Book Title
Ninja-Rella
Content Area
ELA
Grade Levels
Scan the QR code →
to open the soundscape! 1st-6th
Learning Targets
Activity 1: Students design a costume for Ninja-Rella.
Activity 2: Students create a ninja character.
Activity 3-4: Students respond to a writing prompt.
Activity 5: Students write a list of chores for the step sisters.
Activity 6: Students match story vocabulary.
Activity 7: Students sort parts of speech.
Activity 8: Students illustrate a scene from the book.
Activity 9: Students compare and contrast with a venn diagram.
Activity 10: Students write a news article about Ninja-Rella.
Activity 11: Students complete a story plot.
Activity 12: Students reflect on the story.
Materials Needed:
pencil, paper, coloring materials
Tech Tip
Click here to learn real facts about
ninjas!
Name: _________________________
Design a costume for Ninja-Rella to attend the ball in.
Name: _________________________
Create your own ninja character.
My ninja’s name is _________________________________
It lives in ____________________________________
This ninja likes to _______________________________
3 words that describe it are ____________________,
__________________, and ____________________
Name: ___________________________
Inside of the crystal ball, illustrate the next adventure you predict the prince and Ninja-Rella will go on.
Name: __________________________
Answer the writing prompt below. Then, draw an illustration to show your thinking.
If I had a fairy godmother I would
______________________________
Name: __________________________
Answer the writing prompt below. Then, draw an illustration to show your thinking.
What would you do if you had a fairy godmother?
________________________________
________________________________
Name: _________________
Chore List
Write a list of chores for the evil step sisters to do weekly.
Name: _____________________
Ninja-Rella Story Terms
Fill in the blanks below. Then, write your own definitions at the bottom.
prince costume sword ball chores chess evil
_________________: board game with two players
________________: weapon with a long blade
______________: mean, cruel, or wicked
_______________: the son of a king or emperor
_______________: outfit that hides your identity
_________________: a formal dance
________________: tasks done around the house
Write a detailed sentence with these words:
ninja: _________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
sisters : ______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
rags: _________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Name: ______________________
Sort the Parts of Speech
Sort each word below in the correct parts of speech column.
ninja mean sharp
clean prince save
evil protect mother
sword strong swing
adjectives nouns verbs
Name: _________________________
Illustrate a scene from Ninja-Rella.
Describe what is happening in your illustration.
____________________________
____________________________
_________________________
Name: __________________________ Compare and contrast the fairy tales.
Traditional Ninja-rella
Cinderella both
Write and illustrate a news article describing how Ninja-Rella saved the prince!
Name: _______________________________
______________________
_____________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________________________________________
______________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ ______________________
Complete the story plot for
Name: __________________________ Ninja-Rella.
Climax
Fa
n
llin
tio
g
Ac
Ac
g
sin
tio
n
Ri
Exposition Resolution
Name: ____________________________________
Book Summary
Conflict
Rella
Description of Ninja-
Resolution
Book Title
Moral/Lesson:
Themes
Genre
Discussion Questions 1-3
Before Reading:
• Describe the book cover. What do you notice?
• Does this book’s title remind you of another fairy tale?
Which one?
• Make a prediction about the main character, Ninja-Rella.
• What other books or movies have you seen ninjas in?
What do you know about them?
While Reading:
• Why does Cinderella’s father teach her to use a sword?
Why do you think he wants her to be strong?
• What does Cinderella change her name to? Why do you
think she changed her name?
• So far, what similarities have you noticed about this story
and the traditional Cinderella fairy tale?
• How do Ninja-Rella’s skills help her with chores?
After Reading:
• Why did Ninja-Rella want to meet the prince?
• Why didn’t Ninja-Rella marry the prince?
• What character traits would you use to describe
Ninja-Rella? Are any of them similar to the traditional
Cinderella?
• How did this story make you feel? Why?
• What was your favorite sound in the Novel Effect
soundscape?
