Clinton Township School District
Kate Zimmerbaum
[email protected]
The NJASCD Common Core Standards Curriculum Project
Curriculum Design Components
Content Area: Language Arts
Unit Plan Title: Greek Mythology
Anchor Standard (ELA) or Domain (Math)
Grade(s) 6
ELA Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening
Reading
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it;
cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from
the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the
key supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a
text.
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical,
connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning
or tone
Writing
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information
clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying
a new approach.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and
collaborate with others.
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions,
demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
Speaking and Listening
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with
diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including
information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and
orally.
Clinton Township School District
Kate Zimmerbaum
[email protected]
Overview/Rationale
In this unit, students acquire a foundation of knowledge about Greek mythology. The unit is
designed to promote student understanding of what Greek mythology is and why we continue to
study it today.
• Greek mythology not only reflects the word view held by Ancient Greeks, but explores ideas and
questions about human existence that we continue to examine today.
• Greek mythology is the at the root of Western literature, and many modern novels (particularly
those in the genre of Fantasy Fiction, which students will study in an upcoming unit) incorporate
the characters, structures and themes (archetypes) of classical mythology in modern renditions.
• This unit aids students in vocabulary development and understanding the allusions to Greek
mythology that are ubiquitous in Western culture.
• The unit aligns with and complements the Social Studies curriculum, where students study
ancient civilizations, including ancient Greece, this year.
• The open-editing nature of wikis leads to collaboration that enhances literacy skills. On the wiki,
each student reader is also a writer, editor, and monitor. These roles can lead students to reflect
critically on the sites in new digital world where they read, write, and think.
• The collaborative nature of wiki-development exposes students to far more mythology content
than could be presented in the time allotted to the unit in the classroom. Student interest in the
published work of their peers is high and leads to greater time spent immersed in topics related
to mythology.
Clinton Township School District
Kate Zimmerbaum
[email protected]
Standard(s)
Reading Literature
RL.6.1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RL.6.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details;
provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
RL.6.3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the
characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
RL.6.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
RL.6.5. Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza fits into the overall structure of a text
and contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or plot
Reading Informational Text
RI.6.1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
RI.6.2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a
summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
Writing
W.6.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information
through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
W.6.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience.
W.6.5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed
by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
W.6.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and
collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three
pages in a single sitting.
W.6.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing
the inquiry when appropriate.
Speaking and Listening
SL.6.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their
own clearly.
SL.6.2 Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally)
and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
Technology Standard(s)
Interdisciplinary Standard(s)
8.1 Educational Technology All students will use
digital tools to access, manage, evaluate, and
synthesize information in order to solve problems
individually and collaboratively and to create and
communicate knowledge.
Social Studies
6.2 World History/Global Studies All students will
acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically
and systematically about how past interactions of
people, cultures, and the environment affect issues
across time and cultures. Such knowledge and skills
enable students to make informed decisions as
socially and ethically responsible world citizens in the
21st century. (6.2.8.D.3.f Determine the extent to
which religions, mythologies, and other belief systems
shaped the values of classical societies.)
Clinton Township School District
Kate Zimmerbaum
[email protected]
Essential Question(s)
•
•
•
•
•
What do (the Greek) myths have to teach us? How are they relevant to contemporary life?
How does our knowledge of Greek mythology aid us as readers constructing meaning from
everyday text such as signs, articles, literature, and advertising?
Enduring Understandings
Mythology reflects the coherent world view of an ancient civilization; that conception includes
both moral values and explanations of natural phenomenon.
Myths ask and try to answer universal human questions and concerns. Because their themes
address issues that remain central to human efforts to understand the world, they are as
relevant to modern peoples as they were to the ancients.
Allusions to Greek mythology are infused into many aspects of our culture including literature,
television, movies, advertisements, and art.
In this unit plan, the following 21st Century themes and skills are addressed.
Check all that apply.
21 st Century Themes
X
Indicate whether these skills are E-Encouraged, TTaught, or A-Assessed in this unit by marking E, T, A
on the line before the appropriate skill.
