An Introduction to

1. An Introduction to Tall Tales

2. What do you know about tall tales? 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…

6. 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 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

14. Can you spot the facts? Opinions? 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. 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. Tip

15. 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. Listen to pages 671-675 on cd. Be prepared to answer questions about what we've read.

24. How did Paul and Babe meet?

25. 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.” Fact 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. 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. 676-681

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. 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? 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.