Running head: MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES
Multicultural Fairy Tale Curriculum:
Celebrating Diversity Through
The Use of Fairy Tales
by
Christine Watt
A Project Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in
Education
______
Erika Daniels, Ed. D.
California State University San Marcos
Fall, 2011
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES ii
ABSTRACT
Multicultural literature is key to addressing the diverse needs of every student.
Because of this, a multicultural literature unit has been created. The curriculum has been
designed as a three-week Language Arts unit centered on multicultural fairy tales. It is
intended for elementary students, specifically second graders. A thorough review of
literature was conducted, and important elements in creating a multicultural curriculum
were identified. These topics included culturally relevant literature, culturally authentic
literature, and multicultural literature pedagogy. In addition, it has been designed around
California and English Language Development state standards. With best practices and
review of literature in mind, and a standard lesson plan format, the curriculum was
created. Included in the curriculum is comparing and contrasting classic fairy tales with
fairy tales from around the world, an introduction to fractured fairytales with a focus on
different perspectives, and lastly, having students create their own fractured fairy tale,
using themselves as the main character. This curriculum still needs to be piloted, and
would benefit from not only feedback from other educators, but also feedback from
students themselves. Future studies identifying the effects of using multicultural fairy
tales in the classroom would be beneficial to the research.
Keywords: cultural authenticity, culturally relevant literature, fairy tales, language
arts, multicultural literature.
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES iii
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my chair, Erika Daniels, my second reader, Anne René Elsbree, and
my family for all the support they have given me throughout the course of my masters
education.
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
...... Page
ABSTRACT ...... ii
Chapter I: Introduction ...... 1
Statement of the Problem ...... 1
Purpose of the Project ...... 2
Literature Review ...... 3
Methodology ...... 4
Significance of the Project ...... 6
Summary ...... 7
Definition of Terms ...... 7
Chapter II: Literature Review ...... 8
Culturally Relevant Literature ...... 8
Culturally Authentic Literature ...... 12
Multicultural Literature Pedagogy ...... 16
Summary ...... 17
Chapter III: Methodology ...... 19
Design ...... 19
Participants and Setting ...... 19
Instrumentation ...... 20
Project Procedures ...... 21
Project Evaluation ...... 23
Summary ...... 23
Chapter IV: Project Presentation ...... 24
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES v
Project Cover Page ...... 24
Project Table of Contents ...... 25
Project Overview ...... 26
Unit/Lessons ...... 29
Chapter V: Recommendations ...... 63
Lessons Learned ...... 63
Project Implementation ...... 65
Global Implications ...... 67
Limitations ...... 67
Future Research or Project Suggestions ...... 68
Conclusions/Summary ...... 69
References ...... 71
Appendix A: Pagination ...... 8
Appendix B: How to Thrive in Graduate School ...... 8
Appendix C: How to Survive the Research Paper Experience ...... 8
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 1
Chapter One: Definition of Problem
In 2009-2010, there were 118,501 English Language learners in the county of San
Diego alone (DataQuest, 2011). This means that nearly every public school teacher will
most likely teach a class that has students of various backgrounds, and it is imperative that the literature in the classroom reflects this. It is valuable to have curriculum that speaks to each and every student because if the student can relate to what they are learning, they will likely more invested. If the statistic listed above accurately represent the rapid growth of English Language Learners in San Diego County, then multicultural literature becomes even more essential so that the students who do not have English as their first language hear stories in the classroom that relate to their everyday life.
“Minority students need to see themselves reflected in the texts they read, and nonminority students need to see minority students in the texts they read as well” (Siu-
Runyan, 1996, p. 422). Students learn better when they are given the opportunity to relate to the literature they read in the classroom. St. Amor (2003) explained that, “ greater variety in literature also makes it more likely that all children will have access to narratives that represent their various backgrounds as well as enrich and enlarge their understanding of other backgrounds” (p. 48). Providing teachers with the tools they need to easily embed multicultural literature into their existing Language Arts curriculum will help create tolerance, knowledge, and understanding among students today. St. Amor
(2003) promoted the idea that students are aware of cultural differences at a very early age, and drawing on this knowledge can foster intercultural understanding that lasts a lifetime. Due to the above stated reasons, a multicultural literature curriculum has been created for teachers to use in the public school classroom. Covered in this chapter will be
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 2 the purpose of the project, the literature that supports it, methodology, significance, and definitions of key terms.
Purpose of Project
Because of the diverse backgrounds of students today, educators need to make sure there are enough multicultural lessons and literature embedded into the curriculum.
Multicultural education and literature “ provides an opportunity for young students to examine the diversity shaping our world” (Barta & Grindler, 1996, p. 269). Furthermore they argued that, “through such efforts, students learn about variations of culture, such as the way people speak, act, celebrate, or mourn” (p. 269). There are also many political pressures that educators face, with the main focus being on standardized testing. If students are engaged and connected to what is being taught in class, then it will hopefully translate into better test scores. Therefore, it appears that students should benefit from the multicultural themes in their education.
Specifically, this curriculum is designed around multicultural fairy tales because they are often rich in traditions and culture, and the stories themselves are usually a cultural staple. In all of the Language Arts lessons created for the project, students will be introduced to one or more fairy tales. They will also be given the opportunity to read different cultural versions of the same fairy tale, and from there they will learn how to draw connections, conclusions, and compare and contrast the different cultural versions of the same fairy tale. For example, in the third lesson, students will read two different versions of Little Red Riding Hood. One will be the classic version that some students may know, and the other will be a Chinese version (Lon Po Po by Ed Young). Students will benefit from this type of comparison because they will be able to see the similarities
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 3
between two cultures as well as notice, which will hopefully give them a better
understanding of the Chinese culture. As stated above, every student has something to
learn from reading a multicultural book. In this particular instance, students will learn
about variations in the Chinese culture, and be able to connect and relate it to their own
lives.
Since the multicultural curriculum created is designed to meet California state standards, English Language Development (ELD) state standards, and unique to this curriculum, multicultural standards, the needs of all students in the classroom will be taken into consideration. The goal of this curriculum is to help fill a void in today’s classroom.
Preview Literature
As with any successful educational practice, there must be research behind it that supports it. Incorporating multicultural literature into the classroom is not necessarily a new idea therefore it is important to review the previous research that supports the educational practice of using multicultural education and literature. The fairy tale curriculum that has been created is designed to fit into any elementary Language Arts curriculum and supplement the existing content. In order to make a successful multicultural literature curriculum, I examine three key areas: culturally relevant literature, culturally authentic literature, and multicultural literature pedagogy.
In the first section of the chapter, culturally relevant teaching (Landson-Billings,
1995) is explored. I demonstrate the necessity for multicultural literature in the classroom, and how students can benefit from being introduced to literature from multiple cultures. This research directly correlates to the project created because, in the
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 4 project, students learn about many different cultures through the use of fairy tales. In the next section, culturally authentic literature will be examined, which will also include criteria for selecting multicultural literature to use in the classroom (Yoon, Simpson, &
Haag, 2010). This is a crucial element of quality for this project because it is important that the multicultural literature chosen fore use in the classroom accurately represents the culture and does not further reiterate any negative generalizations and/or stereotypes.
Lastly, suggestions for successfully incorporating multicultural literature will be reviewed, more specifically, culturally responsive teaching (Gay, 2000). In this section, the best multicultural Language Arts practices will be studied, which helped provide a great frame for this project.
Preview Methodology
In order to facilitate the use of multicultural Language Arts curriculums, I have created a Language Arts unit designed around multicultural fairy tales. While creating this curriculum, many factors were considered. These factors included California state content standards, English Language Development standards, multicultural standards, modeling and guided practice, checks for understanding, accessing prior knowledge, reading skills practice, and a variety of other learning techniques.
The first step was designing each lesson around California English Language
Development (ELD) standards and, unique to this project, I have created my own multicultural standards. While these standards have not been published previously, they are grounded in the existing research on effective multicultural content and pedagogy.
Explicitly stating the multicultural standard at the beginning of each lesson ensures that multiculturalism is addressed, and it also highlights how it will be addressed in each
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 5 lesson. I also modeled the curriculum after the best practices that I gathered during my review of literature. These included teaching culturally relevant material, connecting students lives to the texts, and ensuring the literature is culturally authentic. Next, each lesson includes modeling and guided practice of how to successfully compare and contrast different cultural versions of the same fairy tale and opportunities to check for a thorough understanding of the diversity that each tale has to offer. Each lesson also builds on the day before in order to utilize prior knowledge as new knowledge is created. For example, on the first day, students will be introduced to the idea of fairy tales, and then they will be asked to create a KWL chart (what they Know, Want to know, and finally, what they have Learned). Throughout the curriculum, the students will be encouraged to refer back to this chart and given the opportunity to add to it as they learn more. They will also be given a worksheet titled, “The Elements of a Fairy Tale Chart.” Using this graphic organizer as a guide, students will add every fairy tale they read during the unit on to this chart, and determine what elements of a fairy tale they found in the story they just read.
As a result, the elements of a fairy tale are repeatedly examined, and the students have a list of all the stories they have read up to a certain point and can use the previous knowledge they have learned about fairy tales to critically examine the next. Therefore students will be given many chances to practice their reading skills because in the end they will have read at the least twelve fairy tales. They will also be able to practice those reading skills in a variety of ways (read-alouds, choral reading, small group reading, etc.), which will hopefully cater to at least one successful learning style of a student. The stories have been chosen with cultural diversity in mind, which means students will either
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 6
be able to relate to them or gain a different perspective about different cultures and the
fairy tales that are possibly passed down from generation to generation. Students will
work in heterogeneous groupings (partner, group, and individual work), and they will
also participate in brainstorming activities, which gives students a chance to work with a
variety of classmates at different learning levels. One of the most valuable learning tools
in a collaborative classroom is students learning from other students. Lastly, in each
lesson, students will have access to multiple resources and a variety of visuals as well as
the opportunity to participate in class discussions, which will give all students the
opportunity to succeed.
Significance of Project
The purpose of this curriculum is to provide more resources for teachers to use in
order to embed more multicultural literature and practices into the Language Arts arena.
With more and more children with diverse backgrounds entering schools, it is extremely
important to make sure that every student can see themselves in the literature they read in
school. If students can relate to what they are reading, then they will be more invested in
the literature and what they can learn from it. Furthermore, this curriculum is framed
around multicultural fairy tales because, “[f]airy tales promote cultural understanding
because they address universal themes encountered by many cultures. By hearing
fairytales children become a source for generating new meanings from the narratives they
hear and in doing so develop new ways of understanding cultures” (Al-Jafar and Buzzelli
2004, p. 37). This project also creates an awareness of and understanding for diversity, what students can learn from it, and how they will benefit from having this
understanding. Equally important, with prompting from the teacher, it gives community
MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 7 and family members an opportunity to share their stories in the classroom and at home with their children, which provides a better connection for students home and school life.
Summary of Chapter
Providing the purpose of the project, discussing the literature that supports it, the methodology, and its significance will further reiterate the importance of having this kind of curriculum in the classroom. This project is not the only opportunity for embedding more multicultural curriculum into the classroom, but it is a tool for teachers to start working in this direction.
Definitions
• Cultural Authenticity: “Whether or not a book reflects those values, facts, and
attitudes that members of a culture as a whole consider worthy of acceptance or
belief” (Mo & Shen, 2003, p. 199).
• Culturally Relevant Pedagogy: “A theoretical model that not only addresses
student to accept and affirm their cultural identity while developing critical
perspectives that challenge inequities that schools (and other institutions)
perpetuate” (Ladson-Billings, 1995, p. 469).
• Diversity: “the condition of having or being composed of differing elements:
variety; especially : the inclusion of different types of people (as people of
different races or cultures) in a group or organization promote diversity in schools>” (Retrieved from http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/diversity). MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 8 Chapter Two: Literature Review Creating a multicultural curriculum is critical for students today. Through this type of curriculum, children get a chance to either see themselves in the literature they read or learn about diversity by reading about a culture that they might not be so familiar with. For this review of literature, certain articles have been chosen that articulate the importance of incorporating multicultural literature into the classroom. The purpose of this literature review is to demonstrate what research has already been conducted on multicultural curriculum and to explain how the research supports the need for a multicultural fairy tale curriculum. Furthermore, it describes the research that is used in the creation of the unit. I n this review, I will first examine the importance of using culturally relevant literature in the classroom. By exploring this topic, I clarify why students need literature that they can relate to. Next, the importance of making sure that literature is culturally authentic is studied. By researching this topic, teachers become more familiar with how to choose a multicultural book to use in the classroom. It also gives them the skills they need to think critically about the literature chosen. Lastly, multicultural literature pedagogy is considered. During this exploration, best practices of how to use multicultural literature in the classroom are discussed. Culturally Relevant Literature In order to fully understand the importance of culturally relevant literature, three sub-topics will be discussed. These include culturally relevant teaching, appreciation for cultural values, and the benefits of having a vast multicultural library Culturally Relevant Teaching MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 9 Being an educator in today’s society means teaching a variety of students with diverse backgrounds. The first step in doing this is ensuring that culturally relevant teaching is being used. Ladson-Billings (1995) defined culturally relevant teaching as “a pedagogy of opposition not unlike critical pedagogy but specifically committed to collective, not merely individual, empowerment” (p. 160). Furthermore, it is imperative that we incorporate multicultural literature into the classroom, as to make sure that every student is represented. If students cannot relate to any literature being used in the classroom, then they will become disinterested and disconnected to what is being taught. As teachers, we know that keeping the students interested is an on-going task, therefore introducing them to literature that they can relate to is important. This means that there needs to be a culturally mixed literature used in the classroom. Meier (2003) suggested that: Not every book used in multilingual, multicultural classrooms needs to represent people of color or to incorporate linguistic diversity, but if bilingual children and children of color make up the majority of the class, then the majority of books used in the class should reflect that. Books are not meaningful to children who do not see themselves represented in them. (p. 247) When teachers incorporate multicultural literature into the existing curriculum, it serves a number of purposes. These purposes include, but are not limited to, heightening respect for individuals, acknowledging contributions of minorities, bringing children into contact with other minorities, enhancing students’ self-concept, helping children realize that society has developed a value system that validates some differences and minimizes MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 10 others, and encouraging students to detect prejudice and work towards eliminating it (Barta & Grindler, 1996). Appreciation for Cultural Values Not only can children learn more about their own cultural identity, they can also start to build an understanding for other cultures. St. Amour (2003) further emphasized this idea by stating that, “[g]reater variety in literature also makes it more likely that all children will have access to narratives that represent their various backgrounds as well as enrich and enlarge their understanding of other backgrounds” (p. 48). Providing literature that represents all of the students in our classrooms should be a main focus for teachers, especially at the elementary level when students are still developing. Kim, Greif ,Green, and Klein (2006), explained that: As it relates to multicultural sensitivity, books can be used to help children develop a sense of identity, an awareness of the ways in which they are different from others, knowledge about their own and other cultures, and skills to relate effectively with people of different cultural backgrounds. (p. 226) All students can learn from being exposed to multiple perspectives. Vast Multicultural Library An excellent way to promote this kind of learning is having a vast library of multicultural literature so that students are constantly exposed to it, and it becomes the norm. At times, teachers only promote multicultural literature around certain holidays (Martin Luther King Day, Black History Month, Cinco De Mayo, etc.) however, it is extremely important that the multicultural literature is infused into the curriculum, and not just brought out during certain times of the year (Willis-Rivera & Meeker, 2002). MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 11 Holmes, Holmes, Powell, and Witt (2007) explained that “each time a child reads a book about a different race, that race becomes demystified” (p. 280). They further explained that “reading books about dissimilar people may promote a new awareness that leads to understanding and acceptance” (Holmes et al., 2007, p. 280). Because of the diversity in the world today, diverse literature and curriculum need to be represented in every classroom, every day. If students are able to not only learn about diversity through literature taught by the teacher but also have access to multicultural literature in the class library, students will have a better understanding of today’s society. It gives them a chance to explore new cultures and stories on their own time and potentially spark some interest to learn more. In other words, every student can benefit by being exposed to multicultural literature. A genre that should be included in a multicultural library is multicultural fairy tales. Using multicultural fairytales in order to teach students about varying cultures is an excellent way to promote cultural diversity. Al-Jafar abd Buzzelli (2004) note that “fairytales promote cultural understanding because they address universal themes encountered by many cultures. By hearing fairytales, children become a source for generating new meanings from the narratives they hear and in doing so develop new ways of understanding cultures” (p. 37). There are many different cultural versions of well-known fairytales and folktales such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, etc., which allow for rich discussions and lessons in the classroom. Al- Jafar and Buzzelli (2004) explain that, “by exploring different versions and different meanings of a single tale, children can learn the importance of communicating through stories” (p. 40). Fairytales and folktales transmit universal themes and speak to audiences MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 12 of varying ages and backgrounds, and are a great learning tool (Cox & Galda, 1990). Tales can be used as an avenue to celebrate and learn about cultural traditions outside the mainstream, therefore, any elementary curriculum would benefit from using them. Culturally Authentic Literature When choosing what kinds of multicultural literature to use in the classroom, a teacher must ask him/herself why certain books are chosen. Is it because the book was labeled “multicultural?” Did they see a person on the cover of a different ethnicity and assume it was “multicultural?” In any event, when choosing what multicultural literature to use in the classroom, it is important to ask certain questions about book selection, and many authors/educators have come up with certain criteria to use when choosing literature. Yoon, Simpson, and Haag (2010) offered “criteria for selecting multicultural texts” (p. 116). The criterion includes: ideology through inferred messages, representation of all people, valuing each culture, and promotion of critical pedagogy, and challenging the status quo (Yoon, Simpson, & Haag, 2010) and they also follow each criterion with guiding questions. During the creation of the multicultural fairy tale curriculum, this table, combined with other authors’ criteria for