Today, I have a craft about folk hero Paul Bunyan if you’re learning about American frontier legends. Also, look at my Westward Ho Free Unit Study and lapbook.
What exactly are frontier legends?
They are the tales and ideas of people and places that exist at the edge of a civilization, particularly out west, during expansion.
Many famous names make the list but we are going to especially focus on the Tale of John Bunyan and his blue ox Babe of Wisconsin.
June 28th marks Paul Bunyan Day and no wonder, his legend goes way back to the 18th century and has been told in over 1,000 books.
American Frontier Legends – Paul Bunyan
Paul Bunyan is a giant lumberjack of folk hero tales in America and Canada.
These stories involve his superhuman strength and work.
Although Paul Bunyan wasn’t a real person, he was probably based on people and ideas of the time.
What started out as an oral retelling of a folk hero for working-class loggers became tales of a man of mythical proportions.
Look at some of the tall tales told about Paul Bunyan.
Tall Tales told about Paul Bunyan
- He created the mighty Mississippi simply by dragging his ax behind him.
- He and his trusty rusty bovine, Babe the Blue Ox, dug out the Great Lakes.
- As a child, his parents needed 10 cows, 50 eggs, and 10 containers of potatoes every day to feed him.
- Paul went out and found a baby ox trapped in the snow, he took him home and warmed him up by the fireplace, but his fur remained blue. Blue grew larger every day.
- He had trouble removing trees from a winding road so he tied the road to Babe and had him pull it straight.
- Some say Babe and Paul are responsible for creating Puget Sound in the western state of Washington.
- Paul brought 7 more men who were each 6 ½” tall and 350 pounds to his work crew. They were known as the Seven Axe Men, each one was named Elmer so they all came running when he called.
Also, look at more frontier legends to learn about.
More American Frontier Legends to Learn About
- Lewis and Clark- Best known for their expedition, Corps of Discovery, from the Mississippi River to the West Coast and then back. Sacagawea is the most well known member of their traveling party. Look at my Lewis and Clark Unit Study and Lapbook.
- Davy Crockett- “King of The Wild Frontier” was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. It is believed he died fighting a battle at the Alamo.
- Christopher “Kit” Carson-American frontiersman, fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent, and U.S. Army officer. He fought a violent war against the Navajo that resulted in their removal from the Four Corners area to southeastern New Mexico.
- Daniel Boone-American frontiersman and legendary hero who helped blaze a trail through Cumberland Gap. His family migrated to America to escape religious persecution. Look at my Daniel Boone North America Explorer Unit Study and Lapbook.
- William “Buffalo” Bill Cody- Buffalo Bill was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. He supported women’s rights and suffrage as well as civil liberties for Native Americans.
- Also, look at my Pecos Bill copywork included in my Westward Ho Unit Study and Lapbook.
Next, add some of these books and movies to your leraning day.
7 American Frontier Legends Books & Resources
Choose a favorite American frontier legends movie and book.
Travis falls through a magical portal which transports him to the world of American hero Paul Bunyan and his big, blue, talking ox, Babe
In 1826 an undersized sixteen-year-old apprentice ran away from a saddle maker in Franklin, Missouri, to join one of the first wagon trains crossing the prairie on the Santa Fe Trail. Kit Carson (1809–68) wanted to be a mountain man, and he spent his next sixteen years learning the paths of the West, the ways of its Native inhabitants, and the habits of the beaver, becoming the most successful and respected fur trapper of his time.
A young boy's imagination summons cowboy legend Pecos Bill; who helps him save the family farm from a greedy land-grabber.
You want girl power? Meet Annie Oakley! Born in 1860, she became one of the best-loved and most famous women of her generation. She amazed audiences all over the world with her sharpshooting, horse-riding, action-packed performances. In an age when most women stayed home, she traveled the world and forged a new image for American women.
Fess Parker stars as one of the West's most iconic figures in Season One of Daniel Boone.
Climb aboard for a rip-roaring adventure with Davy Crockett.
The real-life adventures of William F. Cody, alias Buffalo Bill, whose exploits as a frontiersman were exaggerated and immortalized by writer Ned Buntline in his pulp stories.
Finally, look at how to make this adorable blue ox craft.
How to Make A Blue Ox Paper Plate Craft
You will need:
- 2 paper plates
- Large googly eyes
- Blue, black, tan, and white craft paint
- Craft glue or glue gun
You can make this entire blue ox out of just two paper plates. Set one aside for the head.
Using the 2nd paper plate cut out two long horns along the ruffled edge, and ears. You can cut them half on smooth and half on ridges if you like for some extra texture.
Cut an oval muzzle and two ears from the smooth section.
Then, cut a long curve on either side of the other plate to give a bit of shape to your ox head like this.
Paint that plate with a coat of blue and set it aside to dry.
While the first plate is drying, paint the muzzle and horns tan. Top the horns with a bit of black and finish off the muzzle with two long black nostrils. Allow it to dry.
Add a little forelock to your oxes head with paint, it really gives him a little fun personality.
Once everything has dried begin attaching all the pieces with glue, place the muzzle low, and add large googly eyes above it. Glue on ears and horns, let the glue dry.
