Lesson Plan

Name: Samantha Branz

Course: ENG 322
Genre: J. K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard
PREINSTRUCTIONAL
OBJECTIVES
1. Students will be able to use their imagination while hearing new tales
that include themes such as friendship, kindness, love, cruelty, and
wisdom.
MATERIALS/SPECIAL ARRAINGEMENTS/INDIVIDUAL MODIFICATIONS
Rowling, J. K., The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2008
DURING INSTRUCTION
INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY
Introduce J. K. Rowling:
J. K. Rowling was born Joanne Kathleen Rowling, on July 31, 1965, in
Chipping Sodbury, near Bristol, England. Rowling graduated from Exeter
University and moved to Portugal to teach English. In Portugal, she married
Jorge Arantes and had her first daughter, Jessica (1993). After her divorce,
she moved to Edinburgh and began writing

Harry Potter and the

Philosopher's Stone (the books name was changed to Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer's Stone for release in the U.S.). Rowling soon became famous for
writing the Harry Potter children's book series which was released from 1999
to 2007. The Harry Potter series was made into eight very profitable movies
from 2001 to 2011. Rowling married Dr. Neil Murray in 2001. They have two
children, David (2003) and Mackenzie (2005), together. As supplemental
reading to the Harry Potter series, Rowling has also written Fantastic Beasts
and Where to Find Them, Quiddich through the Ages, and The Tales of
Beedle the Bard. She is now working on her latest book which has not yet
been named.

http://www.biography.com/people/jk-rowling-40998
Read The Tales of Beedle the Bard (synopsis of each story below):
The Wizard and the Hopping Pot
There was a kind old wizard who helped his community with potions
and charms with the help of his hopping pot. When the wizard died, he left
his son his magical hopping pot. The son was not kind like his father and
refused to help the villagers when they came to him with their problems. The
hopping pot began to hop on its metal foot all the time and spewed sour
milk, cried like a baby, whined, threw slugs, and grew warts, among other
ailments. The son couldn't stand the pot following him anymore and finally
helped every villager. Once this was done, the pot quieted down, and the
wizard helped the villagers from then on.
The Fountain of Fair Fortune
The Fountain of Fair Fortune allowed one person each year to bathe in
its waters. This tale is of three witches, Asha, Altheda, and Amata, and a
knight, Sir Luckless, who travel together to the fountain. They must give
proof of their pain, the fruit of their labors, and the treasure of their past to
get to the fountain. Once there, the three witches find that they are cured
and allow Sir Luckless to bathe in the Fountain of Fair Fortune. They don't
know that the fountain has no enchantment on it at all.
The Warlock's Hairy Heart
A handsome warlock saw how his friends "lost their dignity" when they
fell in love, and he never wanted this to happen to him, so he used the Dark
Arts to fix his problem. His family and friends laughed at him and told him he
would change his mind when a pretty girl finally caught his eye. The warlock
got tired of these blows to his pride and decided on a young girl who came to
visit her family. She wouldn't believe that he was serious about marring her
until she knew he had a heart and could love. The warlock brought the witch
away from the party and showed her his heart. His heart was cold and hairy

and the witch told him to put it back where it belonged. The party guests
went to find the two and found the wizard, whose heart had become beastly,
had killed the witch to have a human heart, but he died when he tried to
remove his own hairy heart.
Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump
There was a foolish king who wanted to be the only one able to do
magic, so he formed a Brigade of Witch-Hunters and then sought out an
instructor of magic. The only one to apply for the job was a charlatan, who
couldn't perform magic, because all the witches and wizards were in hiding.
The charlatan tricked the king into giving him a sack of gold to buy wands
and other expensive items. He gave the king a twig and they both danced
around and said silly rhymes while waving their twigs around. Babbitty
Rabbitty was the kings washer woman and she laughed when she saw them
dancing. The king declared he would put on a show for his court the next day.
The charlatan found that Babbitty Rabbitty was a witch and made her agree
to help him. Babbitty turned herself into a rabbit and performed the spells
that the king 'cast' until he tried to raise the dead. The charlatan told the
king Babbitty Rabbitty was blocking his magic and she ran into the roots of a
tree. The king had the tree cut down, and Babbitty fooled the king by telling
him he put a curse on his kingdom. She made him promise to never harm
the witches and wizards in the kingdom and had the king erect a statue of
Babbitty Rabbitty.
The Tale of the Three Brothers
There were three brothers who came to a river. They fashioned a
bridge with magic because they saw that they could not easily cross it. Death
appeared before they could cross. Death was mad, but he pretended to
congratulate the brothers and offered them each a prize. The first brother
asked for a wand more powerful than any other, the second brother asked for
a stone that could raise the dead, and the third brother asked for something
that would allow him to go on without being followed by Death. The first

brother bragged about his wand and Death soon claimed him. The second
brother raised the woman he once loved and killed himself from the grief, so
Death also claimed him. The third brother did not take off the invisibility
cloak until he was old and ready to die, and he gave the cloak to his son.
Death greeted him as a friend and took him.
DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITIES
The Wizard and the Hopping Pot
Have the students draw their own hopping pot on a large piece of
paper in groups of three or four. Have them then draw from 10-15 different
things coming out of the hopping pot. They can use the things from the book
or use their imagination.
The Fountain of Fair Fortune
Split the students up into groups of four and have them reenact the
story. They will get to twist the ending by choosing who gets to bathe in the
fountain: Asha, Altheda, Amata, or Sir Luckless. As a group, they should write
a paragraph stating who they chose and why.
The Warlock's Hairy Heart
The students will complete the word search included in this lesson
plan.
Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump
Have the students draw three pictures of what they would show their
court if they were a king or queen and they were giving an exhibition of
magic. They should include a sentence or two with the pictures explaining
what it is and why they chose it.
The Tale of the Three Brothers
Have the students watch Hermione read The Tale of the Three Brothers
in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Only this part! Have them

get into groups of three and have them choose the wand, resurrection stone,
or invisibility cloak from pieces of paper. They will be reenacting the story,
but changing the things they would do with the objects they chose and the
outcome of their stories.
CONCLUDING THE LESSON
Give each student a poster board with The Tales of Beedle the Bard on it and
have them cut their own puzzle. They can then switch with the person sitting
next to them and see how long it takes them to solve it. There should be a
limit of 20 or 25 pieces.