selecting multicultural literature, was used as a guide, which ensured that appropriate texts were chosen to represent each culture. Teachers can use these types of charts and criterion as a reference when choosing multicultural literature to use in the classroom. The guiding questions are useful because teachers can ask themselves these questions when reading any children’s literature in order to guarantee that the book is authentic. There are many tools that teachers have access to in order to successfully choose multicultural literature in the classroom. Siu-Runyan (1996) MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 13 also offers twelve criteria for selecting quality multicultural books. The criteria includes, but is not limited to, the selection is rich in cultural details, the selection honors and celebrate diversity as well as the common “bonds in humanity,” there is in depth treatment of cultural issues among others (p. 423-424). Ching (2005) summarized the criteria that most multicultural literature educators use. He explained that: Criteria across a range of sources informing the selection of multicultural literature commonly include general descriptors such as the following: The text and illustrations use historical information and develop setting accurately; the author portrays characters positively; the text and pictures affirm diversity within a cultural group; the story integrates cultural content and events naturally; the author portrays individuals and communities authentically; and the work resists stereotyping or romanticizing the experiences of minorities. (p. 129) The most important aspect of multicultural book selection is to think about the books critically and ask questions. For example, who wrote the book? Harris (2003) discussed that there must be an extensive amount of critical self-reflection when it comes to multicultural literature. She argued that in the past, authors of varying ethnic background have been encouraged by book publishers (who are usually white) to write about “multicultural” issues in order to fill a void in children’s literature, which has historically only represented children of the mainstream culture (Harris, 2003). Again, educators can and should revert back to the criteria for selecting multicultural books in order to ensure authenticity. It is important to not only look at the content of the book but also who wrote and published the book. What is the authors’ purpose in writing the book? Is it to present cultural values in an authentic manner, or is the content only MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 14 surface deep in order to fill an author or publishers’ multicultural literature quota? If these critical questions are not asked, then teachers run the risk of exposing students to literature that is not culturally authentic and further perpetuating negative stereotypes. If we critically look at these issues, then we can determine the authors’ purpose in writing the book. There is also the ongoing debate of whether or not the “multicultural” literature is actually stereotypical. Harris (2003) explained that, there is a, “demand by some that authors of literature we label ‘multicultural’ create characters who are ‘role models.’ The stories must either uplift or inspire and usurp stereotypic works. Positive images are preferred and deemed critical” (p. 121). Which means the story always has to have a “rosy” outcome, and in many cases, the “ethnic” character has is some way assimilated to the mainstream ideology. Gay (2000) further explained that literature “tends to emphasize harmonious relations among racial groups. Contentious issues and individuals are avoided, and the unpleasant sides of society and cultural diversity are either sanitized or bypassed entirely” (p. 144). Although racial tensions can be a difficult subject to approach, it is important that students are exposed to accurate stories about diverse issues. Teachers today will undoubtedly have students with varying racial backgrounds: therefore the literature in the classroom must not only be diverse but must also reflect real cultural issues. This way, students gain an authentic understanding of their potential peers and today’s society. They will also gain different cultural perspectives, which they can carry over into their everyday life. Because of this, it is important to make sure that the literature is “culturally MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 15 authentic” and represents people of color accurately in the text specific to their culture (Loh, 2006, p. 48). Considering all these different criterions, and using Yoon, Simpson, and Haag (2010) “criteria for selecting multicultural texts” (p. 116) as a guide, I have identified with my own guiding questions to ask when reading multicultural literature. As stated above, teachers can ask themselves these critical questions when determining whether or not a multicultural book is authentic. The list is illustrated below: Criteria for Selecting Multicultural Texts Guiding Questions • “Why was the book labeled multicultural?” • “Who wrote and published the book?” • “Are cultural values presented in an authentic manner?” • “Does the story/characters perpetuate any negative stereotypes, and does the author portray characters positively?” • “Does the author avoid addressing racial tensions, and instead opt for an easy, romanticized solution?” • “Does the text and illustrations use historical information and develop story accurately?” • “Does the book demonstrate diversity within the cultural group?” (Ching, 2005; Gay, 2000; Harris, 2003; Siu-Runyan 1996; Yoon, Simpson, and Haag, 2010) MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 16 Multicultural Literature Pedagogy After choosing to embed multicultural literature into the curriculum and making sure that this literature is culturally authentic, a teacher’s the next step is actually teaching it in the classroom. “The fundamental aim of culturally responsive pedagogy is to empower ethnically diverse students through academic success, cultural affiliation, and personal efficacy” (Gay, 2000, p. 111). Furthermore, cultural knowledge must be accessible to students and connected to their lives outside of school (Gay, 2000). Teachers can do this by creating a safe environment for children to feel comfortable to express themselves, and this step should be the first taken in any classroom because children need to feel safe if they are going to take the academic risks necessary for success. Choosing literature and historical topics for study that would lead to discussions about diversity issues might be a safer way to discuss inequality, prejudice, and/or the historical intolerance than discussing students’ specific situations (McGinnis, 2006). Therefore, it is critical that teachers create a dialogue that students will be comfortable with, without pinpointing any specific individuals, and using multicultural literature is a great way to begin this discussion. McGinnis (2006) emphasized this by explaining that “creating an environment that respects how others read not only the words, but also the world, celebrates differences, and makes reading personally meaningful…”(p. 26). It is extremely important when using multicultural literature that the classroom environment is an understanding and inviting one. It is also important to look at existing multicultural curriculum to see what types of pedagogy has been successful. Lotherington and Chow (2006) successfully piloted a MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 17 multicultural fairytale unit, with the in the idea that they, “wanted children to learn what a story [was] and to retell a traditional story from their perspectives grounded in contemporary reality, so that the story would become more inclusive to their world” (p. 242). In this unit, students were encouraged to create their own version of a classic fairytale. Many multicultural alternative versions of a classic fairytale were provided, and then students were then guided through the process of writing their own version of the story. Students were then asked to create their own story, and also received the got a chance to learn about other cultural values through listening to their peers’ stories. In the end, success was determined by the students’ ability to not only retell the original version of the classic fairy tale, but they were also able to create their own opportunitycultural version of the story. The authors explained that, “the project helped [them] in [their] ongoing quest for ways to approach curricular instruction with a paradigm of multiliteracies” (p. 251). Providing multiple perspectives is a key aspect of using multicultural literature. When teaching literature, teachers must be aware of the risk of only showing “one side of the story.” They must be conscious of the cultures that they share, and make sure there is a variety in the literature presented. If students are exposed to varying perspectives, then they will gain a better understanding of different cultures. Conclusion After critically examining the ideas discussed, one can understand why it is crucial to use a variety of literature, whether the material being used or suggested is culturally authentic, and how to effectively use multicultural literature in the classroom. Providing teaching with the tools they need to easily embed multicultural literature into their existing curriculum is essential, and the previous research strongly supports this MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 18 idea. With the understanding that every student will be diverse in some way, teachers must use curriculum, more specifically literature that will help create tolerance, knowledge, and understanding among students today. In order to further demonstrate the importance of this topic, I will explain the methodology behind designing my multicultural fairy tale unit. Chapter three details the design of this multicultural fairy tale unit by describing the pedagogical and resource considerations behind its development. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 19 Chapter Three: Methodology As previously discussed in chapter one, because of the diverse backgrounds of students today, educators need to make sure there are enough multicultural lessons and literature embedded into the curriculum. In order to incorporate more multicultural literature into the classroom, teachers can include a multicultural fairy tale unit into their curriculum. The unit is designed for elementary age students to learn about different cultures and diversity through multicultural fairy tales. This section will discuss design, participants, setting, instruments, procedures and lastly, an evaluation of the project. Design The curriculum has been designed as a three-week Language Arts unit centered on multicultural fairy tales. It is intended for elementary students (specifically second graders, but can be adapted for any elementary classroom), who should be thoroughly engaged by the topic of fairy tales. In addition, they will also have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and viewpoints through these fairy tales. In each lesson, students will not only practice their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, but they will also gain a deeper understanding of the advantages of reading multicultural stories and learning the value of multiple perspectives. Each lesson builds on the previous day, and in the end, students will be able to create their own version of a fairy tale. Participants/Setting This curriculum is designed for (20-25) second grade students in the San Diego area, but it can be adapted to fit any classroom. Because San Diego is a diverse MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 20 community, the curriculum includes (but is not be limited to) Spanish, Chinese, and English literature for students to relate to and learn about. This curriculum is not geared towards a specific group of children, however, one could venture that second graders value hands-on activities and experiences to keep them interested and entertained. This curriculum is designed based on an understanding of research-based best practice with the intent to address a variety of potential learning styles. Given that most San Diego classrooms today will have English Language Learners (ELLs) present (considering the Dataquest statistics mentioned in Chapter 1), there will be many different visuals and a variety of teaching techniques that meet the needs of many different learning styles. The lessons are designed to draw on prior knowledge and to use students’ backgrounds in order to make connections. In the end, the unit’s intention is not only to provide literature that students