Greek Culture
Myths & Fables
SOCIAL STUDIES/
LANGUAGE ARTS
C O N N E C TI O N
Anticipatory Set
 Liberia
 Where my family is from
 The fable of the spider…
Standards
 S.S. 6.4.4
 Explain
the significance of Greek mythology to
the everyday life of people in the region and how
Greek literature continues to permeate our
literature and language today, drawing from
Greek mythology and epics, such as Homer’s
Iliad and The Odyssey, and from Aesop’s Fables.
Objective
 Students will be able to comprehend and
explain the significance of Greek mythology
to the everyday life of people in the region
and how Greek literature continues to
permeate our literature and language today.
Language of the Discipline
Myth
Fable
Aesop’s fables
Mythology
Storytelling in Greek Culture
(Input)
Storytelling in Greek Culture
(Input)
 Many early civilizations relied on an oral tradition of
passing on history.
 Storytellers would pass on tales to the next
generation and the culture would be passed on to
each successive generation.
 Eventually, with the creation of writing, stories are
now part of the historical record.
What is a MYTH?
(Input)
 A traditional story, concerning the early history of a
people or explaining some natural or social
phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural
beings or events.
-Examples:
The Battle of the Titans
The Three Fates
The Tale of Callisto
Image of The Three Fates
(Input)
What is a FABLE?
(Input)
 A work of fiction that uses fantastic or imagined
scenarios along with human like animal characters to
teach an acceptable norm of society.
 A short story, typically with animals as characters,
conveying a moral or lesson.
-Examples:
The Tortoise and the Hare
The Grasshopper and the the Ant
Image of The Tortoise and the Hare
(Input)
Primary Differences
(Input)
 The main differences that exist between MYTH and
FABLE is that FABLES will ALWAYS teach a moral
lesson.
 MYTHS are simply a way to explain the unknown,
though there ay be a moral buried within the MYTH.
 FABLES traditionally use ANIMALS to tell the tales.
Here, ANIMALS represent traits/characteristics that
exist within the human world.

Example: Industrious Ants, Deliberate and Determined
Tortoise, Scattered Hare, etc….
Aesop Fables
(Input)
Who was Aesop?
(Input)
 Some of the most famous and well-known fables
were written by a man named Aesop.
 Aesop was a writer who can be traced to 620 to 564
BC.
 Aesop was born a slave and was believed to have
been a prolific writer of fables.
 Though no real historical proof exists that he had
written these tales, many of his contemporaries had
attributed the stories to him.
How were Fables Used within Greek Culture?
(Input)
 Fables were traditionally used by parents, teachers
and other adults on young children to help teach
them acceptable traits/characteristics or behavior of
the society.
 Fables are a beloved part of most cultures. They
become part of the civilization. EVERY civilization
uses fables to teach the next generation of the
EXPECTED norms that are valued.
Importance to Greek Culture
(Input)
 Mythology is VERY important to the culture of the
region because it was used to explain the unknown.
 Later, myths represented to the Greeks that they
were the chosen people of the Gods from Mount
Olympus and that these humans received the shining
favor of these all-powerful beings.
 Greek myths also showed the complexity of their
civilization. Here, the myths themselves proved to
others that the Greeks were advanced. They had
writing and artworks to support this.
The Allure of Mythology
(Input)
 Why has Mythology been a subject enjoyed for
countless generations?




Mythology transports the reader back to a realm of magic,
fantasy and wonder.
Mythology was the Greeks way to explain the unknown or add
a sense of romance or exoticism to a story.
Some believe that myths had a grain of truth to them, though
many now agree they are complete works of fiction.
Myths were used to celebrate traits that were viewed as an
ideal:

Heroism, intelligence, cunning, purity, devotion, honesty, etc…
Explaining the Unknown
(Input)
 Myths were traditionally used to explain the unknown.
Here ,since they had yet to discover science and other fields
of knowledge, a tale was spun to try to explain things.

Examples:
 The Abduction of Prosperina/Persephone
• The change in Seasons

The Tale of Narcissus and Echo
• Origin of a flower and the echo

The Tale of Minerva and Arachne
• The reason spiders weave/spin webs

The Tale of Europa
• The formation of Europe.
Heroes: Men and Women of POWER
(Input)
 Greek Myths used men and women of great power
(The Gods and Goddesses) to weave tales of
conquest, discovery, love, loss, and redemption.
 Additional tales were written about Demi-Gods, halfGod and half-mortal, who traveled the world and
completed amazing feats and challenges.


