Paul Bunyan: Opening the Door for American Storytelling

Telling, reading, and hearing stories is such an important way to pass cultural ideals from one generation to the next. For instance, the story of Paul Bunyan provides mountains of cultural detail from our nation's past. You can use this story to introduce an oral tradition unit, folk tales, or to discuss the importance of stories in general. I have attached a short PowerPoint with quotes about storytelling that could ignite some great classroom discussion.

Whether you are discussing storytelling in general, or specifically America's Tall Tales, there is a thought provoking New York Times article from March 2012, called "Your Brain on Fiction." It discusses recent research results that show how our brains react to stories. The reaction is almost the same whether we read stories or watch them in a movie. The article explains that stories have a similar effect on our brain, as if we were experiencing what we are seeing or watching ourselves. Once again, this is food for discussion.

Cinema in the Classroom

As a fun change of pace, you can watch the old Disney version of "Paul Bunyan" on YouTube. The clips on YouTube are separated into Part 1 and Part 2 (both under 10 minutes each). I actually had my eleventh graders watch a few of these old Disney animations as a lead-in to a collaborative project in our Oral Tradition Unit. Project groups were asked to search out cultural details from the stories and also find possible messages that these stories could be giving their audiences. They loved the assignment and I believe they looked so closely at the stories that they found almost every detail and message possible. We discussed some of the following messages in detail: 

• America's power over the environment (clearing forests, straightening rivers).
• American working man's power over technology (Steam saw, steam engines).
• Explaining natural phenomena (mountains, northern lights, waterfalls).

The groups were then asked to create their own story that included messages about modern struggles that our society experiences. I had them record their stories. I played the stories for my eighth graders and asked them to write down the messages that they could glean from the stories. They took this assignment very seriously and listened well. The eleventh graders were so pleased when their younger peers "got it." 

Doing the Research

You may find in your research that the term fakelore is used with regard to Paul Bunyan. There are some who believe that the original story was put in writing in 1906, but then advertisers got a hold of it and pumped it up to help promote the forestry industry. I think it is good to know about this in advance in case your students come across it in their research. I discovered a very helpful article on a forest industry website that explains the situation, provides the original text, and also happens to come to the same conclusion I did; the story of Paul Bunyan was told orally for years before making it into print. Paul is part of a nation's oral tradition, not just an advertising scheme. You can read the article for your own knowledge, or share it with your class as part of your lesson. 

Story Corps

Finally, you cannot have a lesson about American stories without traveling to the Story Corps website. If you have computer access and headphones, have your pupils listen to some of the recorded stories on this outstanding website. Tens of thousands of personal narratives have been collected and recorded by Story Corps because they believe in the importance of preserving the oral tradition. The stories are very short, but very real, sincere, and worth the visit. You can always use this to launch some journal writing, narrative storytelling, or more discussions.

Common Core Connection

If you are interesting in meeting Common Core State Standards, here are some that are covered if you utilize any ideas that I provided at the beginning of the article. Each individual lesson I have suggested above provide their own lists of standards.

Reading

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.6. Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.7. Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.9. Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or  character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new.

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11.6. Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

Informational Text

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.7. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.

Writing

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structure event sequences.

Speaking and Listening

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Speaking and Listening

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Lessons:

BSI: Biographical Scene Investigators

If you have a flair for the dramatic, or are into any of the criminal investigation shows on TV, you will enjoy preparing this lesson for your class. It is geared specifically towards sixth graders, but I believe all middle school learners will enjoy it (or some version of it.) Your Biographical Scene Investigators spend two weeks on a detailed research assignment, culminating with a final presentation and press conference (press members being fellow classmates) to share the details of their research.  Important vocabulary is incorporated into the lesson, such as documentation, evidence, plagiarism, reliable informant, research, and works cited. Everything you need for an exciting, well-planned research experience is included in this pdf.

Exploring Russian Folktales

As our world becomes more flat through technology, providing opportunities to learn about other cultures should be incorporated as often as possible to expose American students to their international peers. The Kennedy Center's Arts Edge website provides all an educator will need to discuss Russian Folktales. You can begin with a discussion of American Folktales and lead into Russian Tales to discuss, compare, and create. Options for individual or collaborative study are provided as well as links to several Russian tales.

Davy Crockett, Tall Tales and History

Take a historical journey with this Edsitement website lesson. Your English or history class will take a close look at Davy Crockett and the stories told about him. The goal is to decipher the fiction and exaggeration and find the facts. Ultimately, pupils will create their own tall tale but will have a better understanding on the elements of a tall tale and the use of exaggeration in a story.  This site provides all you will need as well as extension ideas for a deeper study.