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FOLLOW ON CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD 1. ‘Whoosh’ storytelling activity Talk to children about the different versions of Little Red Riding Hood they know. What are the differences? Which do they prefer and why? Why do they think many different versions of the same story exist? Set children up in a circle in a cleared classroom or in the hall and play the game of ‘whoosh’ with them using the text below: “I have a version of Little Red Riding Hood that I’d like us to all tell together now. This is going to be our storytelling circle and we are all going to be storytellers. Everything we talk about must appear here in our storytelling circle, all the people and all the objects. For example…if I say Grandmother’s cottage then you (count out 1,2,3,4,5) have to become Grandmother’s cottage. So how could you do that? (Help pupils to make cottage using their bodies) When I point to the next people sitting in the circle it will be your turn to stand up, come into the middle of the circle and make something. When I go like this ‘WHOOSH’ (sweeping motion with arms accompanied by ‘whoosh’ sound) you all go and sit back down. Story (The following is an example only it can be adapted to suit your own style of storytelling but should include: Little Red Riding Hood, her mother, grandmother, the woodcutter and the wolf. Also Grandmother’s cottage, the cottage that Little Red and her mother live in, and the basket used to carry things to grandmother’s house. It should also include brief descriptions of the forest and the apple orchard in the garden at Little Red’s cottage. The people and items underlined are bold are the things you will ask the children to physicalise) If we’re all ready we’ll begin. Long, long ago, there was once a young girl called Red Riding Hood. RRH lived with her mother, in a cottage. They lived by an orchard of apple trees (3 to 4 children), all twisted and old, but full of delicious red apples, and everyday RRH and her mother would go out and pick apples from the trees. But they never picked the apples from off the ground because they might have maggots in them. Then they would make the most delicious, huge, massive hot, sweet and lovely apple pie. WHOOSH. One day, RRH was leaning on a tree stump, outside her cottage. Feeling very tired from all her chores. Her mother came in and said to RRH: “Your grandmother is ill, please go and take her some of my home made medicine.” So her mother gave RRH a basket. In the basket she put a bottle of medicine, a juicy red apple, and a piece of delicious apple pie. She gave the basket to RRH and said: “If you stray from the path for one instant the wolves will eat you”. (Give them room to copy or improvise their own words). So RRH waved goodbye, and set off into the forest. WHOOSH.

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Red Riding Hood walked into the forest on the path, which wound in and out of the trees which were tall straight and prickly. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a little bush, covered in tiny yellow roses which looked like bright shiny stars twinkling in the sunlight. Without noticing what she was doing, RRH left the path and went to smell the flowers. Meanwhile on the other side of the path coming out from the shadows of the trees was a huge two headed wolf it had two pairs of piercing yellow eyes, huge sharp teeth like fangs, and sharp dirty claws. The wolf crept up behind RRH and tapped her on the shoulder which made her jump. The wolf said to RRH: "Where are you going, little girl?” and Red Riding Hood said to the wolf: “To grandma’s house, that way.” She pointed towards her grandmother’s house. “You don’t want to go that way” said the wolf, “I know a shortcut. You want to go this way”. Red Riding Hood squeaked “Thank you!”, and ran off in the direction he was pointing. WHOOSH At the end of the path, on the other side of the forest was Grandmother’s Cottage with very low walls and a big double door, with a latch. Grandma was sitting in bed by the fire with her big bed hat and nightgown on looking very poorly when the wolf came to the door and knocked loudly three times. Grandma called out, “Who’s there?”, and the wolf disguised his voice, and said:” It’s Little Red Riding Hood”. And, thinking it was her granddaughter, grandmother called “let down the latch and come in”. As soon as the door was opened, the wolf jumped on grandma and gobbled her up in one big bite. WHOOSH. The wolf, put on grandma’s nightdress and bed hat, and got into bed. His stomach was full up with grandma. Meanwhile, RRH, who had come the long way round finally arrived and knocked three times at the door. “Who’s there?” called the wolf, in grandma’s voice. “It’s Little Red Riding Hood”. “Let down the latch and come in!” RRH opened the door, and came in to look at her grandmother. She said “Grandma, what a big, hairy, snotty nose you’ve got!” “All the better to smell you with!” said the wolf. RRH looked even more closely, and said “Grandma, what big great pointy ears you’ve got!” “All the better to hear you with!” said the wolf. RRH looked even more closely. “Grandma, what big, sharp, yellow teeth you’ve got! The wolf pulled off the bed hat, licked his lips, and cried “All the better to EAT you with!” RRH screamed. And, FREEZE, because……….. On the other side of the forest, working amongst the very tall prickly pine trees, was a woodcutter with a great big, sharp axe cutting them down. He chopped once, twice, three times and eventually called out ‘TIMBER!’ He heard RRH scream, and rushed to Grandma’s cottage. He flung open the door, and saw the wolf about to eat RRH. He pushed her out of the way, and swung at the wolf with his axe, chopping and chopping, until he chopped the wolf into a hundred little pieces. It was horrible. There was blood everywhere, all up the walls; his paw hit the ceiling, his nose bounced off the window and ended up in the fireplace. And Grandma jumped out of the wolf’s stomach, without a scratch on her and the wolf lay dead on the floor. And Red Riding Hood, the woodcutter, grandma and all the villagers cheered to celebrate; Hip, hip hooray! (x3) WHOOSH! THE END What was different about that version of the story compared to the version/s we talked about earlier? Whoosh can be adapted to tell any story.

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2. Write a newspaper article In role as reporters for the Tall Trees Tribune (or any other name the class decide upon) ask the pupils to write a newspaper article about the events they have participated in during the story. Or provide them with headlines and ask them to write an article on that theme. Some example headlines are:

Trouble in the woods Don’t blame it on the wolf

Rags to riches? Home is where the heart is!

