It’s Greek to Me! Greek and Roman Mythology
Grade Level or Special Area: 3rd Grade
Written by:
Melissa Packer, The Pinnacle Charter School, Federal Heights, CO
Length of Unit:
Seven lessons and a Culminating Activity (eight days, one day = 45
minutes)
I.
ABSTRACT
In this language arts unit, students discover Greek and Roman myths through a variety of
activities. They explore how myths were written to explain things the ancients did not
understand. The students also participate in a variety of writing exercises, such as summary
writing, writing a friendly letter, and essay writing, adapted from the Step Up to Writing program.
II.
OVERVIEW
A.
Concept Objectives (adapted from the Colorado State Standards for Reading/Writing)
1.
Students will understand how to respond to literature in a variety of ways.
2.
Students will understand how to write for a variety of purposes and audiences.
3.
Students will recognize that literature reflects the beliefs of a society.
B.
Content from the Core Knowledge Sequence
1.
Fiction (pp. 67-68)
a.
Myth and Mythical Characters
i.
More Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome
a)
“Jason and the Golden Fleece”
b)
“Perseus and Medusa”
c)
“Cupid and Psyche”
d)
“Damon and Pythias”
e)
“Androcles and the Lion”
f)
“Horatius at the Bridge”
2.
Reading and Writing
a.
Writing (p. 65)
i.
Produce a variety of types of writing
ii.
Know how to use established conventions when writing a
friendly letter: greeting, body, closing, signature
iii.
Organize material in paragraphs and understand how to use a
topic sentence and how to develop a paragraph with examples
3.
Astronomy (p. 83)
a.
Stars and Constellations
C.
Skill Objectives
1.
Students will listen to an oral reading of a creation myth.
2.
Students will write a statement and draw pictures demonstrating how the Greeks
explained how/why the seasons change.
3.
Students will write a summary of the story “Jason and the Golden Fleece.”
4.
Students will report events sequentially.
5.
Students will design a constellation.
6.
Students will identify the various parts of a friendly letter.
7.
Students will plan for and write a friendly letter.
8.
Students will create a 4-panel cartoon summarizing “Horatius at the Bridge.”
9.
Students will identify qualities that make a good friend.
10.
Students will write a paragraph explaining the qualities that make a good friend.
11.
Students will write a newspaper article summarizing the myth “Androcles and
the Lion.”
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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III.
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
A.
For Teachers
1.
Auman, M. Step Up to Writing. Colorado: Sopris West, 1999. 1-57035-208-9.
2.
Aliki. The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus. New York: Harper Collins, 1994.
0-06-446189-0.
3.
D’Aulaires, I. Book of Greek Myths. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell
Publishing Group, 1962. 0-440-40694-3
B.
For Students
1.
Greek Mythology – 2nd grade Core Knowledge concept
2.
Basic knowledge of Step Up to Writing techniques (color-coding, topic
sentences, using transitions, conclusions)
IV.
RESOURCES
A.
Aliki. The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus. New York: Harper Collins, 1994. 0-06446189-0. (Lesson One)
B.
McDermott, G. Daughter of Earth: A Roman Myth. New York: Delacorte Press, 1984.
0-385-29294-5. (Lesson One)
C.
D’Aulaires, I. Book of Greek Myths. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, 1962. 0-440-40694-3. (Lessons Two and Three)
D.
Masters, A. Roman Myths. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1999. 0-87226-607-9.
(Lessons Four and Five)
E.
DeSpain, P. Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell. Little Rock: August House
Publishers, 1993. 0-87483-266-7. (Lesson Six)
F.
Stevens, J. Androcles and the Lion. New York: Holiday House, 1989. 0-8234-0768-3.
(Lesson Seven)
V.
LESSONS
Lesson One: Prior Knowledge/Demeter and Proserpina (approximately 45 minutes)
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
Students will understand how to respond to literature in a variety of
ways.
b.
Students will understand that literature reflects the beliefs of a society.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
Review Greek/Roman mythology from 2nd grade.
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
Students will listen to an oral reading of a creation myth.
b.
Students will write a statement and draw pictures demonstrating how the
Greeks explained how/why the seasons change.
B.
Materials
1.
Chalkboard/chalk or whiteboard/markers
2.
Book The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus, by Aliki
3.
Book Daughter of Earth, by Gerald McDermott
4.
9” x 11” white drawing paper (one piece per student)
5.
Pencils (one per student)
6.
Crayons or colored pencils (one set per student)
7.
Copies of rubric (Appendix A) for grading (one per student)
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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C.
D.
E.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Myth: a story often telling the adventures of superhuman beings that is usually
part of a people's religion and that attempts to describe the origin of their customs
or beliefs or to explain mysterious events
2.
Creation myth: a story that tells how the world began, based on a person’s
religious beliefs
Procedures/Activities
1.
Activating prior knowledge. Ask the students to brainstorm with you about what
they learned in second grade about Greek/Roman mythology. Write their ideas
on the board.
2.
Write “myth” on the board. Ask the students for a definition of the word (this is
review from 2nd grade). Write the definition (Key Vocabulary) on the board and
ask students if they can think of any examples of myths they have read or been
exposed to. Write a few of their examples on the board beneath the definition.
3.
Read pages 4-17 of The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus, by Aliki. Explain that
this story is a “creation myth” – it tells the story of how the gods/goddesses came
to be.
4.
Use the rest of the book The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus, by Aliki to help
review the various names of the gods/goddesses the students already know.
5.
Explain that the Greeks and Romans, just like the Native Americans, often told
stories in an effort to explain things they did not understand. Tell the students
that you are going to read them a Roman myth that explains something about
nature, but that they need to be detectives – you’re not going to tell them what it
is.
