Study Guide
This study guide is for parents and teachers to guide students in understanding the Western Visayas myths. The five Western Visayas myths, namely, Descent of Manaul, The Sun, Moon, and Star, The Formation of Tribes of Mankind, Wrath of Kaptan, and Story of Mambucal have common themes and values, and these are expressions of Filipino culture, more specifically in Western Visayas. This study guide will engage students with the myths’ themes and values and help them in identifying them through different activities and discussion points.
Learning Objectives
- Cultural appreciation: Garner a deeper appreciation for the myths and how each of them shows us an aspect of our culture.
- Open-mindedness: Encourage students to have an open mind in exploring different aspects of Filipino culture as present in their themes and values.
- Creativity: Make use of students’ creative abilities through writing, discussing, and/or drawing.
Pre-reading Activity
- Teachers/Parents – Ask the students about different values that Filipinos uphold. After, ask them about common themes found in stories (such as Romance, Family, Consequence, Nature, etc.). Write all their answers down and keep note of them during reading.
During Reading
Analysis of values and themes:
- How do the characters in each myth behave? What do you think their behavior tells you about their values? What values do they have that are in common with those you answered during the pre-reading activity?
- What themes have you noticed during reading that are common for all five myths? Are there some themes in common with your answers during the pre-reading activity? Why do you think these themes are so common among the myths?
Discussion points:
- Do you think that Filipinos today still uphold the values you noticed in the myths? Why or why not?
- Why do you think it’s important to discuss the values and themes found in the myths? What do the values and themes you found in the myths tell you about Filipino culture, or more specifically, Western Visayas culture?