Retell the Story lesson

TeachPeaceNow

Lesson: Retell the Story

Objective: To practice finding bias in books and stories

Grade Level: All

Introduction
This activity can be done with any book and should be done many times to develop skill in ferreting out author's biases.

Procedure
1. After reading a book or story ask: How would this story be changed if the main character was different in some way? For example: If the main character was a white boy, how would the story change if that character was a black girl? (Gender/Racial bias) If the main character was a young girl, how would the story change if the character was an old woman? (Ageism). or if the main character had a disability? (Ableism) or if instead of taking place in a nice town in America, it took place in a shanty town in Brazil or some other setting (Classism) and so on.

2. If necessary, have students do research, and then have them retell or rewrite the story. For young children they can retell the story orally or with pictures. Older students can rewrite parts or the whole story. This can be a great group project or an independent project for an advanced reader or writer. Parents could do this activity when they read stories with their children. Have students read their retells to each other or make them into books for the class library.

3. Follow up by sharing stories where the main character does not fit the standard mold such as Amazing Grace, or the Paper Bag Princess.

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