My educational method is to present one fairy tale for at least two weeks. I read multiple versions of the tale, retell it orally, retell it with puppets, and at the end – have the children act it out. It is a method that I have developed over the last 12 years or more. This year, my intern Stephanie Harsha, took the Three Little Pigs play to a new level with the houses she had the children make! Oh my but they were divine! The children loved it so much!
I think it is important to make the acting out of a fairy tale a simple activity. We will act out at least eight to ten fairy tales. It is not a big production. It is an opportunity for children to own the story. I call it “teaching to the bones.” The children know the stories to the marrow. Here is a simple way to identify the pigs – with sentence strips. It is easy and it works.
Stephanie let the children decorate and embellish the three houses. They worked so hard.
Stephanie had the children bring sticks from their own yards. It was so cool. I am definitely taking Stephanie's method of making the three houses. It worked beautifully. (Shhh – my method was not this beautiful!)
I’ll Huff and I’ll Puff and . . .
This is wonderful!!!!! I love the sticks from home as decorating tools! : )
How adorable!!! So hands on. I bet your students had a blast.
What a fabulous way to reinact/retell the story….great dramatic play area addition! So creative….love the house made of sticks!
Hi Sally,
I love the houses!!
Did the audience do anything while the actors performed ??
The audience did not do anything BUT what a fab idea!! Oh my. . . my creative juices are whirling!!!! What would you have them do? Sing “I’ll huff and puff. . .”?
A gem!! This is the next storytelling classic that I will tell. Talk about scaffolding!!
This is a great idea. I love your website and will be using less of your ideas in my new class with year 0 kiddies. Thank you for giving so many great ideas. Alex