Introduction to Tall Tales and Paul Bunyan

Elements of a Tall Tale

Learning objective

I will be able to identify the elements of a tall tale.

Not real.

The opposite of nonfiction.

Made up stories.

Meant to entertain (be funny)

​

Fiction(al)

something described as much larger or greater than it really is

​

Exaggeration

Multiple Choice

Which image shows a FICTIONAL setting?

Multiple Select

Which sentences contain an EXAGGERATION?

Hint: There are two correct answers.

• She was so hungry she could eat a horse.

• She was very hungry.

• He was very tall.

• He was taller than a mountain.

Multiple Select

Tall Tales...

HINT: There is more than one correct answer.

• use hyperbole (exaggeration)

• are funny

• are set during times in American History

• are nonfiction

Paul Bunyan

What can you guess about Paul Bunyan from the picture?

Open Ended

Write one sentence about Paul Bunyan, using the picture to make predictions.

Match

Match the following

• gigantic, enormous

pine trees

very big

logger

• pine trees

• very big

• logger

Match

Match the following WH-questions and answers.

• Paul Bunyan

• was born

• in Maine

• became a logger

Who?

What?

Where?

Did what?

• Who?

• What?

• Where?

• Did what?

Reorder

Reorder the following to make a sentence about Paul Bunyan.

• Paul Bunyan

• was born

• in Maine

• and

• became the world's greatest logger.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Draw

Highlight one EXAGGERATION about Paul Bunyan.

Multiple Choice

Which picture shows Paul Bunyan's pet?

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT an exaggeration made about Paul Bunyan?

• Paul's shirt buttons were made out of wagon wheels.

• Paul's legs were just as round as a tree trunk.

• Paul's beard so thick, it was like a forest.

• A family of bears could sleep in Paul's bear.

Open Ended

Paul Bunyan was a logger. What do loggers do?

(Hint: Use the picture to help you.)

Draw

Highlight or underline WHY loggers were needed in the United States during this time.

Draw

Highlight one exaggeration seen in this part of the tall tale.

Great Lakes

Frostbite

Dropdown

Paul's men needed drinking ​

Select answer

so they dug holes that became the ​

Select answer

. The ​

Select answer

was so cold that many of the men suffered from ​

Select answer

.

Beards

​socks

knit

Open Ended

What was Paul's solution to keep the men warm?

Multiple Choice

How many pounds did Paul weigh as a baby?

• 6

• 50

• 75

• 100

Open Ended

Do you think that Paul Bunyan is a super-human type character? Why?

Open Ended

What is one super-human characteristic of Paul Bunyan?

(Think of what he did. Use the image to help you.)

Multiple Choice

"Growing up, Paul was so big that his shirt buttons we wagon wheels."

What is this an example of?

• hyperbole/ exaggeration

• simile

• plot

• metaphor

Multiple Select

In the winter, the loggers feet became frostbitten. Paul's solution to this problem was for the men to grow their beards an knit socks out of it to keep their feet warm.

What tall tale element does this belong to?

• super-human. larger than life character

• takes place in a real time in American history

• humorous solution to a problem

• details are exaggerated

Poll

How confident are you in identifying the elements of a tall tale?

• I am a pro! I can teach this to someone

• I am kind of confident. I know the elements, but I need practice

• I am not confident, I need help understanding