Much ado about one fairy tale

"It is books that are the key to the wide world, if you can’t do anything else, read all that you can” (Jane Hamilton)

You have certainly read a famous fairy tale about Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf. It is known to every child all over the world in different interpretations from Grimms” brothers to modern variation by Roald Dahl.

Why use fairy tales in class:

• The plot is known to everyone
• Usually it is finished with happy end
• The characters are simple
• It is easy to retell

Here are some activities to do with students exploring fairy tale:

Activity 1.

Introduce one of the famous writer Roald Dahl.

Name: Roald Dahl.

Place and date of birth : Cardiff, 13 September 1916, died 1990.

Favourite book: Mr. Midshipman Easyby Federick Marryat.

Favourite TV programme : The News.

Favourite music : Beethhoven.

Roald Dahl has written:

Boy

Going Solo

Matilda

The Twits

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The BFG

Revolting Rhymes and many other things.

Read the fairy tale by Roald Dahl. Cut out the last paragraph and ask the students to predict the end of the story, and then give the students the real ending.

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD AND THE WOLF

As soon as wolf began to feel

That he would like a decent meal,

He went and knocked Grandma’s door.

When Grandma opened, she saw

The sharp white teeth, the horrid grin,

And Wolfe said "May I come in?”

Poor Grandma was terrified,

"He’s going to eat me up!” she cried.

And she was absolutely right.

He ate her up in one big bite.

But Grandmamma was small and tough,

And Wolfe wailed, "That’s not enough!

I haven’t yet begun to feel

That I have had a decent meal!”

He ran around the kitchen yelping,

"I’ve got to have another helping!”

The added with a frightful leer,

"I am therefore going to wait right here

"Till Little Miss Red Riding Hood

Comes home from walking in the wood”

He quickly put on Grandma’s clothes,

(Of course he hadn’t eaten those.)

He dressed himself in coat and hat.

He puts on shoes and after that

He even brushed and curled his hair,

Then sat himself in Grandma’s chair.

In came the little girl in red.

She stopped. She stared. And then she sat.

What great big ears you have Grandma.

All the better to hear you with, the Wolf replied.

What great big eyes you have, Grandma,

Said Little Red Riding Hood.

All the better to see you with, the Wolf replied.

He sat there watching her and smiled.

He thought, I am going to eat this child.

Compared with her old Grandmamma

She’s going to taste like caviar.

Then Little Red Riding Hood said, "But Grandmamma,

What a lovely great furry coat you have on”.

"That’s wrong! ” cried Wolf.” Have you forgot

To tell me what BIG TEETH I’ve got?

Ah, well, no matter what you say,

"I am going to eat you anyway”

The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers.

She whips a pistol from her knickers.

She aims it on the creature’s head

And bang, bang, bang, she shoots him dead.

A few weeks later, in the wood,

I came across Miss Riding Hood.

But what a change! No cloak of red,

No silly hood upon her head.

She said "Hello, and do please note

"My lovely furry WOLFSKIN COAT”

Activity 3.

Ask the students to compare it with the traditional tale they know.

Activity 4.

You can look at the tale from language point of view.

a. Ask your students to write as many adjectives as they can describe Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.

For example:beautiful,good-looking,graceful,pretty,tall, short,careful,hard-working,aggrissve,careless, practical, stupid, loyal,naпve,frienfly,cofident, stubborn, trusting, clumsy, intelligent etc. If the group is advanced you can ask to divide the adjectives into groups and categories.

b. Match the adjective with their opposite.

tall ugly

weak mean

young big

fat small

beautiful short

strong thin

generous old

c. Ask your students to describe the characters using as many adjectives as they can.

Activity 5.

False fairy Tale.

You give false sentence and the students have to correct them.

1. Little Red Riding Hood lived with her mother, father, and brother in a big city.

2. She went to visit her grandparents who lived in the village in two storied house.

3. She took a big suitcase with lots of presents.

4. She walked for a couple of hours when she stopped to eat a hamburger.

5. She met a lot of animals in the forest.

6. Mr Fox wanted to eat her.

7. Little Red Riding Hood came to grandmother’s house and killed the wolf.

8. They lived happily Mr. Fox, Grandmother and the girl.

Activity 6.

You can ask the students to write the story in different genres, for example:

• Detective story
• Diary
• Mystery
• Letter
• Report
• Newspaper article etc.

You can use sample materials:

Little Red Riding Hood Diary.

Morning. I woke up early in the morning though I had planned to sleep until midday because it was Sunday. I had planned to mix with my friends and go to disco but… my mum asked to go to my sick grandma. Sometimes it is good to have a lot of relatives but it’s boring when they are sick.

Afternoon. I took a bag full of some delicious food and of course my mobile phone to be in contact with my mum and walkman to listen to music on the way

Awful. No transport. I know the shortest way through the forest but I am not allowed to go through because a terrible Wolf lived there.

Newspaper report. Forest News #3. 2005.

A terrible accident occurred in our forest One of the leaders of the wolves” pack was found dead and unskined. The suspect is Little Red Riding Hood who was seen in wolf skin coat yesterday. The police offer a reward of 1000 pounds for any helpful information.

A letter of complain.