[Activity 3] Founding Landmass Myths

Supplies: 

Myth: This third activity is based on a founding myth about the creation of the three main islands of the Philippines, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The creation of the three islands starts with a giant who lives in a cave within the pacific ocean with his three daughters: Minda, Lus, and Bisaya. One day, before he leaves to hunt, he tells his daughters to never leave the cave and they all agree in unison. While their father is out hunting, two out of the three girls are cleaning the cave, while Minda, who is hard-headed and rebellious, without telling her sisters, leaves the cave to walk by the shore. She was enjoying her time until a wave came and grabbed her. She called for help from her sisters and the sisters heard her call. Lus and Bisaya went to go save their sister but then they also got swept up by the waves. All of them ended up getting defeated by the water and didn’t get back to shore. When the father came back from hunting, he thought another giant stole his children, but when another big wave hit, he thought they must’ve drowned. He searched and found pieces of their clothing but no sign of their bodies. In his devastation of the death of his children he cried against a big stone. Until one day he woke up and saw that the big stones were three islands. He exclaimed that these three islands were his children and are now the Islands called Luson, Bisaya, and Mindanao.

Activity – Mountain Myth: This founding myth would be first shared to the students and used as an example for a founding myth. This would prompt a discussion. 

I will ask students…

  1. From the story they just heard, what do you think the definition of a founding myth is?
    1. Additionally, I would tell them my own definition of a founding myth (an origin story of something in existence, specifically places). 
  2. What land masses are in Connecticut?
    1. Students would name things like hills, peninsulas, and mountains, and if not, I would specifically add mountains to the list. 
  3. How do you think they got there? What creative ways could you talk about the formation of the landmasses?

Thus, knowing that there are many mountains in Connecticut like Talcott Mountain, students will create their own story on how a mountain in Connecticut came to be. 

Directions for Mountain Myth: 

  1. Students will use their computer and go to the “Mountains of Connecticut” Wikipedia page and pick a mountain.
  2. Write a founding myth about the mountain.
    1. I would tell them to pay attention to unique characteristics, what grows there, what surrounds the mountains, etc. to spark imagination for their stories. 
  3. How do you think they got there? What creative ways could you talk about the formation of the landmasses?
  4. After they write their stories, students will share it with a student next to them.  

To support this lesson, I would show a photo of Talcott mountain which is located in West Hartford: