5th grade Tall Tales Lesson

Lesson: Four Lessons on Tall Tales

5^th Grade ELA

CA 5^th Core: Reading Informational Text – I.K.I. 9 – Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably

CA HSS 5.8. 4. Discuss the experiences of settlers on the overland trails to the West (e.g., location of the routes; purpose of the journeys; the influence of the terrain, rivers, vegetation, and climate; life in the territories at the end of these trails). 

CA ELA Reading 3.1 Analyze literary forms

CA ELA Reading 3.7 Evaluate Author’s Techniques

CA ELA Writing 2.2 Demonstrate Understanding

CA VAPA Theatre 2.3 Collaborate as an actor, director, scriptwriter, or technical artist in creating formal or informal theatrical performances.

Lesson 1 : What is Hyperbole?

Objective: The students will be able to create their own examples of hyperbole

Materials:

Pencils and reading journals

Into: 

Inform students they will be studying tall tales. Tall tales use a type of figurative language called hyperbole. Hyperbole is extreme exaggeration, and usually is in the form of bragging. Inform students that bragging was a common form of entertainment in the 1800s. As a warm-up activity to this lesson, the teacher should explain this fact, then give students several humorous examples in context. English language learners, especially, need to know that hyperbole was used to entertain and is not intended to be factual.

For example: 

The tornado was soooo fierce, it dug a ditch 10 miles wide and 10 miles long. 

She blew her nose soooooo hard, her nose flew off her face.

Through:

After teacher shares several examples, ask students to turn to each other and say their own example using the idea of a storm.

The storm was so strong . . . 

The storm was so fierce . . . 

The storm was so wild . . . 

Beyond:

The students will record their examples in their journals under the heading “hyperbole.”

Assessment: The teacher will examine the journal entries for evidence of understanding

Rubric

Proficient:  Student successfully analyzed the model and demonstrated examples of hyperbole

Approaching Proficiency: Student needs further support in analyzing the model in order to come up with an example of hyperbole

Lesson 2 : Story Map of a Tall Tale

Objective: Students will be able to identify, in pictures, the main elements of plot in a tall tale

Subobjective: Students will identify instances of hyperbole in their reading

Materials:

Poster Paper

Markers

Pencils

Literature Anthologies

Into: 

The teacher will discuss the relevance of tall tales in the context of early American history. Stress should be given to the children’s understanding that tall tales were humorous ways that settlers dealt with the hardships of their lives. Students need to understand that tall tales were also written in the vernacular of the time, and often will contain phrases that may be unfamiliar to today’s children. Students also need to know that bragging was a way of being funny, and that tall tales were meant to be lighthearted tales (even if some are based on real people). Review some of the examples of hyperbole from the previous lesson.

Through:

The reading of John Henry should be guided. Include character voices and body movements where appropriate so that the children see you modeling this important aspect of storytelling.

Students will be asked to do the following as they read along: 

Pay attention to the characters. What makes them special?

Try to picture the setting of the tall tale. Does anything make the setting unusual? How is it different from places you are familiar with?

Notice any use of hyperbole (extreme exaggeration) in the descriptions of the characters, what they do, and where they live. Is the hyperbole funny, scary, or surprising? How would the story work differently without the exaggeration? Would it work at all?

The teacher will stop and record each instance of hyperbole as it occurs in the story, modeling the “monitor and clarify” reading strategy by analyzing how each instance is exaggeration.

Beyond:

Pass out poster paper, markers and pencils.  Students will create a visual story map by drawing pictures to represent the basic plot of the tall tale, John Henry Races the Steam Drill. Posters can then be presented to the class as each group describes their plot lines in turn.

Assessment: The teacher will examine the posters for evidence of understanding

Rubric

Proficient:  Students successfully analyzed the plot and demonstrated understanding through their posters

Approaching Proficiency: Students needs further support in analyzing the plot and demonstrating understanding through their posters

Lesson 3 : Write Your Own Tall Tale

Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate, in writing, their understanding of the tall tale genre of literature

Into:

Briefly review the story from yesterday, stressing that hyperbole was the main characteristic of tall tales.

Through:

Students will write their own original tall tales using these guidelines: 

Create a main character with special abilities or a rare talent.

Invent a problem, task, or test for your character to solve against impossible odds.

Set your story in the present, in a place you are familiar with, like this town or our school. 

Use hyperbole in building your character, the task, and the setting. What are the most interesting or important things you want to say in your story? How can you use hyperbole to highlight these things?

Students will have a choice of topics ("My favorite day at school," "My worst day at school," "The amusement park ride," "Our school cafeteria food," or "The most dangerous day of my summer vacation").

Students will share their initial ideas with a neighbor to help solidify their plotline. 

Students may sit with partners while writing, but each student must produce their own tall tale.

Rubric

Proficient:  Student successfully

* wrote a multi-paragraph narrative story with a clear beginning, middle and end

* included instances of hyperbole in their story that fit the guidelines and demonstrated their understanding of hyperbole

Approaching Proficiency: Student needs further support in

*creating a multi-paragraph narrative with a clear beginning, middle and end 

and/or

*including instances of hyperbole in their story that fit the guidelines and demonstrate their understanding of hyperbole

Lesson 4: Now, Tell Your Tall Tale!

 (over a period of a week, or more if necessary)

Objective: Students will act as scriptwriters and actors in an informal presentation of their own work

Into:

Inform students that they will be taking their tall tales and using them as scripts in their own monologue storytelling performance. Encourage students to include special movements and voices for their characters in their productions.

Students will practice acting out their tall tales to each other in groups of two each day for four or five days.

Through:

Students will be divided into groups of four. The children who were partnered for the practices will not be grouped together. The children, in their small groups, will tell their tall tales to the group.

Beyond:

Students will be asked to share their stories with their families at home as “homework.”

Assessment will be informal based on completion of the task.

Rubric

Proficiency: Students successfully shared their story with their group

Approaching Proficiency: Students need further support in order to share their story with a group