BOOK G U I D E S
The Golden
Fleece
BY
PADRAIC COLUM
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Written by Steve Otfinoski
Cover design by Maria Lilja
Interior design by SOLAS
ISBN 0-439-57254-1
Copyright © 2003, 1990 by Scholastic Inc.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the U.S.A.
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NEW YORK • TORONTO • LONDON • AUCKLAND • SYDNEY
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Contents
Overview Chart
4
Management System
4
Story Overview
5
About the Genre
6
About the Author
7
About the Illustrator
7
Lesson 1
8
Lesson 2
12
Lesson 3
15
Lesson 4
19
The Golden Fleece: A Model for Writing
23
Editing Checklist
27
Creative Thinking Reproducible Sheets
28
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
3
Overview Chart
Comprehension Skills
and Strategies
Literary Concepts
Comparing and Contrasting
Conflict
Drawing Conclusions
Genre
Interpreting Character Actions
Plot
Interpreting Character Traits
Setting
Making Judgments
Theme
Characterization
Predicting Outcomes
Stating Personal Reactions
Management System
The Golden Fleece: And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles and the accompanying
guide may be used in the classroom in the following manner:
Whole Class: Have the whole class read the book together. The class then responds to
the literature through discussions and activities. For this system, each child has a
copy of the book.
Small Group: Divide the class into reading groups. The groups can be set up by
interest level, topic, or ability. (Remember to have some fluent readers in each group,
to share their reading with less-fluent readers.) Each group responds to the literature
through discussions and activities. For this system, each child in the group has a copy
of the book.
Read Aloud: Read the book aloud to the whole class or small group. This will help
less-fluent readers and allow children to hear the language and appreciate the
author’s technique. For this system, only the person reading aloud has a copy of
the book.
4
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Story Overview
The Golden Fleece retells the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts and their
quest for the Golden Fleece. It also interweaves other myths, including stories of the
accompanying heroes.
Raised by the centaur Chiron, Jason returns as a man to the city of Iolcus to claim
his place as heir to the throne. King Pelias, who usurped the throne from Jason’s
father, sends the young hero to bring back the Golden Fleece from faraway Colchis.
Jason gathers a group of great heroes to accompany him on the Argo. Together they
set off on the long voyage, entertained along the way by tales and myths told by
Orpheus, the singer/storyteller. The Argonauts face several challenges on their way
to Colchis. They encounter vicious bird-women called Harpies, nearly settle
permanently on the all-woman Island of Lemnos, and are almost crushed to death
by the huge rocks in the Passage of the Symplegades.
The Argo finally reaches Colchis, where King Æetes agrees to give Jason the Golden
Fleece if he can yoke two fire-breathing bulls to a plow and sow a field with dragon’s
teeth and then slay the armed men that spring from the earth. With the help of
Æetes’ daughter Medea, who falls in love with him, Jason succeeds and takes the
Golden Fleece. Enraged, Æetes tries to stop the Argonauts from escaping. His son
Apsyrtus agrees to let them go if they do not take Medea with them. Jason and
Medea try to deceive Apsyrtus. Jason slays Apsyrtus, while Medea looks on. A cloud
hangs over the lovers and their voyage.
The Argonauts’ return journey is even more difficult. They carry the Argo across a
desert to an inland sea, where Triton, a merman, guides them back to the open sea.
They approach the island of Crete, where Medea destroys Talos, who guards the
entrance to the harbor. The Argo warns Jason to avoid returning to Iolcus, where
Pelias awaits him with an enormous army.
Jason and Medea travel to Corinth. The Argonauts are together for the last time on a
boar hunt in Calydon, Then they go their separate ways. Peleus goes to Thessaly,
where he marries the sea goddess Thetis. Theseus goes to Athens, where his father is
king. With the help of Ariadne, daughter of King Minos, he slays the Minotaur and
frees Athens from a terrible debt. Heracles performs twelve labors for King Eurystheus,
but is later killed unwittingly by his wife, Deianira. Admetus and Orpheus lose their
wives to the Underworld. Admetus gets Alcestis back. but Orpheus’s love for Eurydice
ends in tragedy.
Meanwhile, Jason longs to return to Iolcus with the Golden Fleece and become king.
Medea transforms herself into a hag and goes to Iolcus. She tricks King Pelias into
believing she can restore his youth. Instead, Pelias dies. However, Jason has fallen
in love with Creon’s daughter, Glauce. When Medea learns of his betrayal, she kills
Glauce and flees in a chariot. Heavy of heart, Jason returns to Iolcus after a long
time and becomes the greatest of the kings of Greece.
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
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About the Genre
Classical Myths
Myths are ancient stories passed from generation to generation within a culture.
