10 Fairy-Tale Lesson Plans That Are Learning Magic - We Are Teachers (2024)

English Language Arts

Because there is no one way to read a story

10 Fairy-Tale Lesson Plans That Are Learning Magic - We Are Teachers (1)

What do we call it when an author takes a classic fairy tale and changes it into something completely different? Afractured fairy tale. Kids love them. “It’s by far my students’ favorite language arts unit every year,” writes teacher Jessie Averson, a second-grade teacher in Tennessee. We asked teachers across the country for their fractured-fairy-tale lesson plans. Here are the top 11 ideas. (Plus,fractured-fairy-tale book lists at the bottom of the page!)

1. Define fairy tales

“Start off by asking students to share their favorite fairy tales. Record the list on a piece of chart paper. Then ask the class: ‘What makes a fairy tale a fairy tale?’ You’ll be amazed at their answers, and it will lay the groundwork for all the work that follows.” —Jessie Averson

2. Tell a tale

“Choose a fairy tale that you know well and TELL the story—no props, no pictures—just tell it. Storytelling is becoming a lost art. You will be amazed at how your students respond as they paint pictures in their minds while listening to your words. My students become instantly quiet and focused when I begin to tell a story.” —Linda Joyce

3. Collaborate

“Read three or four or five traditional fairy tales aloud. If your students are familiar enough with the stories, tell the stories collaboratively as a class at circle time. As they relate the tale together, your students may discover that they do not all remember the story the same way.” —Ellen Ivory

4. Readers theater

“Readers theater is essential. Choose a fairy tale or two and have groups of three or four students each take a different version and perform it as readers theater! My second graders loved it and they made their own props too!” —Mallory Wintercorn

5.Point of view

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“Fractured fairy tales are great for teaching about point of view. Read titles such as ‘Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks!’ or ‘The Story of the Three Bears as Told by Baby Bear’ by Nancy Jean Loewen and talk about how different characters might have a different perspective. Loewen also has versions of ‘Cinderella’ and ‘The Three Little Pigs.'” —Karen Griffin

6. Pull STEM into your fairy-tale lesson plans

“As a side STEM activity for The Three Little Pigs, gather building materials such as straws, Popsicle sticks, LEGO, etc., and explore how effective they are as building materials!” —April JW

7. Go cross-curricular

“We make our fairy-tale unit cross-curricular. We plant beans after reading ‘Jack and the Beanstalk.’ We also build castles with recyclable items. After reading ‘Cinderella,’ we do an activity where we measure Cinderella’s, her sisters’ and her godmother’s shoes. We do problem-solving with the characters from fairy tales. It all ends with Fairy Tale Day, when kids dress up as princesses, knights, and dragons. Such a fun celebration for everyone!” —Mylene Arseneau

8. Rewrite the story

“I like the idea of a creative writing assignment or—for younger kids—a storytelling assignment. Swap the bad guys in the stories. The Big Bad Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood chases Hansel and Gretel. What would happen? How would the stories be different?” —Phil Weber

9. Improv

“In drama class, I would choose a fairy tale and then change three objects in the story and the students would have to come up with ways to keep the storyline but still include the objects. For Snow White, instead of an apple, use a tissue box; instead of a mirror, use a computer. The kids loved it!” —Laurie Elliot

10. Travel the world

“There are so many versions of Cinderella from different cultures. When I taught second grade, we did a unit called ‘Around the World With Cinderella.’ Students made passports and read versions of Cinderella from several continents. They had to compare and contrast a few stories and then they wrote their own.” —Kenya Brown

11. Flip the script

“After my second graders study fairy tales, we read The Endby David LaRochelle. It starts with ‘and they all lived happily ever after,’ and it ends as you can imagine with ‘once upon a time.’ My students think it’s sofunny!”—April Ralph

Now that you have fairy-tale lesson plans, you need the books! Check out these links for fractured-fairy-tale book lists on the following stories:

  • Cinderella
  • Three Little Pigs
  • Goldilocks
  • Little Red Riding Hood

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10 Fairy-Tale Lesson Plans That Are Learning Magic - We Are Teachers (3)

21 Cinderella Fractured Fairy Tales We Love

ByWe Are Teachers Staff

Apr 30, 2013

Reading

There is more than one way to retell a classic.Continue Reading

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10 Fairy-Tale Lesson Plans That Are Learning Magic - We Are Teachers (2024)

FAQs

What is a fairy tale answer? ›

A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful beings.

