The oldies are the goodies, and the Three Little Pigs never lets us down. There are a number of ways to rewrite a story using your student's knowledge of science (how buildings stand up and materials); architects (Frank Lloyd Wright or Frank Gehry); or a situation from your own particular site (hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires.) A nice interdisciplinary link. Of course, the more your students know, the better the stories can be. You will want to take a "Walk around the Block" with your students around the school and ask them to take their own in a historic area, or new area of construction, in your community. The story which follows, by Marty Beuschoter, is an example of what you might get.
The Three Little Pigs
I'm Frank Lloyd Wolf, a recent graduate of R.U. Ready Architectural College. Naturally I was anxious to apply my recently acquired knowledge and make a name for myself in the world of design.
One day, as I strolled through the country looking for the proper site for a rural home, I came upon a little pig who was busy building a house of straw. Being an expert licensed architect, I wanted to point out to him how structurally unsound this building would be. As I sauntered up to Mr. F. L. Pig, he hurried into his home. I decided to examine the plan and structure of his house so I would be well informed when I discussed it with him. I noted the form of the house was a square, one story building with a pyramidal roof. There was no foundation or chimney. The material used for the exterior and roof was straw. There was a one by one window on either side of the house, and a plain panel front door. I felt I had sufficient understanding of his house so that I could present a structurally sound design to him. I walked up to Mr. Pig's door and asked, "Little pig, little pig, let me come in." I couldn't believe his answer.
"Not by the hair on my chinny chin, chin," he said.
Well, I just had to prove to him the frailty of his design. So, I huffed, and I puffed, and I blew his house in. But before I had a chance to show him my blueprints, he ran to his brother's house.
Mr. S. L. Pig had just completed a house of sticks. Again I couldn't believe my eyes. How could this little pig also be so unwise when it came to house construction. I decided to completely examine Mr. S. L. Pig's house before I called on him to present him with the plans for a structurally sound house. Examining his house, I also found it was a square form, one story house, it had a hip roof and no foundation or chimney. there were two by two windows on either side, and a plain panel door in front. I now felt ready to share with Mr. S. L. Pig my expertise. I pleasantly knocked on his door and said, "Little pig, little pig, let me come in." Well, would you believe it, he answered the same as his brother.
"Not by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin," he cried.
I just had to demonstrate to him how weak his house was. So, I huffed and I puffed, and I blew his house in.
Well, both Mr. F. L. Pig and Mr. S. L. Pig hurried to their brother's house, again, before I could present my plans. I decided to follow them and survey Mr. T. L. Pig's house.
Now here was a pig that knew how to construct a house. He had chosen a site with a nice rural location, and was landscaped with a white picket fence around the yard. It had a rectangular form with a height of two stories. The foundation was low stone, and the broad gable porch complemented the wood shingled gable roof. There were Craftsman windows on both floors, with one bay window on the east side. The exterior was all stretcher red brick. At the front was a fanlight door.
I marched up to Mr. T. L. Pig's front door and said, "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."
"Not by the hair on my chinny, chin, chin," he responded.
I had to prove to him how structurally sound his house was. So, I huffed and I puffed, and I huffed and I puffed, and I huffed and I puffed, but I couldn’t blow his house in. Mr. T. L. Pig still wouldn't come out, so I decided to check the roof to see if there was a chimney through which I might make contact. Climbing onto the roof I spotted a central interior brick chimney. I tripped as I leaned over to call, and fell down the chimney. I descended the two floors to a pot of boiling water in the hearth of the fireplace. Right then and there I decided to share my architectural skills with another client, and hurried on my way.
