Everywhere over the past few weeks we have giant Narkasuras towering over us a we crouch down to read our story books or booktalk.
It seemed organic to bring the Narkasura into the library program and we looked around for a book that could lead us to that theme and we were wanting 🙁
So, we did the next best thing, we decided we will make our book about this theme.
We set off having refreshed ourselves about the legend and met our group beside the giant Narkasura. Our space was occupied. The Narkasura’s head was being welded there and we moved to Akshada’s front porch and settled down for a story session.
There was hesitation and even a sense of not knowing , when we asked why these effigies were created? One said, God said we must ! Others looked askance. They had never thought to enquire within or without on why these Narkasura’s were made and what they represented. I think the construction and the very birthing of the Narkasura is so ‘alive’ for the month that precedes its destruction that that is all consuming !
Being hard core story educators, we decided to bring it ( reduce it?) to a story function and evolved a story about why Narkasura is burnt and what it means to the people. The children got engaged very very easily and began to represent elements of the story, working in small groups.
This is one of our areas of growth for both the children and us. Using collaborative activities as language learning opportunities. When children sit together in multi age groups, I have found it remarkable in how they take roles, responsibilities, explain, inform, direct and even use ideas to strengthen their own.
In a matter of 20 – 30 minutes, 5 groups had represented their visual versions of the story and we decided it would be a book by the next MOP session.
They await, but as blog readers, you get to see it here first!
You can view the book created by the children here: The Story of Narkasura (430 downloads )