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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Other Tall Tales

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research many different tall tales. They retell the tale in their own words and create an orginal tale of their own. They share their tall with the class along with illustrations.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tabloid Tales

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students write news stories to accompany tabloid headlines. In this tabloid lesson plan, students learn the power of persuasion and exaggeration by writing stories based on actual tabloid headlines.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Playing with Language: Tall Tales and Codes

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Students 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. Students also read and create a time line and present...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Her stories: African American folktales, fairy tales, and true tales

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Pupils discuss the illustration's allusion to the myth, Pandora's Box. Students locate instances of folk sayings or expressions that make these tales seem authentic to the reader. Pupils draw a Venn diagram comparing Catskinella and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

A Fish Story

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students closely examine and analyze an American tall tale. They find the key features of a tall tale and compose a tall tale of their own. Student groups write, edit and present their tales to the class.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tell Me a Whopper!

For Teachers 6th
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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Seven Chinese Brothers

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify the characteristics of a tall tale. They read "The Seven Chinese Brothers" and analyze it for these characteristics. Students complete a comprehension worksheet and discuss why "The Seven Chinese Brothers" can be...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

For Teachers 4th - 5th
Students hear the story How I Spent My Summer Vacation by Wallace Bleef and share their own summer experiences. They write a tale about one event that happened during their summer using exaggeration.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using Graphic Organizers to Generate Genre Definitions

For Teachers 3rd - 11th
Pupils 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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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tall Tales Folded Envelope Book

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students create a book using art, problem solving and language skills. They illustrate and write a tall tale. They sculpt a character from their tall tale.
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Lesson Plan
August House

The Clever Monkey Rides Again

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
How very clever. No need to monkey around with this resource. Rob Cleveland's version of the West African tale, "The Clever Monkey Rides Again," is used as the basis for multiple of cross-curricular activities including exercises...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching Grammar Without the Hammer: Five Fun Activities

For Teachers K - 2nd
There are five lessons on teaching grammar here for you to peruse. Two of them work well for kindergartners; one on teaching synonyms and one on teaching parts of speech by reading Tall Tales. These lessons are especially engaging and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Memory Invention

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Young writers edit their writing to make sure it shows good meaning and clarity. In this writing lesson, young scholars are given a variety of "What If?" scenarios to choose from as writing prompts. A class discussion ensues, which...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harvesting a Forest: How Would I Do It?

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders design a machine for clear-cutting an area of forest.  In this agricultural technology instructional activity, 3rd graders are read selections from American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osbourn, discuss how trees are harvested...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tall Tales: Reconstructing A Personal Tell

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders discover the ways archaeologists examine artifacts and where they are found. After being introduced to new vocabulary, they use artifacts from their own lives and discover what could be told about their life from them. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bunyan, Appleseed, and More

For Teachers 9th
Ninth graders listen to a variety of tall tales and compose their own tall tale. In this tall tale instructional activity, 9th graders complete  KWL chart about tall tales. Students discuss the elements of tall tales and then read...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Deeds Of Paul Bunyan

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore the role of real and mythical heroes in shaping the culture of communities, the state, and the nation. They read, Paul Bunyan Tall Tale Trail. They use Microsoft Word to document the heroic contributions of Paul...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Verbal Sketch

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Young scholars use perspective observation sketches to understand verbal description. In this subjective writing lesson, students practice writing subjective conversations using the cartoon worksheets.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Tell-Tale Heart

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Pupils discuss the title of Edgar Allen Poe's story, The Tell-Tale Heart before reading it, and discuss information about the author. They use a graphic organizer to help them comprehend the story as they read.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Border Legends, Myth, & Folklore

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students examine the narrative forms and tales unique to the U.S.-Mexico border. They discuss the possible sociological meanings of these stories, and then write their own versions to demonstrate that they explain the forms.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Holes

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learners read and analyze the story elements of the novel "Holes" by Louis Sachar. They play a "Holes" matching game, complete a timeline of story events, complete a Cause-and-Effect graphic organizer, conduct research on Louis Sachar's...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Forms Of Knowledge

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Students put writing pieces into categories to show different organizational features in writing. In this writing lesson plan, students are shown examples of speeches, poems, editorials, cartoons, parodies, historical fiction, and more.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hyperbole, Idiom, Oxymoron

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify the usage of idiom, hyperbole, and oxymoron in literary passages. They apply this knowledge of figurative language through a composition exercise. The writing of teacher generated examples is also helpful.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Story Pyramid and Summary

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners read a short selection of a story individually or as a class. On their own, they create a story pyramid for the selection and write a one page summary. They use text from the story for their supporting details. To end the...