Exploring the Fantasy Genre in Fifth Grade

Submitted by The Fifth Grade Team

In 5th grade we take the genre of fantasy very seriously! One of the most obvious benefits of fantasy is that it allows readers to experiment with different ways of seeing the world. It takes a hypothetical situation and invites readers to make connections between this imagined scenario and their own social reality. Children flock to fantasy because they are so connected to their imagination; they have none of the inhibitions that society puts on us regarding ‘make-believe’ and ‘pretend’. Fifth grade is a perfect time to invite children to explore their imaginations and create fantastical worlds.  We have been hard at work over the past month, both reading and writing fantasy stories.

The reading unit began by introducing students to Harvey Swick, the protagonist in the book The Thief of Always by Clive Barker. Harvey is bored with his everyday life and is easily lured into the realm of the Holiday House by a mischievous cast of characters. After a series of life changing and sometimes scary events, Harvey learns to appreciate what he has and not take life for granted. Students have also been reading fantasy novels in small group settings. They work together to unearth themes and life lessons within their books while also analyzing character development and identifying the elements of the fantasy genre.

Each 5th grade student is also writing their own original fantasy story. Students mapped out their story ideas, paying close attention to the  quest structure. Within their stories they explore the various elements of the genre including, fantasy settings, magical symbols, supernatural characters, metaphorical dragons, power struggles between good and evil, and fantasy vocabulary. Here students are encouraged to open the imaginations and create magical characters and settings while still exploring real-life lessons and themes.

To culminate the units, each class will host their own writing celebration where students will share their creations with one another. Additionally, the students are in the process of creating a project based on one of the fantasies they have read. Students can choose between creating a diorama or map of an important scene, creating a board game or even becoming one of the characters from their book and presenting from their point of view.   We’re looking forward to a fantastical celebration of student learning!