TALL TALES | Create WebQuest

Introduction

Introduction to the Study of American Tall Tales

Have you ever been to California? How about Texas? If you could go anywhere in the United States, where would you want to go? Well, start packing because you are about to travel across the United States! That's right...you and your classmates have been chosen to take a tour of the United States! You will see many new places and meet interesting people.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Tall Tales! As you work through this web quest you will gain great insight about the literary genre of tall tales. You will explore the elements of a tall tale, learn why tall tales came to be, read a variety of tall tales, research tall tale characters, and complete several activities that display what you have learned. So go ahead now..., Read, Learn, Laugh, and Imagine!

Task

During this web quest you will explore tall tales. You will learn how tall tale came to be, read several tall tales, and complete a variety of activities. Below, you will find a list of all the tasks you will complete.

You will read at least FIVE different tall tales.

You will keep track of the tall tales you read by completing a Rating Sheet (EVALUATION PAGE) for each one in which you summarize the tall tale, critique it, select one example of exaggeration and one simile found in the story, and record where the character in the tall tale came from on your tall tale map.

After reading each Tall Tale, you will take what you learned and either create a news story on a specific tale character, write a paragraph in which you compare and contrast the tall tale character to the person's real life, or design a stamp for a specific tall tale character and write a letter to the post office explaining why you think this character deserves to be on a stamp.

Task

Buckle up! It's almost time to leave. But before we do, you need to read the special tips below about your trip.

You and your classmates were chosen for this trip because we heard that you have been learning about tall tales in your class. On this trip you will listen to four tall tale adventures. Let's take a minute to watch a slideshow about tall tales to review what you already know!

Tall Tale SlideShow

Each person in your group will have one of these important jobs to complete on the trip:

1) Exaggerator - This person will find and record all of the exaggerations in each tall tale adventure.

2) Travel Guide - This person will record all of the places and sites that are visited during the adventures.

3) Super Mapper - This person will complete a character map of each "superhuman" character that they meet during the adventures.

4) Problem Solver - This person will tell about the problem in each adventure and the funny way it is solved.

Your group will work together after the adventure to create a new tall tale adventure for the class to enjoy! Oh, no – the bus is leaving without you! Hurry! See if you can catch it by clicking on the moving bus below.

Now that you've finished reading what you will accomplish by the end of this web quest experience, click on the process link so you can start your work.

Process

What follows below is the step by step process you need to take in order to complete this web quest.

1. Use the classroom's collection of Tall Tales and select 4 tall tales to read. (Pecos Bill by Steven Kellogg needs to be one of your choices, the rest are up to you.) Make sure to complete a Rating Sheet and an activity, for each tall tale you read.

5. Decide which project you would like to complete and click on its name.

News Story - This activity requires you to write a news story on one tall tale character. You must first click on News Article Directions and print it out, then click on News Article Template and print it as well.

Compare & Contrast Paragraph - This activity asks you to use the information you gathered when you read the Truth Behind the Tall Tale and compare and contrast the real person's life to their fictional character. To start this activity click on Compare and Contrast Web and print it out, then click on Compare and Contrast Paragraph and print it out too.

Stamp Design - Here you have to design a stamp for a specific tall tale character and write a letter to the Post Office explaining why you think this character should be on a stamp. To complete this activity click on Stamp Design Template and print it out, then click on Stamp Design and print it out as well.

AFTER YOU HAVE READ ALL OF THE TALL TALES , YOU WILL WRITE YOU OWN TALL TALE. USE THIS STORY STARTER TO HELP YOU.

Now that you have completed all the activities in this section click on the Evaluation link to see if your work meets the teacher's expectations. If you need to make any corrections please do so and then turn in all work to the teacher. Please make sure that your name is on all activities turned in.

Evaluation

Below you will find several rubrics that show you what the teacher expects from each assignment.

