey!—a Yiddish term of dismay, such as “oh woe” or “woe is me;” it translates loosely to “how terrible”

Making Predictions About the Read-Aloud

Tell students that today they will hear a Jewish folktale called “The Crowded, Noisy House.” This folktale is frequently told with the title “It Could Always Be Worse.” (If necessary, remind students that the title is another word for the name of a story.) Ask students to think about the title and predict what will happen in the story.

Purpose for Listening

Tell students to listen carefully to find out whether or not their predictions are correct.

Fables and Stories 8A | The Crowded, Noisy House 87 © 2013 Core Knowledge Foundation