Hans Christian Andersen, 'The Emperor's New Clothes,' Fairy Tales and Other Traditional Stories, Lit2Go Edition, (1837), accessed January 21, 2021.

TOPIC: Fairy Tales: Story Structure and Character in Drama

GRADE: 4th Grade

Students explore physical and abstract theatre through well known fairy tales. Comes with an amended story extract (for psycho drama exercise), 3 original short scripts for in class performance and detailed instructions so you can implement a quality physical theatre unit. Adventure, Drama, Family Pre-production. A live-action adaptation of the classic fairy tale about a beautiful young princess who, while being stalked by a jealous Queen, seeks shelter at the home of seven dwarfs in the German countryside. Director: Marc Webb. 'WvP' (aka Witches vs Princesses) is a fun comedy stage play script for all ages. There are tons of wacky fairy tale characters for young actors to have fun with. It is for a large cast of 15 to 22 females and 1 to 7 males. For a good exercise in impromptu storytelling, try performing a well-known fairy tale in one minute flat. Drama classes and acting troupes alike can use the “60 Second Fairy Tale” to sharpen improvisational skills. It's also a great game for families and kids.

FOCUS QUESTIONS:

• What are the key parts of drama?
• How do we create a linear plot line?
• How is story structure similar to the structure of a drama?

Fairy Tale Summariesmac Drama Series

EDUCATION STANDARDS

TEKs:

§110.15. English Language Arts and Reading, Grade 4

• (5) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Drama. Students understand, make inferences and draw conclusions about the structure and elements of drama and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected to describe the structural elements particular to dramatic literature.

§117.16.Theatre, Grade 4

• (b) (4.2) Creative expression/performance. The student interprets characters, using the voice and body expressively, and creates dramatizations. The student is expected to:
  • (A) demonstrate safe use of the voice and body;
  • (B) describe clearly characters, their relationships, and their surroundings;
  • (C) develop characters and assume roles in short improvised scenes, using imagination, personal experiences, heritage, literature, and history; and
  • (D) dramatize literary selections in unison, pairs, and groups and create simple stories collaboratively through imaginative play in improvisations and story dramatizations, describing the characters, their relationships, and their environments and demonstrating a logical connection of events.

Common Core State Standards

Reading Standards for Literature Grade 4

Key Ideas and Details:

• (1) Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
• (3) Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

• (7) Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.

ARTIFACT (8 MINS)

'Let’s practice with the fairy tale of Cinderella. Who can tell me the basic plotline of Cinderella?' Engage in discussion determining what the beginning, middle, and end are. 'What are important details to the story that we don’t want to forget?' Talk about the characters, where it takes place, etc.

'In a moment, we are going to create our own interpretation of this story in our bodies. We are going to make a frozen image – a stage picture or tableau. We are going to create a frozen image of the beginning of the story.' Repeat back what the group decided was the beginning. 'What are the details (including characters) we need to make sure we have in our image?'

'These are great details. Now, let’s talk for a moment about how we create a great stage picture. To create a strong frozen picture, we need to think about the following:'

● SHAPE: What shape is your body making? How are you using your whole body? How can you use your body to show the audience where to focus? What is the shape of the entire image?

● SPACE: How much space does your image take up? Why? How does space define character relationships? How might space define the mood and purpose of the overall image?

● ATTITUDE: What feeling best captures the character? How do you show this feeling in your body? What is the attitude of the entire image? Ask for three volunteers. Counting them in have them create an image of the scene. Pull out similarities between the brainstormed list and the frozen image.

Transition: 'Great work. Now we have an understanding of what a frozen picture is. In just a moment I will break you into four groups. Each group will get a fairy tale. There are two fairy tales so two groups will do one and the other two will do the other. Your first job is to talk with your group about what happens in the story and what the beginning, middle and end are. Just like we did together. Next, each group will create a frozen image of the beginning using only your bodies. Remember Team, you can use your body to represent ANYTHING and everything in the scene (characters and the setting (objects/furniture)); whatever you think is important to tell your story.'

Fairy Tale Summariesmac Drama English

STAGE PICTURE (10 MINS)

Divide students into 4 groups. Have groups choose between two fairy tales: Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood.

“Talk with your group about what happens in your fairy tale. What is the beginning of the story? What are the most important details that you want to build with your bodies? Take a moment to brainstorm what details should be apart of your image.”

“Now, I’m going to give everyone in your group a number, and you are going to build each image one person at a time. We are going to do this simultaneously, so each group will build their image at the same time.”

