Students created as well as performed their own group pieces of fractured fables and fairy tales after reading ‘aesop revised by archy’ by don marquis, where a cockroach takes a stab at putting his own personal twist on a classic Aesop fable. These students did the same while considering such questions as What makes someone else’s story our own and what slight changes can we execute to make it so? Students played with the poem’s tone, voice, humor and line breaks and text layout in these fractured-fable poems.
Lesson Note: ‘…in an era when human impact on the natural world is of pressing concern—we are in the midst of a human-induced mass die-off of flora and fauna,—poetry’s capacity to embody animal perspectives seems increasingly urgent. When animals are not merely spoken of but speak directly to us in poems, what should we humans hear?’-Writer/ Teacher Kathleen Rooney, Animal Planet: The prescient ecopoetics of Don Marquis, Essay for the Poetry Foundation 2018
Ms. Taylor, 9th Grade
Period 1
The Fighting Cocks and The Eagle
Miguel A., Emelyth S., Kayden H., Karolina R.
There were two Chickens who live in the same farmyard, trash-talking to each other. They went on the block and squared up. They beat each other up. One was scared
and crawled off to a corner to hide.
As you know, there’s a winner in every trash talk. POW! BOOM! SLAM! They fought again!
The chickens fight, and one eventually wins goes to the top and gets picked up by a random eagle and the other chicken proclaims his opponent spot.
For revenge, the Eagle claimed his spot for victory. He became the ruler of the farmhouse.
The Travelers and the Sea
Lelianie M., Jeremiah T., Tamia W., Kai T.,
Two Travelers were walking along the seashore. Far out they saw something riding on the waves.
“Look over there,” said one, “I believe it’s a big ship with much valuable stuff”
The object they saw came closer to the shore.
“Yes,” said the other, “that is a ship with treasure.”
The object is still coming closer. The waves wash something up on shore.
They reached out to the ship and said “It a chest of gold that has fallen out of the ship”
They opened the chest wondering what they will buy with all of their treasurers. But when they open and see the gold they notice it was nothing but fools gold.
Do not let your hopes carry you away from reality.
Ms. Taylor, 8th Grade
Period 2
The Patrick and The Sergio
after The Tortise and the Hare
Sergio M., Hahn-Saem L., Patrick J.
A Patrick was making fun of the Sergio on the day for being a slowpoke
Do you ever get to school Patrick asked with a mocking
laugh Ha Ha Ha
Yes replied Sergio and I get to school sooner
than you think I’ll run you a race back to school and
prove it
The Patrick was much amused at the idea of
running a race to school with the Sergio but fo the
fun of the thing Patrick agreed so did Hahn-Saem
who had consented to act as judge marked
the distance and started the runners off.
The Patrick was soon far out of sight and to
make the Sergio feel very deeply how ridiculous it
was for him to try a race with a Patrick he lay
down beside the street light to take a nap until the
Sergio should catch up
The Sergios meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily
and after time passed the place where
the Patrick was sleeping but the Patrick slept
on very peacefully and when at last he did wake
up the Sergio was near the goal
The Sergio now ran his swiftest but he did not overtake the
Sergio in time
Ms. Taylor, 8th Grade
Period 5
The Mighty Prince
Gabriela C., Mo I., Theresa G.,
Jaretsy E., Josephine N.,
once upon a time a mighty prince
rode his mighty yacht into the great unknown
when all of a sudden, the waves got bigger and bigger
the mighty boat turned out to be abysmal in the water
and tipped overboard
all of a sudden he was under the waves
B: stuck immobile drowning
for you see the prince was no dexterous swimmer
why would he need to know how to swim
he has his mighty yacht keeping him afloat
the prince thought himself a god
when he suddenly rose from the water
until he became aware of the arms pulling him ashore
onto the hot sandy beach
B: are you ok said a voice a female voice
soft like the sand beneath him
B: what are you doing dont touch me
