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Tell a Ton of Tall Tales
Elementary schoolers read many tall tales. They create their own tall tale about a specific event of their choosing. They must act the part of the author. This well-designed lesson takes three class sessions to complete, and is...
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Born on a Mountaintop? Davy Crockett, Tall Tales, and History
Young scholars compare and contrast the details from the life of the real David Crockett and the legendary folk hero he later became. They identify the characteristics of a tall tale and follow a rubric to create a tall tale of their own.
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Mrs. Watson Tall Tales
Tall tales are so much fun! Introduce your class to Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, and Davy Crockett, among others! Learn about their lives before reading some of the tall tales as a class. Then, write some tales of your own!
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Paul Bunyan: Opening the Door for American Storytelling
Guide the next generation of storytellers with these American oral tradition stories.
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Paul Bunyan Vocabulary
In this Paul Bunyan vocabulary skills worksheet, students match the 10 words and names listed to the appropriate sentences that describe each of them.
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"Knot" the Whole Truth: Writing a Modern-Day Story with a Tall Tale's Voice
Beyond Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, tall tales can be a great way to teach young writers about word choice and voice in their writing. Using Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee and the Six-Trait Writing process, they begin to write their own...
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Tall Tales
Give your class an overview of American tall tales and some examples with these slides. The basic definition of folk stories, legends, and tall tales is explained, followed by famous characters from American lore. Reading suggestions are...
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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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A Tall Tale
Seven quick slides give your class the "facts" on Paul Bunyan. This tall tale was made up to entertain lumberjacks and many interesting points are detailed here. As you study various folk tales, show this presentation to portray one of...
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Tall Tales and Urban Legends
In this creative writing worksheet, pupils sort through old pictures and discuss the characterization in each. Students create characters, a setting, and their own tall tale or urban legend based on the pictures.
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Writing Folktales
Students consider the structure of folktales. In this writing skills instructional activity, 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...
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Heroes
Learners read the story of Paul Bunyan and identify the characteristics and actions that make him a hero. In this heroes lesson plan, students explain their answer and draw pictures.
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Humorous Solutions
Discover with your class the humorous solution that follows tall tales. Elementary learners will discuss the tall tale Paul Bunyan and give ordinary solutions for the problems in the story. They will read Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind...
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Media Messages
Students analyze advertisements and decide what message is being conveyed. In this media lesson, students analyze drawings from a tall tale. Students view drawings from the book Johnny Appleseed and discuss the colors of the drawings and...
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Tall Tale Rollers
Students explore American tall tales. In this tall tale lesson, students discover the six characteristics that are included in tall tales. Students survey their class to find each student's favorite tall tale character and organize the...
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Writing tall Tales
Students become familiar with the origins of the tall tale. In this Tall tale technology lesson, students complete worksheets to plan a tall tale. Students write their tall tales and put it on the computer in KidPix.
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Story Stretching: Tall Tales in North America
Students are introduced to tall tales. In this introductory tall tales unit, students explore the tall tales of Casey Jones and Johnny Appleseed. This unit includes many interdisciplinary lessons including graphing skills and geography.
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Porter's Pig Problem
In this tall tale worksheet, students read the tall tale, then make up their own ending for the story. The worksheet also provides students with a definition of a tall tale.
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Western Folklore Presentations
Learners choose a folktale character to research using electronic encyclopedia, software, the Internet, media center and printed material. They focus their research around specific criteria to force the students to be selective and...
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Music and Tall Tales
Students examine how cowboys lives have changed over the years. They also explore what a tall tale is and create their own.
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Folktales
A brief list of folktales is displayed on these slides. Four types are written out with an example for each fairytale, tall tale, fable, and trickster tale. The last slides segues into the creator's favorite fairytale, "Two of...
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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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Heroes and Legends
In this heroes and legends learning exercise, 4th graders answer 10 questions about the character, setting and plot for the hero in their tall tale.
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Reader's Theater, Get Ready
Students recognize what features make a play. In this reader's theater lesson, 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 purpose was.