Substitute Lesson Plan: "The Golden Bird" (Grimms' Fairy Tales)

Objective

Students will listen to and follow the story "The Golden Bird," practice putting story events in order, and identify how the youngest son's good choices differed from his brothers' choices.

Materials

• Printed or displayed copy of "The Golden Bird" (provided text)
• Paper and pencils/crayons for each student
• Chalkboard/whiteboard or chart paper (optional, for listing events)

Warm-up (~5 min)

• Gather students and ask: "Have you ever been told good advice by someone, but you didn't listen? What happened?"
• Let 2–3 students share briefly.
• Say: "Today we're going to read a story about a golden bird, a magic fox, and three brothers — two of whom don't listen to good advice, and one who does!"

Main Activity (~25 min)

1. Read-Aloud (15 min): Read "The Golden Bird" aloud to the class, stopping at natural breaks (after the golden apples go missing, after each brother meets the fox, after the youngest son gets the bird, horse, and princess).
2. Pause after the eldest and second sons ignore the fox's advice and ask: "What do you think will happen to them?"
3. Pause after the youngest son listens to the fox and rides on its tail and ask: "How is he acting differently than his brothers?"
4. Pause at the end (when the youngest son sees his two brothers about to be hanged) and ask: "What do you think happens next?"

1. Guided Discussion (10 min): Ask the whole class these questions (answers must come only from the text):
2. Why did the king want to catch whoever was stealing the golden apples?
3. What did the fox warn the young man about at the two inns?
4. What three things did the youngest son need to bring back to the king: the bird, the ______, and the ______?
5. What two things did the fox warn the young man to beware of at the very end of this part of the story (ransoming someone from a gallows, and sitting by a river)?

Wrap-up / Exit Ticket (~10 min)

• Give each student a piece of paper.
• Ask them to draw one picture from the story (the golden bird, the fox, the golden horse, or the princess).
• Under the picture, have them write one sentence answering: "What advice did the fox give that was important?"
• Collect exit tickets as students finish.

If Time Remains

• Have students turn to a partner and retell, in their own words, what happened to the two older brothers when they reached the inns — and how the youngest brother acted differently.