I'm A Castle

Types of poetry

The big question of this issue of Storyworks 2 is: What is a fairy tale?

• Reading and discussing “I’m a Castle,” along with the other fairy tale-themed texts in the magazine (the Big Read, “If You Lived in a Castle . . .”; the paired texts, “The Frog Prince”/“Real Frogs!”; Words & Pictures, “The Story of Cinderella”; and the fiction, “The Real Wicked One”), should give kids insight into the fairy tale genre.
• Through the above stories, students will discuss:
  What is a fairy tale? Why do we like reading fairy tales? What makes a fairy tale different from other kinds of stories?

Watch “The Big Question: What Is a Fairy Tale?” (This video also goes with other stories in this month’s Storyworks 2.)

• Before your students watch, ask them to think about the question “What is a fairy tale?”
• Watch the video.
• After watching, ask the question again. Write students’ ideas on chart paper.

Read the Big Read (20 minutes)

• This poem is best understood after reading the nonfiction article “If You Lived in a Castle.” That gives kids background knowledge that will help them understand the poem.

Preview Vocabulary (3 minutes)

• Play the online vocabulary slideshow. This story’s featured words are balls, moat, and feast.

Preview the Poem’s Form (10-15 minutes)

• Now tell students they are going to read a poem. Tell them it connects to the video they watched about fairy tales.
• Before reading the poem, ask children to look at the page and share what they notice. It’s in the shape of a castle!

• This poem is fun to read as a whole-class activity.
  
• Read the poem as a class. Model fluency and get kids familiar with the language.
• Then call on students to read it aloud, a line each. Ask them to try to read with expression.
• You can also click the Read Aloud button at the top of the digital issue to hear it read aloud by a professional voice actor. 
  

ELA: Make Your Own Shape Poems (20 minutes)

• We offer delightful shape templates online! Kids can write in them to make their own shape poems. Of course, one shape they can choose is a castle!
• First, photocopy and pass out the shapes. Ask kids to pick their favorite.
• Then they can brainstorm words and phrases connected to the shape.
• Now they can write their poems in the shape!

ELA Focus: Opinion Writing

• Students can practice opinion writing with the “Would You Want to Live in a Castle?” printable. 
• Students will fill in blanks to describe if they would or would not like to live in a castle.

Enrich the Learning: Paired-Text Opportunities (time amount varies)

Making text-to-text connections builds knowledge and comprehension. We layer Storyworks 2 with many ways for your students to make connections.

• Additional Pairable Texts: The Big Read, “If You Lived in a Castle”; the paired texts, “The Frog Prince”/“Real Frogs!”; Words & Pictures, “The Story of Cinderella”; and the fiction, “The Real Wicked One.”
• These texts also ask questions similar to those posed in the poem. What is a fairy tale? Is there a magical element in the story? If so, what is it?