Ideas needed for Tall Tale Theme Days at school

[angel's momma]

DD's school (3rd & 4th grade) has 3 RIF Theme Days each year.

This year's theme is Tall Tales. I need to organize games, crafts, and snacks based on this theme. I know we'll do something with apples for one of the snacks.

I googled for ideas, and came up with nothing! Not sure how I'm going to come up enough activities for one day, let alone 3.

Any ideas?

 

[Tazicket]

I'm racking my brain and the only thing coming to mind is Johnny Appleseed. Does he count as a Tall Tale? You know....like, with the apple snack and all?

 

[Sthronds]

You could do something invoving a relay with logs, (carrying them from one part of the room to the other) for Paul Bunyan. You could do face painting, painting their faces blue for the ox. You could build a fake cow and have the kids "rope" it for Pecos Bill. I can't think of an idea involving the railroad, but that goes with the John Henry story.

As for snacks, there is a story about Paul Bunyan eating flapjacks, so you could do that.

I'm hitting a blank. I'm sure there are some teachers out there that can help. Good luck!

 

[angel's momma]

I'm racking my brain and the only thing coming to mind is Johnny Appleseed. Does he count as a Tall Tale? You know....like, with the apple snack and all?

Yes. The other names the principal listed are Paul Bunyan, John Henry, Pecos Bill, and Slue-Foot Sue.


ETA - Great ideas Sthronds! Thank you!

 

[Spidey7]

I always thought the jack and the beanstalk thing was cool, maybe have a climbing rope with fake plants on it, climb to the top to get a prize or something.

You could probably get some ideas in exploring the Dr. Suess catalouge, who doesn't love Suess????? There are tons of possibilities there.

 

[horseshowmom]

You could do something invoving a relay with logs, (carrying them from one part of the room to the other) for Paul Bunyan. You could do face painting, painting their faces blue for the ox. You could build a fake cow and have the kids "rope" it for Pecos Bill. I can't think of an idea involving the railroad, but that goes with the John Henry story.

As for snacks, there is a story about Paul Bunyan eating flapjacks, so you could do that.

I'm hitting a blank. I'm sure there are some teachers out there that can help. Good luck!

Just an idea for the roping - Check around to see if you can find anybody (maybe a friend of a friend) who actually does roping. Odds are that they'll have something to rope, a "real" rope, and very possibly might be willing to help out.

We actually have a calf head that you stick into a bale of hay to rope, and DD has a calf rope. Her BF is a team roper, and he has a "steer" along with lots of ropes. If we were nearby, we'd be happy to help out. If you check around, I'll bet you could find somebody. The kids would really get a kick out of a real life experience.

Good luck!


ETA: http://www.ihsra.org/ You might check out this link. They probably have a phone number that you could call for a volunteer. Good luck!

 

[MushyMushy]

http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/folkunit.htm

http://www.americanfolklore.net/tt.html (I used this site a lot when I was making lesson plans for school)

 

[angel's momma]

Thanks everyone! Your help is greatly appreciated!