Fairy Tales Abstracts

Fairy Tales: Reflections Of Society Abstracts

Exploring Families Through Fairy Tales
Julie Bartlett

This curriculum is designed for middle school social studies and language arts classes. The fairy tale unit is part of a much larger unit focusing on U.S. immigration and families. The unit is completely integrated into the core subjects including math and science. The total length is about four weeks, with the fairy tale component lasting about a week and a half.

            Through social studies, students will study the history of immigration to the United States. Personal historical accounts and photographs will be used. Students will engage in group activities to understand what life was like for families during this time period. In language arts students will listen to, read, and write fairy tales. The stories chosen will reflect some aspect of the family including male socialization, female socialization, sibling stories, and moral/value stories.

            In the end students will share a project with the class about their family. The final project presentation will include a family tree, an important family item, a family tradition, and an original family fairy tale created by the student.

Fairy Tales and Gender Roles
Marcella Ubben Candelaria

This unit is designed for seventh graders in a contained special education class, but I think it could be adapted to all middle school students (grades six through eight). We look at the history of the fairy tales beginning in ancient cultures with myths and legends. We examine two European fairy tales, both the traditional and modern versions. Seventh grade curriculum in social studies is North and South America and for this we look at American tales. There is comparison between the European and modern versions and between European fairy tales and American folk tales and legends.

            The tales I chose are the traditional Beauty and the Beast and The Frog Prince by the Grimm Brothers. These are the vehicles I use for the lesson plans I developed to look specifically at gender roles in society. The students will look at what they think male and female roles are today and we will trace their development from the oral folktales through fairy tales and into today's modern stories of traditional tales.

Fairy Tale as Personal Narrative
Sara Cook

This unit is designed for language arts classes, using the narrative principles of fairy tales to create and share a personal narrative. Students often think their own “stories” are unimportant. Yet, if they are given the task of transforming their own stories into a specific form they often come to understand and appreciate what is going on in their own lives in a new way. Students will be studying seven different versions of Little Red Riding Hood. Little Red Riding Hood is an important coming of age story. The different versions run the gamut from the earlier versions where the girl is blamed for her own rape to the feminist rewrites where she uses karate to defend herself against the wolf/man. The students will enjoy both the shock of the morals and the lessons taught. They will be asked to compare the stories concentrating on how specific details have changed the whole story. For example, in “The Story of Grandmother,” the girl is not described as pretty or naīve and she manages to save herself from the wolf with her intelligence. In Perrault’s version, Little Red Riding Hood is described as spoiled and at fault for what happens to her because she should have been more careful. The students will look for the lesson or moral in the story and make a list of the formal principles that are followed in fairy tales in order to start draft personal fairy tales that are based on real life events. The students will be expected to write into the story a particular moral and they will have to learn to identify “lessons” and subsequently reflect on these morals. The students will also have a chance to look at illustrations of Little Red Riding Hood scenes from various artists and choose which illustrations they would put with the stories being studied.

Fairy Tales in the Early Childhood Classroom
Margaret Grabowsky

According to Bruno Bettelheim, by listening to fairy tales and engaging in activities related to the stories, children work through many anxieties that they may be experiencing.   In addition to meeting several district standards, I planned this unit with the hope of easing separation anxieties in my kindergarten students.

            The unit is organized by first giving a brief basic evolution of fairy tales as a genre. The concept of child and childhood is also included for background knowledge. I teach full day kindergarten and the lessons are planned for a two hour literacy block. “The Three Little Pigs” and “Hansel and Gretel” are the fairy tales at the center of the unit. Included in the unit are whole class activities, small group committees, and independent activities.

Creating Stories, Creating Community
Deborah Gutierrez

The following unit plan is an attempt to interweave the study of fairy tales into a kindergarten curriculum unit, specifically the study of different versions of Little Red Riding Hood. We will focus on comparing different versions of the same story, identifying characters, setting, and important events, illustrate the characters and setting through dramatic play and different forms of art, as well as explore similarities or parallels with the characters’ lives and our own lives.

Storytellers long ago told tales in hopes to bring people together, a vehicle to strengthen a community. In many ways, stories can be thought of as the strongest thread between the members of a community to come together, to unite with a common cause.

It is my goal that through this unit plan, I will be able to build community with my students by the sharing of tales and the exploration of characters and setting, combined with hands-on learning. Three Little Red Riding Hood versions will be studied.

The first Little Red Riding Hood story selected has been adapted by Lynne Suesse and illustrated by Thea Kliros. This version was chosen because of its simplistic form. The goal is to familiarize students with this very popular tale, to focus on getting to know the tale and its characters.

