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Daily Thematic Unit
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Article issued November 14, 2001
Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales
Throughout history, children in countries around the world have
enjoyed hearing and reading fairy tales. In a fairy tale, you might
meet a beautiful princess, a gentle giant, a wicked wolf, or a firebreathing dragon. Amazing, magical things happen in these
stories: A beanstalk grows high through the clouds in the sky. A
pumpkin turns into a horse-drawn carriage. A frog turns into a
handsome prince. Yarn on a spinning wheel turns into golden
threads. Travel to a time "long, long ago" and to a "land far
away" with our across-the-grades unit about fairy tales!
What do you think of when you hear the term "fairy tale?" You
probably think of a traditional story enjoyed by children.
Most fairy tales follow a similar pattern. The stories often begin with
phrases such as "Long, long ago" or "Once upon a time." Next, one
or two main characters with seemingly impossible problems are
introduced. Then help appears in the form of a creature or a fairy with
magic powers. Usually, the main characters must complete one or
more difficult assignments to make the magic work. Ultimately, the
problem is solved, good wins over evil and the story ends "happily
ever after."
History Behind Fairy Tales
The remains of parchment found in ancient Egyptian tombs indicate that thousands of years ago, people told stories
similar to those we read today. The oldest fairy tales were passed down from parents to children and retold for
generations through the oral tradition of storytelling. People delighted in sharing and listening to stories about
mysterious, extraordinary events.
People took their fairy tales with them as they traveled around the world. Over time, some of the details of the fairy
tales were altered, but the main plots remained essentially unchanged.
In the 15th century, the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg changed the oral tradition of storytelling.
Soon, people began collecting and writing fairy tales into books.
Early Collectors and Writers of Fairy Tales
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Giovanni Straparola (? - 1557). In 1550, Italian storyteller and writer Giovanni Straparola published the
earliest-known collection of fairy tales. Straparola's book included the popular tale we know as "Beauty and the
Beast."
Charles Perrault (1628 - 1703). In 1697, French poet Charles Perrault published a collection of eight stories
for children. The volume, Stories or Tales From Times Past, With Morals: Tales of Mother Goose, included the
stories "Cinderella," "Sleeping Beauty" and "Little Red Riding Hood." Perrault became a popular writer of
stories for children and opened the fairy tale as a literary form.
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Jacob Grimm (1785 - 1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786 - 1859). The Grimm brothers of Germany collected
tales from people who lived in the countryside of their native country. Beginning in 1812, they published
several books of fairy tales. Among the stories in their collections are "The Frog Prince" and "Snow White and
the Seven Dwarfs."
Hans Christian Andersen (1805 - 1875). As a child, Danish poet and writer Hans Christian Anderson enjoyed
listening to his father read stories and hearing his grandmother tell folktales. In 1835, Andersen published the
first of his many volumes of fairy tales. His stories included the popular tales "The Little Mermaid," "The Ugly
Duckling" and "The Emperor's New Clothes."
Fairy Tales and Other Types of Stories
Fairy tales differ from other types of stories, such as myths, fables and legends.
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Myths. Some historians believe that myths began as real events that became distorted over time. Others think
myths started out as ways to explain events in nature that people did not understand.
Most myths involve gods and goddesses, divine beings with supernatural powers and human characteristics,
and their relationships with humans. The divine beings are guided by human emotions, such as love and
jealousy, they reflect human qualities, such good and evil, and they experience human conditions, such as
birth and death.
Examples of myths: Zeus, Cupid.
Fables. A fable is a short story told in prose or verse that teaches a moral. In most fables, one or more of the
characters is an animal, plant, or object that has human attributes. The moral is usually summed up at the end
of the story in the form of a proverb.
Example of fables: Aesop's fables.
Legends. A legend is a traditional story or a group of stories told about a particular person or place that is set
in a specific time. Legends may be based on real people or events and may be a combination of fact and
fiction. The heroes in legends often have exaggerated positive or negative characteristics.
