Title – How to Tell a TALL Tales

By – Shelby Elise Simmons

Primary Subject – Language Arts

Grade Level – 4th

Standard Addressed:

SC 4-4.1: Generate and organize ideas for writing using pre-writing techniques (creating lists, having discussions, and examining literary models).

Objective:

The student will be able to use a graphic organizer to identify the main idea and components of a tall tale and then using that example create a graphical representation of a story he or she would like to write.

Technology Tie-In Citations:

• Weiss, J. (2003).
  
  American Tall Tales
  
  . Charlottesville, VA: Great Hall Productions, Inc. – AUDIO CD
  
• West, T. (1999).
  
  Teaching Tall Tales
  
  . New York, NY: Scholastic.

Materials:

• white board/SMARTboard
• paper
• pens
• pencils

Motivational Activity:

Students will listen to a short tall tale. (See tie-ins.)

Procedures:

1. Students will listen to a CD track of a tall tale (or a read-aloud book or video).

2. Teacher will place empty brainstorming graphic organizer web on SMARTboard or draw one, and demonstrate the process of pre-writing by filling in the blank spaces on the organizer while asking the class the following questions which are also written on the board:

   • What was the story we just heard MOSTLY about?
     
   • What are three things that happened in the story?
     
   • What order or plot did the story follow?
     
   • How is this like other stories you know?
     
   • What kind of story is this?

3. Teacher will instruct students to get in groups of 4-5 and create an organizer full of ideas for a NEW tall tale. One student will draw the group an organizer on blank paper and act as scribe. The teacher goes from group to group monitoring progress, reminding students of the pre-writing process, and listening. Students have 15-30 minutes. Students may draw relevant pictures to illustrate ideas.

4. When finished, students may volunteer to share their ideas as a group, or the group may pick a spokesperson.

5. Organizers will be collected, to be reviewed and then returned next class.
   

Closure:

Students will share results of pre-writing process, organizers will be collected, teacher will verbally review process and give brief overview of next step for next class.

Assessment:

Individuals will receive 2 point participation credit using group seating chart, plus up to three points from teacher review of graphic organizer which will be evaluated using a checklist.

_______Organizer contains main idea or character at or near center.

_______Organizer includes 2 or more events.

_______Organizer represents a NEW/original story.

E-Mail

Shelby Elise Simmons

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