Assign numbers to each student (the same numbers should be in each group) and count the students in (each group does this simultaneously). Remind students as they enter in to look at what the image is, and what is missing. Once the image is built, tell them this is the middle image. Revise the image [invite one # out to serve as the director and make the image stronger based on “what makes a good image.”]

“Remember this beginning image. Now brainstorm with your group what happens next in the story. We are using these images to build the plot of our short play. Let’s go forward in time and create the next image in our drama.” Count them in one at a time again to create pictures. Choose another # to serve as director to revise the image. “This is your middle image. Let’s see you move from the before image to the middle image. Great. Everyone relax. Now let’s go forward again and create the end picture.” Count them in one at a time. Choose another # to revise as director.

Rehearse the three images in order simultaneously.

(10 MINS) Have each group show their sequence to the group. “When I say “blackout” the audience will close their eyes while the actors get into place for image number one. When I say “lights up” the audience will open their eyes. Actors, wait until I say “blackout” to change to your next image. Are there any questions about how this will work?”

Process each group in a different way:

● GROUP #1: Ask the group what image they would like to see again. Full DAR that image and title it. ○ Describe: “What do you see in this image?” ○ Analyze: “Based on what you see, what could be happening in this image?” ○ Relate: “What title would you give this image?”

● GROUP #2: Facilitator picks the image that best lends itself to voices in the head. (“Thought-bubbling”) ○ “What could this character be thinking in this image?”

● GROUP #3: Ask the group what image they would like to see again. Choose a character to “thought-bubble” and bring to life to interview. ○ “What could this character be thinking?” ○ Actor playing this character can think of something they would say or can use a suggestion that they heard from the audience.

● Group #4: Facilitator picks the image that best lends itself to dialogue. Have one character say a line, and then pick the next characters to respond. “What could this character say that makes sense with the plot of this story?”

If possible, scribe a sentence for each B/M/E sequence of each picture. To have as a resources in the creative writing follow up.

REFLECT (5 MINS)

1(D): 'So DDWT, what did we do in our work together today? Anything else?' (encourage them to name the steps they took to create their stories) 'Which details, or context clues in the fairy tale did your group find most useful in creating your image drama?' (In the discussion emphasize how they distilled the B/M/E of the story.)

2(A): 'How did the images help us to create plots? Four groups created dramas from two fairy tales. How were they similar? How were they different?'

3(R): 'How might creating these images help us prepare for our drama writing exercise? For your writing center time today, you will get to write one of the dramatic stories that you saw today. You can choose to write a story from the fairy tale that your group had or you can write a story from another tale. As you write, think about how the way the story is told shapes our understanding of what is happening.' (make connections to performance of character and setting and related details)

Goldilocksand the Three Bears

LittleRed Riding Hood (LRRH) went to the forest to visit her ill granny. Shetook some cake and lemonade in a basket. She met a wicked wolf that askedher which path she was taking. She replied, ìIím taking the path that leadsto my grannyís cottage.î

While LRRHwas busy picking flowers to take to her granny, the wolf went to the cottageand swallowed granny in one gulp. Then the wolf put on grannyís cap, gotin grannyís bed, covered up in blankets, and settled in to wait. LRRH arrivedat the cottage and came into grannyís bedroom. She said, ìGranny what bigears you have,î and the wolf replied ìAll the better to hear you with,my dear.î And so on with Grannyís eyes: ìAll the better to see you with,my dear,î and teeth: ìall the better to eat you with, my dear.î

The wolfswallowed LLRH in one gulp and then fell asleep. A woodsman came by whilethe wolf was still asleep. The woodsman cut the wolf open with his ax andout popped Granny and LRRH. Then the woodsman, Granny, and LRRH all satdown by the fire and enjoyed cake and lemonade.

Longago there lived an lonely old carpenter named Geppetto. He made a puppetout of some wood, a ball, and a string. That night, a fairy visited andcast a spell that made the puppet walk and talk. The next morning, Geppettodiscovered the animated puppet and named him Pinocchio. Geppetto gave Pinocchioall of his money and sent him into town to buy books for school. Instead,Pinocchio used to the money to buy a ticket for the circus. Two clownsgave Pinocchio a hat and asked him to stay, but he said he must go backto Geppetto.

