The Other Tall Tales

In this creative writing worksheet, students 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.

Disney versus Grimm? To launch a five-week unit on fairy and folk tales, class members compare modern versions of these classic stories with more original versions. The richly detailed unit, while largely teacher led, encourages middle...

Young scholars explore American tall tales. In this tall tale lesson, students discover the six characteristics that are included in tall tales. Young scholars survey their class to find each student's favorite tall tale character and...

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...

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...

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...

High schoolers analyze the conflicting lifestyles and values of Mark Twain. They read a tall tale by Mark Twain, write an original tall tale, select a pen name for themselves, and complete a worksheet.

Challenge your class with this lesson comparing literary genres! They compare folktales, fairy tales, legends, and tall tales using this activity which comes with a series of templates and worksheets.  

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...