Lesson Plan (by Dai’Quiriya S. Martinez)

Fables, Fairytales, and Rhymes:

Little Boy Blue (new version) and the Jack of Hearts (new version derived from the Queen of Hearts)Grade level(s) - 3rd-5th (or above)

Duration- 2-4 days

Supplies Needed- Copies of the new versions of Little Boy Blue and The Jack of Hearts and the older versions (included)

Objectives-

To learn new vocabulary. Define the terms fairytale, fable, myth, nursery rhyme and

tall tale. To learn new tales. To appreciate tales for their entertainment value. Identify unique characteristics of myths, folktales, nursery

rhymes, and fairy tales. Create new tales from older ones.

Guiding Questions-

1. What is the difference between fairytale, myth, tall tale, fable, and nursery rhyme?

2. Where do these poems come from? 3. Are they fairytales?4. What is the difference between the original tales and

the new ones?5. What lesson or message, if any, are the tales trying to

convey?

6. In what way is language used? Is the language style familiar or unfamiliar? Why do you think this type of language style is used?

Pt. 1-

Define terms and introduce children to the idea of fairytales, fables, nursery rhymes and their purpose. Students will be introduced to at least 2-3 fairytales including the new version of “Little Boy Blue”. Students will gain an understanding of the basic elements of the genre.

Activity- Have the students to read both poems (originals and new versions). After reading the poems have the students to compare and contrast the old and new versions and/or compare and contrast both new versions.

Pt. 2-

Students will create and tell a tale to classmates by using the elements that make up tales, rhymes, fables, myths, etc. Activity- After having completed the first activity, the students can create their own new nursery rhyme, fairytale, or rap based on an older one. Students can take an older nursery rhyme and turn it into a story or turn a story into a nursery rhyme.

Pt. 3-

Looking for themes, elements, characteristics, and structure.Activity- Students can read each other’s stories and with a list can search for the various elements of the tale. Or if the students

can read their out loud to the class, and each student can be provided with a list of themes, elements, key words, etc. to look for in the stories. Standards

Common Core Standards- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.2Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.2Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.2Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.4Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

The following rhymes/poems/fairytales were written by Dai’Quiriya S. Martinez for the book Kooky Tales ©2017. They appear here for educational purposes and may be used with this lesson plan. For more information on Kooky

Tales and other lessons, please see TeacherPayTeachers.com.

Little Boy Blue (by Dai’Quiriya S. Martinez©)

Little Boy Blue doesn’t like his job

Not even the sheep nor the corn on the cob

(He said)

I need a new job

That’s an important thing

Like maybe a duke, prince or a king

He strutted into town

And announced out loud

I’m leaving this place

And of that I am proud

He walked down the slope

And left the herd behind

He waved at the goat

And saluted the swine

(He said)

I’m outta here to become a great lord

This herding and farming

Has made me bored

He continued to walk for miles and miles

His face full of hope and lots of smiles

He thought about what his life would be

A great castle, a wife and children three

He walked on and on

Till he reached a large city

It was a place well known

As the kingdom of Calee

He enlisted to become a great knight’s squire

But he mostly cleaned hearths

And tended the fire

Four years passed

And he finally earned rank

He became the squire

Of Earl LeFrank

LeFrank was fair

And a good knight was he

He owned many lands in the north of Calee

One day while LeFrank was on a hunt

His horse went lame

On the road to DuPont

He fell from his horse

And nearly hit a rock

Boy Blue did save him

While the others stood in shock

(He said to Boy Blue)

You’ve save my head from being broken

Now I shall reward you

With this great token

I will have my land divided in two

I shall make you an earl

Lord LeBlue of Anjou

Now Boy Blue became a great earl

He had a new wife

Two boys and a girl

He fought great battles

That never seemed to end

There was always some fortress

The earl had to defend

(Years and years later…..)

