Stranger Danger in the Forest

1. Stranger Danger in the Forest The Dark Reality of Fairy Tales in Middle School English Lisa Magnani, Australian International School

2. Session Objectives • To share my teaching and learning journey of… • The Year Seven English Curriculum at AISS • Context and Purpose of Traditional Fairy tales • Values, Morals and Stereotypes in Fairy Tales • Little Red Riding Hood – a study • Visual Literacy and Fairy Tale Images

3. Teaching Context • The Year Seven Cohort at AISS • The Teaching Team • Links between English and Humanities

4. Learning Context • Year Seven English Curriculum • Term 1 – All About Me • Who do I think I am and how do I represent myself to others? • Term 2 – Twisting the Tale • How do narratives present an understanding of the world to us? • Term 3 – Growing Up • How do the challenges we face shape us? • Term 4 – Fantasy • Why do we use our imaginations to create other worlds and what are the consequences?

5. Year 7, Term 2: Unit Rationale Twisting the Tale: This unit serves as an introduction to the techniques of narrative writing. This unit builds upon the first unit by looking at narratives as representations of people, places and events. Students will explore this through multiple versions of the same tale, looking at the way elements such as point of view, work to make us feel particular ways about the subject of the narrative. Students could explore the different values being supported by stories and how/why these values change with time. Students analyse and compose a variety of narratives from a range of cultures.

6. Fairy Tale Unit in Yr. 7 English • Learning Activities: • Urban Myths • Elements of Fairytales • Symbol • Plot, Character and Setting • Values, Moral and Stereotypes • Study: Little Red Riding Hood • Movie: Hoodwinked

7. Traditional Fairy Tales • www.surlalunefairytales.com • Prior knowledge • Cultural applicability • Elements of a Fairytale • Traditional vs. Modern Adaptations • Values, Morals and Stereotypes • Purpose and context of fairy tales

8. Little Red Riding Hood 5 different versions… 1. This version is probably closest to the way the story would have been told before it was written down. It would have been told by storytellers to ordinary people – villagers, farm workers and peasants – for entertainment. 2. Written by Perrault in 1697. It was written for upper class readers in France. The language of story is more formal and the ‘rude’ bits have been left out because polite, young upper class girls should not have read or heard about such vulgar things. 3. Written in the nineteenth century by the Brothers Grimm. The story has been made sweeter and nicer for children to read. Although the story still has the purpose of warning children about strangers, it also provides a model of good behaviour and manners for young ladies. 4. Written by James Thurber in 1939, in which he makes fun of the earlier versions. 5. Written by women in Liverpool in 1972 who wanted to show that Red could be brave and capable, but that it is not always easy. The wolf is presented as very frightening and Red has to overcome her fears and to learn that she can be independent and rely on her own strength and abilities.

9. Visual Literacy • Term 1 – Visual Literacy • Features of an image • Symbols in the Image • Techniques used to create the image • Pam Duncan – Approaches to Learning • Molly Bang – Picture This: How Pictures Work

10. Summative Assessment Task • Write a narrative which disrupts the original story of a well known fairy tale for a publication called ‘Fractured Fairy Tales’. • To do this task you will need to: • Locate a fairy tale and identify how it represents character/places/events and the values it conveys • Plan a rewrite or ‘lost chapter’ which will disrupt the meaning of the original story • 400 – 600 words

11. Reflections • Teaching team • Students • Moving forward • Questions and Feedback