Kimmel, E.A. (1994). The three Princes. New York, NY: Holiday House. ISBN:0-8234-1115-X
Genre: Traditional Literature, Multicultural Literature
Reading Level: K-3
Summary: In this classic tale from the Middle East, three princes try to marry the most beautiful and wise princess in the land. She promises to marry the prince who is able to bring her the most precious treasure. The three princes travel the land for a year attempting to find a treasure that is worthy of the princess. When the three princes reunite in the desert, one has a crystal ball that can see things that are happening anywhere in the world, another one has a flying carpet, and the last prince has an orange that can cure any illness. When looking into the crystal ball, the princes learn that the princess is dying, so they ride the magic carpet to the princess. Once there, one of the princes is able to save her using his orange, and the princess decides to marry him.
Activity: Throughout the course of the story, have students predict what is coming next. Students can verbally answer and write their answers on the board, so the class can see their predictions. Good places to stop and do this are:
-After the introduction of the princes (pg. 3 of text)
Which prince the princess will choose and why?
-After the princes reveal their gifts to each other (pg. 13 of text)
Which gift the princess will choose and why?
-After the revelation that the princess is sick (pg. 17 of text)
How the princes will get to the princess?
-After the princess is made well (pg. 21 of text)
How will the princess decide who to marry?
-When the court questions the princess on who she will marry (pg. 25 of text)
Who will the princess marry?
At the end of the book, have students determine which predictions were correct. Discuss with the class the importance of making predictions. How were some students able to predict certain plot points? What ideas in the text made them predict the things they predicted? Is there anything in the story that did not go as predicted? Why?
Original Activity by Ellen Bryce
Genre: Traditional Literature, Multicultural Literature
Reading Level: K-3
Summary: In this classic tale from the Middle East, three princes try to marry the most beautiful and wise princess in the land. She promises to marry the prince who is able to bring her the most precious treasure. The three princes travel the land for a year attempting to find a treasure that is worthy of the princess. When the three princes reunite in the desert, one has a crystal ball that can see things that are happening anywhere in the world, another one has a flying carpet, and the last prince has an orange that can cure any illness. When looking into the crystal ball, the princes learn that the princess is dying, so they ride the magic carpet to the princess. Once there, one of the princes is able to save her using his orange, and the princess decides to marry him.
Activity: Throughout the course of the story, have students predict what is coming next. Students can verbally answer and write their answers on the board, so the class can see their predictions. Good places to stop and do this are:
-After the introduction of the princes (pg. 3 of text)
Which prince the princess will choose and why?
-After the princes reveal their gifts to each other (pg. 13 of text)
Which gift the princess will choose and why?
-After the revelation that the princess is sick (pg. 17 of text)
How the princes will get to the princess?
-After the princess is made well (pg. 21 of text)
How will the princess decide who to marry?
-When the court questions the princess on who she will marry (pg. 25 of text)
Who will the princess marry?
At the end of the book, have students determine which predictions were correct. Discuss with the class the importance of making predictions. How were some students able to predict certain plot points? What ideas in the text made them predict the things they predicted? Is there anything in the story that did not go as predicted? Why?
Original Activity by Ellen Bryce