Fables & Fairytales
Fables & Fairytales is a literature and critical thinking course that takes stories you think you already know — The Tortoise and the Hare, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Frog Prince — and flips them inside out.
Starts Mon, Jul 27
7:30 PM UTC · 45m
4 sessions
Eileen
4.3
Outcomes, not lecture notes.
Analyze classic fables and fairy tales from multiple character perspectives to uncover how point of view shapes meaning
Identify recurring narrative elements — plot, character, setting, theme, and symbolism — and explain how they work together
Deconstruct the moral lessons in fables like *The Tortoise and the Hare* and articulate why reasonable readers can interpret them differently
Examine the cultural and historical contexts that shaped stories like *Jack and the Beanstalk* and *The Frog Prince*
Detect implicit bias and unstated assumptions embedded in a narrator's or character's perspective
Build and defend your own interpretation of an ambiguous story using textual evidence and logical reasoning
Connect themes like perseverance, ambition, and justice in classic tales to real-world situations and contemporary debates
Meet Eileen.
Eileen
Eileen Sugameli is a creative force in educational theater, blending her BFA in Drama from NYU Tisch with extensive experience as an executive director and educator. From leading science demonstrations at the Bronx Zoo to producing interactive magic and performance art for public libraries, Eileen’s dynamic approach transforms live performance into powerful learning experiences that captivate diverse audiences.
Fables & Fairytales is a literature and critical thinking course that takes stories you think you already know — The Tortoise and the Hare, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Frog Prince — and flips them inside out. Students learn to read beyond the surface moral, interrogate character motivations, and argue for their own interpretations using evidence from the text. This course is perfect for middle and high school students who want to sharpen their analytical reading and discussion skills while engaging with some of the most enduring stories ever told. By the end, you won't just read a fable — you'll know how to take it apart, question it, and make it mean something to you.
Live Q&A
Cameras / mics optional
Recordings
Available within 1 hour, kept 90 days
Materials
No special materials required
Similar classes
free with a Varsity Tutors membership
50
DAYS14
HRS30
MINMon, Jul 27 • 7:30pm UTC
Starts in 50 days
Fables & Fairytales