The Greek Myth I have chosen to analyze is: ____________________________
Short summary of the myth:
Reason 1 (lesson, moral, theme, message):
Add evidence
Reason 2 (lesson, moral, theme, message):
Add evidence
Reason 3 (lesson, moral, theme, message):
Add evidence
Caption for picture:
Greek Myth Project 2015
ELA Common Core Standards:
RL: Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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
WS: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
Myths in Ancient Greece usually explained a specific part of nature and/or taught a specific
lesson to Greek citizens. The myth of Arachne did both. It taught a valuable lesson to ancient
Greeks (and to us as well) that too much pride is very dangerous! At the same time, this myth
also explained how arachnids came into this world.
Your job is to research (closely read) ONE of the many myths from Ancient
Greece, analyze the message, moral, and/or theme, and write a persuasive
essay explaining the reasons this myth should continue to be repeated.
Requirements: Each part is worth 10 points based upon content and structure:
 Introduction: Make a strong opening statement. Clearly identify the myth you
are using and three major reasons this myth should continue to be retold. (be
sure to include what it teaches)
The myth of Arachne teaches that actions have consequences, sometimes severe consequences.
Retelling her story will lead people to listen to the advice of their elders, and to remember to be
humble. This ancient Greek myth also provides a clever story explaining the origin of spiders
(arachnids) so we definitely need to keep retelling it!
 Body One: Use your first good reason (from the introduction) and supply twothree statements of evidence (from the myth) supporting your reason
Adults who have lived a long time have experiences worth sharing with younger people, and we
should make time to listen to them. If Arachne had listened to the old crone and apologized for her
prideful comments, she would NOT have been turned into a spider! We need to keep reminding
others that listening to her elders would have saved Arachne from a horrible fate.
 Body Two: Use your second good reason (from the introduction) and supply twothree statements of evidence (from the myth) supporting your reason
A great way for children to learn society’s rules is to follow a character in a story and learn from
their adventures and mistakes. “Arachne was used to being wondered at, and she was immensely
proud of the skill that had brought so many to look on her. Praise was all she lived for, and it
displeased her greatly that people would think anyone, even a goddess, could teach her anything.”
Oh my! Because Arachne was not willing to give credit to the goddess, she was punished
severely. This story cleverly shows that too much pride leads to trouble; a good lesson for all.
 Body Three: Use your third good reason (from the introduction) and supply twothree statements of evidence (from the myth) supporting your reason
The first spider in the world may not have come from Arachne’s actions, but the scientific
explanation is boring! After all, no one alive today was there when the first spider really came into
existence, maybe it did happen like this myth says. “All spiders descend from Arachne, and as the
Greeks watched them spinning their thread wonderfully fine, they remembered the contest with
Athena and thought that it was not right for even the best of men to claim equality with the gods.”
 Conclusion: Restate your three reasons the myth should continue to be told and
end with a strong closing declaration that restates your position
Arachne is a tale that shows how dangerous conceit can be, how important it is to listen to older,
wiser people, and possibly how we got spiders. This myth deserves to be retold for many years
because the dangers of being too boastful and having too much pride are as important in our
society today as it was in ancient Greece.
To Do List
 Choose a myth
 Plan ahead to insure you have the time to produce honor’s quality
 Read everything you can about your myth
 Analyze the myth to find the reasons it was created (morals, lessons, themes)
 Check with Mrs. Hirsch to confirm what you discovered!
 Follow the format to write your 5 sections
o USE THE SAMPLE AS A GUIDE
o Check for spelling
o Check for capital letters on all names
o Check for quotation marks
o Check for periods, commas, question marks, exclamation points
o Be sure to avoid repeated words, phrases, and ideas
o Use vivid vocabulary
 Have a peer edit your work
 Proofread your final copy
o Cleanly and neatly mount it in the center of the display board
 Retell the myth in summary form (your own words)
o Cleanly & neatly mount the summary on the left side of the display board
 Illustrate your myth in a visually appealing manner
o Add a caption explaining your picture
o Cleanly & neatly mount the picture on the right side of the display board
 Recheck to make sure you have done EVERYTHING on this list!
Title
Summary
of the
same
myth in
your own
words,
neatly
presented
25 points
Final, proofread,
neat copy of
your Persuasive
Myth Essay
50 points
Total=100points
Visually
appealing
illustration
of your
myth
20 points
Caption
explaining
your myth
5 points