Children's Literature, Infancy to Early Adolescence

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 06.03.08

  1. Unit Guide
  1. What This Unit Will Teach
  2. Introduction to Fantasy
  3. Elements of Fantasy
  4. Literature Circles for Elements of Fantasy
  5. Literary Elements
  6. Literature Circles for Literary Elements
  7. Creating A Fantasy Picture Story Book
  8. Extension Activity
  9. Conclusion
  10. Lesson Plans
  11. Bibliography

Fantasy Books: There's a Whole Other World Out There

Karlene E. McGowen

Published September 2006

Tools for this Unit:

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan 1

Objective: Students will understand the elements of fantasy.

Materials: Any variety of fantasy novels and picture books that is appropriate for your class level. I have referenced several previously in this unit. Also, a handout or report to be completed by the literature circle group concerning the various fantasy motifs.

Activities: The teacher will present the seven motifs of fantasy, being sure to read examples from various literature sources. Students will either be given a handout of the motifs and definitions or take notes on their own. After all seven motifs have been presented the students will form literature circles and will read a selected fantasy picture story book. Each group will complete a short report on the story and what motifs were used, citing specific examples. Each group will present to the class.

Lesson Plan 2

Objective: Students will understand several literary elements.

Materials: Notes on literary elements, a variety of fantasy picture story books. Optional: a handout containing this information for students. Also, a handout or report to be completed by the literature circle group concerning the various literary elements.

Activities: The teacher will present the information about the literary elements, being sure to give examples where possible. Students will either take notes on the lecture or will be given a handout to review. After all literary elements have been discussed, students will return to their literature circles and re-read their picture book looking for examples of each of the literary elements presented. Each group will complete a short report on their findings citing specific examples where possible.

Lesson Plan 3

Objective: Students will create an original fantasy picture story book.

Materials: Various fantasy picture books to be used as references, white drawing paper, markers or crayons, some type of binding chosen by the teacher, checklist of requirements for the story.

Activities: Students choose partners or small groups with which to work. Each group will create an original fantasy picture story book that contains illustrations. The students must include several of the motifs of fantasy as well as several of the literary devices. Each group will complete a checklist provided by the teacher of what is to be included. Students will complete the checklist citing examples from their story. After all stories have been created each group will read their original picture story book to the class.

Comments:

Esmeralda Molina

September 5, 2013 at 12:39 am

Good Information

the information its really valuable for me, helps me to know what to do in some topics.thanks

Cynthia A. Watson

February 5, 2014 at 2:53 pm

Fantasy Unit

This was amazing! I am VERY thankful for this information! You have no idea how much this has helped me and therefore, immeasurably beneficial to my children!!! THANK YOU FOR THIS PUBLICATION!!!!!

Juliette Bentley

October 28, 2014 at 7:23 pm

Incredibly well conceived

I just wanted to thank you for providing such a wonderful unit plan and for your generosity in sharing it. I plan to use it as a guide to the development of a website I am creating for my Grade 7 students next year. Naturally I will put credits in acknowledging you as a source. You have captured the rigour but also the fun. I will be making it a little more inquiry based but cannot thank you enough for sparking my imagination. Thank you again

Pascaline Germain

February 8, 2015 at 1:46 pm

Thank you

Thank you for this impressive work. We, English Teachers in France, must now prepare out students to discover all kinds of literature and among the genres we must deal with is the imaginary worlds. I don't know about my colleagues but personnally I love Alice which I found immensely talented and mad. But I am not very fond of Narnia which I find unimaginative in Spike if The collection of weird things gathered in the cauldron and though the Hobbit and Potter are acceptable, I am surprised you didn't mention the Baudelaire children

Matthew Clara

August 10, 2015 at 2:40 pm

List of fantasy literature deliberately didactic in nature

When I say deliberately didactic, I'm thinking of Le Guin's Earthsea Cycle. I know, no one does it like Le Guin. Still, I read a lot of fantasy and while I find many good stories (and some not so good), I'm almost always left feeling that the books lack real depth, and they are unsatisfying as such. There are exceptions, of course, like Jo Walton's Among Others, and Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane. Several times now I've looked online for recommendations to fantasy with deeper meaning, and at least two of those led me here to your page. So I thought I'd write. It would be a great service if you and your students could put together such a list. Hopefully you find such an endeavor worthwhile. Consider, if you will that there's a lot of dross to wade through when looking for a good fantasy novel, and that stories that are just stories don't maximize the tool that is the fantasy genre, which, like fairy tales, is didactic in nature. It's as though most fantasy authors just really think elves and swords are cool! Thanks! Ps. in your bibliography you cite Pamela Gates and Susan Steffel. Both of them served on my M.A.'s thesis committee. Pam was a professor of mine. I was lucky to work with them.

Tricia Hunt

March 10, 2016 at 5:01 pm

Excellent Resource

Based on the interest of my students I decided that I would like to kick off a Fantasy Guided Reading Unit. This resource has been incredible in helping me both understand the elements of Fantasy and in giving me a wealth of text options to use.

Beatrice Toscano

January 26, 2020 at 3:10 pm

Quote you on my essay

Hi there, I would like to quote you on my final essay, do I have you consent? Also, could you tell me when did you write this brilliant post, so that I can directly quote it? Thank you in advance

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