Connecticut Standards of Learning

Visual Arts:

• Use art media and tools in a safe and responsible manner.

• Use the elements of art and principles of design to communicate ideas.

Language Arts:

Content Standard 1: Reading and Responding

• Students will describe the thoughts, opinions and questions that arise as they read, view or listen to a text and use relevant information from the text to summarize the content.
• Students will use what they know to identify or infer important characters, settings, themes, events, ideas, relationships or details within a work.
• Students will analyze, elaborate on and respond critically to works.
• Students will listen to, read and view texts, tell periodically how they think texts will turn out, then read to decide if their predictions prove accurate.
• Students will learn and use effectively the complete variety of word recognition strategies to aid in comprehension.
• Students will read extensively, cluster, define, identify word parts and use other such strategies to build their comprehension skills.
• Students will participate in a variety of cooperative group activities to apply collaborative skills to their reading, writing, listening and viewing.

Content Standard 2: Producing Texts

• Students will speak, write or draw in a variety of modes to tell stories that their audience understands.

Content Standard 3: Applying English Language Conventions

• Students will develop proficiency in using capitalization, punctuation, usage and spelling skills appropriate for their grade level.

Content Standard 4: Exploring and Responding to Texts

• Students will read/listen to/view a variety of children’s classics and talk about the ways life today is similar to the characters’ lives.

• Students will identify the literary conventions and devices used in such genres as folk tales, fairy tales, tall tales and poems, and tell how those conventions and devices help the reader understand the genre.

Connecticut Learning Resources and Information Technology

Content Standard 1: Defining Information Needs

• Identify, locate and use appropriate print, non-print and/or electronic resources available through their school library media center with assistance.

Content Standard 2: Information Systems

• Use simple menus to locate information from electronic media.

Content Standard 3: Information Strategies

• Use correct library/information/technology terminology;
• Identify basic print, non-print and electronic media formats and their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages;
• Interpret simple charts, graphs and tables.

Content Standard 4: Information Processing

• Demonstrate attentive and purposeful listening and viewing skills.

Content Standard 5: Application

• Use appropriate software (e.g., word processing, desktop publishing, graphing or charting) to create clear and organized presentations of ideas and conclusions;
• Use video, audio and multimedia tools to create clear and meaningful presentations of ideas;
• Demonstrate basic operation of equipment needed for information access.

• Read a short (2-10 minutes) unfamiliar fairy tale to the class, such as The Queen and The Mouse. Introduce fairy tale themes through discussion of the fairy tale. Write student responses on a flip chart. Discuss unfamiliar vocabulary terms, theme terms and meanings (jealousy, honesty, cleverness, foolishness).
• Prepare and discuss the vocabulary wall. (Use poster board strips for words and definitions backed with Velcro strips to stick to a felt board). Older students could type words into a database in column A, write the definition in column B, and use the word in a sentence in column C.
• Discuss how a fairy tale is different from other stories the students have read and tell the students that they will be reading and discussing fairy tales for the next X number of days/weeks. List student responses on a flip chart.

Part 1: Introduction to Fairy Tales

• Listen to the Fairy Tale read by the teacher.
• Discuss Fairy Tale themes: Are any characters jealous of another's beauty and goodness? Are characters put to a test? Do any characters get help from a magical creature? Is honesty or cleverness rewarded? Is foolishness or evil punished? Are any characters transformed into something better? Do characters marry into royalty? Do characters live happily every after? (For grades 1-2 rephrase the questions: Was magic used in the Fairy Tale? How? Who was the hero or main character of the tale? What characters were mean? Kind? What actions were good? Bad? What lesson was learned? Did one or more of the characters live happily every after? Who and why?)
• Draw a picture representing one of the themes of the fairy tale. Leave a space on the picture to write a sentence or two about the picture.
• Students share their pictures with the class (volunteers only).
• Post pictures on the fairy tale bulletin board under the tale title.
• Discuss how a fairy tale is different from other stories you have read. Have you read any other fairy tales? Which ones? Why do you think it is a fairy tale?
• Students will cut and paste the fairy tale sequence of events in a spreadsheet and place them in the correct order. (See sample MS Excel file, Queen_Mouse Sequencing).
• Students will check their answers by viewing the hidden answer column, column D. (Format, Column, Unhide). Option for younger students: Unhide the column in the sample file, change the font color to white and resave the file. Students view the answers by selecting column D, then selecting a font color other than white.

