Into the Woods: Exploring Disabilities in Fairy Tales and Classic Stories

Lesson title: Into the Woods: Exploring Disabilities in Fairy Tales and Classic Stories PDF

Summary:
Using Amanda Leduc’s book “Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space,” as inspiration students will consider different representations of disability in fairy tales and classic stories. They will watch an interview and a reading with Leduc, read 2 texts referenced in her book and learn to identify issues with how disabled people are presented and stereotyped. Students will produce two written assignments. One is an update to a classic story (either Beauty and the Beast or the Little Mermaid); the students will rewrite the classic tale to center and honor experiences of all bodies and abilities. The second assignment is a choice assignment. Students will either rewrite a second tale, or write a 1 page autobiographical story in the style of a fairy tale.

Subject and topic: 

English, Social Studies, Art, Disability History

Grade level: 

9th to 12th grade

Duration: 

3-5 days, approximately 1 hour per day.
Duration depends on the amount of in class time that is available for working on creations.