While legends are folktales often based on historical fact, and fables reveal a moral,
myths are stories that involve great heroes, the supernatural, and gods and
goddesses. Myths often attempt to explain the world, nature, and the meaning of life.
The heroes of myth, like those in The Golden Fleece, are larger than life; they are
capable of incredible feats and represent the racial heritage and accomplishments
of a people—in this case, the city-states of ancient Greece.
Padraic Colum’s retelling of the quest for the Golden Fleece and other Greek myths
stresses the unity of the myths and their interconnectedness. Taken together, they
constitute a view of life at once adventurous, romantic, and ultimately tragic and
fatalistic.
Bibliography
Christesen, Barbara. Myths of the Orient. Milwaukee: Raintree Publishers, 1977.
Evslin, Bernard. Demigods and Demons. New York: Scholastic, 1988.
Evslin, Bernard, Dorothy Evslin and Ned Hoopes. The Greek Gods. New York:
Scholastic, 1988.
Evslin, Bernard, Dorothy Evslin and Ned Hoopes. Heroes and Monsters of Greek
Myth. New York: Scholastic, 1988.
Green, Richard L. Myths of the Norsemen. New York: Puffin Books, 1970.
Osborne, Mary Pope and Will Osborne. The Deadly Power of Medusa. New York:
Scholastic, 1988.
Osborne, Mary Pope. Favorite Greek Myths. New York: Scholastic, 1989.
Osborne, Mary Pope and Will Osborne. Jason and the Argonauts. New York:
Scholastic, 1988.
Ross, Harriet. Myths & Legends of Many Lands. Scarsdale, New York: Lion Books,
1984.
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
About the Author
Padraic Colum was born December 8, 1881, in Longford, Ireland, the son of a warehouse
master. After working briefly for the railroad, he went to Dublin at the age of 20. There
he immersed himself in the literary life and helped found the National Theatre of
Ireland with William Butler Yeats and J. M. Synge. In 1905, his play The Land was the
theatre’s first popular success. The same year, Colum helped found the Irish Review,
an important literary magazine, which he also edited.
He married writer Mary Gunning Maguire in 1912, and in 1914 the couple emigrated to
the United States. “It was there,” Colum wrote, “that I began to write stories for children,
growing out of translation of a long folk-story from the Irish.” Colum’s many children’s
books range from the retelling of classic myths from different countries and cultures to
traditional folktales and stories. The Golden Fleece: And the Heroes Who Lived Before
Achilles first appeared in 1922 and was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal, as were two
other of his books. He received many honors, including the American Academy of Poets
Award, the Gregory Medal of the Irish Academy of Letters, and the Regina Medal for his
“distinguished contribution to children’s literature.” He died in 1972.
“The story-teller must have respect for the child’s mind and the child’s conception of
the world,” Colum has written. “If a story-teller has that respect he need not be
childish in his language in telling stories to children. If the action be clear and the
sentences clear one can use a mature language. Strange words, out-of-the-way words
do not bewilder children if there be order in the action and in the sentences. They like
to hear such words.”
About the Illustrator
Willy Pogany was born on August 24, 1882 in Szeged, Hungary. He send one year
studying Engineering at the Budapest Technical University, but his love of painting
and drawing led him to study in art schools in Budapest, Munich, and Paris. Pogany
lived in London for ten years, where he became well-known for his richly decorative
and colorful technique of illustration.
Pogany moved to New York City in 1914. In New York, he designed costumes, scenes,
and sets for the Metropolitan Opera House and several ballets. He also worked in
Hollywood as an art director for numerous film companies. Pogany illustrated over
100 books, most of them for children, and wrote several instructional art books. He
was also an architectural designer and sculptor. He produced a great number of
paintings, portraits, murals, etchings, watercolors, and pen-and-inks as well. He died
at the age of 70 in New York City.
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
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The Golden Fleece:
And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles
Lesson
1
Pages 3–105
Synopsis
Jason, son of Æson and Alcimide, is removed from the city-state of Iolcus by his
parents and given to the king-centaur Chiron to be raised. Æson’s brother, Pelias,
has seized the throne, and Æson fears he will kill Jason, the rightful heir. When
Jason becomes a strong young man, he returns to Iolcus and is Pelias’s guest at a
feast. When Pelias slyly mentions the famous Golden Fleece of Colchis, Jason
unwittingly offers to seek it and bring it back to Iolcus.
Jason gathers the great heroes of Greece to go with him on his quest. Among them
are Heracles, Theseus, and Orpheus. Argus, the master builder, builds an enchanted
ship, the Argo, to carry the Argonauts on their long voyage. The voyage begins, and
Orpheus entertains the others with tales such as the story of the world’s beginning
and how Zeus became the ruler of all gods and mortals.
