Application: Write your own version of Cinderella!

After my students have explored many multicultural versions of Cinderella, they will create and write their own version. They should use 4 of the 6 common elements found in Cinderella stories, but they should feel free to be creative! The stories can be set in modern or historical times, in New York City, Girl Scout Camp, or anywhere else the imagination takes you!

We will publish the students' retellings and illustrations on this website.

Application: I-POEM

Another classroom application for Cinderella analysis is the I-Poem. I would like my students to choose one of the characters from a Cinderella story and then analyze that character and create an I-Poem.

I will publish my students' I-Poems on this website.

Here is an example of an I-Poem that I wrote from the perspective of Mireleh in The Way Meat Loves Salt:

I Am

I am Witty and Smart
I wonder Why my father would doubt my love for him
I hear The Prophet Elijah's blessings
I see A happy future with the Rabbi's son
I want to have a kind and loving heart
I am Witty and Smart

I pretend To be happy when I am sad
I feel like I'm in love
I touch The hearts and lives of my loved ones
I worry when my family hasn't seen me for a long time
I cry when my father misunderstands my love
I am Witty and Smart

I understand how much meat loves salt
I say Mazel Tov!
I dream that I had a magic stick
I try to be a good wife, daughter, and sister
I hope that I will live happily ever after - like Cinderella
I am Witty and Smart

Application: Venn Diagram

I would love for my students to explore the various versions of Cinderella and then to create a Venn diagram graphic organizer that compares and contrasts 2 versions of Cinderella. I think that this activity will help students think critically about what they are reading and make each story more memorable.

Application: Questions to help Analyze Various Versions of Cinderella

Characters

Who is our Heroine? Describe her in detail.

Does she have any parents/ guardians? How do they treat her?

Does she have brothers or sisters? How do they treat her?

Is there a fairy godmother that helps her? How so?

Are there any objects that come to life? What do they do?

Are there any animals that help the Heroine? How so?

Setting

Where does the story take place?

Name three different scenes in the story.

Conflict

How is the Heroine treated?

Does her treatment need to be changed?

Rising Action

Does the Heroine go to a special event? What does she wear, and how does she get there?

Is there a prince or a special friend that she meets?

What is the Prince’s reaction to the Heroine?

Climax

Are there any magic spells or curses? What are they?

Is there a time limit on the spells? What happened when the spells ended?

Did she leave anything behind at the event?

Resolution

What is the Prince’s reaction when he finds out the Heroine’s true identity?

What happens to the Heroine’s family?

How does the story end for the Heroine and the Prince?

Application: 6 Common Elements

Here are six common elements that we find in various versions of Cinderella.

1. A kind and deserving main character (Cinderella is usually female, but can be male or female.)
2. Main character is badly treated by her family.
3. There is some type of celebration.
4. There is some type of magic.
5. There is an item that allows others to recognize her as Cinderella, (i.e., slipper).
6. The character is rewarded with a life of wealth and happiness.

-Adapted from Oregon Department of Education's online resources

Literature: The Turkey Girl (1996)

Written By: Penny Pollock
Illustrated By: Ed Young

In this Native American variant of a familiar story, some turkeys make a gown of feathers for the poor girl who tends them so that she can participate in a sacred dance, but they desert her when she fails to return as promised.

Literature:: The Rough-Face Girl (1992)

Written By: Rafe Martin
Illustrated By: David Shannon

In this Algonquin Indian version of the Cinderella story, the Rough-Face Girl and her two beautiful but heartless sisters compete for the affections of the Invisible Being.