6.
Read Daughter of Earth, by Gerald McDermott to the class.
7.
Ask the students what the myth was explaining (how/why the seasons change).
8.
Ask: “Is this really how the seasons change?” (no) Say: “You learned in
second grade how the seasons change. The seasons change because of the
revolution of the Earth around the Sun, but the Romans didn’t know this, so they
made up this story about one of their gods to explain it. They had a question they
couldn’t answer, so they thought up their own answer.”
9.
Pass out large (9” x 11”) white drawing paper. Have the students fold the paper
in half like a card. Instruct them to leave the paper folded for now.
10.
Ask the students what happened to the weather when Proserpina went to Hades
(fall and winter came). Ask the students what happened to the weather when she
returned to Earth (spring and summer came).
11.
Tell the students to unfold their paper and draw a pencil line down the fold.
12.
Instruct the students to use the bottom inch of each half to write a statement
about Proserpina. One statement should be about what happens when she goes to
Hades (i.e. “Proserpina goes to Hades once a year, and the Earth is cold and
dark.”). The other statement should be on the other half and should tell what
happens when Proserpina returns to Earth (i.e. “Proserpina returns to her mother,
and the world is filled with the joy of spring.).
13.
Instruct the students to then draw pictures to accompany their statements in the
space left. To help those who struggle with ideas for drawing, you may want to
walk the class back through a few of the illustrations, pointing out details to help
guide them.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Review statements and pictures. Grade using rubric (Appendix A).
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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Lesson Two: “Jason and the Golden Fleece” (approximately 45 minutes)
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
Students will understand how to respond to literature in a variety of
ways.
b.
Students will understand how to write for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
“Jason and the Golden Fleece”
b.
Produce a variety of types of writing
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
Students will write a summary of the story “Jason and the Golden
Fleece.”
b.
Students will report events sequentially.
B.
Materials
1.
A fleece jacket or shirt
2.
Book D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths, by Ingri D’Aulaire
3.
Chart (Appendix B) copied onto a transparency
4.
Overhead projector
5.
Vis-à-vis transparency marker
6.
Chalkboard/chalk or whiteboard/markers
7.
Lined paper (two sheets per student)
8.
Pencils (one per student)
9.
Copies of rubric (Appendix C) for grading (one per student)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Fleece: the wooly coat of an animal (like a sheep)
2.
Summary: a short statement that lists the main points of a story or article
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Hold up the fleece jacket (or shirt) and ask the students what the material it is
made from is called. If students don’t get it right away, tell them it is called
fleece. Pass around the item so the students can feel it. Explain that now fleece
is made from cotton, but fleece can also mean the wooly coat of an animal, like a
sheep.
2.
Introduce the story “Jason and the Golden Fleece.” Tell the class they will be
hearing a story about a young man who goes on a great adventure to prove he
deserves to be King.
3.
Read pages 162-175 from D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths, by Ingri D’Aulaire.
4.
Tell students they are going to write a summary of the story you just read to
them.
5.
Say: “A summary is a short paragraph that tells others what a book, story, or
article is about. On the back of most paperback books you will find a summary
of the book. Why do you think they put a summary on the back of books?”
Elicit that it is to give a potential reader enough information for them to decide if
they want to read the book or not. Say: “Summaries also help remind us about
what we have already read. As a teacher, I can tell if you really read a book or
story when I have you write a summary about it.”
6.
Say: “When we write a summary, the first thing we do is write a topic sentence.
The topic sentence of a summary tells the main idea of the story.”
7.
Turn on the overhead and display Appendix B. Say: “When we write a topic
sentence, the first thing we need to do is to identify what we are summarizing. In
this case, we are writing about “Jason and the Golden Fleece.” Part of
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
identifying is also telling who the author is, so I will begin my topic sentence like
this.” Using your Vis-à-vis, in the first column of Appendix B, titled “Identify,”
write the following: “Jason and the Golden Fleece,” by Ingri D’Aulaire.”
Say: “The next thing we need to do is to pick a verb from the middle column.
We want to pick the most descriptive verb we can. When summarizing fictional
stories, I like to use the verb “tells,” because fiction always tells a story.” Using
your Vis-à-vis, circle the verb “tell.”
Say: “The last part of my topic sentence needs to give a main idea to my reader
as to what the story was about. Who has an idea of how to finish this sentence?”
Elicit that, generally, the story tells about a young man who sets out to prove he
is worthy of being King. Under the “Finish the Thought” column, write: the
story of Jason, a young man who sets out to prove he is worthy of being King.”
Say: “When we write our summaries today, we will all use this topic sentence.
The complete topic sentence is: “Jason and the Golden Fleece,” by Ingri
D’Aulaire, tells the story about a young man who sets out to prove he is worthy
of being King.
Pass out two sheets of lined paper per student. Have them fold one sheet into
quarters (“hamburger” style). Instruct the students to use their pencil to draw a
line on each fold so that there are four boxes on each side. Instruct the students
to number the boxes 1-4 on the front and 5-8 on the back. They will be writing
one sentence in each box.
Tell the students they are going to write a 9-sentence summary of “Jason and the
Golden Fleece.” Say: “The topic sentence is already done for you. We will
write three additional sentences together, then you will write the last five on your
own.”
Say: “When we write a summary, after we write the topic sentence we write the
events of the story in the order they happen. When writing a summary, we have
to stay very general – we do not add a lot of the details. The idea is to get
someone interested in reading the entire story, so we give main ideas and main
events. If they want more, they can read the story.”
Say: “The rest of our sentences, after the topic sentence, are yellows (per Step
Up to Writing, yellows are facts). We will not use reds because they indicate
details. Our first yellow should tell the first main event in the story. The first
thing we learn about Jason is that he wants to take the throne away from his uncle
and that Hera says she will help him. Who can give me a sentence that states this
clearly?” Elicit student responses, then write the first sentence on the board. It
should be something along the lines of: “Jason wants to take the throne of King
from his uncle, Pelias, and the goddess, Hera, agrees to help him.” Instruct the
students to copy this sentence in the first box on their paper.
Say: “When Jason speaks with his uncle, Pelias agrees to give up the throne, but
only if Jason can bring Pelias the Golden Fleece, which is heavily guarded on an
island in the Black Sea.” Write this sentence on the board as sentence 2 and
instruct the students to copy it onto their papers in box 2.
Ask: “Who can tell me the next major event in the story?” (Jason builds a boat
and sets sail) Ask: “Who can use a transition and give us a complete sentence?”
Write the best student response on the board as sentence 3 and instruct the
students to copy it onto their papers in box 3. An appropriate response might be:
“Next, Jason builds a great ship, and sets sail with the help of his friends.”
At this point, tell the students that they are to write 5 additional events, in
complete sentences, in the remaining boxes on their papers. When they are
finished, they are to use the second piece of lined paper to write their summary in
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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E.
paragraph format. Be sure to remind them to use the topic sentence you have
provided. Circulate the room to answer questions and redirect when necessary.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Review the planning sheet and summaries. Correct using grading checklist
(Appendix C).
Lesson Three: “Perseus and Medusa” (approximately 45 minutes)
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
Students will understand how to respond to literature in a variety of
ways.
b.
Students will understand how to write for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
c.
Students will understand that literature reflects the beliefs of a society.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
“Perseus and Medusa”
b.
Stars and Constellations
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
Students will design a constellation.
B.
Materials
1.
Book D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths, by Ingri D’Aulaire
2.
Picture of Medusa from a book (any will do)
3.
Pictures of constellations (any will do)
4.
Overhead projector
5.
4” x 4” square black construction paper (one piece per student)
6.
Pencils (one per student)
7.
Paper clip (one per student)
8.
White 4” x 6” index cards (one per student)
9.
Glue sticks (one per student)
10.
Copies of checklist (Appendix E) for grading (one per student)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Constellation: a group of stars that make a pattern
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Show picture of Medusa and ask if anyone is familiar with her. Ask: “What is
her hair made of?” (snakes) Ask: “Does anyone know what the legend says
would happen to you if you looked at her?” (turn to stone)
2.
Say: “Today we are going to read a myth about a young man who is sent to kill
Medusa.”
3.
Read pages 114-122 of D’Aulaire’s Book of Greek Myths, by Ingri D’Aulaire.
4.
Ask: “What is a constellation? (a group of stars that make a pattern)
5.
Ask: “Is this really how the constellations got into space?” (no) Say: “So this is
another story that was written to help explain something the Greeks did not
understand. They did not understand were the stars came from, so they made up
a story to explain how it happened. They decided the constellations must
represent great Greek heroes that Zeus put into the sky after they died.”
6.
Say: “Today we are going to create and name our own constellations. You can
make one to represent yourself, or someone you think is a great hero.” Show
examples of constellations. Say: “These are some actual constellations. Notice
how none of them necessarily make a perfect picture. Your constellation doesn’t
have to, either.”
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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7.
E.
Pass out black construction paper squares. Instruct the students to use their
pencil to make dots on the paper to represent stars. When they are ready with an
appropriate design, give them a paper clip. Instruct them to unbend it so they
have a hole-punching device. Instruct the students to poke holes where they
made their pencil dots.
8.
Pass out index cards and glue sticks.
9.
Instruct students to write the name of their constellation on the top line of the
index card, along with their name. Say: “Every constellation has a story, so
write a short story (6-10 sentences) telling how your constellation came to be.
We will be sharing our stories and constellations later.”
10.
Instruct students to glue the index card to the very bottom of their black
construction paper, with the name of their constellation facing forward.
11.
When everyone is finished, have each student share their constellation with the
class and read their short story.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Review constellations. Use checklist (Appendix E) to grade.
Lesson Four: “Cupid and Psyche” (approximately 45 minutes)
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
Students will understand how to respond to literature in a variety of
ways.
b.
Students will understand how to write for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
“Cupid and Psyche”
b.
Produce a variety of types of writing
c.
Students will use established conventions when writing a friendly letter:
greeting, body, closing, signature.
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
Students will identify the various parts of a friendly letter.
b.
Students will plan for and write a friendly letter.
B.
Materials
1.
Picture of Cupid (one that depicts him as a baby with wings)
2.
Transparency of KWL chart (Appendix F)
3.
Overhead projector
4.
Vis-à-vis marker
5.
Book Roman Myths (see bibliography)
6.
Pencils (one per student)
7.
Transparency of friendly letter form (Appendix G)
8.
Copies of friendly letter form (Appendix G) (one per student)
9.
Transparency of “Stars, Dashes, and Dots” (Appendix H)
10.
Copies of “Stars, Dashes, and Dots” (Appendix H) (one per student)
11.
Copies of letter rubric (Appendix I) for grading
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Persuade: to try to get someone to see things your way
2.
Greeting: the part of a letter where you greet the reader (Dear Joe,)
3.
Body: the part of a letter that gives the information you want the reader to know
4.
Closing: the part of the letter that ends the letter (Your friend,) and includes your
signature
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Show a picture of Cupid.
2.
Display KWL chart on overhead.
3.
K = What We Know. Ask: “What do we already know about Cupid?” Write
student responses on transparency under “K” column. Try to get five responses
under this column. Prompt with questions like, “when do we usually see pictures
like this?” (Valentine’s Day)
4.
