fantasy – Tech Fun In The Library

I love May because the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and it is time to begin our fairy tales unit in the library! This is always one of the most enjoyable units of the year, and students of all ages look forward to it.

Fairy tales are important because they help students explore storytelling, character development, problem solving, and life lessons that have been shared for generations. They also introduce students to different cultures and traditions through stories that have been passed down over time. As we read fairy tales together, students practice making predictions, comparing stories, identifying themes, and recognizing story elements.

Over the years, I have added many cultural fairy tale versions to our library collection so students can experience stories from around the world. Some favorites include Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu, The Rough-Face Girl, and Lon Po Po. These stories help students see both the similarities and differences in tales across cultures while broadening their understanding of traditions and perspectives from around the world.

One of the best parts of the unit is adding our own creative twist through fractured fairy tales. These stories take familiar fairy tales and change them in funny, surprising, or unexpected ways. Students love comparing the original versions with the fractured versions and noticing how the stories are transformed.

After reading many different fractured fairy tales together, students get the opportunity to create their own. Their creativity always shines as they reimagine classic characters, settings, and plots in brand-new ways. This unit is filled with laughter, imagination, and wonderful storytelling, making it a favorite time of year in the library!

I have also created activities to go along with our fractured fairy tale unit, and they are available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store for anyone looking to bring a little extra fairy tale fun into their classroom or library.

Click here to grab your copy of the Fractured Fairy Tale Unit

The countdown to summer has begun, and let’s be honest — things are getting a little wild. Teachers are tired, students are buzzing with end-of-year energy, and routines are starting to blur. But before we close the books for the year, there’s still time for one more exciting unit in the library: fairy tales! It’s the perfect mix of fun, imagination, and just enough structure to keep us going strong to the finish line.

Each year in May I love doing a fairy tale unit with all of my K-6 library classes. We start off by going over the elements of a fairy tale. I use a Google Slides presentation that we look at together as a class. It covers things like magical elements, good vs. evil, unique characters, and the number 3. Then we jump into reading different fairy tales. I pick different ones for each grade so I can reuse the same plans next year without having to start from scratch.

As we read, I ask the students to find the fairy tale elements we talked about. Once I have read the fairy tale I then ask them to tell me what elements they saw in the story. Students raise their hands and I give them the chance to pick one. This is also a time you could have them turn to their table partner and discuss them together before sharing. It is always fun to see their excitement as they recall the story and elements.

After that, I introduce fractured fairy tales — the silly or twisted versions of the originals. We read lots of those too. The older kids, grades 4–6, get to write their own fractured fairy tales, and they always come up with such creative and funny ideas. I have created some graphic organizers that work well for helping them to gather their thoughts and get those creative juices flowing. While students may start with a groan about writing it usually turns out to be one of their favorite projects.

To wrap up the unit I like to read fairy tales from other countries. It’s a great way to show students that these stories exist all over the world and often teach similar lessons. They start to notice how different cultures tell similar kinds of stories.