Elements of Tall Tales

Tall Tales: Pecos Bill

by Amanda Delperdang

​What are Tall Tales?

​​Tall tales are fictional stories that are based on real events and places. The tall tales we are reading this week all take place in the 1800s in the American West. This is often called the "Wild West."

​Tall tales are stories that exaggerate, or make events sound more exciting than they were. The characters in tall tales are people who are larger than life. This week we will be focusing on the character traits of characters in tall tales.

​What are character traits?

Character traits are qualities a person has that shows who they are on the inside. Physical traits are how a person looks on the outside.

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​You can find a character trait by looking at what characters do and say.​

Multiple Choice

Which of these words best describe a character trait of Pecos Bill? 

• wild

• tall 

• lazy

• skinny

Multiple Choice

Which quotation from the story best supports the character trait you chose?

• "The pink thing was kinda cute after all."

• "When he started to crawl he would sneak out of the house and wrestle baby bear cubs."

• "However, Pecos Bill needed more convincing that he had met his long lost brother."

• "Using a knife, a fork, and a spoon, take some getting used to."

Poll

Which tall tale do you like more, John Henry or Pecos Bill?

• John Henry

• Pecos Bill

Open Ended

What did the character do and say that made you enjoy their story more? What character traits does the character have that you think are important?