The Argo reaches the country of the Bebrycians, whose king, Amycus, challenges the
Argonauts to a boxing match. Polydeuces accepts the challenge and defeats the
proud king. Although Hylas, a young companion and friend to Heracles, is lost to
some water nymphs, the heroes continue on their quest.
On a shortcut through the Sea of Pontus, the company enters the land of King
Phineus, who is tormented by winged creatures with the heads of women, called
Harpies. The Argonauts rescue Phineus from these monsters and then find rest and
female companionship on the island of Lemnos. The Lemnian maidens, including
their queen, Hypsipyle, fall in love with the heroes. For entertainment, the heroes
take turns telling stories, including the myths of Demeter and Persephone, Atalanta’s
race, and Pandora. At the urging of Heracles, Jason finally agrees to return to the sea
and their quest.
Before Reading
Tell students that they will be reading a book of mythology titled The Golden Fleece:
And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles, by Padraic Colum. The book is about the
mythical hero of ancient Greece, Jason, and his comrades, who go on a quest to find
and capture the fabled fleece of a sacred ram. The story then tells what happens to
Jason and the other heroes when they return home with their prize. Tell students
that, in the course of the story, they will read many other Greek myths.
Explore the idea of a quest by a person or a group for a magical or enchanted object or
person by drawing on students’ personal knowledge of history, literature, and film.
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Have them discuss other works or historical events in which people go in search of
something and encounter adventures and dangers along the way. If students cannot
think of examples, you might suggest events such as the Crusades, books such as The
Lord of the Rings and The Wizard of Oz, and films such as the Indiana Jones series,
especially Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Ask students
to identify the object or person sought in each quest and the adventures encountered.
Then distribute copies of the book, and call students’ attention to the illustration on
the cover. Point out that the youth who is battling the monster is Theseus, one of
the heroes of the book. Ask students why they think Theseus is fighting the
monster, called the Minotaur. Might this be part of a quest? Why or why not?
Tell students that, as they read, they should look for the reasons, or motivations,
that drive each hero on his or her personal quest. Are they driven by the desire for
adventure, by the desire to gain the object of the quest, or by some deeper reason?
During Reading
Tell students that they will now read the first chapter of the book, “The Youth
Jason.” Explain that in these pages they will learn about the central hero of the
book and his early life. Read aloud page 3 to the end of the chapter on page 13.
Then ask students to describe how Jason’s parents saved his life and how his
character and abilities were shaped by Chiron. Then have them tell how Jason
came to return to Iolcus. Work with students to complete the following graphic:
Relationships
with gods
Relationships with
family members
Jason
How he is raised
How he acts
Assign pages 13–105. Tell students that in these chapters they will learn how
Jason goes in quest of the Golden Fleece and what adventures he has in the first
part of his voyage to Colchis. They will also meet the other brave heroes who
accompany Jason on his quest and learn of other myths, told on the journey by
Orpheus and others.
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
9
Literary Concepts
Discuss setting and genre: Help students recognize the setting of The Golden
Fleece by writing the following graphic on the board and asking students to fill in
the details of the time and location in which Chapters 2–4 take place:
Time:
Setting
Location:
Students should recognize that the time in this and most mythology is before
recorded history, when these stories of gods and men were handed down orally from
generation to generation. Point out that the myths told by Orpheus and others take
place at an earlier time than the central events of the quest for the Golden Fleece.
Ask students to give details of each setting that establishes this as a world of myth,
where strange and magical events take place that could not occur in real life.
Continue in the same way for the rest of this section of the book, as the location and
time change. If possible, locate a map of ancient Greece, and help students mark the
story locations.
Points to Ponder
1. Why do you think Jason offered to go on the quest for the Golden Fleece?
Why did his father disapprove of the idea? (Interpreting Character Actions)
2. Which danger faced by the Argonauts do you consider the most threatening?
Why? (Stating Personal Reactions)
3. What qualities made the Argo different from other ships? (Comparing and
Contrasting)
4. What do you think of the way that Hippomenes won the race in the myth of
“Atalanta’s Race”? Was it fair? Explain your answer. (Making Judgments)
5. What might have happened to Jason and the Argonauts if they had not left the
Lemnian maidens when they did? How might the story have been affected?
(Predicting Outcomes/Drawing Conclusions)
10
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
After Reading
Choose from the following activities:
1. Imagine you had the opportunity to go on a quest. What special thing, person, or
power would you seek? What adventures might you have along the way? Write a
brief description of your quest.