said the mighty prince
M:dont you know
im man enough to save myself
T: now honey why dont you go back home
and prepare dinner i bet you didnt do that
excuse me but i literally just saved you
i am the lifeguard i was guarding your life
no im not going home and im not making dinner
B: oh i see said the prince
T: i was swimming you just want to make me look foolish
M: You are so weird see you could have died
B: women cant swim
then who saved you asked the lifeguard
M: i saved you little lady
T: now why dont we forget this little incident
B: why dont you come to my palace
And make me a sandwich
no im not coming to your palace
do you think im a maid or something
pay for your ambulance and leave me alone
T: you just messed with the wrong guy
M: girls dont talk stay in your lane
the mighty prince grabbed the girl
by the waist
get off of me
im not into you i dont know what your trying to pull
i dont need you to save me
the prince pulled closer but the girl kicked him
she slipped away leaving the prince on the floor
B: stuck immobile alone
The Dog and His Reflection
Zora M., Sierra S., Rocky O.,
A dog had gotten a bone from a butcher
as the dug was running hoe
it got distracted from its own reflection in the water
he saw the bone and thought it was bigger than the one in his mouth
so he jumped into the water for it
he almost drownd and lost his bone
wet dog exits
switch the scene to bora bora
The Kardashians were on vacation
Kim Kardashian had just been given
diamond earrings by her husband
as Kim was walking down the boardwalk
she got distracted by her own reflection in the ocean
she saw the earrings and thought they were more
sparklie than the one on her ear
as she jumped in the water to get it
her own earning feel out
Kim falls screaming hysterically
Kim there are people dying
Kourtney said
when Kim got out not only did hs not find the better earing
she lost the real one
Kardashians exit
Ms. Taylor, 8th Grade
Period 7
Goldilocks
Chloe B., Ellora T., Sinead O’., Chantal R.
Moral: The moral of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is that individual actions can hurt others, especially when one person uses or destroys another person’s property. In addition, the popular fable stresses the importance of self-control and respecting others.
Basic Moral ( Our Version) : Don’t take advantage of people
START
Goldilocks woke up to something sweet and smelled the taco bell from afar
She was confused and dazed for she thought that it was a bar
She hopped out of bed, and ran around, and was to her dismay
She found a house, with strong aromas somewhere, hidden away
Mama bear woke up in the middle of the night
To bed that fit her just right.
After creeping quietly down the stairs
She opened the door to find gorgeous golden hairs
Underneath those locks was a small little girl
She said “hello” and did a little twirl.
Mama bear immediately opened up
She comforted Goldilocks saying “What’s wrong buttercup?”
Goldilocks told a fib of hunger and cold
This made Mama bears heart unfold
She gave her a blanket and tacos too
Mama bear said, “ don’t worry, I’ll take care of you!”
She fed GoldiLocks with warm and yummy food
And then they heard a strange-sounding dude
For there was a dinosaur, green and grown
When Goldilocks saw it, she let out a groan.
“Why Goldilocks, why must I find you here,
In the cold and dark of night
I told you to stay in bed
And not give others a fright!”
Goldilocks said “I’m sorry mom”
And gave the tacos back
But the dino unveiled it was a con
And said “I’LL ARREST YOU !”
The dino was a cop, the very best cop
She arrested goldilocks so she would finally stop
Taking advantage of others hearts
With her beautiful smile, and luscious locks.
Ms. Taylor, 9th Grade
Period 7
The Dog and The Bear
Kyla R., Dejah S., Rachel W.
A very young Dog, who had never before seen a Bear happened
to meet one in the forest. When the Dog first saw the Bear
he was terribly scared and ran
away while hiding himself in the woods. The second time
the Dog saw the Bear he paused behind a tree watching the Bear
and then snuck away.
Finally, the third time the Dog saw the Bear,
He daringly went up to the Bear, without even a hair-rising,
and said, “Hey there,
familiar face..”
