CHILDREN’S STORIES

The Importance of Children’s Books

Helps children to: Read Think Communicate

Helps children develop storytelling skills (rooted in oral tradition)

Modern children’s books help kids to: Develop good manners and habits Learn different skills and morals Develop imagination

The Modern Children’s Book as a teacher

Modern children’s books are designed to help kids see: what lies outside their own worlds what’s happening within them Larger societal issues

Racism Sexism War Death Disease

The Purpose of Children’s Books Entertainment Literacy Listening Skills Creativity A Healthy Escape Memory

Types of Children’s Books

Picture Books Baby books Wordless picture books Pop-up (or other sensory) books Concept books

Early Readers Easy text Can be read to (and eventually by) a

younger child

Wrack your brain…

List as many examples of each type of children’s book: Picture Books Early Reader Chapter Books YA Books

Story Analysis

Children’s Literature Analysis Choose 3 Early Reader books Complete an analysis sheet for each

book

Do an extra book for Extra Credit!

Simplistic Language

Practice SIMPLICITY

The crux of a children’s story is simplicity in plot in language in approach

ACTIVITY In groups of two or three, create an EARLY READER

for ONE of the following short stories “All Summer in a Day” “Charles” “Geraldine Moore the Poet

Requirements A simplified version of the text Two illustrations (or more) that could accompany

your text Time Frame

Today, Monday, and Tuesday

The moral of the story is…

Fables

Fables

A fable is a brief fictional story written in prose or verse features personified animals, mythical

creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature

illustrates or leads to a moral lesson (a "moral“)

Moral is added explicitly at the end in a concise saying.

Story Time!!

Activity: “You’re an Animal!”

For each animal listed, create three stereotypical PERSONALITY traits.

Choose three animals from the list and create a character sketch for each Where they live What they do Who they are friends with/related to What their potential conflicts are

Fable Writing Assignment

Write an ORIGINAL FABLE. Text should be no longer than a page,

typed Include 1 illustration that is appropriate for

the text of your story ROUGH DRAFT for CONFERNECE on

Monday, December 15, 2014 (@ end of the period)

Activity: What’s the Problem Using the THREE characters that you

developed in “You’re an Animal,” create TWO potential story conflicts FOR EACH – total of SIX.

Choose TWO of your potential conflicts and create a basic plot diagram for each. Plot diagrams will be provided.

Once upon a time…

Fairy Tales

Fairy Tale

Respond to the following TWO quotes: "If you see the magic in a fairy tale, you

can face the future." ~Danielle Steel~

"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.“ ~Albert Einstein~

FORMAT OF A FAIRY TALE

Introduction of characters Setting and mood Type of magic Conflict, dilemma, or problem to solve First attempt & failure to solve issue Second attempt & failure to solve issue Third attempt & failure to solve issue Happy or unhappy ending/resolution

OFTEN USED ELEMENTS

“Once upon a time…”

Good vs. evil “Long ago…” Fantasy & make-

believe Princesses and

princes (any royalty) The innocent, villain,

and hero trio

Magic (ex: giants, elves, witches, etc)

A problem that needs to be solved

Talking animals Usually teaches a

lesson or has a theme

“happily ever after” (modern versions)

FAMOUS FAIRY TALE AUTHORS Hans Christian Andersen (1805-75)

recognized as a dramatist, poet, novelist and travel writer

most widely known – and even described as – “the earth’s last teller of fairy tales.”

wrote 168 fairy tales, which have been translated into more than 100 languages

tales have inspired Broadway musicals, Academy Award winning films, ballets, sculptures and paintings

FAMOUS FAIRY TALE AUTHORS The Brothers Grimm (Jacob

Ludwig Carl Grimm and Wilhelm Carl Grimm) include stories of kings, magic, and

talking animals stories are sometimes scary were known as “experts” in language,

folklore, and anything German wrote over 200 stories, many of which

have been turned into movies and plays

Story Time!!

Activity: I Need a Hero!

Develop, in mini-story format, 2 of each type of character – innocent, hero, and villain.

The mini-stories may be intertwined (1 of each type of character developed together) OR each character can have their own mini-story.

You should have a minimum of 6 paragraphs for this activity

Activity: Once Upon A Time…

Create THREE different settings that could be used for a Fairy Tale. Go beyond just the appearance of this place – try to appeal to all 5 senses in your description.

Begin each of your descriptions as if it were the 1st paragraph of a Fairy Tale – Once upon a time…

 Requirements:

Each potential setting should be at least 2 paragraphs.

Fairy Tale Writing Assignment Write an ORIGINAL FAIRY TALE.

Text should be at least ONE page, typed, 1 ½ spaced

Include 1 illustration that is appropriate for the text of your story

Bring in ROUGH DRAFT for CONFERNECE on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 (@ end of the

period)

Fractured Fairy Tales

Fractured Fairy Tales

…And Then the Prince Knelt Down and Tried to Put the Glass Slipper on Cinderella’s FootBy Judith Viorst

I really didn’t notice that he had a funny nose

And her certainly looked better all dressed up in fancy clothes

He’s not nearly as attractive as he seemed the other night

So I think I’ll just pretend that this glass slipper feels too tight.

The Three Brothers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omaXK9JIZh0

Elements of a Fractured Fairy Tale Humorous Changes the original story in an

unexpected way Altering a character (physical,

personality, etc) Adding modern language or events

(change the setting) Is usually a parody, satire, or irony

Examples: Fractured Cinderella

Cinderella is ugly and has 3 beautiful stepsisters

The prince can’t dance Cinderella likes to cook and clean She wears Uggs instead of glass slippers The fairy godmother’s wand is broken and

changes her into a slug Cinderella didn’t want a carriage, she

wanted a BMW The ball was a Saturday night at Club Abyss

Some other ways to Fracture a Tale Tell the story-before-the-story Tell what happens after the “happily

ever after” Intertwine multiple stories Modernize the story and characters Tell the story from another perspective

Story Time!!

Activity: Fracture This!

Choose 4 of the provided Nursery Rhymes and create a fractured version of each.

Try to use a different style of fracturing for each.

Fractured Tales…

Choose ONE of the following Grimms’ Fairy Tales to fracture:

1. The Frog Price2. Rapunzel3. The Golden Goose4. Red Riding Hood5. Hansel and Gretel

Rough Draft DUE Tuesday, January 13, 2015 (@ end of the period)

Shrek 2: Persuasive Writing

While you view: Take notes on the various aspects of the film that make it fractured.

After you view:Write an essay in which you prove Shrek 2 is the ultimate fractured fairy tale.

Requirements:a minimum of 5 paragraphsIntroduction, thesis, concrete examples from the movie, conclusionTyped and proofread

Full Length Children’s Story

Full Length Children’s Story

In a small group (2 or 3), create an original, full length (20-25 pages of story text), children’s story.

Story must have: A cover A title page An original idea Text and illustrations on each page Simplistic language A valuable theme/lesson

Unit Reflection

Please write a reflection journal about your work in this unit.Think about:

What you enjoyed What you did not like What you learned What else you think should have been included What you did well What you still need to work on Your overall work ethic and how it affected

your grade