Examples of legends: Iliad, King Arthur, Pecos Bill.
Learn More!
General Resources about Fairy Tales
Online Resources:
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Absolutely Whootie: Stories to Grow By
Web site that features fairy tales and folktales from around the world, plus teaching activities.
Myths and Legends
Long list of links to myths and legends plus some links to fairy tales.
First Fairy Tales
Links to classic fairy tales, folk tales, tall tales and legends from around the world, plus activities.
Teaching With Folklore
Resources for teaching fairy tales, myths, legends and fables.
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Online texts for 209 tales collected by the Grimm brothers.
Childrenstory.com -- Fairy Tales
Read more than a dozen fairy tales, including "Puss In Boots," "The Lion and The Mouse" and "Cinderella."
Fairy Tales--University of Maryland
Links to numerous fairy tales, including tales from the Grimm brothers and Hans Christian Andersen.
Fairy Tales by the Grimm Brothers
Links to texts of Grimm's fairy tales in English and German.
Grimm Brothers' Home Page
Includes chronology of the lives of the Grimm brothers and links to the stories they collected in English and a
few in German.
Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales and Stories
Links to texts of Hans Christian Anderson's tales.
Fairy Tales
Links to activities about different versions of popular fairy tales such "Cinderella" and "Jack and the Beanstalk."
Fairy Tales/Legends/Folktales
Links to activities on fairy tales, folk tales and legends from around the world.
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Stories, Folklore, and Fairy Tales Theme Page
Links to curricular resources and instructional materials about different types of stories including fairy tales and
legends.
Fiction Teachers.com--Lesson Plans
A few ideas for teaching about fairy tales.
Free Fairy Tale Units
Free online units about a number of fairy tales for parents to print out and use with their children.
Folktales of Cooperation For Your K-3 Class
Activities using fairy tales and folktales for children ages 4-8.
Once Upon a Time in the Classroom
Mini-units on several fairy tales, plus lessons, activities and links about fairy tales.
Traditional Literature: Lesson Plans
Find lessons on fairy tales, mythology, fables and other forms of traditional literature.
Using Fairy Tales to Debate Ethics
An article about using fairy tales to discuss ethics, across the grades.
Fairy Tale and Folk Tale Cyber Dictionary
An online fairy tale project.
Fairy Tale and Folk Tale Cyber Dictionary
An article about the Fairy Tale and Folk Tale Cyber Dictionary with suggestions for using the project with
younger and older children.
Books
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Afanasyev, Aleksandr Nikolaevicher and Aleksandr A. Afanasiev. Russian Fairy Tales. Random House, 1976.
ISBN: 0394730909 (Ages 9-12)
Andersen, Hans Christian, L.W. Kingsland (translator) and Naomi Lewis (translator). Hans Andersen's Fairy
Tales: A Selection (Oxford World's Classics). Oxford Univ. Press, 1998. ISBN: 0192835076. (Ages 9-12)
Avery, Gillian and Arthur Ransome. Russian Fairy Tales. Everymans Library, 1995. ISBN: 0679436413. (Ages
4-8)
Baum, L. Frank. American Fairy Tales. Dover Pubns., 1978. ISBN: 0486236439. (Ages 9-12)
Brothers Grimm, et al. Grimms' Fairy Tales (Illustrated Junior Library). Grosset & Dunlap, 1995. ISBN:
0448409410. (Ages 9-12)
Haviland, Virginia. Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Ireland. Beech Tree Books, 1994. ISBN: 0688125980. (Ages 912)
Haviland, Virginia. Favorite Fairy Tales Told in Japan. Beech Tree Books, 1996. ISBN: 0688126014. (Ages 912)
Jacobs, Joseph, editor. English Fairy Tales (Everyman's Library Children's Classics). Everymans Library,
1993. ISBN: 0679428097. (Ages 9-12)
Lindy, Elaine L. A Parent's Guide to Storytelling: How to Tell Stories that Inspire Your Child. Whootie Owl
Productions, LLC, 2001. ISBN: 0967283124. (Parents)
McDermott, Gerald. Tim O'Toole and the Wee Folk: An Irish Tale (Picture Puffins). Puffin, 1995. ISBN:
0140506756. (Ages 4-8)
McKinley, Robin (illustrator). Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast. Scott Foresman
(Pearson K-12), 1993. ISBN: 0064404773. (Ages 9-12)
Ponsot, Marie (translator). The Golden Book of Fairy Tales (Golden Classics). Golden Books Pub. Co., Inc.,
1999. ISBN: 030717025X. (Ages 4-8)
Scieszka, Jon. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs. Puffin, 1996. ISBN: 0140544518. (Ages 4-8)
Zelinsky, Paul O. and Jacob W. Grimm. Rapunzel (Caldecott Medal Book). Dutton Books, 1997. ISBN:
0525456074. (Ages 4-8)
LESSON 1:
Fairy Tales Book on Tape
Concepts:
You will learn about fairy tales and using a tape recorder.