Part 2: Fairy Tale Themes

• Grades 3-4:
• Students will read an assigned fairy tale in pairs, either on the computer via the fairy tales webpage, or in books provided by the teacher).
• Each group will place an X in the fairy tales database identifying themes in their particular story. (See sample MS Excel file, Fairy Tale Themes Database). Note: The database could be set up on one computer either in the classroom or on multiple computers in a lab for students to access as they finish reading.
• Each pair of students will summarize their fairy tale and verbally give an overview of the fairy tale to the class.
• Under teacher direction, students or pairs of students will open the completed Fairy Tale Themes database and use filtering to identify recurring themes in the stories. Which theme appeared the most in the tales read? The least? Were there any themes that appeared in all the tales read? If so, which one? Sort descending then ascending. What is the difference between the sorts?
• Draw a picture in Paint, KidPix or other drawing program or on paper that represents one section of the tale. Have other students try and determine which fairy tale the picture belongs to from the list of titles.
  
  
• Grades 1-2:
• Read or listen to a fairy tale with a partner. Students may listen to stories on tape, online (see Internet Resources), or read by an older student.
• Each pair of students will place an X in the fairy tales database identifying themes in their particular story. Change the sample database fields to match the reading level of the students.
• Print out a copy of the database for each student and add a total column at the bottom of the database. Students will count the X’s placed in each column. Discuss which themes appeared in most of the tales, in 5 or less, etc.
• Draw a picture on KidPix or other drawing program or on paper that represents a certain section of the Fairy Tale. Have other students try and determine which Fairy Tale the picture belongs to from the list of titles.

Part 3: Comparing Fairy Tales

• A computer will need to be available for each student or pair of students and headsets (or via a projection device for group activity). Go to the National Geographic Grimms Tales web site.
• Each student will listen to (the above web site provides audio for the tales listed here) and/or read as a class, the following four tales over a period of 2-4 class sessions: The Bremen Town Musicians, Cinderella, The Frog King, and The Seven Ravens. If using a projection device, have student volunteers read paragraphs aloud while the rest of the class follows along.
• After reading each tale, each student will complete the accompanying worksheet for each tale either on the computer or on paper. (For grades 1-2 complete as a class on a large piece of butcher paper). (See sample MS Word file, Fairy Tales Comparison).
• As a class, discuss the similarities and differences between the four tales. Discuss worksheets. Which tales have the most in common? What is common? What element is common in three of them (wishes)? How are the tales different? Discuss promises (The Frog Prince).
• Writing activity on index cards: If you could wish for anything what would you wish for? Is your wish for yourself, someone else you know or for others in the world around you? Make 3 wishes, one for each category and describe why you are making the wish. Place all index cards in a basket or bag or wishing well. Each day a student will draw three wishes out of the wishing well, read them, and place them on the bulletin board. As a class, discuss the wishes and ways you might be able to grant one of the wishes.

Part 4: Cinderella Around the World
Divide students into equal groups (number will depend on how many versions of Cinderella available)

• Cinderella: Each student in the group will read or listen to a different version of Cinderella. The group, with the teacher or an aide, will discuss the similarities and differences between the versions. For first and second grade students, read a different version to each group (or provide tapes and headphones for listening) and discuss and chart the similarities and differences as a class activity. For each version, make a chart of the animals used to bring Cinderella to the ball and what each was turned into (include the number of animals used as well).
• Practice Telling Time with Cinderella: Provide practice clocks for each student in the group. Students will move the hands to display and read times. Set up time problems appropriate for the student grade levels (such as, if Cinderella got to the ball at 8:40pm and left at midnight, how long was she at the ball?).
• Mad Lib Cinderella:
  • Open the Mad Lib document as directed by the teacher in Microsoft Word (or other word processing application). (See sample MS Word file, Mad Lib Cinderella).
  • Read the entire selection inserting spaces or X’s where parts of speech/words seem to be missing. (For Grades 1-2, insert boxes or lines to indicate missing words).
  • Insert words into the blank spaces to make the sentence and paragraphs make sense.
  • Format the font for each word you insert as follows: Nouns-Blue, Verbs-Red, Other inserted words that aren’t verbs or nouns-Green.
  • Save the literature Mad Lib document as: yourname_MadLib.wps and print.
• Cinderella Animal Collage: From the list of the animals used to bring Cinderella to the ball from all the Cinderella stories, create a Cinderella animal collage for each story version. Each student will determine which version he/she wants to use, label his/her paper, and then cut out from magazines and paste, or draw the animals. Next to the animals, indicate what each animal was turned into by cutting out a picture or drawing a picture of the object.

