Jack and the Beanstalk
Teachers Guide

Suggested Schedule of Activities

Session 1

Before reading the story, tell students that it is an English fairy tale about a boy named Jack who climbs to the sky on a magic beanstalk and meets an ogre. Explain that ogre is a hideous giant that eats people.

After reading the story, have students share their initial questions and reactions to the story. Then ask them to write down a question, either one of their own or another one that they heard and liked. Post their questions on the bulletin board. Encourage students to read the questions during the week and to select one they would like to answer after Shared Inquiry Discussion

Textual Analysis Questions:

• Why does the old man ask Jack such an odd question before offering to swap the beans for Jack's cow?
• Why does the man say that he doesn't mind doing a swap because Jack is so sharp?
• Does Jack believe what the man tells him about the beans?
• Why isn't Jack worried about disobeying his mother?
• When Jack's mother learns of the trade, why does she then call Milky-white "the best milker in the parish"?
• Why is Jack as sad and sorry for his mother's sake as for the loss of his supper?

At Home Questions: While students are reading, they will see the following questions in the margins. Here are some additional follow-up questions:

Would you trade Milky-white for the strange-looking beans? Why do you think that Jack does?
• Why does Jack think that he's getting a good bargain?
• Why does Jack think it would be a good thing to have beans that grow right up to the sky overnight?

Would you climb a beanstalk that reached to the sky? Why do you think that Jack does?
• Why doesn't Jack stop and think before he jumps onto the beanstalk?
• Why isn't Jack afraid to climb all the way to the sky?

Would you keep the harp even after it woke up the ogre? Why do you think that Jack does?
• Why does Jack endanger himself by keeping hold of the harp after the ogre wakes up?
• Why doesn't the harp want to go with Jack

Session 2

Read the story aloud while students follow along. Pause at the at-home questions to collect students' responses, and ask for follow-up questions such as those given in the left margin of the story.

Conclude the session by writing on the board:

"I think I (am/am not) like Jack because ______."

Have your students think over their answers to the at-home questions. Then tell them to copy and complete the sentence on the board by writing in either "am" or "am not" and giving a reason for their choice.

Session 3

Begin the session by telling the students that they are going to look closely at the part of the story in which Jack trades his cow for the beans and takes the beans home to show his mother.

Have students follow along as you read aloud the passage highlighted in purple text (pgs 142 - 145) that begins "So he took the cow's haltar..." Conduct a textual analysis, asking questions such as those provided in the margin of the text.

Afterward, have students act out the scene. Select two casts by picking students who have different interpretations of the characters — for example, a smart Jack and a foolish Jack; a nice, helpful old man and a strange, mysterious old man; a mother who has a good reason to scold Jack and a mother who gets much too angry.

When both performances are finished, invite the class to compare the different versions. If your students wish, you may want to let them perform additional interpretations of the scene.

Conclude the session by writing on the board:

"In this part of the story, I think Jack (is/is not) acting grown-up because _____."

Tell students to copy and complete this sentence by writing in either "is" or "is not" and giving a reason for their choice.

Session 4

While you lead half of the class in Shared Inquiry Discussion, have the rest of your students draw their interpretations of the ogre at any point in the story. Tell students that they can include other characters, such as Jack or the ogre's wife, in their pictures. Encourage them to write captions explaining their pictures.

Below are sample interpretive questions to help you prepare for discussion:

Why does Jack decide to climb the beanstalk the third time?
1. Why isn't Jack "content," even though he has a hen that lays golden eggs?
2. Why does Jack think that he will be lucky for a third time?
3. Why isn't Jack afraid of being eaten by the ogre?
4. Why doe Jack risk his life by taking the singing harp?
5. Does Jack return to the ogre's house because he enjoys outsmarting the ogre, or because he wants to punish him?

Why is the ogres's wife kinder to Jack than his own mother is?
1. Why doesn't Jack's mother believe him when he tells her that the beans are magical?
2. Why doesn't Jack show his mother that the beans were magical before he climbs the beanstalk?
3. Why does the ogre's wife want to keep Jack from being eaten on his first trip?
4. Why is the ogre's wife kind to Jack on his second visit, even though she suspects that he stole her husband's money?
5. Why does Jack know better than to ask the ogre's wife for help a third time?

Why does Jack grow up successfully in this story?
1. Why is Jack confident that he will be able to sell Milky-white, a cow that no longer gives milk?
2. Why does Jack listen to what the funny-looking old man tells him?
3. Why is Jack so proud of himself for deciding to trade Milky-white for five "magical" beans?
4. Why doesn't Jack run away when the ogre's wife warns him that her husband eats boys?
5. Why doesn't Jack hesitate to take the ogre's bag of gold, the hen that lays golden eggs, and the singing harp?
6. Do things turn out well for Jack mainly because of luck and magic or mainly because of his own cleverness?

Optional Activity: Ask the students to write answers to their favorite question from the bulletin board.

Session 5

Introduce the activity by telling students that together they are going to imagine an interview with the great princess who marries Jack.

Distribute the Writing After Discussion Activity Page to the class. Tell students that the first interview question is provided for them, but that they will be thinking of a few more questions to ask the princess. Write students' additional questions on the board. If students need help coming up with questions, you can suggest some yourself, such as:

• What do you think your life will be like after you marry Jack?
• Do you think that Jack has any faults?
• What will you and Jack do for fun?

Allow time for students to share their interviews with the class.

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