Storytelling Lesson
Storytelling

Storytelling Extensions
Extensions

Themes PDF Downloads
Tall Tale Story Matrix &
Cy Gatton Example

Tall Tale Rubric

Lesson Overview

The purpose of the lessons in this unit is to help Ohio students in grades 5-7 see the interrelationships of all of the Literary Text benchmarks explored in Read It, Write It, Tell It units 1-7. The lessons revolve around the fiction genre tall tales and storytelling. 

Ohio Academic Content Indicators

English Language Arts: Reading: Literary Text: Character Development, Setting, Plot, Point of View, Theme, Genre, Mood, and Figurative Language: Grades 5-7.

Cy Gatton
Episode Overview

This episode highlights Cy Gatton, a storyteller and folk hero from Richland County, Ohio. The tall tale portion of the episode tells of Cy’s rivalry with Rusty McNabb in the Apple Cider Race. Rusty sabotages Cy’s wagon and drives away his horses. Cy needs an alternative way to carry the eleven cider barrels he must transport for the race. He mixes magical Richland County soil with rabbit food to produce gigantic rabbits.

Access this episode's Before Viewing and After Viewing discussion guides by downloading the complete unit guide.

Storytelling Lesson

Materials:

• Read It, Write It, Tell It episode “Cy Gatton”
• Student Handout “Cy Gatton.” See the second page of the "Tall Tale Story Matrix".
• Student Handout “Tall Tale Story Matrix”
• Rubric “Tall Tale Rubric – Written or Oral”

Procedure:

• Group Activity:
• Work with the students to develop a list of the major elements of a tall tale. Display the completed list for the students.
• Review the Read It, Write It, Tell It episode “Cy Gatton” and watch for the elements of a tall tale. The instructor may wish to stop or pause the video at appropriate scenes to help the students identify specific tall tale elements.
• Give the students the complete “Cy Gatton” matrix based on the Read It, Write It, Tell It “Cy Gatton” episode. Compare the classes’ results to the completed matrix.
• Create an original tall tale. Display a blank copy of the “Tall Tale Story Matrix” handout for the class. As a group, brainstorm the elements for an original tall tale and complete the matrix.
• Small Group or Individual Activity:
• Write a tall tale. Allow students time to write a tall tale individually or in groups.
• Students may use the details created during the class brainstorming session or create their own tall tale.
• They may use individual blank copies of the “Tall Tale Story Matrix” as they desire to assist them in their pre-writing, organization and writing. They may simply refer to it without filling it in at all, make brief notes on it, or fill it in completely before they begin writing.
• Evaluate the tall tales using the “Tall Tale Rubric – Written or Oral” included with this unit.