Rating Sheets

	1	2	3	4
Critical Components	Your summary includes some of its critical components. Your critique explains how you feel about the tall tale, but not why you feel that way. Your example of exaggeration and a simile from the story may not be correct. You make an appropriate symbol for your tall tale character and placed it on the map and on the key.	Your summary includes some of its critical components. Your critique explains how you feel about the tall tale, but not why you feel that way. You included an example of exaggeration and a simile from the story. You make an appropriate symbol for your tall tale character and placed it on the map and on the key.	Your summary includes most of its critical components. Your critique explains your feelings and thoughts. Some specific examples might be given. You included an example of exaggeration and a simile from the story. You make an appropriate symbol for your tall tale character and placed it in the correct spot on the map and on the key.	Your summary includes all of its critical components. Your critique explains your feelings and thoughts and you give specific examples. You included an example of exaggeration and a simile from the story. You make an appropriate symbol for your tall tale character and placed it in the correct spot on the map and on the key.
Style	Your ideas are not sequenced. You have some interesting content and details.	Your ideas are somewhat sequenced. You have some interesting content and details.	Your ideas are somewhat sequenced. You have interesting content and details.	Your ideas are sequenced. You have interesting content and details.
Mechanics	You listed ideas. You used some capitals and punctuation correctly.	You wrote some complete sentences. You mostly use capitals and punctuation correctly.	You wrote complete sentences. You mostly use capitals and punctuation correctly.	You wrote complete sentences. You had correct capitalization and punctuation.
Total Score

News Article

	1	2	3	4
Critical Components	Headline might catch reader's attention. Article contains some of the who did what, where, when, why, and how.	Headline might catch reader's attention. Article contains some of the who did what, where, when, why, and how. Uses some topic and concluding sentences.	Headline catches reader's attention. Article contains the who did what, where, when, why, and how. Uses some topic and concluding sentences.	Headline catches reader's attention. Article contains the who did what, where, when, why, and how. Uses topic and concluding sentences.
Style	Information is some what in a logical sequence. Some descriptive language is used.	Information is some what in a logical sequence. Ideas are mainly in order from most important to least important. Some descriptive language is used.	Information is some what in a logical sequence. Ideas are in order from most important to least important. Descriptive language is used.	Information is in a logical sequence. Ideas are in order from most important to least important. Descriptive language is used.
Mechanics	Mainly written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation (including quotation marks) correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Uses capitalization, punctuation (including quotation marks) correctly.
Total Score

Stamp Design

	1	2	3	4
Critical Components	Illustration somewhat corresponds to the tall tale character. Letter contains at least one reason why this tall tale character should be on a stamp.	Illustration corresponds to the tall tale character. Letter contains at least one reason why this tall tale character should be on a stamp.	Illustration corresponds to the tall tale character. Letter contains several reasons why this tall tale character should be on a stamp.	Illustration corresponds to the tall tale character. Letter contains a description of the character's traits and several reasons why this tall tale character should be on a stamp.
Style	Illustration is somewhat colorful. Some descriptive language is used in the letter. Reasons are sometimes supported by evidence.	Illustration is colorful. Some descriptive language is used in the letter. Reasons are sometimes supported by evidence.	Illustration is colorful. Descriptive language is used in the letter. Reasons are sometimes supported by evidence.	Illustration is colorful. Descriptive language is used in the letter. Reasons are supported by evidence.
Mechanics	Mainly written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.
Total Score

Compare and Contrast Paragraph

	1	2	3	4
Critical Components	Paragraph includes some similarities or differences between the fictional character and the real person.	Paragraph includes several similarities or differences between the fictional character and the real person.	Paragraph includes several similarities and differences between the fictional character and the real person.	Paragraph includes several similarities and differences between the fictional character and the real person.
Style	Paragraph is somewhat written in a logical order. A few of the similarities and differences are backed up with specific examples from texts.	Paragraph is somewhat written in a logical order. Some of the similarities and differences are backed up with specific examples from texts.	Paragraph is written in a logical order. Some of the similarities and differences are backed up with specific examples from texts.	Paragraph is written in a logical order. Similarities and differences are backed up with specific examples from texts.
Mechanics	Mainly written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Mainly uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.	Written in complete sentences. Uses capitalization, punctuation correctly.
Total Score

Conclusion

Though this web quest you have learned a lot about the literary genre called Tall Tales. You learned how this type of story came into existence and how it helped the American public at that time. You have read a variety of tall tales and learned about their critical components. You have completed a variety of activities that have asked you to challenge the learning that you have done. You deserve a well-earned round of applause.