The Three Little Pigs: A Comparative Analysis

Writing Workshop is a strategic approach that provides students opportunities to begin critical thinking through the steps in the writing process. Expressly, students think critically about what they are actually writing through a planned process. Big Universe offers a variety of lesson plans that include a story from the library, and a plan for writing with a critical thinking component. Simultaneously, students are taught to be aware of the importance of communicating ideas effectively through writing. In particular, students must keep in mind that judgments, interpretations, arguments, or opinions will need to be supported not only through quality writing structures but also through effective thinking.

In the book Toward a Pedagogy of
Writing traditional stories from a different point of view is an example of how to apply critical thinking in writing immediately after reading a story. The Three Little Pigs is a traditional story told from the point of view of the Pigs. A non-traditional story of the Three Little Pigs, written by Jon Scieszka, called The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is told from the wolfs point-of-view, and ultimately prompting students to think from a completely different perspective. After reading both books, use a graphic organizer to compare the differences between the two
Unlike in the primary grades, where students are encouraged to write a conclusion sentence that does not include new information, in this lesson plan students are encouraged to write a concluding sentence that is different from the topic sentence and one that provides a satisfying ending such as: “Pippo proved that he was smart and creative, and he was not a fool at all.” This lesson plan involves reading and then applying critical thinking skills in an opinion format that challenges students to develop a creative conclusion