W = What We Want to Know. Say: “Cupid was actually a Roman god. He was
the son of Venus, the goddess of love, and today we are going to read a story
about him. What kinds of questions do you have about Cupid?” Write the
students’ questions under the “W” column on the chart.
5.
Read pages 55-61 of Roman Myths.
6.
L = What We Learned. Ask: “What did we learn about Cupid?” Fill in the “L”
column of the KWL chart using the students’ responses.
7.
Ask: “What does it mean to persuade someone?” Take the student ideas to try to
arrive at a definition. If necessary, prompt the students using the language from
the definition in Key Vocabulary.
8.
Ask students to give you examples of a time they tried to persuade someone
(possible answers: tried to get mom to buy them candy at the grocery store, tried
to convince you to give them an extra recess, etc.)
9.
Say: “At the end of “Cupid and Psyche,” Jupiter had to decide whether to allow
Cupid and Psyche to be together or to kill Psyche, as Cupid had originally
warned. Today you are going to learn how to write a friendly letter. You are
going to write a letter to Jupiter to persuade him to either allow Cupid and
Psyche to be together, or to kill her.”
10.
Display overhead of Appendix G. Pass out copies of Appendix G.
11.
Tell students: “This is what a letter looks like. There are several parts to a letter.
This kind of letter is called a ‘friendly’ letter because we use language that is
friendly and not formal.”
12.
Describe the parts of the letter:
a.
Say: “First, we begin with the date. The date goes on the top line. You
can spell out the month, if you wish, or you can just use numbers with
dashes. Go ahead and write the date.” Demonstrate writing the date on
the appropriate line on the overhead.
b.
Say: “Next is the greeting. This is where you would say ‘Dear So-andSo.’ Make sure to use a comma at the end of their name. Go ahead and
write your greeting to Jupiter.” Demonstrate writing the greeting: “Dear
Jupiter,”
c.
Say: “Now we write the body of the letter. The body is the information
you want the reader to know. In this case, we will be sharing our opinion
with Jupiter about Cupid and Psyche. For right now, I’m going to leave
it blank.”
13.
Say: “Last is the closing and signature. You can close your friendly letter any
way you wish. You can use ‘Your friend,’ or ‘Sincerely,’ or anything else you
can think of on the first line of the closing. The second line beneath the closing
is for your signature. This is where you would sign your name. I’m going to
close my letter with ‘Sincerely,’ and then sign my name. Go ahead and write
your closing.” Demonstrate completing the closing.
14.
Say: “Now I need to plan the rest of my letter. What did I say I was going to
talk about?” (persuading Jupiter about Cupid and Psyche)
15.
Say: “I’m going to use a separate piece of paper for that.” Display Appendix H.
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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16.
17.
E.
Pass out Appendix H.
Say: “When we write, we always plan before we begin. We are going to use
stars, dashes, and dots to plan.”
18.
Say: “The ‘T’ at the top is for the topic of my paragraph, so it is the green of my
letter. I will write ‘saving Psyche’ on the line next to the T as my topic. You
should write either ‘saving Psyche’ or ‘punishing Psyche’ on your paper after the
star.”
19.
Say: “On the left side, you will see three stars. The stars are for our yellows, or
facts and reasons. In this case, we need to give three reasons why we think
Jupiter should either save or punish Psyche. One of the reasons I think Jupiter
should save her is because she did the things she did out of love, so my first
yellow will be ‘love.’ You should now take a moment to fill in your three stars
with reasons why you feel the way you do.” Allow students time to do this.
Circulate the room to help those in need.
20.
Say: “The dashes and dots on the right are the reds, or details, of my letter. Your
dashes and dots should give more detail about the stars on the left. For my first
dash, I am going to write ‘would do anything to see Cupid again.’ If I have more
details about this red, I could write it in next to the dot beneath it, but for now I
am choosing to leave it blank.”
21.
Say: “Now you should think about your yellows and write down supporting reds
next to your dashes and dots. It is not important this time to have a lot of detail,
so feel free to write just one red for each yellow. However, if you have more to
say, you are welcome to write more reds.” Allow students time to do this.
Circulate the room to help those in need.
22.
Say: “Now I need to write my letter. We’ll go back to the first form now.”
Display overhead of Appendix G.
23.
Say: “I need to turn my star, dashes, and dots into sentences, which will be the
body of my letter.”
24.
Ask: “How can I take my topic and turn it into a sentence?” (possible answer: I
feel you should spare Psyche for three reasons.) Write a student suggested
sentence as the first sentence in your body.
25.
Say: “Now I need to turn my first star into a yellow sentence. Does anyone have
an idea of what I could say?” (possible answer: First, it is important to note that
Psyche did all of the things she did out of love.”)
26.
Say: “After my first yellow, I need to add my reds that go along with that
yellow. Who can give me a sentence to use for the red I wrote down?” (possible
answer: “Psyche would have done anything to be able to see Cupid again
because she loved him so much.”)
27.
Now have students write their own letter body using the notes they have made
(stars, dashes and dots). Keep the example posted on the overhead. Circulate to
answer questions and check for understanding. Have them hand in their letters
when they are finished.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Review the letters. Correct using the letter rubric (Appendix I).
Lesson Five: “Horatius at the Bridge” (approximately 45 minutes)
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
Students will understand how to respond to literature in a variety of
ways.
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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b.
B.
C.
D.
Students will understand how to write for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
“Horatius at the Bridge”
b.
Produce a variety of types of writing
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
Students will create a 4-panel cartoon summarizing “Horatius at the
Bridge.”
