Exploring Uncle Monday and Other Florida Tales

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The purpose of this program is to link arts education with community arts resources, especially those resources that have statewide significance. This curriculum exploresUncle Monday and Other Florida Tales,a unique collection of folktales telling of the diverse people, places, and events from different time periods in Florida. The tales were collected by Kristin G. Congdon and illustrated by the late Kitty Kitson Petterson. These illustrations were donated by Rick Petterson to the State of Florida, Museum of Florida History. In June 2004, the first exhibition of all the

Through Arts for a Complete Education/Florida Alliance for Arts Education, expert teachers developed materials designed to encourage Floridians to examine some of these traditional stories and to create some stories of their own. The curriculum materials provide lessons in visual arts, language arts, and theatre arts. These lessons are meant to stir student interest in, and expand their knowledge about, traditional Florida folklore. Eight stories and illustrations provide an ideal instructional "hook" to motivate students.

Petterson's illustrations provide a vivid visual depiction of the tales. Her illustrations summarize important aspects of the stories, give us historically accurate pictures, and help us understand the varied cultural influences that have made Florida. The stories, which come from diverse sources, connect us with the past, help us reflect on the present, and inspire us to think about the future.

We hope that you will enjoy exploring Florida tales, both past and present.

Learn about the Uncle Monday Touring Program - TREX (PDF)