Subject / Course: 7 English

Topic: Myths

Lesson Title: Introduction

Duration: 50 min

Lesson Objectives (Big Idea):

Students will be introduced to the identifying factors of a myth. They will be introduced
to the topics that will be explored throughout the unit, as well as the portfolio that will
be completed.

Curriculum Expectations:

Oral:
● 2.7 use a variety of appropriate visual aids
Writing:
● 1.2 generate ideas about more challenging topics and identify those most appropriate
for the purpose
● 3.3 confirm spellings and word meanings or word choice using a variety of resources
appropriate for the purpose
● Portfolio- 4.3 select pieces of writing that they think reflect their growth and
competence as writers and explain the reasons for their choices

Materials/Resources:

● Chart paper
● Markers
● projector/laptop

Lesson Body:
Silent Reading (10 min)

Introduce Portfolio (2min)

● Students will be working on a portfolio due at the end of the next 6 lessons.
● Students will pick 4/6 of the activities to hand in with a title page. This is what will be
marked for the unit

Visual Essay: (20 min)

● in groups draw what you think a myth is (elements, key ideas/words)
● Chart (Agree/Disagree). Complete, then discuss with partners. Discuss with class.

As a class: (15 min)

● As a class write down a collective definition of myth
● Check against actual definition
● Give description and features of myth and myth vs legend vs Folktale/fairytale

Differentiation: Class discussion, partner discussion, kinesthetic/visual (moving, physically

creating art), visual (definitions visible)
Subject / Course: 7 English

Topic: Myths

Lesson Title: Creation Myths

Duration: 50 min

Lesson Objectives (Big Idea):

Learn about creation myths from different cultures. Identify patterns in the texts.

Curriculum Expectations:

Reading:
● 1.1 read a wide variety of increasingly complex or difficult texts from diverse cultures, including
literary texts
● 1.2 identify a variety of purposes for reading and choose reading materials appropriate for
those purposes
● 1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before,
during, and after reading to understand increasingly complex texts
● 1.4 demonstrate understanding of increasingly complex texts by summarizing important ideas
and citing a variety of details that support the main idea
● 1.7 analyse a variety of texts, both simple and complex, and explain how the different elements
in them contribute to meaning and influence the reader’s reaction
● 2.2 analyse increasingly complex texts to identify organizational patterns used in them and
explain how the patterns help communicate meaning
● 3.3 read appropriate texts with expression and confidence, adjusting reading strategies and
reading rate to match the form and purpose

Materials/Resources:

● laptop/projector
● Activity sheet
● story references

Lesson Body:
Silent Reading (10 min)

Introduction: 5 min
● As a class answer questions: What is a creation myth? Can you think of any? What is
the Christian story of Creation?

Stories: 10 min
● Read 2 short examples of creation myths (in resources)
● Discuss elements and patterns

Activity: 25 min
● Students given several creation myths. Pick 2 and complete chart in workspace

Differentiation: Stories are both on board and read aloud for visual/auditory learners. Google
Read&Write used for students who need it. Modified activity for students with IEP’s.
Subject / Course: 7 English

Topic: Myths

Lesson Title: Flood Myths

Duration: 50 min

Lesson Objectives (Big Idea):

Learn about flood myths from different countries and identify the patterns.

Curriculum Expectations:

Reading:
● 1.1 read a wide variety of increasingly complex or difficult texts from diverse cultures, including
literary texts
● 1.2 identify a variety of purposes for reading and choose reading materials appropriate for
those purposes
● 1.6 extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by
connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar
texts, and to the world around them
● 1.7 analyse a variety of texts, both simple and complex, and explain how the different elements
in them contribute to meaning and influence the reader’s reaction
● 2.2 analyse increasingly complex texts to identify organizational patterns used in them and
explain how the patterns help communicate meaning
● 3.3 read appropriate texts with expression and confidence, adjusting reading strategies and
reading rate to match the form and purpose
Writing:
● 2.1 write complex texts of different lengths using a wide range of forms
● 2.2 establish a distinctive voice in their writing appropriate to the subject and audience

Materials/Resources:

● Laptops
● Projector
● Activity sheet and stories in the student workspace

Lesson Body:

Silent Reading (10 min)

Intro: (15min)
 ● Class discussion- Any famous flood myths?- Discuss Noah’s Ark.
● Discuss pattern of flood myth:
The myth of a disastrous and widespread flood is found in many cultures of the world. For
example, the Hebrew story of Noah's Ark, and the Chinese story of a Great Flood.
Flood myths usually follow this pattern:
• Cause: The flood is humankind's punishment.
• Size: The flood covers the whole land or world.
• Survivors: A few people survive because they are good.
• Signs: There's a sign of hope, e.g., a rainbow, to show that life will go on.