2. Use encyclopedia articles, atlases, and informational books to find out if some or
all of the settings of The Golden Fleece are real places. Choose one real location
from the myth, and report to the class on what it is like today, contrasting the
modern setting with the way it is described in the story.
3. Illustrate one adventure of the Argonauts or another myth told in this first
section. You can use one of the scenes illustrated by Willy Pogany as your model,
or choose an incident he did not illustrate.
4. Pretend you are Jason leaving Lemnos. Write a journal entry explaining your
varied feelings about leaving the island and continuing your quest.
Sign-up Sheet
Name
Activity Number
Date Started
Date Completed
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
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The Golden Fleece:
And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles
Lesson
2
Pages 105–166
Synopsis
The Argo must now pass through the treacherous Passage of the Symplegades.
Euphemus releases the pigeon given to Jason by Hypsipyle, and it guides the ship
safely through the crushing rocks. As the Argonauts near the Mountain Caucasus,
Orpheus tells them the story of Prometheus, the Titan who stole fire from the gods for
humankind and was punished severely for it.
The Argo arrives in the city of Aea, where the heroes are introduced to the untrustworthy
King Æetes by the sons of Phrixus. Æetes agrees to give Jason the Golden Fleece, but
first he must yoke two powerful, fire breathing bulls and plow a field with them. Then he
must sow dragon’s teeth and slay the armed men who spring up from the ground.
Medea, Æetes’ daughter, helps Jason successfully complete the task. Enraged at this,
Æetes has no intention of surrendering the Golden Fleece. Medea leads Jason to it,
however, in an enchanted garden. With the Argonauts, they attempt to flee Colchis
with the Fleece but are attacked by an army led by Æetes’ son, Apsyrtus, who will not
allow Medea to leave. Jason slays him, and the dying warrior blames his sister for his
death. On their way back to Iolcus, Jason and Medea visit the enchantress Circe, who
cleanses Medea of her brother’s blood.
The Argonauts escape the deadly call of the Sirens with Orpheus’s help, then visit the
land of the Phæacians. Here Queen Arete advises Medea to foreswear magic, and King
Alcinous saves the heroes from another attack of the Colchians. The voyagers soon find
themselves stranded on a desert island. Water nymphs counsel them to follow the horse
of Poseidon, the god of the sea. The Argonauts lift their ship and cross the desert.
Before Reading
Remind students that The Golden Fleece is not an original story, but an age-old myth
retold for young readers by the modern-day writer Padraic Colum. Explain that Colum
has brought his own sensibilities and style to the story he is retelling.
Ask students to consider the first ten chapters of The Golden Fleece, and have them
name the other myths that Colum has skillfully woven into the story of Jason and the
Argonauts. Point out that many myths explain how something in nature came to be.
Have a volunteer summarize the myth of Demeter and Persephone and tell how it
explains the change of seasons. Have another volunteer do this for the myth of Pandora,
noting how it explains the existence of evil and other bad things in the world. You might
point out that some myths, such as “Atalanta’s Race,” explain nothing, but simply
entertain. As students continue to read, encourage them to look for the purpose behind
each new myth.
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
During Reading
Assign students pages 105–166. Ask them to note the development of the story and
how events advance the quest of the Argonauts as they finally reach Colchis and
gain the Golden Fleece.
Literary Concepts
Discuss plot and conflict: Remind students that the plot is the series of events in a story,
and ask them to summarize the plot of the first ten chapters of the book, from Jason’s
youth on Mount Pelion to his departure with the Argonauts from the Island of Lemnos.
Point out to students that the plots of most myths, and most stories in general,
include a conflict or struggle between characters. Other conflicts can occur between
characters and nature or within a character. Explain that the central conflict in The
Golden Fleece is not between Jason and King Æetes, but between Jason and his
uncle, King Pelias. From this central conflict springs the quest for the Fleece and
many smaller conflicts that advance the plot.
Create cooperative learning groups of three, and have each group make a copy of
the following chart. Have students work together to complete the chart.
Central Conflict: Jason vs. King Pelias
Jason and Argonauts go in quest of the Golden Fleece
Minor Conflicts:
Ask students to explain which minor conflicts are resolved and how. Have them
keep track of the conflicts that are not resolved, and note their resolutions as the
story continues.
Points to Ponder
1. Compare Hypsipyle, queen of the Lemnians, and Medea. How are they alike in
their relationships with Jason? In what ways are they different? (Comparing and
Contrasting/Interpreting Character Traits)
2. Do you think Prometheus deserved his punishment from the gods? Explain your
answer. (Making Judgments/Stating Personal Reactions)
3. Was Jason “playing fair” by accepting Medea’s help in the trail? Was he justified
in taking the Golden Fleece? Explain your answer. (Making Judgments/Stating
Personal Reactions)
4. Imagine that you were Jason. Would you have honored the agreement with
Apsyrtus and the Colchians? Would you have taken Medea away from Colchis?