Materials
1.
Chalkboard/chalk
2.
Book Roman Myths, by A. Masters
3.
Transparency of storyboard (Appendix J)
4.
Copies of storyboard (Appendix J) (one per student)
5.
Overhead projector
6.
Vis-à-vis marker
7.
Pencils (one per student)
8.
9” x 11” white drawing paper (one piece per student)
9.
Crayons or colored pencils (one set per student)
10.
Copies of cartoon rubric (Appendix K)
Key Vocabulary
1.
Four-panel cartoon: a cartoon with four panels
2.
Storyboard: the form a cartoonist uses to plan a cartoon
Procedures/Activities
1.
Ask: “What does it mean to be a hero?” Write some of the ideas on the board.
2.
Say: “Today we are going to read a story about a Roman hero named Horatius.”
3.
Read pages 23-27 of Book Roman Myths, by A. Masters.
4.
Say: “Horatius was very brave. He was willing to die if it meant saving Rome.
Can anyone think of other characters in stories you may have read that have been
brave?” Have several students share.
5.
Say: “Comic book heroes, like Spiderman or Batman, are typically brave.
Today we are going to make a 4-panel cartoon to summarize the story ‘Horatius
at the Bridge.’”
6.
Say: “First, you will plan your cartoon. Real cartoonists use what they call a
storyboard to do rough copies of a cartoon.” Display transparency of storyboard
(Appendix J).
7.
Pass out storyboard forms (Appendix J).
8.
Say: “First, I suggest you come up with the text for the four panels. Each panel
must have at least one sentence explaining what is happening in the picture.
Remember, you are trying to summarize the story, so you must make sure the
events are shown in order. You might want to use the back of your paper to
practice writing your sentences first, and then transfer them to the front. In my
first panel, I will write, ‘Horatius and two other Roman soldiers were trying to
fight off enemy troops and save Rome from being attacked.’” Write this
sentence toward the bottom of the first box.
9.
Say: “Your storyboard pictures should be rough drawings, not full-color
illustrations. I would draw stick figures and details I don’t want to forget.”
Draw a sample on the transparency.
10.
Say: “Now it’s your turn. Begin first with the sentences. Make sure you are
writing them in the order of how things happened. Then, draw your pictures. I
will be coming around to help those who need it.” Circulate the room for about
five minutes.
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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11.
E.
Say: “Now I will pass out the large drawing paper. Please do not start on the
drawing paper until your storyboard sentences and drawings are complete.” Pass
out drawing paper.
12.
Say: “Fold the paper in half like a card. Then fold it in half again, so when you
open it up, it looks like a window, just like the storyboard.”
13.
Instruct the students who are ready to start transferring their ideas to the drawing
paper. Circulate to help those in need. Encourage use of colors at this time.
14.
Have the students hand in their completed cartoon, along with their storyboard.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Review the cartoons and storyboards. Correct using the cartoon rubric
(Appendix K).
Lesson Six: “Damon and Pythias” (approximately 45 minutes)
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
Students will understand how to respond to literature in a variety of
ways.
b.
Students will understand how to write for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
“Damon and Pythias”
b.
Produce a variety of types of writing
c.
Organize material in paragraphs and understand how to use a topic
sentence and how to develop a paragraph with examples
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
Students will identify qualities that make a good friend.
b.
Students will write a paragraph explaining the qualities that make a good
friend.
B.
Materials
1.
Chalkboard/chalk
2.
Book Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell, by Pleasant DeSpain
3.
Transparency of Damon and Pythias chart (Appendix L)
4.
Overhead projector
5.
Vis-à-vis marker
6.
Lined paper (two sheets per student)
7.
Pencils (one per student)
8.
Crayons or markers (one of each color per student: green, yellow, red)
9.
Transparency of Setting Up a Paragraph (Appendix M)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Quality: a basic human characteristic
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Ask: “When I say the word ‘friend,’ what sorts of things come to mind?” Write
their ideas on the board.
2.
Say: “Today I am going to read a story to you about a pair of friends. As I read,
think about your best friend and whether you would do the kinds of things for
them that these friends do for each other.”
3.
Read pages 43-45 of Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell, by Pleasant
DeSpain to the class.
4.
Display Damon and Pythias chart (Appendix L) on overhead.
5.
Ask: “What are some words you would use to describe Damon?” Write the
students’ suggestions in the “Damon” column. (an example might be generous)
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
Ask: “What are some words you would use to describe Pythias?” Write the
student suggestions in the “Pythias” column. (an example might be trustworthy)
Write the word “Friend” in the middle of the board and draw a circle around it.
Make a word web by drawing several straight lines shooting off from the circle.
Say: “Now think about your own best friend. What are some words you would
use to describe them? Remember, I’m not interested in how they look, but the
kind of person they are.” Write these words on the lines of your word web. Be
sure to get at least 10 words up that describe the qualities of a good friend
(examples might be trusting, caring, fun to be around, etc.).
Say: “Today we are going to write a paragraph that describes the three qualities
you look most for in a friend. We already have many ideas on the board, and you
may feel free to use any of them, or add your own.”
Pass out two sheets of lined paper per student. Have them fold one sheet into
quarters, length-wise (“hot dog” style). Have the students use their pencil to
draw a line on each fold so that there are 4 boxes on each side.
Tell the students they are going to write an 8-sentence paragraph describing the
three qualities they look for in a good friend. Write the prompt on the board:
“What qualities make a good friend?”
In the left margin of the first box, have the students make a large green dot with
their green crayon, about the size of a quarter. (Per Step Up to Writing, this
indicates a topic sentence.)
