ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3

Research to Create a New Character and Write a Narrative

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In Unit 3, students reimagine a scene from The Lightning Thief, writing themselves into the action as a different demigod from Camp Half-Blood. They research a Greek god of their choosing (or another traditional figure for those who don't feel comfortable imagining themselves as a child of a Greek god), and use their research to create a new character, the child of that figure. Students develop the attributes of that character and strategically insert the character into a scene from the novel, editing carefully so as not to change the outcome of the story. At the end of the module, students create a presentation outlining their choices and the reasons for their choices for the performance task.

Please note: For the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum, there are Teaching Notes for each unit that contain helpful information for supporting English language learners. These overview notes complement the more specific English language learner supports and differentiated materials within each lesson. You will find the Teaching Notes in the Unit download below.

CCS Standards

Reading—Literature

RL.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.6.2: Determine a theme or 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.6.3: Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
RL.6.10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Reading—Informational Text

RI.6.1: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the 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.
RI.6.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.

Writing

W.6.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.6.3a: Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
W.6.3b: Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
W.6.3c: Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another.
W.6.3d: Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to convey experiences and events.
W.6.3e: Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.
W.6.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
W.6.5: With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 6.)
W.6.6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
W.6.10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Language

L.6.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
L.6.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.6.6: Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

The Four Ts

Topic: Greek Mythology
Task:

Read another Greek myth to determine a central idea and to write a summary of the text; determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary (mid-unit assessment).
Write a narrative inserting a newly created demigod character into a scene from The Lightning Thief; revise narratives for sentence patterns and consistency in style and tone (end of unit assessment).

Targets: RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.10, RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.4, W.6.3, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.10, L.6.3, L.6.4, L.6.6
Texts: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Greek Myths: "Prometheus" and "Helios"

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Download this Unit’s Assessments

Habits of Character/Social-Emotional Learning Focus

Central to the EL Education curriculum is a focus on "habits of character" and social-emotional learning. Students work to become effective learners, developing mindsets and skills for success in college, career, and life (e.g., initiative, responsibility, perseverance, collaboration); work to become ethical people, treating others well and standing up for what is right (e.g., empathy, integrity, respect, compassion); and work to contribute to a better world, putting their learning to use to improve communities (e.g., citizenship, service).

In this unit, students focus on respect, empathy, and compassion habits of character as they respond to one another's ideas and skills in written work and in discussions. Also, students focus on integrity and perseverance as they work independently on assessments. As they track progress on their assessments, they take responsibility for their own learning.

During the presentation of their performance tasks, students work to create a better world by using their strengths to help others improve.

Unit-at-a-Glance

Each unit is made up of a sequence of between 10-18 lessons. The Unit-at-a-Glance charts, available on the grade-level landing pages, break down each unit's lessons, showing CCS standards, agenda breakdown, daily learning targets, and ongoing assessments. The charts also indicate which lessons include mid- and end of unit assessments and the performance task.

View the unit-at-a-glance chart

Texts and Resources to Buy

Texts and resources that need to be procured. Please download the Required Trade Books and Resources Procurement List for procurement guidance.

Text or Resource	Quantity	ISBNs
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan	one per student	ISBN: 9780786838653

Preparation and Materials

Ensure that families are aware of the sensitive content of The Lightning Thief, and prepare students who may be affected by this content in advance.

In this unit, students will research a Greek god or goddess in preparation for the end of unit assessment, in which they rewrite a scene from The Lightning Thief, inserting a new character of their own creation. To maintain the first person point of view, students will rewrite the scene as if they are their new character, a child of a Greek god/goddess of their choosing. Some students and their families may find this exercise in conflict with their religious views. Create a safe space for students to privately discuss their concerns, and be prepared with alternative ways for students to complete the assessment. Students may choose a different historic or traditional figure to research and on which to base their character (e.g., Superman, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Oprah Winfrey). Guide students in their choice for an alternative figure by asking 1) Can you conduct substantial research on this person?; and 2) What powers or special abilities would the character inherit from this person?

The following materials are introduced in this unit and referenced throughout both the module and the school year:

CCS Standards

Reading—Literature

Reading—Informational Text

Writing

Language

The Four Ts

Assessment

Habits of Character/Social-Emotional Learning Focus

Unit-at-a-Glance

Texts and Resources to Buy

Preparation and Materials

Lessons

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L1

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L2

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L3

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L4

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L5

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L6

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L7

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L8

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L9

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L10

ELA 2019 G6:M1:U3:L12

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