Life is a Fairy Tale: An Authentic Writing Unit

By: Kelly Venia

Students will be able to

Identify the plot elements that frame a fairy tale by reading and analyzing several versions of the same and different fairy tales. Dramatize and practice orally reading fairy tales as Readers Theater scripts, physically becoming the characters and then reflecting on the relation to their own lives. Infer fairy tale character traits by watching video clips and relate those characters to previously read stories. Write and compose their own fairy tale by reviewing previously indicated plot elements and character traits. Tell other students and online publishers about the process of writing their fairy tale and share it with others.

Common Core Standards

Writing Standards. Text Types and Purposes. 3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. a. Establish a situation and introduce a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally. b. Use dialogue and descriptions of actions, thoughts, and feelings to develop experiences and events or show the response of characters to situations. c. Use temporal words and phrases to signal event order. d. Provide a sense of closure. Writing Standards. Research to Build and Present Knowledge. 8. Recall information from experiences or gather information from print and digital sources; take brief notes on sources and sort evidence into provided categories. Reading Standards. Key Ideas and Details. 2. Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. 3. Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events. Reading Standards: Foundational Skills. Fluency. 4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding. b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

Before You Plan

Instead of planning this unit by days or weeks, I have broken it up into phases. Each phase can take as long as you see fit for the regular flow of your classroom.
This allows the unit to be as short or long as you wish. Take the bits and pieces you find new and helpful!

The overall goal for this unit it to make fairy tales seem authentic. We are making stories and books come to life through theater, movies, writing, and sharing.
Authentic teaching has a real purpose for a real audience in the learners real world.

Be sure to include a variety of versions for your fairy tales!

Be sure to include traditional, multicultural, and fractured fairy tales to compare. Be aware of varied reading abilities, varying the levels of difficult in your selection to meet students needs.

Phase 1: Introduce Literature

The teacher reads traditional and alternative fairy tales to the class.
Compare and contrast different types with a Venn Diagram and other graphic organizers.

Student choice: A variety of fairy tales are available for silent reading at varied reading levels. Listen to and read along with audio or digital books.
Discuss common plot elements.

Students choose between 4-5 fairy tales to buddy read.

Partners should choose books in separate versions of fairy tales (i.e. traditional, fractured, or multicultural)

Phase 2: Analyze Fairy Tale

Elements
Students should use various graphic organizers to conceptualize the framework unique to fairy tales. Here are some examples: Event Checklist Story Board Pre-Writing Organizer Plot Diagram

Phase 3: Readers Theater

Students are formed into small groups. Each small group reads a Readers Theater script that matches a fairy tale previously read in a book.
Display a plot diagram after each reading for the audience. Discuss each plays details for each stop of the plot diagram.

Small groups practice quick readings of their scripts, then take turns performing it for the rest of their class.
Process Drama: Thought Bubble activity
With a cardboard thought bubble as a visual cue, stop readers at various points throughout their play to share what their character might be thinking at that time.

Phase 4: Infer Traits from Videos

As a whole class, a language chart may be filled out to record information about the Readers Theater characters traits and plot elements. Once each play has been entered into the chart, analyzing can be done across the plays.
For an example language chart, see Mr. Terhunes blog.

Watch a variety of 30 second to 1 minute clips of animated fairy tale movies.

Watch 1 or 2 as a whole class, using a chart or other graphic organizer to identify the character or personality traits that make them fitting to a fairy tale. Students watch a few more clips to identify fairy tale character traits independently.

Phase 5: Write Your Own

Fairy Tale
Students are given a blank plot diagram to brainstorm the events and settings that will occur in their story.
Use the ReadWriteThink interactive as a tool!

Using the completed video analysis charts, students get to cast characters who has auditioned for their story. Students should follow the 5-Step Writing Process to complete the drafts and revisions.
You may want them to type their final draft for easy submission to online publishing, as well as boosting technology skills.

Phase 6: Publish and Share

Students assemble their final drafts into a book.
Illustrations may be added.

The student authors should share their fairy tale with others to create an authentic audience.
Read to younger students in the school or community. Host an Authors Academy in the classroom for students to read to visiting family members. Display completed books in the school or public library. Publish students written stories online!
http://teacher.scholastic.com/writeit/publish.asp www.booksofhope.org

Life is a Fairy Tale

For a 6 traits + 1 writing rubric for grading students final fairy tale stories, Click HERE! My inspiration for this project comes from my graduate coursework: Life is a Fairy Tale: An Authentic Writing Project. Nearly every resource you should need to conduct this unit is available on my Fairy Tales in Authentic Teaching website!
If its not exactly what you are looking for, I hope I can at least inspire your own creativity with my models.