Same Story, Different Version
In this unit, students compare and contrast events and characters in multiple versions of classic fairy tales, and focus on supporting writing with details.
Unit Summary
As part of the upgrade to Fishtank Plus, this unit was revised in November 2020. See which texts and materials have changed as part of the revision in this guide to our 1st Grade text adjustments. If you are looking for the previous version of this unit, you can find it in our archives here.
This unit is focused on two classic fairy tales: The Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood. With each fairy tale, students are first exposed to a classic version, familiarizing themselves with the basic plot and lessons. Then students explore the ways authors change setting, characters, and plot while still maintaining the overall essence of the classic story. Some of the changes the authors make reflect the nuances of different cultures and environments, while others are made for entertainment and humor. Either way, students will explore the idea that different authors can use their own perspective and culture to shape the stories they write or retell. By reading multiple versions of the same classic fairy tale, students will also be able to grapple with the bigger lessons of each tale—the importance of not talking to strangers and the importance of respecting others’ property and privacy. Over the course of the unit, students will be challenged to think about how each of these unique themes is portrayed and how in each different version of the fairy tale the characters may learn the lesson in slightly different ways. It is our hope that this unit, in connection with others in the sequence, will help students see the power of storytelling and how simple stories can be changed and improved based on an author’s ideas and preferences.
In reading, this unit builds directly onto the reading strategies from Unit 2. Students will continue to be pushed to be inquisitive consumers of text, asking and answering questions about characters, setting, and plot as they listen to and engage with a text. Students will also continue to work on retelling stories and including key details. Similar to Units 1 and 2, students will continue to think deeply about characters and setting and how the details an author includes in the illustration and text help a reader better understand both. Because most of the focuses for this unit are a repeat of similar focuses from Units 1 and 2, students should be pushed to a much higher level of rigor and understanding than in previous units. One new focus of this unit, however, is on comparing and contrasting the adventures and experiences of characters in stories. Students will be asked at multiple points to use information they have learned about key events, characters, and setting to compare and contrast different versions of the classic fairy tale. Students should be pushed beyond just superficial comparisons across the different stories.
Texts and Materials
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Core Materials
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Book: The Three Little Pigs by Paul Galdone (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2010) — 550L
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Book: The Three Little Tamales by Eric A. Kimmel (Two Lions, 2009) — 550L
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Book: The Three Little Javelinas by Susan Lowell (Cooper Square Publishing Llc, 1st edition, 1992) — 580L
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Book: The Three Ninja Pigs by Corey Rosen (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2012) — 630L
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Book: Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas (Margaret K. McElderry Books, Reprint edition, 1997) — 700L
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Book: The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka (Puffin Books; Reprint edition, 1996) — 510L
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Book: Little Red Riding Hood by Paul Galdone (HMH Books for Young Readers, First Edition Thus edition, 2012)
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Book: Lon Po Po, A Red-Riding Hood Story from China by Ed Young (Puffin Books, Reprint edition, 1996) — 670L
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Book: Little Roja Riding Hood by Susan Middleton Elya (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, Bilingual edition, 2014)
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Book: Ninja Red Riding Hood by Corey Rosen Schwartz (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2014) — AD570L
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Book: Little Red Riding Hood by Jerry Pinkney (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2007) — AD700L
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Book: What Really Happened to Little Red Riding Hood: The Wolf's Story by Toby Forward (Walker Books Ltd, 2006) — AD520L
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Book: Wolves (National Geographic Readers) by Laura Marsh (National Geographic Kids; Illustrated edition, 2012) — 570L
See Text Selection Rationale
Assessment
This assessment accompanies this unit and should be given on the suggested assessment day or after completing the unit.
Unit Prep
Essential Questions
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- What does it take to solve a problem?
- Why might two people solve the same problem differently?
Writing Focus Areas
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Sentence-Level Focus Areas
- Write complete sentences.
- Include details that describe “who,” “what,” “where,” “when” and “why.”
- Use conjunctions “because,” “but,” and “so.”
In this unit, students continue to work on using complete sentences to respond to a text. In particular they work on using the conjunctions “because,” “but,” and “so” to show more nuanced thinking and ideas in response to the text. They also learn how to use precise words to show “who,” “what,” “where,” “when” and “why.”
