[Tatum]

Hi I teach a 3/4 multiage class. I am going to do a Fairy Tale theme in Reading. I was wondering anyone have any good ideas on how to integrate this theme around the classroom. (Walls, Reading Area, math center and Social Studies lessons.)

I do a Cinderella Around the World unit within this study..any good ideas for a bulletin board or readinng area decor?

I am also looking for ideas on teaching Tall Tales as well. I am less experienced in this genre, so any ideas are appreciated.

Tatum

[QW]

I made a mural of a castle and had kids make things found in fairy tales out of cut out paper, etc, such as dragons, witches, queens, knights, etc. to go on them. When we did writing workshop, each kid had a magic wand (a brand new pencil with a gold die-cut star taped to the top). They liked that. We had names, such as Prince Austin or Princess Lily and I was the Queen and we addressed each other like that during the unit. I even went to Burger King and got crowns and sometimes we would wear them when we were working on the unit. 3/4 probably wouldn't like to wear them outside of the classroom. I used a lot of purple and gold in my decorations. In social studies, we learned about castles and the medeival period. We read Knight at Dawn in the Magic Tree House series. I made a 3-D cake that looks like a castle for the culmination of our unit. I could try to give you directions if you need them. Use simple props and act out fairy tales. Do magic spells to figure out math problems. It's a lot of fun. Maybe I'll have to try it again this year. Good luck!

[Tatum]

thanks for all your input! I like the big castle idea on the BB. I will try it.

[Kat's Mom]

During our fairy tales unit, we always record the elements that make each story we've read a fairy tale and post them on a chart until the end of the unit. We read diff. Cinderellas too. The children must venn diagram two of them for a compare/contrast during the unit.
For tall tales, after reading a story, the children record in their literacy logs what events made the story tall and also record several that could happen in real life. (The real life events are much harder to find.) At the end of the unit, we culminate with writing our own tall tales, of course, beginning with a web where we map out the tall events that will occur, adding details when we write the stories. All is modeled first, of course. There are a few Reader's Theater pieces on tall tales that are fun to read during this unit as well. Luckily, my basal has one, but if you ask around on here, I bet someone will know a book or website where you can get your hands on one!