Telling Tall Tales (Creative Writing)

Lesson Objectives:

• The students should be able to identify the characteristics of a tall tale.

• The students should be able to explain why tall tales are used to entertain and teach morals.

• The students should be able to create their own tall tale with a moral lesson.

This presentation tackles the concept of tall tales, their origin, characteristics, and how to create them. Tall tales are exaggerated, fantastic stories often used for entertainment and moral teaching. They trace their roots back to Aesop’s Fables in ancient Greece and gained popularity in 19th century America.

Tall tales are known for their humorous tone and larger-than-life characters.
They often incorporate exaggerated events, supernatural elements, and local dialects.

A common moral lesson in tall tales is that anything is possible with hard work and determination.

The process of creating a tall tale involves crafting a unique protagonist, giving them an incredible quest, introducing exaggerated elements, and concluding with a triumphant resolution.

Students are encouraged to brainstorm and write their own tall tales, demonstrating understanding of their key features.

PDF and PowerPoint inlcuded (18 slides)