Retell a studied legend from a new angle -- a different point of view, setting, or narrative technique -- applying craft skills built across the year.
Retelling a familiar story from a new angle is a serious literary craft, not a shortcut. Countless respected authors have retold myths and legends from a minor character's point of view, in a new setting, or using a different narrative technique than the original -- and doing it well requires understanding the original deeply enough to know exactly what you are choosing to change and why.
This week, choose ONE legend or tale studied this unit (Arthurian legend, Sinbad, the Three Kingdoms oath, Tale of the Heike, or Sundiata) and ONE specific craft transformation, applying tools from across this whole year: shift the point of view to a minor character (retell the sword-in-the-stone moment from young Kay's perspective, watching his foster-brother succeed where he failed), change the setting to a modern equivalent (retell a Sinbad voyage as a cargo-ship captain's story), or build a scene using indirect characterization (week 3's foil skills, or the showing-not-telling instinct from point-of-view study) rather than simply summarizing what happens. Plan your specific transformation before drafting a single sentence.
Mastery looks like: They can plan and draft a retelling with one clear, deliberate craft transformation, explaining specifically what that change reveals that the original telling did not.
Common stumbles: Attempting to change point of view, setting, and technique all at once, which usually produces a confused draft rather than a focused one.
See it visually
Interactive, spoken-aloud tools that show this idea in motion.