The clownsreturned Pinocchioís money, but on the way home he was robbed by and evilcat and an equally evil fox. The fairy appeared again and asked what happened;Pinocchio pretended he had been captured by a monster. Suddenly his nosegrew, and the fairy said, ìWhenever you lie, your nose will get bigger.Now go find Geppetto; heís out looking for you by the sea.î

Pinocchiowas rowing a small boat in the sea when he thought he heard Geppettoísvoice coming from inside a large dark cave. He rowed inside, only to findhimself inside a whale with Geppetto. He tickled the whale with a feather,and the whale sneezed, sending Pinocchio and Geppetto flying out on tothe beach. Relived, Pinocchio vowed never to lie again and then he heardthe fairyís voice saying, ìmake that promise and you will become a realboy.î

Jackand his mother were hungry. The cow in the barn gave them milk, but theyneeded food. Jackís mother said, ìWe must sell the cow to get some food.îJack volunteered to take the cow to town. Along the way, Jack met a farmerwho talked him into giving up the cow in exchange for a handful of goodluck beans.

When Jackreturned home, his mother was very cross because they lost their cow fora few beans. She threw the beans out the window and went to bed. The beansbegan to grow straight up into the sky, so Jack climbed the beanstalk hopingto find good luck at the top.

Instead,he found himself in a giantís castle. The giant was counting his moneyand singing ìfee fie foe fum, I like children in my tum.î The giantís wifehelped Jack hide so the giant wouldnít eat him. Then Jack realized somethingand said, ìHey, this giant stole my fatherís money!î The giantís wife said,ìThis magic hen and golden harp used to belong to your father too. Playthe harp, and then run!î

Jack playedthe harp, and the giant fell asleep. Jack grabbed the money and the henand started running. But on the way outside, he knocked over the harp andwoke the giant up. The giant chased Jack all the way down the beanstalkchanting ìfee fie foe fumÖî etc. When Jack reached the bottom, he choppeddown the beanstalk with an ax. The giant was no more. Then the magic henclucked and laid a golden egg. Jackís mother, awakened by all the noise,took the golden egg, put it with the money, and said, ìNow weíll have somethingnice to eat.î

Aking and a queen had been trying to have a child for years. When the childfinally arrived, they called her Aurora. A great holiday was proclaimedto celebrate Auroraís birth. Visitors came from far and wide, includingthree good fairies, named Merryweather, Fauna and Flora. One of the mostdistinguished guests was another king from a neighboring kingdom, who broughthis son Prince Philip. Both kings realized that their dream of a unitedkingdom could now come true.

The threegood fairies began bestowing their gifts upon Aurora. Aurora received thegift of Beauty, and gift of SongÖ but before the last gift was bestowed,a wicked fairy interrupted. This wicked fairy was upset that she wasnítinvited to the party, so she cast a spell ñ on the day of Auroraís 16thbirthday, she would prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheeland die.

The thirdgood fairy hadnít bestowed her gift yet, and she was horrified at the spellthe wicked fairy cast. The good fairy wasnít strong enough to undo thespell, but she was able to dilute it a bit ñ instead of death, Aurora wouldfall asleep until her true love come along to undo the spell with a kiss.

As a precaution,all spinning wheels were removed from the kingdom, and Aurora lived inhiding as a peasant with the good fairies for protection. She grew up,met Prince Philip, and fell in love. On the night of Auroraís 16th birthday,Aurora, Prince Philip, and the good fairies all went back to the castleto live. But the evil fairy snuck into the castle and pricked Auroraísfinger with a needle, causing her to fall asleep. With the help of thegood fairies, Prince Philip kissed her and she awoke. They all lived happilyever after.

Thereonce was a widower who remarried. His second wife was ill-natured, andshe had two daughters who were just as unpleasant as their mother. Theman had a beautiful, gentle daughter of his own, and she was soon to becomethe servant of her evil step-mother and step-sisters. They made her doall the chores around the house, and she was named Cinderella, after thecinders she swept out of the fireplace.

The Kingneeded to find a queen for his prince, so he threw a huge ball. The evilstep-mother and step-sisters were invited, but Cinderella was not allowedto go. After they left, Cinderellaís fairy godmother appeared and changedher dirty rags into a beautiful gown with glass slippers. Next the fairygodmother changed a pumpkin into a coach and some mice into footmen. BeforeCinderella left, the fairy godmother warned her to be home before midnight,because the spell would only last till then.

Cinderellawas a hit at the ball. The prince fell in love with her and asked her name.Just then the clock struck midnight, and Cinderella ran away. She was insuch a hurry, she lost one of her glass slippers. It was the only cluethe prince had to find his true love. He went to every home in the kingdomand had every single young girl try on the slipper to see if it fit. Theevil step-sisters couldnít fit the slipper, but Cinderella did. The princemarried her and they all lived happily ever after.

