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Greek Mythology
Corinda McCluskey
Riverton and Mt. Carmel
Madison County Schools
Disciplines: Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Science
Language Arts
 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inference drawn from the text.
 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed
through particular details.
 Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey
ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization,
and analysis of relevant content.
 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on
several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.
 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of
different characters or narrators in a text.
 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text,
assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient to support the claims.
 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant
evidence
 Write informative or explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey
ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization,
and analysis of relevant content.
 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing
and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with
others, including linking to and citing sources.
 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on
several sources and generating additional related, focused questions
for further research and investigation.
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Social Studies
 Explain factors that contribute to conflict within and between
countries.
 Identify physical, economic, political, and cultural characteristics of
selected regions.
 Describing cultural characteristics related to language, architecture,
religion, music, art, food, clothing, traditions
 Analyze characteristics of early civilizations in respect to technology,
division of labor, government, calendar, and writings.
 Compare the development of early world religions, philosophies, and
their key tenets.
 Identify cultural contributions of Classical Greece, including politics,
intellectual life, arts, literature, architecture, and science.

Technology
 Use digital tools and strategies to locate, collect, organize, evaluate,
and synthesize information.
 Use technology tools to organize, interpret, and display data.
 Use digital environments to collaborate and communicate.
 Create a product using digital tools
Art
 Create symbolic works of art to communicate ideas.
 Contrast artistic styles of various cultures, times, and places.
 Use traditional and digital media in the production of graphic design
to communicate ideas and feelings
Concepts: Culture, Evolution, Influence, Tragedy
Essential Questions:
 What do Greek myths have to teach the present?
 How are Greek myths 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?
Essential 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. These issues remain central to human efforts to
understand the world; they are as relevant to modern people as they
were to the ancients.
 Allusions to Greek mythology are infused into many aspects of our
culture including literature, television, movies, advertisement, and art.
Scaffolding Questions:
 How/Why does a culture’s point of view evolve through time?
 How do outside influences affect a person’s perspective?
 How can tragedy influence someone’s perspective?
 What universal human questions and concerns do
cultures/generations have in common?
Culminating Activity:
 The students will collaboratively create a wiki that will describe how
mythology continues to influence a society’s point of view. They will
also share the products and how mythology has influenced their point
of view.
Day 2
The teacher will explain to the students that in mythology, poetry, and plays, the Greeks
held characters accountable for their own choices, actions, and behavior. We will read
the tale of Echo and Narcissus to help the students understand that these stories teach
lessons about behaviors that were considered disagreeable or foolish by the Greeks.
Echo and Narcissus
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Ask the students about echoes they have heard. Where was the best echo they
have ever heard? What causes echoes?
Read the tale of Echo and Narcissus. I will share with the class this definition of
narcissism drawn from a standard print or online dictionary: "too much interest in
and admiration for your own physical appearance and/or your own abilities."
Was Narcissus's fate a fitting end for him? How did the story dramatize his
arrogance and the consequences of this behavior? Then ask students, if
someone is termed a "narcissist", what would that mean? Can the students name
a fictional character from any medium that could be called a narcissist? Is that a
trait we admire in people?
In what way was having to echo a fitting punishment for Echo? How does this
tale explain what causes echoes? How did the story dramatize poor behavior?
Writing challenge for the students, based on an assignment conceived by poet
Kenneth Koch. We will begin by reviewing some examples of ways Echo
communicated effectively using only an echo. Can your students (working alone
or in pairs) create a dialogue that makes sense in which one party can only
echo? Give some straightforward examples, such as:
Teacher: Here is the assignment you will do.
Student: Will do!
Ask the students to suggest examples of this sort. Next, offer a variety of other
possible echoes:
Part of a word:
Student #1: Who is doing the report on Narcissus?
Student #2: Us.
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A homophone for a word:
Student #1: Is that Billy I hear?
Student #2: Here!
Ask the students to suggest examples of this sort. Then give them the
opportunity to write their own dialogues (or poems, where the ending of one line
is echoed at the beginning of the next). When the students have finished, give
volunteers the opportunity to perform their dialogues.
Day 6
Mythological terms are common in contemporary society. For
example, an odyssey is a voyage, as well as a minivan! As students
learn more about the characters of Greek mythology, they may be
surprised to discover many familiar words derived from myths.
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Working in small groups, students will use online sources to fill in as
many blanks as possible on a chart like the one below.
Term From
Mythology
1. Amazon
2. Arcadia
3. Atlas
4. Calliope
5. Chaos
6. Gemini
7. Harpy
8. Iris
9. Nike
10. Oracle
Use Today
About the
Mythological
Character
Why does the term
fit?