LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

The Frog Prince - Compare and Contrast

This lesson can be used with numerous pieces of literature, videos or cassette material to develop viewing and listening skills and the students ability to compare and contrast. One of the richest sources is in the area of fairytales and folktales. This an especially good source if you can find a modernized version in video or cassette form to contrast with the more traditional written form. I have used the "Frog Prince" because of this factor and because it was part of the 4th grade language arts reading unit.

A lesson plan for grade 4 English Language Arts and Information Skills

By Barbara Waters

Learn more

Related pages

  • Living History - Civil War: After researching antebellum North Carolina and the role of North Carolina in the Civil War, students will write, edit, publish, and produce their own plays.

Related topics

Help

Please read our disclaimer for lesson plans.

Legal

This page copyright ©2008. Terms of use

Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • recognize differences and commonality in two very different forms of information and be able to articulate those differences.
  • become more aware of necessary changes from one media to another.
  • enjoy interesting traditional stories in whatever form they are presented.
  • increase viewing and listening skills.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 Hours

Materials/resources

(These are the ones I use feel free to chose your own. If you don’t have these books, check out the web links listed below)

Book The Enchanted Book: Stories selected by Alice Dalgliesh, Illustrated by Concetta Cacciola, Scribner’s, 1947.

Video From the Brothers Grimm - The Frog King ASIN: 1888522151

Technology resources

  • Televison
  • VCR
  • Overhead
  • Computers and Internet Connection (Only if you want to use the books on the web)

Pre-activities

Students will have been introduced to the genre of fairytales or folktales.

Activities

  1. Discuss what makes a fairytale/folktale and what the students will be doing - listening and looking for things that are alike and different in the written/read form and video. Also, think about why some written material may have to be changed in the video form.
  2. Read “The Frog Prince” from Enchanted Tales
  3. Show the Grimms fairy tale version of “The Frog King”
  4. On the overhead make two columns “Alike” and “Different.” Have students list what they saw and heard. (Be sure you have your own mental list in order to prompt ideas - if this is needed.)
  5. Discuss why the video changed the story from three nights the frog slept on her bed to one night in the video form. This discussion may occur as a natural part of IV above. The students will usually want to discuss the personality of the Princess. Allow time for this and ask for specific examples. This is a good time to incorporate a little character education.

Assessment

List that the students generate on the Overhead (see criteria attachment)

Enthusiasum in discussing the subject

Supplemental information

A good follow up to this activity is to read “The Frog Prince Continued.”

Attachments:
Criteria: doc | rtf

Related websites

http://home.att.net/~miranda8980/frogprince.html (This site has a Brothers Grimm version almost identical to the book above. It also has beautiful art work)

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/ (Good site for teachers and the location of lesson plans on the life cycle of the frog

http://www.english.ilstu.edu/351students/jmfrase/repurposing/repurposejustification.html (Site for the book “The Frog Prince Continued” by John Sczieska)

Comments

This is a fun activity that can lead in a lot of different directions depending on what you want to do with it. A couple of suggestions:

Science - the life cycle of the frog

Storytelling - “The wide mouth frog”

Art - the art of John Sczieska

Writing - take a well known fairytale and have students write the “rest of the story”

Media Skills - how to find Fairytales and Folktales

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Information Skills (2000)

Grade 4

  • Goal 1: The learner will EXPLORE sources and formats for reading, listening, and viewing purposes.
    • Objective 1.01: Participate in read-aloud, storytelling, booktalking, silent and voluntary reading experiences.
    • Objective 1.06: Identify characteristics of various genres.
    • Objective 1.09: Recognize that ideas are produced in a variety of formats (print, graphical, audio, video, multimedia, web-based).
    • Objective 1.10: Identify characteristics and advantages of various media formats (print, graphical, audio, video, multimedia, web-based) for a specific task.
  • Goal 5: The learner will COMMUNICATE reading, listening, and viewing experiences.
    • Objective 5.01: Respond to reading, listening, viewing experiences orally, artistically, dramatically, through various formats (e.g., print, multimedia).

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 4

  • Goal 3: The learner will make connections with text through the use of oral language, written language, and media and technology.
    • Objective 3.02: Analyze characters, events, and plots from different selections and cite supporting evidence
    • Objective 3.03: Consider the ways language and visuals bring characters to life, enhance plot development, and produce a response.