Give the "Little Red Riding Hood" story to the children as a reading assignment. Depending on the children's age, you may need to read the story aloud as a group lesson. Using puppets to illustrate the story can help preschoolers and kindergartners maintain attention and understand the plot. After the story is finished, ensure the students' full comprehension by discussing the events. Allow students to draw or color pictures of the major plot points.
After reading the story, talk to the children about safety. Without going into unnecessarily violent details, explain that some people have bad intentions like the wolf in the story. Tell the students that some bad people don't look evil on the outside because they can disguise themselves with lies and a friendly-looking appearance. Encourage kids to trust their intuition and get out of a situation that feels wrong -- Little Red Riding Hood noticed how the wolf looked strange and dangerous long before he tried to eat her. Discuss the idea of a "secret word" that parents and caregivers use to let a child know they are safe. Talk about the buddy system and how playing alone in deserted areas can put a child at risk.
The day after reading "Little Red Riding Hood" and learning about safety, have another class discussion. Ask students to recall what happened in the story. Question Little Red Riding Hood's behavior, and let the students explain which actions were unsafe. Rewrite the story as a group, using the principles of stranger danger. For instance, when Little Red Riding Hood notices something amiss with her grandmother's appearance, she could ask for the secret word to verify her identity. Let the children write and illustrate a new book containing their revised story.
Send home a letter to parents explaining the lesson on stranger danger and Little Red Riding Hood. Encourage them to review the story with their children and create a secret word and a list of safe family members and friends. Remind parents that open communication on these difficult topics will make children less embarrassed and more likely to talk about their experiences with strangers.