Discovering Mythology: Roman Myths

Students read, discuss and analyze a collection of Roman myths as they learn about the values and beliefs of the ancient Roman Empire and consider the role that myths, gods, and storytelling held.

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ELA

Alternate Unit 3

3rd Grade

Unit Summary


This unit connects with the 3rd Grade Exploring Ancient Civilizations: Rome unit in which students study and learn about the values and beliefs of the ancient Roman Empire. In this unit, students begin to see the role that myths, gods, and storytelling had in ancient Rome by reading a collection of Roman myths. While reading the myths, students will be challenged to think about how the myths illustrate and show the beliefs and customs of the Roman Empire. Students will also be challenged to think about what the myths teach about retaliation and generosity. 

This unit builds on work done in previous units and continues to focus on helping students solidify their understanding of the connection between recounting stories, determining a central message, and using details to explain how the central message is conveyed. Through multiple readings of the same myth, students will be able to analyze and discover how messages are developed, particularly how characters’ actions and feelings directly contribute to the sequence of events and messages. 

In previous units, students focused on sharing and elaborating on their own ideas when discussing the text. In this unit students begin to build on their classmates' ideas, seeking to genuinely understand what their peers are saying by asking questions, adding on, or engaging in multiple exchanges. Throughout the unit students also have multiple opportunities to deepen their understanding of the myths and narrative writing by writing continuations of the myths, focusing on using powerful descriptions and language to develop characters and experiences.

Please Note: Updated enhanced lesson plans for this unit, including answers to key questions and related student supports will be released in early 2024.

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Texts and Materials


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Core Materials

Assessment


These assessments accompany this unit to help gauge student understanding of key unit content and skills.

Additional progress monitoring suggestions are included throughout the unit. Essential Tasks can be found in the following lessons:

Unit Prep


Intellectual Prep

Unit Launch

Prepare to teach this unit by immersing yourself in the texts, themes, and core standards. Unit Launches include a series of short videos, targeted readings, and opportunities for action planning.

Essential Questions

  • What messages do Roman myths convey about retaliation? 
  • What messages do Roman myths convey about the power of generosity? 
  • Who were the twelve major gods and goddesses who were honored and worshiped in ancient Rome? What role do they play in different myths?  

Reading Focus Areas

  • Characters’ actions and feelings directly contribute to the sequence of events.

  • Authors reveal the central message of a story by using predictable patterns and pathways.

Writing Focus Areas

Narrative Writing

  • Use relevant text details or background knowledge from the text to develop characters, ideas, or situations.

  • Use dialogue and description to show character responses.

  • Use temporal words and phrases to manage the sequence of events.

  • Use powerful vocabulary and precise words to create a picture.

  • Provide a sense of closure.

Speaking and Listening Focus Areas

  • Elaborate to support ideas. Provide evidence or examples to justify and defend a point clearly.

  • Use specific vocabulary. Use vocabulary that is specific to the subject and task to clarify and share thoughts.

  • Build on a partner's ideas. Seek to genuinely understand what their peers are saying, and then build on.

Vocabulary

Text-based

aimless armful assured banished bear despair desperately delightfully disobey dilemma dispute disbelief disappearance enraged envy eternal fearful flattered helpless imprisoned injustice misery mourn outcast overwhelmed persuade radiant restless sorrow sorrowfully sympathy taunted took pity torment unseen unwise unravels watchful wickedness

Root/Affix

-ful -less -ly -ness dis- en- im- in- un-

To see all the vocabulary for Unit 8, view our 3rd Grade Vocabulary Glossary.

Content Knowledge and Connections

Supporting All Students

In order to ensure that all students are able to access the texts and tasks in this unit, it is incredibly important to intellectually prepare to teach the unit prior to launching the unit. Use the intellectual preparation protocol and the Unit Launch to determine which support students will need. To learn more, visit the Supporting all Students teacher tool.

Lesson Map


Common Core Standards


Core Standards

L.3.1
L.3.2
RL.3.2
RL.3.3
RL.3.9
SL.3.1
W.3.1
W.3.1.a
W.3.1.b
W.3.1.d
W.3.3
W.3.3.b
W.3.3.c
W.3.3.d

Supporting Standards

L.3.1.a
L.3.1.d
L.3.1.e
L.3.1.f
L.3.1.g
L.3.1.h
L.3.2.c
L.3.3
L.3.3.a
L.3.4.a
L.3.4.b
L.3.5.c
L.3.6
RF.3.3
RF.3.4
RL.3.1
RL.3.4
RL.3.7
RL.3.10
SL.3.1.a
SL.3.1.b
SL.3.1.c
SL.3.1.d
SL.3.6
W.3.4
W.3.5
W.3.6
W.3.10
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Unit 2

Rediscovering Thanksgiving: Fact vs. Fiction

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Unit 4

Understanding the Animal Kingdom

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