Cahaba Kindergarten Fairy Tale Ball

Cahaba Elementary kindergarten teachers collaborated with specials teachers to design a Fairy Tale Ball that culminated their Fairy Tale Unit.  

The classroom teachers began by teaching various fairy tales in their classrooms. Then their teachers set up extra time in each special area so that the students could integrate the specials curriculum with their classroom content. 

Students learned a variety of art skills from art teacher Jenni Scott, while creating their own self-portraits, fairy tale style. In each portrait, the students used fairy tale elements that they learned in their classroom to create their own work of art.

The Three Little Pigs was a focus fairy tale. Students discussed the setting of the story and learned about different styles of homes. They used this knowledge in collaborations in the library and in computer.

The students visited Mrs. Hallman in the computer lab and took a virtual field trip with Google Earth. Students learned about virtual maps and globes while visiting a variety of homes in America. They connected this knowledge with their classroom learning by comparing and contrasting actual American homes to those in the tale of The Three Little Pigs.

Librarian Allie Aldrich set up a Skype session with an author, Michael Shoulders. Mrs. Aldrich and Mr. Shoulders talked to the kindergartners about being an author. He showed them his book, The ABC Book of American Homes. The students asked Michael Shoulders questions about writing and being an author. Mrs. Aldrich helped students connect their own writing and knowledge of stories and fairy tales to the work of Mr. Shoulders.

Throughout the unit, the students visited music teacher Tina Fortenberry who taught them about common fairy tale style music. She taught them about the Minuet in particular.  Students learned how to dance the Minuet, which they then performed at their fairy tale ball.