Lesson:
What are your favorite fairy tales? Have the children choose one or more fairy tales that they enjoy and create their
own fairy tale audio book or "book on tape" following these steps:
Materials
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text for one or more fairy tales
tape recorder
blank audiocassette
different colored construction paper (for pages)
different colored tag board or heavy chart paper (for cover)
writing paper
pens or pencils
drawing materials (crayons, markers or watercolor paints)
hole punch
notebook binder rings
Optional:
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clear plastic report covers with slide grips or clips
clear contact paper
photograph album
Directions
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Review the directions for using your tape recorder. Load the blank cassette and check the volume level.
Have the children read aloud one or more favorite fairy tales into the tape recorder. Encourage the children to
speak slowly and clearly. Upon completion, listen to the recording and make any needed corrections.
Ask the children: What parts of the story would you like to draw? How would you illustrate those scenes? Have
the children brainstorm ideas for their pictures and write a list of the scenes they would like to illustrate for the
book.
Let the children select one or more of the mediums noted in the Materials section for their pictures. Assist
younger children in drawing the pictures where needed.
Have the children draw an image for the cover of the book on tag board or chart paper.
Using a hole punch, put two or three holes on the left side of each page. Bind the pages together with binder
rings.
Keep your fairy tales "book on tape" in a bookcase or place where everyone in the family can enjoy the book!
Suggestion:
Protect the book by covering the front cover and back page with clear contact paper.
Binder variations:
Instead of using a hole punch and binder rings, bind the pages together using clear report covers with slide grips or
clips.
Instead of using tag board for the cover, put the pages in a large photograph album and let the children decorate the
front of the album.
LESSON 2:
Cinderella Tales Around the Globe
Concepts:
You will learn about different versions of the Cinderella story in other countries and geography.
Lesson:
Ask the children to tell the Cinderella story they know in their own words. Explain that Cinderella is one of the oldest
known fairy tales with many different versions from countries around the world. Ask the children: How many versions of
Cinderella do you think exist? Historians estimate that there are about 1,500 different versions of the Cinderella story!
Read and discuss some historical background information about Cinderella with the children. Then have the children
read a few versions of Cinderella from the Cinderella Web site. Tell the children to choose two of the versions they
read and note the similarities and differences between the stories on our worksheet [below]. Ask the children to
explain their responses.
Discuss the meanings of the words continent and country. Study the list of Cinderella stories at Cinderella Stories by
Continent. Have the children locate the continents and countries for some of the stories on a world map or globe. Print
out a blank map of the world from World Outline Map. Have the children label the continents and color those regions
using different colored markers, crayons or colored pencils.
Variation or extension: Have the children label and color the countries on a printout of the blank outline world map from
the Web site noted above.
