This document provides guidance for teaching a lesson about the short story "The People Could Fly" by Tobias Wolff. It includes discussion questions to analyze the story's themes of slavery and empowerment. Students are instructed to work with partners to discuss the story and complete a note-catcher identifying powerful phrases, images, the overall theme, and how the language and images create meaning. The lesson aims to examine how this folktale gave slaves a tool to cope with their situation and why its message still resonates today.

1. DO NOW
In purple Literature book, turn to page # 823
Look at the picture
• What do you think this story is about?
• Why?

2. Slavery
Learning Objectives
I can analyze how the content, theme,
images and language in “The People
Could Fly” give the story its enduring
power.

3. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
“The People Could Fly”
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•
•
•
•
Stories and words have power!
Power = compelling content
Some stories are tools for change
Echo over time
Read along as I read aloud

4. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
VOCABULARY
Write in your notebook glossary
• Folktales – stories told in the oral tradition,
passed down by word-of-mouth for
generations
**What about the story let you know this was a
folktale?**

5. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Back to Back/ Face to Face!
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•
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•
Find a partner
Stand back-to-back
Listen to question & think
Turn & share
Share out what your partner thought!!

6. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
#1
• Who is Sarah?
• Why is her situation so hard?
• Think of ONE WORD to describe her
situation.

7. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
#2
• How did Toby help the slaves?
• Do you think this is real?
Why/ Why not?

8. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
#3
• What happened to the slaves who
could fly?
• What happened to the others?
• Why is Toby not laughing or crying?

9. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
#4
• Why would the slave who couldn’t fly
tell this story?
• Why might the author tell it to YOU
now?

10. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
#5
• What makes this story beautiful?
• What makes it difficult?

11. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Folktales
• Can you think of other stories like this one
that have enduring power ?
• Powerful Stories Anchor Chart

12. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Summarize!
• What was the content of this story?
What was it REALLY about? (anchor
chart)
• Let’s use the Note-catcher to record your
thoughts as we re-read with a picture

13. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Page in
Picture
Book
5
7
Powerful phrase/sentence
What it makes you understand/
feel…
Why is image powerful?
What it makes you
understand/ feel…

14. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Page in
Picture
Book
9
10
Powerful phrase/sentence
What it makes you understand/
feel…
Why is image powerful?
What it makes you
understand/ feel…

15. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Theme!
• What was the theme (message) of this
story?
• Put this on your Anchor Chart

16. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Language & Images
• With your partner, complete the row
based on the text and images created by
the storyteller
• Put this on your Anchor Chart

17. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Connections!
• Why is the theme of the story
empowering?
• Why did slaves tell and retell this story?

18. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Powerful Story Note-Catcher
• Complete the back with your partner
• Be sure to read the “Remember” box
before you complete it

19. Slavery
“The People Could Fly”
Homework
None!