An Introduction An Introduction to to

What do you know about What do you know about tall talestall tales??

Tall Tales

What areWhat are ??

• Tall tales are stories of Tall tales are stories of exaggerationexaggeration, , where the truth is stretched.where the truth is stretched.

• Tall tales were first told on the Tall tales were first told on the American frontier many years ago. By American frontier many years ago. By telling stories of characters who could telling stories of characters who could triumph over challenges, the pioneers triumph over challenges, the pioneers and settlers could feel stronger and settlers could feel stronger themselves.themselves.

• Tall tales combine Tall tales combine ordinaryordinary and and exaggeratedexaggerated events and characters. events and characters.

What areWhat are ??

• Tall tale heroes and Tall tale heroes and heroines could heroines could accomplish amazing accomplish amazing things.things.

• The humor of tall tales The humor of tall tales helped people learn to helped people learn to laugh in spite of laugh in spite of hardship.hardship.

• Tall tales are often Tall tales are often based on fact, but the based on fact, but the facts are exaggerated.facts are exaggerated.

• Use of imagination is Use of imagination is very important in tall very important in tall tales.tales.

Lightning played a big part in many tall tales, Lightning played a big part in many tall tales, folk tales, and myths. One tale relates how a folk tales, and myths. One tale relates how a very brave man rode a lightning bolt and tamed very brave man rode a lightning bolt and tamed it.it.

Draw this chart in your Reading Notebook…

Ordinary Part of Ordinary Part of StoryStory

Exaggerated Part of Exaggerated Part of StoryStory

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • • •

•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.

Let’s Predict…Let’s Predict…

• Examine the cover of the book and the title. – Who will be the Who will be the hero hero of this tall tale?of this tall tale?– What will the What will the settingsetting (time & place) be? (time & place) be?

• Now you’re ready to read John Henry’s tale… – What do you think this story will be What do you think this story will be

about?about?• What exaggerated event might we see What exaggerated event might we see

in the story?in the story?

Examples of

Examples of exaggerateddescriptive language from

• FatefulFateful – bringing disaster• TragedyTragedy – a sad or terrible event• GadgetsGadgets – small machines or other

tools• BellowingBellowing – loud, deep roaring• SoftheartedSofthearted – gentle and kind• RationRation – the daily allowance of food

for a person or animal

• Can anyone tell me Can anyone tell me what a “tall tale” is?what a “tall tale” is?

• What are some What are some titles of tall tales titles of tall tales you have read?you have read?

• Do these tall tales Do these tall tales show use of show use of imagination?imagination?

• Why did storytellers Why did storytellers tell tall tales?tell tall tales?

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A A factfact gives information that gives information that cancan be proved be proved true or false.true or false.

Example: “Paul Bunyan” is a tall tale.Example: “Paul Bunyan” is a tall tale.

An An opinionopinion expresses a thought or feeling expresses a thought or feeling that that cannotcannot be proved true or false. Words be proved true or false. Words that signal an opinion include: that signal an opinion include: I think, I I think, I believe, probablybelieve, probably, and adjectives such as , and adjectives such as bestbest or or worstworst..

Example: “Paul Bunyan” is the best tall tale.Example: “Paul Bunyan” is the best tall tale.

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.

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• 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.

Listen as I read aloud…Listen as I read aloud…

Comprehension QuestionsComprehension Questions

• What is this poem about?What is this poem about?• What do the words “and his laugh What do the words “and his laugh

rolled through the mountains like rolled through the mountains like thunder on a summer night” thunder on a summer night” suggest?suggest?

• Are the images in this poem Are the images in this poem realistic or unrealistic? Explain.realistic or unrealistic? Explain.

• Would you prefer to listen to a Would you prefer to listen to a poem about Paul Bunyan or a tall poem about Paul Bunyan or a tall tale about his adventures? tale about his adventures? Explain.Explain.

Paul Bunyan is a mythical lumberjack who Paul Bunyan is a mythical lumberjack who had many adventureshad many adventures..

•What was Paul Bunyan like?

•Where did Paul Bunyan live?

•What kinds of adventures did Paul Bunyan have?

“Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox” is an example of a

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.

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

Do you think the tricks Babe plays on the

crew are funny or mean?

Why?

Why is Paul

able to add men

to his crew?

•Author’s craftAuthor’s craft is what an author does to make their writing more interesting.interesting.

•This includes use of:•Figurative language (ex. metaphor, simile, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, etc.)

•Sentence variety•Dialogue•And many more things…

In the story we’re reading…In the story we’re reading…

• the author uses

exaggerationexaggeration 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…

Focus Skill: Fact & OpinionFocus Skill: Fact & Opinion

•A A factfact is a statement that can be is a statement that can be proved. proved.

•An An opinionopinion expresses someone’s expresses someone’s thoughts or feelings. 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.

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.

When Paul sits down and looks at the Dakotas, he says, “I think maybe we shoulda stopped a while back.”

This statement is a fact because in the story, it cold be proved by measuring Babe.

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.

How does Paul make the move to Red River easier?

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?

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

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?

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?

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?

Map Paul’s adventures on this map.

Focus Skill: Fact & OpinionFocus Skill: Fact & Opinion

•A A factfact is a statement that can be is a statement that can be proved. proved.

•An An opinionopinion expresses someone’s expresses someone’s thoughts or feelings. 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.

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!”

1. 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?

A. “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.

Focus Skill Activity:

• 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.)