Lesson 8 | The Lightning Thief & Greek Mythology (2020) | 6th Grade English

Objective

Build background information on the archetypal hero.

Explain the relationship between Percy Jackson and The Hero’s Journey.

Readings and Materials

Article: “The Hero’s Journey”
Video: “The Hero’s Journey according to Joseph Campbell - video by Matthew Winkler and Kirill Yeretsky” by Ueber-Brands

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task

Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved

Question 1

Which statement best captures Joseph Campbell’s central idea in “The Hero’s Journey”?

Create a free account or sign in to view multiple choice options

References

EngageNY ELA Grade 6: Module 1: Unit 1: Lesson 8

Grade 6: Module 1: Unit 1: Lesson 8 created by Expeditionary Learning, on behalf of Public Consulting Group, Inc. is made available by Engage NY under the CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 license. © Public Consulting Group, Inc., with a perpetual license granted to Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound, Inc. Accessed Aug. 18, 2017, 3:55 p.m..

Question 2

How do Percy’s experiences align with the hero’s journey? After choosing evidence from both The Lightning Thief and “The Hero’s Journey,” write a paragraph that shows how Percy’s experiences are supported by Campbell’s theory about the hero’s journey.

Make sure to…

Begin your paragraph with a topic sentence that makes a claim.
Use evidence from The Lightning Thief that supports your claim.
Use evidence from “The Hero’s Journey” that supports your claim.
Make it clear how the quotes are connected.
Close the paragraph with a clear concluding statement.

References

EngageNY ELA Grade 6: Module 1: Unit 1: Lesson 8

Key Questions

Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding

Text to self: What or whom do you think of when you hear the word "hero"? Provide reasons or examples to support your response.
In the margins of the "The Hero’s Journey," read and annotate for the gist of each stage. Write down any examples from movies or books that come to mind with each stage.
The hero’s journey is the archetype of a storyline or narrative; many stories follow the same pattern. Watch the video "The Hero’s Journey according to Joseph Campbell," and jot down any other examples of books and movies you’ve experienced that come to mind as each stage is described.
On p. 38 in The Lightning Thief, Percy says, "A dyslexic, hyperactive boy with a D+ report card, kicked out of school for the sixth time in six years." What stage in the hero’s journey do you think he is in here? What evidence in the article makes you think that?
Look at the quotes from The Lightning Thief. Then look at the quotes from "The Hero’s Journey." How do these excerpts below align with the archetype of the hero’s journey? Make the connection for each set of quotes in one or two sentences citing diction from both texts.

The Lightning Thief	"The Hero Journey"
"With a yelp, I dodged and felt talons slash the air next to my ear. I snatched the ballpoint pen out of the air, but when it hit my hand, it wasn’t a pen anymore. It was a sword—Mr. Brunner’s bronze sword, which he always used on tournament day."	"Heroes find a mystic object or discover their world is in danger."
"I remember Mr. Brunner’s serious expression, his thousand-year-old-eyes. I will accept only the best from you, Percy Jackson."	"This supernatural character often gives the hero the means to complete the quest. Some of the time the gift is simply wisdom."
"His neck was a mass of muscle and fur leading up to his enormous head, which had a snout as long as my arm, snotty nostrils with a gleaming brass ring, cruel black eyes and horns …'	"As they embark on their journey, the heroes enter a world they have never experienced before. It might be filled with supernatural creatures, breathtaking sights, and the constant fear of death."

Vocabulary

Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text

archetype ("The Hero's Journey")

Notes

Suggestions for teachers to help them teach this lesson

Make sure students read the article before watching the video.
This lesson connects to a unit test and essential question.

Common Core Standards

RI.6.2 — Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

Reading Standards for Informational Text

RI.6.2 — Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

RL.6.9 — Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.

Reading Standards for Literature

RL.6.9 — Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.

