Lesson video

Hi there.

My name is Mr. Charlesworth and in today's reading lesson we're exploring a text, "A Journey Through Greek Myths." We're going to be discovering all about the Ancient Greeks and how they thought the world came to be.

I'm really looking forward to working with you today.

Let's get started.

The lesson outcome is I can explain what a traditional myth is.

The key words are my turn, your turn.

Traditional myth.

Supernatural.

Folklore.

Features.

And Greek mythology.

Let's try those once more.

Traditional myth.

Supernatural.

Folklore.

Features.

And Greek mythology.

Well done.

A traditional myth explains a culture's beliefs and customs. They usually involve god's and supernatural creatures.

Supernatural beings include gods, giants, magic, and other mystical ancient elements.

Folklore is a genre in which all stories are shared and passed down over time.

The features of a text refer to distinctive characteristics that belong to it.

And finally, Greek mythology is a set of ancient tales of Greek gods, beliefs, and the worlds they inhabit.

Don't worry if you're unsure about any of these words.

We'll be exploring them throughout the lesson.

In today's lesson, we're going to be exploring the genre of "A Journey Through Greek Myths." We are going to begin by having an introduction to both the genre and the text itself before we have a look at the narrators in more detail.

Let's get started by looking at features of the genre and what we can find out about the text itself.

"A Journey Through Greek Myths" is a nonfiction text.

It explores the mythology of Ancient Greece, including 28 tales.

These are interspersed with small snippets from our two narrators who we'll find out a little bit more about later.

A traditional myth is an ancient or historical tale explaining a culture's beliefs and customs. They often involve gods and supernatural creatures.

While noticed on the keyword.

Myths belong to the genre of traditional tales and folklore.

They usually explain the creation of the world, natural events, and the origins of rituals or customs. They're told from generation to generation and give us an insight into what the Ancient Greeks thought about life, death, and many other themes.

The author of "A Journey Through Greek Myths" is Marchella Ward.

The illustrator is Sander Berg.

The text follows the journey of two owls as they make their way across the Mediterranean Sea, exploring Greek heroes, gods, and goddesses from Athens and Sparta.

There's lots of other places mentioned too.

The front cover can provide the reader with clues as to what might occur in the text story or narrative.

I wonder, what do you notice on the front cover? Have a discussion with your talk partner and have a look at all the small details that the illustrator and author have included.

Pause the video now whilst you do so.

Great work.

We're now going to explore a few of the features from the front cover together.

You might have spotted a winged, white horse right in the centre.

In Greek mythology, this mythical creature is commonly known as Pegasus.

Let's try that, my turn, your turn.

Pegasus.

Pegasus.

Well done.

I wonder what else you can see.

I noticed along the left and the right hand side a tessellated pattern.

It made me think of the decorations that sometimes cover Greek vases.

I also noticed a well-armored soldier sitting atop Pegasus.

I wonder if he's off to battle.

There are also various constellations, they're highlighted in gold.

It has something to do with the night sky.

I wonder if this text explores some of the reasons the constellations are there.

There's also two flying owls.

They look as though they're trying to escape the front cover.

Perhaps these are our two narrators.

And finally, along the top and the bottom there are rows of different icons.

These represent perhaps some of the different myths that we're going to encounter as we read on.

I wonder if you or your partner found anything else.

Let's continue to explore the text.

Here's our first check for understanding.

Using the front cover, match the following information about the book.

Have a think and pause the video whilst you match them up.

Well done.

I wonder if you've got them all correct.

Let's check.

Marchella Ward is the author.

She's the writer of the text.

Sander Berg is the illustrator, a person responsible for all the artwork and illustrations.

"A Journey Through Greek Myths" is the title, which means that the publisher must be Flying Eye Books.

I wonder if you've read any other Flying Eye Books texts.

They publish a lot of non-fiction.

Before we explore the inside of the text, it's important to have an understanding of some of the features of a traditional myth.