Discussion Questions 4-6
Before Reading:
• Describe the elements of a graphic novel.
• This is part of a Far Out Fairy Tale collection, what do you
think that means?
• What fairy tale do you think this will be loosely based on?
How can you tell?
• Make a prediction. What challenges do you think Ninja-Rella
may face?
While Reading:
• What is the mother’s motivation for teaching Cinderella
chess?
• How do the illustrations help you better understand the
story?
• How does Cinderella cope with the loss of her mother?
• How does Ninja-Rella take advantage of her skills?
After Reading:
• Describe the use of dialogue in this story.
• Summarize the story’s resolution.
• Compare and contrast Ninja-Rella to the traditional
Cinderella character.
• Do you prefer the traditional fairy tale or far out version?
Why?
• How did Ninja-Rella’s sword skills help her throughout the
story?
• Describe an emotion you felt during the story. State which
part made you feel this way.
Pro m p t s
Wr i t i ng
r a c t e r t ra its
l e a s t 3 c ha e
● L i st a t -R e l l a . U s
r i b e N i n j a
that desc t h e s to r y.
m p l e s f r o m a
exa b ou t h a v i n g
s t o r y a
● Write a o t h e r .W h a t w o u ld
fairy go d m
k h e r f o r ?
you as s t ory ! W h a t d o
u e t h e
● Contin p r i n c e a nd
o u t h i n k the
y l l d o n e x t?
a - R e l l a w i R e lla
N i n j b e N i n j a -
you r a t h e r
● W o u l d ?
l l a ? W h y
or Cindere N i n j a - R e l l a ’s
r i b e h o w t
● Desc a n g e d th r o u g h o u
feelings c h
the story. 1-3
Pro m p t s
Wr i t i ng
r i p t i o n o f this
e n t ic i n g desc rs to
W r i te a n a d e o t h e
●
o v e l to p ersu
graphic n
e a d i t . i o n a l v e r s ion
r t h e t r adit
y o u p r e f e r t v e r s i o n?
● D o t h i s far o u
ll a , o r ort
of Cindere o n piec e t o s u p p
o p i n i
Write an
u r t h in k i n g. r y b a s ed
yo f a r out s t o
ou r o w n
● Write y r popu l a r f a i r y t ale.
on a n o t h e O u t l i n ea
a pe pl a n !
t c h a n e s c a p e f ro m
● H a u s e to e s c
o u l d
plan you w other.
e e v i l s te pm
th n t r y f ro m
e a diar y e
● W r i t p e c t i v e .
e l l a ’s pe r s
Ni n j a - R - R e l l a ’s
h o wN i n j a
s c r ib e
● De s c h a n g e d
nce
circumsta e s to r y. 4 - 6
o u t t h
through
No Print Novelties
Use these low prep and no print activities at home and school.
Ninja!
The goal of this game is for students to get classmates out by tapping both of their arms. They want
to be the last student left in the circle. NOTE: Model light movements and reiterate students should
not be hurting each other, rather than a hard ‘karate chop’ they should be tapping each other.
Directions:
● Students stand in a circle.
● The teacher counts, “1, 2, 3, NINJA!”
● Students then strike a ninja pose.
● The teacher decides which student goes first (recommended: online name
randomizer).
● The first student finds someone close enough to them that they can ‘karate chop’
their arm. The ‘karate chop’ should be a tap on the arm of another player. Players are
also allowed one hop each turn. This way, they can tap others around the circle.
● Once an arm is ‘karate chopped’, the player being chopped must put their arm behind
their body.
● The chopped player then does the same to another classmate in their vicinity (within
one hop).
● Once a player has both arms ‘chopped’ they are out.
**Towards the end of the game students will have to take large lunges to reach players. They
must land on their feet for the ‘karate chop’ to count.
Home Challenge
Read the traditional story of Cinderella. Have a
conversation about how these two books are
similar and different. Discuss which version you
prefer and why.