Fairy Tale Summariesmac Drama List

Anold miller went before the King and, trying to impress him, told the Kinghis daughter Rose could spin straw into gold. The King ordered the girlto be locked in a room full of straw. He said she was to spin the strawinto gold or her head would be cut off. Rose began to cry, and suddenlya little man with a long gray beard appeared and said, ìI will help youspin the straw into gold if you give me something in return.î The firstnight, she gave him her ring. The second night, she gave him her necklace.But then she had nothing left to give. The little man wanted her firstborn and Rose had to agree, or have her head cut off by the King for notspinning straw into gold.

The littleman kept his promise, and the King made Rose his queen. When Rose had herfirst child, the little man with the gray beard came to take the baby away.He said he would not take the baby if Rose could guess his name ñ she hadthree days to come up with three guesses. Rose sent messengers out to spyon the little man and found out his name was Rumpelstilskin. And the babyremained with the king and queen.

Hanseland Gretel were brother and sister. Their poor parents were starving, sothey went out in search of food. They took one slice of bread along, whichthey used to mark a path back to their home by leaving crumbs along theway. After a while, they came upon a little house made of gingerbread.Hansel broke off a piece to eat.

Suddenly,the door flew open and an old woman came out and invited them in. She fedthem mountains of pancakes and fruit, and then tucked them into bed tosleep. What Hansel and Gretel didnít realize was that the old woman wasfattening them up so she could use them in her favorite dish ñ roastedchild! Now they were prisoners, and the old woman kept feeding them, andwhen she asked them to stick their fingers out of their cell so she couldjudge how fat they were getting, Hansel held out a bone instead.

Finally,the children escaped and pushed the old woman into the oven. They filledtheir pockets with jewels and food and used the trail of bread crumbs tofind their way back home, where they lived happily ever after.

Thereonce was a queen who named her only daughter Snow White because her skinwas so fair and lovely. The queen died, and Snow Whiteís father marrieda new queen, who was evil, vain and wicked. Every morning she would standin front of the mirror and say, ìMirror, mirror on the wall, who is thefairest one of all?î The mirror always answered, ìthee,î until one dayit said that Snow White was the fairest one of all.

The evilqueen ordered one of her servants to take Snow White to the forest to haveher killed. The servant, feeling sorry for Snow white, let her go and broughtback a wild boarís heart to show the queen he had done the deed. Snow White,alone and hungry in the forest, came across a little cottage with seventiny bedsÖetc. When the dwarves came back form work they found Snow Whiteand said she could stay with them if she cleaned and cooked.

They alllived happily until one day when the mirror told the wicked queen thatSnow White was still alive and living with the dwarves. The wicked queendisguised herself as a peddler and went to the cottage while the dwarveswere at work. She gave Snow White a red apple that was poisoned.

When SnowWhite took a bite of the apple, she fell down unconscious. The dwarveswere very sad and built a glass coffin for her. One day a prince came byand saw how beautiful Snow White was, and bent down to give her a kiss.Snow White woke up and they were married.

Thereonce was a family of bears: mama bear, papa bear, and baby bear. They werejust about to eat their lunch, but their porridge was too hot, so theywent for a walk in the woods. Just then a little girl named Goldilockscame upon their house and went inside. She saw the three bowls of porridgeon the table and tasted some from each bowl. The big bowl was too hot,the medium-sized bowl was too cold, but the smallest bowl was just right,so she ate it all up.

The shesaw three chairs and decided to sit down. The big chair was too hard, themedium-sized chair was too soft, but the little chair was just right. AsGoldilocks was getting comfortable in the smallest chair, it broke. So,she went in the next room and found the beds. The big bed was too hard,the medium-sized bed was too soft, but the little bed was just right, andGoldilocks fell last asleep.

Just then,the three bears came home to find their house in a mess. Papa bear said,ìSomeoneís been eating my porridge.î Mama bear said the same thing, andbaby bear said, ìSomeoneís been eating my porridge, and they ate it allup!î Then they saw the chairs and papa bear said, ìSomeoneís been sittingin my chair.î Mama bear said the same thing, and then baby bear said, ìSomeoneísbeen sitting in my chair, and they broke it!î

Then theywent into the next room and found Goldilocks asleep in baby bearís bed.When she awoke, she was so frightened she ran out of the bearsí house anddidnít stop running till she got home.