To get a firm grasp on what exaggeration is, students practiced writing and illustrating exaggerations. For example, students needed to finish the sentence "I am so thirsty I could drink. . . " Surprisingly, exaggerations can be difficult to understand for some, especially for the students who are so literal. I got a couple "I am so thirsty, I could drink a glass of water." But, most were something like "I am so thirsty, I could drink Lake Michigan."
Our first tall tale we are going to read is Johnny Appleseed.