Fairy Tale Lessons Can Spice Up Language Arts Activities
Fairy tales can be a motivating way to introduce students to a variety of topics, including literary analysis.
By Andrea Ferrero
One of my favorite phrases is “once upon a time,” and over the years I have found nothing sets the scene for a story in quite the same way. From preschool to high school, a great story captivates the imagination and hooks the listener. There is a simple magic to the classic fairy tales. That beauty has drawn countless authors to write a myriad of variations. The story of Cinderella is rumored to have between 300-3000 variations. With the amazing amount of fantasy tales available, it is not hard to find the fuel for a great activity.
Spice-Up Story Responses
After introducing students to fairy tales full of magic and wonder, they can move beyond happily ever after into a deeper literature analysis.
- Character mobiles are easy to make and give students of all ages the freedom to display their artwork and written reflections. One of my favorite ways to create these is to use a hanger or pipe cleaner bent into the shape of a hanger as the central frame. After drawing an illustration of the character’s face, and filling in speech bubbles sharing information about the character, students attach the pieces to the central frame (hanger) using string or yarn. For older students, the hanger was the setting and they affixed character faces with a character analysis written on the back for each major character.
- With so many variations of each common fairy tale, it’s fun to compare and contrast different versions of the same tale. I would break students into groups of four, each with two versions of one tale. Each group used blank index cards to write down their comparisons and place them in the hula-hoop Venn diagram model. After each group finished, they would do a gallery walk of the classroom to read what their peers have said. I liked to use the finished project to create a giant bulletin board.
- By highlighting passages from fairy tales, students can take turns as characters and enjoy reader's theatre. This can be taken a step further by giving student groups the chance to create their own 5-10 minute dramatic interpretations with an alternate ending.
Integrate Technology to Increase Student Engagement
A physical representation, or use of well-known technology is a great way to catch students' attention and adds novelty to story responses.
- Using a bulletin board or class wall space, set out Post It notes in a variety of colors. Share a few examples with students when introducing the space and let them know they may "tweet" as any character from the fairy tale shares that day. Tweets can be open-ended or given more direction, for example, a tweet could be "How did the first little pig feel as his house blew down?
- Virtual story mapping provides a clear visual for students to identify and analyze the components of fairy tales. This could be done using a teacher created PowerPoint or an online tool.
More Fairy Tale Lessons and Activities
Students use satire and humor to rewrite classic fairy tales with a new twist.
Students use fairy tales as inspiration for the creation of story problems.
After reading and analyzing the components of fairy tales, students create their own fantasy tale. This lesson includes many resources including story map worksheets, and a step by step guide to lead students through creating their own fairy tale.