Narrative Writing Focus Areas
- Write narratives with a beginning, middle, and end.
- Include details about what happened with each event.
- Use temporal words to signal event order.
In this unit, students continue to work on writing narratives by writing their own version of The Three Little Pigs.
Vocabulary
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Text-based
anticipation bully cunning discouraged equipped frightened hastily hoarseness intelligent kindly outsmart persistent pleasant resourceful scoundrel sly stereotype suspicious wretched
Related Teacher Tools:
Content Knowledge and Connections
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- Retell the plot of Little Red Riding Hood and the lesson learned.
- Retell the plot of The Three Little Pigs and the lesson learned.
- Identify two to three key facts about wolves.
Previous Fishtank ELA Connections
Future Fishtank ELA Connections
Lesson Map
1
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The Three Little Pigs
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
Retell what happens in The Three Little Pigs.
2
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The Three Little Tamales
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
Describe why the third little tamale was resourceful.
3
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The Three Little Javelinas
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
RL.1.6
Explain why the third little javelina was intelligent.
4
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The Three Ninja Pigs
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
L.1.1.g
L.1.6
Describe why Pig Three is persistent.
5
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Three Little Wolves...
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
L.1.1.g
L.1.6
Use the words “persistent,” “resourceful,” or “intelligent” to describe the three little wolves.
6
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The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
L.1.1.g
Defend if the wolf’s side of the story is true or not.
7
Discussion & Writing
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The Three Little Pigs
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The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!
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The Three Ninja Pigs
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The Three Little Javelinas
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The Three Little Tamales
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Three Little Wolves...
RL.1.2
W.1.1
Determine the moral of the Three Little Pigs and explain how the moral can be used in your own life.
8
4 days
Writing
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Book Template
W.1.3
W.1.5
W.1.6
L.1.1
L.1.2
Write your own version of The Three Little Pigs.
9
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Little Red Riding Hood
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
Retell what happens in Little Red Riding Hood.
10
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Little Red Riding Hood
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
Explain what lesson Little Red learns and how she learns it.
11
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Little Red Riding Hood
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
RL.1.4
L.1.1.f
L.1.4
L.1.6
Analyze specific words in a text and explain how they help the reader better understand the story.
12
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Little Roja Riding Hood
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
Explain why Little Roja is intelligent.
13
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Lon Po Po
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
Defend if the wolf is or is not cunning and why.
14
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Ninja Red Riding Hood
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
RL.1.4
L.1.1.f
L.1.4
L.1.6
Use the words “sly” and “pleasant” to describe how the wolf changes.
15
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What Really...
RL.1.2
RL.1.3
Defend if you agree or disagree with the wolf’s side of the story and why.
16
Discussion & Writing
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Little Red Riding Hood
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Lon Po Po
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Little Roja Riding Hood
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Ninja Red Riding Hood
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Little Red Riding Hood
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What Really...
RL.1.2
W.1.1
Determine the moral of Little Red Riding Hood and explain how the moral can be used in your own life.
17
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Wolves (National Geographic Readers)
RI.1.1
RI.1.2
Defend if wolves deserve the stereotype of being evil animals.
18
Assessment
Projects
Common Core Standards
Language Standards
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L.1.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
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L.1.1.f — Use frequently occurring adjectives.
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L.1.1.g — Use frequently occurring conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or, so, because).
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L.1.1.j — Produce and expand complete simple and compound declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory sentences in response to prompts.
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L.1.4 — Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 1 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
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L.1.6 — Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using frequently occurring conjunctions to signal simple relationships (e.g., because).
Reading Standards for Informational Text
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RI.1.1 — Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
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RI.1.2 — Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
Reading Standards for Literature
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RL.1.2 — Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
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RL.1.3 — Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
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RL.1.4 — Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
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RL.1.6 — Identify who is telling the story at various points in a text.
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RL.1.9 — Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in stories.
Speaking and Listening Standards
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SL.1.2 — Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
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SL.1.5 — Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions when appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
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SL.1.6 — Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
Writing Standards
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W.1.1 — Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
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W.1.3 — Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure.
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W.1.5 — With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
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W.1.6 — With guidance and support from adults, use a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.
Spiral Standards
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