Blog 7 Modern Fantasy 3321

Modern Fantasy

Our group presented on Modern Fantasy this week and we defined it as, literature that is set in the real world but the author alters one or more characteristics of everyday reality. There are many different categories of Modern Fantasy and they are: Articulate Animals, Toys, Preposterous Characters and Situations, Strange and Curious Worlds, Little People, Spirits: Friendly and Frightening, Time Warps and Science Fiction. With all the different categories of Modern Fantasy you can only imagine the limitless possibilities of how to use it in your classroom. Below is my example.

Book: The Little Engine That Could

Directions for teacher: Before reading the story to your students create a (large) little blue train out of construction paper and have this displayed on a wall in your classroom. Introduce the book to the students and engage them in talk before you read the story to them. Ask them what they think the book will be about based on the cover and title page. Then read the story (make sure to point out how the clown and toys don't give up along the way).

Directions for students: After reading the story to the students (and pointing out the moral of the story, don't give up) have them think about a time in there life where they ran into many obstacles and kept going. Give them a personal experience of your own as an example, learning to ride your bike or tying your shoe. Then ask your students to draw a personal experience in there lives, when they could have given up but kept trying.

Directions for teacher: After the students finish their drawings ask them to share their experiences and artwork, then have them tape their pictures on the wall in the coach cars of the little blue train you displayed on the wall. You could even put a large tittle over the train saying "I think I can, I think I can..... " :)