Why or why not? (Making Judgments/Understanding Conflicts)
5. What do you think will happen to the Argonauts as they continue their homeward
journey? Will they find their way back to the sea? (Predicting Outcomes)
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
13
After Reading
Choose from the following activities:
1. Create a map showing the route of the Argo from Iolcus to Colchis and then back
to the Libyan desert. Illustrate your map with characters and events from The
Golden Fleece.
2. Write lyrics for the song of the Sirens designed to lure the Argonauts from their
destination. Or, if you choose, write a song for Orpheus to draw the men away
from the Sirens and back to their purpose. If possible, work with classmates to
set your words to music.
3. From Medea’s point of view, write diary entries from the time of Jason’s arrival in
Colchis to his departure. Describe events and your feelings about them.
4. Use encyclopedia articles and informational books to find out more about one of
the Greek gods or goddesses who plays a role in The Golden Fleece. Then write a
brief biography of this deity, and share it with the class.
Sign-up Sheet
Name
Activity Number
Date Started
Date Completed
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
The Golden Fleece:
And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles
Lesson
3
Pages 166–244
Synopsis
The Argonauts arrive at the Garden of the Hesperides, where golden apples grow,
watched over by the Daughters of the Evening Land. Orpheus tells another tale,
about the hero Perseus and his quest for the head of Medusa, one of the dreaded
Gorgons, whose stare turns men to stone.
Then the Argonauts approach the island of Crete, where the last bronze man, Talos,
guards the harbor of King Minos and prevents the ship from entering. Medea’s
enchanted song startles Talos, and he cuts himself and bleeds to death. The harbor
is opened to the Argo.
Now approaching home, the Argo itself warns Jason not to land at Iolcus, and the
Argonauts go to Corinth instead. King Pelias, Jason later learns, has slain his
parents and will kill Jason as well if he returns home.
The Argonauts travel to Calydon, where Atalanta kills a monstrous boar but loses
her keenest admirer, Prince Meleagrus, in the process. Now the heroes go their
separate ways. Peleus sails for Thessaly, where he falls in love with and marries
Thetis, goddess of the sea. Their son is Achilles, the mighty warrior who will lead
another generation of Greek heroes.
Meanwhile, Theseus travels to Athens where he finds his father, Ægeus. Learning of
the terrible tribute Athens must pay to King Minos of Crete, whose son was killed in
Athens, Theseus goes to Crete with a group of sacrificial victims to do battle against
the monstrous half-bull, half-man called Minotaur. With the help of Minos’s daughter,
Ariadne, Theseus slays the Minotaur in its labyrinth and returns to Athens to become
king, following his father’s tragic death.
Before Reading
Tell students that in the next section the Argo returns home and the Argonauts go
off, each on his or her own personal quest. This is a good point at which to evaluate
the central character of Jason or to discuss myths and how they differ from more
realistic kinds of fiction.
Use the activity that is best suited to your class.
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
15
Option 1. Ask students to recall what they know about Jason and the changes he
undergoes in the course of the story. Divide the class into groups of four students
each. Then have each group look through the first half of the book to review the
information about Jason. Point out that, although he is a hero, Jason has flaws and
weaknesses like any other human being. They should also note that Jason’s desires
change in the course of the story and the changes affect both his character and the
events that follow. Ask students to use the information they find to complete the
following chart:
Jason’s Main Qualities
What He Wants
What He Does to Get It
__________________________
________________________
________________________
__________________________
________________________
________________________
__________________________
________________________
________________________
Tell students that Jason will undergo more changes as the story of the Golden
Fleece continues, and ask them to note these changes and add them to their charts
when they occur.
Option 2: Begin by asking if anything happens in this book that could not happen
in the real world. Students should recognize that myths are fantasies, with
superheroes, deities, and fantastic creatures that do not exist in the real world.
Point out, however, that the feelings and emotions of the central characters are real
and believable. Because of this, we can relate to the characters and their problems
even though the world they inhabit is so different from our own.
Have students discuss both the real and unreal aspects of The Golden Fleece. You
might divide the class into small groups and have each group take one episode of
the Argonauts’ story or one myth told by Orpheus and list the fantastic and realistic
elements and details it contains. Then have each group share their findings with the
class. Through discussion, the class should gain a deeper appreciation of mythology
and why it continues to appeal to people today.
During Reading
Assign students pages 166–244. Tell them they will follow the Argonauts homeward
and then see what happens to each of them as they separate. Have them look for the
ways in which each character’s personality traits contribute to his or her final destiny.
