Fiction Books:
The Three Pigs by David Wiesner (2001): traditional tale
Vocabulary: refuses, slay, purest, fate, vivid
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas (1993): reversed version of traditional tale
Vocabulary: crumbled, prowling, grunted, trembling
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka (1989): parody version of traditional tale
Vocabulary: fault, neighbor, diet
Non-Fiction Books:
Exploring the World of Wolves by Tracy Read (2010): full photographs and details about history of wolves, created for children
Pigs by Gail Gibbons (1999): informative text with illustrations about pigs
Wolves by Kate Riggs (2010): in series of Amazing Animals, photos with accessible text, includes relatable folktale
Video Versions
Technology
This video is an additional supplement that can be shown to the classroom after the completion of the lesson.
After reading the different versions of the Three Little Pigs, students will be able to apply what they know to graphic organizers. With these graphic organizers, students can differentiate between each story according to their setting, characters, and plot. All organizers can be used in other activities.
Prompt: Choose two of the three versions of The Three Little Pigs story. Compare and Contrast the two stories you have chosen.
Plan: Divide the class into groups of four and allow students to choose stories. Students will work as a team to fill out the compare and contrast worksheet.
Draft: Students will write their own pieces in their writing journals, or on provided writing sheets. They will perform this task independently. A group may be organized for the lower reading level students. After students have completed their pieces, type them out. Use the typed papers for future conferences with students.
Revise: Have students read each others work before you have conferences with them. After each student's piece has been peer reviewed once, allow conference time. When conferencing with the students, make suggestions on key details used when comparing and contrasting the stories. Students then return to desks and work on their revised version of their piece.
Edit: When students complete their revisions, allow them to go through their piece. Encourage them to edit their spelling and grammar as they go through them. Remind them that if they finish theirs, they can read their seat partner's too.
Publish: Students will type or write out their final copy. With these pieces, encourage students to illustrate the main ideas of their work. Their illustrations can be displayed for all of the school to see in the hallway, or simply placed on the walls in the classroom.
Narrative
What would you use to build your house? How would you build it?
Expository
Describe the steps for how you would build your house.
Opinion
What story did you like the best? Why?
The Three Piggy Opera
Brings the story of The Three Little Pigs to life. This would be done at the end of the unit and would be a performance for the class to give to other students, as well as their parents.
Here is an example of a 1st grade class performing The Three Piggy Opera.