Display Planning a Paragraph transparency (Appendix M)
Say: “My first sentence is always my topic, or green, sentence. This sentence
should restate the prompt ‘What qualities make a good friend?’ Who can give
me a great starting green for my paragraph?” Call on several students and pick
the most appropriate topic sentence. Write the sentence in box one next to the
green dot. An example might be, “Any friend of mine must have these three
qualities.”
Instruct students to now write a topic sentence that restates the prompt in the box
with the green dot.
Instruct students to make a large yellow dot in the left margin of the second box.
(Per Step Up to Writing, this indicates a fact.)
Say: “Now I can pick the first quality I want talk about. I’m going to choose to
talk about being trustworthy. Can anyone give me a sentence to use as my first
yellow that talks about being trustworthy?” Call on several students and pick the
most appropriate sentence. Write the sentence in the second box, next to the first
yellow dot. An example might be: “First, I look for a friend who is
trustworthy.”
Instruct students to now write their first yellow sentence, using a transition, in the
box with the first yellow dot.
Say: “Now I need to add a detail to this thought to make my point clearer to the
reader. I need to remember that I am still talking about being trustworthy so my
sentence will make sense as a red. Does anyone have an example of a red
sentence I can use with my yellow about being trustworthy?” Call on several
students and pick the most appropriate sentence. Write the sentence in the third
box, next to the first red dot. An example might be: “I want to be able to share
my secrets with someone I can trust.”
Say: “Now you need to finish writing your paragraph, with one sentence in each
box. You need to have three yellows, and a red for each yellow. Make sure to
use transitions when you write your yellows, and that your reds give more detail
about the yellow they follow. When you get to the last box, you need to write a
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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E.
conclusion that reminds your reader what you have been talking about. It should
restate your topic sentence.”
21.
Say: “When you are finished with this, you’ll need to take your second piece of
lined paper and rewrite your paragraph so it looks like a paragraph. Be sure to
indent your first sentence and use capital letters and periods.”
22.
Instruct students to hand in their paragraphs and planning together when they are
finished.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Review the paragraphs. Correct using the rubric (Appendix N).
Lesson Seven: Androcles and the Lion (approximately 45 minutes)
A.
Daily Objectives
1.
Concept Objective(s)
a.
Students will understand how to respond to literature in a variety of
ways.
b.
Students will understand how to write for a variety of purposes and
audiences.
2.
Lesson Content
a.
“Androcles and the Lion”
b.
Produce a variety of types of writing
3.
Skill Objective(s)
a.
Students will write a newspaper article summarizing the myth
“Androcles and the Lion.”
B.
Materials
1.
Book Androcles and the Lion, by Janet Stevens
2.
Copies of the newspaper form (Appendix O) (one per student)
3.
Chalkboard/chalk or whiteboard/markers
4.
Copies of the newspaper rubric (Appendix P) (one per student)
C.
Key Vocabulary
1.
Headline: the title over an item or article in a newspaper
D.
Procedures/Activities
1.
Ask: “How many of you have heard the story about the lion who gets a thorn
stuck in his paw and the mouse who helps him get it out?”
2.
Say: “Today we are going to read a similar story about a boy and a lion.”
3.
Read Androcles and the Lion, by Janet Stevens.
4.
Explain to the students that they are to write a summary of the story in the form
of a newspaper article.
5.
Pass out copies of the newspaper form (Appendix O).
6.
Ask: “What do you think will go on the first, long line?” (headline/title)
7.
Say: “The headline of a news article is always short and tries to explain the
entire story in as few words as possible. Something like ‘Lion Refuses to Attack
Friend’ would be great. You may want to leave the headline until after you write
your story.”
8.
Say: “News articles always tell the who, what, where, when, why, and how of a
story.” Write “Who:” on the board. “Who are the main characters of this story?”
(Androcles, a slave boy and a lion) Write the character names on the board after
“who.”
9.
Write “What:” on the board below “Who.” Ask: “What is the story about?” (A
slave boy and a lion who become friends.) Write this on the board after “what.”
10.
Write “Where:” on the board. Ask: “Where does the story take place?” (Rome)
Write this on the board after “where.”
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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11.
E.
Write “Why:” on the board. Ask: “Why do the lion and Androcles become
friends?” (because Androcles helped remove a thorn from the lion’s paw) Write
this on the board after “why.”
12.
Write “When:” on the board. Tell the class that for the purposes of this activity,
we will say this happened last week. Write “last week” after “when.”
13.
Write “How:” on the board. Ask: “How does this story end?” (Androcles is
captured and put into the Colosseum to be eaten by a lion, but the lion turns out
to be his friend and refuses to attack.) Write this on the board after “How.”
14.
Tell the students: “Now that we have all of the facts, we can write our article.
Our first sentence should tell who, when, where, and how. Who can give me a
sentence that we can start our article with?” (possible answer: “Last week,
escaped slave boy Androcles was thrown into the Colosseum to be eaten by a
lion, but the lion refused to attack him!”) Write the sentence on the board.
15.
Say: “After we write our first sentence, we need to write a sentence telling the
why and what of the story. Who thinks they can come up with a sentence to do
this?” (possible answer: “As it turns out, Androcles had befriended the lion only
days before after removing a thorn from the lion’s paw.”)
16.
Say: “Now we need to tell the rest of the story. We should tell about how
Androcles escaped from his cruel master and met up with the lion in the forest.
We should also explain that Androcles was being thrown to the lions because he
was captured and punished for running away. Your job now is to finish the
article. When you finish, you may use the box in the upper right corner to draw a
picture to go with your article.”
17.
Circulate the classroom as the students work to answer questions and help when
needed.
18.
Collect the articles when the students are finished.
Assessment/Evaluation
1.
