Contributor Information
Name: Jeannie G. Wallace
email: jeannie.wallace@dixie-hs.pinellas.k12.fl.us
school: Dixie Hollins High School, Pinellas County Schools, St. Petersburg, FL
Standards
Click on the link to see the Sunshine State Standards for this Unit of Practice.
Click on the link to see the National Educational Technology Standards for this Unit of Practice.
Lesson Plan
Title: Myths, Legends, and Folk Tales
Technology Resource Requirements:
Computer hooked to TV with connection cable, Power Point software, Hyperstudio software, Internet access, word processing software, database software.
Subject area: Language Arts
Grade Level: 9-12
Short Description
Objectives: Students will be able to differentiate between a myth, a legend, and a folk tale.
Students will complete a data base on well-known Greek mythological beings.
Students will complete a Hyperstudio presentation of one Greek mythological being.
Students will write an original myth.
Introduction:
Students will be given an introduction to myths, legends, and folk tales with a Power Point presentation. A discussion should follow in which students volunteer background knowledge of common myths, legends and folk tales. Students should then be assigned to read one (or more) of the myths located in a text (e.g. The Odyssey).
Approximate time:
Three weeks.
Tasks:
1. Day 1: Power Point Presentation and discussion of commonly known myths, legends, and folk tales. Assignment: Read myth from textbook.
2. Day 2: Students go to lab. Using one or more of the Web links, they complete a data base of 10 mythological beings. Teacher can assign teams and break down a list, or give each student a list of names, if desired, to avoid repetition.
3. Day 3: Students will complete and print their data bases. Using their data bases, students will select one mythological being on which to do a Hyperstudio presentation. (Example).(It will take about 2 minutes to load, but it is well worth the wait.) The rubric for the Hyperstudio project will guide the students. For homework, have the students storyboard the slide presentation. If you need the Hyperstudio plug-in, click here.
4. Day 4: Students will begin their search for graphics and sounds appropriate to their chosen subject. Use the web links below as well as generating Internet searches via search engines.
5. Day 5: Students should complete their search for graphics and sounds and begin their card stack.
6. Day 6: Students should continue their Hyperstudio project.
7. Day 7: Students should continue their Hyperstudio project.
8. Day 8: Students should complete their Hyperstudio projects.
9. Day 9: Students share their Hyperstudio projects with the class. This can be done voluntarily, or teacher choice.
10. Day 10: Students share their Hyperstudio projects with the class.
11. Day 11: Students brainstorm ideas to create their own modern myth. (Example) A rubric will drive the writing assignment. They begin their rough draft.
12. Day 12: Students write a rough draft, and complete it for homework.
13. Day 13: Students use a word-processing program to type their final draft.
14. Day 14: Students use a word-processing program to type their final draft.
15. Day 15: Students use a word-processing program to type their final draft.
16.Day 16: Students share their myths with the class in small groups.
Interactions:
Brainstorming; graphic organizers, cooperative learning
Tools:
Template data base for Greek myths
Web links:
Illustrated Encyclopedia of Greek Mythology
The Immortals of Greek Mythology
Assessments:
Rubric for Hyperstudio project
Rubric for original myth
Other Activities:
Students could bind stories together, illustrate, and donate to the school library, or if appropriate, an elementary classroom. If possible, a field trip could be arranged to allow students to read stories aloud to elementary school students.
Students could write original legends or folk tales in addition to the myth. Suggested examples include: Johnny Appleseed, John Henry, Br'er Rabbit, Grimm's Fairy Tales, Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan. Legend Example. Folk Tale example.