ようこそみなさん、昔話を読みましょう！
Welcome everyone, Let's read Japanese folk tales!

In this class, students will work together and individually to grow in their ability to read Japanese as a foreign language.  This will be done by reading through numerous Japanese folktales at varying levels of difficulty.  Students joining this class should already be comfortable with JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency) N5 and some JLPT N4 grammar concepts and vocabulary.  As the class works through various stories in Japanese, students will learn grammar and vocabulary relevant to the folktales being covered in class.  Additionally, students will learn relevant Japanese culture present in the different stories, and at times they will learn how the stories themselves have shaped Japanese culture in the modern day.  Classic tales like "Momotaro" or Princess Kaguya are stories that everyone growing up in Japan has heard.  By learning these classic tales, students will begin to understand references and allusions to these tales in other Japanese media.

Any student who already has a basic-early intermediate Japanese ability is welcome to join the class!  The aim will be to go through seven stories during the course, but this may vary slightly from class to class.  Stories that will be covered include:

猿と蟹・Monkey and the Crab
おむすびころりん・Omusubi Kororin
わらしべ長者・Straw Millionaire
はなさかじいさん・The Old Man Who Makes Flowers Bloom
ももたろう・Momotaro
うらしまたろう・Urashimataro
かぐや姫・Princess Kaguya

Each story will be read over the course of about three classes, with assignments to review new words, concepts, and the stories themselves between classes.  

Here is a breakdown of how classes will go:

For classes 1-3, we will study Monkey and the Crab.  We will study relevant vocabulary and Japanese concepts at the beginning of class, and work on reading the story together as as class.
For classes 4-6, we will study Omusubi Kororinn.  We will study relevant vocabulary and Japanese concepts at the beginning of class, and work on reading the story together as a class.
For classes 7-9 , we will study Straw Millionaire.  We will study relevant vocabulary and Japanese concepts at the beginning of class, and work on reading the story together as as class.
For Classes 10-12, We will study The Old Man Who Makes Flowers Bloom.  We will study relevant vocabulary and Japanese concepts at the beginning of class, and work on reading the story together as a class.
For Classes 13-17, We will study the slightly more difficult story Momotaro.  We will study relevant vocabulary and Japanese concepts at the beginning of class, and work on reading the story together as a class.
For Classes 18-20, We will study Urashimataro.  We will study relevant vocabulary and Japanese concepts at the beginning of class, and work on reading the story together as a class.
For Classes 20-24, We will study the more challenging story of Princess Kaguya.  We will study relevant vocabulary and Japanese concepts at the beginning of class, and work on reading the story together as a class.