Fables Lesson Plans

A video leads off this activity on fables, introducing the class to this important form of traditional storytelling. The group defines "fable" and hears an explanation of the origin of this type of folk tale. They summarize the story they watch, state the moral, and relate the moral to their own experiences. Finally, small groups retell a fable, placing it in modern context.

Explore the fables of today along with Aesop's ancient fables. Learners will understand the structure of a fable, critically think about the fable's message, and create a lesson that they would like to teach through a fable. Suggested fables are included along with follow-up activities. There is also a rubric for writing a fable.

Combining art instruction and reading comprehension, this is  geared to reach multiple intelligences. First, read a variety of fables, discussing story elements and character traits. Then, have kids create and illustrate their own fable. This leads to a collaborative class mural, an interpretive xylophone composition, and a dance, all of which reflect the traits of a character in the stories they wrote. These projects are documented on a class website. Extensions included.

Love this lesson! After learning about fables, pupils create a video representation of their own original story. What a wonderful way to have them explore this genre and learn how to use movie-making software.

Students use the Internet to research the history of fables and the motivation to create them. After viewing video clips, they identify the morals in each fable they read and explain the connection between the animals and human characters. They work together in groups and individually to write traditional and modern fables.

Students explore fables in Greek culture. In this literacy and ancient Greek history instructional activity, students listen to a number of Aesop's fables and identify characters, plot, and morals. Students construct and decorate "comedy" and "tragedy" masks, then perform a retelling of one of Aesop's fables.

Young scholars write their own fables. For this writing fables lesson, students use handheld computers to write a fable. The class designs a spreadsheet to organize common elements of fables. Young scholars also edit each others' work.

Third graders develop a presentation based on Aesop's Fables. For this Aesop Fables and presentation lesson, 3rd graders examine the characteristics of fables and how to interpret them. They choose one of Aesop's Fables to research. They work in groups to choose the type of presentation they will make, complete the project sheet, research the fable and the history of fables, and make the presentation.

Student's explore the concept of fables.  In this fable lesson, students discuss the morals of various Aesop Fables.  Students then create projects such as creative writing and researching myths and legends. 

Students trace the background of fables and identify the motivation and morals to them. In this fable analysis lesson plan, students trace the history of fables and identify their characteristics. Students identify and use vocabulary for the fables and rewrite a classic fable into a modern version.