After learning so much about fables, you probably have lots of good ideas for fables. Today we are going to learn some steps for creating our own fables.

Let's review the parts of a fable that we examined in your story maps from activity 2. What are the elements of a fable?

Do you remember the idea brainstorm from activity 1? You had some great ideas for fables. Now we are going to take some of those ideas, make sure they include all of the elements, and actually write a fable!

Before we read about how to write fables, I want you to think about some of the fables that we have already read. Who were the characters?

Many of the characters were animals. Did they act like normal animals?

There is a word for the technique that authors use to make animals or objects seem like people. It is called personification. We have talked about it a little already, but now you will need to be able to use it.

Think of an example of personification from "The Frogs at the Rainbow's End?"

The frogs were able to talk. They wore clothes, and they wanted to find treasure. None of these are things that frogs would do, but all of them are things that people might do.

You may be using personification when you write your fable.

Today we are reading to learn how to do something. We are going to learn how to write a good fable. While you are reading, I want you to take a new kind of notes. They are called interactive notes. They look like this:

On the right side, you will take notes on the different steps of writing a fable. Then, on the left side you will write your own ideas. In this case, you can write about what you might do specifically in your own fable. The purpose of the interactive notes is so that notes will be useful to you personally.

Let's practice together.

Let's pretend that the first note that we take is "Make a title for you fable." This would be written on the right side.

Then, later, on the left side, we would put our title ideas. Maybe my fable is going to be called "The Hippopotamus that Wanted to Play Basketball." This would be written on the left side, next to the note about making a title.

I want you to take notes about the reading on the right and fill in what you will do in your own fable on the left. You will only be able to write on the left side for the first two sections of the reading. You will be able to finish the rest later, as you write your fable.

You can download and print the notes format here.

If you would like a more guided notes format for this assignment, click here.

Read "How to write a fable." You can read either the basic version or the more challenging version. Click on one of the links below to get started. If you prefer, you may print a copy of the reading.

Basic

Challenge

By now you probably have lots of good ideas for your writing. Take a minute to share your ideas with your partner.

Take a look back at step two in the Prewriting section of the reading. (Basic, Challenge)

What is this step about?

Creating characters is one of the most important parts of writing a fable. Why do you think this is so?

Make sure that you make your characters believable, and use good personification if the characters are not human.

Now, start writing your rough drafts. We will be working on these in writing workshop and completing the rest of the steps from the reading.

The fables will be due in one week. They should be revised, edited, and typed.

As you move through the steps, continue to write on the left side of your interactive notes. This will be a record of changes you have made to your fable.

Click the links below to see how you will be assessed for this lesson:

Interactive notes

Fable