Teacher: Catherine Ciucci Grade Level: 2nd

Unit: Fairytales
Acquisition stages of the ELLs in my class:  
● 1 EL at Starting (Level 1) language proficiency
● 2 ELs at Developing (Level 3) language proficiency

1. What are the ELL or content area standards?

SOL 2.8 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts.
e) Describe characters, setting, and important events in fiction and poetry.
f) Identify the problem and solution.
h) Summarize stories and events with beginning, middle, and end in the
correct sequence.
2. What key concepts will students learn, and what strategies will be used to teach
them?
a. The students will be able to outline the plot of the story using beginning,
middle, and end in the correct sequence three out of four times.
i. Strategy- 27. Story Reenactment- Making Stories Come to Life!
1. Justification- This strategy is appropriate to help students
understand the structure of a story, because they are the
ones telling the story. They are tasked to convey a message
to their audience, and without much instruction from the
teacher, have the opportunity to recognize the importance of
sequence in a way that worksheets cannot express. This
strategy allows the students to take ownership of the story.
The use of props and pictures can also help other students
comprehend the story.

b. The students will be able to accurately identify the problem and solution in
a given fairytale when prompted by the teacher three out of four times.
i. Strategy- 38. Read, Pair, Share: Working with a Partner to
Negotiate Meaning
1. Justification- Since this unit focuses a lot on reading and
reading for understanding, I wanted to provide students the
opportunity to work together. Although problem and solution
seem like very simple ideas for students to understand, they
can be extremely complex. These ideas rely very heavily on
the students’ interpretation of the story. So rather than just
marking something wrong and moving on, I wanted students
to pair up to make sure they are understanding the story and
 give them the chance to explain themselves.

c. The students will be able to accurately categorize story elements by

characters, setting, and important events through the use of graphic
organizers three out of four times.
i. Strategy- 30. Graphic Organizers: Visually Representing Ideas,
Text, and Connections
1. Justification- Graphic Organizers are a great way to help
students to organize their thoughts. It is natural for our brain
to categorize information presented to us. By using pictures
in the graphic organizers, English learners have the
opportunity to convey thoughts that they might not be able to
express in English. I am usually very against graphic
organizers, since many teachers make the mistake of just
using them as a worksheet. However, this was inspired by a
sentiment from our last face-to-face class: “If only you could
know me in English”. This quote really stuck with me and
helped me to recognize the importance of allowing our
students to present their ideas and understanding in ways
other than English.

3. What background knowledge will students need? How will it be activated?

The main reason I chose this unit was because fairy tales are a universal
phenomenon. They are seen in every culture and still very relevant today.
However, not everyone might have the same background knowledge. So I will
begin this unit with a pre-assessment. The students will be given a list of fairy
tales. I will read the list. As I read, the students write a check if they know the
story of the fairy tale. If they do not, the student will leave this item blank of their
list. I will then collect the lists and compile a spreadsheet to see which fairy tales
are most commonly known in our classroom. The following day, I will facilitate a
class discussion. The discussion will begin by asking the students what is their
favorite fairy tale. The students will then use the think-pair-share technique.
After the students have talked about their favorite fairytale, I will ask them to
share the title of their favorite fairytale. As the students share, I will compile a
list of titles. Then, I will select the title that was determined the most commonly
known from the pre-assessments. Using this title, I will guide the students
through a five-finger retell. The students should already be familiar with this
technique since it is commonly used during our guided reading sessions. The
five finger retell focuses on five components of the story: characters, setting,
beginning, middle, and end. These are factors that also often define a fairy tale.
 After analyzing these factors, we will determine a classroom definition for the
term fairy tale.
For students that are English learners, I will administer a second pre-assessment
that incorporates fairy tales from their culture. For example, if the students were
from China, then I would provide a list of Chinese fairy tales and folktales.
Translated versions of these stories and Chinese versions of popular European
fairy tales will be included in the text set of this unit to provide background
knowledge for the students who are English learners, but also expose the other
students to different cultures and strengthen the connection that fairy tales are
seen throughout multiple cultures.

