2Collaborative Unit of Study
Grade: 6th grade
Content Area: Social Studies
Unit of Study: Greek Culture and Native American Culture
Goals/Objectives of Unit:
Students will learn about Greek folktales, fables, and mythology and how they represent cultural
values.
Students will compare and contrast the cultural values of Greek mythology to Native American
mythology.
Students will compare and contrast the cultural values of Greek mythology to modern American
mythology.
Students will discuss cultural values of their school and create a folktale relaying the values
decided upon.
Common Core Standards for Language Arts: RH.6-8.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.
RH.6-8.6. Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded
language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
AASL Standards for 21st Century Learner:
Standard 4. Pursue personal and aesthetic growth.
Skills 4.1.3 Respond to literature and creative expressions of ideas in various formats and genres.
Students will research both Greek and Native American mythologies to determine the cultural
values represented and will reference the story to back up their opinions. Students will learn
cultural values of the school community and write a folktale using either Greek or American
Indian cultural elements.
Dispositions 4.2.1: Display curiosity by pursuing interests through multiple resources.
Students will use multiple resources to find information about Greek and Native American
folktales and mythologies including multiple websites, books, videos, and magazines.
Responsibilities 4.3.2: Recognize that resources are created for a variety of purposes.
The student will evaluate both digital and written resources being used to determine their
alignment with the assignment and make adjustments as needed.
Self Assessment 4.4.4: Interpret new information based on cultural and social context.
Students will use the final product rubric throughout the research process to assess
understanding. A rubric will be used to assess student’s folktale based on cultural values of
school.
Overview/Scenario: Students will study Greek and Native American culture through their
writings of folktales and mythologies. Students will pair up, one will research Greek
folktales/mythologies and the other will research Native American folktales/mythologies.
Students will use a graphic organizer while researching to record cultural values found in each
story. Students will research books, and digital media to find five folktales. The two students
will compare both cultures and choose one folktale from each to write a comparison statement of
100 to 150 words. Students will use new understanding of cultural values to create their own
folktale using cultural values of their own school. Upon completion of this project students will
have learned their local community values of education and how folktales teach cultural values.
Final Product: Each pair of students will work together in writing a folktale about their
school’s cultural values. Students will read their story to the rest of the class. Students will post
their stories on the school library’s social website.
School Librarian Responsibilities:
 I will provide handouts on website criteria for appropriate sources and using Boolean and
other searching tips.
 I will introduce ABC Cleo’s American Indian Website, http://americanindian2.abcclio.com/ and rotate around the room viewing student progress in searching for
mythologies. I will ask students guiding questions about what words they should search
for (warrior myths, creation myths).
 I will help students use a word processor program to create their folktale and to post it
into the LMC social website.
 Collaborate with the public library.
The public library has invited a Native American storyteller to come speak at their
library. The program has been advertised in the school paper and the teacher has offered
extra points for any who attend. A flyer of the storyteller event has been sent home to
parents informing them of the possible extra points for attendance.
Teacher Responsibilities:
 The teacher will introduce students to the concept of cultural values by reading a
Superman comic book to the class and asking what cultural values are displayed. (good
against evil)
 Teacher will introduce Greek folktales, fables, and mythology.
 Teacher will hand out Graphic organizers and discuss how they will be used. Teacher
will model desired actions using Superman comic.
 Teacher will play video of Native American creation myth, “Maidu creation story” and
help students fill out graphic organizer.
Assessment:
Students, teacher, and the librarian will use the following rubric to guide the student as they work
and for the completed assignment:
Rubric
CATEGORY 3
Genre
Story contains many
cultural elements. It is
easy to which culture was
chosen.
2
Uses some cultural
elements of Greek or
Native Americans.
School’s
Cultural
Values
Graphic
Organizer
All 3 Cultural values were 2 Cultural values were
mentioned.
mentioned.
Grammar
and
Mechanics
Writing is clear,
Four or fewer
grammatically correct, and misspellings and/or
free of errors
mechanical errors.
Product is completely
filled out and detailed:
Name of person, fact,
author, copyright date
Product filled out but
missing 1 element:
Name of person, fact,
author, copyright date
1
Not in a
Greek or
Native
American
folktale
genre
1 Cultural
value was
mentioned.
Product
filled out
but
missing 2
element:
Name of
person,
fact,
author,
copyright
date
Writing is
difficult to
follow and
understand
due to 5 or
more
errors in
spelling or
grammar.
