The Little Mermaid: A Treasured Tale for Reading, Writing, and Thinking Sarah Conrad Carolyn L. Cook, Ph.D. SoMIRAC March 30, 2012

Overview of the Session Connection to CCSS Connection to CCSS Mermaid stories Mermaid stories – Compare and contrast Critical literacy Critical literacy – What and why Activities Activities – How to read, write, and think

Common Core State Standards Reading (CCSS 4.7) Reading (CCSS 4.7) – Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text. Writing (CCSS 4.9) Writing (CCSS 4.9) – Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research

Andersen’s Original (1837) Disney Version (1989) little mermaid no name Ariel Five sisters, father Grandmother No grandmother Sea witch – not evil Sea witch (Ursula) – evil and manipulative Visits surface on 16 th birthday Visits surface whenever she wants Saves prince from a shipwreck Seeks humanity for a soul Seeks humanity for love of the prince

Andersen’s Original (1837) Disney Version (1989) Potion from sea witch turns her fin into legs for the price of her voice Prince marries another princess despite his growing affection for the little mermaid Prince plans to marry the girl whom he thinks saved him, but actually is the sea witch Ursula in disguise Sisters procure a knife for the little mermaid to use to kill the prince and return to them Scuttle cracks the seashell hiding Ariel’s voice so it can return to her Little mermaid sacrifices herself for the prince’s happiness and joins the daughters of the air to do good de eds to gain a soul Triton grants her wish to be human after Eric defeats Ursula, so that she can marry her prince and live happily ever after

Goals of Critical Literacy Read, write, and think in a critical manner Read, write, and think in a critical manner Take a questioning stance on texts encountered daily Take a questioning stance on texts encountered daily Consider social, political, and ethical issues in text Consider social, political, and ethical issues in text Learn to read the text beyond the words on the page Learn to read the text beyond the words on the page View texts from a new perspective View texts from a new perspective Analyze all texts Analyze all texts – Books, Movies, Signs, Artifacts, Magazines, Newspapers…

Critical Literacy Encourages “students to use language to question the everyday world, to interrogate the relationship between language and power, to analyze popular culture and media, to understand how power relationships are socially constructed, and to consider actions that can be taken to promote social justice.” Lewison, Leland & Harste, 2008, p. 3 ) (Lewison, Leland & Harste, 2008, p. 3 )

9 Situated Context Personal and Cultural Resources Critical Social Practices Critical Stance (Lewison, Leland & Harste, 2008 )

10 Situated Context More than just reading a book

11 Situated Context Personal and Cultural Resources TOOLS FOR LIVING: Personal experiences Social issues Popular culture/media Social issues BooksTextbooks Oral texts Desires Community concerns

12 Situated Context Personal and Cultural Resources Critical Social Practices Disrupting the commonplace Disrupting the commonplace Seeing multiple viewpoints Seeing multiple viewpoints Focusing on the sociopolitical Focusing on the sociopolitical Taking action to promote social justice Taking action to promote social justice

THINK

14 Situated Context Personal and Cultural Resources Critical Social Practices Critical Stance

Taking a Critical Stance Involves an attitude, a way of thinking and teaching Involves an attitude, a way of thinking and teaching – Being consciously engaged – Trying new ways of viewing things – Being responsible to solve the situation – Being reflective to challenge common assumptions

Critical Literacy Is “a transaction among the personal and cultural resources we use, the critical social practices we enact, and the critical stance that we and our students take on in classrooms and in the world.” (Lewison, Leland, & Harste, 2008, p. 5)

Consider Little Mermaid Text Read selected text from Andersen’s Little Mermaid Read selected text from Andersen’s Little Mermaid Complete graphic organizer Complete graphic organizer Discuss findings Discuss findings

Reading, Writing, & Thinking with Andersen and Disney

Andersen’s Original (1837) Disney Version (1989) Potion from sea witch turns her fin into legs for price of her voice Prince marries another princess despite his growing affection for the little mermaid Prince plans to marry the girl who he thinks saved him, but actually is the sea witch Ursula in disguise Sisters procure a knife for little mermaid to use to kill the prince and return to them Scuttle cracks the seashell hiding Ariel’s voice so it can return to her Little mermaid sacrifices herself for the prince’s happiness and joins daughters of the air to do good deeds to gain a soul Triton grants her wish to be human after Eric defeats Ursula, so that she can marry her prince and live happily ever after

Consider Little Mermaid Movie View video clip from Disney’s Little Mermaid View video clip from Disney’s Little Mermaid Complete graphic organizer Complete graphic organizer Discuss findings Discuss findings Pmg&feature=related Pmg&feature=related Pmg&feature=related Pmg&feature=related

Discuss and Write Discuss - What did you notice? - What questions do you have? - What ideas have been challenged? Write -How could you use critical literacy in your classroom? Share

Using Critical Literacy Reading and Viewing Reading and Viewing Talking and Thinking Talking and Thinking – Text vs. Film – Role of Females – Differentiation of Motives Writing Writing – Persuasion: tell Ariel what to do – Description: describe female role – Comparison: compare and contrast motives

Read, Write, and Think Critically Use critical literacy in all classrooms Use critical literacy in all classrooms Model taking a critical literacy stance with all types of texts (books, media, advertisements) Model taking a critical literacy stance with all types of texts (books, media, advertisements) Question assumptions, see other perspectives, analyze language and power structures, seek to promote social fairness in all things Question assumptions, see other perspectives, analyze language and power structures, seek to promote social fairness in all things

References Andersen, H. C. (1993). The mermaid In Andersen’s Fairy Tales (p. 9-29). Great Britain: Wordsworth Editions Limited. Andersen, H. C. (1993). The mermaid In Andersen’s Fairy Tales (p. 9-29). Great Britain: Wordsworth Editions Limited. Disney, W. (2006). The little mermaid – 2 disc special edition [Motion picture]. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Pictures. Disney, W. (2006). The little mermaid – 2 disc special edition [Motion picture]. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Pictures. Lewison, M., Leland, C., & Harste, J. (2008). Creating critical classrooms: K-8 reading and writing with an edge. New York, NY: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Lewison, M., Leland, C., & Harste, J. (2008). Creating critical classrooms: K-8 reading and writing with an edge. New York, NY: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

The Little Mermaid: A Treasured Tale for Reading, Writing, and Thinking Sarah Conrad Carolyn L. Cook, Ph.D. SoMIRAC March 30, 2012