The Three Tasks

• English
• Secondary Education
• Age 12,13

Why does your approach to a task make a difference? 

Expected Learning Outcomes

I WILL BE ABLE TO:

* Share my thoughts and views on how one’s approach to a task makes a difference.

* Read the short read ‘The Three Tasks’ and relate with its central idea.

* answer the questions based on the short read.

What tasks must Helmrich complete?
Does he try hard? What happens?

What tasks must Helmrich complete?

Does he try hard? What happens?

Suggested answer

Helmrich must pick up all the seeds the crone scatters, then retrieve twelve golden bowls from a pond and, finally, choose the princess from three veiled figures. He doesn't attempt either of the first two tasks. For the third, he randomly picks a figure, which turns out to be a dragon that kills him.

What characteristics of a fairy tale
are present in the story?

What characteristics of a fairy tale

are present in the story?

Suggested answer

The story has elements often found in fairy tales: a dragon, a witch-like crone, an enchanted princess and animals that help people. The brothers are like fairy-tale heroes who face a challenge; they will be punished by death if they fail, or rewarded by freeing a princess if they succeed.

The story says that the princess is
imprisoned, but what signs are
there that the old woman isn’t evil?

The story says that the princess is imprisoned, but what signs are there that the old woman isn’t evil?

Suggested answer

The story says that the princess is imprisoned, but there are signs that the old woman isn’t evil. The old woman approves of Hans but not Helmrich. Moreover, she uses a friendly term 'my son'.

Each brother goes through a similar
sequence of events. Why might
the story be structured in this way?

Each brother goes through a similar sequence of events. Why might the story be structured in this way?

Suggested answer

Each brother goes through a similar sequence of events. The story be structured in this way so that the reader can compare their behavior, and decide who is the kinder person. This also shows how different actions lead to different outcomes.

Home Fun

Read the short read ‘The Three Tasks’.

SUCCESS CRITERIA
Now, I CAN:
* share my thoughts and views on how one’s approach to a task makes a difference.
* relate with the central idea of the short read ‘The Three Tasks’.
* answer the questions based on the short read.

1. Strongly agree
2. Agree
3. I need some help.

Expected Learning Outcomes

I WILL BE ABLE TO:

* share my thoughts and views on why the old woman treats Hans and Helmrich differently.

* read extracts from the short read ‘The Three Tasks’, and answer the questions based on the short read.

Let's share...

Why do you think the old woman treats Hans and Helmrich differently?

Match the pairs.

spiteful

trample

torment

sheer

squashed

perfect

agony

malicious

compress

crushed

In one word describe the character of Helmrich.

Which of the following statements is FALSE about Helmrich?

1. Helmrich's greater pleasure was to protect innocent creatures.
2. Helmrich destroyed innocent creatures out of ill-will.
3. Helmrich was a very dynamic person, at least for himself.

'Helmrich thought that a very bad joke,...'
Which bad joke is being referred to here?

'This is bad,' she said with a grave face.

In which of the following sentences is 'grave' used exactly as in the above sentence?

1. The coffin was lowered into the grave.
2. I have grave doubts that the documents tell the whole story.
3. They used to visit her grave twice a year.

Helmrich just laughed and went for another stroll.

Which of the following BEST describes Helmrich's character as portrayed in the above sentence?

1. sullen
2. indulgent
3. complaisant

Why do you think Hans knocked 'shyly'?

Which words in the text prove that the old woman was not a cruel person?

Hans was not lazy - he bent down
and began working feverishly.
What does 'feverishly' mean here?

When Hans could not reach the bottom
of the pond and fish out the bowls,
why do you think the twelve ducklings
helped him?

Hans scrutinised the three veiled figures.
The word 'scrutinised' means ________.

1. investigated
2. glanced at
3. neglected

Why did the bees quickly fly away from the two figures?

Home Fun

This story is told in the third person (uses 'she', 'he'). Select one of the human characters and rewrite one of the scenes from her or his point of view (use 'I'). Be sure to include details from the story.

Create an e-comic strip on the story in the similar sequence of events. Keep in mind to add at least four frames to the comic strip.

SUCCESS CRITERIA
Now, I CAN:
* share my thoughts and views on why the old woman treats Hans and Helmrich differently.
* answer the questions based on the short read ‘The Three Tasks’.

1. Strongly agree
2. Agree
3. I need some help.