Cultural Comparison of Cinderella Stories:

Literature/Social Studies Unit for Third Grade

By Susan Schmidt and Shirley Lukenbill

Purpose: The purpose of this unit is to help students to develop an appreciation for the stories that originate in different cultures, to show our similarities and differences, and to appreciate the cultures from which these stories originate.

Timeline of Teaching Unit:

  1. Scheduling of Unit: The Round Rock ISD does not prescribe a particular time to teach any of the skills in this unit. Scheduling the unit at the beginning of November could help us to celebrate the cultures in our classroom at Thanksgiving.
  2. The unit will last four weeks. In each of the weeks, we will use language arts and social studies time to work on our unit. Because we have bundled the TEKS for third grade in these subjects, we can do this.
  3. We plan to spend at least 1 ½ hours per day for at least three days a week working on the unit. This will mean that on the days our students will need to use the laptop computers for Kidspiration; creating a Venn Diagram; word processing on their stories or completing the Compare/Contrast Charts; creating PowerPoint presentations; or locating cultural or country information on the Internet, they can have the computers in the classroom. This will necessitate scheduling the laptop cart for our classrooms on those days.

Planning Technology Access:

  1. As mentioned above, we will need to share the laptop cart with our grade level team. Therefore, we need to schedule the laptop cart for our classrooms on the days our students will be using Kidspiration; creating a Venn Diagram; word processing on their stories or completing the Compare/Contrast Charts; creating PowerPoint presentations; or locating cultural or country information on the Internet, they can have the computers in the classroom. This will necessitate scheduling the laptop cart for our classrooms on those days.
  2. Because there are only 15 laptop computers on the third grade cart and we have 23 students in the class, we will need to make sure that each student has an opportunity to use computers during each class period in the unit.

Classroom Management:

Students will be assigned to cooperative groups with the following considerations in mind:

  • Ethnic makeup of the groups;
  • Gender equity in the groups;
  • Different learning styles;
  • Different ability levels of students.

Grades for the group will be assigned according to the following elements:

  • Meeting or exceeding standards in rubric for all assignments; and
  • Cooperation among group members—all students participate in the work.

See attached Rubrics at end of this unit.

Goals and Objectives:

1. The students will become familiar with the elements of folktales, and will apply those

elements to a study of Cinderella stories from many different cultures.
2. The students will explore websites and books about the countries/culture of origin of the various

Cinderella stories they read.
3. The students will compare and contrast Cinderella stories from various cultures, noting the similarities and differences. Students will use Kidspiration or a similar mind-mapping software or the “compare and contrast chart” (See Chart 2.) to assist their discussions and webbing of ideas.

4.Individual students will compose their own Cinderella stories weaving in elements of their own family background and/or culture. These stories will be shared in cooperative groups and the teacher will compile a class book of Cinderella stories from the class.

5.Students in cooperative groups will compose a Cinderella story from the viewpoint of a different character. From their original stories, students will develop their choice of a play or a puppet show on their story. (The teacher will compile a class book of Cinderella stories from the class.)

6.The individual students will write a letter to one of the characters in a Cinderella story. (The teacher will compile a class book of letters to Cinderella characters.)

7.The individual students will create 3 entries from the diary of a character in the Cinderella stories. Students in cooperative groups will each choose a different character from a Cinderella story to compose diary entries.

8.The students will rewrite the Cinderella story in cooperative groups with the setting 200 years from today. The group stories will be shared with the class. The class will question or interview the various characters from the futuristic stories.

9.A large world map will be posted to the classroom bulletin board. Each cooperative group will locate the countries from the Cinderella variants they have read, and will pin a label for each story they have read to the map on the country of origin of the story.

10.The students in cooperative groups will create a Venn Diagram using . The teacher may also choose to use Chart 3: Venn Diagram. Student groups will compare the various Cinderella stories their group has read.

11.The cumulative project from each cooperative student groups will be one of the following products about their study:
(a) A display (using a display board) of pictures of the Cinderella stories they have chosen, summaries of the stories, a world map showing the

location of the stories, and cultural information gleaned from the Web on the

cultures represented.

(b) A PowerPoint presentation of pictures of the Cinderella stories they have chosen, summaries of the stories, a world map showing the location of the stories, and cultural information gleaned from the Web on

the cultures represented.

(c)A videotaped oral presentation containing pictures of the Cinderella stories they have chosen, summaries of the stories, a world map showing the location of the stories, and cultural information gleaned from the Web on

the cultures represented.