The second version is by Trina Schart Hyman and the focus will be to teach students about the dangers involved in “straying from the path” and “talking to strangers.” This variant of “Little Red Riding Hood” was selected because it is a classic version with a great deal more detail and surprise ending. Not only is the text more complex, but the illustrations are strong enough to stand-alone.

Through the last version of Little Red, I will try to convey the idea that although we can never avoid getting into trouble all together, wit and perseverance can help you to save yourselves. This is a very clever Chinese variant than can help students to open their minds while teaching wit and teamwork.

With all the different Little Red versions, students will be asked to perform activities that will help extend their creativity and sense of working together or cooperative learning. Students will also be working on fine motor-skills and large motor-skills. They will practice writing, reading, speaking in front of an audience, and performing. They will become creators, entertainers, sculptors, writers, readers, speakers, and much more.

A Fairy Tale Based Curriculum for Preschoolers with Special Needs
Valerie Hookham

The tale The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything is used as the basis for a seven lesson unit to enhance communication skills and self-reliance. The target population is three- and four-year olds who qualify for the Albuquerque Public Schools federally mandated preschool program (who have developmental delays). The developmental level of the students varies dramatically, and the lesson plans accommodate this fact. A survey of relevant literature is included in the unit, as well as further resources for teachers.

Using Fairy Tales to Teach Library/Study Skills
Rachel Horwitz

There are certain study-skills that all middle to high school students should master to make their years in school easier. In the past, the library was the place where study skills were taught, basically because that was where the books were. While the classical book-based study skills, such as note taking and outline writing are still important, ways of doing research have changed because of the introduction of computers into modern libraries. There are contemporary computer-based study skills, such as web searches and Power Point presentations that have also become essential for today’s students. The successful acquisition of these two types of study skills, both traditional book-based and contemporary computer-based contribute to a more successful school career, which often contributes to a more successful life career.

As a librarian, I wanted to incorporate both book and computer skills into a curriculum that could be used by as many middle school teachers as possible. This curriculum would ensure that all middle school students were exposed to both book-based research and computer applications that would help prepare middle school students for high school and beyond. Libraries have changed greatly in the last few years with the addition of computers and I wanted this curriculum to reflect those changes. To do this, I had to find a topic that was familiar enough to most students, exciting enough to hold their interest and modern enough to be valid for everyone. Fairy tales were selected as the unit topic for several reasons. Most students will admit to some understanding of what a fairy tale is, most students will admit to liking fairy tales and in the last fifteen years there has been an influx of rewritten fairy tales in novel form for the young adult reader that I wanted students to know about. Fairy tales also have lots of web sites. Fairy tales fit all the requirements perfectly.

         This curriculum unit satisfies the New Mexico State Library Standards for middle school students. It is based on eleven lessons that teach library/ study skills using fairy tales as the unit theme. The lessons can be taught over the whole school year or condensed into one semester. The students produce both written work and computer projects. Working together, the librarian and the classroom teacher can create a grading scale and/or rubric for each project. Depending on the teacher’s requirements, the librarian can grade the projects and then return them to the teacher, so that the grade can become part of the student’s class work. The goal of this curriculum is to provide both teachers and students an opportunity to study fairy tales and become more proficient in contemporary and traditional library/study skills.

Plot Twists, Character Turns, and Timeless Archetypes:
Exploring the Fundamentals of Literature and Creative Writing Through Fairy Tales
Sheri Jett

In creative writing, students seek to answer the essential question, How does a writer’s voice reflect the essence of human relationships and the values of society, culturally and historically? Students’ learning is driven by this question in their readings, analyses, and original works. At the beginning of their development as writers, it is vital for students to understand the characteristics of human relationships and emotions and how these characteristics have influenced and shaped the values and norms of different societies. Furthermore, it is imperative that students have a strong foundation in the basic functions, forms, mechanics, and symbolic expressions that characterize literature. Ultimately, students’ understanding of literary basics will transfer into their own original works. As a genre, fairy tales provide an accessible and familiar literary form that demonstrates the fundamentals of literature. The tales are living stories that continue to speak to the universal human condition and address the struggle to find meaning in life.

In this unit, the learner will…
Ø         Discuss the origins of archetypes and their prevalence in fairy tales, other literature, and media.
Ø         Study fairy tales as examples of the specifics of literary genres, common conflicts that drive plots forward, and stock characters that populate texts.
Ø         Explore the origins and history of fairy tales.
Ø         Study various fairy tale sources and authors to understand the role of historical context in literature.

