Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

• RL.6.1 – Work Time A: Students read the next chapter of the text and find the gist. Students also unpack unfamiliar vocabulary and answer comprehension questions using inferences and evidence from text.
• RL.6.1 – Work Time B: Students participate in a close read, in which they use evidence from “Theseus and the Minotaur” to support their analysis of the myth and the inferences they draw from it. The Close Reading Guide lists the text excerpts, key questions to ask students, and instructional moves required. Continue to use discussion protocols (e.g., Think-Pair-Share, Conversation Cues, and total participation techniques) to engage all students in a collaborative discussion about the text.
• RL.6.2 – Work Time B: During the close read, students discuss the central idea(s) and themes of “Theseus and the Minotaur.”
• RL.6.2 – Closing and Assessment A: Students work in pairs to write their own summary of the Greek myth analyzed during the close read.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

• The Greek myth provided with this lesson has been rewritten to reflect an average Grade 6 reading level. Provide a more complex version of the story for students reading at a higher level.
• Challenge students to generate questions about the myth before asking the prepared questions.
• Support background building on Greek mythological figures by viewing a video such as (http://eled.org/0104).

How It Builds on Previous Work

• In the previous lesson, students read chapter 13 of The Lightning Thief and began to pull text evidence to support a particular theme represented in the text. They also analyzed a model summary which they will use for guidance as they practice writing their own summary in this lesson.

Support All Students

• Students may need additional support with recording their answers on their note-catchers. Work with those students in a small group to give more support. ▲
• Students may be surprised or upset by the description of the scene at the St. Louis Gateway Arch as a possible terrorist attack. Time for debriefing and reflection might help get these concerns out into the open so they can be addressed and tracked throughout the text.
• Students may struggle to adjust to the language/organization of the close read, which is different from much they have already read. Remind students of the reading and vocabulary strategies they have practiced in class. ▲
• Writing a complete summary in 10 minutes may be challenging for some students (especially since they have mostly written gists, which are less organized). Think about strategically grouping writers of varying proficiency levels. ▲
• Be mindful of differences in experience with source attributions during summary writing. Make sure that students are aware that ideas can be borrowed from the original text, but that they must use their own words to explain ideas when they write, and they must place quotation marks around the quotes they borrow and explain where they came from. ▲
• Consider diversity and inclusion when reading and discussing Greek myths. Ask about, research, acknowledge, celebrate, and incorporate student knowledge, languages, beliefs, and skills; compare and contrast students' cultures and background to those introduced in Greek myths. ▲

Assessment Guidance

• Review students’ Close Reading Culminating Task: “Theseus and the Minotaur” recording forms to ensure students understand how to identify theme and an effective summary.

Down the Road

• In the next lesson, students will read more stories of Greek figures, specifically those referenced in the anchor text. Using a Jigsaw protocol, students will apply the close reading skills they practice in this lesson to the text they analyze in a smaller group setting. They will also write a summary using the skills they have practiced in the first two lessons of the unit.