Modern Folk Tale

Today, most kids don't have to worry about getting eaten by wolves. But, from undesirable Roblox acquaintances to developing independence despite helicopter parents, children face very different challenges than those born even 50 years ago. Think about the lessons you would want to teach your children or younger siblings about the world today. What are some dangers you don't think we prepare kids for enough? In this assignment, your job is to write a story that will prepare young people for the world.

Assignment

  1. Pick an Issue: Choose something you think is wrong with kids today that you have insight about how to fix. This could be a problem you or a close friend have faced successfully.
  2. Outline Using the Hero’s Journey: Develop an outline for a story that shows how your hero faced a challenge and overcame it. Try to use all the elements, but you can also explain why certain elements just couldn't be integrated into your story. That being said, you shouldn't be missing more than a few of the points in the Hero's Journey.
  3. Create Images: Use an AI image generator to create images to support your story.
  4. Write Your Story: Compose your image-supported story in a Google Doc.
  5. AI-Supported Writing:
    • Generate several versions and choose the parts you like, then combine them with your own writing to create a modern fairy tale.
  6. Reflect on your learning in a video where you answer the following questions:
  7. What inspired you to chose this issue as a modern problem?
  8. What were the strengths of the AI-generated portions, and what were you able to add as a human?
  9. Were you able to incorporate all the Hero's Journey elements? If yes, you can skip this question. If no, please explain your thinking about why including those elements would have made your story worse.
  10. What "moral" did you want your readers to leave with?

Assessment

Pre-Submission

Before you submit, please complete the Pre-Submission Self-Assessment.

What to Turn In

  • 📤
    Pre-Submission Self-Assessment Google Doc
  • 📤

    Point-form outline showing how the story follows the Hero’s Journey

  • 📤

    Folk tale Google Doc with images

  • 📤

    AI drafts and a screencast explaining tool use and choices (if AI was used)

Learning Goals

We are learning to:

  • 🎯

    Write a purposeful story using a voice, style, and tone appropriate for a young audience.

  • 🎯

    Use digital tools ethically and effectively to support the creative process.

  • 🎯

    Reflect on the creative process to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies and tools.

Success Criteria

I can:

  • Write an effective folk tale with a clear moral and age-appropriate voice and style.

    Expectations Covered: B2.2, D2.3
  • Use digital tools to develop and illustrate the story.

    Expectations Covered: A2.3, A2.6
  • Evaluate my creative process and justify creative choices.

    Expectations Covered: C3.8, D3.3

Rubric

Category Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
Knowledge & Understanding
Understanding of folk tale conventions and the Hero’s Journey archetype
Demonstrates thorough and insightful understanding of the conventions of folk tales and the Hero’s Journey archetype. Demonstrates considerable understanding of the conventions of folk tales and the Hero’s Journey archetype. Demonstrates some understanding of the conventions of folk tales and the Hero’s Journey archetype. Demonstrates limited understanding of the conventions of folk tales and the Hero’s Journey archetype.
Thinking
Critical awareness shown in the Hero’s Journey plan and creative process reflection
The plan and reflection show a high degree of critical awareness. The plan and reflection show considerable critical awareness. The plan and reflection show some critical awareness. The plan and reflection show limited critical awareness.
Communication
Clarity, voice, and style appropriate to audience and purpose
Writing shows a high degree of clarity; voice and style are highly effective. Writing shows considerable clarity; voice and style are appropriate. Writing shows some clarity; voice and style are somewhat appropriate. Writing shows limited clarity; voice and style are minimally appropriate.
Application
Use of digital tools and the writing process to create the final product
Applies digital tools and the writing process with a high degree of effectiveness. Applies digital tools and the writing process with considerable effectiveness. Applies digital tools and the writing process with some effectiveness. Applies digital tools and the writing process with limited effectiveness.
Knowledge & Understanding
Criteria: Understanding of folk tale conventions and the Hero’s Journey archetype
Level 4

Demonstrates thorough and insightful understanding of the conventions of folk tales and the Hero’s Journey archetype.

Level 3

Demonstrates considerable understanding of the conventions of folk tales and the Hero’s Journey archetype.

Level 2

Demonstrates some understanding of the conventions of folk tales and the Hero’s Journey archetype.

Level 1

Demonstrates limited understanding of the conventions of folk tales and the Hero’s Journey archetype.

Thinking
Criteria: Critical awareness shown in the Hero’s Journey plan and creative process reflection
Level 4

The plan and reflection show a high degree of critical awareness.

Level 3

The plan and reflection show considerable critical awareness.

Level 2

The plan and reflection show some critical awareness.

Level 1

The plan and reflection show limited critical awareness.

Communication
Criteria: Clarity, voice, and style appropriate to audience and purpose
Level 4

Writing shows a high degree of clarity; voice and style are highly effective.

Level 3

Writing shows considerable clarity; voice and style are appropriate.

Level 2

Writing shows some clarity; voice and style are somewhat appropriate.

Level 1

Writing shows limited clarity; voice and style are minimally appropriate.

Application
Criteria: Use of digital tools and the writing process to create the final product
Level 4

Applies digital tools and the writing process with a high degree of effectiveness.

Level 3

Applies digital tools and the writing process with considerable effectiveness.

Level 2

Applies digital tools and the writing process with some effectiveness.

Level 1

Applies digital tools and the writing process with limited effectiveness.