● As a class read 2 flood myths and discuss how we see the patterns in it.

Activity: (25 min)

● Disaster Report- Students select one of the flood myths read as a class. They pretend
they are news reporters and write a report on the flood including the 4 elements in the
pattern of a flood myth
Subject / Course: 7 English

Topic: Myths

Lesson Title: Fire Myths

Duration: 50 min

Lesson Objectives (Big Idea):

Learn about Fire myths from different countries

Curriculum Expectations:

Reading:
● 1.1 read a wide variety of increasingly complex or difficult texts from diverse cultures, including
literary texts
● 1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before,
during, and after reading to understand increasingly complex texts
● 1.4 demonstrate understanding of increasingly complex texts by summarizing important ideas
and citing a variety of details that support the main idea
● 1.5 develop and explain interpretations of increasingly complex or difficult texts using stated
and implied ideas from the texts to support their interpretations
● 2.2 analyse increasingly complex texts to identify organizational patterns used in them and
explain how the patterns help communicate meaning

Materials/Resources:

● laptop /projector
● Activity/stories in workspace

Lesson Body:
Silent Reading (10 min)

Introduction: 15 min
● Pattern of Fire myth
“Fire is very useful, but also very dangerous. Fire enabled early humans to cook food and to
keep warm. Almost all cultures have a myth that explains how fire came into the world. For
example, the New Zealand Maori tell how the hero, Maui, got fire for his people by tricking the
fire goddess. Fire myths usually follow this pattern:

1. The people have no fire.

2. A hero gets fire from the gods, usually by a clever trick.
3. People find that fire is very useful.
4. But fire also brings evil with it.

● Read first fire story

Summary: 10 min
● Individually summarize 4 main parts of the pygmy story (follow the pattern)

Activity: 10-15 min

● Watch video for 2nd fire story. With elbow partner answer questions: identify patterns
of Fire myth, is Prometheus a hero? Was Zeus wrong?
Subject / Course: 7 English

Topic: Myths

Lesson Title: Honey Bees

Duration: 50 min

Lesson Objectives (Big Idea):

Students will be able to compare cultural messages using the example of Honey
Bees- will be able to understand that myths contain truths about real life

Curriculum Expectations:

Reading:
● 1.1 read a wide variety of increasingly complex or difficult texts from diverse cultures, including
literary texts
● 1.6 extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by
connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar
texts, and to the world around them
Oral:
● 1.4 demonstrate an understanding of the information and ideas in increasingly complex oral
texts in a variety of ways
● 1.5 develop and explain interpretations of oral texts using stated and implied ideas from the
texts to support their interpretation

Materials/Resources:

● laptops/projector for teacher

● Activity sheet/story resources in workspace

Lesson Body:
Silent Reading (10 min)

Introduction: 5 min
● Discuss the importance of Honey bees-how do they help people, the environment, etc.
Why is it important that we keep them from dying out? How can we help save the
bees?
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qkIhnGfuJ4

Activity 1:
● Students read 4 short myths on bees and then putt out the real life facts we learn
about bees (in workspace). Complete first 2 as a class, the last 2 with elbow partner.

Activity 2:
● With your elbow partner select 2 of the myths and fill out the comparison chart.
Subject / Course: 7 English

Topic: Myths

Lesson Title: Hero Myths

Duration: 50 min

Lesson Objectives (Big Idea):

Learn about Hero myths from different countries, identify patterns in the texts.