What is the lesson one can learn from the fairy tale? ›

What are some morals in fairy tales? All fairy tales attempt to help people know how to be good people. This can be cautionary like "do not judge a book by its cover" or prescriptive like "be kind to others regardless of who they are."

How do you teach fairy tales lessons? ›

Fairy tales show that people face adversity, but, if they believe in themselves, they can overcome obstacles. Stories can help children confront real-life fears and anxieties in a fantastical setting. Expose children to different cultures, as they are often set in different parts of the world.

What are three positive lessons taught in fairy tales? ›

Fairytale Lessons: How Fairytales Teach Kids to Be Brave
  • They show real-life problems in fantastical settings. All children need to understand that bad things happen in the real world. ...
  • They promote hope. ...
  • They teach the value of independence. ...
  • They model bravery.

How is magic used in fairy tales? ›

An element of magic:

Some characters are able to change shape, such as the frog who is transformed into a prince. Fairy tales often feature characters who are mythical or magical, such as witches, elves, and fairies.

What is fairy tale and examples? ›

A fairy tale is a magical story for children, like "Cinderella" or "Rumpelstiltskin." If you read a story that begins, "Once upon a time," chances are it's a fairy tale. A story doesn't have to include any fairies at all to be considered a fairy tale.

Why is 3 important in fairy tales? ›

Three is the smallest recognisable pattern, which makes it easy to remember. A plot based on “threes” also creates suspense more effectively than events occurring in twos or fours. Memorable tales were more likely to be repeated from person to person and survive in the oral tradition.

What is the main idea of a fairy tale? ›

Beauty, heroism, and virtue are common themes in fairy tales, which often feature poor but virtuous characters.

What is a fairy tale summary? ›

Short Summary

A fairy tale is a folk story that has been written down by an individual author. It always includes a wondrous element, which is supernatural and leads to change. Historically speaking, the fairy tale has not always been for children.

How do you plan a fairy tale? ›

How To Write A Fairy Tale That Enchants Your Readers
  1. Once Upon A Time… ...
  2. Choose Your Fairy Tale Moral. ...
  3. Create Your Characters. ...
  4. Consider Your Conflict. ...
  5. Hone In On Your Happy Ending. ...
  6. Decide On Your Settings. ...
  7. Sprinkle In Some Magic.

How do you learn magic in fairy tail? ›

Magic is used by exerting Magic Power as a wide variety of spells or by focusing it into an external source. However, some items and weapons such as Edolas Items use Lacrima to power them. In order to learn Magic, you must train your intellect and spirit.

What is a tale that teaches a lesson? ›

Fables are a great way to teach students important life lessons. Stories in the fable genre feature personified animals to highlight human weaknesses and share meaningful messages about morality.

Do fairy tales always have a lesson? ›

Not all fairy tales teach morals or lessons for our daily lives, but many do. Fables are such stories. They often use animals that behave like humans to teach lessons about life. These tales often end with a moral.

What is the moral lesson of the story? ›

The moral of a story is the lesson that story teaches about how to behave in the world. Moral comes from the Latin word mores, for habits. The moral of a story is supposed to teach you how to be a better person. If moral is used as an adjective, it means good, or ethical.

How are fairy tales used in classroom? ›

Using Fairy Tales in the Classroom

They can read fairy tales to their students and encourage discussions about moral lessons and characters. Furthermore, teachers can assign children the task of writing their own stories or fairy tales, thus promoting creativity and writing proficiency.

How do you describe a fairy tale? ›

: a story (as for children) involving fantastic forces and beings (such as fairies, wizards, and goblins) enjoyed the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" called also fairy story. b. : a story in which improbable events lead to a happy ending.

What is a fairy tale short description? ›

Definitions. A fairytale is a Genre of magical story, usually originating in folklore. Typically in European fairy tales, a poor, brave, and resourceful hero or heroine goes through testing adventures to eventual good fortune.

What is a fairy tale slang? ›

an incredible or misleading statement, account, or belief: His story of being a millionaire is just a fairy tale.

What is a fairy answer? ›

A fairy is an imaginary creature with magical powers. Fairies are often represented as small people with wings. Synonyms: sprite, elf, brownie, hob More Synonyms of fairy. 2. countable noun.

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