Modification for next year:
This being the first time using the lesson plan, the teacher and I will review the project from
beginning to end to determine any adjustments needed. If adjustments can be made during the
execution of the lesson plan we will do so, if not, then a detailed note will be made about the
problem and adjustment will be made before starting the lesson next year.
Resources:
Barrens, E. M. (2003). Myths and legends of ancient Greece and Rome. New York, New York.
Maynard, Merrill, & Co.
This e- book is “a comprehensive collection of all the major and minor gods of Rome and
Greece. The book describes all the major festivals and retells all the major mythological stories
of the ancient times. It explains the history of the culture through poems, stories and works of art.
By explaining the mythology of the time, inferences can be made about how the Romans and
Greeks saw the world.” (ebooks .com)
Black, F. M. (2000). Theseus and the minotaur. Calliope, 11(4), Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com.jvlapps.nsuok.edu/sas/detail?sid=8d148a1d-dbbd-4a12-82eef47053359eb5%40sessionmgr110&vid=124&hid=122&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPSZzaXRlPXNh
cy1saXZl#db=prh&AN=3899668
(Searchasaurus)
This is the story of Theseus, son of Aegeus who volunteers to go to Minoa as part of Minos’
tribute owed to him for the murder of his son. Theseus must navigate the Minoan Labyrinth to
kill the savage Minotaur, a half human half bull monster that eats human flesh.
Blackfoot Creation Myth. (2011). In The American Mosaic: The American Indian Experience.
Retrieved May 4, 2011, from http://americanindian2.abc-clio.com/
Three confederated Algonquian groups in Alberta and Northern Montana—the Siksika
(Blackfoot proper), Blood, and Piegan—are generally identified collectively as the Blackfoot.
The Siksika people recognize a creator god they call Napi, or Old Man. This is the story of how
Napi created the world.
Bruchac, James, Bruchac, Joseph. (2007). The girl who helped thunder and other native
American folktales. New York, New York. Sterling Publishing Company
This non-fiction book has folktales and legends from the Cherokee, Cheyenne, Hopi, Lenape,
Maidu, Seminole, Seneca, and other tribes. The beautifully retold tales, all with informative
introductions, range from creation myths to animal fables to stirring accounts of bravery and
sacrifice.
Colman, W., Moroney, L., SVE & Churchill Media (Firm), & Colman Communications. (2004).
Native American folktales. S.l.: SVE & Churchill Media.
This DVD features four folktales from Native American tribes. Turkey girl shows the importance
of trust in Pueblo culture. The boy who loved bears helps viewers understand the significance of
bears in Pawnee culture and recognize the deep bond between Native Americans and nature.
Pelican girl was a cautionary tale of the Miwok people that encouraged children to obey tribal
rules. Storytelling stone, a tale from the Seneca people, explains how stories first came to
humans. Maidu creation story. Video. National Archives/Internet Archive. (2011). In The American
Mosaic: The American Indian Experience. Retrieved May 4, 2011, from
http://americanindian2.abc-clio.com/
This is a video recording of an Unknown Native American telling the story of how the Maidu
god created the earth.
Pace, A. (2008). The face that launched a thousand myths. Read, 58(1), Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com.jvlapps.nsuok.edu/srck5/pdf?sid=b6d2f942-3455-428e-943baee17631c0f8%40sessionmgr115&vid=2&hid=122
(Kids Search)
This is the story of the most beautiful woman of the known world at that time, Helen of Troy.
She was so beautiful that it was feared wars would break out over who would marry her. So her
father held a competition, who ever won would marry Helen and become King of Sparta.
Menelaus won the competition, took Helens hand and became king. Paris of Troy comes to pay
his respects to the King, but upon seeing Helen he falls deeply in love. Helen also falls for him
and when Paris returns home to Troy he brings Helen with him! This means WAR!
Railsback, B. (2000, July). Creation stories from around the world. Retrieved from
http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/CS/CSIndex.html
This is a website of creation stories from multiple cultures around the world including India,
Japan, Native American Hopi and Cherokee to name a few.
Taniguchi, Marilyn. (2006). Greek myths. School Library Journal, 57(4), Retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com.jvlapps.nsuok.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ulh&AN=59966790
&site=src-live&scope=site
(Student Research Center)
This book is a retelling of 16 Greek myths including Persephone, Orpheus and Eurydice,
Arachne, and foolish King Midas, to name a few.
Common Core Standards – may be referred to as Common Core State Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/
AASL – American Association of School Librarians
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards.cfm