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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

Here is a lesson that can work for virtually any grade level! Pupils study parts of speech such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, proper nouns, and adverbs. They create fill in the blank tall tails on a web page for their classmates to complete.

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...

Students 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.

Students explore early 20th century steel making.  In this U.S. history steel making lesson plan, students view and describe a postcard and a picture depicting exaggerated aspects of the steel industry.  Students listen to a poem about...

Learning about literature can be so much fun; it can also be made more accessible through projects and dramatic play. As they explore theme, character, and setting, the class gets creative and makes a dramatic recreation of a classic...