Fractured Tales - Week 1

If you follow my blog, you will remember that a couple of weeks ago I blogged about my old reading series that I couldn't let go.  It was my disaster theme.  Well, the kiddos LOVED it! 

Now comes my next favorite theme of the year...fractured tales.  This is also in the same old reader that I just can't part with.  I'm so excited to start this theme.  Not only because it is my last reading theme of the year, but also because my group this year is VERY funny and creative...they are going to LOVE this unit.

I start out by reading a real version of "The Three Little Pigs".  We discuss what the narrative elements of this story are.  Then we start talking about what a fractured tale would be.  They have no idea.  So I have them fill in a Mad Libs type activity paper about a short tale.  They use different things that will make their paper different...or what we call fractured.  Then all the light bulbs start going off.  I hear...oh, that's what you mean....we just turned this into something fractured...and so on.  Super fun discussion.

Then we read the story "The 3 Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig". 

If you haven't read this story, it is super cute!  Instead of the 3 pigs, we have 3 adorable wolves.  Instead of the big bad wolf, we have the big bad pig.  The pig knocks over the houses using things like:  a sledgehammer, a pneumatic drill, a wrecking ball, etc.  After we read this story we discuss the narrative elements.  Then using a chart, we compare the original version of the Three Little Pigs that I read to them and this story.  We had so much fun comparing and contrasting.

Each Friday of our Fractured Tale unit I will have a Fun Friday. This Friday to go along with this story, we will have a "Construction Day".  The children will snack on pretzels (kind of like logs) and then they will construct their own house out of materials that they bring in from home.  I sent a note about bringing things in and gave lots of examples.  They have been bringing them in all week...toothpicks, cereal pieces, dried pasta, even beads.  They are so excited for Friday to come so they can become construction workers!

The other three stories we will be reading in the next 3 weeks will be:  The 3 Javelinas, The 3 Little Hawaiian Pigs and the Magic Shark, and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.  I will blog about one each week and tell you what types of activities we did and what each Fun Friday was. 

I even have some Fractured Tale Reader's Theaters that I do.  We invite the parents in and other classes.  I'll blog about this in the coming week as well.  What a great way to end the school year on a fun note!