This Aesop’s Fables lesson is a quick and easy way to get your kids interacting with the material, and is a fun way to bring in homeschool history lesson (which is how we originally used it). The technique would be great for most subjects you learn, but today we used it for Aesop’s Fables.
Hi, Future Ticia 2025 here. Now, when I first wrote this back in 2010, I wanted a very simple Aesop’s Fables lesson. All I wanted was a lesson where I printed off a few things, and the kids had the fun of a simple pop-up book, and practiced retelling. Actually, I had to work to keep it to that level because I wanted to make it more complicated.
Future Ticia 2025 wants to make this post more useful for people who want to extend this, so I am going to add in some more resources for you, like picture books, or videos you can use. Future Ticia 2025 also added in affiliate links.
Aesop’s Fables book list
If you head to your library you will probably find a great collection of Aesop’s fables, whether they are all gathered together as one, or they are individual stories turned into single picture books. These will frequently somewhat expand his simple stories. So make your call if you want that book.
Originally, I was going to link to books that my library had, but when I did my Amazon search, I found so many great collections just to start. I’ll link to about half a dozen or so with my comments on what I liked about each.
Aesop’s fables are in the fairy tale section, so look in 398.2 or the 398 area to find them.
- Aesop’s Fables– a more classic style of watercolor pictures, a nice hardback copy
- Aesop’s Fables– Dover’s Thrift paperback, very few pictures
- Aesop’s Fables for Children– this has what looks to be public domain artwork, but also has MP3 you can download of the text being read
- 101 Aesop’s Fables– a more modern cartoony style of illustrations
- Aesop’s Fables by Jerry Pinkney– another throwback style of illustration, this one specifically calls out that it has been rephrased by the illustrator or maybe an additional author or translator. That is something to be looking at when picking an edition
- The McElderry Book of Aesop’s Fables– Another book I like the look of the illustrations, it’s got a bit more of a modern take to it
Another thing to look at when picking an Aesop’s Fables edition is what stories are included in that edition. Each edition will have stories it chooses to include.
A great extension activity, read stories inspired by Aesop’s Fables and compare them to his stories, here are some that came up in my search for Aesop’s Fables, and actually is a good thing to be aware of, because they were advertised as his fables.
- Fables– Arnold Lobel’s Fables is awesome; I highly recommend it, but it is not Aesop’s Fables, so make sure when picking up books, you catch that difference. It’s a great comparison between the two
- Just So Stories– Rudyard Kipling was clearly inspired by Aesop, and it would be so much fun to compare the two.
Aesop’s Fables YouTube videos
All right, now let’s check out some videos that will help us learn more about this, or get a chance to see plays of the stories (Aesop’s Fables are a popular children’s play topic).
First, let’s start with who was Aesop? And now I’ve discovered a cool new YouTube channel. This is how I end up with so many channels I’m subscribed to, and the kids tease me like crazy.
Now, let’s look at what he was best known for, his fables.
Now you can find dozens of Aesop’s Fables all over, but I found a channel that has two animated videos of two of his most famous fables, and I enjoy his animation, so I present to you The Fox and the Crow.
Notice these videos are short. All of his stories are very short. You could tell them in less than five minutes. Read the next section for a great activity for your older kids.
I now return you to Past Ticia 2010 (and reshared in 2017).
Oh, cool idea to extend Aesop’s Fables for older kids
And, an extension I just thought of as I’m typing, you could totally tie this in to Jesus’ parables with the older kids. There is a reason so many stories are told in this way because it’s an easy way to get a lesson and rather disarming. It could make for a great discussion, or essay to write. Idea filed away for when my kids are in junior high, and we cover this again.
But, getting back to our lesson on Aesop’s Fables, rather than my rabbit trail
Knowing I wanted to do some fun stuff with Aesop’s Fables, but I didn’t want to draw it all out, which is my bad default habit, so I searched on Google and found the DLTK Kids site for Aesop’s Fables.
Perfect!
I printed off three that fit favorite animals or ones I thought they would most enjoy: The Bat, The Birds, and The Beasts; The Lion and the Mouse; and The Tortoise and the Hare.
For the kids I printed off the black and white moral of the story. For me I printed off the stories and copied them into a word document to make a super simple pop-up story for their history books.
In case you can’t tell how it’s made, you cut around most of the picture but leave a little bit on both sides still attached. Then you fold that in the opposite way the card will open.
Underneath to give it a bit more stability, I put a second piece of scrap paper to help it hold up better. The kids had so much fun with these stories.
After I read each story to the kids, I had them give me a quick summary of what had happened and the moral of the story, for an unofficial bit of narration.
Want to kick up your lesson up a notch?
Lately I’ve been reading a bunch of posts about independent learning projects, in particular “Questions about project based learning” (post is now deleted) and this whole series of project based learning posts (there’s a whole bunch more, but that’s her category).
And it’s got me inspired.
Our criteria for Aesop’s Fables Project-Based Learning
I kept the rubric and criteria very simple and let the kids take it from there:
- Retell the story so we understand what happened.
- Be able to explain the moral of the fable (after all, that’s what makes it a fable; it has a moral).
Simple and to the point. That’s my first tip for starting project-based learning: keep your first try simple.
I was amazed at the number of fables they read while trying to pick the one they wanted to present. They were a lot more enthusiastic about this than any other reading assignment I’ve given.
Now turn them loose for project-based learning
Once I started them on their Aesop’s Fables project I just had to get out of the way. That’s the next key for starting project based learning: get out of your kids’ way. They embarked on grand projects and I just provided materials and help in putting them together. They provided the plans and the know-how.
Oh and when starting project-based learning keep plans realistic. At first, Batman wanted to sew 3 dolls for his story and had grand ideas.
Present your project-based learning, and let them show off
Ultimately, all three of my children chose to act out Aesop’s Fables with toys. But they were each somewhat different. The boys built their own figures out of Hero Factory Toys. Princess made large numbers of peg dolls and pipe cleaner accessories. They even added to the stories, making them even more interesting to watch.
My final tip for starting project based learning: give them feedback. Let them know how they did great and how they can improve. They can’t learn if there’s no room for improvement.
I’m already thinking we’re going to have more project based learning going on around here. It was a huge hit, and I like this for our literature books much more than trying to dissect them for mood and tone and all that other nonsense.
Another Aesop’s Fable activity
As I mentioned when I was listing all those books up there, compare the books that were inspired by Aesop to the original fables.
Then, write your own. See if you can create a short story with a fable.
For more Ancient History ideas check out my Mystery of History 1 pinterest board, or Mystery of History 1 landing page.
More great history writing lessons
- Columbus Hero or Villain (middle school or high school)
- Why the American Colonies were founded (middle school)
- Age of Exploration Dice Game and writing prompt (elementary school)
- Tall Tales: Jean Laffitte (elementary school)
- Muhammad Ali history lesson
Originally published 2010, and then combined with a post that was originally published on May 26, 2014
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