Fairy Tale Lessons for Drama Class
About fifteen years ago, I taught at Smithton Middle School in Columbia, Missouri. I thought I’d probably end up teaching in high school, instead I taught in a middle school–a large one at that! It was a great experience.
Every five and a half weeks, seventy-five sixth graders would roll into my class eager (or maybe not) to learn about drama. (If you are doing the math, that’s around 400 students each year!)
I taught them about the components of theatre–storytelling, tableau, movement, chanting, costumes, masks, improvisation, sets, sound effects, etc.
While doing so, many classes focused on fairy tales.
Why fairy tales?
Everyone knows at least one fairy tale–usually they know Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Snow White, etc.
When you teach the same concept over and over it gets stale. This is very hard on a creative person like me and over time I was becoming bored.
I HATE to be bored.
So, I got to thinking…………
Hmmm. What if I used one theme for the entire twenty-five day rotation? I wonder if the students (and I ) would appreciate it?
Aha.
Fairy Tale Lessons for Drama Class
Fairy tales weren’t as popular fifteen years ago as they are now (thank you Disney.) But boy, were the kids totally engaged.
Why should you take my word for it?
I did a little research to see what I could find about the reasons the study of fairy tales is useful with our students.
Wow! There is a lot of information out there—-
Research on the Importance of Fairy Tales
According to the parentingpassageway.com, here are a few reasons:
“Children who are ready for fairy tales instinctively know that these stories are not literally true on the physical plane, but are true pictures of inner events and circumstances, of inner challenges and forces which must be faced and overcome. Thus, they sense that beauty and ugliness refer to inner qualities, not external appearance.” –In A Nutshell: Dialogues with Parents At Acorn Hill, Nancy Foster, page 47.
“In regard to the issue of violence and evil, it is a reality that children, and all of us, do encounter challenges and bad or frightening experiences in life. The fairy tales, in which such experiences are redeemed in various ways according to the particular story, help to give children the trust that challenges can be overcome and that we are not powerless.” –In A Nutshell: Dialogues With Parents At Acorn Hill, Nancy Foster, page 48.
“That is the strength of fairy tales. They are filled with promise. The weak can be strong; evil can be turned to good; the ugly can become beautiful; Cinderella can become a princess, the frog a prince. Every human being can rise to his true stature. Even the smallest child can realize this and rejoice at future victories.” –An Overview of the Waldorf Kindergarten, page 54.
Sounds good, huh?
Fairy Tale Lessons for Drama Class
In my Teacherspayteachers store, I have several lessons and units which were tailor made for the middle school classroom,
however some upper elementary gifted/talented classes would appreciate it as well.
If you are wanting to study any part of theater with a twist using fairy tales, try this:
These drama lessons and units use fairy tales as the focus. In particular, students learn about set and costume design, tableau, stage properties AND participate in a class play, The Brave Little Tailor. Plus, they have the opportunity to be designers themselves. Cooperative learning, creative problem solving and developing individual creativity is stressed. Use the entire bundle and you have a month’s worth of learning!
Here’s what included:
This eight day unit on set design (with fairy tales as the focus) was created for upper elementary gifted and middle grade students through ninth grade. Students learn about the history of set design, famous set designers, develop a critical eye about what makes up an award winning set design, create a ground plan for a story of their choosing and draw a rendering. In addition, the students must work with ratios and measuring. The first two assignments are completed individually, but then the fun begins! The students are paired up to create a model working together towards the goal. There is even room for parents to celebrate the end of the unit with your students.
Included in the unit:
• An overview of the unit for the teacher
• Rationale for teaching set design
• History of set design
• Set designer’s responsibilities
• Teacher’s Script–what I say and how I say it!
• Warm up for day one
• Procedures for each day (8)
• Lecture notes including links
• Information about the message color conveys
• Ground plan example
• Rendering examples
• Stage curtain sheet for rendering
• Step by step directions for model building including photo examples
• Cheat sheet for various set pieces
• Assignment sheet for each step of the design process
• Exit slip prompts for 4 days
• Grade sheet EDITABLE
• Source Page
Now I have costume design lessons for grades 3 to 5 as well. Check them out here: Bundle Costume Design with Fairy Tale Characters Elementary Grades
And a spanking new Broadway musical unit for Peter Pan!