3. Acrostic poems Take the names of characters in the story of Little Red Riding Hood and create an acrostic poem that describes the characters. Here are a few examples: Wild Old Loud Fierce Grey Round Anxious Nice Dear Mouthful Afraid You can also draw pictures of the characters next to the poems; the pictures should try to illustrate the words used to describe the characters. What about trying the same things with places, like FOREST, ORCHARD, KITCHEN 4. Storyboards The class creates a storyboard of the drama of Little Red Riding Hood, giving individuals or groups responsibility for different sections of the story. Or ask pupils to decide for themselves how to divide up the story into sections. They could use speech bubbles or sentences to accompany the pictures. 5. Character monologues and dialogues Groups make detailed drawings for each character, perhaps as costume designs using scraps of fabric, and give a detailed written description of each character – age, family background, characteristics, movement etc. Now write a monologue for each character that introduces them in the first person. Using the drawings, descriptions and monologues, the class now writes scenes involving two of the characters.

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6. Story disks

Fairy stories have many common elements within them; much of the same imagery and symbolism is shared. It is possible to heighten children’s perception of this imagery and its effect by combining standard images in a form that allows further variations upon standard themes. 1) The first activity is to encourage the children to think of the fairy stories that they know and to collect the symbols and images under four main headings: i. Victim ii. Weapon iii. Villain iv. Place For each of these try to collect 8 different items. The children might, for example, suggest Hansel and Gretel under Victims. 2) When the lists have been compiled by, either the class or groups within the class, make 4 discs of card – one each of 8cms, 10cms, 12cms, and 14cms in diameter.

3) Divide each up into 8 equal parts with radiating lines at 45 degrees and then join the discs together with a paper fastener (as shown in the diagram on this page – click for a larger version). 4) Transfer the lists into the spaces on the card discs : one card will be for Victims, one for Weapons, one for Villains and one for Places. 5) When this has been done, spin the discs around and read off the aligned ‘ingredients’ for the new story.

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This can be played as a game with each child taking it in turn to spin the discs and then constructing and writing the resulting story.

KING MIDAS

1. Puppets and Play Writing Make simple puppets and write and perform a script re-telling the story of King Midas. The puppet play should include some narration (e.g. “once upon a time there was….”) as well as characterisation e.g. “hello my name is…..” The class should think carefully about what kind of voice to give to each character and how to use the voice to evoke response in the audience – i.e. sympathy, fear, danger etc… The story can be split into a number of scenes, which different class members could be responsible for. Wooden spoons, paper on sticks and decorated toilet rolls all make good puppets. A stage can be made by covering a table with a cloth. The script can be improvised at first and then written down. Posters and programmes can also be created for the play. 2. Stories in a box

Choose objects or pieces of costume to represent some of the significant events, places and characters from the King Midas story and place them in a box or bag. E.g. a crown, lots of gold objects and a butterfly puppet. The children can then re-tell the story using the story box to support them in remembering significant moments. These re-tellings can become a prompt for writing activities. Multi-sensory items work very well – materials that have evocative smells or rich textures. Objects that provide a key sound effect can also be included.

The idea of a story box can be used as a way of introducing a new story, allowing the children to become familiar with the story ‘type’ before hearing or participating in the story itself. Enabling children to literally ‘get their hands on’ the artefacts of the story:

• offers visual clues as to the kind of story that is to take place

• allows a moment of speculation about what the various objects might mean

• provides children with an emblematic way into the narrative.

Story boxes are also great for open creative play and free-form story making. They provide new and exciting materials/toys/props and the children can use the contents in any way they choose. If a story box becomes a regular feature then the children will look forward to seeing what has been placed inside as it constantly changes.

3. Collective Drawing

As a small group or a whole class, create an environment or a chosen situation from the story of King Midas by drawing a picture. This can be as simple or as abstract as the teacher decides. As the group's thoughts and ideas are incorporated within the drawing, verbal statements and speech bubbles can be useful additions, enhancing

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the children's commitment to the drawing.

This activity provides the children with new opportunities for group discussion about the drama. It provides the scope to represent their ideas visually and to create an image that they can relate to.

E.g. Drawing the things that King Midas touches and turns to gold, mapping where they are in his palace (and if they are living what they are doing)

4. Diaries/Letters/Journals

They are a means of stimulating children's own writing by giving them a genuine audience to write to, or the opportunity to write a diary or letter from a different perspective (in role) using appropriate language. They are also an effective and interesting way for children to reflect on actions and decisions taken in the drama.

E.g. Writing a letter in role as the servants to King Midas and what he writes in return. Writing a diary as the servants about a ‘day in the life’ working in King Midas’s palace

5. Make a wish

Drawing on the moment in the drama, where the butterfly bestows a wish on King Midas and using a simple template, get the children to create their own paper butterfly, which can be decorated. Ask them to imagine that King Midas is not the first person that the butterfly has granted a wish to and that it carries traces of all these previous wishes on its wings. Talk as a class and ask children to talk to family at home about what they would ask for if they were granted a wish. Get children to choose two or three wishes and to record them on the wings of the butterfly. All the class’s butterflies can then be put up on the wall to create a display

6. Role on the Wall Choose the key characters from the drama and draw them as an outline on a large sheet of paper. Ask the class to write the feelings of that character on the inside of the outline. The class might consider the feelings of the character at different points in the story. Then ask them to write words describing that character around the outside of the outline. This can be done as a whole class activity on sugar paper or on an Interactive White Board, or as an individual exercise.