K20 LEARN
Just Say No!: Exploring Temptation Through The Lotus Eaters
Teenagers face many temptations, and just saying "No!" can be very difficult. Here's a lesson that provides some help. Learners use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast excerpts from The Odyssey, Tennyson's "The Lotus-Eaters," and the...
Curated OER
A Hurricane Blowing In
Students write a scene. In this creative writing lesson, students read The Lightning Thief and discuss the sentence fluency and word choice in the writing. Students complete a writing assignment where they create an interesting scene...
EngageNY
Planning for Writing: Introduction and Conclusion of a Literary Analysis
It's all about the introduction. Scholars work on the introductory paragraph for their essays, connecting the theme of a myth and The Lightning Thief. They use a graphic organizer to help focus their work and then move to working on the...
EngageNY
Inferring about Character: Getting to Know Percy (Chapters 1 and 2)
What a character! Scholars look at two chapters in The Lightning Thief to make inferences about the character Percy. They record both the character's challenges and responses. Learners then work in their triads to discuss the gist of...
EngageNY
Mid-Unit 1 Assessment: Making Inferences from Percy
Time to shine! Scholars show everything that they have learned so far in the unit by completing a mid-unit assessment. In the assessment, they discuss the gist of sections of text from The Lightning Thief and inferences they made about...
EngageNY
Writing with Evidence: Percy and the Hero’s Journey (Chapter 7)
Read, set, write! Scholars participate in the first fully independent writing task of the unit as they write about how Percy’s experience in The Lightning Thief aligns with The Hero’s Journey. To begin their writing, they complete a...
EngageNY
End of Unit 1 Assessment: Drawing Evidence from Text: Written Analysis of How Percy’s Experiences Align with “The Hero’s Journey”
Do your best on the test! Readers finish up by completing the end of the unit assessment. Using the assessment, writers describe how Percy's experiences in The Lightning Thief align to four parts of The Hero's Journey. After completing...
EngageNY
Reading Closely to Build Background Knowledge: “Myths and Legends”
That is a myth! Scholars take a look at Greek myths referenced in The Lightning Thief. As learners listen to stories in Myths and Legends, they imagine the sights and sounds described. Pupils then talk with partners about specific words...
EngageNY
Using Details to Determine Theme: The Myth of Cronus
There's nothing like a good theme! After reviewing the story of Cronus, learners participate in a mini instructional activity about theme by pulling papers from an envelope and identifying the writing on it as either a topic or a theme....
EngageNY
Launching the End of Unit Assessment: Drafting Literary Analysis
Is there a connection? Scholars work to write a summary and theme to connect The Lightning Thief and myth of Cronus. They begin by looking at a model essay and then work on their own drafts.
EngageNY
“The Hero’s Journey”: Analyzing a Model Narrative and Continuing to Plan a New Hero’s Journey Narrative
Many elements go into an engaging narrative story. Using a helpful resource, scholars analyze a model narrative and deconstruct it using a graphic organizer. Next, they apply their learning from the model to update their plans for their...
EngageNY
Mid-Unit Assessment and Establishing a Context for My Hero’s Journey Narrative
How do writers engage their readers in a story? Pupils consider the question and use the informational text, "The Hero's Journey" to justify their plan for their own fictional narrative. To that end, scholars write an explanatory...
EngageNY
Writing: Getting Feedback, Setting Goals, and Drafting
Why is it important to set goals as a writer? Scholars process feedback from their mid-unit assessments, writing down their strengths and weaknesses on index cards. Next, pupils use the feedback to begin drafting their hero's journey...
EngageNY
Writing to Show, Not Tell: Dialogue, Sensory Words, and Strong Action Verbs
Consume, gobble, devour ... serving up strong verbs! Writers focus on using dialogue, strong action verbs, and sensory details in their writing. After analyzing a model narrative, they apply their learning to their own hero's journey...
EngageNY
Writing: Analyzing the Conclusion of “The Golden Key” and Drafting a Compelling Conclusion for the Hero’s Journey Narrative
There's something different here. Using a note-catcher, scholars determine the differences between the conclusion of a piece of analytical writing and the conclusion of a narrative. Next, they begin drafting their own narrative...
EngageNY
End of Unit Assessment: Final Draft of Hero’s Journey Narrative
All journeys must come to an end. Using the final instructional activity in the series, pupils analyze a model narrative for use of transitional words and phrases. Next, they apply their learning to their final drafts of their hero's...
Curated OER
Going Greek: A Companion Lesson to Accompany the Percy Jackson Series
Students explore Greek mythology by researching a specific God or Goddess. In this children's literature instructional activity, students read the Percy Jackson series of books and discuss their favorite characters. Students research a...