Literary Concepts
Discuss characters and plot: Remind students that while they have met many
different heroic characters up to this point, the heroes share many qualities in
common—courage, loyalty, and a love of adventure. While it may have been hard to
distinguish one hero from another previously, students will see that, as each goes on
a personal quest, the heroes will become better defined as individuals. Remind
students that what a character searches for, or wants, often helps to define who he
or she is. Stress that sometimes characters will want more than one thing, and
these desires can put them in conflict with themselves, as in the case of Jason.
16
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Work with students to complete the following chart, filling in information about each
of the characters listed.
What he Wants
Why He Wants It
What Happens
Perseus
______________________
______________________ ______________________
Peleus
______________________
______________________ ______________________
Theseus
______________________
______________________ ______________________
After the chart is finished, have students make a copy, so they can add to it as they
continue reading the book.
Points to Ponder
1. What qualities make Perseus a great hero and a good son? (Interpreting Character
Traits and Actions)
2. Of the gods and humans who help Jason in his quest, who do you think proves
to be the most invaluable? (Stating Personal Reactions)
3. Do you think Atalanta was responsible for the death of Prince Meleagrus? Why or
why not? (Making Judgments)
4. Why do you think Thetis finally accepted Peleus as her husband? (Drawing
Conclusions/Interpreting Character Actions)
5. Do you think Jason will ever return to Iolcus with the Golden Fleece, and if so,
how? (Predicting Outcomes)
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
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After Reading
Choose from the following activities:
1. Draw a picture or make a model of the labyrinth of the Minotaur, and include
both the monster and Theseus.
2. Pretend you are Orpheus, the storyteller. Tell the class about one of your
experiences in the quest for the Golden Fleece. You may draw on an episode from
the book, but be sure to tell it in your own words.
3. Imagine that Medusa, the Minotaur, and the boar of Calydon were to meet in the
Underworld after their deaths. Write a dramatic scene in which they talk to each
other about themselves and the heroes who killed them. Perform your scene for the
class.
4. Write a short essay about the relationships of fathers and their children in Greek
myths. Use examples from the myths to make your points.
Sign-up Sheet
Name
Activity Number
Date Started
Date Completed
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
The Golden Fleece:
And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles
Lesson
4
Pages 244–316
Synopsis
The past life of Heracles is recalled. To purify himself of a terrible crime committed in
madness, Heracles is ordered by the priestess at Delphi to perform twelve labors for
his cousin, the cowardly King Eurystheus. One by one Heracles performs the tasks,
finally arriving at the last and greatest challenge—to bring the three-headed hound,
Cerberus, up from the Underworld. When Eurystheus sees the dog, he dies of fright.
Heracles eventually marries Deianira, sister of Meleagrus. When his wife is attacked
by an evil centaur, Heracles kills it, but the centaur has his revenge. Before dying,
he tricks Deianira into believing his blood is a love potion. Later, she pours the
blood on her husband’s robe, and Heracles burns to death from the poison.
Admetus’s story is a brighter one. He returns to his native land and marries
Alcestis. When the god Apollo tells Admetus he must die and go to the Underworld,
Alcestis selflessly takes her husband’s place. Heracles, before his own death, brings
Alcestis back to the land of the living by successfully wrestling with Death.
Orpheus’s wife, Eurydice, also dies, but when he wins her back with his eloquent
music and impassioned oratory, he tragically loses her again by breaking the rule
not to look back as they ascend from the Underworld. Later Orpheus himself is
killed by a savage band, and the lovers are again reunited in the land of the dead.
Tragedy also awaits Jason and Medea. Medea attempts to help Jason regain the
throne from King Pelias. Through witchcraft, she transforms herself into a hag and
tricks Pelias into believing she can restore his youth with a magic bath. Instead,
Pelias dies. Medea returns to Corinth to tell Jason the good news, only to realize
that he has fallen in love with Glauce, Creon’s daughter. Enraged by the betrayal,
Medea kills Glauce and flees in a chariot drawn by dragons. Eventually, Jason
returns to Iolcus. He becomes king and puts the Golden Fleece on display in a
temple, where it inspires numerous future heroes, year after year.
Before Reading
Tell students that they are now to read the last section of The Golden Fleece. Remind
them that a book’s central conflict is usually resolved by the end of the story. Also
tell them that the various themes, or central ideas, of the story will also generally
come together at the end.
On chalkboard, draw a chart like the following:
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
19
Theme
Character
Actions That Illustrate Theme
Love
Medea
Uses charm to help Jason; helps kill brother;
leaves home with Jason.