21 st Century Skills
Global Awareness
Environmental Literacy
E,A Creativity and Innovation
Health Literacy
T,A Communication
Civic Literacy
T,A Collaboration
T,A Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Financial, Economic, Business,
and Entrepreneurial Literacy
Student Learning Targets/Objectives
•
Understand mythology as a coherent ancient world view, not simply collection of
stories, and create an analogous structure of interrelated wiki pages
• Discuss mythology as an oral tradition that developed over time
• Identify Main Greek pantheon (14 major gods and goddesses) and their responsibilities
• Recognize common characteristics in Greek mythology
• Discuss the concept of the hero’s quest
• Recognize universal themes and their connections to modern culture, other literature,
and students’ own individual lives
Assessments
•
•
Pre and Formative
• Whole class discussion - what is mythology? (Teacher observation)
• Survey of knowledge of major pantheon (Students fill in sheets)
• Small group/whole class brainstorming on common characteristics of Greek myths
Summative
• Students demonstrate basic knowledge of major pantheon on a quiz
• Students complete a mini-project of their choice as outlined in unit overview
• Students develop a wiki page meeting the requirements outlined on the rubric
• Students write a reading response journal entry discussing how a lesson from a
myth of student’s choice applies to the student’s life in the 21st century
Clinton Township School District
Kate Zimmerbaum
[email protected]
Teaching and Learning Actions
Instructional Strategies •
D
•
•
•
•
Activities
D
Whole class mini-lessons
Whole class read-alouds/discussions
People Search (knowledge of gods and goddesses)
Pair & Share, whole class brainstorming
Small group instruction as needed
• Whole class documentary viewing
• Independent reading of myths (range of text complexity levels; some
struggling students may view DVDs)
• Active listening (during read-aloud)
• Writing
• Identifying common characteristics of Greek myths
• Research
• Mini-project
• Wiki creation
Day 1-3
• Unit Overview - Our Mythology Marathon
• Brainstorm with students: What is mythology? Why might we study it?
• Read aloud – D’Aulieres Greek Mythology – Story of creation (“Gaeia
and Uranus”, “Cronus and Rhea”, “Zeus and His Family”)
• Chart major Olympian gods and goddesses and their spheres of
responsibility (People Search)
• Explain that Romans adopted pantheon, changed names - review the
Roman names
• Day 1 HW: Find allusions to the myths and ancient Greek culture in
the world around us (novels, names of businesses, ads, etc.)
• Read, annotate, and discuss one of two articles to develop an
understanding of why mythology is relevant to us today.
• Share allusions to Greek mythology found for HW
• Review mini-project choices (due at end of unit)
Days 4 - 6
• Quiz - Olympian Gods and Goddesses
• Read aloud: Jason and the Golden Fleece
• Vocabulary sheet provided to aid students
• Teacher models / students fill out a chart identifying elements
common in Greek mythology (eg, gods in disguise, things in
threes, gods reward/punish mortals)
• Students independently read any four Greek myths and complete a
chart identifying the lessons from each myth, and elements common
to Greek mythology in two of the four myths (due at end of unit)
Days 7-8
• Students continue to read myths and work on charts identifying
common characteristics of Greek myths and begin work on miniproject
Clinton Township School District
Kate Zimmerbaum
[email protected]
Day 9-10
• Introduce WIKI project
• Distribute project requirements and assessment rubric – due in
two weeks
• Assign WIKI projects (student choice where possible; complexity
of topic is a determining factor)
• Demonstrate how to login and create a page on the team wiki
• Distribute passwords and logins
• Homework – log on to WIKI/create place-holder page
Days 11-12
• View, take notes on, and discuss Michael Wood PBS Documentary film
“In Search of Myths and Heroes: Episode 3 Jason an the Golden
Fleece” in which Wood follows Jason’s path and looks for links
between historical places in setting and myth. Students observe and
take notes on:
• How history of setting ties in with various aspects of the mythic
voyage
• How myth changed over time based on growing knowledge of the
world by Greeks
• Whole class discussion of film
• Continue to work on charts comparing common characteristics of
Greek myths, mini-project
• Begin wiki research
Days 13-19
• Research assigned topic and create WIKI pages (COMPUTER ACCESS
REQUIRED)
• Continue to work on charts comparing common characteristics of
Greek myths, mini-project
Day 20
• Reading Response: Students reflection on unit by choosing one
lesson from any myth, explaining what it taught the ancient Greeks
and how it applies to their own lives in the 21st century.
• Myth characteristics charts due
• Mini-project due
• Wiki page due
Clinton Township School District
Experiences
D
•
Kate Zimmerbaum
[email protected]
Exploration of and collaboration on WIKI co-created by 100
students (fours separate ELA classes) through discussion threads,
and intra-WIKI email
Resources
•
•
Teacher’s copy of D’Aulieres Greek Mythology
Article: “What is a myth?” from the PBS website: www/pbs.org/mythsandheroes/
myth_what.html
• Introduction: “What is a Myth?” from Greek and Roman Mythology (Edgar, Frank. Mark
Twain Media, Inc./Carson-Dellosa Publishing Co., Inc. 1994)
• A large selection of Greek myths and reference books about Greek mythology; books
should span a range of reading levels to incorporate students at all levels of reading
proficiency; DVDs of myths are helpful for some struggling readers
• Computers (research, wikis) and a wiki site (eg., wikispaces.com)
• Documentary film “In Search of Myths and Heroes,” Episode 3 “Jason and The Golden
Fleece” and note-taking guide
• Mythology characteristics charts
• Mythology Marathon handout (and associated project materials)
Suggested Time Frame: 4 weeks
D- Indicates differentiation at the Lesson Level.
NJASCD, 12 Centre Drive Monroe Township, NJ 08831
njascd.org
– 609-409-0946
609-860-8991
fax