Seminar on Fairy Tales: Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?
Jacki Judd

This curriculum unit was designed for a literature seminar class for students in grades 6-8th who qualify as gifted. It was developed to meet language arts standards as well address some of the goals that are on the Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

     Taking a look at fairy tales from the historical perspective allows students to see literature as an evolving genre. Through debates, students will also examine gender messages, violence, and whether animals are treated fairly in fairy tales.


Young Adolescents Re-Visit Cinderella
Or What do Fairy Tales Have to Do With ME?!
Barbara Lazar

Once upon a time we listened to fairy tales, we heard them as bedtime stories, and saw them as movies. We were enchanted by their magic, and embraced the characters and stories as a part of what we knew. But little did we realize that many of these tales of magic and wonder were not necessarily originally meant for children. We know “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Jack and the Bean Stalk,” “Sleeping Beauty,” and others, and we see their images in picture books and know them in movies. They are associated with our childhood and imbedded into our collective memory in some form or another. But how do we know them? Some of us aren't sure if we remember or agree how a story goes or how it ends, and we rarely consider how and where these tales actually originated. For and by whom were these stories told and written and what is the appeal that keeps them around to this day? How have these tales, especially “Cinderella,” shaped us, and how do the modern adaptations of these stories reflect our times/society/values? These are some of the questions this unit will focus on.

            One of the most well-known fairy tales is “Cinderella.” “Cinderella” stories exist in cultures around the world and have been told for over a thousand years. This coming of age story cycle usually pivots around several characters: an ill-treated heroine, envious step-sisters, cruel step-mother figure, a magical helper, and the inevitable shoe (or some other clothing) fitting test. This five-six week unit will utilize as a foundation the vast collections of stories and variations of “Cinderella.”

This unit is designed for 8^th grade reading/language arts classes. It will provide students the opportunity to revisit these (mostly) familiar stories from childhood, specifically “Cinderella” stories. In addition to enjoying them for the “story” they tell, students will be encouraged to look critically at gender and class roles, story patterns and motifs, as well as historical, cultural and social implications as portrayed in “Cinderella.” This unit is concerned with the interdependence of self and society, and asks why these tales have remained so popular over time. Students will read the lines, read between the lines, and read beyond the lines. Students will write to learn about themselves and the issues that arise, write to tell their stories, and re-create the familiar stories in a new voice.

Happy Ending Inc. - Making Fairy Tales Part of Your Ever After
Barbara Mraz

Beware! This unit has princesses, palaces, wolves, wishes, and magic spells everywhere! What is the magic that makes fairy tales? We grew up with fairy tales and are familiar with the names “Cinderella,” “Snow White,” “Jack and the Beanstalk,” and “Puss and Boots.” Everyone can retell the story of “Little Red Riding Hood,” but have we ever stopped to think of the origins of these tales or of those who were first to write them down in their familiar forms? What have the lessons taught us, and how do they continue to teach and influence the children who learn them today?

This curriculum unit will instruct sixth grade social studies students about historical, social, and cultural backgrounds of these five classic fairy tales. The five tales in this unit will trace the evolution of messages,’ and look at gender roles. It also aims to investigate what it may have been like to be a child growing up. The goal is to create in the classroom a storytelling community by learning more about these five favorite fairy tales and researching their histories.

This unit is designed for a sixth grade social studies class. I teach sixth grade social studies and U.S. history at Jefferson Middle School, a well-established school centrally located near the University of New Mexico. The educational goal in social studies is to examine various cultures and societies from ancient time periods to the present. Studying history helps the students to examine how cultural values, beliefs, and attitudes have been influenced by western civilizations from Europe and Asia. As part of our cultural heritage, fairy tales continue to be popular. Students will benefit by learning a greater understanding of the history of the stories and viewing what life was like for children growing up during the time periods in which they were first written. The goal is to explore the genre and development of five fairy tales and compare the original versions to modern versions of these tales. This unit will engage students in reading and writing activities, including classroom presentations using the original and modern versions of five fairy tales.

Social Communication through Fairy Tales
Gwen Sanchez

This unit is an exploration of the history of myths, folk tales, and fairy tales, which is presented to utilize high school students’ interest in stories as a way to examine language, culture, and history. More specifically, the unit defines stock features of fairy tales, such as magical elements, and characters, such as a protagonist who faces a daunting task or an interdiction, villains, fairy helpers, etc. It is my goal for the students to find characters with whom they can either identify or set themselves apart from. As I work with the self-contained classrooms for students with learning disabilities, mental challenges or behavioral problems, my lesson plans are multi-tasked and varied.