Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to listen to and understand a simplified version of a traditional Cambodian legend.
- Students will be able to identify key characters and events in the story.
- Students will be able to answer comprehension questions about the legend.
- Students will be able to discuss the cultural significance of the legend.
Materials:
- Audio recording of the simplified legend (see script below).
- Optional: Images depicting the legend or a map of Phnom Penh.
- Worksheet or whiteboard for comprehension questions and vocabulary review.
Audio:
Script:
Long ago, there was a prince named Preah Thong. He sailed on a boat and landed on a beautiful island. There, he met a beautiful Naga princess named Neang Neak.
Neang Neak and Preah Thong fell in love and got married. They lived happily on the island, and Neang Neak gave Preah Thong a magic sword.
One day, a big storm hit the island. The water rose higher and higher, and the island started to flood. Preah Thong used his magic sword to create a hill. He and Neang Neak climbed to the top of the hill and were safe from the flood.
The hill grew bigger and bigger, and it became a city. Preah Thong named the city Phnom Penh, which means “Hill of Penh.” Penh was the old woman who found the magic sword in a tree and gave it to Preah Thong.
Today, Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia. The legend of Preah Thong and Neang Neak is a reminder of the city’s origins and the importance of love and bravery.
Vocabulary:
- legend (noun): a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical but not authenticated.
- Naga (noun): a mythical serpent or dragon in Hinduism and Buddhism.
- flood (noun): an overflowing of a large amount of water beyond its normal confines, especially over what is normally dry land.
Tasks:
- Answer the Questions:
- Who were Preah Thong and Neang Neak?
- What did Neang Neak give Preah Thong?
- How did Preah Thong and Neang Neak survive the flood?
- What did Preah Thong create with his magic sword?
- What is the meaning of Phnom Penh?
- Put the events in order:
- Preah Thong met Neang Neak.
- A big storm hit the island.
- Preah Thong used his magic sword to create a hill.
- Preah Thong landed on an island.
- Phnom Penh became the capital of Cambodia.
- Discussion:
- Why is the legend of Preah Thong and Neang Neak important to Cambodians?
- What other legends or myths do you know from your culture?
Answer Key:
- Answer the Questions:
- A prince and a Naga princess.
- A magic sword.
- They climbed a hill created by Preah Thong’s magic sword.
- A hill that became the city of Phnom Penh.
- “Hill of Penh,” the old woman who found the magic sword.
- Put the events in order:
- Preah Thong landed on an island.
- Preah Thong met Neang Neak.
- A big storm hit the island.
- Preah Thong used his magic sword to create a hill.
- Phnom Penh became the capital of Cambodia.
- Discussion: (Open-ended questions to encourage student participation)
Outro:
This legend is a beautiful story about love, bravery, and the origins of Phnom Penh. Legends and myths are an important part of every culture, and they help us understand where we come from and what we value.