Review the newspapers. Correct using the checklist (Appendix P).
VI.
CULMINATING ACTIVITY
A.
Test (Appendix P)
B.
(Optional) Have students take all the work they have accumulated throughout this unit
and put it together as a portfolio. They can decorate a file folder to hold the contents.
Make time for students to display their portfolio to share with the class.
VII.
HANDOUTS/WORKSHEETS
A.
Appendix A: Daughter of Earth Rubric
B.
Appendix B: Summary Chart
C.
Appendix C: Summary Rubric
D.
Appendix D: Constellation Examples
E.
Appendix E: KWL Chart
F.
Appendix F:
Friendly Letter Format
G.
Appendix G: Stars, Dashes, and Dots
H.
Appendix H: Friendly Letter Rubric
I.
Appendix I:
Cartoon Storyboard
J.
Appendix J:
4-Panel Cartoon Rubric
K.
Appendix K: Damon and Pythias Chart
L.
Appendix L: Setting Up a Paragraph
M.
Appendix M: Paragraph Rubric
N.
Appendix N: Newspaper Form
O.
Appendix O: Newspaper Rubric
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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P.
Q.
Appendix P:
Appendix Q:
Unit Test
Unit Test Key
VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
Aliki. The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus. New York: Harper Collins, 1994. 0-06446189-0.
Auman, M. Step Up to Writing. Colorado: Sopris West, 1999. 1-57035-208-9.
Core Knowledge Sequence. Virginia: Core Knowledge Foundation, 1999 1-890517-208.
D’Aulaires, I. Book of Greek Myths. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, 1962. 0-440-40694-3
DeSpain, P. Thirty-Three Multicultural Tales to Tell. Little Rock: August House
Publishers, 1993. 0-87483-266-7
Hirsch, E.D., Jr. What Your Third Grader Needs to Know. New York: Bantam Dell
Publishing, 2001. 0-385-33626-8.
McDermott, G. Daughter of Earth: A Roman Myth. New York: Delacorte Press, 1984.
0-385-29294-5.
Masters, A. Roman Myths. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1999. 0-87226-607-9
Stevens, J. Androcles and the Lion. New York: Holiday House, 1989. 0-8234-0768-3
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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Appendix A: Daughter of Earth Rubric
Student Name: __________________________________
Directions: Select one column for each row. Multiply points as shown to arrive at a total grade.
Statements
(content)
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Not Proficient
1 point
No statements
Developing
Emergent
Proficient
2 points
3 points
4 points
Well-written
Well-written
Simple
statements with statements with statements with
relevant detail
some detail
no detail
No errors
Mechanics
(spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization,
grammar)
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Errors make
statements
difficult to
understand
Few errors,
Frequent errors,
appropriate for
but still
grade level;
readable; may
take away from does not take
away from
meaning
meaning
Drawing
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
No drawings
Neatness
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Sloppy
Drawings show Drawings show Drawings show
adequate effort great effort and
little effort or
and have some comprehension
relevance
of story
relevance
Acceptable
Very neat
Shows some
effort toward
neatness
Total Grade
Points
_______/80
Comments:
Grade: ______
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
16
describes
shows
explains
tells
Identify
Verb
Finish the Thought
Appendix B: Summary Chart
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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Appendix C: Summary Rubric
Student Name: __________________________________
Directions: Select one column for each row. Multiply points as shown to arrive at a total grade.
Not Proficient
1 point
Not copied
Topic Statement
correctly
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Developing
2 points
Emergent
3 points
Proficient
4 points
Copied
correctly
8 Events
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Fewer than 4
events
4-5 events
6-7 events
8 events
Events are
written
sequentially
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
No events are
written
sequentially
Some events
are written
sequentially
Most events are
written
sequentially
All events are
written
sequentially
Mechanics
(spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization,
grammar)
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Few errors,
Errors make the Frequent errors,
appropriate for
but still
summary
grade level;
readable; may
difficult to
take away from does not take
understand
away from
meaning.
meaning.
Planning sheet
complete
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Less than 50%
complete
Total Grade
Points
_______/100
50% complete
75% complete
No errors
100% complete
Comments:
Grade: ______
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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Appendix D: Constellation Checklist
Yes
No
20 pts.*
0 pts.
Constellation designed/made
Directions followed
Constellation named
Short myth written
Oral presentation given
Total Points _____/100
Grade
*NOTE: In the “Yes” column, give fewer points if not 100% acceptable.
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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What I Know
What I Want to
Know
What I Learned
Appendix E: K-W-L Chart
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
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Appendix F: Friendly Letter Format
Date
________________________________
________________________________
Greeting
_______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
B
o
d
y
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Closing
Signature
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
________________________________
________________________________
21
Appendix G: Stars, Dashes, and Dots
Topic =
Adapted from Step Up to Writing (see bibliography)
2004 Core Knowledge® National Conference, Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
22
Appendix H: Friendly Letter Rubric
Student Name: __________________________________
Directions: Select one column for each row. Multiply points as shown to arrive at a total grade.
Not Proficient
1 point
Only one part
Developing
2 points
Two parts
Emergent
3 points
Three parts
Proficient
4 points
All parts
Very little
Somewhat
Adequately
Completely
States three
reasons
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
None
One fact
Two facts
Three facts
Has at least one
detail for each
fact
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
None
One detail
Two details
Three details
Included all
parts of letter
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Content relates
to concepts
taught
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Mechanics
(spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization,
grammar)
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Few to no errors
Few errors,
Errors make the Frequent errors,
appropriate for
but still
letter difficult to
grade level;
readable; may
understand
take away from does not take
away from
meaning
meaning
Total Grade
Points
_______/100
Comments:
Grade: ______
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
23
Four Panel Cartoon Storyboard
Appendix I: Cartoon Storyboard
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
24
Appendix J: 4-Panel Cartoon Rubric
Student Name: __________________________________
Directions: Select one column for each row. Multiply points as shown to arrive at a total grade.
