Grade 2 Fairy Tales

Fairy Tales and Tall Tales: Supplemental Guide DR | Domain Review 187

Student-Created Books

Materials: Booklet

Have each student make his/her own book that is a retelling of one of the

four tall tales from this domain. Have students brainstorm the sequence

of events—a beginning, a middle, and an end—either as a class or with a

partner. Also, discuss the various tall tale elements. Students will draw a

picture on each page to show the beginning, important events, and ending

of the tall tale. Encourage students to draw exaggerated pictures like the

illustrations they saw in the trade books or in the Flip Book. Students should

also write a sentence to go with each picture. Have students share their

retellings with a partner or with the class.

Class Book: Our Own Tall Tale

Have students create their own tall tale as a class. The tall tale may

feature the entire class as characters, or for ease of creation, may

feature you, the teacher, as the main character. Make sure that the tall

tale features the elements of humor and exaggeration, and that the

main character is larger-than-life. Also, be sure to create an amazing

childhood, amazing adventures or feats, and a creation or invention. It is

highly recommended that you set your tall tale in the American frontier to

reinforce what students have learned in this domain about the American

frontier and to prepare them for what they will learn in the Westward

Expansion domain.

On Stage

Have a group of students plan and then act out any one of the tall tales

covered in the tall tales portion of this domain. They may choose “Paul

Bunyan,” “Pecos Bill,” “John Henry,” or “Casey Jones.” Encourage

students to use domain-related vocabulary in their dialogue.

➶ Writing Prompts: Exaggerations

Students may be given one of the following situations to expand into an

exaggeration:

• I caught a fish at the pond today.


• I helped a cat down from a tree.


• I found a small spider in the corner of my room.