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TALL TALES

Paul Bunyan! Pecos Bill! John Henry! The list goes on and on. America's move west is told through the great Tall Tales and we have been spending the last month studying some of our tall figures. Talk with your child to see what character is their favorite and be sure to ask them why.

A tall tale is a story that has these features:

A larger-than-life, or superhuman, main character with a specific job.

A problem that is solved in a funny way.

Exaggerated details that describe things as greater than they really are.

Characters who use everyday language.

How did Tall Tales get started?

Settlers who made their homes in the American wilderness first told tall tales. In those days, before TV and movies, people depended on storytelling for entertainment. After a long day's work, people gathered to tell each other funny tales.

Each group of workers-loggers, cowboys, railroad and steel workers-had its own tall-tale hero. Having a superhuman hero with the same job somehow made their lives easier. Perhaps it gave them strength or courage to do their difficult and dangerous work.

Click on the links below to read some online Tall Tales, but remember, there are hundreds of Tall Tales in print you can find in your local school or public library. Check them out!

paul Bunyan

http://www.animatedtalltales.com/launch

Pecos Bill

http://pbskids.org/lions/stories.html

http://www.drlamay.com/pecos_bill.htm

http://www.marshall-es.marshall.k12.tn.us/jobe/Appleseed.html

Johnny Appleseed

http://www.applejuice.org/johnnyappleseed.html

Activities

Compare and Contrast Two Tall Tale Characters.
Pick two tall tale characters and analyze how they were alike and different. First, start by identifying the story elements of the tall tales. What parts of their stories make them a tall tale? What exaggerations are made? Do you think a tall tale is similar to a person who is a legend? Use Inspiration to create a diagram showing your comparison.

Create a Song.

Choose a tall tale character and write a song or jingle about him or her.

Write a Poem.

Write a poem about a Tall Tale character and share some exaggerations. Use haiku, cinquain, acrostic, diamante, or another type.

Illustrate a Tall Tale Character.

Choose a character to illustrate through a picture, painting, or other form of art.

Create your own Tall Tale Play.

Either create your own Tall Tale character and make the character the focus of your play, or you may create a play based on a well-known Tall Tale character.

Write Your Own Tall Tale.

After reading several Tall Tales, write your own tale and publish it using HyperStudio, PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, or pencil and paper.

Last revised 3/31/2007.