Perseus and the slaying of the Gorgon Medusa
Heracles and the Twelve Labors
Greek Gods and Goddesses
(Input)
Greek Mythology Today
(Input)
 In today’s modern world, Greek Mythology is still
relevant. Many young learners are being exposed to
the ancient world of heroes and gods and can use
this as a leans to learn more about the wonderful
world of Greek culture.
 Greek Myths have even served as the inspiration for
many films, TV shows and video games.
Check for Understanding
 Please determine the BEST answer for
the following question.
 Please write your answer on your white
boards and wait for the teacher’s signal.
 On the count of 3, hold up your white
boards.
Checking for Understanding
 What did early civilization rely on to pass
tradition?
 Myths
 What is a Greek myth?
 A traditional story involving supernatural beings
or events.
 What is a fable?
 A story to teach the next generation about the
norms and expectations; a moral or a lesson.
Guided and Independent Practice
 Guided Practice
 Complete questions 1 and 2 on the reading comprehension
worksheet.
 Raise your hand and wait to get stamped.
 If you received an “R” go to the back table with Ms. Graham.
 Independent Practice
 Once you have been stamped moved to independent practice
and complete numbers 3 and 4 on the reading comprehension
worksheet.
Reading Comprehension
Connection
SHADES OF MEANING
Anticipatory Set
 Looking for a place to live.
 Found an apartment
 Sign a contract
 “Residents must adhere to all
community rules and
regulations. If the resident
cannot follow these
procedures, the lease will be
terminated.”
 What does adhere mean?
 Look at the context of the
sentences. If I was to not
follow the rules my lease
would end, so adhere must
mean “to follow.”
Standards
 R.W. 1.1.5
 Vocabulary
and Concept Development
 Understand
and explain “shades of meaning” in related
words (e.g., softly and quietly)
Objective
 Students will be able to understand and explain
Greek myths and fables by using “shades of
meaning” through the reading of expository text.
What are Shades of Meaning?
(Input)
 “Shades of meaning” is a phrase used to describe the
small, subtle differences in meaning between similar
words or phrases.


Example: “KID” and “YOUTH” both refer to young people, but carry
differing views and ideas about young people.
Example: “SHORT and “PETITE” both refer to a person that is small
in stature. Yet one is viewed as more descriptive and can be viewed
as a compliment.
 Shades of meaning rely on nuances in the definitions, to
determine which is better, you usually have to think in
extremes or degrees.


Example: “SMART” vs. “WISE”.
Which do you think has the better meaning?
What is Denotation?
(Input)
 Denotation is the LITERAL meaning of a word.
 Here, it is what the word or phrase truly
represents.


No emotion or evaluation is needed.
The word simply is used as intended.

Examples: The girl was happy.
The class was noisy.
The present was nice.
 The LITERAL meaning rarely asks for a reader to
evaluate closely or rethink the word’s usage.
What is Connotation?
(Input)
 Connotation is an idea or feeling that a word invokes
with a person in addition to its literal or primary
meaning.


Generally has a Positive OR Negative influence.
Elicits an emotional reaction or some sort of value judgment
 Example: “MEAN” vs. “HATEFUL.”
“Mean” has one definition, “Hateful” hints of an
extreme. Instead of simply being “MEAN,”
the
other word choice implies a person
FILLED with HATE. “Hateful” has more power in
the descriptive sense.
Synonyms: The Basis of Shades of Meaning
(Input/Modeling)
 When using shades of meaning, one needs to have a
wide repertoire of words to select from. Synonyms
will come into play. Think of a word and the
connect yourself to all of the possible related
words.


Example: Main word “THIN”
Synonyms: SLIM, LEAN, SKINNY, EMACIATED,
SKELETAL
Note how the words all cover the idea of “THIN” yet when
you carefully examine the words, some of the synonyms have
a more extreme meaning.

EMACIATED and SKELETAL go beyond simply being “THIN.”
Looking at the POSITIVE!!!
(Input/Modeling)
 Here, try to put a POSITIVE spin on the following
sentences. Take the original underlined word and
substitute in a much more powerful word that still
sends the same message.




