1. An Introduction to
Tall Tales

2. What do you know about tall tales?

3. What are ?
Tall Tales
Tall tales are stories of exaggeration, where the truth is stretched.
Tall tales were first told on the American frontier many years ago. By telling stories of characters who could triumph over challenges, the pioneers and settlers could feel stronger themselves.
Tall tales combine ordinary and exaggerated events and characters.

4. What are ?
Tall Tales
Tall tale heroes and heroines could accomplish amazing things.
The humor of tall tales helped people learn to laugh in spite of hardship.
Tall tales are often based on fact, but the facts are exaggerated.
Use of imagination is very important in tall tales.
Lightning played a big part in many tall tales,
folk tales, and myths. One tale relates how a
very brave man rode a lightning bolt and tamed
it.

5. Draw this chart in your Reading Notebook…
Ordinary Part of Story
Exaggerated Part of Story

6. "John Henry" by Julius Lester
Listen as I read aloud...
"John Henry" by Julius Lester
Try to “see” the exaggerated part in your mind’s eye.
As I read aloud, use your chart to jot down notes identifying the “ordinary” and “exaggerated” parts of the tale.

7. Let’s Predict… Examine the cover of the book and the title.
Who will be the hero of this tall tale?
What will the setting (time & place) be?
Now you’re ready to read John Henry’s tale…
What do you think this story will be about?
What exaggerated event might we see in the story?

8. Examples of exaggerated descriptive language from
Exaggerated Language
Examples of exaggerated
descriptive language from
"John Henry"

9. New Vocabulary Fateful – bringing disaster
Tragedy – a sad or terrible event
Gadgets – small machines or other tools
Bellowing – loud, deep roaring
Softhearted – gentle and kind
Ration – the daily allowance of food for a person or animal

10. Tall Tales
Day 2

11. Let's Review... Can anyone tell me what a “tall tale” is?
What are some titles of tall tales you have read?
Do these tall tales show use of imagination?
Why did storytellers tell tall tales?

12. Focus Skill:
Fact & Opinion

13. Fact & Opinion
A fact gives information that can be proved true or false.
Example: “Paul Bunyan” is a tall tale.
An opinion expresses a thought or feeling that cannot be proved true or false. Words that signal an opinion include: I think, I believe, probably, and adjectives such as best or worst.
Example: “Paul Bunyan” is the best tall tale.

14. Can you spot the facts? Opinions? Tip
The story of Paul Bunyan is an American tall tale. The main character is a logger named Paul who meets an enormous ox named Babe. Babe and Paul have many adventures. People have been telling this story for many years. I think it is the greatest tall tale of them all. To me, it is certainly the funniest.
Tip
Knowing the difference between a fact and opinion helps readers figure out whether at statement is true and can be proved, or if it is what the author or speaker feels.

15. silently to yourself. Be
Vocabulary Activity
Open your books to page 668.
Read "Vocabulary Power"
silently to yourself. Be
prepared to answer
questions about what
you've read!

16. Vocabulary Power
Which do you think would be louder, bellowing or yelling? Explain.
Which word means the opposite of mean?
What kinds of gadgets might you find in a kitchen?
Would a fateful day bring you joy or tragedy?
If you increased your pet’s daily ration of food, would it get bigger or smaller? Explain.

17. Listen as I read aloud…
"Paul Bunyan"
by: Arthur S. Bourinot

18. Comprehension Questions
What is this poem about?
What do the words “and his laugh rolled through the mountains like thunder on a summer night” suggest?
Are the images in this poem realistic or unrealistic? Explain.
Would you prefer to listen to a poem about Paul Bunyan or a tall tale about his adventures? Explain.

19. Paul Bunyan is a mythical lumberjack who had many adventures.
What do you know about him?
Paul Bunyan

20. Building Background What was Paul Bunyan like?
Where did Paul Bunyan live?
What kinds of adventures did Paul Bunyan have?

21. Paul Bunyan
and Babe the Blue Ox

22. “Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox” is an example of a
TALL TALE
A tall tale is a humorous story about impossible or exaggerated happenings.
Look for events that could not happen in real life & exaggerations about the strength and abilities of a hero.

23. Be prepared to answer questions
Listen to pages on cd.
Be prepared to answer questions
about what we've read.

24. How did Paul
and Babe meet?

25. "When you're grown up, I'll find you some
Paul tells Babe,
"When you're grown up, I'll find you some
useful work." What kind of work
do you think he will find?

26. What is the crew’s opinion of Babe
at first? How do you know?

27. Why does Babe
require so much
food?

28. Is the statement
"Babe was a fine pet"
a fact or an opinion?
How do you know?

29. Do you think the tricks Babe plays on the crew are funny or mean?
Why?

30. Why is Paul able to add men to his crew?

31. How is Paul
Bunyan's food
cooked & served?

32. Tall Tales
Day 3

33. Author's Craft
Author’s craft is what an author does to make their writing more interesting.
This includes use of:
Figurative language (ex. metaphor, simile, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, etc.)
Sentence variety
Dialogue
And many more things…

34. In the story we’re reading…
the author uses exaggeration to make the tale more interesting.
were it not for the hyperbole (exaggeration) in the tall tale, it would be a normal, boring story.
think about what the story would be like without exaggeration…

35. Focus Skill: Fact & Opinion
A fact is a statement that can be proved.
An opinion expresses someone’s thoughts or feelings.
In imaginative literature, such as stories, myths, folk tales, and tall tales, facts are statements that tell what has happened in the story and can be proved. They do not have to be true in real life. An opinion is what a character thinks or believes.

36. Look at these examples of fact and opinion from “Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox.”
Paul kept on feeding Babe, and pretty soon the animal was up to full size, measuring forty-two ax handles between the eyes.
This statement is a fact because in the story, it cold be proved by measuring Babe.
Opinion
When Paul sits down and looks at the Dakotas, he says, “I think maybe we shoulda stopped a while back.”
This is Paul’s opinion because it’s what he believes. He uses the words: I think.
His opinion may be right, but that doesn’t make it a fact. Even if many people
agree with him, his statement is still an opinion.

37. 1. Pull out your Reading Practice book.
Vocabulary Review
1. Pull out your Reading Practice book.
2. Turn to pg. 123 & tear it out.
3. On your own, complete it for a grade.
4. Turn in to pink box.

38. Reading pgs

39. Why do Paul
and his crew
move from one camp
to another?

40. How does Paul make the move to Red River easier?

41. Were the Seven
Axemen large or
small? How do
you know?

42. The loggers cut down all the trees of the Dakotas
The loggers cut down all the trees of the Dakotas. What opinion does Paul state about the logging and the land? How do you know this is an opinion?

43. How do you know
that Paul is not a
selfish person?

44. How does the crew try to fight off the giant mosquitoes
How does the crew try to fight off the giant mosquitoes? Why doesn’t this work?

45. Cognition Questions What is the main idea of this selection?
Based on the passage, what does chortle mean? (pg. 674)
What is the main purpose of this selection?
Why did the author most likely write this selection?
What words best describe Babe? Paul?
What is the setting of this selection?

46. Interpretation Questions
What is the mood/tone of the selection?
What words best describe how Paul feels about cutting down trees.
What does Paul mean when he says, “I think maybe we shoulda stopped a while back.” (pg. 678)
How did the author capture your interest?
What kind of information did the author need to know before writing this story?

47. Critical Stance Questions
How was Paul different from the other lumberjacks?
What do you think was the author’s opinion of the events in the story?
Does the author use any similes? Personification? Irony?
How would you change the story if you were the author?
Does the ending seem believable?

48. Map Paul’s adventures on this map.

49. Tall Tales
Day 4

50. Focus Skill: Fact & Opinion
A fact is a statement that can be proved.
An opinion expresses someone’s thoughts or feelings.
In imaginative literature, such as stories, myths, folk tales, and tall tales, facts are statements that tell what has happened in the story and can be proved. They do not have to be true in real life. An opinion is what a character thinks or believes.

51. Test Prep
One day Millie heard a giant slurping noise. She ran to the Rattlesnake River. In sixteen and a half seconds, the riverbed was dry.
Millie set off to find out where all the water had gone. She came upon Paul Bunyan and Babe, his giant blue ox. She spotted a dribble of blue water running down Babe’s chin. “That ox ought to be kept in a pen!” she bellowed. “He’s gone and drunk up the Rattlesnake River!”
Is the statement She ran to the Rattlesnake River a fact or an opinion?
A. An opinion because it tells what Millie thinks
B. A fact, because it tells about an event that happens in the story
C. An opinion, because the story isn’t true.
D. A fact, because it tells about an event in real life
2. Which of these statements from the story expresses an opinion?
“That ox ought to be kept in a pen!”
B. In sixteen and a half seconds, the riverbed was dry.
C. She came upon Paul Bunyan and Babe.
D. Millie heard a giant slurping noise.

52. Finding Facts & Opinions
Focus Skill Activity:
Finding Facts & Opinions
in "Paul Bunyan" with a
partner. Use the
sheet provided.

53. Writing your own
Tall Tale

54. How to write your tall tale...
First, determine what your hero, or heroine, will be like and give them a worthy name. Draw your hero/heroine in detail.
Then, figure out what other tall tale characters will take part in your story. Describe and draw them as well.
After that, choose a setting (time & place). Be sure your character fits into that setting. Draw & describe it, too.
Last, figure out what events will occur in your tall tale. (Make sure that last event is a SURPRISE ENDING.)