I feel like it's time for another fairytale...only let's have one that we perhaps don't know so well (even though it sounds slightly familiar)! Here's a tale of two sisters the start us off this week...
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BACKGROUND-BITE: The oldest version of this tale was written up under the title of "The Ungrateful Dwarf", by Caroline Stahl around the end of the eighteenth century, but the best known version is that.collected by the Brothers Grimm. The "Snow White" of this story is not related to the famous Snow White who met the seven dwarfs. This Snow White is the sister of Rose Red. The two girls live together with their mother in the forest and are visited one cold, winter's night by a bear who brings a little bit of adventure into their lives...
Fairy tales don't often depict sisters and sisterhood in a positive light. They generally end up being presented as envious or useless or both, when not turning into deadly rivals. This negative presentation stretches far back into ancient times: In the Greek myths, Psyche, for instance, ends up suffering almost as much from her sisters as from her unfriendly mother-in-law, Aphrodite. There are a few shining examples in some early English, French and Italian folktale collections, or in English folktales where sisters save their siblings, but for the most part, these stories feature sisters saving brothers. That's why this story is so refreshing!
Our favourite version of this tale can be found in 'Fierce Forgotten Fairytales' by Kate Pankhurst - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46205397-forgotten-fairy-tales-of-brave-and-brilliant-girls
ACTIVITIES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN - EYFS / KEY STAGE 1 (0-7 years):
1. Listen to Storynory's version of the story - https://www.storynory.com/snow-white-and-rose-red/
2. Craft your own roses - https://www.easypeasyandfun.com/paper-roses-heart-craft/
3. Grab some props - of the general household variety - and check out just how dramatic you can make your own re-working of our tale!
4. Using story stones/dice to devise the next adventure for our brave and bold sisters!
ACTIVITIES FOR OLDER CHILDREN - FOR KEY STAGE 2-4 (8-15 years):
1. Create an comic strip or animation of the story - https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/how-to-create-a-comic-strip/ , www.storyboardthat.com/storyboard-creator https://www.canva.com/create/comic-strips/
2. Find a bit more out about the Brothers Grimm - https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/grimms-fairy-tales/summary
3. Read some more of the Grimm's fairytales - http://www.free-short-stories.org.uk/the-brothers-grimm-fairy-tales-and-stories.htm
4. Try writing your own fairytale adventure for these sisters using these educational resources - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bIgvAH4T5A!
FOR GROWNUPS - STORY-ORIENTATED ESCAPISM:
1. Learn a little more about Caroline Stahl - https://www.tor.com/2018/01/25/creating-a-tale-of-sisterhood-snow-white-and-rose-red/