Submitted by T2T Contributor, Debbie Nelson.
Read several fairy tales aloud. Find one or two to watch on video as well.
List as many heroes and princesses as they can think of (ie, Prince Charming, Cinderella).
Writing: Do a short paragraph on a fairy tale character from the first person perspective….What it is like to be_________ (one of the characters). Each student takes on the identity of a fairy tale character and describes a typical day.
Drama: Keeping the same character from the writing assignment, have each child dress up like their character and present their paragraph to the class.
Talk about what a hero is.
Talk about imagination….what is real and what is make-believe.
Science: Introduce inventors/explorers who had ideas that most people thought were only imagination….Columbus, Wright Brothers, etc. Talk about how imagination sparks creativity and discovery.
Talk about the types of housing that you find in each fairy tale. Make a graph of the findings. (Math)
Geography: Where are castles located throughout the world? Where do you think each fairy tale might have taken place?
How did the characters in the fairy tale travel from place to place? Graph the findings. (Math)
Math: Compose word problems suitable for their level, using the fairy tale theme…(i.e.If Snow White and 5 Dwarfs took a nap, how many dwarfs would be awake?)
Art: Construct castles from paper towel and toilet paper tubes and small boxes. Decorate.
Spelling: Make a list of words found in the fairy tales. Go to puzzlemaker.com and make some games with these words.
Alice in Wonderland
Welcome to Wonderland! I hope you will linger awhile and visit some of my Wonderland friends. I have put together some interactive fun for you with characters from Lewis Carroll=92s books Alice=92s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass! even Try the Queen’s secret recipe for The Queen of Hearts’ Strawberry Tart!
The Dynamic Text Edition of: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
You probably already have the book, but this site is still worth the time. Please use Netscape 3.0 or above, or you won’t get the full effect. Quite graphics intensive, but well worth the loading time. Each chapter has its own page, complete with graphics and a different piece of music.
If you’re not looking for an indepth study, just read the first fairy tale: “The Princess Who Stood on Her Own Two Feet.” That one says it all. The book also includes a 36-page intro, and 90 pages of literary criticism.
The movie, “Ever After,” also empowers Cinderella. I love the scene where she and the prince are captured by bandits. They tell her she can leave and take anything she can carry. She picks up the prince and carries him off!
Cinderella: a unit study
Go to the library and check out every juvenile book they have on Cinderella and request half a dozen more. Most libraries these days have an online catalogue you can search.
Language Arts
1. Read several versions of the story about Cinderella. Look for Japanese Cinderella type story and an Egyptian one. Cinderella stories occur in many cultures. The original had Cinderella wearing fur slippers…they turned to glass in translation.
2. Write a your own story and change the ending.
3. Define the following terms. Go to puzzlemaker.com and make some games with these words.
prince
wicked
a ball
ballroom
coach
cinders
slipper
fairy godmother
Social studies
Cinderella lives in Germany. Put Germany on your map.
Mark the city she lives in.
Add Cinderella to your timeline.
Fill out a personality page on Cinderella and the Prince.
Who says the prince was actually a great catch anyway?
So why would a simple girl WANT to marry a prince….besides the basics
of living like a food supply and other people to wait on you and make your clothing?
Where did the idea of a magical being who could wave a wand and look after you and fix you up with a prince come from?
Learn about the foods eaten in Germany. Prepare a German dish.
Draw the German flag.
Copy the anthem.
Learn what a coachman does.
Draw a picture of a castle.
Learn the parts of a castle
Build a fairy castle.
Science
What effect does cleanliness have on the spread of disease?
How does a pumpkin really grow?
Plant a pumpkin seed.
Label the parts of a pumpkin.
The care and raising of mice – from the Disney version)
Arts & crafts, etc
Make a magic wand
Design cinderella’s dress.
Make cinderella’s dress.
Make beaded necklaces to wear to the ball.
Boys make a cloak (your a prince after all)
Make a crown.
Math
Estimate how many feet tried on the slipper.
Calculate total number of toes on the feet, using multiplication.
Time…midnight, discussion of the clock 12 numbers, 24 hours in a day
the difference between midnight and noon, a.m. and p.m.
How many yards of fabric needed to make a gown??
Music
Listen to ballroom music.
Learn how to waltz
Character traits & misc
Tell about the value of hard work
Why isn’t it nice to mistreat others?