Additional Resources:
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Cinderella in Different Cultures
A few versions of some Cinderella stories.
Cinderella Around the World Projects
A host of cross-curricular activities for elementary and secondary-age children.
Links for Cinderella Lesson Plans and Other Ideas
Links to Cinderella activities.
Tales Similar to Cinderella
Links to stories similar to the classic Cinderella tale.
Cinderella Goes to School
Article about teaching the Cinderella story, plus links.
The Cinderella Project
A collaborative writing project from ePals about Cinderella.
LESSON 3:
Happily Ever After?
Concepts:
You will learn about fairy tales and point of view.
Lesson:
Suppose your favorite fairy tale was told from the perspective of a character other than the main character or hero in
the story. Have the children use our worksheet [below] to rewrite a fairy tale from the point of view of another
character in the story; for example, rewrite Cinderella from the point of view of the stepmother, the stepsisters, the
prince or the fairy godmother.
Variations:
Have the children write a:
• sequel for a fairy tale.
• new beginning or a "prequel" to a fairy tale.
Have the children try other language arts activities using fairy tales from these lessons:
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Myths, Folktales and Fairy Tales
An Internet project from Scholastic that offers a host of language arts activities for elementary and secondaryage children, including an opportunity to publish your children's stories online.
Tales.html Host of language arts activities for ages 6-12.
The "Real" Fairy Tales
Students develop imagination and writing skills by rewriting well-known fairy tales. (Ages 10-13)
Fractured Fairy Tales
Children identify similarities and differences between two fairy tales and write an original "fractured" fairy tale.
Translating Fairy Tales
Children identify the titles of familiar fairy tales from fictitious newspaper headlines. The headlines have been
reworded with synonyms for the real words in the titles of the fairy tales.
Fairy Tale Homophones
Children identify the incorrect homophones in sentences about fairy tales and rewrite each sentence with the
correct homophones.
Fairy Tales
Teenagers and young adults complete reading, discussion and writing activities about fairy tales.
Multicultural Fairy Tales
Children read and analyze fairy tales from cultures around the world.
New Takes on Old Tales
Children rewrite a classic fairy tale into a modern tale.
Fairy Tale Journey
Children take on the role of the main character in a fairy tale and rewrite the ending for the story.
Goldilocks: The Sequel
Children write a follow-up episode for the classic fairy tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."
LESSON 4:
Fairy Tale Math
Concepts:
You will learn about fairy tales and calculating math word problems and examples.
Lesson:
In this lesson, children complete math word problems, examples and activities from the Web sites noted below.
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Jack and the Beanstalk
Complete a worksheet with ten word problems about "Jack and the Beanstalk." (Ages 9 and up)
Making Estimations in Measurement
Children complete hands-on activities to estimate the measurements of giant. (Ages 6-8)
Fairy Tale Math
Children revise a fairy tale to include numerical information that will be used to create story problems. (Ages 8
and up)
Stepmother's Math Page
Printable pages of math word problems about money, with a Cinderella theme. (Ages 6-8)
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Fairy Tale Math
Measurement activities for the fairy tale "Rapunzel." (Ages 5-8)
Comprehension Lesson Plan: Fairy Tale Math
Children revise fairy tales to include numerical data and complete whole-number word problems. (Ages 9-12)
Fairy Tale Math Project
Math word problem projects involving fairy tales. (Ages 9-12)
LESSON 5:
How Tall Does Your Beanstalk Grow?
Concepts:
You will learn about growing beans and the fairy tale "Jack and the Beanstalk."
Lesson:
Read the story of "Jack and the Beanstalk" with the children from one of the sources noted above. Discuss different
types of beans. Have the children grow two or three different types of beans and compare the heights of the plants on
our chart [below].
Steps for planting beans
Materials
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small clay or plastic pots, one for each type of bean
a few different types of bean seeds; for example, string beans or green beans, lima beans, wax beans
soil
water
old newspaper
ruler or tape measure
tape
chart
Procedure
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Spread old newspaper over a table or work area.
Put some soil into each pot.
Put a few seeds into the soil. Add water.
Put the pot in a warm, sunny area.
Water the garden daily or as necessary to keep the soil from drying out.
Write the growth progress of the bean plants each day for one month on the chart. Use a ruler or tape
measure to check the growth of the plants.
Extension activities:
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Have the children take pictures of their bean plants and make a photo album of their bean plants.
If the weather is warm enough in your area, transplant the beans outside at the end of the month.
LESSON 6:
Fairy Tale Recipes, Crafts and Projects
Concepts:
You will learn about following directions to complete recipes and hands-on projects with fairy tale themes.
Lesson:
In this lesson, children follow directions to create delightful recipes and craft projects from the Web sites noted below.
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Once Upon A Time Cookbook
Favorite recipes from a class of elementary-age students with fairy tale themes.
Hodepodge of Ideas: Fairy Tales
Host of craft and recipe activities, such as making crowns and gingerbread cookies.
Crafts From Your Favorite Fairy Tales: The Ugly Duckling
Use household materials to make a swan puppet.
Fairy Tales Art
Create magic wands, crowns and other crafts. (Ages 4-6)
Fairy Tale Crafts
Make 11 craft projects, such as puppets, masks and mobiles, with fairy tale themes.
Make a Grand Castle
Build a castle using a shoebox and other common objects. Scroll down the page to view this craft activity.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Crafts
A variety of crafts based on the story "Goldilocks and the Three Bears."
Construction Ahead!
Children design a stronger house for the tale "The Three Little Pigs."
Puppetry and Fairy Tales
Children listen to fairy tales, write scripts, design scenery and make stick puppets for a puppet show. (Ages 9
and up)
Cardboard Box Castle
Build a castle from a cardboard box. Adult supervision is needed for this activity.
LESSON 7:
Fairy Tales Online: WebQuests and Scavenger Hunts
Concepts:
WebQuests and scavenger hunts are fun, inquiry-based learning activities in which some or all of the information that
the children access comes from pre-selected resources on the Internet. Let the children research and study about fairy
tales using the following WebQuests and online scavenger hunts.
Note: Although some of the activities for the WebQuests are written for small groups, the activities may be completed
individually.
WebQuests
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A New Twist on an Old Tale: An Internet WebQuest on Cinderella
Create a version of the Cinderella story that might have been written in ancient Greece. (Ages 9-12).
Fun With Fables
Study the differences between fairy tales and fables. (Ages 8-10)
The Realm of Fairy Tales
Children read some online fairy tales and use templates to analyze and write their own fairy tale. (Ages 9-12)
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Magical Fairy Tale Moments
Use the resources and questions in this WebQuest to create an original fairy tale. (Ages 9-10)
Who Needs a Fairy Godmother, Anyway?--A Cinderella WebQuest
The children's quest is to help Cinderella figure out how to get to the ball without depending on magic. (Ages
6-8)
Fairy Tale Quest - A WebQuest
Create travel journals based on fairy tales from specific countries. (Ages 12 and up)
Finding Justice in Fairy Tales
Hold a trial for the villain in a fairy tale. (Ages 9-12)
Fairy Tales
Study and rate fairy tales. (Ages 12 and up)
Let's Make a Fairy Tale Meal
Create a balanced meal for several fairy tale characters whose plot lines are associated with food. (Ages 8-11)
Cinderella, Cinderella, Cinderella
Study several Cinderella stories and use synonyms to revise the traditional story. (Ages 8-11)
Wolves: Good or Bad?
Study about wolves in fairy tales, such as "Little Red Riding Hood" or "The Three Little Pigs" and in non-fiction
books. (Ages 5-7)
Scavenger Hunts
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The Three Little Pigs
Online scavenger hunt about the tale "The Three Little Pigs" for elementary-age children.
