Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

• RL.6.4 – Opening A: Students complete an entrance ticket that requires identifying the meaning and connotation of a word as it is used in the text.
• RL.6.9 – Opening B: Students share and discuss their homework, which required that they compare and contrast literary (The Lightning Thief) and informational texts (“Why Ancient Greek Mythology Is Still Relevant Today”).
• 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.
• L.6.4 – Closing and Assessment A: Students apply strategies for determining the meanings of unknown words to a homework assignment.
• In this lesson, students choose independent research reading texts. See Independent Reading Sample Plans (see the Tools page, http://eled.org/tools) for ideas on how to launch independent reading. If using already established routines for launching independent reading, in this lesson students choose a research reading text. The research reading that students complete for homework helps build both their vocabulary and knowledge pertaining to mythology, specifically its relevance today. By participating in this volume of reading over time, students develop a wide base of knowledge about the world and the words that help describe and make sense of it.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

• The author uses figurative language extensively in chapter 4 of The Lightning Thief. Challenge students to find additional examples of similes and figures of speech beyond those studied by the whole class.
• To extend the discussion of relevance of Greek mythology, introduce students to the archetype of Hero’s Journey as detailed by Joseph Campbell. Invite them to chart the parts of The Lightning Thief that align to the Hero’s Journey so far.

How It Builds on Previous Work

• In the previous lesson, students closely read an informational text about the relevance of Greek mythology and participated in a Language Dive. As students continue to read the novel, they gain more evidence to support the idea that Greek mythology is still relevant today.

Support All Students

• Chapter 4 of The Lightning Thief features a detailed scene in which Percy's mother is captured and "dissolved" by a monster. Be alert and sensitive to the ways in which this scene may elicit student emotion.
• Within independent reading logs, provide sample sentence frames that students can use to record thoughts and ideas. Model a completed reading log as well to acquaint students with the end product of their independent reading. ▲
• Ensure that students are aware of the value and purpose of the independent research reading assignment. Provide students an opportunity to voice concerns about or identify possible challenges of the independent research reading assignment. Do so in a way that begets a response (e.g., instead of "Does anyone have any concerns about this assignment?" try "What are our concerns about this assignment?").

Assessment Guidance

• Circulate and monitor as students share their QuickWrite: Connections between The Lightning Thief and “Why Ancient Greek Mythology Is Still Relevant Today.” Listen for common misconceptions, and address them with the whole class. Connect this QuickWrite back to the module guiding questions.
• The Accountable Research Reading assignment launched in this lesson continues throughout the rest of the module. Students read consistently each night for 20 minutes and answer a prompt of their choosing.

Down the Road

• In the next lesson, students continue in their anchor text, reading from chapter 5 of The Lightning Thief and analyzing how the author develops the narrator’s point of view.
• The independent reading journals introduced in this lesson are referred to throughout this and the subsequent modules. Students have an opportunity to share their research reading in Unit 2, Lesson 5.