Fantasy Genre: Beginning to explore and write your own
Overview
Introducing the genre of Fantasy to students. They will gain an understanding of the content and produce their own story for the product. Modifications can be made on the length of the story the are to write. There can also be a more in depth conversation on the genre by older groups.
Create Your Own Fantasy and Magic Story
Fantasy Genre: Upper elementary- Middle School
Ask the students what they think makes a book a fantasy book. Have a discussion about books they know or think they know that are. Let them answer in anyway they think, While they are answering, guide them to the parts they feel is magical.
Explain the 5 elements that are in the Fantasy:
Watch this video This list on board for them.
Elements to a Fantasy
Magic
A system that exists in your story that cannot exist here. Think gods coming to talk to people through statues, talking animals
For your story-This plays a key role in the story so make it worthy of a story-not just a paragraph.
Setting
Your setting must be a magical place as well. This means it can have elements of the world but not the world we know.
Talking animals
Flowers that talk
For your story-Build your world with the magical things-then add elements to it that can be perceived as real. “world-building”
Complex characters
Usually one standout character with many auxiliary characters around.
For your story-Create them to be flawed, making mistakes, but believable in both our world and the on the one you are creating
Central Conflict
Inner conflict-within your characters (Think Percy Jackson)
Small scale conflict-between characters (think Harry Potter)
Large scale conflict-a powerful force the characters have to face (Think The Hobbit)
A power structure/system of government
Can be one person or a group of people
The structure can be as simple as a King, or as complex as various clans that rule the land.
For your story-Your person can Work with these rulers to decide what they will create for the world
Have books on the tables for them to look through that are Fantasy and Magic. Have enough books for groups of 4 to have 4 books Remind them to look for the parts we talked about above. Have them write the parts on a paper for their partners to discuss with the class. (see paper to fill out)
Have the students work these one by one as you reexplain them as needed. Stop after each one, having the students give examples. Stress to them that you want to see the “what” and the “why” of the story.
They can come back together and talk about their brainstormed ideas. You can then lead them away from the already written to their writing.
Name of People in Group:
1-
2-
3-
4-
Name of Book : Each person in the group will select 1 book.
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Text evidence from the book that supports it being a fantasy:
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Tell about the Magic from each book:
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How do we know fromm the Setting:
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Characters:
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Conflict:
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Power Structure/Government:
Now begin your Fantasy Book with a framework. Jot down ideas and examples. Be careful to use your own thoughts and ideas. Do not the same idea from a book we know or we looked at but they may give you ideas to work with.
Magic:
Setting:
Characters:
Conflict:
Power Structure/Government: