Hans Christian Andersen Teacher Resources

From “Thumbelina” to “The Emporer’s New Clothes,” the tales of Hans Christian Andersen continue to entertain children and adults alike. His magical characters and worlds of bright whimsy could put the stories in a fairy tale category, but the relatable characters and lessons learned throughout his collection could also be classified as folktales. How would you categorize them?

Learn more about Hans Christian Andersen with a lesson that could be used with any of his stories. Additionally, an activity from the Getty Museum inspires young learners to picture Andersen’s characters in the context of popular art from his lifetime time.

Want to celebrate Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday in your literature class? A Lesson Planet article provides several ideas for commemorating the author who brought happiness to many generations. For theater classes, an examination of a stage adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” promotes close reading and critical thinking skills.

No matter how you bring these delightful tales to the classroom, the quaint enchantment of Hans Christian Andersen’s world will bring a smile to any student’s face.

Showing 87 resources
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
A thorough lesson introduces learners to Hans Christian Andersen, the nineteenth-century author who created wonderful tales. They read the original texts of several of his stories, including "The Ugly Duckling," "The Little Mermaid,"...
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Lesson Plan
BBC

Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

For Teachers K - 3rd Standards
Fairy tales seem like quick, fun children's stories, but asking compelling questions about characters, plot elements, and literary themes can transform them into rich and complex tales. Use a series of eight lessons on Hans Christian...
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Audio17:54
Storynory

The Emperor’s New Clothes

For Students 2nd - 6th Standards
An 18-minute audiobook expresses the importance of speaking the truth with an engaging reading of "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian Andersen.
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Audio33:22
Storynory

Thumbelina

For Students 2nd - 6th Standards
Thumbelina may be small in size, but she is mighty in courage. Listen to Natasha, the engaging narrator, as she tells the tale of "Thumbelina" by Hans Christian Andersen in a 33-minute audiobook.
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Audio15:22
Storynory

The Little Mermaid Part One

For Students 2nd - 6th Standards
Enjoy an engaging reading of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" with a three-part audiobook. The first part of the emotional tale takes listeners under the sea to follow the little mermaid's journey above water to explore the...
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Audio29:18
Storynory

The Little Mermaid Part Three

For Students 2nd - 6th Standards
Listen to the final part of a three-part audiobook featuring Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale "The Little Mermaid." Intrigued listeners hear the conclusion to the little mermaid's choice of living an immortal life under the sea or...
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Printables
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Scholastic

Folk and Fairy Tale Readers: The Princess and the Pea

For Teachers Pre-K - 3rd Standards
Enrich a primary grade unit on fairy tales with this printable version of the classic story "The Princess and the Pea." With a simple story structure and a blend of short and long sentences, this is a great resource for developing the...
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Lesson Plan
University of Houston

The Snow Queen Study Guide

For Teachers K - 6th Standards
Even the kindest friends can become selfish and tyrannical in Hans Christian Andersen's "The Snow Queen." Class members complete story-themed exercises in language arts, social studies, and even physical science.
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Audio29:02
Storynory

The Little Mermaid Part Two

For Students 2nd - 6th Standards
Continue Hans Christian Andersen's story of "The Little Mermaid" with the second part of a three-part audiobook. A captivating narrator takes listeners along the little mermaid's path to becoming a human after falling in love with a prince.
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Activity
Victoria Theatre Association

The Ugly Duckling Resource Guide

For Teachers K - 5th Standards
Our differences aren't meant to divide us! Use Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale "The Ugly Duckling" to reinforce the concept that appearances don't define someone's character, and that there is always somewhere where we belong.
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Hans Christian Andersen, Magic Maker

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Hans Christian Andersen was a spinner of fine tales that have been read and retold to countless generations of children.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Picture a Character

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
How would Jean-Etiénne Liotard paint the characters from "The Little Mermaid?" What would the main character from "The Little Match Girl" look like from Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes' point of view? After examining various paintings...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Happy Birthday Hans: How To Celebrate International Children's Book Day

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Honor Hans Christian Andersen while encouraging young readers with enjoyable projects and activities.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Artistic Interpretation of a Classic: The Author's Role

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Reading the original Hans Christian Andersen tale of “The Little Mermaid” and viewing the Great Performances: The Little Mermaid from the San Francisco Ballet video offers class members an opportunity to consider how artistic decisions...
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Instructional Video4:23
Curated OER

Telling a Story

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Junior high and high schoolers watch a short video about effective storytelling strategies. As they take a virtual field trip to the Hans Christian Andersen story hour in Central Park, learners differentiate between writing a story and...
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Unit Plan
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Core Knowledge Foundation

Fairy Tales and Tall Tales Tell It Again!™ Read-Aloud Anthology

For Teachers 2nd Standards
Enrich a unit on fairy tales and tall tales with a set of read-aloud lessons. Second graders hone writing, vocabulary, comprehension, and literary analysis skills as they read classic stories. Complete with extension projects, discussion...
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Activity
Stephen F. Austin State University, College of Fine Arts

The Ugly Duckling

For Students K - 5th
It's not about what you look like on the outside! A study guide for the stage adaptation of The Ugly Duckling reminds learners that being cruel to those in need is not helpful—and that we all belong somewhere.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

"The Nightingale" Story Comprehension

For Students 2nd - 4th
In this story comprehension worksheet, students answer a set of comprehension, discussion and extension questions about the story The Nightingale. A suggestion for research is included.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

International Children's Book Day

For Students 5th - 10th
Celebrate International Children's Book Day using this resource. Learners complete activities, such as reading a passage, sequencing, unscrambling sentences, writing questions, conducting surveys, and writing. Students complete twelve...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Internet Hunt at the "Fact Monster" Web Site- May #3

For Students 3rd - 5th
In this Internet fact hunt worksheet, students access the "Fact Monster" web site to find the answers to 5 multiple choice questions. They answer science, history, and geography questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Historical Moments

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Here is a lesson designed to be an ongoing task for the entire year. Each day of the week, learners must perform research to answer a simple historical question. This particular lesson covers the month of April, but the template...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Month of Mapping Literature

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Explore the world through literature! With push pins to mark where each story came from, learners examine cultural differences, geographical location, and how those elements affect story content. This lesson could use deeper development,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Introduction to Opera: The Emperor's New Clothes

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders are introduced to opera, its vocabulary, definitions and are given an opportunity to listen to an opera sung by children. They identify phrases and events in the story, "The Emperor's New Clothes." Each student creates a...
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Lesson Planet Article
Curated OER

Influential Individuals of the 19th Century

For Teachers 6th - 10th
By learning about some of the people who shaped the 19th Century, students can find out about this important time period.

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