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Cinderella
in Geography
(The Girl Gets Around!) |
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Where
in the World is Cinderella? |
Target
Audience: 3rd - 6th grade (can be modified
"down" by making this a group dictated activity or modified
"up" by going into the three extension activities found at
the end of this section) |
Objectives:
The learner will identify various countries, their locations, and
aspects of their culture. |
On-Line
Resources:
Shen's
Books
This
site describes the elements of a Cinderella story, and contains
a link called "In Search of Cinderella," which offers a list
of countries, leading to Cinderella versions from those
countries.
Cinderella
Books from Around the World
A
list of various Cinderella books, although this list is not
categorized by country.
A
great site to start discussion for older students. What is the
role of a woman in the society that began the Cinderella story?
Do other variations provide a look at other societies' views of women? |
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Procedures:
Use the online resources to compile a list of Cinderella
stories from around the world. After reading various Cinderella
stories, locate each country of origin on a map. As a bulletin board
and/or individual activity, create a map with a map key to identify
each country and the title of their Cinderella story.
As an additional activity, students may
choose a country and use research and writing skills to write a paper
about that country.
Older students may use this activity as
an introduction to comparative sociology, by creating a database or
comparative graph. After reading the information in the propaganda
website mentioned above,
discuss the similarities and differences between the stories and the
cultures that created the stories. The students will need to use
research skills to find background information on each country. Some
possible fields may include:
| Country |
| Type
of Community (rural, urban, etc.) |
| Foods
Mentioned in Story |
| Buildings
or Homes in Story |
| Clothing
in Story |
| Gender
of Main Character |
| Positive
Characteristics of Main Character |
| The
"Important Person" in the Story |
| How
Main Character Receives Wish |
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Write
Your Own Fairy Tale Lesson Plan
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Students
write a narrative that combines realistic and fantastic elements. It can
be as short as 2 paragraphs or as long as 10 pages depending upon the
students ability and enthusiasm. The only thing it can’t be is boring. |
| Students
listen to the teacher read Perrault’s version of Cinderella |
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Students
discuss how this version differs from or resembles the version that
they remember from their childhood. |
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Students
read John Steptoe's Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. |
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In
a discussion the students compare the two versions. |
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Students
decide upon the wording for the theme of Perrault’s story. Is the
Steptoe version similar in its moral? |
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Students
review the Cinderella fairy tale. |
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Students
read Little Cindy Ella by Jackie “Moms” Mabley taken from The
Book of Negro Humor by Langston Hughes. |
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In
a discussion the students compare the two versions. The historical
context of the story, the statement it makes about race relations in
the United States, its use of humor to make that statement all are
worth noting. |
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Students
decide upon the theme or message of “Little Cindy Ella”. |
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Students
browse through anthologies of fairy tales to find one that they might
want to rewrite. Those who wish to write an original fairy tale are
encouraged to do so. Some students may feel more comfortable with this
assignment if they can use familiar comic book characters. |
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Students
read their stories to their classmates to solicit praise for their wit
and suggestions for improvement. |
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Students
submit a second draft of their fairy tales which could be copied and
bound into a classroom fairy tale anthology. |
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