Name: ___________________________________________

Geographic Regions and

American Tall Tales

PROJECT PACKET

Assignment: Write your own American Tall Tale to explain the natural features of one North
American geographic region.

Background Information:

Tall talk, or exaggerated storytelling, began in the 1800s as a way for

Americans to come to terms with the vast and inhospitable lands they’d
come to inhabit – thick, dark forests filled with bears and panthers;
treeless, arid deserts and plains; towering mountains; and uncharted
seacoasts. The heroes and heroines of the tales were like the land itself –
gigantic, extravagant, restless, and flamboyant. Their exaggerated feats
of courage and endurance helped the backwoodsman face the
overwhelming task of developing such land.

Tall tale characters…were born from various combinations of historical fact, the storytelling of
ordinary people, and the imagination of professional writers. Davy Crockett and Johnny Appleseed,
for instance, were actual people who lived in the first half of the 1800s. Over a
period of time, as their stories were told…the true details of their lives were
exaggerated and revised until they became folk heroes as well as historical figures.
Other tall tale characters, such as Pecos Bill [and Paul Bunyan], were not actual
men of history….these figures were for the most part the literary inventions of
professional newspaper and magazine writers…

…[T]he tales reveal a wide range of geographic settings and they illustrate the
different occupations that contributed to the development of the country. Pioneer
settlers, backwoodsmen and –women, sea captains, volunteer firefighters, farmers,
cowboys, cowgirls, railroad workers, loggers – all can be found in the American tall
tale.*

Some tall tales were written to explain the creation

of some of the more dramatic natural features in the
American landscape. In the tradition of Greek myths, African
folktales, and American Indian creation legends, characters like Pecos
Bill are responsible for the existence of dramatic physical features,
like the Grand Canyon. Other tall tales wrestle with American mixed
feelings about the transformational mechanical inventions of the 19 th
Century, like the steam engine.

* from American Tall Tales by Mary Pope Osborne, p. x-xii, 1991

 Characteristics of American Tall Tales

 The hero or heroine is larger-than-life in some way and accomplishes great feats using
strength, skill, and wits.

 The author uses exaggeration and humor. Many of the things that happen in the tale
could not happen in real life.

 The hero is helped by a powerful object or animal (or both).

 The story starts when the hero is a child or baby.

 The tale includes stories from the hero’s childhood that show what’s unusual about
him.

 The tale includes stories that explain how the hero played a role in the creation of
famous places or familiar objects. These stories are usually told in a humorous or
outrageous way.

 At the end of the story, the hero disappears in some way.

  Name: _____________________________________________

Tall Tale Planning Chart 1:

Hero or Heroine

Remember, the characteristics of your hero or heroine must match your Geographic Region.
Geographic Region

Hero or Heroine’s Name

Describe the appearance of your

hero or heroine

Describe the special talents /

larger-than-life characteristics of
your hero or heroine

Describe your hero’s

powerful object.
(Ex: Pecos Bill’s rattlesnake lariat)
You may not use any type of gun.
Describe your hero’s
animal sidekick.
(Ex: Paul Bunyan’s blue ox Babe)

How was your character born

or discovered?
(Ex: Pecos Bill fell off a wagon
when he was a baby and was
raised by wolves.)

Plan three incidents from your

hero’s childhood that help show
his or her unusual characteristics.

How will your character disappear

at the end of the story?

(Should be a noble hero’s ending.)

 Name: ________________________________________

Tall Tale Planning Chart 2:

Geographic Features

Geographic Region Name:

Notes about the characteristics of this Geographic Region (use your textbook):

Specific physical What characteristics of How will the actions of your tall tale
feature found in this this Geographic Region hero or heroine explain the creation
geographic region. are shown in this or existence of this physical feature?
Use the atlas to find physical feature?
these features. Use your textbook notes to
identify these characteristics.
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4
 Name: ____________________________________________

Tall Tale Checklist

Please use this checklist after you have written your rough draft to be sure
your tale is complete.

______ Hero or Heroine with larger-than-life characteristics and/or powers.

______ Powerful object that helps hero with tasks (Please do not use any type of gun.)

______ Animal sidekick/companion.

______ Explanation of the hero’s birth or discovery

______ Three childhood incidents that show your hero’s unusual characteristics

______ Brief stories to explain the creation or existence of four natural features that
really exist in your geographic region.

______ Your tall tale should effectively reveal all of the the key characteristics of your
geographic region. Someone who reads your story should be able to pass a
test on your region’s key facts.

______ Correct spelling and grammar.

______ Legible handwriting.

______ At least one illustration of your hero, object, OR animal companion.

______ At least one illustration of your geographic region OR one of the physical
features contained in your geographic region.