Michael Scott and the Power to Imagine
Special Guests from Folklore Scotland
Rebecca Brown & Dave White
In this episode of Scotland in Our Backyard, Ewan the Unicorn introduces us to Michael Scott—a legendary Scottish wizard who was said to move rivers, build bridges overnight, and split hills with magic! But what’s really behind these stories? With help from Folklore Scotland’s Dave and Rebecca, we learn how folklore helps explain the unknown and evolves over time. Together, we explore how old stories can help us better understand imagination, knowledge, and each other.
Download the Activity Pack!
Activities for this Episode
🎨 Activity #1: Design Your Own Wizard
Kids draw their own wizard, complete with a magical name, powers, and motto—plus encouragement from Ewan the Unicorn!
📘 Activity #2: Stories Change Over Time
Compare how a story might have looked in the past with how it would be told today. What stays the same? What changes?
🌍 Activity #3: What Would YOU Move?
Michael Scott could move rivers and build bridges with magic. What would YOU build or move to help the world?
🔠 Activity #4: Wizard Word Puzzle
A magical word search with action verbs inspired by folklore: cast, float, whisper, spark, and more!
Scottish Folklore with Folklore Scotland
What We're Learning Today
-
How stories change over time
-
How folklore helps people explain big ideas
-
Why Michael Scott became a legendary “wizard” in Scottish stories
-
What fairy tales and legends teach us about belief, knowledge, and imagination
In The Classroom
Discussion Questions for the Classroom
-
Why do you think people created stories about wizards like Michael Scott?
-
What kinds of things do we use science to explain today that people used stories to explain in the past?
-
How do stories change when they’re told by new people or in new places?
-
Why is it important that stories help us become more accepting of others?
Curriculum Connection
This episode connects with:
-
Social Studies: Understanding how oral traditions and folklore help shape cultural identity
-
Language Arts: Comparing traditional and modern texts; identifying theme, character, and setting
-
Visual Arts: Creating imaginative characters through drawing and storytelling
Extension Ideas
-
Create a mini comic strip showing one of Michael Scott’s legendary feats (moving a city, splitting a hill, or building a bridge)
-
Write your own legend about someone from North Carolina with magical powers to solve a community problem
-
Invite students to compare a modern scientist or engineer to Michael Scott—what do they “move” with knowledge today?
More From This Series:
Scotland In Our Backyard is a video series celebrating Scottish heritage in North Carolina — created by the Scottish Cultural Outreach Foundation with support from NC Humanities.
Explore the full series on YouTube
This program is supported in part by North Carolina Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, www.nchumanities.org.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this video do not necessarily represent those of North Carolina Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
