Grade Level: Second

Subjects: Language Arts, Art ,Technology

Learner Outcomes:

• The student will write an original tall tale.
• The student will use complete sentences in written compositions.
• The students will include characteristics of a tall tale.
• The students will demonstrate the technical knowledge required to type on Microsoft Word and paint on Paint.

Materials:

• List of brainstormed topics for original tall tale story.

• Multimedia computer with Internet access, Microsoft Word and Paint capabilities
• Printer

• Teacher may choose another word processing program.
• Internet prepared tall tale story frame work.

Day One

1. Teacher leads class review of characteristics of tall tales and story elements.
2. Students brainstorm occupations for tall tale characters.
3. Teacher clarifies requirements of writing assignment.

• Title
• Extraordinary larger than life character and supporting character
• Tall tale story with beginning, middle, and end
• Three exaggerations
• Correct grammar and spelling
• Problem solved in a funny way
• Illustration

Day Two

1. Teacher will distribute tall tale stories.
2. Students will type story on Microsoft Word.
3. Use Spell check and Grammar Check.
4. Save to 3.5" Floppy disk.

Day Three

1. Open 3.5" Floppy disk.
2. Reread tall tale.
3. Check for clarity and story requirements.
4. Minimize Word.
5. Open Paint.
6. Illustrate story using buttons in Paint or another available program.
7. Save to My Documents.
8. Maximize Word.
9. Insert picture from file.
10. Retrieve illustration made in Paint from My Documents.
11. Imbed in story written in Microsoft Word.
12. Print.

Modifications:

• Student lessons will be modified according to IEP specifications.
• Exceptional students may require more time.
• Pairing with another student may be beneficial.

• Write an innovation to cooperative group's tall tale selection.
• Write tall tale hero poem following this pattern.

     Line 1: Name of the hero
     Line 2: Three present tense verbs telling the hero's actions.
     Line 3-5: Three phrases, each telling where the hero might be found.
     Line 6: A summarizing thought
• Create an exaggerated mate for a tall tale character.
• Include a recipe in tall tale to share with other students.
• Write a letter to a favorite tall tale character.
• Write a diary entry about an event in a tall tale story.
• Sequence events in a tall tale story.
• Retell a tall tale story in first person.
• Spin a yarn. Practice the art of storytelling by wrapping a length of yarn into a ball while spinning a tale. At the end of the yarn the student passes it to the next student to unwind while continuing the story.

West Virginia Standards

Composition
2.78  compose a short paragraph with a clearly identified beginning, middle, and end containing a main idea and supporting details
2.79  develop various types of writing including, but not limited to: personal narratives, stories, descriptions, friendly letters, book reports, poetry, and journal entries
2.80  use electronic and/or traditional editing strategies to spell words correctly (e.g., proper nouns)
2.81  use appropriate mechanics of print (e.g., capitalization, punctuation)
2.82  use conferencing to revise, edit, and clarify writing

Spelling
2.83  correctly spell basic sight words

Language
2.99 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11  capitalize first word in a sentence, pronoun "I," titles and initials, titles of written works, greeting and closing of a letter, and proper nouns (e.g., family names, months of the year, days of the week)
2.100 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11   identify and use correct punctuation: period (e.g., end of sentence, abbreviations, initials); question mark; exclamation point; comma (e.g., in dates, after greeting and closing of letter, to separate city and state or country, with items in a series); quotation marks; and apostrophe (e.g., contractions, possessives)
2.105 1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11  identify and correct errors in language expression and sentence construction

Computer/Technology
2.124  using a word processing program, input information such as spelling words, vocabulary words and definitions, journal writing, etc
2.125  use a mouse to "click and drag"
2.126  execute a program from disk and/or CD-ROM

Art
2.6  use variations in line(s); create art using line as a means of expression
2.9  explore foreground and background space used to imply distances in artworks; create art using foreground and background to communicate spatial ideas

National Standards

Writing
Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions

Technology
Knows setting, main characters, main events, sequence, and problems in stories
 

References:
Tall tale story frame
Paint
Word

Authors:
Sharon Adkins , Flinn Elementary
Katrina Flanagan , Flinn Elementary
Becky Rollyson , Flinn Elementary
 

 
 

Introduction	Lesson 1: How Tall is a Tall Tale?	Lesson 2:  What's Inside a Tall Tale?	Lesson 3:  What's the Real Story?	Lesson 4:  Lights, Camera, Action!	Lesson 5:  Tell a Whopper, Stretch the Truth!

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