Little Red Riding Hood – The Wolf Bites Back
Explore the darker side of classic fairy tales in this one-off lesson: Little Red Riding Hood – The Wolf Bites Back. Focused on structure, symbolism, and predator/prey language, this engaging session introduces students to the Grimm Brothers’ original storytelling style.
Designed for KS2, KS3, and KS4 English students, this lesson deconstructs the traditional Little Red Riding Hood narrative, flipping the perspective to give the Wolf a voice. Students will analyze how structure shapes meaning, explore the tale’s deep-rooted symbolism (e.g. the red hood, the forest, the wolf), and examine how language creates power dynamics between characters.
This session also serves as an introduction to the Grimm Brothers’ work, offering a brief historical context on their original stories versus modern adaptations. Students are encouraged to think critically about how stories evolve over time and how perspective shifts can alter a reader’s interpretation.
Perfect for:
Introducing Gothic or narrative writing units
Analysing character perspective and moral ambiguity
Developing inference, language analysis, and critical thinking skills
Includes:
Fully resourced lesson slides (editable)
Extracts from traditional and modern versions
Creative writing prompt: the wolf’s retelling
Discussion questions and extension tasks
Ideal for a high-impact, standalone session or as a spark for a wider scheme of work on fairy tales, narrative voice, or genre.















