Fairy Tails: A Classic Form Of Literature - Author(s): Jean Smith, Mary Haggerty - Grade Level: 4-6 - Subject Area: ELA - Ask students what their favorite fairy tales are. List on board. Each students shares and discusses their favorite tale, and the reason for it. Teacher: Discuss why these stories have endured for centuries.

Planning Guide

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LU Title: Fairy Tales: A Classic Form of Literature	Author(s): Jean Smith, Mary Haggerty
Grade Level: 4-6	School Address: One Ward Square, Little Falls, NY 13365
Subject Area: ELA	School Phone/Fax: (315)823-1400/4407

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative	Procedural
Students will be able to examine examples of classic fairy tales and identify common elements of them.	Students will use the Internet to locate fairy tales.
Students will be able to compare and contrast different versions of the same fairy tale.	Students will get in small groups and portray a fairy tale for the class.
Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the terms protagonist, antagonist, point of view, comparison/contrast essay.	Students will critique their performance and others through the use of a video camera.
	Students will assess a modern fairy tale using criteria discussed in class.
	Students will use the computer (Internet and word processor) and video camera to complete their assessments.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

Why do we study classic examples of literature?
What is the relevance to today's society?
Why are there different versions of the same fairy tales?
How did different versions of the same tale evolve?
What are common elements of all fairy tales?
Why do we enjoy and tell these stories again and again?

INITIATING ACTIVITY

Ask students what their favorite fairy tales are. List on board. Each students shares and discusses their favorite tale, and the reason for it. Teacher: Discuss why these stories have endured for centuries. Also, differentiate between fables and fairy tales; emphasize that we will only be doing fairy tales in this unit.

Connection to State Learning Standards

Content Area: ELA

Level: Grades 4-6

Benchmarks: Collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts.

Benchmarks: Use written language for self-expression and artistic creation.

Standard: ELA 1 - Language for Information and Understanding

Standard: ELA 2 - Language for Literary Response Expression

Unit Theme:

Fairy Tales

Standard: ELA 3 - Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Standard: MST 2 - Information Systems

Benchmarks: Analyze experiences, ideas, information and issues presented by others. Present, in written language and from a variety of perspectives, their opinion and judgments on experiences, ideas, information, and issues.

Benchmarks: Use technology to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning.

Learning Experiences

Declarative Knowledge

What declarative knowledge should e in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Knowledge of common fairy tales

Knowledge of the characteristics of common fairy tales

Recognize differences in versions of familiar fairy tales

Terms: protagonist and antagonist

Class discussion "brainstorm"

Research on Internet

Read "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs"

Research on Internet to access more stories

Graphic organizer

Write a comparison/contrast essay

Write a fairy tale of your own

Teacher will direct students on Internet use; students will read aloud different stories to the class

Teacher will construct outline of graphic organizer; students will choose 5 and analyze them according to common elements

Students will compare 2 different versions of the same story; type on word processor

Students will write their own version of a traditional tale, but from the point of view of the antagonist, will be "published"

Learning Experiences

Procedural Knowledge

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Use the Internet to access fairy tales

Use word processing to "publish" their stories

Perform a skit of their favorite fairy tale

Write an explanatory essay

Practice Internet research in class

Students will use the writing process including peer editing, in class

Work in small groups, practice in class

Teacher models the format for an explanatory essay

Students will get into groups at computer stations. Teacher will direct them to proper websites and instruct them in research and printing out information

Students will type, edit, revise, print, and "publish" stories they wrote

Students will perform skits in front of the class; other students will videotape

Teacher will read a modern fairy tale; students will explain how it has all the common elements of a traditional tale

Learning Experiences

Extending and Refining

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

Fairy tales as a classic form of literature

Writing skills:

--writing process

--compare/contrast essay

--analyzing a written work

--explanatory essay

Using technology to access information, as well as to produce written work

Comparing

Classifying

Inductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning
Error Analysis

Analyzing Perspectives

Constructing Support
Abstracting
Other:

Students will access, study, read, and perform fairy tales in class (compare, classifying)

Students will write 3 essays: 1. Comparing 2 versions of the same story (comparing) 2. A fairy tale from the point of view of antagonist (analyzing perspectives) 3. Analyzing a modern fairy tale (analyzing)

--Students will access fairy tales from the Internet

--Students will access different versions of the same fairy tale from the Internet

--Students will use word processor to type essays

Planning Guide

Unit:

Step 1	Step 2	Step 3
*What knowledge* will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to...........**	What reasoning process will they be using?	Describe student's products and performances and the criteria for evaluation.
	[ ] Decision Making (selecting from seemingly equal alternatives or examining the decisions of others) [ ] Problem Solving (seeking to achieve a goal by overcoming constraints or limiting conditions) [ ] Invention (creating something to meet a need or improve on a situation) [ ] Experimental Inquiry (generating an explanation for a phenomenon and testing the explanation) [ ] Investigation (resolving confusions or contradictions related to a historical event, a hypothetical past or future event, or to the defining characteristics of something) [ ] Systems Analysis (analyzing the parts of a system and how they interact) [ ] Other:	Products/Performances
		Criteria for evaluation

Rubric:

Key Questions:

What are the key elements, traits, or dimensions that will be evaluated?

Are the identified elements of equal importance or will they be weighed differently?

	Element #1	Element #2	Element #3	Element #4
Elements Scale	Following Directions	Written Expression	Artwork/Creativity	Presentation
Weights	20%	30%	30%	20%
4	4 items completed, all directions followed	Writing is relevant to the project with excellent grammar and punctuation	Effectively arranged, neat, relevant, good effort	Well presented and well organized
3	4 items complete, one or more errors in directions (wrong paper, size of work)	Writing is relevant to the project, with acceptable grammar or punctuation	Fairly well done, appealing, relevant, effort shows even though product is not perfect	Well presented, but poorly organized
2	4 items complete, handed in late, or 2 or more errors in directions	Writing is irrelevant to the project, with good grammar and punctuation	Poorly done, little relevance, not much effort	Poorly presented, well organized
1	Incomplete project, or more than 1 week late	Writing is irrelevant, with poor grammar and punctuation	Lacks visual appeal, sloppy, no effort, no relevance	Poorly presented and organized

NOTE: Rubric or other performance assessment instruments may be used.

	Element #1	Element #2	Element #3	Element #4
Elements Scale	Expressive/Creative	Organization	Word Processing
Weights	50%	25%	25%
4	Assignment shows vivid imagination, excellent vocabulary and sentence structure	Demonstrates a logical plan of organization and is coherent	Assignment is double-spaced, spell-checked, uses correct spacing between sentences and paragraphs, has good margins
3	Assignment shows imagination, good vocabulary and sentence structure	Develops the assigned topic using an acceptable plan of organization	Assignment is typed but has some errors in spacing, spelling, or margins
2	Assignment shows little imagination, has acceptable vocabulary and sentence structure	Attempts to develop the assigned topic but demonstrates weakness in organization and may include digressions	Assignment is typed but done poorly; has many errors in spacing, spelling, or margins
1	Assignment shows no imagination, has poor vocabulary and sentence structure	Minimally addresses the assigned topic but lacks a plan of organization	Assignment is hand written

Have You Considered These Yet?

Learn to Learn Skills:

Peer editing for essays written in class, conferencing with teacher

Assessment Modifications:

Students with IEP's will have extended time frame, and assistance from classroom special education teacher

Unit Schedule/Time Plan:

Unit takes close to 3 weeks--try to schedule it with no extended vacation time to break it up. Have students present skits or display presentations to younger grades or other classes.

Written Overview: