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Story switch up
Gather your class around to hear the real story of Jack and the Bean Stalk. In this version Jack is mean and rude, and the Giant is friendly and kind. Have your class rewrite a classic fairy tale to build strong written...
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The Other Tall Tales
Middle schoolers research many different tall tales. They retell the tale in their own words and create an orginal tale of their own. They share their tall with the class along with illustrations.
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Teaching Grammar Without the Hammer: Five Fun Activities
There are five lessons on teaching grammar here for you to peruse. Two of them work well for kindergartners; one on teaching synonyms and one on teaching parts of speech by reading Tall Tales. These lessons are especially engaging and...
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Home of the Brave
Students use various types of people and the special places they each call home. They discover houses, like the world, are always changing. Students start out by brainstorming what was the one thing that made a house a home. They were...
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Larger Than Life Figures
Students prepare for and respond to literature selections. This package includes six lessons about larger than life figures from the American Literature series, each covering a different reading selection. Pre-reading and response...
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Playing with Language: Tall Tales and Codes
Students interpret and identify the elements of folktales, with an emphasis on tall tales, in this lesson. Students utilize brainstorming techniques to list ways people communicate. Students also read and create a time line and present...
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Her stories: African American folktales, fairy tales, and true tales
Students discuss the illustration's allusion to the myth, Pandora's Box. Students locate instances of folk sayings or expressions that make these tales seem authentic to the reader. Students draw a Venn diagram comparing Catskinella and...
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Seven Chinese Brothers
Fourth graders identify the characteristics of a tall tale. They read "The Seven Chinese Brothers" and analyze it for these characteristics. Students complete a comprehension worksheet and discuss why "The Seven Chinese Brothers" can be...
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Tell Me a Whopper!
Sixth graders investigate tall tales as a literary genre. They listen to a number of tall tales to discover how exaggeration is used as a story element. They write and publish a tall tale using word processing software. They illustrate...
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Folktales: Fables
Students access a variety of resources on the Internet regarding folktales, fables, tall tales, and fairy tales. They read and compare/contrast the elements of fables, and complete various handouts.
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Geography
Second graders study and review geographical terms for features. They classify those features and locate them on a map. They review geographical features of Tall Tales.
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Using Graphic Organizers to Generate Genre Definitions
Students listen to or read a variety of stories and then work individually or in groups to complete graphic organizers that will help them focus on elements within different types of stories. They write definitions for a variety of story...
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Reader's Theater, Rehearsal
Students rehearse a play. In this Reader's Theater lesson, students practice reading a play, Master Man: A Tall Tale of Nigeria by Aaron Shepard. Students discuss fluency, intonation, and volume when presenting.
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Story Pyramid
Students read tall tales to identify story elements. For this story elements lesson, students read about Johnny Appleseed and Pecos Bill and use graphic organizers to record information. Students read in small groups,...
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Idioms and Expressions: High or Tall
In this idioms worksheet, students complete a 10 question multiple choice on-line interactive quiz about the correct use of idioms with "high" or "tall". Examples: tall tales, high heels, high strung, tall order.
August House
The Clever Monkey Rides Again
How very clever. No need to monkey around with this resource. Rob Cleveland's version of the West African tale, "The Clever Monkey Rides Again," is used as the basis for multiple of cross-curricular activities including exercises...
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Storytelling
Students explore the origins of folktales, fairytales, myths, legends, fables, and folktales in the ten lessons of this unit. A storytelling festival is held to feature the results of the variety of activities presented in the unit.
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What did you build?
Youngsters will work in teams to build a house out of blocks after reading The Three Little Pigs. They will work together to make a block house. After finishing they take a picture of their house and discuss if it is too tall, too small...
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Harvesting a Forest: How Would I Do It?
Third graders design a machine for clear-cutting an area of forest. In this agricultural technology instructional activity, 3rd graders are read selections from American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osbourn, discuss how trees are...
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Tall Tales: Reconstructing A Personal Tell
Sixth graders discover the ways archaeologists examine artifacts and where they are found. After being introduced to new vocabulary, they use artifacts from their own lives and discover what could be told about their life from them. ...
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Genre
In this genre study PowerPoint presentation, students read the definitions and characteristics of each literary genre. There are 17 genres that the PowerPoint presentation addresses, such as science fiction, tall tales and poetry.
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The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Sixth graders demonstrate the ability to process and evaluate content from a variety of sources and apply comprehension skills to the material read. They organize information for practical use and design and develop an informational...
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Helping Others
Students explore philanthropy. In this service learning lesson, students read The Seven Chinese Brothers, identify the elements of the story, and then go out in the world to help others by sharing their talents.
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Passport to Stories Around the World
Students read stories from various cultures and create a passport indicating the completion and comprehension of the story. The template for the passport is included. The instructional activity can be used for a broad range of ages...