Fairy Tale Scavenger Hunt
Printable scavenger hunt about Cinderella and answer key. (Ages 12-14)
Wonderful World of Fairy Tales
Scavenger hunt for high school-age students.
Scavenger Hunt:
Fairy Tales 1
Fairy Tales 2
Two-part scavenger hunt about fairy tales created by high school students.
Extension: Have the children create their own scavenger hunt or WebQuest about fairy tales. Learn about creating
WebQuests and scavenger hunts from these sites:
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The WebQuest Page
Directions For Making Your Own Internet Scavenger Hunt
LESSON 8:
Fairy Tale Fun!
Concepts:
You will learn some cross-curricular games and puzzles about fairy tales.
Lesson:
In this lesson, children will follow directions to complete some games and puzzles about fairy tales.
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The Fairy Tale Trivia Quiz:
Questions 1-8
Questions 9-16
Questions 17-24
Test your knowledge of fairy tales with 24 online multiple-choice questions on this topic. (Ages 9 and up)
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"Who Said That?"
Online quiz on famous quotes from popular fairy tales. (Ages 8 and up)
Fairy Tales Word Search
Word search puzzle. (Ages 9-12)
Fairy Tales Word Search Answers
You will need a free download of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this word search puzzle and the answer key
pages.
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Fairy Tale Jigsaw Puzzles
Online puzzles with a fairy tale theme created by children. (Ages 5 and up)
Fairy Tale Coloring Pages
Scroll down the page for links to coloring pages for fairy tales such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears and
Jack and the Beanstalk. (Ages 4-8)
Fairy Tale Coloring Book
Fairy tale images that can be printed out and colored.
Fairy Tale Hidden Riddles
Printable riddle activity about fairy tales.
Article by Lois Lewis Curriculum Development
© 2001 The Homeschool Learning Network, all rights reserved. The Homeschool Learning Network permits teachers and parents to
reproduce this page for non-profit and educational purposes only. http://www.homeschoollearning.com
Homeschool Learning Network
Cinderella Stories
Name ___________________________
Date ___________________________
Directions: Choose two versions of the Cinderella story from the Cinderella
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html Web site. Read the stories. Write a few sentences
describing the similarities and differences between the stories on the chart below.
Cinderella Story # 1
Cinderella Story # 2
Title: _______________________________
Title: _______________________________
Country of Origin: _____________________
Country of Origin: _____________________
Similarities
Differences
© 2001 The Homeschool Learning Network, all rights reserved. The Homeschool Learning Network permits teachers
and parents to reproduce this page for non-profit and educational purposes only.
http://www.homeschoollearning.com
Homeschool Learning Network
Happily Ever After?
Name ___________________________
Date ___________________________
Directions: Rewrite your favorite fairy tale from the point of view of a character other than the main
character in the story. Use one of the resources noted in the lesson as a reference for your story.
Fairy Tale Title: ____________________________________________
This story is told from the point of view of the __________________________________________.
© 2001 The Homeschool Learning Network, all rights reserved. The Homeschool Learning Network permits teachers
and parents to reproduce this page for non-profit and educational purposes only.
http://www.homeschoollearning.com
Homeschool Learning Network
Name ___________________________
Date ___________________________
© 2001 The Homeschool Learning Network, all rights reserved. The Homeschool Learning Network permits teachers
and parents to reproduce this page for non-profit and educational purposes only.
http://www.homeschoollearning.com
Homeschool Learning Network
How Tall Does Your Beanstalk Grow?
Name ___________________________
Date ___________________________
Directions: Use a ruler or tape measure to check the growth of your bean plants each day. Write
the date, the type of bean you planted and the height in inches on the chart below.
Date
Plant 1:
Plant 2:
Plant 3:
© 2001 The Homeschool Learning Network, all rights reserved. The Homeschool Learning Network permits teachers
and parents to reproduce this page for non-profit and educational purposes only.
http://www.homeschoollearning.com