Myths

Lesson Plan: Myths

Grade 4 1. Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
 * Standard:** Reading Standards for Literature: Key Ideas and Details
 * Objective:** Students will understand the components of a myth and be able to recognize them in a piece of writing. Students will also be able to listen as the teacher reads aloud and make predictions, connections and wonderings.
 * Materials:**
 * The book “Classic Myths to Read Aloud” which contains the story “Origin of Seasons” (pg. 19)
 * Printed pictures of the gods in the story.
 * An easel/marker
 * Readers notebooks and pencils

Today boys and girls I am going to be reading you a piece of writing called __Origin of Seasons.__ It is in a book by William F. Russell, in this book he gathered a bunch of Myths and put them in the same book. We read a book like this when we learned about fairy tales. Can some one please remind me what Mr. M taught us a fairy tale was? [a story that teaches a moral or lesson, most start with bad circumstances and turn in happy ever after, the also commonly start with Once upon a time…] Well today we are going to read a myth. Does anyone think they know what a myth is? [Take answers, validate] Good answers my friends! A myth is usually about gods or someone with great powers. It explains how human way of life came about a long time ago. I want you to remember these qualities as I read the story to you.
 * Before Reading:**

Let’s start reading my friends!
 * During Reading:**

As I introduce each main character I will put their picture up because this is not a picture book. They will be in order before reading. (Demeter, Persephone, Hades, Zeus, Iris, Hermes) Each of the next two stops will have a post it for reminding and the question written on it.

While reading, stop right after Hades takes Persephone to the Underworld. How do you think Persephone’s mother Demeter will react to her daughter being taken away? What do you think she will do? Turn and talk to your partner please. [Take one or two answers] Okay, let’s keep reading to find out.

While reading stop at the part where Zeus makes a compromise. What do you think Zeus’ compromise will be? [Take about three or four response] Let’s read to confirm.

When done reading, ask if they enjoyed the story about how the seasons came about. [Use thumbs, up or down] Can someone please remind me what a myth is? [Take answers, even though it is written on the easel for auditory learners]
 * After Reading:**

In a minute boys and girls I want you to go back to your desks, take out your readers notebook and open to your read aloud section. Open to a clean page and I want you to write what a myth is, then I want you to think about the story and tell me something that happened that made it a myth. Once you have completed this I want you to think about what supernatural power you would have. While you are getting your notebooks out I will write the questions on the board for you. Please go quietly.

Give the students some time to answer in their notebooks. Share some responses to questions two and three (mostly two)

I know students understand myths in their responses to the second question, of what parts of the story make it a myth if they can correctly identify an example. They will need to pull on the definition and match it with what they heard. I also know students know what a myth is by their responses to each question I ask while reading, and their turn and talk conversations.
 * Assessment:**

This lesson was a lot of fun for me because I was learning just like my students were going to. One mistake I made was not writing what a myth was on the board the first time we talked about it. This caused a problem for me because the second time around I had to ask again it was like starting from scratch. I did have one student who remember one very important part of a myth which did make this process much easier though. I also wish that I could have found a picture book for this. I supplemented this by printing out pictures and putting them up for students. This caused another issue of students asking what is next and do I have this picture. I think that as I become a more seasoned teacher I will build a knowledge base of good books to solve this problem. I found during this lesson I had a hard time controlling the students and it was very hard for me to bring the students back to the story. Because of this I think the lesson was not as effective as it could have been. This was very disappointing to me and it is something I will need to work on more. I really enjoy giving the students a fun question at the end. I feel the know in order to answer the fun question they need to answer the first too, so they are more likely too. I also found when having fun questions it is important to have a system to randomly chose students because they will all want to answer. I find that the clothes pins my cooperating teacher had work the best.
 * Reflection:**