Week #9: Stories from Quarantine with FTH Teaching Artist Robin Bady

This week’s lessons introduce you to Stories from Quarantine with FTH Teaching Artist Robin Bady. Robin is an award-winning storyteller and educator. You may have seen her performing on stage at Flushing Town Hall, but we will join her at her apartment in Brooklyn as we practice safe distancing. Like you, Robin has experienced many new events during the quarantine. She uses storytelling to capture them and move forward to the future.

>>Click HERE for a pre-lessons family activity sheet

Day 1 

Anthropologists call humans the “storytelling animal”. From the time we are born, we understand the world through stories and we communicate our experiences to others through stories. The first story that Robin will share with you is about her process of making a handmade face mask. She hopes her personal experience will inspire you to find your own storytelling power --- your ability to transform fear into hope.

>>Click HERE for a post-lesson family activity sheet

Day 2 

How do you celebrate a holiday or birthday or any other important event while you cannot unite together physically? Once every year Robin and her family would gather to share a special celebratory meal for Passover, a very important Jewish holiday. This year is different from previous years, but Robin’s family found a creative way to celebrate and share the joy “together”!

>>Click HERE for a post-lesson family activity sheet

Day 3

During the quarantine, many people have picked up cooking skills, including Robin! Today’s fun story is about making marmalade, a fruit preserve made with citrus, that Robin has never tried but always wanted to. One day she realized that she happened to have lemons and sugar at home, so she decided to give it a go! What new food is your family making? Share your food story with us on Facebook and tag our page @flushingtownhall.  

>>Click HERE for a post-lesson family activity sheet

Day 4 

If you look around your surroundings, you’ll find many inspirational individuals that devote their life to making a difference. Robin’s hero is her neighbor Jason and today she will tell you the amazing work that Jason is doing during the coronavirus. If you know a hero in your community, take time to share their stories with others! Don’t forget, sharing stories is one of the best ways to convey gratitude. 

>>Click HERE for a post-lesson family activity sheet

Day 5 

Find a comfy spot on your couch and enjoy Robin’s storytelling "Why the Sky is so Far Away",  a folktale from Benin, Nigeria. The performance took place in Summer 2019 in beautiful Central, accompanied by violinist Concetta Abbate and musician Skip La Plante who improvised with homemade instruments. WATCH VIDEO HERE (password: STORY)