Lesson 7

Lesson 9

Lesson Map

Greek Myths pp. 12 – 23 — "The Titans" and "Zeus and His Family"
Teacher's Guide — p. 4

Complete a family tree of the Greek gods based on the myths "The Titans" and "Zeus and His Family."

Explain the purpose of mythology in Ancient Greece.

RL.6.3

Project

Teacher's Guide

Connect to prior knowledge about the Greek Gods.

Research details about the Greek Gods.

RI.6.7 W.6.7 W.6.8

Project – 3 days

Use research to write a narrative from first-person point of view from the perspective of a god or goddess.

Present narratives aloud to class, focusing on tone and volume.

SL.6.4 W.6.3

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 1

Make inferences about Percy as a character.

Analyze how the author develops the narrator’s point of view.

RL.6.3 RL.6.6

“The Three Fates”
The Lightning Thief — Ch. 2

Make inferences about Percy as a character.

Determine the meaning of an unknown word using context clues.

L.6.4 RL.6.6

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 3

Make inferences about Percy based on his inner thoughts.

Analyze how the author uses first person point of view and dialogue to characterize Percy.

RL.6.6

Theseus and the Minotaur
The Lightning Thief — Ch. 4

Make inferences based on character’s response to challenge.

RL.6.3

“The Hero’s Journey”
“The Hero's Journey video”

Build background information on the archetypal hero.

Explain the relationship between Percy Jackson and The Hero’s Journey.

RI.6.2 RL.6.9

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 5

Make inferences on Percy’s character based on his interactions with other characters, response to challenges and inner thoughts.

RL.6.3

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 6

Explain that Percy is on the hero’s journey based on evidence from The Lightning Thief and "The Hero’s Journey."

RL.6.9

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 7

Determine the meaning of an unknown word using contextual clues.

L.6.4

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 8

Explain the clues Rick Riordan gives the readers to determine Percy’s father before he does.

RL.6.5

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 9
“The Oracle at Delphi”

Identify and explain the main external conflict in chapter 9.

RL.6.3

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 10
Heroes, Gods... pp. 647 – 651
Prometheus

Identify and explain character motivation.

RL.6.3

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 11
The Story of...
Teacher's Guide

Explain author’s purpose in describing the setting in such detail.

Explain how hubris can have consequences in Greek mythology.

RL.6.2 RL.6.5

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 12
Teacher's Guide

Explain the author’s use of italics when depicting the evil use.

L.6.2

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 13

Analyze how characters are motivated by their relationships with their fathers.

RL.6.3

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 14

Identify and analyze the mood when Percy is underwater in the river.

RL.6.4

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 15

Analyze how the mood in Waterland contributes to the plot.

RL.6.3 RL.6.4

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 16
Greek Myths — Athena, Arachne, and the Weaving Contest

Analyze the impact of words on mood.

RL.6.4

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 17
Greek Myths — Orpheus and Eurydice

Explain the meaning of an unknown word using contextual clues.

L.6.4

Greek Myths pp. 132 – 142 — Heracles

Analyze how the Greek gods use violence to maintain their power.

RL.6.3

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 18
Teacher's Guide

Explain how the setting helps to create the mood.

RL.6.4

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 19
Greek Myths pp. 58 – 62 — Persephone

Explain how particular sentences contribute to the plot.

Explain how the ancient Greeks understood the origin of winter.

RL.6.2 RL.6.5

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 20

Analyze how the author slows down time and stretches out the story’s conflict
using small, pressure-filled moments.

RL.6.5

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 21

Analyze how Percy’s relationship with his father has changed over time.

RL.6.3

The Lightning Thief — Ch. 22
Teacher's Guide

Explain Luke’s motivation for stealing the master bolt.

RL.6.3

Assessment

The Lightning Thief & Greek Mythology (2020)

Objective

Readings and Materials

Target Task

Question 1

References

Question 2

References

Key Questions

Vocabulary

Notes

Common Core Standards

Reading Standards for Informational Text

Reading Standards for Literature

Lesson Map

Request a Demo

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

Effective Instruction Made Easy