Tall Tales- Lesson 2

Teacher Alayna Ikerd

Date 10/24/17 Subject/ Topic/ Theme: Tall Tales- Analyzing a tall tale Grade: 5th

I. Objectives
How does this lesson connect to the unit plan? In this lesson, students will continue to look at the structure of a tall tale and the elements that it
includes. They will explore exaggeration more and develop and understanding for how it is used in tall tales. They will work with a worksheet that will help
them analyze the elements of tall tales.

Learners will be able to: cognitive-

R U Ap An E C*
physical
development
socio-emoti
onal
Compare tall tales to other stories they have heard, like folktales and legends E X
Recognize the elements of a tall tale R
Analyze the humor found in a tall tale An
Common Core standards (or GLCEs if not available in Common Core) addressed:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2: Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including
how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic;
summarize the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.3: Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or
drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.5.4.A: Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.9: Compare and contrast stories in the same genre (e.g., mysteries and adventure
stories) on their approaches to similar themes and topics.

II. Before you start

Identify prerequisite Students should be familiar with folktales and recall some elements that are in them. Students
knowledge and skills. should be able to recall that tall tales have exaggerated characters and events in them.
Pre-assessment (for learning): discussion/chart making about legends, tall tales and folktales
Formative (for learning): Discussion guided reading
Outline assessment activities
(applicable to this lesson) Formative (as learning): Discussion when filling out worksheet
Summative (of learning): Worksheet during small group reading time
Provide Multiple Means of Provide Multiple Means of Provide Multiple Means of
Representation Action and Expression Engagement
Provide options for perception- Provide options for physical action- Provide options for recruiting
making information perceptible increase options for interaction interest- choice, relevance,
Spoken Discussion value, authenticity, minimize
Written Speaking threats

What barriers might this

lesson present? Provide options for language, Provide options for expression and Provide options for sustaining
mathematical expressions, and communication- increase medium effort and persistence- optimize
symbols- clarify & connect of expression challenge, collaboration,
What will it take language Discussion mastery-oriented feedback
neurodevelopmentally, Spoken answer Collaboration with
experientially, emotionally, others
etc., for your students to do
this lesson? Provide options for Provide options for executive Provide options for
comprehension- activate, apply & functions- coordinate short & long self-regulation- expectations,
highlight term goals, monitor progress, and personal skills and strategies,
modify strategies self-assessment & reflection
Reading Answer shown on the
Discussion board or given oral
Analyzing with group feedback on answer
KWL chart

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Materials-what materials -Chart paper (K.W.L)
(books, handouts, etc) do -Doc camera
you need for this lesson and -Reading Practice books; Tackle a Tall Tale worksheet
are they ready to use? -Questions
How will your classroom be Normal set-up- KWL chart paper set up in the room
set up for this lesson?
III. The Plan
Co Describe teacher activities AND student activities
Ti mpo for each component of the lesson. Include important higher order thinking questions and/or prompts.
m nent
e s
10 1. Ask students what they remember about legends from last year -discuss what they
mi a. Work with them to make a chart about the elements of legends remember about legends
ns b. The chart will have 3 columns- one for legends, folktales and tall tales -help fill out the chart
Mot 2. Ask students to recall what they know about folktales and elements in them -discuss what they
ivati a. Add these to the chart remember about folktales
on 3. Ask students to recall what they learned about Tall Tales and the elements in them
a. Add these to the chart -discuss what they know
4. Explain to students that we are going to be exploring more details about the about tall tales
elements of a tall tale today!
15 5. Have students take out their reading practice books and turn to the story of John -read the story John
mi Henry Races the Steam Drill Henry as a class
ns 6. Ask a student volunteer to read the introduction on page 114 of the reading practice -Read the introduction
book
a. Remind the students that this story came from a time where people
were scared that inventions would take over human jobs
b. Also remind the students that myths, folktales and tall tales were
originally passed down orally and retold from memory. What are some
things that are included when retelling a tale? -answer the questions
i. Make the characters true to the original story posed by the teacher
ii. Make the story interesting with action, description and
Devel dialogue.
opme iii. Make the story appeal to a new audience
nt 7. During the reading ask students to answer the following questions:
a. Why does the author make John Henry repeat, a man aint nothin but
a man to Captain Tommy and Polly Ann?
i. He believes that a man must try his best
b. Why might it be so important to Captain Tommy and the other -answer the following
steelworkers to beat the steam drill? questions
i. to show that machines are not better than human workers
c. Does the author do a good job of convincing readers that John Henry is
larger than life? Why or why not?
i. How does the author do this?
8. Fill out the Tackle a Tall Tale worksheets with students -Fill out the tackle a tall
a. Encourage them to talk with their table groups about the different sections of tale worksheet as a class
the chart
5 1. Summarize what we have learned about tall tales today -summarize what was
mi Closu 2. Give students an opportunity to move their sticky notes learned
ns re 3. Have students put away all materials in their language arts folders and get ready -move sticky notes
for the next part of their day -put away all materials
and get ready for the day
1. Students will be split into 3 groups for reading- each group will be lead by an adult
Small Group 2. The adult group leader will read with the students the tall tale S ally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind
Reading
3. The teacher will ask guided questions before, during and after the reading as follows:
time
a. Before-
i. Read the introduction

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 ii. Explain that the students should be looking out for realistic and fantastic qualities in the
character Sally Ann as they read the tall tale
b. During-
i. Top of pg. 120: Why do you think the author chooses to delay Sallys appearance in her
own tall tale? (to create suspense)
ii. Top of pg. 120: Why does the author emphasize and repeat the word sweetie? (Davy
Crockett uses the word, so Sally throws the word back at him. She does so as if to say she is
no stereotype of a sweet woman.
c. After:
i. Point out that the writer uses many ways to make their writing funny, for example, silly
descriptions, funny events, exaggeration. Have students find some examples of these in the
text
ii. Ask them to explain what makes each event so humorous
4. Work with students to fill out the tackle a tall tale worksheet for the reading.

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