Heroism
Tragic Nature
of Life
Remind students that there are a number of different themes in The Golden Fleece
and that the chart lists three of the most important. Have them consider the
character who helps illustrate the first theme and discuss her actions. Continue by
having students suggest other characters and their actions in light of each theme,
and add them to the chart. (Keep the chart for future use.)
During Reading
Assign students the last section of the book, pages 244–316. Tell them they will read
about the lives and endings of several other Argonauts before returning to the
central story of Jason and Medea.
Literary Concepts
Discuss theme and character: Tell students that a central concept, or theme, in
Greek mythology is that of a power greater than the individual that determines the
destiny of each of us. For the Greeks, this power, or fate, was controlled by the gods.
At the same time, the individual’s own flaws and weaknesses often hastened his or
her downfall, good intentions notwithstanding. This is in keeping with the Greek
view of life as basically tragic. Discuss the appearance of this theme in the stories of
Heracles and Orpheus and in the relationship of Jason and Medea. Ask: “What
character traits contribute to the downfall of these heroes and heroines?” and “How
does Medea’s love for Jason eventually change her character by the end of the
story?”
20
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Points to Ponder
1. How do Heracles’ performance of the twelve labors and his performance as a
slave show strength of both body and character? (Interpreting Character Actions
and Traits)
2. Compare and contrast the romance of Admetus and Alcestis with the romance of
Orpheus and Eurydice. (Comparing and Contrasting)
3. What fatal flaw in King Pelias contributed to his death? (Interpreting Character
Traits and Actions)
4. By the end of the book, whom do you feel more sympathy for—Jason or Medea?
Explain your answer. (Stating Personal Reactions)
5. What lessons did you learn from this book that you could apply to your own life?
(Stating Personal Reactions/Understanding Themes)
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
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After Reading
Choose from the following activities:
1. Imagine you are a newspaper reporter accompanying Heracles as he performs his
twelve labors. Write a short newspaper article describing how he completes one of
the labors.
2. Write about how Jason’s various experiences in the book might help him become
“the greatest of the kings of Greece.”
3. What do you think Medea might do after she is last seen in the story? Create an
imaginary future encounter between Medea and Jason. You can write it as an
extension of the story or as a scene in a play.
4. With other classmates, create a board game built around the quest for the Golden
Fleece and the return of the Argo to Iolcus. Include obstacles in your game drawn
from the events and characters in the book. Then play your game with
classmates.
Sign-up Sheet
Name
Activity Number
Date Started
Date Completed
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
The Golden Fleece:
And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles
A Model for Writing
The Prewriting Stage
Prewriting comprises strategies and plans that enable students to get ready to write.
This stage is critical in helping them get their ideas out in the open by talking,
brainstorming, drawing, diagramming, or free-writing.
Many writers turn to literature for ideas and inspiration. Explain to your students
that they can use The Golden Fleece: And the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles as a
source of ideas about how to write their own myths.
■
Encourage students to talk freely about The Golden Fleece and about the author,
Padraic Colum. Ask: “What themes and conflicts did Colum emphasize in his
retelling of these myths? Look through the book for examples.”
■
The main story of Jason’s quest for the Golden Fleece is intertwined with a
number of other Greek myths, some of them involving other heroes of the quest.
Ask: “How do these other myths relate to the story of Jason and reinforce the
themes the author develops?”
■
Relate the discussion to students’ own experiences. Ask: “What experiences,
dreams, and conflicts from your own life or that of someone you know could you
use in writing a myth?”
■
Form small groups for peer conferencing. Help students focus their thoughts about
the characters, events, and themes in the myths collected in The Golden Fleece.
■
Let students free-write for five to ten minutes without interference, so they can get
their ideas on paper. Tell them to use any form—a list, diagram, summary,
narrative, or picture. Remind them that only ideas are important now; spelling,
grammar, and handwriting are not.
■
Set aside time for sharing ideas in groups or as a class.
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
23
The Drafting Stage
Drafting involves getting your ideas down on paper, focusing on content, and
considering your audience and purpose. The emphasis should be on putting ideas
together without concern for the conventions of spelling or usage.
Model the drafting process by showing students how to decide on topics for their
mythological pieces. List two or three choices of your own (an adventurous quest for
a magical object; a myth explaining how a particular animal came to be). Encourage
students to record and share their topic ideas with a partner or small group in order
to gather and clarify their thoughts.
Refer back to strategies that Padraic Colum used to keep the story moving, including
the use of dialogue and description. Also point out his skillful shifts from one
narrative to another throughout the book.
To help students start their stories, ask them to think about the following questions:
■
Who tells the story? (point of view)
■
Where and when does it take place? (setting)
■
What natural occurrence or thing does it attempt to explain? (purpose)
Now start writing! Encourage students to use any books or materials they need.