Earl LeBlue sat in full perfection

Near the fireplace

In deep recollection

(He said…)

I sit in reflection

Here by the fire

Once a young and foolish squire

I am weary of all this prattle

Too many wars

So many battles

I shall retire before it’s too late

And to my family

I will give my estate…

So LeBlue set out

For a long harsh trek

He took food, a book

And coins in his sack

He walked and walked

Then came to a great shire

It was the town he left to become a squire

The town had grew

Beyond its bounds

There was activity and commerce bustling around

He went to seek the town’s mayor

A man by the name

Of Mr. LeClaire

And 300 coins he put in his hand

To purchase cattle

And a parcel of land

(And Mr. LeClaire asked)

And what’s the name

That I place on this deed?

I must have these things

Before we proceed

(And then LeBlue said)

Well sir….. if you must know

I hailed from this town

Very long ago

It has expanded to my surprise

Yet my name you’ll not recognize

I am just plain Blue

That’s what I am called

I will be herding and farming

And doing it all

The simple life

Is what I desire

To tend my own hearth

And rest by its fire…

And at dawn

Blue took out his herd

He whistled a tune

That had no words

Then in the evening

He blew his horn

To call in the cattle

And the sheep from the corn.

And he lived happily ever after…

The Jack of Hearts (by Dai’Quiriya S. Martinez©)

The Jack of Hearts

Does like sweet tarts

And all sorts of goodies and pies

The Queen of Hearts

Did make some tarts

Of various shapes and size

That foolish Jack

He smelled the snack

And couldn’t control his hands

He stole the sweets

And was up on his feet

Then danced about the land…..

While the Jack of Hearts danced around and filled his belly with sweets, the royal palace was in a flurry. The King of Hearts had called for the tarts which the queen had made for him.

The king bellowed in a loud voice…..

“Search every field

And every cart

Find that Knave

That Jack of Hearts

Search every Jack and each squire

Search each haystack and every shire”

A decree went around the land. There were wanted posters everywhere. There would be a reward for anyone who can tell the whereabouts of the Jack. Then, one early spring day, the king heard that the Jack was caught. He went into the royal judgment hall and waited to see who had apprehended the pastry thief. The Knave of Swords came forward. He claimed that he was a witness to the Jack of Heart’s thievery. The Knave of Swords said,

“I know the story

I hear you are perturbed

Let me tell you

What I observed”

The Knave of Swords told the king how he had saw the Jack sniffing around in the royal kitchen. He claimed that later he saw the Jack of Hearts dancing around and licking jelly from his sticky fingers. Then the Knave of Swords said….

“I have one witness

To this pie man’s greed

It is the Knave of Diamonds

Yes indeed”

The king responded,

“Well there man

Make your case

What did you see?

And please make haste”

(I am famished…..)

The Knave of Diamonds approached the king nervously. He held his cap in his hand and twisted it around and fidgeted. He looked at the Knave of Swords and shouted,

“This dirty deed

I cannot do

The Jack’s not guilty

It was you!”

And he pointed a shaky finger at the Knave of Swords. The Knave had eaten the tarts himself. He knew that the Jack of Hearts had a reputation for loving sweet tarts and all types of pastries. So, when he had realized that he had eaten the King’s desert, he came up with the idea to frame the Jack. He had decided to wear the Jack’s costume and allow himself to be seen near the royal kitchens.

The king was furious. He had the Jack of Hearts released and then he pointed his royal staff at the Knave of Swords and said,

“Well now sir

Your plan demised

Hear me out

And now arise

You are no longer welcome

In these royal lands

You ate my pastry

You licked your hands

Such trickery and lies

Never serves one well

You will be banished

and thrown into jail”

“Be gone!”

The king apologized to the Jack of Hearts and rewarded both him and the Knave of Diamonds to some freshly baked tarts that the queen had just made for the occasion.

The End

Little Boy Blue and The Queen of Hearts (old versions)

Little Boy Blue

Little Boy Blue,Come blow your horn,The sheep's in the meadow,The cow's in the corn;But where is the boyWho looks after the sheep?He's under a haystack,He's fast asleep.

Will you wake him?No, not I,For if I do,He's sure to cry

The Queen of Hearts (original)

The Queen of Hearts

She made some tarts,    All on a summer's day;The Knave of HeartsHe stole those tarts,    And took them clean away.The King of HeartsCalled for the tarts,    And beat the knave full sore;The Knave of HeartsBrought back the tarts,    And vowed he'd steal no more.

Note- Pictures are from public domain sources.