can relate to but also to provide literature about different cultures that students can learn from. Instruments In order to ensure that the curriculum is suitable for second grade students, each lesson is based upon a California Language Arts Content Standard. More specifically, language objectives in all literacy domains (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) are woven throughout the curriculum. Additionally, because San Diego is diverse and has many English language learners, also included in each lesson is an English Language Development (ELD) Standard. Lastly, because the aim of this curriculum is to highlight multicultural perspectives, each lesson also includes a multicultural objective. The lesson plan format is follows: title, overview/purpose, standard, objectives, time limit, materials, procedures, accommodations, and assessment. This lesson plan MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 21 template has been adapted to fit the needs of this unit (see appendix for the full lesson plan format). Originally the lesson plan format was from a methods teacher (Barbara Martin) I had in my undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona. Omitted were the connection to the curriculum, review or re-teach, and extensions sections. These sections were not included in the unit’s lesson plan format in order to maintain the curriculum’s ability to fit into any classroom. It has been specifically chosen because I believe it includes every important element that a lesson needs in order to successfully teach each student. The most important aspect to include in the unit is a section for accommodations. Again, considering the diverse San Diego community, it is important to provide certain accommodations for some ELD students and also for students with special needs. The lesson plan also provides a step-by-step guide to teaching the unit so that any educator can adapt it for use in his/her classroom. Procedures The unit was designed using the lesson plan template, review of literature, and research-based best practices as a guide. The first step in planning this curriculum was choosing authentic fairy tales that represent a wide variety of cultures. The subject of fairy tales is a very popular one among elementary teachers because not only is it a California state content standard to read stories that reflect different cultures (and fairy tales are a useful way to do this), but the stories themselves are usually unique and engaging. Therefore there is an abundance of resources to use and adapt in order to meet the objectives of this unit. The curriculum was written with the best practices for teaching multicultural literature in mind. These were identified during the review of literature, and then used as MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 22 a guide when creating each lesson. The first best practice was ensuring that culturally relevant teaching and pedagogy was used. This included: “(a) culturally relevant conceptions of self and others, (b) culturally relevant conceptions of classroom social relations, and (c) culturally relevant conceptions of knowledge” (Ladson-Billings, 1992, p. 317). Each lesson was designed with the intent that both teachers and students alike would be able to succeed in reaching these goals. Another best practice that was to incorporate strategies that allowed all learners to connect to the text. This included choosing books that relate to children’s lives, teaching book reading behavior explicitly, and making certain that books come alive (Meier, 2003). Many Chinese and Spanish books were chosen because there are increasingly children of Asian decent in public school classrooms today. In March of 2011, the U.S Census Bureau announced that “San Diego County’s population comprised 1.5 million non-Hispanic whites, or 48.5 percent; 991,348 Hispanics, or 32 percent; 328,058 Asians, or 10.6 percent; and 146,600 blacks, or 4.7 percent.” Using texts from myriad cultural background ensures that children will be able to connect to at least one of the fairy tales chosen for the unit. The unit also provides the chance to swap fairy tales if needed in order to better fit the dynamics of diverse classroom. For example, in the lesson, “Cinderella’s From Around the World,” teachers have the opportunity to choose any six multicultural Cinderella stories from around the world, which gives them the chance to choose books that they feel their students can relate to. Finally, and in alignment with the research-based best practice discussed in chapter two, I made sure that the literature chosen was culturally authentic. I did this by referring to all the literature and research I had found that had criteria for choosing MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 23 authentic multicultural children’s literature books. Yoon, Simpson, and Haag (2010) and Siu-Runyan (1996) both provided criteria to consider when selecting quality multicultural books, and these criteria were used in order to ensure that the texts chosen for the curriculum were authentic. I was created my own list of guiding questions (as shown in chapter two) and used this list as a checklist as a guide to ensuring cultural authenticity Project Evaluation During the creation of this project, many factors were considered to ensure effectiveness and authenticity. First, literature was reviewed in order to gather information on the need for culturally relevant literature, culturally authentic literature, and multicultural literature pedagogy. Next, best practices were chosen from the literature read and used as a guide when designing the lessons. After the curriculum was created, I reviewed it to ensure that all essential elements were included. Lastly, I rechecked my lesson plan format, in order to ensure that each lesson had all the necessary elements that it needed. Summary of Chapter Many important factors were considered in the creation of this unit. After completing the construction process, which included, design, participants, instruments, and procedures, I have included the curriculum in order for teachers to use it as a tool to teach multicultural fairy tales in the classroom. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 24 Multicultural Fairy Tale Curriculum Language Arts Grade: Two MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 25 TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... Page Introduction ...... 26 Curriculum Overview ...... 26 Lesson One: KWL Chart ...... 29 Lesson Two: Elements of a Fairy Tale ...... 32 Elements of a Fairy Tale Overhead ...... 35 Elements of a Fairy Tale Chart ...... 36 Lesson Three: Lon Po Po and Little Red Riding Hood Comparison...... 37 Venn Diagram ...... 40 Lesson Four: The Three Little Pigs and The Three Little Tamales Comparison ..... 41 Venn Diagram ...... 44 Lesson Five: Leola and the Honey Bears and Goldilocks Comparison ...... 45 Venn Diagram ...... 48 Lesson Six: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs ...... 49 Planning a Fairy Tale Sheet ...... 53 Lesson Seven: Cinderella’s From Around the World ...... 54 Lesson Eight: Create Your Own Fairy Tale ...... 58 Unit Rubric ...... 62 MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 26 Chapter Four: Project Given the statistical data of English Language learners in San Diego alone, it is likely that there will be students of various backgrounds in any given classroom. Therefore, having curriculum designed around the multicultural needs of students becomes not only a choice, but also a necessity. This curriculum is a Language Arts unit designed around multicultural fairy tales. This unit has been created for second grade students, who will have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and viewpoints through the use of fairy tales. Throughout each lesson, students will not only practice their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, but they will also gain a deeper understanding of how they can benefit from reading multicultural stories and learning about different perspectives. Curriculum Overview In the span of three weeks, students will have the opportunity to become immersed in everything associated with fairy tales and all the rich cultural benefits that accompany the reading of diverse literature. In the first week, students will be introduced to fairy tales (by way of a KWL chart), in order to ascertain what the students both know and think they know about fairy tales. In this way, the teacher will not only access their prior knowledge, but he/she will also assess what fairy tales the students are familiar with, and how much they know on the subject. In that same week, the class will also be introduced to the elements of a fairy tale, so they know the structure behind the stories, and what they can come to expect. Finally, the students will have the opportunity to compare not one but three culturally different versions of classic fairy tales. On day MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 27 three/four the students will be introduced to the idea of comparing two culturally different versions of the same fairy tale, and then on day five/six, they will repeat the process again with two different culturally different fairy tales. In the second week, the first lesson (day seven-nine) introduces the idea of a fractured fairy tales. This begins to prepare students to make their own fractured fairy tale. The next lesson will take three days, and will have the class reading multiple Cinderella stories from around the world. At the end of the lessons, students will have gained insight into different cultures after reading multicultural Cinderella stories. In the last and final week, the students will create their own fairy tale. This is a culmination of all they have learned up to this point. After learning how to compare and contrast, honor different perspectives, and understanding elements that make up a fairy tale, students will create their own unique fairy tale specific to their own culture and viewpoint. Students will be expected to use the skills they have acquired over the past three weeks to create their story. Each lesson contains a California content standard and ELD standard, and most include a multicultural standard. In order to have consistency, the lessons will be designed around Intermediate ELD standards. At the beginning of this unit, ELD standards are included for Intermediate learners. As the unit progresses, the ELD standards get a little harder (the second to last lesson Early Advanced, and the last lesson Advanced). This is done in order to challenge the students to strive for the mainstream level. In addition, each lesson includes accommodations for different types of learners. Throughout this unit, the students generate authentic materials (KWL chart, Venn diagrams, Fairy tale checklist, storyboards, and a booklet). These materials are then used MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 28 for informal and formal assessments. These items are handed in at the end of the unit for points. For formal assessments, a rubric has been created in order to assess students equitably (see Resources). A number of strategies have been used throughout the curriculum to ensure that the content is accessible to all students. Here are the strategies that are embedded into the curriculum: • Each lesson builds on the previous day and accesses students’ prior knowledge. They have the opportunity to practice a skill multiple times, to ensure success. For example, after every lesson students will add to their “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart. By the end of the curriculum, students will be very familiar with the elements that make up a fairy tale. • Students work in various different heterogeneous groupings (group, partner, and individual work) and participate in brainstorming activates such as “think, pair, share.” • Each lesson includes modeling and guided practice, and opportunities to check for understanding (example: thumbs up/down). • Many chances are provided for students to practice reading such as: reading in small groups, read aloud, and choral reading. • Using curriculum students can relate to and from which others can learn. For example, some books contain Spanish vocabulary, which provides the opportunity to use Spanish ELLs as a resource. • Students will have access to multiple resources and a variety of visuals. They will participate in informal class discussions, and brainstorming activities. