Class Improvements

Out of all the future planning suggestions my favorites were the tutorial videos and thematic reading units. I know that I had tons of punctuation errors when it came to dialog and a video would be super helpful! There’s tons of rules when it comes to dialog that I used to have no idea about. Maybe there could be a quick “general punctuation” video that could include interjections (I had trouble with those for a while).  

Thematic reading units is also a cool idea! My storybook used stories about bears so I feel that this could help future students greatly. Especially if they want stories about a specific genre/animal. 

I never made a planning post this semester but I think that it should remain as an option along with the story post. I also like the idea of using the planning period for the storybook! 

Story: The Dog and his Image

(the dog jumping into the stream, source) 

“Here you go little guy.” An older woman smiled as she handed a stray dog a bone from the back entrance of her grocery store. The little dog took it happily and began to drag it away. The woman laughed at the sight of the tiny dog trying to maneuver a bone that was almost twice its size. The same dog had been visiting her daily for the past couple of weeks, and she always gave him a treat when he stopped by. However, no matter how much she fed him he always seemed to remain skinny. The next day the dog came back to her and like usual she gave him another bone. This time, though, she decided to follow him. 

They hadn’t been walking long when they came upon a stream. As soon as the dog noticed it he became angry and growled at the small channel of water. 

That’s odd, she thought to herself. 

Just as she was about to leave the dog rushed up to the shore and jumped into the shallow water with the bone still in its mouth. Instantly the dog lost his grip on the treat and it began to float away. The dog had the most confused expression on his face at first, but once he realized that his food was gone his face dropped. 

He must think that his reflection is another dog with a bone! The old lady concluded. That’s why he’s so skinny, he always gets tripped up at this stream. 

Over time the lady had become attached to the dog, and decided then to adopt him. She walked over to the sad dog and pet him behind the ears. He seemed to completely forget about the bone and barked happily at her. 

I need to remember to keep him away from mirrors. The woman laughed to herself. 

Author’s note: I used the “Dog and his Image” story this week. I didn’t change much from the original besides adding the older woman character and her point of view. However, when I finished this story I realized that I had written a similar one a couple of week ago! I guess I like stories where story dogs get adopted haha. 

Bibliography: "The Dog and his Image" by Jean de La Fontaine. 

Reading Notes, Fables of La Fontaine, Part B

(the garden, source) 

When I started reading “The Bear and the Amateur Gardener” I though it sounded familiar. Then by the end I realized that it’s pretty similar to “The Gardener and the Bear” story. I even used it in my storybook. Besides that I also liked the term “hermit bear.”

Bibliography: Bibliography: Fables of La Fontaine by Jean de La Fontaine. 

Reading Notes: Fables of La Fontaine, Part A

(image from "The Wolf and the Fox" by Tilney, source) 

I’ve heard the “Hare and the Tortoise” story countless times, but I really enjoyed that this one was in the form of a poem. I like the idea of re-writing this story but making it so that the tortoise and hare can only talk in rhymes. 

I love the illustrations in this unit, especially from “The Dog and his Image.” Also the “Wolf and the Fox.” I feel lie I could write a story only based on the images. 

Another story I liked was “The Monkey and the Cat” because I thought the two animals had an interesting dynamic. 

Bibliography: Fables of La Fontaine by Jean de La Fontaine. 

Story: The Cinder-Maid

In the middle of a castle courtyard sat a group of royal soldiers on their lunch break. They had been eating quietly when one of them finally broke the silence. 

“The Prince. He’s not too bright, is he?” one man stated. 

This made several of them laugh. 

“Oh, definitely not! I wouldn’t trust him to run this kingdom, that’s for sure!” chuckled another. 

A bearded soldier took a bite out of an apple before adding, “At the ball a couple of nights ago he had some of us pour honey on the stairs to stop this mystery girl from running away. I don’t know what he expected to happen. She just ran threw it without any trouble! He’s completely clueless, man.”

One soldier seemed sympathetic as they spoke. “Yeah, and since the honey didn’t work he threw another ball and had us put tar on the stairs instead. I guess it turned out a little better. One of the girl’s shoes got stuck and left behind!” 

“Apparently he’s planning on having every girl in the kingdom try on that shoe so that he can find this girl. He doesn’t seem to realize that some people have the same sized feet,” groaned a soldier with bags under their eyes. 

This had the whole table roaring with laughter. Just then the herald stumbled out from the castle and towards the soldiers. 

“I have news from the king! The Prince has traveled the entire kingdom and found someone who fits the shoe. Or should I say several people…”

“No surprise there!” yelled on of the soldiers. 

The herald didn’t seem to think this was funny. “He invited them all to the castle and they’re here now. Hopefully he’ll recognize this woman’s face.” As he finished speaking he left.

The soldiers only rolled their eyes and continued to gossip. After a little while the herald came back with more news. 

“So, the Prince has found the woman he’s been looking for. Her name is Cinder. There were multiple woman with the same sized feet, and a couple of them actually cut off part of their heel and toe so that their feet would fit.”

The soldiers looked at each other and shrugged. Stuff like this seemed to happen all the time in this kingdom. 

(the shoe, source) 

Author’s note: I used the “Cinder-Maid” for this week’s story. I kept the events from the original mostly the same, but I put everything in the perspective of the soldiers. I always thought it was funny that the Prince didn’t consider that some people have the same sized feet, so I decided to put that in my version. 

Bibliography: "The Cinder-Maid" by Joseph Jacobs

Reading Notes: Europa's Fairy Book, Part A

I liked that “The Cinder-Maid” had new twists that I had never seen before when it comes to the Cinderella story. One thing that always confused me was how the Cinder-Maid’s shoe size was so different from anyone else. Was there absolutely nobody that had the same shoe size as her? Maybe the prince isn’t so bright. If I used this story this week I’d probably explore this question. 

“The Language of Animals” was funny to me. Just this kid going to school for years and learning about one animal. I want to see what the school he went to was like. 

(an illustration from "The Language of Animals," source) 

Then, in “The Earl of Cattenborough” I was surprised that the cat did so much for Jack with nothing in return. 

Bibliography: Europa's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs 

Reading Notes: Czech Folktales, Part A

I can definitely relate to John in “Sleepy John.” I would take naps all the time if I could! This line made me laugh: “ONCE there was a lad named John, and he used to go to sleep always and everywhere.”

(Sleepy John, source) 

I’ve read “The Bear, the Eagle, and the Fish” before and it’s a pretty interesting story. 

I really liked the title “The Three Roses” because it reminds me of me and my sisters. There’s three of us and three daughters in the story. It also has some Beauty and the Beast vibes to it. 

Bibliography: Czech Folktales by Josef Baudis