Urban Legends Urban legends are incredible stories – sometimes scary, sometimes funny – which have a tantalizing bit of plausibility to them. Urban legends contain many folkloric elements and they spread quickly through a community or society. The tales are usually told dramatically, as if they are true stories that have happened to a real people, although they may in fact be fictional. Local touches are often added to the legend. A storyteller might say: “This really happened last year to my cousin’s friend in Chicago.” Urban legends often carry a warning or have some significance that motivates the community in preserving and propagating it. http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/urban-legends/

Urban Legend Project You and your partner will research an urban legend to share with the class. You must have the following to receive the 10 classwork points: Name of the urban legend The history of the urban legend Where did it start? Is it native to a particular culture? How long has it been around? Is it based on an actual true event or story? Which one? What is the warning or significance that keeps the legend alive?

15 Urban Legends Alligators in the Sewers Biscuits for Brains The Choking Doberman The Dead Cat in the Package The Death of Little Mikey The Exploding Toilet The Fatal Hairdo The Flesh-Eating Bananas The Halloween Surprise The Hook The Kidney Thieves NASA and the Missing Day in Time The Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe The Microwaved Pet Procter & Gamble Loves Satan

Urban Legend Presentation You and your partner will share in a 5 minute presentation your researched urban legend with the class Be creative, don’t just read the urban legend. Make it an urban legend experience Give the history of the legend Share the warning or lesson to be learned from the urban legend that keeps it going Some of the following could work: A video A power point A visual presentation of pictures or items A play or re-enactment of the urban legend