Lon Po Po

Young, Ed. (1989). Lon Po Po. New York, New York: Philomel Books.

This retelling of the classic Little Red Riding Hood flips the story on its head by bringing the wolf to the children. At first, the children believe that the wolf is, in fact, their grandmother. But as they soon realize, they set out a plan to get rid of the wolf.

Connecting to the Standards
Grade 2 RL (2): Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.

• Students will recognize that this is a version of a story from a different culture and uses unique names and vocabulary.

Grade 2 RL (3): Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

• As the story progresses, the views of the students change as they come to realize their Po Po is actually a wolf in disguise.

Grade 2 RL (9): Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different authors or from different cultures

• Students will take what they know about the original story of Little Red Riding Hood and compare/contrast it with Lon Po Po. 

Grade 2 SL (1): Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.

• Students will create a Venn diagram or T-chart to compare and contrast the two versions of the same tale.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to continue to understand how to compare and contrast elements of stories that have similar tropes and devices. In this case, the big familiar trope is the "big, bad wolf." They will understand how the characters respond to the discovery of the wolf and how their actions lead, ultimately, to its death. Students will engage in a compare/contrast activity using the original story and Lon Po Po. They will be able to put their findings into a Venn diagram. 

Adapted to the Classroom

This book/activity can be paired with the "The Three Pigs"  lesson from our blog. 

Starting out, the original version of the story should be established with the students to give them a base story to compare Lon Po Po with. Attention should be given to important details of the story, especially those that connect with the elements in Lon Po Po. Students should have the chance to discuss what they believe are the most important elements of the story.

Once that is established, a read-aloud of Lon Po Po should follow, probably the next day. Students will, once again, discuss the important elements of the book. They will then break up into small groups and create a Venn diagram presenting the differences between the two stories. These Venn diagrams will then be posted around the classroom for students to view.

Bloom's Taxonomy

How does the original story compare/contrast with Lon Po Po? (Analysis)

What differences exist between the two stories? (Comprehension)

Differentiation

To give students with exceptionalities support, put them in groups with students a) they work well with, b) who will be supportive and helpful, and c) who will encourage them to be a part of the group and succeed. If students are having trouble succeeding in their group, stay close to the group and see what additional support you can give to the student.