Monday, July 11, 2011

From last year...

Fairy Tale Castle Book Reports!



These are SO much fun!  We did a fun Fairy Tale unit, which I can share more of next year.  We started by doing a group book report.  I read Rapunzel to my students (any fairy tale works), and we filled out this book report form together on the overhead.

Fairy Tale Book Report



Next, each student read his or her own fairy tale, using this book set.  I have the smaller set, and I didn't even know they had the larger one.  Wish I had those, because I had to find some extras from the school library.  I matched students according to difficulty levels, and my highest students read a longer, more difficult book from our classroom library.


Students spent time reading their books, and then filled out the Fairy Tale Book Report form (above) as a rough draft.  

Next, they made their actual reports, using these forms:   Each student usually uses 2-4 of the summary forms, and one  good/bad character form.

Summary Forms:
Summary Pages

Good/Bad Character Forms:

Character Windows

Students write the character name on the top, and WHY the character is good/bad on the lines below.

The castle is folded out of one piece of construction paper. I can't give any more directions for the castle, because I got the directions from a resource book, but if you Email me, I can try to walk you through it as much as ethically possible. Looking at the pictures, though, you should be able to come up with your own version!




My students and I LOVE this project, and I hope you do, too.

When we are all done, we have a fairy tale tea party, and we each tell about the book we have read.  I dress up as Sleeping Beauty, and pretend I have just woke up from my 100 years of sleep.  I need my "royal subjects" (who also dress up, for fun!)  to tell me what happened in the Kingdom while I was asleep.  Their book reports tell me about current events.

We all put on our "fancy voices" and have a great party.  I'll share more about that next year! 

Thanks for reading my E-Book! ;-)    I am sadly lacking in the follower department.  If you like what I have posted on my blog so far, and would like more, leave me a comment so I know there is somebody out there!

***UPDATE:  I have tried my best to describe how to make the fairy tale castles in the comments below.  If you like this idea, have used it, or plan on using it, I would love a comment!

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for following me, Jenn! I've been following you for a long time. You have the cutest ideas.

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  2. I just found your blog and like it. I like this fairy tale castle project and would like to add it to my fairy tale unit next year. Could you either tell me how to make it or tell me the name of the book you got it from? I'd be willing to buy the book.

    I am going to start following your blog. I just started a blog, with some help. I don't know how to do the blogging yet. I hope I get it figured out by the time school begins.

    Diane
    www.theteachersjungle.blogspot.com

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  3. I just found this blog and I LOVE it! You have such wonderful ideas. Thanks for sharing:)

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  4. Hi Francesca. I know it's been a few months since you posted your comment, but I so appreciate the feedback on my blog! Thanks!

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  5. I will do my best to describe how to make the castles--
    For one castle, you will need 1 large-sized grey construction paper, 2 6x4" grey rectangles, 2 5x2 1/2" pink rectangles (or whatever color you want the castle to be), A matching color square about 4 1/2", a brown square 4x4", and some scraps of different colors.

    1- Fold long grey paper in half the "hamburger" way. (That's how my firsties describe it, anyhow!)
    2- With the fold on top, fold the two outer edges toward one another one at a time (just the top layer of paper), which creates a triangle. Students flatten the triangle with their hands, and glue it down.
    3- Cut the 4 1/2" square in half to make two triangles which are glued on top of the triangles you just created on the grey paper.
    4- Glue the two rectangles on back of the castle. I show students how to make them "stick up" but I let it be up to them where they are ultimately placed, so it is theirs.
    5- Take the two small rectangles and cut squares out of the top to create turrets, and glue on.
    6- Fold the brown square in half and round the top outside edges to make a doorway. Cut in half and glue down.
    7- Students decorate a few places on the castle with windows and flags. I show them some example shapes on the board. They can only decorate the front doorways and the turrets. You can look at the pictures on my blog to get some ideas.


    On the outside of the castle, I have them write "magic" on the left turret, and write what the magic was. (If there is no magic, they don't do anything there, or they put a window.) On the right turret, they write "Setting" and name the setting. The title goes between the two triangle roofs. On the door, students write the author and illustrator. On the inside, I staple students' summaries, and they write why another student should read the book inside the doors. We glue the villain and hero papers to the outside, as shown in the picture.

    Whew! I hope that explains it. It's hard without just showing you. Maybe sometime I will be able to post a video to my blog. For now, I'm barely able to get up a link or picture, so within time.... :-)

    Enjoy!

    Kendra

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  6. Thanks for the fun idea! :) I love the castles!

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  7. Very cute idea! Do you have the pages downloadable anywhere else beside "scribd"? I don't have a membership to that and don't want to purchase one right now. Thanks!

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