When they have finished, have them share their writing, either as a whole-class
activity or a small-group, peer-feedback time. Encourage them to provide each writer
with positive suggestions that might help during the revising stage.
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
The Revising Stage
Revising is at the heart of writing. Children learn strategies and techniques best
through their own writing. Some strategies (Calkins, 1986; Zinsser, 1980; Murray,
1983) include:
■
Take a long piece and make it shorter.
■
Take a short piece and make it longer.
■
Experiment with different leads.
■
Reread the draft, listening to how it sounds.
■
Decide who the audience is for this piece.
■
Try telling the story in a different tense.
■
Summarize the plot into four or five sequential sentences.
■
Try telling the story from a different point of view.
■
Talk with someone about your draft, then rewrite it without looking at previous
versions.
Show students the following proofreading marks to make changes during the
revising stage:
Mark
Meaning
Example
new paragraph
They saw the tree on which the apples grew.
insert, add this
off,
For every head knocked two grew upon the Hydra.
capital letter
Then, utterly confounded, jason cast his eyes
upon the ground.
delete, take out
In an instant Theseus pushed back the door
again.
transpose, move
And then in his hands he took the lyre and played
upon it.
stet, let it stay
Medea wearied of this long waiting in the palace
of King Creon.
Materials for revising and editing should be kept at a Writing Center: scissors, tape,
stapler, marking pens, pencils, and crayons.
Allow students time to revise their myths.
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
25
The Editing Stage
Students begin to edit when they are satisfied with the content of their pieces.
During editing, they reread and correct their writing for spelling, grammar, usage,
and punctuation. Students may proofread alone or with a partner, either on paper or
on a word processor. Some editing techniques (Calkins, 1989) include:
■
Rereading through the final draft quickly to be sure it says what you want
■
Checking the spelling and mechanics
■
Using an editing checklist, such as the one on page 27
Editing materials include: dictionary, thesaurus, spelling guides, grammar and
usage charts, editor’s blue pencils, and reference books.
Editing makes the most sense to students when it leads to publishing their work.
The Publishing Stage
Students enjoy and learn from publishing and sharing their writing. Some ways
tried by teachers are:
■
a class magazine, newsletter, or newspaper
■
hand-bound books for the library
■
displays of student pieces, drafts, and books
■
recordings made by students of their writing
■
sending children’s work to outside publications or publishers
■
class anthologies
Let students help decide the audience(s) with whom they will share their work.
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Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Editing Checklist
Student Author:
Title:
First Draft Completed On:
Final Draft Completed On:
Number of Drafts:
Editors
Self
Peer
Teacher
Spelling
Sentence Sense
Complete sentences used
Ideas combined in one sentence
Whole sentences used
Nouns used
Verbs used
Capitalization
Names, titles, abbreviations,
countries, etc.
Errors, Omissions, Repetitions
Words to Delete
Adjectives
Adverbs
Punctuation
Commas, colons, semicolons,
apostrophes, quotation marks
Teacher’s Comments:
Adapted from Calkins, 1986
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
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Name:
Date:
My Mythical Monster
The Golden Fleece is filled with fantastic creatures and monsters such as the Harpies, the
Minotaur, and Medusa. Think of your own mythical monster, name it, and draw a picture
of it in the space. Then write about it on the lines below. Include a description, any special
powers it has, and how it can be conquered.
THE ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
The Golden Fleece
28
Creative Thinking 1
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name:
Date:
My Myth
Many myths describe how something in the natural world came to be. Write your own
myth on the scroll below.
My myth:
And that is how
came to be.
The Golden Fleece
Creative Thinking 2
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
29
Name:
Date:
Heroes’ Press Conference
Imagine that the heroes from The Golden Fleece are holding a press conference. You are one
of the reporters questioning them. Complete each question that you would want to ask:
Jason, why did you __________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________?
Medea, are you sorry that you ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________?
Heracles, could you tell me __________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________?
Orpheus, how do you feel about ______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________?
______________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________?
The Golden Fleece
30
Creative Thinking 3
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name:
Date:
Movie Poster
Pretend that a new movie is coming out about Jason and the Argonauts. Your job is to
create a movie poster that will make people want to see the movie. Complete the poster
below with colorful descriptions of the events from the story.
TITLE:
COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU!
YOU’LL THRILL AS ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
YOU WON’T BELIEVE YOUR EYES WHEN ________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
YOU’LL CRY WHEN ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
YOU’LL __________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
The Golden Fleece
Creative Thinking 4
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
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✃
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources
Scholastic Book Guides: The Golden Fleece © Scholastic Teaching Resources