ELA UNIT PLANNING
UNIT: _________Heroism & Humility - Greek Mythology_________________
TIME FRAME: __5 - 6 Weeks____
TEACHER/GR:___6th Grade ELA____
Unit Summary and Rationale :(Outlines the components of the unit and the reasoning for their inclusion): Students will read and research mythology and
mythological characters/ creatures. During this unit students will:
 Summarize various myths
 Complete and present a mini research project about a mythological creature/ character through the use of a biopoem
 Produce various types of writing
UnitConnectionCollege and Career Ready Descriptions: Teachers will select at least one of the following lenses to act as the overlay for the unit. These are the
descriptors that must be included to ensure the unit is fully aligned to the CCSS and relevant to the college and career ready student.
Students will demonstrate independence.
Students will value evidence.
Students will build strong content knowledge.
Students will respond to the varying demands of audience, task, and discipline.
Students will critique as well as comprehend.
Students will use technology and digital media strategically and capably.
Students will develop an understanding of other perspectives and cultures.
Unit Standards: Teachers should list the standards to be addressed within the unit.
March 14, 2012
Reading Literature
Writing
Speaking and Listening

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.
W.6.3. Write narratives to develop
real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique,
relevant descriptive details, and
well-structured event sequences
SL.6.1. Engage effectively in a range of 
collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and
issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
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.) 
SL.6.2. Interpret information presented in
diverse media and formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, orally) and explain how it
contributes to a topic, text, or issue

under study.


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.6.4. Determine the meaning of
words and phrases as they are used in
a text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the
impact of a specific word choice on

meaning and tone.

RL.6.5. Analyze how a particular
sentence, chapter, scene, or stanza
fits into the overall structure of a text
and contributes to the development
of the theme, setting, or plot.

RL.6.7. Compare and contrast the
experience of reading a story, drama,
or poem to listening to or viewing an
audio, video, or live version of the
text, including contrasting what they
“see” and “hear” when reading the
text to what they perceive when they

listen or watch.
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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.
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.6.7. Conduct short research
projects to answer a question,
drawing on several sources and
refocusing the inquiry when
appropriate.
SL.6.3. Delineate a speaker’s argument
and specific claims, distinguishing claims
that are supported by reasons and

evidence from claims that are not.
SL.6.4. Present claims and findings,
sequencing ideas logically and using
pertinent descriptions, facts, and details
to accentuate main ideas or themes; use
appropriate eye contact, adequate
volume, and clear pronunciation.
Language
L.6.1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
L.6.2. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing
L.6.3. Use knowledge of language and
its conventions when writing,
speaking, reading, or listening.
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.


RL.6.9. Compare and contrast texts in
different forms or genres (e.g., stories
and poems; historical novels and
fantasy stories) in terms of their
approaches to similar themes and
topics.
W.6.8. Gather relevant information
from multiple print and digital
sources; assess the credibility of
each source; and quote or
paraphrase the data and
conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and providing
basic bibliographic information for
sources.
Essential Questions: Essential questions center around major issues,
problems, concerns, interests, or themes relevant to the classroom.
Essential questions should lead students to discover the big ideas. They
need to go beyond who, what and where. They need to lead to the how
and why.
EQ: How do elements in a text help define it as a specific genre?
*EQ – How can I identify a story as a myth?
*EQ – What are the characteristics of gods and goddesses and how do they
affect the myths they are in?
*EQ – How can I use what I know about mythology to create my own myth?
Big Ideas: These are what students will discover as a result of instruction and
learning activities. They are the main ideas of the learning, the conclusions, or the
generalizations. Big Ideas should be open-ended and apply to more than one area
of study.
* It is important to understand that the individual elements of a text contribute
to the overall meaning.
* Identifying the elements of a story is important to identifying the genre of the
text.
* The characteristics of gods and goddesses defines the elements of the myth.
*Students creating their own myth shows that they can understand, analyze, and
apply their knowledge of mythological elements.
Learning Targets: What should students be able to do by the end of the lesson?
 I will recognize and classify stories as myths by using the classic elements of a myth.
 I will identify characteristics of gods and goddesses and analyze how they affect the myths they are in.
 I will research one god/goddess of my choice which will result in an original bio poem of the character.
 I will create mythological character using prior knowledge of what I have learned about myths.
 I will analyze a story in order to classify it as a myth using video, graphic organizer, text, highlighting, and small group discussion.
 I will generate an original myth using prior knowledge and notes as well as a planning booklet that includes the writing process, technology, and
illustrations.
March 14, 2012
Learning Tasks: Teachers list the various tasks students will engage in throughout the unit, include use of media/other forms of information.
Reading Tasks



Read, analyze, summarize,
and determine the
mythological elements of
the myths Medusa,
Prometheus, Athena, and
Pandora. (6.1,2,3,4,5)
Read the news article in
“text” section of unit
comparing and contrasting
the man to Prometheus.
(6.9)
Researching websites with
information on the gods
and goddesses of ancient
Greece. (6.1)
Writing Tasks





Bio poem (6.4,6,7,8)
Quick write using the
summary of The Black Ships
Before Troy (purpose, task,
outcome) highlighting the
important parts of text to
understand what the Greek
civilization was like (6.1)
Original student work –
mythological creature/god
with myth booklet (6.3,4,5,6)
Create a written response for
a philosophical chairs
discussion supporting a
position using evidence from
the text (6.1,4,6,9)
Compose a written reflection
about the PC discussion, if
your mind changed, and how
the question ties in to our unit
EQ of how elements support a
whole story (6.4)
Discussion Tasks



Philosophical chairs relating
to the punishment of medusa
(6.1a,b,3,4)
Create H.O.T. questions with
a partner using text (6.1c)
Have students take the role
of a god/goddess and defend
who was the better
god/goddess and why (6.1, 2)
Language/Vocabulary Tasks



Students will use the writing
process to ensure that drafting
revising and publishing are done
with efficacy.
Peer/teacher revision
Tiered words from the text
Assessments: List types of assessments that will be used throughout the course of the unit.
*If you do not have assessments for this unit, they should be created before moving on to the lesson design*
DIAGNOSTIC
FORMATIVE
SUMMATIVE
 Element of myth foldable checklist
 Create an original Myth
 Quick write on the summary of Greek
 Discussion
civilization
 Bio Poem
 Ability to persuade/argue gods and
goddesses
 H.O.T questions
March 14, 2012
Text(s) Selections/Resources(generated by both teacher and student)
Teachers will list the genres/titles/resources for study and indicate text complexity:
* http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/body-missing-swimmer-found-name-released/nP6qx/ - article to be compared to the story of Prometheus. “ Family
says man drowned while trying to save woman faking drowning.”
*Golden Tales: Myths, Legends, and Folktales from La Lulu Delacre
*Short myths about Prometheus, Medusa, Athena, and Pandora
*Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of Greek Myths by Bernard Evslin
*The Black Ships Before Troy summary “The Golden Apple”
*Texts for close reads
*Other Myths
Notes ( include accommodations/grouping/modifications):
March 14, 2012