Set Design Templates Product
These templates are time savers for the busy teacher. They were created to answer the requests for additional templates to accompany my Set Design unit.
Note: These templates are sketched on l/2 grid paper. The student can use them as examples, but they will not be the correct measurements if they merely trace them.
There are eleven pieces:
- door
- window
- fireplace mantel
- desk
- bed
- bridge
- throne
- cemetery grave marker
- tree
- fence
- shrub
Costume Design with Fairy Tale Characters
or find it at: Costume Design with Fairy Tales (The Wheel Education Website)
This two-day lesson on costume design is focused on fairy tale characters and gives the students an opportunity to be costume designers. Suitable for students in grades 4 to 8, the product is broken in to two class periods, although it could be used for a one day exploration of the subject. This is a huge time saver for the busy teacher!
Students will learn about:
- The History of Costume Design
- The Rationale for Teaching Costume Design
- Teacher’s Script–what I say and how I say it!
- Costumes Notes for Students
- Procedure
- Materials List
- Source & Video link list
- A Warm-Up—engaging and creative
- Fairy Tale Character list
- Two Assignments–one creative and one written
- Student Examples
This one day lesson teaches the why, what and how of tableau. It is suitable or all ages, but most successful with elementary and middle school students.
The product contains:
- Warm up Exercise
- What is Tableau
- Why Teach Tableau
- Teacher’s Script
- Procedure
- Lesson
- Extension Activities
- Cool Down Exercise
This one-day lesson about stage properties (with fairy tales as the focus) is suitable for upper elementary and middle school students. It is engaging, fun and unique. This isn’t just a worksheet–this is an ENTIRE lesson ready for you to copy and go!
Product includes:
- Warm Up
- Teacher’s Script–what I say and how I say it!
- Stage properties categories and the reasons they are labeled as such
- Short quiz
- Quiz key
- Movie title suggestions–cued up and hot linked to help you
- Cooperative learning assignment
This comical play (moderate or large cast depending on your needs) is suitable whether studying fantasy and fairy tales, the German culture or in a drama class. Students strengthen their reading (fluency), speaking (diction) and listening skills (restating) while learning to work cooperatively. The central themes include fate, ingenuity and cleverness. Based on the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale by the same name, students will have an opportunity to:
learn about “the director’s concept” and help to create one
dramatize a fairy tale including a few puppets if you so choose
use unusual materials as stage properties
create comical characters
This product comes with:
- a warm up focused on dialogue and the art of imitation
- procedure or rehearsal schedule
- teacher’s script–how I say it and what I say
- information about the Grimms Brothers and the true history of the fairy tales
- eleven page script complete with stage and blocking directions (to help you stage your performance)
- tips and advice
- discussion questions (post performance) with a quick art assignment
- costume suggestions
- original song, written especially for this play–plenty of fun for everyone!
- sound bytes which can be used as accompaniment or for rehearsing the song
- stage properties list–including how to create each prop
- links to puppets, hat making
- sources
If you are looking to save some money and get a BUNCH of set design lessons, check out this one:
Bundle: Set Design Units (3 Weeks)
Time tested by veteran award winning drama teacher of 38 years. these are winners with students!
If you’d like to know about other Dramamommaspeaks products, check out these posts:
The Reasons to Teach Drama Class with Unique Lessons
Creative Dramatics Lesson Plans: Nine Reasons to Teach Radio Theater
Cirque Du Soleil Lesson Plans–a New Twist for Drama Classes
What are your favorite fairy tales? For some reason I like The Red Shoes fairy tale and The Steadfast Tin Soldier the most. They are both very dramatic. That must be why. 😊
Fairy Tales were always a favorite when I was growing up and I always read them to my own children and of course saw the Disney versions with my children and grandchildren. My one granddaughter, who is only 6, just performed in the Ballet Sleeping Beauty. She performed with the Pennsylvania School of Ballet Philadelphia division. Last year was Peter Pan and I can’t wait to see what they will perform next year!! LOVE theater and love your resources!
Thank you so much, Kathy. That means a lot to me.
Thank you for the kind words.
I love how you incorporated fairy tales into theater!
Thanks! It was really out of desperation.
That’s nice to hear,
Thanks for sharing the details. I helps me really think about drama.
You are very welcome.
You are very welcome. I’m glad I can help.