The smart student asked a series of interesting questions.
What are some synonyms for SMART?
The food tasted good.
What are some synonyms for GOOD?
Evaluating the Positive (Input/Modeling)
 The smart student asked a series of interesting
questions

SMART can also be switched out for words such as:

GENIUS, INTELLIGENT, BRILLIANT, PROFOUND, etc…
 The food tasted good.
 GOOD can also be described with words such as:


DELICIOUS, SAVORY, DIVINE, FLAVORFUL, etc…
Here, GOOD is not right or wrong but deals with taste.
Looking at the NEGATIVE!!!
(Input/Modeling)
 Here, try to put a NEGATIVE spin on the following
sentences. Take the original underlined word and
substitute in a much more powerful word that still
sends the same message.




The dress looked ugly on the hanger.
What are some synonyms for UGLY?
The young boy was sad.
What are some synonyms for SAD?
Evaluating the Negative
(Input/Modeling)
 The dress looked ugly on the hanger.

UGLY is referring to the appearance of the dress.

UGLY can also be referred to as:

UNPRETTY, HIDEOUS, UNAPPEALING, DREADFUL, etc…
 The young boy was sad.

SAD refers to the emotional state of the boy.

SAD can also be referred to as:

DEPRESSED, MOROSE, MELANCHOLY, GLOOMY, etc…
Comparing Using “Shades of Meaning”
(Modeling)
 Example: He would often become bored and to amuse
himself he would call out, "Wolf! Wolf," although there was
no wolf about. The villagers would stop what they were
doing and run to save the sheep from the wolf's jaw. Once
they arrived at the pasture, the boy just laughed. The
naughty boy played this joke over and over until the
villagers tired of him.
 What best describes the relationship between the
underlined words?

The relationship between the underlined words in that laughed
adds to the meaning of amused.
Comparing Using “Shades of Meaning”
(Modeling)
 Example:
 What does the word quarreled mean in the sentence
below?

The two infants grew up side by side and became to be good
friends and playmates. They never quarreled and played
happily together.
 In the sentence below, the word “quarreled” means
to disagree or argue.
Comparing Using “Shades of Meaning”
(Modeling)
 Example:
 What context clues can you find in the passage to
help you interpret the meaning of the underlined
word?

One day a lion was waken from his afternoon nap by a group of
mice scurrying all about him. Swat! went his huge paw upon
one the little creatures.
 By looking at the words and phrases around the
underlined word, “scurrying” means to move quickly.
The context clue that helped me was the phrase“
mice scurrying all about him.”
Check for Understanding
 Please determine the BEST answer for
the following question.
 Please write your answer on your white
boards and wait for the teacher’s signal.
 On the count of 3, hold up your white
boards.
Checking for Understanding #1
 Read the following passage.
A wolf ravished his prey one day. He ate so fiercely and
hungrily that a bone got lodged in his throat, causing
him grievous pain. He howled and howled in agony
and offered a rich reward to anyone who could remove
the bone.
1. What best describes the relationship between the
underlined words?

The relationship between the two words is that “grievous
pain” describes the meaning of “agony.”
Checking for Understanding #2
 Read the following passage.
Two men were strolling down a forest path when they
came across a bear. One man scampered up a tree and
escaped the bear's claws.
 What is the difference between strolling and
scampered?

The difference between the word strolling and scampered is
that strolling means to slowly walk and scampered means to
quickly run.
Checking for Understanding #3
 Read the following passage.
But the man clutched his coat tight against him. The
wind blew harder and longer, and the harder the wind
blew, the tighter the man held his coat against him.
 What context clues can you find in the passage to
help you interpret the meaning of the underlined
word?

The words “the harder the wind blew, the tighter the man held
his coast against him,” helped me to understand that the
meaning of clutched was to grip tightly.
Guided and Independent Practice
 Guided Practice
 Complete questions 1 and 2 on the reading comprehension
worksheet.
 Raise your hand and wait to get stamped.
 If you received an “R” go to the back table with Ms. Graham.
 Independent Practice
 Once you have been stamped moved to independent practice
and complete numbers 3 and 4 on the reading comprehension
worksheet.