Curriculum Expectations:

Reading:
● 1.1 read a wide variety of increasingly complex or difficult texts from diverse cultures, including
literary texts
● 1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before,
during, and after reading to understand increasingly complex texts
● 1.5 develop and explain interpretations of increasingly complex or difficult texts using stated
and implied ideas from the texts to support their interpretations
● 2.2 analyse increasingly complex texts to identify organizational patterns used in them and
explain how the patterns help communicate meaning
Media:
● 3.4 produce a variety of media texts of some technical complexity for specific purposes and
audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques

Materials/Resources:

● Laptop/projector
● Blank paper, colouring supplies, pencils, scissors
● Students can use Pixton (online) to create their comics

Lesson Body:
Silent Reading (10 min)

Introduction: 15 min
Most myths have a hero who is brave, clever or strong. Some examples are Perseus, Maui,
Sigurd, Jason and Beowulf. The hero brings important gifts to his people (e.g. fire). He is a
role model of right behavior and is greatly admired.
The life story of a mythical hero usually follows this pattern:
• He has a special birth.
• He has unusual skills as a child.
• He is tested as a young man.
• He goes on a journey or quest to find something. • He has difficult tasks to do.
• He has one weakness.
• He is rewarded for his effort.
• He dies a special death.

● As a class read 3 Hero myths (in Resources)

● Discuss patterns, and elements of the stories

Activity: 30 min
● Pick a hero from one of the myths we read and create a comic strip for him with a
minimum of 6 sections.
● Can use Pixton or draw by hand (give run through of Pixton).
Subject / Course: 7 English

Topic: Myths

Lesson Title: Heroines

Duration: 50 min

Lesson Objectives (Big Idea):

Learn about Heroine myths from different countries

Curriculum Expectations:

Reading:
● 1.1 read a wide variety of increasingly complex or difficult texts from diverse cultures, including
literary texts
● 1.3 identify a variety of reading comprehension strategies and use them appropriately before,
during, and after reading to understand increasingly complex texts
● 1.5 develop and explain interpretations of increasingly complex or difficult texts using stated
and implied ideas from the texts to support their interpretations
● 2.2 analyse increasingly complex texts to identify organizational patterns used in them and
explain how the patterns help communicate meaning
Media:
● 3.4 produce a variety of media texts of some technical complexity for specific purposes and
audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques

Materials/Resources:

● Laptop/projector
● Blank paper, colouring supplies, pencils, scissors
● Students can use Pixton (online) to create their comics

Lesson Body:
Silent Reading (10 min)

Intro : 5 min
Why are there fewer stories about mythical heroines than about heroes?

It is harder to find stories about women than men in mythology. Most ancient societies were
patriarchal (male-dominated) and the men were storytellers and leaders. However, in legends
there are many more women (because they are more historical) and also in folktales. In
mythology, the female characters are often goddesses.

Read 3 stories: 10 min

Activity: 25 min
● Imagine you are directing a movie about a heroine from one of the stories we have
read. Design a movie poster, including title and tagline for your movie.
 Create a Myth

1. In small groups of 3 or 4, you will be writing and recording your own myth. Students must
choose one of the styles of myths we have learned about in this unit, and the myth must
follow the patterns discussed in class. Myth should be about half a page typed.
Please put your final copy below. You can choose from:
● Creation myths
● Flood myths
● Fire myths
● Honey Bees
● Hero myths
● Heroine myths

2. Once you have written your myth, you will act out your myth and record it as a video. You are
encouraged to use costumes, and enhance your video with music. The videos are due Friday
April 6 where we will watch them in class.

Suggested video editing tool for chromebooks, laptops, and android devices: Animoto Video
Maker (FREE in Chrome web store)

Final copy of myth:

 Disaster Report

Imagine you are a reporter (TV, internet, radio or newspaper) at the time of the flood.
Write a script about what you see happening and interview some survivors. Ask them
questions about the flood.

Remember the pattern of a flood myth:

• Cause: The flood is humankind's punishment.

• Size: The flood covers the whole land or world.
• Survivors: A few people survive because they are good.
• Signs: There's a sign of hope, e.g., a rainbow, to show that life will go on.
 Fire Myths

1. Flying Pygmy story:

Summarize the four main parts of the Flying Pygmy myth:
1.
2.
3.
4.

2. Prometheus Story:
Answer the following questions based on the story of Prometheus. Expand on your
answers (yes/no will not be accepted).

Identify 4 patterns of the Fire myth inside

the story of Prometheus

Do you think Prometheus a hero?

