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“He whirled the axe around him in a wide circle and found that he was able to cut down twenty trees with one stroke. Such a triumph!“

A meaningful way to connect this story to the classroom is by focusing on the main idea that Paul Bunyan had to overcome many challenges in order to grow as a character. Students can reflect on their own experiences, thinking about challenges they've faced and how they overcame them.

This book tells the story of a rugged man who had to navigate the world in his own way due to his massive size. As Paul grows in character, he faces challenges with the help of his loyal and enormous blue ox, Babe. Together, they take on every obstacle in their path, with Paul continuing to grow both figuratively and literally.

“Then he wove a rope, about fifty feet long, out of tall grass. On one end he made two holds for both his hands. On the other end, he attached an enormous blade. Now for the test. He whirled the axe around him in a wide circle and found that he was able to cut down twenty trees with one stroke. Such a triumph!“ (20)

A meaningful way to connect this story to the classroom is by focusing on the main idea that Paul Bunyan had to overcome many challenges in order to grow as a character. Students can reflect on their own experiences, thinking about challenges they've faced and how they overcame them. This activity encourages personal growth and resilience while allowing students to relate to Paul Bunyan's journey in their own unique ways.

Paul Bunyan by Nanci A. Lyman (1980) tells the story of a rugged, larger-than-life man who had to navigate the world in his way due to his massive size. The relaxed, down-to-earth tone of the sentences gives the story a charming, country feel. As Paul grows, both in stature and character, he faces challenges with the help of his enormous blue ox, Babe. Together, they take on everything, with Paul continuing to grow and reaching incredible heights.