This post wasn't hard since I included more than that in my lesson plans! My unit is on Fairy Tales. Let's start off with the classics. I kicked off my unit with Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Since I used to work for Scholastic, this is the version of the story that I have in my library.
image source: https://www.amazon.com/Goldilocks-Three-Bears-First-Fairy/dp/1848956835
This is the classic tale but with illustrations that are more modern, such as Goldilocks's clothing. I like that one of the morals of the story is to respect other peoples belongings. Students should learn not to use or borrow things without permission. I also like that it teaches children to be satisfied with what you get. She kept complaining that things were too hard or too soft or too hot or too cold.
Next, in my lesson plan, we read Little Red Riding Hood. I love the lessons that this book teaches. Children shouldn't go wondering off alone, they should follow their parent's instructions, and they shouldn't talk to strangers.
image source: https://www.amazon.com/Riding-Hood-retold-James-Marshall/dp/0140546936/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1496716606&sr=1-2&keywords=little+red+riding+hood
In this version, Granny & Red are swallowed by the wolf and then rescued by a hunter.
Here is the classic version. This one is a Caldecott Honor Book so the illustrations are great!
image source: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Riding-Trina-Schart-Hyman/dp/0823406539/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1496716751&sr=1-5&keywords=little+red+riding+hood
In my lesson plan, we compare the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood with Lon Po Po, the Chinese version of the book. This version is different then the European version. In this version of the story, there are three children and the mother leaves the children to go visit the Grandmother. She leaves the children alone in the house. She told them not to open the door. The wolf eavesdrops and comes up with the plan to pretend to be the grandmother. The children let the wolf in.
image source: amazon.com
I then had the children also read Pretty Salma, which is an African version of Little Red Riding Hood. It has a modern day setting and is quite adventurous. The wolf cons Salma out of her belongs and fools Grandmother into thinking he is Salma.
https://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Salma-Little-Riding-Africa/dp/0618723455/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1496717338&sr=1-1&keywords=Pretty+Salma
You have to watch this amazing reading of the story. I would play the video instead of me reading it. She brings more to the story than I ever could!
video source: : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwtLLwdbvP0&t=24s
Here are some other versions of Little Red Riding Hood.
I haven't read this one, but here is what Amazon says about it:
"When her grand-mère comes down wit' de flu, this Cajun Little Red knows what she has to do. With her witty cat, TeJean, she sets off in a pirogue to bring Grand-mère some gumbo. Who should she meet upon the way, but that big ol' swamp gator, Claude! Mean ol' Claude may want to gobble up Petite Rouge, but she and TeJean have a better idea. Before long, they have Claude running back to the bayou where he belongs!" (Amazon review).
image source: amazon.com
This version looks interesting. It looks like a modern day version. I personally haven't read this version. Here is what Amazon had to say: "When Little Red Riding Hood sets off to deliver muffins to her grandmother, you bet that a big bad wolf isn't far behind!
Set on the midwestern prairie, this is a "Little Red Riding Hood" that will captivate youngsters with its feisty heroines and bold humor. Especially to be relished is the way the story line plays against the classic tale's plot, with laugh-provoking lines that show true wit. As the dastardly wolf chuckles, appreciating his own schemes, the text soars, suspense builds and vibrant pictures bring out all of the fun" (Amazon).
image source: Amazon.com
I haven't read this one.
image source: Amazon.com
I haven't read this one in the series, however, I have read the Ninja version of the Three Little Pigs and got to see a lesson plan with it in a kindergarten class. Their weapon isn't their houses, they beat the wolf with karate.
image source: Amazon.com
Here is what Amazon says about it:
"Wolf just can’t catch a break! Ever since the three little pigs started teaching everyone Ninja skills, huffing and puffing just hasn’t been enough to scare up a good meal " (Amazon).
image source: Amazon.com
In my lesson plan, we also compare Cinderella stories from around the world.