Part 5: Write a Fairy Tale

• Go to the Fairy Tales Webquest site. Select the Story Map Template link under step 3. Each student will print a copy of the Story Map Template.
• Listen to and view a sample fairy tale PowerPoint presentation/story created by the teacher. Identify the characters, setting, story problem, major events, solution, and themes.
• Open the PowerPoint story template (see file PowerPoint Story Template) and practice using the template (typing in text, changing font attributes, and inserting graphics).
• Students will complete the story map worksheet and turn in the worksheet to the teacher for evaluation.
• Students will edit the story map as necessary.
• Students will write their stories on paper, labeling each sentence/paragraph as a slide number.
• Students will enter their story text into the PowerPoint template and format the text as desired.
• Students will draw pictures to represent each slide and scan/save the pictures to their diskettes (or file folder). Suggestion: Label each picture as FT_Slide1, slide 2, etc. in the appropriate folder or on diskette.
• Students will insert the graphics into the slides.
• Students will follow teacher directions and add special effects such as buttons, sound, and slide transitions.
• For Grades 1-2, omit adding special effects. Other writing and drawing programs may also be used such as KidPix Studio Deluxe, Storybook Weaver Deluxe, or the Amazing Writing Machine.
• See file Fairy Tale Sample Story for a student fairy tale example.

Part 6: Bringing it all Together

• Students will present their multimedia presentations/stories to the class. Following each story, the class will determine the main character, setting, problem, major events, solution, and themes.
• As a group via a projection device, revisit the Fairy Tale Webquest conclusion page and complete the Fairy Tales Trivia Puzzle. Write the answers to each on the flip chart or board, circling and numbering as shown on the web page. Option: print out the worksheet and have students complete in pairs with access to the computer and links for references to the stories.

• Drawing paper and drawing tools
• Bulletin Board materials
• Flip chart and markers
• Various fairy tales books appropriate for the age and reading level of the students including at least 4 different versions (from other countries) of Cinderella
• Various Fairy Tales on tape
• Magazines for cutting up
• Scissors (1 per student)
• Glue (1 bottle per 2-3 students)
• Clocks with adjustable hands
• Poster board
• Index cards
• Velcro (optional)
• Basket/wishing well

• Sample Files (see student activities)

• Internet browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator)
• Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint (or other database/spreadsheet, word processing, and multimedia applications)
• Optional: KidPix Studio Deluxe, Storybook Weaver Deluxe, Amazing Writing Machine, or other writing, painting, and/or multimedia applications.
• The Realm of Fairy Tales: A Webquest
• Whootie's Owl's Fairy Tales
• The Children’s Literature Web Guide - Cinderella
• A list of Fairy Tales that can be read online (text only):
• Grimm Brothers Tales on National Geographic
• Grimm’s Fairy Tales
  

• Multimedia computers with Internet access
• Headsets (1 per student)
• Projection device and screen for large group viewing
• Diskettes (1 per student if necessary to save files)
• Several tape recorders and headsets
• Scanner

Students will be assessed as follows:

Part 1:

• Listening attentively to teacher as he/she reads a Fairy Tale;
• Participating in the Fairy Tale class discussion using appropriate communication skills;
• Student pictures for content and connection to a Fairy Tale including sentence structure, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and how it relates to the picture;
• Student databases for accurate use of cut, paste, and placement of events in the proper order.

Part 2:

• Appropriate use of technology, equipment, and Internet use;
• Reading comprehension and understanding of Fairy Tales read;
• Database for accuracy of themes checked for Fairy Tales read;
• Participation in class discussion using appropriate communication skills; and
• Fairy Tale picture for content and correlation to actual Fairy Tale.

Part 3:

• Appropriate use of technology, equipment, and Internet use;
• Reading comprehension and understanding of Fairy Tales read;
• Participation and understanding of similarities and differences between Fairy Tales; and
• Thoughtfulness and completion of wishes activity and class participation in ongoing daily wishes activities.

Part 4:

• Ability to work in a group setting using appropriate group skills;
• Understanding of Fairy Tales read/listened to as they apply to discussion about similarities and differences;
• Ability to set clock hands on times indicated with accuracy and ability to calculate and solve time math problems with accuracy;
• Mad Lib documents for use of word processing skills and tools, appropriateness of words inserted, and accuracy of determining the type of word inserted (noun, verb, or other);
• Collage for required elements and content accuracy.

Part 5:

• Accuracy of identifying Fairy Tale themes in various tales;
• Multimedia presentations based on a scoring rubric including slide content (text and graphics), spelling and grammar, Fairy Tale themes present, title page and end page included, typical Fairy Tale opening sentence included in Slide 2 (slide after title slide), use of special effects.
• Appropriate use of technology, equipment, and software.

Part 6:

• Presentations will be assessed on the multimedia scoring rubric including appropriate use of technology, use of voice, content of answers given to student/peer questions.
• Students will be assessed for listening skills, story comprehension, ability to identify themes, and appropriate communication skills during student presentations;
• Accuracy and completion of Fairy Tale trivia puzzle.