They usually often feature gods and goddesses with extraordinary powers and abilities.

They usually help or support the hero or heroine, or sometimes they hinder them and put challenges in their way.

Traditional myths often provide an origin story.

This explains natural events, rituals or customs that the Ancient Greeks had.

They usually impart an important moral or lesson taught.

This means by reading the myth, readers will gain an understanding of what's right and wrong.

Traditional myths often have relatable themes, some of which include loyalty, friendship, bravery, and persistence.

Persistence is all about determination and trying your very best.

Traditional myths often feature epic battles or adventures.

They usually contain heroes and mythical creatures.

Mythical creatures are fictional creatures.

They usually contain a range of different creatures that we know.

For example, the Minotaur which is half beast, half man.

Lots of other mythical creatures have these kind of qualities too.

Finally, traditional myths can sometimes blend fiction and reality.

They leave room for interpretation.

So as it's in the genre of nonfiction, there are definitely fictional elements, things that are made up.

"A Journey Through Greek Myths" is set in Ancient Greece.

Greece is located in Southeastern Europe, is surrounded by the Ionian Sea to the west, the Aegean Sea to the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

Lots of the myths take into account some of these locations.

About 2,500 years ago, Greece was one of the most important places in the ancient world.

"A Journey Through Greek Myths" blends elements of fiction within the non-fiction genre.

Many Greek myths are set in locations that correspond to real places in Greece.

For example, Mount Olympus is traditionally considered the home of the Olympian gods.

I wonder, which of the locations on the illustrated map can be found in modern day Greece? Perhaps you'd like to explore after the lesson.

Here's our next check for understanding which seas border Greece? Is it A, the Ionian Sea.

B, the Baltic Sea.

C, the Aegean Sea.

Or D, the Mediterranean Sea.

That third option was quite tricky to say.

There may be more than one.

Pause the video now whilst you decide.

Well done.

The answers were A, C, and D.

The Ionian Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Mediterranean C all border Greece.

The Baltic Sea is further north near Scandinavia.

We're now going to explore the blurb.

Blurbs provide a concise summary or overview of the main content and themes within a nonfiction text.

They're designed to grab the reader's attention and create interest.

I'd like you to read the blurb with your partner.

It's located on the back of the text.

Pause the video now whilst you do so.

Great work.

Let's reread it together.

Did you notice it starts with a question? "Night Owl, is Athena a myth? Oh no, Athena is very, very real, or at least she could be.

Follow Little Owl and her grandpa as they take flight through the ancient, through Ancient Greece on a quest to learn more about the mysterious goddess, Athena, soaring through the sky with Pegasus and plunging into the depths of the underworld.

Take an epic journey for the world of legendary heroes and fierce monsters." I wonder from reading a blurb, what interests you about the text and why? Have a discussion with your talk partner.

Pause the video now while you do so.

Great work.

Let's have a look at an example.

You might have said that you're really excited to find out more about the legendary heroes and the fierce monsters that they might have to vanquish.

I wonder if that was similar or different to the discussion you had with your partner.

Here's our next check for understanding.

True or false.

Blurbs encourage readers to explore texts.

Is that true or false? Pause the video now whilst you decide.

Well done.

It's true.

Now, I'd like you to justify your answer.

Is it because a, blurbs often include information about the author's expertise or qualifications? Or b, blurbs highlight key aspects of the text helping readers decide if it aligns with their own interests and needs? Have a think back to the original statement.

Which justification best fits? Pause video now while you decide.

Well done.

The correct justification is b, blurbs help tempt readers into reading the text by giving them a sneak peek into what's included inside.

It also helps readers decide if their interests and needs align with the text.

Before we begin focusing on Greek myths, let's explore the title page and the contents page.

Let's look at these together.

They're located on pages six and seven.

Whilst you're referring to these with your partner, you might want to consider the following questions.

What do you notice? Is there anything that makes you curious to know more? And do you notice any features of traditional myths in the words or illustrations? Perhaps it's something you've seen, read, or heard before.

