Defending the Big Bad Wolf

When I was in 5th grade, my English teacher asked us to write a fairytale from the villain's point of view. I wrote the story of Snow White's misunderstood stepmother who just didn't have a clue when it came to choosing gifts. She unintentionally bought poisonous presents which only led to her feelings of inadequacy as a stepmother. I really enjoyed this creative writing project.

And it can easily be turned into a persuasive writing project. As a teacher, I had my 6th graders break into law firms (groups). Each firm had to write a defense statement for its client: a fairytale villian. They had to refute the "story evidence," making a minimum of three arguments to support their client's innocence.

I was fortunate to be working at a magnet school that focused on law, so the kids had an actual courtroom to make their presentations in. The class had a lot of fun and dressed for the part in "lawyer attire." (Some even brought briefcases.)

While one group presented, the other students acted as members of the jury and voted "guilty" or "not guilty." A not guilty verdict was part of the presentation section of the rubric, so the entire class participated in grading. I, the judge, graded the written statement.