Country
Spain

Tale typology
Intercultural traditions

Age Suitability
This video is suitable for 5 years old children

Tale summary
The Eagle and the King is the story of a boy who discover on a mountain peak an eagle nest and save the baby eagles from a snake who tries to kill them. To show appreciation, the mother of the baby eagles, join the boy in his adventures and stay by his side until he become a king.

Educational potential / Learning Outcomes
The children will understand the concepts of taking initiative and why is important and about leadership

Full Plot
Once there was a boy who used to go hunting in the mountains with his bow and arrow. One day, the boy spent all afternoon hunting in the mountains, but there were no animals to be found and he soon grew worried that there would be no food on his table that night.
All of a sudden, the boy heard a sound from high above. When he looked up he saw a mighty eagle crossing the skies at great speed. The eagle was carrying a snake in its long claws and the boy watched as the mighty bird flew towards its nest built high up the mountain, right near the peak where the boy had never been before.
He watched closely as the eagle dropped the snake into its nest before flying away once more in search of new prey.
The young boy decided to climb up the mountain and take a closer look. When he finally reached the nest he found a baby eagle next to the dead snake. He remembered his father telling him that baby eagles were called eaglets, and the young boy was pleased to see such a creature up close.
All of a sudden, the snake stirred in the nest and the boy realised that it was not dead at all. The venomous snake raised its head and was about to strike at the eaglet, but the boy was fast with his bow and arrow. He pulled back the bow, aimed at the snake, and killed it before it had a chance to bite the eaglet.
Because he had saved its life, the young boy decided that the eaglet now belonged to him. He gently lifted the bird from the nest and climbed back down the mountain and headed for home.
When the boy was almost home, he heard a whooshing sound from above. When he looked up he saw the mighty eagle circling in the skies. ‘Why do you take my child from me?’ asked the eagle.
‘Because I saved your child from the snake that you did not kill.’
The mighty eagle circled in the skies, flapping its wings in anger and desperation. Finally she said, ‘Give me back my child and I will give you the gift of my sharp eyes and the strength of my mighty wings.’
The boy agreed because he could see that such an ally would be of great help. From that day forwards, the boy and the mighty eagle were inseparable. The eagle would fly high up in the skies and tell the boy where to find the best prey. The boy grew into a man and became known as the best hunter of them all, brave and strong and never afraid to do battle with his enemies. Because of his skill and strength, the people of the land decided to make him a king. He was a mighty king and protected his lands and his people from all enemies.

One Lesson Plan
PROCEDURAL INSTRUCTIONS:
Introduction Activity: The teacher will play the audio story The Eagle and the king. Questions suggestions to ask the children:
Who are the characters of this story? What the boy is doing to avoid the death of the baby eagle? What the mama eagle offer to the boy in change of the baby eagle?
Main Activity: Initiative is "recognizing and doing what needs to be done before I am asked to do it". Initiative has to be balanced with patience and dependability. You cannot shirk your responsibilities in one area to show initiative in a different area. A person who shows initiative will not only demonstrate to those around them that they care for them, they will also cultivate a life of motivation. They will show that they are willing to step out and do what is right without having to be constantly reminded and prodded.
Why do you think initiative is an important character quality to develop? When has someone shown initiative to help you? How did that make you feel? What are a few ways that you could show initiative today?
Next, divide the children in 3-4 groups. Each team have the mission to build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow.
Step 1:
Create a marshmallow challenge kit for each team, with each kit containing 20 of spaghetti, 1 meter of masking tape, 1 meter of string and 1 marshmallow. These ingredients should be placed into a paper lunch bag or envelope, which simplifies distribution and hides the contents, maximizing the element of surprise.
Each team should sit around a table. The whole group should work in the same space, fairly close together.
Step 2:

Give the instructions. Be clear and concise about the goals and rules of the challenge.
Build the tallest freestanding structure: The winning team is the one that has the tallest structure measured either from the tabletop surface or from floor to the top of the marshmallow. That means the structure cannot be suspended from a higher structure, like a chair, ceiling or chandelier.
The entire marshmallow must be on top: The entire marshmallow needs to be on the top of the structure. Cutting or eating part of the marshmallow disqualifies the team.
Use as much or as little of the kit as needed: Teams can use as many or as few of the 20 spaghetti sticks as needed, and as much or as little of the string or tape. The team cannot use the paper bag / envelope as part of their structure.
Break up the spaghetti, string or tape: Teams are free to break the spaghetti, or cut the tape and string to create new structures.
The challenge lasts 18 minutes: Teams cannot hold on to the structure when the time runs out. Those touching or supporting the structure at the end of the exercise will be disqualified.
Ensure everyone understands the rules: Repeat the rules if necessary and ask if anyone has any questions before starting.
Step 3:
Start the countdown clock and music at the start of the challenge.
Remind the teams of the time: Countdown the time. It can be effective to call out the time at 12 minutes, 9 minutes (halfway), 7 minutes, 5 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds and a ten-second countdown.
Call out how the teams are doing: Let the entire group know how the teams are progressing. Call out each time a team builds a standing structure. Build a friendly rivalry. Encourage participants to look around, and don’t be afraid to raise the energy and the stakes.
Remind the teams that holders will be disqualified: Several teams will have the desire to hold on to their structure at the end to stabilize it because placing the marshmallow on top will cause the structure to buckle. The winning structure needs to be stable.
Step 4:
After the clock runs out, ask everyone in the room to sit down so everyone can see the structures.
Measure the structures: From the shortest standing structure to the tallest, measure and call out the heights. Identify the winning team.
Step 5:
Teams reflect on how they did: Have teams sit together and discuss their process. Introduce the questions below to help guide them in their reflection:
Debriefing: How did we work as a group?
There was somebody in your group that lead and took initiative to coordinate the process. What role did I take? How did I contribute? Is there anything I held off from doing? Why? What did I learn about myself and my behaviour? About other people and their behaviour? What can we learn from this activity?

Additional Resources: https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_build_a_tower?language=en