You might like to use the sentence stems I noticed, I am intrigued by, I am curious about, or I wonder if.

Have a look through the title page and the contents page with your partner.

Pause the video now whilst you complete the task.

Well done.

I hope you enjoyed exploring the pages.

Let's have a look at two possible examples.

Andeep says, "I wonder if the illustrations on the title page are of Pandora." He's heard a lot about how her curiosity led her to unleash all the evils and miseries into the world, leaving only hope trapped inside.

Izzy says, "I'm intrigued about the myths about the underworld.

I think the tale of Demeter and Persephone is linked to the seasons in some way." Perhaps you'd like to find some time outside of our lessons to explore these myths in more detail during independent reading time or perhaps with your class.

We're now going to look at the beginning of the text and our introduction to our two narrators.

In "A Journey Through Greek Myths," the reader follows the perspective of two owls, Little Owl and her Grandfather, Night Owl.

We join them as they perch on top of the Parthenon, a temple that looked out from the highest point of the city of Athens.

Let's say those words together.

My turn, your turn.

Parthenon.

And Athens.

Well done.

I'd now like you to read page 14 where they're having a discussion all about myths.

Pause the video now whilst you do so.

Well done.

I hope you're intrigued to find out more about these two characters.

I was really interested in how they described a myth.

Can you discuss with your partner, how does Night Owl describe a myth? Share your favourite example.

What makes it effective? Night Owl describes it in more than one way.

Perhaps have a reread with your partner and decide on the best one.

Pause the video now whilst you do so.

Well done.

Let's have a look at a possible example.

You might have said, "I think how Night Owl describes a myth as being like a story that tells us who we are is effective because it made me think about how myths can have relatable themes.

We'll discover about how myths can tell us more about ourselves as we read on.

I'd now like you to read page 15 where Little Owl has a discussion with her grandfather.

Pause video now while you do so.

Well done.

I wonder what impression do you get of Little Owl from this introduction? An impression are our first thoughts about the character.

Have a discussion with your talk partner.

Pause the video whilst you discuss the question.

Fantastic work.

Jacob says, "I think Little Owl is very curious and inquisitive.

Her eyes widen in surprise at what she hears from her grandfather." I wonder if you were similar when you were reading.

Were you impressed, excited, or keen to learn more? People's eyes go wide if they're shocked at something or amazed by it.

Here's our final check for understanding.

In the text, Night Owl describes Athena as being the goddess of.

Is it a, thunder, lightning, and justice? B, sea and earthquakes.

C, war and wisdom.

Or D, marriage and childbirth.

You can of course refer to the text if you need to to support.

Pause the video now whilst you decide.

Did you get the answer right? It's c.

Athena is considered to be the goddess of war and wisdom.

The other domains linked to a, Zeus, b, Poseidon, and d, Hera.

In our final task, I'd like you to refer to pages 14 and 15 and match the qualities of our two narrators, Night Owl and Little Owl.

The quality is a bit like a character trait.

You can use the text to support you.

The two characters on the left hand side and the qualities to match are curious, wise, thoughtful, surprised, and puzzled.

Pause the video now whilst you complete the task.

Great work.

I wonder if you've got them all correct.

Let's check.

Night Owl is considered wise and thoughtful, whereas Little Owl is considered curious, surprised, and puzzled.

She's wondering lots about how Athens came to be and where the owls originated from.

We'll continue to explore this text with Night Owl and Little Owl in future lessons.

In today's lesson, we've been exploring the genre of "A Journey Through Greek Myths." We know that "A Journey Through Greek Myths" is a nonfiction text.

It explores the mythology of Ancient Greece.

We've understood that a traditional myth explains a culture's beliefs and customs. We know that myths share many common features and themes.

And that readers can explore a text in more detail by focusing on the front cover, blurb, title page, and contents page.

I really hope this lesson has really piqued your curiosity and interest.

I'm really looking forward to exploring more myths with you soon.