Teacher Page

Compare and Contrast

Fairytales, fables, legends, myths, and other stories are often passed through generations within a culture.  Many times the original author, facts or characters have been altered over time.  Most of the time, these alterations are as a result of new and different societal influences. However, the core story remains intact.

This project will address how simple it is to take any commonly known fictional story and alter it to reflect students’ current concerns, customs, norms, and morals. Students will engage higher order thinking skills, including collaboration, in order to produce the final project: a modern fictional story.

This story will be displayed in a manner that demonstrates creativity.

Do characters always make wise decisions?

1. Was it a good idea for Goldilocks to enter a stranger’s home?  Uninvited?  Why?

2. Should she have eaten food that had already been tasted by someone else?

3. What do you do when you break something that is not yours?

4. Did Little Red Riding Hood obey all her mother’s instructions?

5. What are the dangers with talking to strangers?

6. What things can you do to get help when you need it?

7. Make a graphic organizer to compare two different fairy tales you have read?        

8. Can you rewrite a fairy tale and have the characters make wise decisions?

9. What would Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks look like today?

10. What if they lived in the city instead of the country?

11. Can you make other characters in a fairy tale look and talk different? If so, what would they say?

Unit Prerequisites

• Children should be aware of genres when presented with written and oral stories.

• Students should be able to tell fact from fiction and real from make-believe.

• Students should be able to retell simple stories in sequential order.

• Children should be familiar with age appropriate ‘good life’ choices in terms of safety and health.

Access:

• Read or listen to at least two versions of the same fiction story.

• Students will form into teams of three to four persons. Each group will have a recorder, an illustrator, and a presenter.

• Students should have use of a variety of media by which to work on their project.

Interpret:

• Decide which story you would like to change.

• How would this character act if she or he were alive today?

• What things in the story must remain the same so that the story is like the original story?

Produce:

• Rewrite the story as it might be told today.

• Make the story into a book to share with others.

• Put on a play with your team using puppets or actors.

Communicate:

• Retell the story using only the main ideas.

• Tell what ways your character has improved.

• Use a graphic organizer to describe the changes made between the old and new versions of the story.

Evaluate:

• In what ways have you improved the original story?

• Use the rubrics given to determine the quality of your work.

• Make corrections in grammar and spelling when finalizing your project.

• Have other students ask questions about your product.

Teacher Resources