introducing the myth literary skills focus: myths and heroes reading skills focus: analyzing...

Introducing the Myth

Literary Skills Focus: Myths and Heroes

Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing Historical Context

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Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

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Theseus retold by Edith Hamilton

What kinds of journeys can a

hero take?

Theseus Introducing the Myth

Click on the title to start the video.

Theseus retold by Edith Hamilton

Long ago in ancient Greece, the young man Theseus sets out to meet his father, King Aegeus, for the first time.

Theseus Introducing the Myth

To prove his courage and worthiness, Theseus takes the dangerous land route to Athens.

In Athens, King Aegeus assigns his son Theseus a terrible task.

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Theseus Introducing the Myth

Theseus must travel to the Labyrinth in Crete and defeat the Minotaur, a half-human monster who devours people.

Will Theseus succeed?

Recounted over time, these traditional stories about gods and heroes were

In ancient Greece, as in other places in the world, myths were more than entertaining stories.

Theseus Literary Skills Focus: Myths and Heroes

• part of the Greek religion

• embodied the values of the people

• are recognizably human but often have supernatural powers

• are sent on quests to find something of great value

• find self-knowledge or self-control along the way

• embody qualities that the ancient Greeks valued and taught to their children

Theseus Literary Skills Focus: Myths and Heroes

The heroes in Greek myths

Into Action: Use a graphic organizer to note details that reflect some elements typical of Greek myths.

Theseus Literary Skills Focus: Myths and Heroes

Elements of Myths

Hero’s flaws

Hero’s quest

Gods and goddesses involved in human affairs

Theseus

“Theseus”

Hero

Theseus is overly ambitious.

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Early Greece was a land of small, independent city-states.

Theseus Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing Historical Context

• The city of Athens, for example, had its own king.

• Neighboring city-states included Salamis, Eleusis, and Sparta.

As you read, keep the information in the Build Background section in mind.

Theseus Reading Skills Focus: Analyzing Historical Context

Think about how the realities of the times shaped the stories being told.

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Theseus

As you read the selection, ask yourself which scenes or parts of the story would best lend themselves to a short film.

Hamilton writes with complex sentences and formal diction, or word choice, in retelling this myth.

Find It in Your Reading

Theseus Writing Skills Focus: Think as a Reader/Writer

As you read, copy examples of sentences with formal diction into your notebook.

Formal: Give me your attention.

Informal:Listen up.

Formal: He grew listless.

Informal:He got tired.

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Vocabulary

TheseusVocabulary

acknowledged adj.: admitted; recognized to be true.

afflicted adj.: upset; saddened.

prosperous adj.: wealthy.

endear v.: inspire affection.

consent v.: agree.

The word acknowledged can be used as an adjective to mean “recognized as true.”

TheseusVocabulary

Does it take a crown or a medal to be the acknowledged leader in a particular field?

Why or why not?

How might someone recognize that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln were acknowledged leaders in their time?

TheseusVocabulary

Helpful individuals are likely to endear themselves to people who benefit from their assistance.

TheseusVocabulary

a. Keep six barking dogs in a small yard.

b. Pick up litter on neighborhood walkways.

c. Post complaint signs on people’s doors.

The neighborhood association wanted to name a Humanitarian of the Year. Which action would most likely endear one resident to the whole neighborhood?

TheseusVocabulary

a. Keep six barking dogs in a small yard.

b.Pick up litter on neighborhood walkways.

c. Post complaint signs on people’s doors.

The neighborhood association wanted to name a Humanitarian of the Year. Which action would most likely endear one resident to the whole neighborhood?

TheseusVocabulary

Someone who is afflicted is likely to be . . .

saddened

disturbed

frustrated

hurt

distressed

upset

TheseusVocabulary

What would be likely to leave the adults in a community most afflicted?

TheseusVocabulary

a. Finding a large number of rodents in town.

b. Being forced to pay a rat-catcher’s bill.

c. Discovering that their children had vanished.

What would be likely to leave the adults in a community most afflicted?

TheseusVocabulary

a. Finding a large number of rodents in town.

b. Being forced to pay a rat-catcher’s bill.

c.Discovering that their children had vanished.

The word prosperous suggests a comfortable lifestyle with plenty of time for leisure.

TheseusVocabulary

A person doesn’t need to live in a palace to be considered prosperous.

When you think of the word prosperous, what other words come to mind? Word: Definition:

Image:Sentence:

rich

well-off

successful

wealthy

Examples: prosperous adj.: wealthy.

TheseusVocabulary

comfortable

Most people in a prosperous country have comfortable

homes.

Consent can be a verb meaning “agree.”

Besides shaking hands, what other body language might indicate consent?

TheseusVocabulary

Based on their expressions and body language, which people below consent and

which ones disagree?

TheseusVocabulary

consent consentdisagree disagree

The End