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 29 The seven lessons are provided below: List of Unit Lessons Lesson One, Day One Title: KWL Chart: Fairy Tales Overview/Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to see what students already know about fairy tales, and what they want to know. This lesson will be re-visited at the end of the unit in order to fill in the last portion of the chart, which is what the students learned. Standards • CA Content Standard Listening and Speaking, 1.6: Speak clearly and at an appropriate pace for the type of communication (e.g. informal discussion, report to class). • CA ELD standard Listening and Speaking, Cluster 2:I: Make oneself understood when speaking by using consistent standard English grammatical forms of sounds; however some rules may not be followed (e.g., third person singular, male and female pronouns). Objectives • Content: By using the first part of the KWL chart (know and want to know), students will participate in an informal class discussion and write their ideas down on the KWL chart. • ELD: Students will respond to the first part of the KWL chart (know and want to know), by participating in a class discussion while speaking consistent Standard English. Time: 30 min. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 30 Materials • KWL graphic organizer • Butcher paper and marker Procedures: 1. Introduction: Pass out KWL chart to students and explain that they will be filling in a chart about what they know, what they want to know, and eventually what they learned about fairy tales. Explain that they will be completing the first two sections during this class session. 2. Modeling: On a big piece of butcher paper, make a KWL chart. Explain to the class the basics of a KWL chart. Ask for a volunteer to reiterate directions to check for understanding. 3. Guided Practice: As a class, come up with one bullet point for the “know” section, and one bullet point for the “want to know” section. Have students write down on their own graphic organizer the first two bullet points. 4. Independent Practice: Have students come up with two more bullet points for the first two sections (there will be a total of three in each section). 5. Closure: Ask students to share what they came up with on their own, and write some of the ideas on the class KWL chart. Explain that at the end of the fairy tale unit, they will return to the KWL chart to finish the last column (what they learned). 6. Students will keep KWL chart in a new “Fairy Tale” folder. Accommodations for ELL and Special Education Students: • Help with any spelling questions MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 31 • Check for understanding throughout the lesson • Through modeling the first bullet points, my ELL students should be able to understand what it expected of them. Assessment: • Students will keep the KWL chart in their fairy tale folder and will eventually turn in the KWL chart at the end of the unit, along with the rest of the folder (see attached rubric). • Students will be informally assessment by teacher walking around and checking for understanding. • For Intermediate English Learners: I will accept fractured sentences, and spelling errors are okay, however, they must be able to get their point across. • For Early Advanced: Sentences should be complete. Spelling errors are okay. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 32 Lesson Two, Day Two Title: Elements of a Fairy Tale Overview/ Purpose: In this lesson, students will be introduced to the elements that make a story a fairy tale. Standards • CA content standard Listening and Speaking, 1.4: Give and follow three and four- step directions. • ELD standard Listening and Speaking cluster 1I: Listen attentively to stories and information and identify important details and concepts by using both verbal and nonverbal responses. Objectives • Content: After being introduced to the elements of a fairy tale and being read a classic fairy tale, students will determine what elements of the story made it a fairy tale by completing a chart. • ELD: After being introduced to elements of a fairy tale, students will be asked orally what elements made the story read aloud a fairy tale. Then will then chart their answers. Time: One hour Materials • A classic grade level fairy tale (ex. Hansel and Gretel) • “Elements of a Fairy Tale” overhead sheet (attached) • Copies of “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart for each student (attached) MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 33 Procedures 1. Check for prior knowledge: Ask the students to refer to their KWL chart and discuss orally what they know about fairy tales. 2. Introduction: Explain to the students that they will be learning about the specific elements that make up a classic fairy tale. 3. As a class, go over the “elements of a fairy tale” overhead sheet. Reveal each element one at a time, and answer any questions, give example for clarification, etc. 4. Modeling: Read Hansel and Gretel to the class. During the reading, ask appropriate questions about elements of a fairy tale, and encourage students to point out any elements they see as they listen to the story. 5. Guided Practice: Pass out “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart, and go over each section of the chart. Ask one student to explain how to fill in the chart. Check for understanding with thumbs up/thumbs down method. 6. Collaborative Practice: Have students work in small groups (groups should be even based on learning levels) to determine what elements of a fairy tale Hansel and Gretel had, and fill in chart. Teacher should observe each group, and answer any clarifying questions. 7. Closure: Discuss as a class how they filled in the chart. Accommodations: • Make sure students are in heterogeneous collaborative groups. • Check for understanding throughout the lesson. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 34 • For any ELL students that are struggling, they will be able to ask any questions and complete their chart at the end, when the teacher reviews each section. • ELL students can refer to their first language for clarification if necessary. Assessment: • Students will keep this chart in their “Fairy Tale folder,” and will add to it as they read more fairy tales. This chart will be turned in at the end of the unit. • Students will be informally assessed throughout the lesson to check for understanding. Teacher will check for full participation in this exercise. • For Intermediate English Learners: This lesson is purely listening to a story, and checking items off on a checklist. All learners will be able to complete this. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 35 Elements of a fairy tale: 1. Begins with Once Upon a Time, Once long ago, Long, long ago etc. 2. Story setting is usually in a castle, forest, or town 3. Story has good / nice characters 4. Story has mean / bad characters 5. Many of the characters are animals or members of royalty 6. Story has magic 7. Story has the num bers 3 or 7 in it 8. Story has a problem 9. Problem in the story is solved 10. Good wins / outsmarts bad 11. Ending is "happily ever after" In order for a story to be a Fairy Tale it must have most of these characteristics - 6 or more. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 36 (Transforming fairy tales, 2010) Name:______The Elements of a Fairy Tale Chart • Special beginning and/or ending words - Once upon a time...and they lived happily ever after. • Good character • Evil character • Royalty and/or a castle usually present • Magic happens • Problem and a Solution • Things often happen in "threes" or "sevens" Use this chart when being "element detectives" with books from the genre of fairy tales. Place an X under each element you find in each story. Royalty Problem 3's Name of Fairy Special Good Evil and/or Magic and or Tale Words Character Character Castle Solution 7's MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 37 (Transforming fairy tales, 2010) Lesson Three, Day Three-Four Title: Lon Po Po and Little Red Riding Hood Comparison Overview/Purpose: There are many different version of Little Red Riding Hood from all around the world. In this lesson, student’s will be introduced to the Chinese version of the story, and will then compare and contrast it to the American version. Standards • CA Content Standard Literary Response and Analysis, 3.3: Compare and contrast different versions of the same stories that reflect different cultures. • California ELD Standard, Literary Response and Analysis, cluster 3 I: Use expanded vocabulary and descriptive words in oral and written responses to simple text. • Multicultural Standard: Build a thorough understanding and appreciation for different fairy tales from around the world. Objectives • Content: By using a Venn diagram, students will compare and contrast the original version of Little Red Riding with the Chinese version, Lon Po Po. • ELD: Using descriptive vocabulary, students will answer questions about both stories orally, and then fill out a Venn diagram. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 38 • Multicultural Objective: Students will build a thorough understanding and appreciation for two different versions of Little Red Riding Hood. Time: Two one-hour sessions Materials • Little Red Riding Hood book (any version of the original story). • Lon Po Po book by Ed Young • Venn diagram graphic organizer for each student • Whiteboard or Overhead Projector (Teacher) Procedures 1. Check for Prior Knowledge: Discuss as a class what they already know about fairy tales and Little Red Riding Hood. 2. Introduction: Read the original version of Little Red Riding Hood to the class. 3. List the main elements of the story on the white board or overhead projector (this will be revisited later). 4. Read Lon Po Po by Ed Young to the class. 5. List the main elements (elements of a fairy tale) of the story on the white board or overhead projector. 6. Discuss with students why it is important to read different versions of the same fairy tale. Discuss briefly the different perspectives. 7. Modeling: Introduce or revisit how to make a Venn diagram. This could be done by drawing a Venn diagram on the board, and comparing two simple things that the students are sure to know about (for example, compare soccer and football). 8. Revisit the main elements of both stories. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 39 9. Guided Practice: Pass out the Venn diagrams. Provide an example for each section (A little red riding hood fact, a Lon Po Po fact, and something they have in common.). Have the students write this down on their own diagram. Explain that they must have three bullet points in each section. 10. Independent Practice: Students will finish the Venn diagram with a partner. 11. Closure: Discuss as a class the completed Venn diagrams. 12. Have the students add both stories to their “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart. Accommodations • Discuss any unclear vocabulary • Check for understanding throughout the lesson • Students should be pair with heterogeneous partners. • For ELL students having trouble, they will get the opportunity to see what a completed Venn diagram should look like after the teacher goes over it with the class. Assessment • Add Venn diagram to their fairy tale folder, which will be handed in at the end of the unit for points (see attached rubric). • For Intermediate English Learners: They can have two bullet points in each section. • For Early Advanced: They can be missing two bullet points total. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 40 Name:______ Venn Diagram Comparing and Contrasting Lon Po Po Little Red Riding Hood ______ MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 41 Lesson Four, Day Five- Six Title: The Three Little Pigs and The Three Little Tamales Comparison Overview/Purpose: In this lesson, students are introduced to a different version of the classic fairy tale, The Three Little Pigs. The Three Little Tamales not only refers to Spanish culture, but Texan culture as well. Students will compare and contrast the two different stories and cultures. Standards • CA Content Standard 3.3: Compare and contrast different versions of the same stories that reflect different cultures. • CA Content Standard, Writing Conventions 1.2: Recognize and use the correct word order in written sentences. • California ELD Standard Writing Conventions, Cluster ES: A: Use complete sentences and correct word order. • Multicultural Standard: Student will build an understanding of Spanish and Texan culture through the reading of The Three Little Tamales. Objectives MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 42 • Content: Using a Venn diagram, students will compare and contrast The Three Little Pigs with The Three Little Tamales. • Content: Students will write their bullet points using correct word order. • ELD Standard: Students will write complete sentences and use the correct word order. • Multicultural Objective: Students will build a better understanding of Spanish and Texan culture through the exploration of the story, The Three Little Tamales. Time: Two one-hour sessions Materials • The Three Little Tamales by Eric A. Kimmel • The Three Little Pigs, any version of the original • Venn diagram graphic organizer for each student • Whiteboard or Overhead Projector (Teacher) Procedures 1. Check for prior knowledge: Discuss elements of a fairy tale, and what they already know about the story of the three little pigs. 2. Introduction: Read to the class The Three Little Pigs. 3. List the main elements of the story on the white board or overhead projector (this will be revisited later). 