A Fairytale Retold

4th Grade Language Arts

This lesson plan is designed to encourage recognition of the message or theme embedded in a traditional fairytale and challenge students to create an original story based on that theme. Students are expected to use strong writing skills while learning how to construct an illustrated, digital book using iBooks Author or GoogleDocs in collaboration with one or two others.

Students will discover the theme or message in a traditional fairytale, and create an original illustrated fairytale which preserves that basic theme or message while telling the story in a new way using digital tools to construct the final product. The story should be written and storyboarded before final production of the book begins.

Students may use digital photos of line drawings, photos of faces and tableaus, digitally-altered photographs or other multi-media platforms to illustrate the story. Output can be iBooks Author, Google Docs or even a pdf file. Students should be provided with digital copies of all of the class stories so that they can study and discuss as a group.

Learning Targets;

English Grade 4 Reading
2. Students will comprehend, respond to, and analyze a wide variety of literary texts.
2.04.01. I share thoughtful responses when I talk and write about literature.

English Grade 4 Writing
5. Students will write with clarity, logic, validity, and effectiveness on a wide range of topics and for a variety of purposes and audiences.
5.04.01. I can adapt my writing for my audience.
5.04.04. I can show my voice in my writing.
5.04.06. I can use figurative and descriptive language-”show don’t tell”- in my writing.

Enduring Understandings:

I can be creative and organized to produce an original story.

Important lessons can be communicated in new and original ways.

Essential / Worldview Questions:

Why were traditional tales created in cultures worldwide?

How does our God-given creativity help us to improve our world?

Content:

Fairytale Examples; Grimm’s and Anderson’s

iBooks Author tools

Google Docs tools

Digital cameras

Paper and pens for storyboarding

Skills:

Develop author's voice in writing.

Choose words carefully in considering audience of book.

Learn to use technology to produce a digital, illustrated story.

NETS:

1. Creativity and Innovation;

Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.

a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes

b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression

2. Communication and Collaboration;

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.

a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media

d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems

Assessment Rubric:

	1	2	3	4
Preservation of theme	Story does not reflect original theme	Story makes some attempt to preserve theme	Story preserves basic theme of original tale	Story preserves and creatively illuminates theme
Student Collaboration	No evidence of student collaboration	Some evidence of student collaboration	Student collaboration consistently evident	Collaboration of students seamless and enthusiastic
Use of Tech Tools	Tech tools are not used to produce finished product	Some attempt to use tech tools; final product shows some evidence of learning	Students competently use tech tools provided to produce final product	Mastery of proved tools evident in creation and production of final product
Final Product	Final digital book is not functional or understandable	Final digital book has some functionality and evidence of originality	Digital book functions well and shows originality and creativity	Digital book shows mastery of tools, outstanding creativity and originality