Curated OER
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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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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Border Legends, Myth, & Folklore
Learners 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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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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Storytelling
Students explore the origins of folktales, fairytales, myths, legends, fables, and folktales in the ten lessons of this unit. A storytelling festival is held to feature the results of the variety of activities presented in the unit.
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Don't Stop the Weaving
The importance of oral tradition is evident throughout time and across space. Introduce your learners to some interesting stories and then test their knowledge with these questions. Ten multiple-choice questions focus on characters and...
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A Fish Story
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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Using Graphic Organizers to Generate Genre Definitions
Students 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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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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Exploring Themes in Literature: The Oral Tradition
Are you are considering a unit on Beowulf or Superman, on myths, or tricksters? Here's a great overview you can use to launch a study of universal themes and archetypes. The focus here is on the oral tradition, but the concepts apply to...
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Bunyan, Appleseed, and More
Ninth graders listen to a variety of tall tales and compose their own tall tale. In this tall tale lesson plan, 9th graders complete KWL chart about tall tales. Students discuss the elements of tall tales and then read example tales....
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The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Sixth graders demonstrate the ability to process and evaluate content from a variety of sources and apply comprehension skills to the material read. They organize information for practical use and design and develop an informational...
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Horses
Students discuss the importance of the horse as a "beast of burden" animal in Japanese culture and create a legend, myth or tall tale set in Japan with a horse as the central character.
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Dalai Lama: Day 2 of 5
Sixth graders explore philosophy by researching the Dalai Lama. In this Tibetan history lesson, 6th graders discuss the influence of Buddhism on the Dalai Lama and the unique view on life a Buddhist must have. Students read a Tibetan...
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Identifying Genre
In this identifying genre worksheet, 9th graders read the titles and descriptions of 15 stories, identify and write the genre and subgenre from the list provided.
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Identifying Genre and Subgenre #2
For this identifying genre and subgenre #2 worksheet, 9th graders read 17 short summaries, then select the genre and subgenre from the choices given and explain their choice in writing.
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Quiz on Genre and Subgenre
For this quiz on genre and subgenre worksheet, 9th graders match 12 definitions to terms, then answer 3 multiple choice questions identifying genres.
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Genre and Subgenre quiz
In this genre and subgenre activity, students complete multiple choice and matching problems about genres and subgenres. Students complete 15 questions total.