SUPER HEROES OF THE WILD WEST                                  

INTRODUCTION
Have you ever heard of  Johnny Appleseed?  Annie Oakley? Paul Bunyan? Who were these characters and what do their stories have in common? They are all characters in Tall Tales.  When you are done with this project you will not only know about these characters, you will BE one, too.  Just imagine: you as a Super Hero!

TASK
You will visit websites for background information about Tall Tales.  Then you will read some Tall Tales, both on the internet and in books.  You will examine the characteristics of a Tall Tale character.  Finally you will be ready to write a tall tale with yourself as the star.

PROCESS
1.  Go to both of the following sites to read about Tall Tales:  
Introduction to the study of American Tall Tales and
American Folklore and Tall Tales  (click on number 3 "What are the features of a tall tale story?")

2.  Now go to these sites to read some tall tales:
    A) The story of John Henry http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/wv2.html
    B) An advertisement that exaggerates Annie Oakley: http://www.cowgirls.com/dream/cowgals/oakley.htm
    C) A story about Paul Bunyan: http://www.brainerd.com/pbtrail/tale.html
        OR you can read these three very short stories about Paul Bunyan:  http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/mi.html   AND
                                                                                                         http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/ws.html   AND
                                                                                                         http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/or.html
    D) A short tale of Johnny Appleseed: http://www.applejuice.org/johnnyappleseed.html
 

3.  Also read five Tall Tales from the classroom library.  Write down the title of each Tall Tale that you read.

4.  Choose three of the Tall Tales you have read (either online or from a book) and do any one of the following projects for each of them:
    A)  Draw a picture of the main character based on the description given.  Then write your own description of the character.
        OR
    B)  Write down at least four examples of exaggeration that you found in the story.
        OR
    C)  Write down at least four examples of simile that you found in the story. (Simile is when one thing is compared to another using the words             "like" or "as".)

5.  Read the information at: How to Write a Tall Tale .

6.  Write an outline of the main events of your Tall Tale. YOU will be the main character.  Use the template on any of the three following sites:
http://emints.more.net/info/southeast/annetta/author.htm
 http://www.millville.org/Workshops_f/Dich_FOLKLORE/FOLKTEXT/folkhome.htm   (first click on number 3 "What are the featurs of a tall tale story?", then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on Tall Tale Story Frame)
http://www.hasd.org/ges/talltale/talltale.htm#writeatale
Remember that the things happening to you should be "larger than life", fantastic, and exaggerated.  You must use at least five examples of exaggeration or simile in your story.

7.  Write a final draft of your Tall Tale.  Write it on the long sheets of paper in the back of the classroom.  We will be posting these on the bulletin board to share with others, so do your best work.  Check your punctuation and spelling.  Use your best handwriting or use a computer (ask your teacher to help you set the margins so it will print in the same shape as the long paper.)  You may illustrate your story, but this is not required.

If you would like to see Tall Tales written by other students, visit these websites:

http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/selkirk/gallery/tttales/
children in the Yukon made up these tall tales.