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Fractured Fairy Tales

"Once upon a time" has the power to transport us to magical worlds. Students will explore known fairy tales and then create their own retelling of a story as a fractured fairy tale.

Lesson Plan

Supplies Needed

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  • Paper

Steps

  • Step 1

    Fractured fairy tales are rewritten or retold versions of a known fairy tale. "Wicked," the book, stage show, and movie musical, reframes the story of the "The Wizard of Oz" and is an example of this genre. Have students read some other fractured tales. Examples include "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs" by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, "Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood" by Mike Artell and Jim Harris, "Princess and the Peas" by Rachel Himes, or any others. Have students discuss the "what ifs" of the stories. What if the wicked witch wasn't inherently evil and Glinda wasn't inherently good, as in "Wicked"? What if the prince had to prove himself to the princess instead of the other way around in "Princess and the Peas"?

  • Step 2

    Ask students to write their own take on a classic tale. Perhaps the prince in The Little Mermaid will grow gills and a tail so he can live in the sea with Ariel. Maybe Snow White will awaken to find that she doesn't want to marry the prince and instead forms a work cooperative with the dwarves. Then have them plot and illustrate the story.

  • Step 3

    When they're done, have students present their work to the class. Discuss how stories can have a modified or more relevant message and appeal to different points of view when retold in various ways.

Standards

LA: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and interest. 

LA: Develop real and imagined narratives.

Adaptations

Have students explore popular folk or fairy tales from other countries, such as "The Green Frogs" (Korea) stories about "Anansi" the spider (West Africa), "The Greenish Bird" (Mexico) or any others.

Have students learn about Aesop, who lived in the late to mid-6th century BCE and was known for his fables. These stories helped in instructing children how to read and write.