Students will demonstrate their understanding of different genres of stories by writing a script which adapts an existing fairy tale.
Materials Needed
DVD player, TV, DVDs (A Cinderella Story, Ever After, Snow White: A Tale of Terror, CinderElmo, Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Bugs Bunny in “Little Red Riding Rabbit,” Faerie Tale Theatre’s Little Red Riding Hood,), illustrated children’s books of fairy tales, wrapping paper, slips of paper with genres and topics listed on them, two hotel front desk bells, “Game Show” questions (prepared earlier) and genre handout.
Have the students watch clips from the DVDs listed under materials, telling them to pay close attention to the differences in the clips.
Instruction
Step 1 – Discussion: Ask the students to describe what they saw in the clips. Questions to ask: What were some of the differences in the clips? How did these differences impact you? What did these differences do to the story? How did they change it? What do these changes add / take away? How do they all effectively tell the same story even though they’re so different? Possible Answers: Some clips were funny, scary, musical, modern, old-fashioned; differences make the stories more accessible to different people, differences help the audience view the story in a different light, the stories all take the underlying themes and give them a unique spin.
Step 2 – Instruction: Ask the students to name some of the different types of stories viewed. See if they can come up with other types of genres that we didn’t view clips of. Distribute handout with definitions of genres. Ask the students to match the clips to the definitions given.
Step 3 – Directions: Divide class up into two teams (they can pick team names if they want to); set up a “podium”(can just be a desk or a table) in the front of the room that looks like it’s from a game show, with teacher being the Emcee. Ask the students from each team who’s feeling the bravest, and have that person from each team come up front, where there are two bells on the podium.
Step 4 – Group Practice: Ask students a question from the list made earlier. Students need to “buzz in” (ring the bell) if they know the answer to the question on genres (like “Family Feud”). Students will have to guess the genre of the story and explain it. After question is answered, two more students will come up and answer the questions. Mid-Lesson Assessment Point: Determine which genres students understand and which ones need clarifying based on their ability to answer the questions.
Step 5 – Directions: The “winning team” must pick partners from the other team. Once all students are paired up, teacher distributes two slips of paper to each pair – one has genre type on it, one has topic on it. Students must come up with a plot summary using that topic in the genre given.
Step 6 – Discussion / Checking for Understanding: Pairs share their synopsis with the class; students determine which genre the synopsis is in and what makes it appropriate / effective in that genre. Assessment Point: Determine the student’s understanding and utilization of genre types.
Step 7 – Objective Activity: Place the children’s fairy tale book in the middle of the room and have each student come choose one. They will be wrapped, so student won’t know which one they’re getting. Wrapped in the book are the directions: “Choose a genre from the list received earlier. Write a synopsis of the fairy tale and a one-page scene in that genre. Must be a different genre than its current one.”
Step 8 – Final Assessment: Have each student share their finished adaptations. Discuss as a class what was effective in each one.
Step 9– Closure: Genres create variety and interest in the stories we hear. By taking an old story and changing its genre, we can give it a fresh, unique spin. In the things you watch and read, see if you can determine its genre.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT:
Taking all the principles learned, create your own original fairy tale. Can be written in any genre, but must contain the principles of plot structure, characterization, effective dialogue, and setting. Must be 7 pages long.
Grading Criteria for Genre Lesson:
– Participation (30 pts) – Synopsis w/ other student (30 pts) – Final Synopsis / Scene (40 pts)
