Once Upon a Time

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Once Upon a Storytime”

In this activity, students will demonstrate their understanding of the story by reimagining it as a children’s book.

“Once Upon a Time” is a story for adults that is written as a fairy tale—a genre often aimed at children. Work together with a small group to retell this story as a children’s book in which you keep the same general plot, message, and themes.

• Break the story down into key plot points. What elements need to be included to maintain the overall story?
• Then, simplify the language so that it would be clear for children.
• Create a drawing for each page of your story. It should represent what is happening in that scene of the story.

When your story is complete, share it with the class. Compare and contrast each group’s retelling of the narrative. What key themes emerged? What elements did groups agree could be taken out?

Teaching Suggestion: You might find it worthwhile to give students plenty of time to truly be creative with their versions. By asking students to simplify the text for a younger audience, you can see where they may still have gaps in understanding.

Differentiation Suggestion: You may want to consider organizing students into groups that will support all different strengths (e.g., students who need additional clarity in reading may be exceptional artists). You can use this activity to let all students demonstrate their understanding in ways that they can be successful.