In my lesson plan, we read Yeh-Shen, which is a Chinese Cinderella Story. I found this version to be sad. The tale starts off with explaining Chinese history that it was the custom of the day for the Chief to have two wives. Yen-shen's mother died. The other wife was mean to her and killed the fish that was her friend by stabbing it. This fish was no ordinary fish and it grants her wishes.
image source: Amazon.com
Here is the version of Cinderella told from the point of view of her Wicked Stepmother. Here is the synopsis from Amazon:" OF COURSE you think Cinderella was the sweetest belle of the ball. You don't know the other side of the story. Well, let me tell you..." (Amazon.com).
image source: Amazon.com
Here is my book wall for the story of The Three Little Pigs:
I haven't read this version yet. Here is what Amazon said: "Everyone knows the story of the three little pigs, but now you're going to meet the three little javelinas (pronounced ha-ve-LEE-nas)-loveable, wild, southwestern cousins of pigs. Living in homes built out of tumbleweeds and saguaro ribs (from the fallen giant cacti), the first two javelinas are soon running from the hungry coyote, who had hoped to eat them with red chile sauce. And where do they go for shelter? Why, to their wise sister's house, made strong with adobe bricks. This clever and humorous tale is sure to delight children of all ages, especially those familiar with the Southwest. Dressed in cowboy duds and prepared for life in the rugged desert, these characters are more than any coyote bargained for" (Amazon.com).
image source: Amazon.com
Here's the video reading:
video source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDqmSBKTX5o
I haven't read this one either but it looks really cute! Here is what Amazon says:
"A hilarious retelling of THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, with foil on the cover!
"Little fish, little fish, let me come in."
"Not by the skin of my finny fin fin!"
"Then I'll munch, and I'll crunch, and I'll smash your house in!" (Amazon.com),
I also included a version that told the wolf's side of the story. He claims that it is because of a sneeze and a cup of sugar that this whole mess because. He claims that he was going to bake and ran out of sugar, so he went to pigs house to borrow a cup. He sneezed and accidentally blew the house down. It landed on the pig and killed the pig. He couldn't let that pig go to waste so he just had to eat him. It wasn't his fault that wolf's like to eat meat!
image source: Amazon. com
For The Three Little Pigs, you have to read this version, The Three Little Tamales. It is really cute. The three tamales start off at a Taqueria. A flour tortilla runs by and says that he is runaway before someone eats them. So the three little tamales don't want to be eaten either so they set off to find someplace else to live.
image source: Amazon.com
video source: : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrW6JKB-aWg
This video is narrated by the author of the book, Eric Kimmel. Who could read the book better than the author himself??? For books that are written from other cultures, I prefer to find a video with a more authentic presentation than what I could do so that the students are exposed to other accents and dialects. What are your thoughts?
Susan, I love your book and video choices!! I bet your unit is going to be so fun! My 1st grader is in summer school right now and they are doing a lot with fairy tales. She comes home each day absolutely thrilled to tell me all about what they read:)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Parker, your unit sounds like it is going to be a lot of fun! It will definitely keep kids interested. I also agree with you that sometimes it is better to find a video that provides a more authentic version of the book.
ReplyDeleteI love the mix of fairy tales from the more familiar to ones I have not heard of. I think kids would love your unit plan just for the books you have provided. I also agree that if you can find an audio of a book with authentic dialect would mean more for the students. I do not think I could give the students the experience they would need to have with the book if I tried to read something other than my English dialect.
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ReplyDeleteI agree, I like when we're able to explore different versions of the same story. In older grades, you can turn this into an invitation for students to make THEIR own versions of classic fairy tales. What I enjoy even more though is when the same story is told from a different perspective (that's why I like "Hoodwinked" the movie). This is why I like "The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs" so much. It changes your hold perspective when you hear the other side of the story. ;)
ReplyDeleteI also think the Tamales story is ridiculous but overwhelms you with cuteness.
Love this and all the advice from your colleagues!
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