A Grimm Past

A girl in a red cape on her way to grandmother’s house, a mischievous being who can spin straw into gold, a frog who transforms into a prince. These are all grim tales—the Brothers Grimm, that is! And these stories have been told time and again, in many different ways, for centuries.

Tell your students that they will be setting off on an adventure: a research project centered around the brothers who put fairy tales on the map. Have them visit the library and work in small groups to discover more about the history of storytelling, folklore and, ultimately, how the Brothers Grimm became so well known. Guide them with prompts like:

• How and where did their famous stories originate?
• In what ways, if any, did the stories change once the brothers collected them?
• When comparing and contrasting their stories, what do you notice about the different ways these stories have been told over time?
• How have their stories lasted all these centuries?
• How relevant are these stories in the 21st century?

After they’ve done their research, have each group present to the class—via creative storytelling, song, dance, etc.—a brief history of the Brothers Grimm or an adaptation of one of their famous fairy tales!