Procedures:

Week 1:

  1. In direct whole group instruction, the teacher will present to the students the basic elements of folktales, and will distinguish folktales from other genres of literature.
  2. The teacher will present some of the recurring motifs in folktales.
  3. The teacher will read the classical Charles Perrault version of the Cinderella story to the class. The students will identify the various motifs in the story.
  4. The teacher will guide the students through outlining the elements of the Cinderella story: Title of Story, Name of Country, Name for Cinderella Character, Good Characters, Wishes, How Wishes Are Granted, Bad Characters, Cinderella's Tasks, Magical Elements, Type of Shoe Cinderella Wore, Ending. (See Chart 1 in Appendix.)
  5. The teacher will divide the class into cooperative groups, and assign each group three Cinderella stories from various cultures to read and discuss.
  6. The students will read the three Cinderella stories. They will then complete a Compare/Contrast Chart on the Cinderella books they read. (See Chart 2 in Appendix.)
  7. The students will create Venn Diagrams comparing the Cinderella stories they have read. The students can use or Chart 3 in Appendix.

Week 2:

  1. Individual students will compose their own Cinderella stories weaving in elements of their own family background and/or culture. These stories will be shared in cooperative groups and the teacher will compile a class book of Cinderella stories from the class.
  2. Students in cooperative groups will compose a Cinderella story from the viewpoint of a different character. From their original stories, students will develop their choice of a play or a puppet show on their story. (The teacher will compile a class book of Cinderella stories from the class.)

Week 3:

1.The individual students will write a letter to one of the characters in a Cinderella story. (The teacher will compile a class book of letters to Cinderella characters.)

2.The individual students will create 3 entries from the diary of a character in the Cinderella stories. Students in cooperative groups will each choose a different character from a Cinderella story to compose diary entries.

3.The students will rewrite the Cinderella story in cooperative groups with the setting 200 years in the future. The group stories will be shared with the class. The class will question or interview the various characters from the futuristic stories.

4.Cooperative student groups will begin working on their cumulative projects.

Week 4:

1.Students will continue working on their cumulative projects. The projects will be presented at the

end of the week.

2.Students will include the following information about the cultures/countries in their projects:

  • Name of the country/culture;
  • Map of the country;
  • Elements of the culture, such as holidays, traditions, festivals, religious beliefs, foods, clothing, etc.;

3. Student project will include pictures of the Cinderella story they have chosen, a summary of the story, and the students’ rationale for choosing the story.

4. Students will present their reports on their group project to the class and to invited guests.

Book and Web Resources:

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave, by Marianna Mayer.

This is a Russian retelling of the Cinderella story.

After the death of her father, her stepmother and stepsisters mistreat Vasilisa; her only comfort is the magical doll made by her mother before she died. Sent to Baba Yaga’s house to fetch a light, the girl becomes the witch’s servant and is given a series of impossible tasks to perform. With the help of her doll, she pleases the demanding hag, who sends her home with the precious light. After it destroys her stepmother and stepsisters, Vasilisa goes to live with an elderly woman and learns to spin and weave. She creates an exquisite piece of cloth that catches the attention of the tsar. He seeks out is maker, finds the heroine, and asks for her hand in marriage.

Russia - A Country Study- facts about Russia's history, geography, resources, government, economy, and much more.

Factbook: Russia- get information on the people, geography, government, economy, and much more from the CIA World Factbook.

The Official Guide to Russia[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
Welcome to the New Russia … A visit to Russia today is an encounter with an undiscovered … cultures, from the glittering imperial Russia of St. Petersburg to the timeless village …
URL:

Russian Links[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
Links to Web resources for scholars and students of Russian art, culture, history and literature. Offers russification resources. Links to Russian newspapers and professional organizations. ... Face of Russia A PBS site based on James Billington's book. Introduction to Russian Culture - an excellent course site. ...
URL:g.msn.com/9SE/1?

Russian Culture[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
Find comprehensive information on Russia's cultural heritage. Includes history, religion, architecture, art and music, organized by time period
URL:

Cendrillon, retold by Robert D. San Souci.

This is a Caribbean Cinderella story told from the godmother’s point of view.

It tells of a poor washerwoman who is left a magic wand by her mother and discovers its power to help her beloved goddaughter. A fruit a pain (breadfruit) is transformed into the coach; six agoutis (a kind of rodent) become the horses; and Cinderella’s slippers are bright pink with rose embroidered on them.

Websites for Caribbean: (Allows user to click on specific island for information.)

Maps and charts of the Caribbean Islands:

Caribbean.com:

Creole[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
Encyclopedia of Cajun Culture
URL:

Creoles of Color in 19th Century New Orleans[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
Examines the history and culture of free people of color in 19th century New Orleans. Includes genealogical resources and a recommended reading guide.
URL:

Creole Culture[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
Creole Culture … aspects of the Creole culture in southwest Louisiana … celebrates the mixed lineage, culture and religion of these Louisiana Creoles . The upper left …
URL:

Cajun Culture: Creole Culture: Cajuns: Creoles[New Window][Full Window][Preview]

Studies of Cajun and Creole Culture by Barry Jean … Definition of Creole Definition of Zydeco … History Cajun French and CreoleCajun History …
URL:ccet.louisiana.edu/Cajun_and_Creole_Links.html

Louisiana Creole[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
also religious factor influencing the maintenance of Louisiana Creole culture:Catholicheritage ...
URL:

Cajun Culture: Creole Culture: Cajuns: Creoles[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
Studies of Cajun and Creole Culture by Barry Jean … Definition of Creole Definition of Zydeco … History Cajun French and CreoleCajun History …
URL:ccet.louisiana.edu/Cajun_and_Creole_Links.html

Cajun and Creole Culture and Food [New Window][Full Window][Preview]
cajun and creole culture and food … CREOLE (kre´ ol … The Creoles settled … arrived. Their cultures have mingled and evolved …
URL:

Domitila, by Jewell Reinhart Coburn.

