Fairy Tale Comparison (AIG IRP)

Fairy Tale Comparison (AIG IRP)

Lesson Overview

Brief Description of Lesson/Task/Activity: Students will read two similar versions of the same fairy tale, such as the traditional tale of The Three Little Pigs and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by John Scieszka.  Students will acknowledge differences in the points of view of the characters, including speaking in different voices of each character when reading dialogue. Students will use illustrations and details in the two versions to describe the characters, setting, events and plot through questioning and analysis. The product of the lesson will a graphic organizer used to compare and contrast the two different versions of this story. This lesson fits into the larger context of examining different genres in literature, learning the elements of the particular genre and comparing and contrasting literature. This lesson would fit well into a unit on fairytales, folklore, myths etc.

Other fairy tales can be chosen, such as:

  • Cinderella (traditional version) and Yeh-Shen, A Cinderella Story from China
  • Little Red Riding Hood (traditional version) and Little Red Riding Hood: A Newfangled Prairie Tale by Lisa Campbell Ernst
  • The Princess and the Frog (traditional version) and Pondlarker by Fred Gwynne

Time Frame: Four 45-minute class periods

Type of Differentiation for AIGs:

  • Extension
  • Acceleration

Adaptations for AIGs:

  • Content
  • Process

Explanation of How Resource is Appropriate for AIGs: The lesson is accelerated to include goals reaching beyond first grade. These are listed above. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs is on a 2nd grade reading level (grade level 2.5, Lexile level 570; Guided reading level Q).

Acceleration is appropriate for AIG learners because they are often ready for the next set of skills for a grade or more above their current grade due to mastery of grade level skills. AIG students benefit from the accelerated content and process based upon academic readiness.

This lesson also allows for creative, divergent thinking as students are asked to write a new ending to the fairy tales or to create new tales. AIG students have strengths in creativity and this lesson permits them to practice their own divergent abilities.

Needed Resources/Materials:

  • one traditional version of The Three Little Pigs fairytale for each student (or another chosen fairy tale)
  • copies of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka for each student (or other “fractured” fairy tale versions)
  • a graphic organizer used for story mapping of characters, settings, events and key details, as well as conflict/problem
  • a graphic organizer used for comparison and contrast for each student 
  • The DPI example graphic organizer for comparison and contrast can be found at:  http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/acre/standards/common-core-tools/organizers/ela/compare.pdf
  • a response to text journal that is used throughout the whole year

Sources:

  • Comparison Contrast Graphic Organizer (2012) Retrieved July 8, 2012, from http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/acre/standards/common-core-tools/organizers/ela/compare.pdf
  • Galdone, P. (1970) The Three Little Pigs.  New York City, NY: Clarion Books. 
  • Scieszka, J. (1989) The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.  New York City, NY: Viking Penguin.
  • Smutny, J.F., Walker, S.Y., & Meckstroth, E.A. (1997) Teaching Young Gifted Children in the Regular Classroom. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc.

Teacher Notes:

Prior to this lesson, students should have already read the two stories during their differentiated reading group time and should have already had the practice of reading the dialogue in different voices. Ideally they would have read the stories twice, reviewed important vocabulary from the stories and had a discussion concerning the elements of a fairy tale.  In addition, the students should have already completed a story map for both stories which indicate the setting, characters, problem, events and conclusion or solution. Determining the problem or conflict in a story, a second grade skill, should be point of direct teaching and discussion. Students can answer higher-level questions about the two stories using The Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy for Learning. They will need their completed story maps to work on today’s lesson, comparing and contrasting different versions of a fairy tale.

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