a traditional tale explaining a culture's beliefs and customs, often involving gods and supernatural creatures

relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the past

an essential or characteristic part of something

a collection of myths from ancient Egypt, which describe the actions of Egyptian gods as a means of understanding the world

an unusual and exciting or daring experience

British English CC

Developing an understanding of 'Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx'

English

In 'Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx’, pupils read and listened to a modern myth. They discussed the features of modern myths. In ’Arthur and the Golden Rope’, children will develop their understanding of modern myths by drawing comparisons between the texts. 

In 'The Moon Dragons’, children read and listened to a quest narrative. In ’Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx’, pupils will read another quest narrative interwoven with themes of mythology.

In this unit, pupils discuss and explore the story 'Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx'. They will develop their understanding of the features of a modern myth. Finally, pupils will explore the key themes in the text and develop a personal response.

'Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx': book club

What type of story is 'Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx'?

Which culture's mythology is incorporated in 'Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx'?

on a boat so that she can visit the pyramids

on a Wind Weaver to find and help her father

She needs to sail into the sea to rescue him from Ra's boat.

She needs to solve a riddle to rescue him from the belly of the sphinx.

She needs to fly into the sky to rescue him from the stars.

Where does Marcy need to rescue her father from and how?

What type of characters would you encounter in a myth?

the style or category that a story belongs to

the people and animals that appear in a story

Match the vocabulary to the correct definition.

Which of the following are examples of mythical creatures?

to learn true and real facts about the world

because they enjoy reading fictional tales with supernatural elements

Why would somebody choose to read a myth?

What do we often learn from reading myths?

Introduction

What will you need for this lesson?

Are you ready to learn?

Equipment

Worksheet