Student Teacher: Haliya Bint-Habib

Grade Level: 4th

Time allotment: Five days

I.

Content and Standards:

RL.4.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases, including those that allude to
characters in mythology.

RI.4.1 Refer to details and examples when explaining what the text says explicitly and
when drawing conclusions

Rf.4.4a Read orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression

W.4.3a Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator or

characters/organize an event sequence.

II.

Use context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase

Prerequisites:
Students should be familiar with fiction and non-fictional texts

Students should possess knowledge about using context clues to draw meaning from a
passage/text
III.

Essential Questions:

What are myths?

How can myths convey stories?

Why makes a myth memorable

IV.

Instructional Objective:

Students will be able to define and apply the concept of myths

Students will be able to describe two characteristics of a myth

V.

Instructional Procedures:

Day 1; Whole Group

Teacher will begin lesson by explaining to students they will watch a short clip of a popular
movie trilogy called The Lord of the Rings. Students will be informed that they will be watching

the video twice. After viewing the first time, the teacher will draw students attention to the
characters, setting, and conflict within the story. She will ask students to consider whether what
they just saw was fiction or non-fiction. After receiving some responses, she will inform them
that what they observed is a particular kind of fiction called, myths. The teacher will explain to
students that over the next three days, they will be exploring myths through reading and research
and each day they will work on creating their own myths to present at the end of the week.
The teacher will explain to students that myths have unique components. For example, there is
usually some type of journey the chosen one needs to go on (usually to protect or rid the world
of evil), he/she is resourceful; they can figure ways to make it through the most impossible
situations, they have a friend or unlikely partnership with a guide to help them, and then finally
they return home or back to a familiar world triumphant (after thwarting evil). (Each component
will be dissected more each day).
The teacher will replay The Lord of the Rings clip and ask students to pay special attention the
things just mentioned, in addition to the setting and characters. Together the class will fill in a
graphic organizer to prove what they watched was a myth.
The teacher will inform the students that they will not be forming their traditional groups, but
they will be participating in three different groups throughout the day; one group will be
conducting vocabulary research, while another group will do independent reading and complete
a graphic organizer, and another group will participate in a guided-reading exercise. (Groups will
rotate throughout the week until each group has had a chance to participate in each center).
Day 1; Small Group 1 (Dissecting myths)
Students will be paired in groups of two and randomly select a myth (The story of Icarus, King
Midas and the Golden Touch, The Adventures of Perseus). They will be reminded that they are
reading for a purpose. Students will need to fill in their graphic organizers with the following
information: the name of the myth, the main characters, what the myth was about, what was the
conflict or plot, and how it was resolved.
Day 1; Group 2 (Guided Reading)
Teacher will explain to students that they will begin to read the myth of Hercules. Before
beginning, students will be asked to share what they already know about Hercules, his character,
and journey. The teacher will record responses to revisit later. Teacher will remind students about
story elements: characters, setting, and the plot and how they relate to the story. The teacher will
provide students with background of Hercules by explaining, Hercules goes on a quest, which is
a search or mission, and his story helps regular people think about how to face challenges and
deal with other people in their own lives. Students will be given a handout that will help them
keep track of the Characters, setting and plot. The group will begin to read, the teacher will
model first to demonstrate proper expression and fluency. Students will join in to read a few lines
each, teacher will pause throughout story to ask questions and allow students to think about what
has been read.

Day 1; Group 3 (Research vocabulary)

Teacher will provide students with a 5 to 10 word vocabulary list that will help them better
understand the myths they will be reading. The Teacher will inform students they will be using a
website called WordSmyth to help them define their words. The teacher will demonstrate for
students how to properly locate and utilize the site before turning the activity over to them. For
example, the teacher will look up the word acquire say the definition, to buy or obtain something
for oneself. Then use it in an example, to acquire my diploma, I must do well in my classes to
finish school. Students will be asked to record their vocabulary words and examples in their
notebooks.
Lesson Wrap-up
Teacher will gather students back into a whole-class format and students will help the teacher fill
out a column titled, What I know about myths? The teacher will provide the first example
(Myths are a type of fiction that explains some type of conflict in the world) and then he/she will
look to the students to fill in the rest (he/she will also help students elaborate and expand on their
responses). (If time allows, students will begin to develop the main character of their myth).
VI.

Materials and Equipment:

Vocabulary lists

Journey Text to read Hercules

Graphic Organizers

Writing Materials

VII.

Assessment/Evaluation:

Teacher will monitor students throughout the lesson as they complete work, are students
appropriately using their vocabulary in sentences, are students able to extract appropriate
information to complete their graphic organizers etc. Do students response to questions
demonstrate understanding of concepts or does the teacher need to spend more time explaining?
Students will be assessed on their written responses during guided reading activity, are they
appropriately associating myth components with the actual story; are they reading with accuracy
and self-correction; are they able to respond appropriately to questions to demonstrate
comprehension.
VIII.

VII. Differentiation: Individualized Activities:

For groups, students will be able to pick their partners or work by themselves. Students will be
able to view a brief summary of the lesson via Animoto; there will also be a printed source
available for students as they read their myths. Independent reading groups will have the option

to read their own stories or read together and have one complete the reading while the other
writes; this will allow each group member to contribute to the activity while still using his or her
strengths.
IX.

Technology:

Computers

Internet Access

Animoto Software

Movie trailer URL (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pki6jbSbXIY)

Premier Educational Dictionary-Thesaurus URL (http://www.wordsmyth.net/?

level=1&ent=unfortunate)

PowerPoint Explaining Myths

X.

Self-Assessment:

Were students allowed enough time to complete each stage of the activity?

Were students able to respond or engage in conversations about concepts or did teacher
need to provide further details and explanation?

Were presented concepts Just Right; did students appear appropriately challenged or
were they completing tasks with too much ease or difficulty?

Were concepts too broad or too narrow?

Was the chosen text relatable to all students?

Did the before activity or introduction properly prepare students for the rest of the
activity or should the teacher revise the introduction to include or exclude concepts in the
future?