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Tall Tales and Urban Legends
Students identify and interpret what tall tales, urban legends, and cyberlore are and to find them in their own lives. They practice telling and listening to these types of tales and explore why people tell them. Students also identify...
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Tall Tales: Larger Than Life Stories
Review the elements of tall tales with your class. Take a look at their genesis and purpose. Different types of figurative language found in tall tales are included such as hyperbole, simile, and metaphor. Before reading an American tall...
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Introduction to Tall Tales
Learners watch a video about a tall tale and list ten elements of a tall tale that they noticed in the movie. They begin with a KWL chart, and complete it as the movie and discussion progresses.
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American Folktales and Tall Tales
Young scholars explore the elements of American folktales. They discuss how they are passed on from generation to generation, how they use exaggeration, and how they convey a message or make a point. Students identify common elements...
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Elements of the Oral Tradition
Various genres of oral tradition are outlined and defined in these slides. Give your class examples of folk tales, fairy tales, parables, fables, legends, and myths before reading an example of one of these stories. This overview acts as...
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Tall Tales Today
Young scholars explore the attributes of American tall tales. In this folklore lesson, students read several tall tales, describe the elements of tall tales, and then use hyperbole to write their own tall tales.
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Exploring American Tall Tales
Students explore elements of American folktales and tall tales. In this literature lesson, students read examples of American folktales and tall tales and prepare a monologue or news report to present to the class based on their readings.
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Writing a Tall Tale
Learners investigate tall tales. In this tall tales lesson, students read tall tales, then write their own. Learners focus on writing about exciting character development, plots, and scenes. Students edit and revise their papers...
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Tall Tale Introduction
Students explore folk tales by completing a graphic organizer with classmates. In this tall tale lesson, students read the famous story Paul Bunyan and identify the many characteristics of a fictional tall tale story. Students complete a...
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Tall Tales
Learners are provided with an opportunity to explore not only the interface but also the variety of scenery and objects available on the program. Younger students may require additional teacher assistance during the computer activity.
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What's the Real Story?
Second graders investigate tall tales. In this literature instructional activity, 2nd graders complete a story element worksheet based upon the tall tale of Paul Bunyan. Students create a PowerPoint presentation about a tall tale.
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Writing Folktales
Students consider the structure of folktales. In this writing skills lesson, students list the attributes of folktales that they read in class. Students then complete handouts based on the elements of the tales as well as types of tales...
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Reader's Theater, Get Ready
Students recognize what features make a play. In this reader's theater lesson plan, students read the play Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria told by Aaron Shepard and determine what features make this a play and what the author's...
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Transforming Fairy Tales
Students use the computer to write, draw, explore the Internet, and combine all of these elements. They write their own fairy tales, use computer software to create drawings of the characters for their tales and use the Internet to...
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Story Pyramid
Students read tall tales to identify story elements. In this story elements instructional activity, students read about Johnny Appleseed and Pecos Bill and use graphic organizers to record information. Students read in small groups,...
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Playing with Language: Tall Tales and Codes
Young scholars interpret and identify the elements of folktales, with an emphasis on tall tales, in this lesson. Students utilize brainstorming techniques to list ways people communicate. Young scholars also read and create a time line...
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Tell Me a Whopper!
Sixth graders investigate tall tales as a literary genre. They listen to a number of tall tales to discover how exaggeration is used as a story element. They write and publish a tall tale using word processing software. They illustrate...
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Folktales: Fables
Young scholars access a variety of resources on the Internet regarding folktales, fables, tall tales, and fairy tales. They read and compare/contrast the elements of fables, and complete various handouts.
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Using Graphic Organizers to Generate Genre Definitions
Learners listen to or read a variety of stories and then work individually or in groups to complete graphic organizers that will help them focus on elements within different types of stories. They write definitions for a variety of story...
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Humourous Head Planter Spike: Ceramics Lesson
What a great activity. Kids create humorous ceramic character (heads) spikes to enliven a planter. Modern art is full of expressive and exaggerated forms and your class gets to create them out of clay. This would be a lovely activity to...
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Teaching Language Arts in Kindergarten Using Stories, Aesop's Fables, and Tall Tales
Students search into a variety of story elements in the eight lessons of this unit. The title, author, illustrator, setting, main character, problem, solution, events and the story are the components of the lessons.
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Larger Than Life Figures
Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes six lessons about larger than life figures from the American Literature series, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading and response...
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The Memory Invention
Young writers edit their writing to make sure it shows good meaning and clarity. For this writing lesson, students are given a variety of "What If?" scenarios to choose from as writing prompts. A class discussion ensues, which focuses on...
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Helping Others
Learners explore philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students read The Seven Chinese Brothers, identify the elements of the story, and then go out in the world to help others by sharing their talents.