Why/why not?

Was Zeus wrong in his actions? Why/why

not
 Hero Activity

Your task is to select one of the heroes we have learned about today. On the paper provided
you will create a comic strip based on this hero. You can take elements from the story, and look
at more resources about the hero for inspiration.

The comic strip must have a minimum of 6 blocks. Be as creative as you want! (You are not
being judged on your artistic ability, but on the effort you put in)

Example:
 Bee Mythology

About 20,000 years ago people started hunting for honey, then 3,000 years ago they made
hives for bees to live in. The following ancient myths about honey bees are from different
cultures. Each one explains something different about honey bees and beekeeping.

Read the following bee myths and after each one write what real life facts it explains and what
message it conveys.

1. Brazil
"In the beginning, honey was found in huge pots on the ground, and people ate as much as they
liked. The gods looked down and were greatly displeased. “Those humans are becoming fat
and lazy,” they said. The gods commanded the bees to build honeycomb high in the tall jungle
trees. Now people had to work hard to climb up and get the honey."

______________________________________________________________________

2. Thailand
"Long, long ago, elephants did not have trunks. One day a terrible forest fire swept over the
land. To escape the smoke, the honey bees hid inside the elephants’ mouths. The elephants
trumpeted angrily, but the bees would not come out. The elephants blew so hard, their mouths
stretched out into trunks. In desperation, the elephants breathed in the stinging smoke and the
bees finally buzzed off. Since then, bees have always built honeycomb in hollow trees, because
it reminds them of elephant trunks."
______________________________________________________________________

3. Australia
"Two Numerji brothers went on walkabout. They came across some bees collecting the sweet
nectar from flowers. The brothers wondered how they could follow the bees back to their nest.
The older brother had a bright idea. He attached a thread of sticky spider web to a bee. This
made the bee easy to follow, and the younger brother ran after it. He tracked the bee to a hollow
tree. There he found a delicious honeycomb – or sugarbag as Aboriginal Australians still call it
today."

______________________________________________________________________

4. Africa

"Bee was a kindly creature. One night, Mantis needed to cross a great, flooded river to reach his
family, and asked Bee for help. Bee offered to carry Mantis on her back. She flew over the
raging waters but was beaten down by a strong wind. Bee was dangerously close to the waves
when she saw a magnificent flower floating on the water. Bee dropped Mantis onto the flower,
fell beside her, and died of exhaustion. When the sun rose, curled up on the flower was the first
human being – bee’s sacrifice."
______________________________________________________________________

With a partner select 2 of the bee myths from above and complete the following chart. Each
partner must have a completed chart.

Myth 1 Myth 2

What does it explain about

the world?

What are the supernatural

elements?

Who are the characters?

What are the important

events?
 Introduction to Mythology

Complete chart. When you are finished turn to the person behind you and discuss.

Myths Agree Disagree

A Myth is a story that is not factual

A myth is a story about princes, princesses, and

witches

A myth is an adventure story about a real

person

A myth may explain how things began

Many groups of people have myths about a flood

Myths are stories about ordinary people

Myth heroes are mostly male

Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster are myths

 Portfolio Assignment

Each student will select their 5 best assignments completed for the Myth unit. You will print
them and hand them in in Hard Copy.

Submission must include:

● Title Page (including students name)
● 5 completed assignment from the Myth unit

Rubric

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Title Page Title page includes Title page includes Title page includes There is no title
student\'s name, student\'s name, student\'s name page
and appropriate and an
illustrations. illustrations.

Completion There are 5 fully There are 5 There are 4-5 There are 4 or less
completed completed assignments assignments
assignments assignments attached. attached.
attached. All attached. Most Assignments are Assignments are
assignments are assignments are completed but incomplete or little
well done, and well well done, and well require more work effort is put into
thought out. thought out. or effort. them.

Grammar/Punctuatio There are no There are few There are many The assignment is
n grammar, spelling, grammar, spelling, grammar, spelling, filled with
or punctuation or punctuation and punctuation grammar, spelling,
errors in all errors in errors in all and punctuation
assignments. assignments. assignments. errors. Students
Students write in Students mostly Students seldom write in full
full sentences write in full sometimes write in sentences
sentences full sentences