Fairy Tales on Trial

Students discover a unique way to determine the fine line between doing wrong and crime. They study character education by doing - using fairy tales and simulating investigation and trials. The activities challenge students as they use all language arts skills: critical reading, analytical thinking and writing, speaking and drama.

Use with the entire class, choosing an appropriate case by its complexity and appropriate level of challenge. The class creates all elements of a case and presents the case to another class, who becomes the jury. All roles are clearly described. Enrichment educators can use the cases with small groups of gifted and talented children.

Parents will enjoy helping their children practice their roles, gather props, and create costumes. The confidence their children gain in their reading, thinking and speaking skills will be well received.

Engage students in cooperative teamwork to create each case, to work as prosecution and defense teams, as well as to deliberate and make decisions. These same skills are goals of the U.S. Department of Education. They are also workplace objectives.