Sentences
(content)
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Not Proficient
Developing
Emergent
Proficient
1 point
2 points
3 points
4 points
One panel has a Two panels
Three panels All panels have
sentence
have sentences have sentences
sentences
No errors
Mechanics
(spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization,
grammar)
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Few errors,
Errors make the Frequent errors,
appropriate for
but still
sentences
grade level;
readable; may
difficult to
take away from does not take
understand
away from
meaning
meaning
Drawings
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Drawings do not
depict story
Drawings
somewhat
depict story
Drawings
adequately
depict story
Detailed
drawings
perfectly depict
story
Neatness
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Sloppy, difficult
to read
Shows some
effort
Acceptable
Very neat
Storyboard
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Less than 50%
complete
50% complete
75% complete
100% complete
Total Grade
Points
_______/100
Comments:
Grade: ______
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
25
Appendix K: Damon and Pythias Chart
Damon
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
Pythias
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
26
Appendix L: Setting Up a Paragraph
G
Y
R
Y
R
Y
R
G
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
27
Appendix M: Paragraph Rubric
Student Name: __________________________________
Directions: Select one column for each row. Multiply points as shown to arrive at a total grade.
Has topic
sentence that
restates prompt
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Not Proficient
Developing
Emergent
Proficient
1 point
2 points
3 points
4 points
Has topic
No topic
Topic statement
Has topic
sentence
is unclear
sentence but it sentence that
does not restate restates prompt
prompt
Very little
Content relates
to concepts
taught
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
3 facts with no
States three
details
facts and details
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
No
Conclusion
restates topic
sentence
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Somewhat
Adequately
Completely
3 facts with 1
detail
3 facts with 2
details
3 facts with 3
details
Conclusion
statement is
unclear
Conclusion
written, but does
not restate topic
Conclusion
restates topic
sentence
Mechanics
(spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization,
grammar)
______ x 5
= ______ pts.
Few to no errors
Few errors,
Errors make the Frequent errors,
appropriate for
but still
paragraph
grade level;
readable; may
difficult to
take away from does not take
understand
away from
meaning
meaning
Total Grade
Points
_______/100
Comments:
Grade: ______
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
28
Appendix N: Newspaper Form
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
29
Appendix O: Newspaper Grading Checklist
Yes
No
20 pts.*
0 pts.
Article has title
5 W’s and H included
Events listed sequentially
Illustration
Oral presentation given
Total Points _____/100
Grade
*NOTE: In the “Yes” column, give fewer points if not 100% acceptable.
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
30
Appendix P: Unit Test
Name: _________________________________
Greek and Roman Mythology Test
Matching
Directions: Draw lines to match each myth to its main idea.
1. Androcles and the Lion
a. A young man sets out to prove he
deserves to be King.
2. Jason and the Golden Fleece
b. A woman is forced to perform a number
of impossible tasks after angering a goddess.
3. Horatius at the Bridge
c. An escaped slave boy becomes friends
with an animal.
4. Damon and Pythias
d. Two best friends prove how close they
are in the face of death.
5. Cupid and Psyche
e. A soldier bravely risks his life for his
country.
Labeling
Directions: Label the parts of the letter below on the lines provided.
September 3, 2003
Dear Grandma,
I just wanted to write to you and thank you for the great birthday
gift. It’s just what I wanted! I’ve been playing with it all week and all
of my friends think I have the greatest grandma ever! I think they’re right.
Love,
Sally
Writing a Summary
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, pick one of the myths we read and write a summary
about it telling at least 5 events.
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
31
Appendix Q: Unit Test Key
Matching
Directions: Draw lines to match each myth to its main idea.
1. Androcles and the Lion
a. A young man sets out to prove he
deserves to be King.
2. Jason and the Golden Fleece
b. A woman is forced to perform a number
of impossible tasks after angering a goddess.
3. Horatius at the Bridge
c. An escaped slave boy becomes friends
with an animal.
4. Damon and Pythias
d. Two best friends prove how close they
are in the face of death.
5. Cupid and Psyche
e. A soldier bravely risks his life for his
country.
Labeling
Directions: Label the parts of the letter below on the lines provided.
September 3, 2003
Dear Grandma,
Greeting
I just wanted to write to you and thank you for the great birthday
gift. It’s just what I wanted! I’ve been playing with it all week and all
Body
of my friends think I have the greatest grandma ever! I think they’re right.
Closing
Love,
Signature
Sally
Writing a Summary
Directions: On a separate sheet of paper, pick one of the myths we read and write a summary about it telling at least 5 events.
Topic Sentence
Events
Sequence
Comprehension
Mechanics (spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization,
grammar)
1
Topic sentence does
not identify and does
not show
comprehension
1-2 events
Events are not listed
sequentially
Summary shows
very little
comprehension of
myth
Errors make the
summary difficult to
understand
Third Grade, It’s Greek to Me!
2
Topic sentence does
not identify, but
shows some
comprehension
3 events
Frequent errors, but
still readable; may
take away from
meaning
2003 Colorado Unit Writing Project
3
Topic sentence
identifies and shows
some comprehension
4 events
4
Topic sentence
identifies title of
myth and has clear
main idea
5 events
Events are listed
sequentially
Summary shows
some comprehension
of myth
Summary shows
clear comprehension
of myth
Few errors,
appropriate for grade
level; does not take
away from meaning
No errors
32