This is a Cinderella tale from Mexico.

A young girl cooks for the governor who is amazed by the taste of the meals. However, Domitila’s mother dies and she must return home. The governor, longing for the taste of the wonderful food, searches for the woman who can cook such a feast out of weeds (nopales). Although the governor faces some hardships and dishonest people, in the end he finds Domitila and marries her.

URL:g.msn.com/9SE/1?

URL:

Magic Tales of Mexico

URL:

color map of Mexico highlighting all of the major cities, bodies of water and neighboring countries.

URL:

Mexico for Kids

explore this country's history, music, stories, government, and more. Play some games while you're at it! In English, French, Italian, and Spanish.

The Egyptian Cinderella, retold by Shirley Climo.

This intriguing variation on the Cinderella tale is based on a combination of fact. There was indeed a Greek slave girl named Rhodopis who married the Pharaoh Amasis.

A trio of uppity servant girls assumes the roles of the wicked stepsisters, a kindly master serves as the fairy godmother (to provide the slippers) and a handsome pharaoh steps in as Prince Charming. The foreign locale comes complete with lotus flowers, a hippo, a great falcon (symbol of the Egyptian sky god Horus) and, of course, the River Nile.

Guardians of Ancient Egypt (click on Kids Connection):

CIA World Factbook: Egypt:

Egypt Page:

Fair, Brown and Trembling, by Jude Daly.

This is a Cinderella tale from Ireland.

Trembling is the overworked and shunned younger sibling (not stepsister) of snooty twosome Fair and Brown. The young ladies of the land vie to catch a husband by looking their most stunning at Sunday Mass. Enter an old hen wife in the role of a fairy godmother, and Trembling is soon the gorgeous and mysterious woman standing outside the church whom everyone in the congregation longs to meet. Though anonymous Trembling flees on her brilliant steed, a smitten Prince Emania manages to snatch her tiny blue slipper as she rides away. A search for the slipper’s owner ensues but in a feisty twist, Prince Emania must also fight off competing suitors.

Kids Online: Ireland- listen to an audio file of the national anthem, see a flag and map, and read some information on the country.

ireland.html

Focal an Lae: The Word of the Day in Irish - learn handy phrases in Irish Gaelic!

Kool Kids Of Ireland - schoolchildren in Whitechurch, Ireland describe their country's history, culture, and pastimes. Read poetry, traditional stories, and book reports written by them

Irish Myths and Legends Page - traditional legends including The Salmon of Knowledge, Brown Bull of Cooley, and more, from the Scoil Mhuire Primary School

The Gift of the Crocodile, by Judy Sierra.

This is a Cinderella story from the Spice Islands.

Overworked by her conniving stepmother and stepsister, one day Damura loses her tattered sarong in the river. When a crocodile responds to her pleas for help, Damura remembers her late mother’s advice to treat wild animals with respect. The crocodile offers to retrieve it if the girl will rock her baby, and returns with a silver dress. When the greedy sister tries the same thing but is cruel to the baby and disrespectful with Grandmother Crocodile, she wins a leech-covered rag. Years later, when a prince seeks a bride, the stepsister wears the silver dress but Grandmother Crocodile supplies Damura with the essentials. After the prince claims his bride with a lost slipper and the two are married, the jealous stepmother and her daughter push Damura into the river where she is eaten by a crocodile. Grandmother Crocodile confronts her river children and a fat crocodile is forced to cough out Damura.

THE SPICE ISLANDS[New Window][Full Window][Preview]
Indonesia and the Spice Islands. Indonesia. ... The Spice Islands. The island region where Tim Severin and his crew will sail is known as ...spice/Indones.htm
URL:

The Golden Sandal, by Rebecca Hickox.

Maha is the beloved daughter of a widowed fisherman from Iraq. The father gives in to his daughter’s urgings that he marry their “good neighbor,” thereby giving her a mother and sister. Maha’s fortunes alter—for the worse—and her needed fairy godmother appears as a red fish whose life Maha has spared. Maha earns the fish’s eternal gratitude (“call for me any time and ask what you will”). The fish insures Maha’s presence at the henna-painting celebration for a new bride, warning only that Maha leave before her stepmother. She does, but loses one of her golden sandals in her race across the footbridge. Of course, her handsome “prince”, Tariq, finds the sandal and Maha and they live happily ever after.