4. Read The Three Little Tamales by Eric A. Kimmel to the class. Make sure to discuss any unclear English and Spanish vocabulary (glossary at the beginning of the book), the setting of the story (Laredo, Texas, and point out location on a map), and elements of a fairy tale as you read. This would be a good opportunity MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 43 to call on any Spanish-speaking students to explain what some of the Spanish words in the book mean. 5. List the main elements of the story on the white board or overhead projector. 6. Modeling: Revisit the Venn diagram from the day before (The little Red Riding hood comparison). Tell students that they will be making another Venn diagram like this one, except with the three little pigs’ stories. 7. Go over the main elements of both stories together as a class, and discuss what is similar and different in each story. 8. Guided Practice: Pass out the Venn diagram graphic organizers. Make your own Venn diagram on the board. Since the students completed a Venn diagram the day before, have the students “Think, Pair, Share” how they will complete their diagram. Have one volunteer explain to the class how they will complete the assignment. 9. Independent Practice: Have students fill out the Venn diagram, again, students must have at least three bullet points in each section. 10. Closure: Discuss as a class their completed Venn diagrams. 11. Have the students add both stories to their “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart. Accommodations • Discuss any unclear vocabulary. • Check for understanding throughout the lesson. Assessment • Add Venn diagram to their fairy tale folder, which will be handed in at the end of the unit for a grade (see attached rubric). MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 44 • Students will be graded on completeness, and whether their sentences are in the correct word order. • For Intermediate Learners: Students can have two bullet points in each section. • For Early Advanced Learners: Students can be missing two bullet points total. Name:______ Venn Diagram Comparing and Contrasting The Three Little The Three Little Tamales Pigs ______ MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 45 ______ Lesson Five, Day Seven-Eight Title: Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Leola and the Honeybears Comparison Overview/Purpose: In this lesson, students are introduced to a different version of the classic fairy tale, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Students will compare and contrast the classic version of the fairy tale with an African-American version of the tale, Leola and the Honeybears. Standards • CA Content Standard 3.3: Compare and contrast different versions of the same stories that reflect different cultures. • CA Content Standard, Writing Conventions 1.2: Recognize and use the correct word order in written sentences. • California ELD Standard Writing Conventions, Cluster ES: A: Use complete sentences and correct word order. • Multicultural Standard: Student will build an understanding of African-American culture through the reading of Leola and the Honeybears. Objectives MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 46 • Content: Using a Venn diagram, students will compare and contrast Goldilocks and the Three Bears with Leola and the Honeybears. • Content: Students will write their bullet points using correct word order. • ELD Standard: Students will write complete sentences and use the correct word order. • Multicultural Objective: Students will build a better understanding of African American culture through the exploration of the story, Leola and the Honeybears. Time: Two one-hour sessions Materials • Leola and the Honeybears by Melodye Benson Rosales’ • Goldilocks and the Three Bears, any version of the original • Venn diagram graphic organizer for each student • Whiteboard or Overhead Projector (Teacher) Procedures 12. Check for prior knowledge: Discuss elements of a fairy tale, and what they already know about the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. 13. Introduction: Read to the class Goldilocks and the Three Bears. 14. List the main elements of the story on the white board or overhead projector (this will be revisited later). 15. Read Leola and the Honeybears by Melodye Benson Rosales’ to the class. Make sure to discuss the setting of the story, questions related to culture (for instance, instead of eating porridge, the bears eat plum pie, cobblers, and huckleberry tarts) and elements of a fairy tale as you read. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 47 16. List the main elements of the story on the white board or overhead projector. 17. Modeling: Revisit the Venn diagram from the day before (The three little pigs comparison). Tell students that they will be making a third Venn diagram like this one, except with the Goldilocks stories. 18. Go over the main elements of both stories together as a class, and discuss what is similar and different in each story. 19. Guided Practice: Pass out the Venn diagram graphic organizers. Make your own Venn diagram on the board. Since the students already completed two Venn diagrams, ask a volunteer explain to the class how they will complete the assignment. 20. Independent Practice: Have students fill out the Venn diagram, again, students must have at least three bullet points in each section. 21. Closure: Discuss as a class their completed Venn diagrams. 22. Have the students add both stories to their “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart. Accommodations • Discuss any unclear vocabulary. • Check for understanding throughout the lesson. Assessment • Add Venn diagram to their fairy tale folder, which will be handed in at the end of the unit for a grade (see attached rubric). • Students will be graded on completeness, and whether their sentences are in the correct word order. • For Intermediate Learners: Students can have two bullet points in each section. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 48 • For Early Advanced Learners: Students can be missing two bullet points total. Name:______ Venn Diagram Comparing and Contrasting Goldilocks and the Leola and the Three Bears Honeybears ______ MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 49 ______ Lesson Six, Day Nine-Eleven Title: The True Story of the Three Little Pigs Lesson Overview/Purpose: After reading The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, by Jon Scieszka, students will determine how the original story differs from the new one presented to them. They will then be asked to think about different perspectives, and come up with an alternate ending to the story from their point of view, by completing a storyboard. Standards • CA Content Standard, Literary Response and Analysis: 3.2 Generate alternative endings to plots and identify the reason or reasons for, and the impact of, the alternatives. • ELD Standard: Literary Response and Analysis, Cluster 2 ES EA: Read a literary selection and orally identify the literary elements of plot, setting, and characters. • Multicultural Standard: Understand the importance of different points of views. Objectives • Content: Students will generate their own ending to the story of The Three Little Pigs from their perspective. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 50 • ELD: Students will identify the plot, setting, and characters by participating orally in groups and completing a storyboard. • Multicultural Objective: By reading two different versions of the same story different through a different perspective, students will understand the value of looking at viewpoints. Time: Three one-hour sessions Materials • The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, by Jon Scieszka • Construction paper for each student • Colored pencils, markers, or crayons • Storyboard graphic organizer for each student- “Planning a Fairy Tale” Procedures Day One 1. Check for prior knowledge: Ask for volunteers to retell the original story of The Three Little Pigs. Can refer to their fairy tale elements chart, or their Venn diagram if necessary. Volunteers should take turns in telling parts of the story. 2. Introduction: Tell the students that you will be reading a similar story, except this version is told from the wolf’s perspective. Ask the students if they ever thought about the story from the wolf’s point of view. 3. While sitting in a reading circle, read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs to the class. Ask students to point out any fairy tale elements as they follow along. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 51 4. Modeling: Show the students a copy of the storyboard graphic organizer. Explain that they will fill in each box (there are six), with events that happened in the story. Explain that there needs to be a beginning, middle, and end, and include plot, setting and characters. Once they have finished their graphic organizer, they will then transfer their six sentences onto a piece of construction paper and draw a picture to illustrate each event. Using Little Red Riding Hood, make and show them an example. Using their own point of view, they will fill in the last box with an alternate ending (from their point of view) to the Three Little Pigs Story story. 5. Ask one volunteer to explain what they will be working on, and ask for thumbs up/thumbs down understanding. Day Two-Three: 6. Guided Practice: Pass out graphic organizers and refresh students on directions. Have students fill each box with one sentence. Once the six sentences are finished, it should be a completed story of the three little pigs. Teacher should walk around and check for understanding throughout this time. 7. Independent Practice: Students will receive a piece of construction paper that will be folded to make six squares. Have students transfer their six sentences into each box. 8. Once they have done this, they will illustrate each box/sentence. 9. Closure: Ask volunteers to share their storyboard. 10. Discuss why it is important to listen to everyone’s perspectives. Give classroom examples wherever possible. For example, if two people were not getting along, is it important to hear from one person, or both? MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 52 11. Once graded, storyboards can be displayed around the room. 12. Have students add The True Story of the Three Little Pigs to their “Elements of a fairy tale” chart. Accommodations • Discuss any unclear vocabulary, use a word dictionary, and help with any spelling. Assessment • Storyboard will be added to fairy tale folder, and graded at the end of the unit (see attached rubric). • For Intermediate Learners: Students will receive a graphic organizer with some sentences, and they need to fill in the blanks. • For Early Advanced: These students will be graded at the mainstream level. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 53 Name:______ Planning a Fairy Tale: Title:______ Directions: Using your “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart, and the Elements of a Fairy Tale Overheat Sheet, Fill in each box to create your own fairy tale! Setting: Characters: Good: Evil: Objects: Events: Problem: Solution: Quick Sketch: Sketch your plan for your story below: Beginning: Once upon a time, Once long ago, OR Long, long ago… Middle: Middle: MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 54 Middle: End: …and (they, he, or she) lived happily ever after Lesson Seven, Day Twelve-Thirteen Title: Cinderella’s From Around the World Overview/ Purpose: Students will work in collaborative groups to explore different versions of Cinderella from around the world. The will use a fresh “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart that will be devoted to charting six different Cinderella stories. They will use the knowledge they have acquired from each lesson up to this point to analyze each version (comparing and contrasting, different perspectives, and the elements that make up a fairy tale). Standards • CA Content Standard Literary Response and Analysis 3.3: Compare and contrast different versions of the same stories that reflect different cultures. • ELD Standard, Literary Response and Anaylsis: Cluster 3A: Read a variety of children’s literature and respond to it both orally and in writing. • Multicultural Standard: Students will explore different versions of the same fairy tale, in order to build a better understanding of why it is important to learn about other cultures (different viewpoints, gain cultural awareness, reasons for differences, etc) MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 55 Objectives • Content: Students will compare and contrast different version of Cinderella by charting different elements of each fairy tale. • ELD: Students will read a variety of Cinderella stories, and will discuss in groups the different elements of each story, and then write down their findings. • Multicultural: Students will read many different versions of Cinderella from different cultures. Time: Three one-hour sessions Materials • The original version of Cinderella- one copy for each student. • Six different versions of Cinderella from around the world. There are many different versions, here are the six I chose: o Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story by Tomie dePaola o Wishbones: A Folk tale from China retold by Barbara Ker Wilson o The Irish Cinderella by Shirly Climo o Estrellita de oro, Little Gold Star: A Cinderella Cuento, retold in Spanish and English by Joe Hayes. o The Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo o Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale by John Steptoe • Copies of “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart for each student (Used in Lesson Two) Procedures Day One MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 56 1. Checking for prior knowledge: Ask students to share what they know about Cinderella. These ideas can be written on the board for everyone to read. 2. Introduction: Teaching will introduce the lesson by reciting this introduction and poem: o There are hundreds of different versions of Cinderella. Different cultures have their own versions. In this unit you will investigate some very creative and imaginative versions of the story of Cinderella. You know THE Cinderella? Is that what you say? You're going to meet others, And you're now on your way! Keep your mind open. Your imagination you'll need. You'll be surprised by the "Cinderellas" In the stories you read. (Ryan & Roche, 2001) 3. Modeling: Have students get out their “Elements of a Fairy Tale” chart. Have one student share how to fill out the chart. Explain to the students that once again, they will be “Element Detectives,” except this time for six different versions of Cinderella. 4. Guided Practice: Pass out the original story to each student. Choral read the story with the class, and stop to discuss any elements of fairy tales that the students notice. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 57 Day Two-Three 1. Collaborative Practice: Split the students up into six groups of four. Pass out one version of the fairy tale to each group. Students will read the story, add it to their chart, and then pass their story along. Each student will read a page and pass it along, this way every student will get a chance to read. This will be done until every group has read all six fairy tales. Accommodations • Students will be placed in groups will all learning levels, so that they can learn and help each other. Students will be encouraged to first ask for each other’s help, before asking for the teacher’s. • Students may refer to their first language for clarification if necessary. Assessment • Students will add their Cinderella “Elements of a Fairy Tale Chart to their Fairy Tale Folder. This assignment will be handed in at the end of the unit (see attached rubric). • For Intermediate Learners and Early Advanced Learners: Both will be graded on the mainstream level, this is again a checklist that all students should be able to complete. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 58 Lesson Eight, Day Fourteen-Sixteen Title: Create Your Own Fairy Tale Overview/Purpose: In this lesson, students will reflect on all the knowledge of multicultural fairy tales they have gained throughout the unit to make their own fairy tale. Standards • CA Standard Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics) 2.1: Write brief narratives based on their experiences: a. Move through a logical sequence of events. B. Describe the setting, characters, objects, and events in detail. • ELD Standard Writing Strategies and Application Cluster 3A: Write short narratives that describe the setting, characters, objects, and events. • Multicultural Standard: Students will include elements of their own culture in their fairy tale and perhaps those of other cultures they have learned about over the course of the unit. Objectives • Content: Using their newfound knowledge of elements of a fairy tale, students will write their own short fairy tale that includes elements of a fairy tale, and covers setting, characters, objects, and events in detail. • ELD: Same as regular content standard. • Multicultural Standard: Students will be encouraged to review the stories and cultures they have learned about through each multicultural fairy tale, and include elements of their own cultural background when writing their fairy tale. Time: Three one-hour class sessions Materials MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 59 • Story booklet for each student • Elements of a Fairy Tale transparency • Planning a fairy tale graphic organizer for each student • Colored pencils, pens, or markers • Any amount of fairy tales for students to look at Procedures: Day One 1. Checking for prior knowledge: Have students refer to their “Elements of a Fairy Tale” worksheet, and discuss all the fairy tales you have read throughout the unit. Brainstorm ideas on the board. 2. Introduction: Explain to the students that they will now be taking all the elements that they have learned thus far, to make up their own fairy tale. Except this time, instead of a Princess, witch, or animal as the main character, they will become the main characters. 3. Modeling: Show the students an example of the booklet they will be making, with you as the main character. The book will consist of seven pages: Title page, beginning, three middle pages, and one ending page. 4. Each page should look as follows (this should be written on the board for students to refer to): o Page one: Cover Page- Title and picture o Page two: Beginning- Once upon a time or a long time ago….(one sentence) and picture. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 60 o Page three: Middle- Should contain one fairy tale element of their choice (refer to elements of a fairy tale sheet) and picture. o Page Four: Same as above. o Page Five: Same as above. o Page six: Ending- Must contain happily ever after and picture. 5. Introduce students to the rubric you will be using to grade them, so they know what is expected of them. 6. Check for understanding by having the students “Think, Pair, Share” about what they will do for their assignment. Come back together after five minutes and answer any clarifying questions. 7. Guided Practice: Pass out the “Planning a Fairy Tale” graphic organizer. Explain to the students that they will write down their ideas for their own fairy tale on the organizer. 8. Teacher should also have a station set up with all the books they have read in this unit for the students to refer to. The “Elements of a Fairy Tale” transparency should also be displayed, and they should have their elements checklist out to refer to. 9. Teacher will check for understanding by circulating through the room while students work. Students will also be encouraged to check with people at their table if they do not understand something. Day Two 10. Independent practice: Have each student make his or her own booklet first. This can be done giving each student three pieces of paper. With the papers stacked, MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 61 they should be folded in half, vertically. The top of the folded paper should be stapled to make the bindings of a book. (To save time, you can also make the books for the students before the lesson). 11. The teacher should once again show them the example they have made before the students begin. 12. Have the students refer to their graphic organizer to transfer their title, and six sentences onto each page. 13. Once they have one sentence on each page, they can illustrate their book. 14. Closure: Ask students to share their booklets. The teacher will also close the unit by filling in the learned part of their KWL chart. Accommodations • All students will have the example, the elements of a fairy tale, and their fairy tale checklist to refer to if they have any issues. Assessment • Students will be graded on a 24-point rubric (below). • For Intermediate and Advanced Learners: Since this is the last lesson, I am challenging all students to work at the mainstream level. Individual assistance will be given as needed. Extensions • During this unit (whenever time permits), the teacher should read as many multicultural fairy tales as possible. Each fairy tale should always be added to their Elements of a Fairy Tale checklist. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 62 Unit Rubric CATEGORY 5 4 3 2 1 KWL Chart KWL is KWL chart is KWL chart is KWL chart is KWL chart is complete. missing one missing two missing three missing two or Should be the element. elements. elements. more elements. same as class KWL "Elements of Student has all Student missing Student missing Student missing Student missing 13 stories we one story. two stories. three stories. four or more a Fairy Tale" have read on stories. Charts (2) the two elements charts (Cinderella chart and other stories chart). Lon Po Po Has three bullet Has one bullet Has two bullet Has three bullet Has four or points in each point missing. points missing. points missing. more bullet and Little Red section (9 total). points missing. Riding Hood Comparison The Three Has three bullet Has one bullet Has two bullet Has three bullet Has four or points in each point missing, points missing points missing, more bullets Little Pigs section (9 total), and/or few and/or a few and many missing, and and The and has uses errors. errors. errors. many errors. Three Little compete Tamales sentences and correct word Comparison order. The True Included Graphic Graphic Graphic Graphic completed organizer organizer organizer organizer Story of the graphic and/or and/or and/or and/or Three Little organizer, storyboard storyboard storyboard storyboard Pigs, completed missing one missing two missing three missing four or Storyboard storyboard with element. elements. elements. more elements. alternate ending. (Rubistar, 2010) MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 63 Chapter Five: Recommendations With so many different cultures, learning levels, and abilities within a classroom, it is important to cater your teaching around those differences. Making sure that there is enough multicultural literature embedded in the curriculum will ensure that every student hears a voice in a text they can relate to and from which to learn. This fairy tale unit is a tool for educators to not only practice reading and writing skills, but also to educate students about different cultures all around the world. Due to San Diego’s diverse population, it is important that students learn to not only acknowledge the differences within people, but to celebrate them. After completing this unit, I realized there are many things that educators like myself can take away. The lessons learned, educational implications, project implementation plans, limitations of this project, and project suggestions will be examined in this chapter. Lessons Learned Crucial to the success of this curriculum was choosing literature that is not only multicultural but also culturally authentic. When I first embarked on this project, I was pleased to find a vast selection of multicultural fairy tales. However, when I delved deeper into my research, I realized that choosing the appropriate literature for this curriculum was more challenging than I had originally anticipated. Not only did I need to find stories that met the purpose of this curriculum, but I also needed to make sure that the stories chosen were culturally authentic. It is easy to assume that a piece of literature is multicultural because the main character is a minority, however, this does not mean that the book is authentic to the culture. The Criteria for Selecting Multicultural Texts is something that will significantly influence my subsequent instructional decisions and MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 64 pedagogical practice. It is a useful tool for teachers to have when reading any piece of literature. With so many different resources out there teachers can use to ensure that literature is authentic (as discussed in chapter two). There is no reason why any educator should be reading/teaching books that are inauthentic to the cultures they represent. As teachers, we know that having an extensive classroom library is essential to creating a literate environment. Keeping cultural authenticity in mind, the class library needs not only be vast, but also diverse. In this sense, students get the opportunity to independently explore different cultures on their own through a book of their choosing. This also makes certain that different cultures are explored almost daily, instead of just at certain times of the year or around certain holidays. Meeker and Willis-Rivera (2002) argued that “multicultural libraries must be built in order to stop this partitioning of culture throughout the year, which ends up promoting exoticism” (p. 270). Therefore, teachers need to stock their classrooms with high quality multicultural literature, and this curriculum is designed to reduce exoticism through a more thorough integration into daily classroom practice. In addition to having a vast multicultural library, I have learned the importance of directly addressing tough questions about diversity. Meeker and Willis-Rivera (2002) explain that “worries about promoting the wrong message have led some teachers to not include multicultural literature in their classrooms” (p. 270). However, I have learned that the key to alleviating these worries is to talk about diversity openly and honestly and to make sure to not reinforce negative stereotypes by skipping over the discussion all together. This may only further perpetuate the idea that one culture is not as important as another. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 65 Another concern that teachers may have, and why some shy away from multicultural literature is using literature that contains languages other than English. However, this only adds to the cultural authenticity of the book, and I have learned that the challenge should be welcomed with open arms. For example, in The Three Little Tamales by Eric A. Kimmel used in lesson four, there are many Spanish words embedded into the story. This is a perfect opportunity for a teacher to enlist the help of a native Spanish speaker. Meier (2003) explained that “it is a great idea for teachers to practice unfamiliar words with a native speaker of the language in question, and children’s family members, or even children themselves, are likely sources of expertise” (p. 247). Choosing books that give the teacher and the students unique opportunities to learn another language serves a number of purposes. It demonstrates to the class that languages other than English are highly valued, and it gives students the opportunity to either learn a few words in another language or, for the native speakers, an opportunity to assist in the teaching of a new language. Being multilingual is an asset that any student can benefit from. Therefore, these types of books are a great learning opportunity, and should be used in the class as much as possible. Project Implementation This curriculum is designed to be used in the second grade Language Arts setting. It is aligned with California state content standards in order to ensure that it is appropriate and ready to teach in any second grade classroom. Although I have focused on second grade, this curriculum has the potential to be modified to fit anywhere from first to fifth grade classrooms. Not only is this curriculum ready to be taught in the second grade classroom, but it also prepares students for third grade, as there is a specific state standard MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 66 centered on understanding fairy tales. When the opportunity presents itself, I will pilot this curriculum in a second grade classroom. My plan is to first test the curriculum a number of times, make any necessary changes, and lastly, give my colleagues the opportunity to pilot the curriculum as well. I will welcome any constructive criticism and feedback in order to make certain this curriculum is as useful and relevant as possible. In the long run, I hope to make this curriculum not just supplemental material but embedded into the school curriculum as another tool for teachers as they help their students develop critical thinking and literacy skills. In order to evaluate the success of this project, I will do a number of things. The first will be to see how successful the students have been at the end of the unit. Their success will be measured by the rubric (as shown in chapter four). I will also give them a chance to give me feedback. I will be interested in learning if the students enjoyed the curriculum, and if there is anything that they think the curriculum lacked. Next, I will speak with teachers that helped me pilot the curriculum to see if they thought it was useful, and how their students enjoyed the curriculum. My goal is to get as much feedback as possible, in order to guarantee that the curriculum is successful. Once I receive this feedback, I will re-evaluate my curriculum. I will pay close attention to what students and teachers liked about the unit, and also what they thought the unit lacked. After this process, I will be able to make the necessary changes to the curriculum. If there is something that I noticed students and teachers responded well to, I will try to elaborate or even create another lesson. I will also be able to make changes to the areas that were not as successful. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 67 Global Implications Through the course of this project, I have found an abundance of literature discussing the benefits of incorporating multicultural literature into the classroom. However, I had a more difficult time locating research that discussed the benefits of specifically using multicultural fairy tales in the classroom. I have created this curriculum with the hopes that this can one day be measured and used to add to multicultural literature research, specifically, multicultural fairy tales. It is important to have an abundance of quality multicultural fairy tale curriculums for teachers to choose from so that they have the opportunity to choose lessons that fit the specific needs of their students. The more multicultural curriculums we have, the easier it will be for educators to implement them in the classroom. Limitations There are a few limitations surrounding the implementation of this project. The first is that educators must have access to the resources needed to teach this curriculum. Although the curriculum has been designed to be as accessible as possible, teachers must have the resources such as the multicultural fairy tales themselves. Therefore, in order to teach this curriculum, educators need access to an abundance of multicultural fairy tales (whether it be in their own classroom library, or the school or town library). These stories are crucial to the success of this project, consequently, this curriculum cannot be taught without them. If financial support to buy the appropriate fairy tales is an issue, then educators can use the resources they have to teach the lessons. Many of these stories can be found in a local library, which means there would be no cost to the teacher or the students. The lessons are also created so that it is easy to interchange fairy tales. This MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 68 means that if one tale is not available for some reason, then choosing another alternative fairy tale is an option. Secondly, as I reflected upon the completed curriculum, I find myself wishing I had even more multicultural fairy tales embedded in the unit. Because there are so many cultures around the world, it is inevitable that there will come a time when there is a student in the classroom that is not represented in one of the lessons. Although all lessons can be adapted in order to incorporate different fairy tales, (for example, any of the Cinderella stories can be replaced with a Cinderella story representing any culture, given that that culture has a Cinderella story similar to the original version), teachers would have to find the time to locate another story applicable to the lesson and the culture that they seek. As the curriculum evolves through implementation, revision, and adjustment, I recommend extending its research in order to represent as many cultures as possible. Future Research and Projects One aspect that I am particularly interested in pertaining to this project is understanding whether using multicultural fairy tales in the classroom helps foster a deeper understanding about diversity and all its benefits. Something that I would like to try in the future is giving the students and teachers who helped pilot this curriculum a survey at the end of the curriculum. Not only would their feedback improve the curriculum (as previously discussed), but it would also help gauge whether or not students were able to gain a greater understanding and acceptance of other cultures, which is one of the main purposes of this project. Although this curriculum is designed around Language Arts standards, there are many opportunities to incorporate other subjects as well, making it a thematic unit. The MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 69 first would be social studies. Because there are an abundance of cultures introduced and discussed throughout the course of the unit, there is ample opportunity to teach students about the history of each culture. Teachers can also touch on geography by reviewing where each story originated. Lastly, this curriculum gives teachers the opportunity to incorporate art activities (for example, when the students illustrate their own fairy tale), or by examining the types of illustrations found in each fairy tale. In today’s classroom, where such subjects are limited or eliminated entirely due to a national high stakes testing culture that mostly focus on reading and math, teachers need every opportunity to fit these subjects in whenever they can. Therefore, this curriculum has the possibility of developing student skills and providing content for a number of disciplines in addition to the English-Language Arts. Conclusion Creating and maintaining multicultural education in our schools ensures student success. It not only prepares them for the diverse world outside the classroom, but it also gives students the opportunity to see themselves in the literature they read, which will help keep them engaged and enlightened. Providing students with literature they can relate to translates into a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. After analyzing the literature that relates to incorporating multicultural literature into school curriculum, I have worked diligently to ensure that all the students needs will be met. Making certain that all literature used in the classroom is culturally relevant and culturally authentic is extremely important to the success of this curriculum and the success of multicultural education in general. Reviewing multicultural literature pedagogy that has been successful in the past also ensures that this curriculum will be MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 70 successful in the future. The curriculum itself is designed not only around California state standards, but also English Language Development and multicultural standards. There are also a variety of learning techniques embedded into the curriculum to ensure that every student will thrive. The purpose of this curriculum is to provide teachers with standards-based, developmentally appropriate multicultural literature resource ready for use in any elementary classroom. With the ever-changing diverse population seen in schools, it is vital that the literature educators teach reflects that’s diversity. In order for students to be successful, they need to relate and think critically about the literature they read. This curriculum will make it easier for educators to accomplish the essential goal of providing students with a multicultural education. MULTICULTURAL FAIRY TALES 71 References Al-Jafar, A., & Buzzelli, C. A. (2004). The art of storytelling for cross cultural understanding. International Journal of Early Childhood, 36 (1), 35-50. Barta, J., & Grindler, M.C. (1996). Exploring bias using multicultural literature for children. Teaching Reading, 50 (3), 269-270. Blackwell, V., (2003, May 31). Lon po po: written and illustrated by ed young. 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