The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
Start by asking students whether or not they know the fairy tale “The Three Little Pigs.”
If no students know it, tell them the story. If some or all students are familiar with it, have them collaborate to get down the key parts of the story:
Three pigs each built a house for themselves.
The first pig built a house made of straw. The second pig made a house made of wood. The third pig made a house made of brick.
A wolf came to the first house and said “Little Pig, little Pig, let me in.” The pig answered, “Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin.” (Some students may know different versions of this refrain. Note that there are many different versions of the story.)
The wolf took a deep breath and blew it at the pig’s house. Because it was made of straw the house blew away and the wolf ate the pig. (Some students may say the pig ran away to the next pig’s house. Again, note that there are many different versios.)
The wolf then went to the second pig’s house and said “Little Pig, little Pig, let me in.” When the pig refused he blew again, and because the house was made of wood the wolf blew it down.
The wolf then went to the third pig’s house and said “Little Pig, little Pig, let me in.” When the pig refused he blew again, but because the house was made of brick he could not blow it down.
So the wolf tried to sneak in through the chimney. However the pig built a fire (or boiled a pot of water) that the wolf fell into. The wolf either died or ran away, depending on the version.
If it hasn’t come up yet, point out to students that there are many different versions of the story where some details are different (for instance, what happens to the wolf at the end) but the main events are the same.
Now read the book The True Story of the Three Little Pigs to your class, if you have a print copy, or show the filmed reading in the student chapter The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.
Discuss:
How does this story make you feel?
Who is telling this story?
How is the wolf’s story different from the one you know?
Do you believe the wolf?
Particularly with younger children, it might be most effective to read or watch the book once, then introduce the above discussion questions, and then read or watch the story a second time before discussing them.
When students have shared their answers, ask:
Think about how the story made you feel. What parts of the book make you feel that way?
Look at how the wolf is drawn on page two and on pages six to seven (where he is baking the cake.)
How does that make him more or less scary than in most versions of the story?
Glasses and a suit make him look less scary. Cooking is also something we don’t associate with scary people.)
Look at the picture on pages eight to nine (where is walking to the first pig’s house.)
How does that make him seem more or less scary?
He is very small and we are looking down on him from above, which both make him seem less scary.
Do you think it’s fair that the wolf was put in prison? Why or why not?
Remind students of the Wolf’s words at the beginning of the book: “Nobody know the real story because nobody has ever heard my side of the story.”
If this is the wolf’s version of the story, whose version is the regular one? (The pigs’.)
Now ask:
- What things are in the pigs’ version of the story that were left out of the wolf’s version?
- The pigs building their houses; the pigs saying “Not by the hair on my chinny chin chin.”
- What things are in the wolf’s version of the story that were left out of the pigs’ version?
- The wolf wanting to bake a cake for his granny; the wolf asking for sugar; the wolf having a cold.
Do students agree with the wolf? Why or why not?
Highlight pages 26-27 (6 minutes and 15 seconds in the video) and point out that real reporters try hard not to be biased when they’re writing news articles.
If we were reporters covering this story, how could we find out which parts of each story are true?
Interview people who saw it happen; ask a doctor about the wolf’s cold; look for the cup that the wolf wanted to put sugar in.
Now ask:
If this story was the only thing you knew about pigs and wolves, what would you think about them?
If the usual version was the only thing you knew about pigs and wolves, what would you think about them?
Divide the class into two groups.
Tell one group that they are going to write from the Wolf’s point of view and the other that they are writing from the pigs’.
You may want to divide the class into smaller groups. If so, have half of the groups write from each point of view.
Distribute the handout Points of View, or have students access the student chapter Point of View.
Have students use the Structure Strip activity to make a chart (or help younger students make one) with “Wolves” in one column and “Pigs” in the other:
“Wolves” and “Pigs” according to B.B. Wolf
“Pigs” and “Wolves” according to T.L.Pigs
Have the “Wolves” group write down everything they know about wolves and pigs from this version of the story (for example, wolves love their grannies) and have the “Pigs” group write what they know based on the regular version.
They should be able to come up with five items.
When students have finished their lists, have them share with the class and compare. How similar and different were they?
Ask students if they have ever done a similar exercise, in class or elsewhere. If so, ask them to reflect on what has changed since the last time they did.