4. List key terms, words, idioms, and phrases (TWIPs) to be pre-taught. Include
simple, student-friendly definitions. Identify words that are likely to be used
outside class as well as academic words that are content specific.
a. Fairytale- A traditional story that takes place in an imaginary land or
kingdom. These stories usually include magic, magical creatures, and
princes and princesses.
b. Folktale- Stories that have been passed down for many years. These
stories usually include a lesson.
c. Fiction- A story that is made up and not based on fact.
d. Problem- What goes wrong in the story
e. Solution- How the problem is solved
f. Main Idea- The purpose of the story
g. Characters- The people, animals, or creatures in a story
h. Setting- The setting is the time and place in which the story takes place.
i. Theme- The lesson in the story
j. Author- The person who writes the story
k. Illustrator- The person who draws the pictures in the story

5. Design one or more of the following activities for TWIP instruction: (please see
on page six)
✓ a. Matching vocabulary with definitions
✓ b. Drawing and labeling
c. Labeling maps
d. Filling out simple charts
✓ e. Sequencing activity
✓ f. Group vocabulary activities and games
g. Student-generated word walls
6. Check which of the following strategies you will use in class:
✓ 1. Buddies
✓ 2. Cooperative Groups
Both buddies and cooperative groups allow for social interaction and
collaborative learning. The students will use buddies during smaller
activities to aid comprehension. The students will use cooperative groups
during their final retellings of fairytales which will count as their culminating
event.
✓ 3. Graphs, charts, photos, drawings
This will be done through the first whole-group lesson when we are initially
trying to define the term fairytale. A chart will be used to determine which
fairytale is the most well-know
✓ 4. Graphic organizers
Graphic organizers will be used to help students organize their thought
process and categorize different elements of the fairytales.
5. Hands on activities
6. Taping explanations and photocopying notes
7. Highlighting, sticky notes, Wikki Stix
✓ 8. Using body language, skits, storytelling, music, videos
Their final culminating event will be a retelling of a fairytale with the use of
props. The students will be tasked with demonstrating their understanding
by properly casting, outlining, and portraying their chosen story. The
students will work in cooperative groups for this project.
✓ 9. Vocabulary box wherever possible
There is a lot of vocabulary terms introduced during this unit. Students
should constantly be exposed to this vocabulary since it is vital for
comprehension.

7. How will you modify text for beginning learners of English?

Bilingual Books and Labels- Since this unit is very text-heavy, I would provide
bilingual books and labels. One of the downfalls of English learner instruction is
placing understanding English over understanding the content. Although it is
extremely important for the students to learn English, it is equally as important to
not allow the students fall further behind by not providing the opportunity to learn
the content. I also want to validate the students’ home languages and show that
all cultures are not only tolerated but also welcomed in my classroom.
 Pictures- Many of the activities that lead to comprehension of our learning goals
will represent the story in ways other than text. For example, the sequencing
activity has the students sorting the stories by pictures. The students convey the
story but still allows students to focus on understanding the strategy. As
students practice more with the strategy, I will scaffold the support provided.
First, the students will move from just pictures to labeled pictures, then pictures
and sentences, before eventually moving on to just text. However, students who
need a little bit more support will continue working with pictures. For the English
learners, the labeled pictures will be labeled in both their native language and
English and bilingual text will be offered, so that they may also move on from just
pictures. However, the students will first work with just English and only be
offered bilingual versions if additional support is needed.

Collaborative Learning- What support I cannot provide to English learners, they

will be able to receive from their peers. I am a big believer in collaborative
learning. It provides students academically and socially for the future.
Collaboration is becoming increasingly more present in today’s workforce.
Before students can enter this workforce, they need to learn patience,
understanding, cooperation, and acceptance. The best place to learn this is
within the classroom. Not only will collaborative learning help English learners
grasp a better understanding and fill gaps in their background knowledge, it will
help them feel more accepted by their peers and more at home in their
classroom.

Matching Vocabulary with Definitions

Since students will engage in a lot of partner work during this unit, rather than having
students choose their own partners (a practice that can be very isolating for English
learners) the partners will be selected for them. Some of the selection will be random,
but some of the instruction will be strategic for students who need the most help. The
partners will come together by finding their “match”. One student will be given a
vocabulary word and the other will be given a definition. When the pair have found
each other, they may begin the assignment.
 Vocabulary Word Definition

A traditional story that takes place in an

Fairytale imaginary land or kingdom. These stories
usually include magic, magical creatures,
and princes and princesses.

What goes wrong in the story

Problem

Solution How the problem is solved

Main Idea The purpose of the story

Theme The lesson in the story

Sequencing Activity

After reading one of these fairytales with their partner, the students will be presented
with the following storyboard. With a partner, the students will be tasked to put the story
in the proper order. Once they have completed this, the students will find another set of
partners with a different story and retell their fairytale using the pictures. The stories will
be leveled so that they are appropriately challenging for the partners.